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The Lord Jesus led me to read varied scriptures on the subject of our calling.
Do you know what your calling is? Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Have you been born again of the Spirit of God? Are you indwelt with the Holy Spirit? Then, you have been called of God to be someone in particular, and to do something very specific, some of it uniquely designed just for you.
This was written to the church, so this is speaking to all believers in Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus, by faith in him, and by the power of the Holy Spirit now dwelling within us, we are enriched in Christ in many ways. We have been gifted with the knowledge of Christ and the supernatural ability to speak in proclamation of him and of his word. The church has also been richly blessed of the Spirit of God with many spiritual gifts, such as knowledge, wisdom, helps, faith, healing, prophecy, service, teaching and mercy, etc. (Rom. 12; 1 Co. 12; Eph. 4). The Spirit gives these gifts to us, as individuals, as he wills, and yet we are taught to seek the greater gifts.
So, we are to exercise (put into practice) all that God has given to us, while we await his return. To this we were called. Our lives are to be committed to him and to his service. Our hearts should be united with him, too, as we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. And, Christ Jesus will confirm us, who are believing in him, to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord.
For, we have been called into fellowship with Jesus Christ, our Lord. We are called into participation in his death and resurrection, via death to sin and resurrection to new lives in Christ Jesus to be lived to his righteousness. We are to share, also, in the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. We share in common with Christ his heart, his passions, and his desires. We prefer what he prefers, and we love what he loves and hate what he hates. We also, through divine discipline, share in his holiness. And, holiness means to be set apart (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus in true righteousness and holiness.
Our primary gift which we have received from our Lord is our salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, i.e. new birth (new life) in the Spirit. And, then the Holy Spirit gives each of us, individually, spiritual gifts.
Sometimes, over time, we may get lazy about our spiritual walks, or we may not be as passionate about our new lives in Christ as we once were. Other things may distract us or take priority, and thus we need to “kindle afresh” the gift of our salvation, and the infilling of the Spirit, and the gifts God has given us to be used for his glory and for ministry to the body of Christ. We do this through confession of sin and yielding our lives completely to our Lord in every respect, being willing to be used of him however he desires.
Since we have been called with a holy calling, according to God’s purpose and grace, we should not be ashamed of the gospel of our salvation, but we should willingly suffer rejection, persecution, and false accusations for the cause of Christ and for the sake of his gospel (See vv. 8-9), for to this we were called. We should not be afraid to have people mock us, ignore us or misjudge us because we tell them the truth of what God’s Word teaches. We, too, should not fear them not liking or accepting or including us, either. Their salvation is of far greater concern than whether or not we are liked.
We should, instead, be confident in what Christ has done for us and in us. We ought to be assured of his promises, and not waver back and forth in opinion regarding what we believe, depending on who we are with. We should not let rejection dissuade us from telling people the truth of the gospel, either. But, we should stand firm on the Word of the Lord and not cave to persuasion to compromise truth in order to be accepted. God has entrusted us with his Words which we are to share with others, and so we must remain faithful to that trust, for many yet need to be saved.
We who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives are chosen by God to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation, yet not a physical nation, but a spiritual nation. We are to yield our lives to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God. And, we are to be ministers of our Lord in sharing his gospel, in ministering to the needs of the saints, and in praying for one another. And, we should be actively encouraging one another, too, in Christ Jesus, through his Word, through song, and through loving acts of kindness.
We who are his people are his own possession. He is our God, our Lord (owner-master), and we are his bondservants. He owns our lives, so he should have full say in who we become, what we do, what we say, and where we go. So, we should seek him out with regard to what his specific calling is upon our lives, for him to show us, so that we can follow him wherever he is leading us.
We were called by God, too, out of darkness (sin, wickedness) into his marvelous light (truth, righteousness). So, we should be living our lives like this is true, all in the power and wisdom and strength of our Lord now living within us. And, we should stop making excuses for why we can’t walk in victory over sin. Then, we can proclaim the excellencies of him who brought us out from underneath bondage to sin, and who set us free to now walk in victory over sin and in Christ’s righteousness and holiness. We will, then, be sharing what is reality in our lives, both in words and in practice.
The Peace of Christ / An Original Work / October 31, 2011
Based off of Col. 3:1-17; Eph. 5:19-20
Let the word of Christ dwell in you,
As you teach with all wisdom,
Teaching one another to not
Think on earthly things;
Think instead on things above,
Where Christ sits with God, in love,
Saving us from all of our sins,
Cleansing us; made new within.
Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts,
As you sing songs unto Him;
Speak to one another with psalms,
Hymns, and spir’tual songs;
Always giving thanks to God,
In the name of Christ, His Son,
Who gave His life up for us all,
And gave us eternal life.
Let the love of Christ within you
Rule in your hearts; grace within,
Purifying you from your sin,
Make you whole within.
Forgive as the Lord forgave.
Show His kindness ev’ry day.
In word or deed, whate’er you do,
Glory give to Jesus Christ.
Monday, November 27, 2017, 8:59 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your Word today. It has blessed my heart!
