Stewarding The Call Series

Elected, Called and Gifted pt2

Stewarding the Call

Ephesians 4:1-16

The Lord placed this series on my heart when I was ending the last series “Mom’s and Miracles” and we talked about “walking in the Miracle”

In Matthew 14 Jesus calls Peter to walk on the water… it was there that God spoke to my heart and said, “im still calling them”

In part 1 of this mini series we were re-assured that God chose us, elected us and selected us, and what a priveledge that is. We have God’s vote

We also learned that God is continually calling out to us. He calls us initially to follow Him then He continues to call us to deeper intamicy with Him.

He Calls to us when we are in the storms of life and when the shame and sting of sin has isolated us into depression… His call is continual.

And lastly we learned that He has gifted us for the calling that He calls us to. Gifted with the Holy Spirit so that nothing we do is on our own power.

Today I want to continue with Elected – Called and Gifted and we will learn what we need to do to Steward the calling that God has for us.

Stewardship = the management or care of something you have been entrusted with…. Particularly the kind that works…

“where there is a successful business there is careful stewardship”

So how than can you and I nurture the call, protect the call, and Live out the call to the fullest that God intended when He chose us?

Ephesians 4:1-16 – stand and read…

Within these scriptures I believe the Lord is revealing to us a sure-fired way to LIVE OUT TO THE FULLEST Extent the call of God, for each of us.. lets take a look..

Because I am Called I must continually

1. Build My Character

Now understand something, when God initially called us to Him, He didn’t call us because we had and were showing great character…

How many of us were at some low point in our lives when we first responded to His call? I know I wasn’t showing exemplary character as a meth addict when I responded…

Yet He called to us based on the Character He knew He could develop into a willing heart. And that is a character He will continue to develop in us.

So weather you responded 21 years ago, 21 days ago or 21 minutes ago… God wants to continue to build your character.

Lets take a look at the characteristics we are to walk in and grow in, in order to live to the fullest calling…

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, be patient, bearing with one another in love, Eph. 4:1-2

Right after Paul writes, to walk worthy of the calling He goes into what that walk looks like:

Walk In Humbleness = not in arrogance that you’re the chosen one but, honored that He called you… meekness and mild in approach

Walk in Gentleness = to handle with care and kindness, not to be abrasive and brash but to Treat people with kindness even when your correcting them…

“pastor I know I just got rebuked but how come I feel so encouraged and excited about my life?”

Walk In Patience – Don’t expect things to be done on your time, remember when we are interacting with and Networking with others… there are 3 time zones at work…

Yours – Theirs – God’s = you cant expect people to grow at your speed, or mature on in your time zone even when they are learning on your time.

Bearing with one another = Forebearance = to show tolerance with people… “I cant tolerate hot weather, but I make the best if it when its hot”

And how long do we live like this?

13 until we all… …become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Eph. 4:13c

The bottom line is we should be showing growth in every area of our life, every day of our life

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Eph. 4:14-15

We cant settle for where you are right now as being the be all end all. There is growth for your life today, and for tomorrow.

Don’t settle for stunted growth.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.