You Got Stinkin Thinkin – Part 2
Rethinking Calling
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
We have been called… to HIS purpose.
What we are called from and called to:
I. Called from labor to rest (Matt. 11:28)
II. Called from death to life (1 John 3:14)
III. Called from bondage to liberty (Gal 5:13)
IV. Called out of darkness into light (1 Pet. 2:9)
V. Called from bondage to peace (1 Cor. 7:15
VI. Called to the fellowship of His Son (1 Cor. 1:9)
What we are made by obeying the call:
I. We are made sons of God (John 1:12)
II. We are made the children of God (Gal. 3:26)
III. We are made the servants of God (Matt. 25:21)
IV. We are made God’s saints (Col. 1:1)
V. We are made God’s witnesses (I Thess. 2:10)
VI. We are made workers together with God (2 Cor. 6:1)
VII. We are called to a high calling (Phil. 3:14)
VIII. We are called to a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9)
IX. We are called to a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1)
• Jesus has ALL authority in heaven and on earth
o Time
o Talent
o Energy
• He calls and we are to answer the call
o The great commission is our first calling.
• Instead of this we do what we want to do and expect God to bless it.
o When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith. - Abraham Kuyper
Your calling is not affected by your position.
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. (1 Cor 1:26)
• You do not have to be perfect to do what Jesus has called you to do!
o If we did… we would never get started!
• God loves messing with our standards!
o He uses the foolish things (and people!) to confound the wise!
o Moses was a poor speaker, Paul jailed and killed believers, and Jonah was a whiner!
•
You will not always know where you are going.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.(Hebrews 11:8)
• If we knew everything that was ahead for us we would get scared and run away!
o God gives us things a bit at a time so we can handle it.
o One of England’s finest preachers was C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892). Frequently during his ministry he was plunged into severe depression, due in part to gout but also for other reasons. In a biography of the "prince of preachers," Arnold Dallimore wrote, "What he suffered in those times of darkness we may not know...even his desperate calling on God brought no relief.’There are dungeons,’ he said, ’beneath the castles of despair.’"
o If we knew that was on the way…
o Sometimes when a step makes no sense we must choose to walk in faith that God knows what he is doing.
• Look for the purpose in the step you are at! God is never NOT doing something around you.
o Look for His presence in situations and you will find Him.
• Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. (Isa 41:3b)
