Called to a Holy Calling

[Christsfreeservant]

2 Timothy 1:5-7 ESV

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”​

The Apostle Paul wrote this to Timothy, but most of what he wrote to him can also be applied to all who are of sincere faith in Jesus Christ. We should all fan into flame the gift of God, which is in us, which is an anointing of God (1 Jn 2:20,27). For, when we believe in Jesus Christ with genuine faith in Him, the Holy Spirit of God comes to dwell within us (Rom 8:9,14-17; 1 Co 2:12; 1 Co 6:19-20). He is Christ in us the hope of glory (Col 1:27).

Jesus Christ is God’s gift to us. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son that whoever believing in him should not perish but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16). Jesus Christ, God the Son, left his throne in heaven, came to earth, took on human form, suffered, and died on a cross in order that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness for the glory of God (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24).

But he did not remain dead. On the third day God the Father resurrected him from the dead, and he appeared to many people over a course of about 40 days, and then he ascended back into heaven with the Father. Then, after a short period of time, he sent his Holy Spirit to indwell his followers, and since that time all who believe in Jesus are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. We do not need a second indwelling of the Spirit (see references above).

But we don’t believe in Jesus one time and then we live our lives and when we die we go to heaven. Our faith and our salvation and the filling of the Spirit are to be a continual process in our lives of walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, and of fanning into flame the gift of God within us. For daily we are to be dying to sin and to self and walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands (Lu 9:23-26; Rom 8:1-17).

So, if we are fanning into flame the gift of God which is in us, by faith in Jesus Christ, then we should be walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh. We should be responding to the calling of God on our lives, and we should be doing what he has called us to do. We should be walking in obedience to the Lord and we should be studying his word (in context) and applying its truths to our lives and submitting to the Lordship of Christ over our lives.

And whatever spiritual gifts we have been given we should be putting into practice. And whatever part of the body God has assigned to us we should be doing by God’s grace and in his strength and power. Our lives are no longer to be our own to be lived however we desire, but our lives are to be surrendered to our Lord Jesus to do his will and to fulfill his purposes for us, which is not for ourselves, but which is for the glory of God.

For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. These (power of God, love of God, and self-control of the Spirit of God) are to be what are ruling our lives, not selfishness, not the lusts of the flesh, not pride, not sinful passions, not entertainment, not self-pleasure, not peer pressure, but the power and love of God and self-control under Holy Spirit control. And we should be living to please our Lord.

2 Timothy 1:8-10 ESV

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”​

As followers (disciples) of Jesus Christ – which is not optional, by the way, for the one who says he believes in Jesus – we are not only to be living the life that God has designed for us to live, by the Spirit, but we are to be spreading the good news of the gospel of our salvation to the world around us. And that gospel teaches that Jesus died that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23).

We are not to be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ nor of the testimony about our Lord. So, this means that we will not shrink back from submitting to his lordship, from obeying his commands, nor from forsaking our sinful practices, but we will walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, in the power of God. We will be who our Lord created us to be even if it means being persecuted for our faith in Jesus Christ.

And in the power of God, we will be sharing the gospel wherever God places us (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Christian Forums, blogs, in person, at church gatherings, with family members, in nursing homes, at social gatherings, at sporting events, or wherever we are, etc.). We will not be ashamed to mention the name of Jesus or to talk about him to our friends, family, and acquaintances, nor be afraid to share the full gospel message.

For, God did not call us to salvation from sin by his grace so that we could go on living in sin, for the flesh, following after the lusts of the flesh, doing what our selfish wills desire, being entertained and entertaining others without regard for what our Lord wants for our lives. For Jesus shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) so we will now honor our Lord with our bodies (1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15).

Too many people today who profess faith in Jesus Christ are living not much differently from people who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ at all. For they are still living for sinful pleasures and for their selfish desires. Although they may profess faith in Jesus with their lips and feel certain that they are going to heaven when they die, they do not honor Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives for they are still living however they want to live.

If this is where you are, please know that the Scriptures do not give you the blessing of God, and God’s grace does not cover over your sinful rebellion against the Lord. The Scriptures teach that if sin is what you practice, and if righteousness and obedience to the Lord are not what you practice, that you do not have an inheritance with God in his eternal kingdom, but one day you will hear, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of iniquity.”

And please know that we are not saved from our sins just so we can escape hell and go to heaven when we die. Jesus died to free us from our enslavement to sin so we would now be slaves of God and of his righteousness. As those who bear the cross of Christ we are to be totally surrendered to Jesus Christ, committed to serving him and to doing his will for our lives, no matter the cost, and for the glory and praise of God.

[Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:9-10, 19-20; 2 Co 5:10, 15; Tit 2:11-14; Jas 1:22-25; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; Matt 7:21-23; Heb 10:26-27; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Rom 12:1-2; Eph 2:8-10]

Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song)

Songwriters: Amy Lee Grant / Chris Eaton

I have traveled many moonless nights
Cold and weary with a babe inside
And I wonder what I've done
Holy father you have come
And chosen me now to carry your son

I am waiting in a silent prayer
I am frightened by the load I bear
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now
Be with me now

Breath of heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven
Breath of heaven
Lighten my darkness
Pour over me your holiness
For you are holy
Breath of heaven

Caution: This link may contain ads