Do you know what your calling is? Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Have you been born again of the Spirit of God? Are you indwelt with the Holy Spirit? Then, you have been called of God to be someone in particular, and to do something very specific, some of it uniquely designed just for you.
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 NASB
This was written to the church, so this is speaking to all believers in Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus, by faith in him, and by the power of the Holy Spirit now dwelling within us, we are enriched in Christ in many ways. We have been gifted with the knowledge of Christ and the supernatural ability to speak in proclamation of him and of his word. The church has also been richly blessed of the Spirit of God with many spiritual gifts, such as knowledge, wisdom, helps, faith, healing, prophecy, service, teaching and mercy, etc. (Rom. 12; 1 Co. 12; Eph. 4). The Spirit gives these gifts to us, as individuals, as he wills, and yet we are taught to seek the greater gifts.
So, we are to exercise (put into practice) all that God has given to us, while we await his return. To this we were called. Our lives are to be committed to him and to his service. Our hearts should be united with him, too, as we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. And, Christ Jesus will confirm us, who are believing in him, to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord.
For, we have been called into fellowship with Jesus Christ, our Lord. We are called into participation in his death and resurrection, via death to sin and resurrection to new lives in Christ Jesus to be lived to his righteousness. We are to share, also, in the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. We share in common with Christ his heart, his passions, and his desires. We prefer what he prefers, and we love what he loves and hate what he hates. We also, through divine discipline, share in his holiness. And, holiness means to be set apart (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus in true righteousness and holiness.
For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 2 Tim. 1:6-7
Our primary gift which we have received from our Lord is our salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, i.e. new birth (new life) in the Spirit. And, then the Holy Spirit gives each of us, individually, spiritual gifts.
Sometimes, over time, we may get lazy about our spiritual walks, or we may not be as passionate about our new lives in Christ as we once were. Other things may distract us or take priority, and thus we need to “kindle afresh” the gift of our salvation, and the infilling of the Spirit, and the gifts God has given us to be used for his glory and for ministry to the body of Christ. We do this through confession of sin and yielding our lives completely to our Lord in every respect, being willing to be used of him however he desires.
For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:12-14
Since we have been called with a holy calling, according to God’s purpose and grace, we should not be ashamed of the gospel of our salvation, but we should willingly suffer rejection, persecution, and false accusations for the cause of Christ and for the sake of his gospel (See vv. 8-9), for to this we were called. We should not be afraid to have people mock us, ignore us or misjudge us because we tell them the truth of what God’s Word teaches. We, too, should not fear them not liking or accepting or including us, either. Their salvation is of far greater concern than whether or not we are liked.
We should, instead, be confident in what Christ has done for us and in us. We ought to be assured of his promises, and not waver back and forth in opinion regarding what we believe, depending on who we are with. We should not let rejection dissuade us from telling people the truth of the gospel, either. But, we should stand firm on the Word of the Lord and not cave to persuasion to compromise truth in order to be accepted. God has entrusted us with his Words which we are to share with others, and so we must remain faithful to that trust, for many yet need to be saved.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB
We who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives are chosen by God to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation, yet not a physical nation, but a spiritual nation. We are to yield our lives to God as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God. And, we are to be ministers of our Lord in sharing his gospel, in ministering to the needs of the saints, and in praying for one another. And, we should be actively encouraging one another, too, in Christ Jesus, through his Word, through song, and through loving acts of kindness.
We who are his people are his own possession. He is our God, our Lord (owner-master), and we are his bondservants. He owns our lives, so he should have full say in who we become, what we do, what we say, and where we go. So, we should seek him out with regard to what his specific calling is upon our lives, for him to show us, so that we can follow him wherever he is leading us.
We were called by God, too, out of darkness (sin, wickedness) into his marvelous light (truth, righteousness). So, we should be living our lives like this is true, all in the power and wisdom and strength of our Lord now living within us. And, we should stop making excuses for why we can’t walk in victory over sin. Then, we can proclaim the excellencies of him who brought us out from underneath bondage to sin, and who set us free to now walk in victory over sin and in Christ’s righteousness and holiness. We will, then, be sharing what is reality in our lives, both in words and in practice.
The Peace of Christ / An Original Work / October 31, 2011
Based off of Col. 3:1-17; Eph. 5:19-20
Let the word of Christ dwell in you,
As you teach with all wisdom,
Teaching one another to not
Think on earthly things;
Think instead on things above,
Where Christ sits with God, in love,
Saving us from all of our sins,
Cleansing us; made new within.
Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts,
As you sing songs unto Him;
Speak to one another with psalms,
Hymns, and spir’tual songs;
Always giving thanks to God,
In the name of Christ, His Son,
Who gave His life up for us all,
And gave us eternal life.
Let the love of Christ within you
Rule in your hearts; grace within,
Purifying you from your sin,
Make you whole within.
Forgive as the Lord forgave.
Show His kindness ev’ry day.
In word or deed, whate’er you do,
Glory give to Jesus Christ.
Monday, November 27, 2017, 8:59 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for this teaching from your Word today. It has blessed my heart!
