Every believer in Jesus Christ has a threefold call on his life!

First-
God calls us to know His Son Jesus Christ personally through faith.
Responding to this call changes everything-
-your life, your purpose, your eternal destiny.

It is a call to conversion!
Some folks think, “I’m saved now—next stop, heaven,” but God’s call doesn’t stop at conversion.
Really, it’s just the beginning.

Secondly-
God also calls you to follow Him.
Jesus extends the same invitation to you and me that He did to the disciples on the shore of Galilee:
“Come follow Me!”

This call to discipleship makes a place for you to walk and talk with the Lord every day; it’s an invitation to know and be known by the Lover of your soul.

It is a call to communion!!

Thirdly-
The call extends even beyond this to the call to serve Christ.
Contrary to many people’s priority lists, working for God is not in the options column.

Why?
Because God needs you to get His Church built?
No, He could do it with His feet up.
He calls you and me off the bench and into the game because He wants to bless us.

Just ask any faithful, fruitful follower of Christ, and they’ll tell you all about the joy of rolling up your sleeves and pouring yourself into the place He’s got for you to serve.

It is a call for commission!!!

Ephesians 2:8-10 sums up our threefold calling like this:
“By grace you have been saved through faith (the call to conversion). And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (the call for commission), which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (the call to communion).”

Where do you stand in relation to God’s call on your life?
Are you experiencing the blessing of obedience?

If you obey the call to know Christ, you know the gift of eternal life.
If you obey the call to follow Christ, you know fellowship with the Lord that brings increasing faith and joy.

If you obey the call to serve Christ, you’re experiencing the rush of investing your life in something greater than your life.

It takes obedience in all three aspects to experience the abundant life Christ offers!

If you wonder where your joy is these days-
-ask yourself how you’re doing in these areas.

Then step up and go after the things that God calls you to.
You’re going to get blessed for sure!

(PR)

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Great promises and great victories fill the pages of the Book of Joshua.
Israel moved into the Promised Land and conquered it with God’s help.

Jericho fell, literally.
Ai was ultimately defeated.
The sun even stood still-all striking evidence that God was fighting for Israel (Josh 10:14).

Yet-
When the details of the conquest are examined beginning in Joshua 13:13-
– a sad fact needs to be noted.

The Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah.
The significance is not the names of the people.
But the fact that they were allowed to remain in the land.

As you continue to read Joshua-
– you will find this phrase repeated: “did not drive them out completely.”

The account of Joshua tells us about God’s promises and Israel’s victories.

But it does not hide the fact that sometimes the fulfillment of the promises was limited by Israel’s incomplete obedience.

Hidden sins, lack of faith and incomplete obedience-
– allowed some of the people to remain in the land.

God’s instructions were clear.
His promises were certain.

The failure was not God’s but the people’s.
They failed and ultimately bore the consequences.

Always strive for complete obedience!
Never stop short of it!

Whatever God gives you to do, do it completely.
Unfinished tasks can be more troublesome than the effort of doing it the first time.

(PR)

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“And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (Joel 2:32). 

Why do not I call on His name? Why do I run to this man and that one when God is so near and will hear my faintest call?

Why do I sit down and devise schemes and invent plans? Why not at once roll myself and my burden upon the Lord?

Why do not I run at once to the living God? In vain- shall I look for “deliverance anywhere else; – but with God I shall find it!”

I need not ask whether I may call on Him or not, -for that word “Whosoever” is a very wide and comprehensive one.

Whosoever means me, for it means anybody and everybody who calls upon God. I will therefore follow the leading of the text! And at once call upon the glorious Lord who has made so large a promise.

My case is urgent!
And I do not see how I am to be delivered! But this is no business of mine!!

The LORD will fight for me; I need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).

He who makes the promise will find ways and means of keeping it. It is mine to obey His commands; it is not mine to direct His counsels. I am His servant, not

His solicitor! I call upon Him, and He shall deliver!!

(PR)

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God uses a variety of methods to get our attention-
-if we are not willing to focus on Him!

Sometimes He gives us-
– a word from a believer;
– an unanswered prayer;

Sometimes He allows-
– a tragedy,
– a restless spirit.
– a disappointment,
– a financial difficulty,
– a crisis and among other ways.

Whatever method God chooses to bring you within His will-
– is perfect and is born of His love.

He has plans for you and will keep you-
– in precise accordance with those plans if you obey Him.

It is when we cease travelling on the path He has chosen for us-
– that God has to get our attention!

He may use-
– one method today,
– another next week,
– another next year!

Yet-
He always acts out of love.
He sees not only your present but also your future.

Our response should be-
– to examine every area and circumstance of our lives and
– to ask the Lord to clarify what He is trying to show us and
– how He wants us to proceed.

God got Samuel’s attention!
He told God that he was “listening.”

This particular Hebrew word means:
“to hear with a view to obeying.”

Samuel answered with clear intentions to obey-
– though he had no idea what God would say next (1 Samuel 3:1-10).

May his response be our model!

(PR)

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“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—’and let us serve them, ‘you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). 

It is not uncommon to read of a police department-
– working on a baffling case to consult a psychic!

The “just the facts” approach to crime-
– moves to an “I have a feeling” process of investigation!

Sometimes it works!
The psychic leads the police to a key piece of evidence!

How should a Christian respond to those times-
– when the paranormal is portrayed as normal?

Realize that sometimes they may be right.
God’s Word tells us that and gives examples of prophets and magicians whose advice was taken and signs believed.

Deuteronomy 13:2 says, “And if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place…”
Refuse to follow that path.

God’s instruction is “you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer”.v. 3.
In other words, do not add Tarot cards to your daily reading.

Skip the horoscope.
Recognize that it is a test.

Our hearts are tested through these seemingly inexplicable happenings.
But God explains them.

He says they is a test to see if you love Him with all your heart.
Review your commitment to read and learn the Bible.

Stay true to God and His Word!
Do not let appearances deceive you.

The better we know the Word-
– the better we can discern truth and error.

(PR)

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We’re like the young man who called his girlfriend and said:
“Sweetheart, you are so precious to me. I love you so much I’d fight wild beasts to be by your side. I’d tread on broken glass to hold your hand….And if it doesn’t rain, I’m going to come over and see you tomorrow night.”

Many believers are-
– high on sentiment!
– but low on sacrifice!!

We don’t know what it is to fight for the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you’re looking for an easy way to serve the Lord, you can forget it.

We’re called upon to endure hardness as a good soldier of the cross.
How much hardness would you endure?

Here’s a little test:
When was the last time you spent an hour in prayer?
When was the last time you fasted through a meal?
When was the last time you spent your vacation on a short-term mission trip?
When was the last time you were persecuted for your faith?
When was the last time you spent a night in jail because you shared your faith?

Are you just-
– a sentimental believer?
– or a sacrificial soldier?

“Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).

(PR)

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“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it” (Numbers 12:1-9).

As the leader of the masses out of Egypt-
Moses endured far more criticism than he deserved.

In Numbers 14, we read how God sent a whole bunch of people to die in the desert because of their incessant complaining.

When Moses’ own family picked up the sour song, God came to Moses’ defense.
To Miriam and Aaron, He said, “Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, Moses? So the anger of the Lord burned against them” (Numbers 12:8).

In other words-
“Just who do you think you are criticizing Moses like that?”

Notice God’s deep feelings.
He didn’t wait for their explanations.
And they didn’t wait long for the consequences.
God just said, “Enough!”

He hates it when we dwell on the perceived faults of another with no view to their good.
You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to feel God’s heat in this true account.
He considers criticism a sin and He won’t tolerate it.

Obviously, we want to soften that judgment and call criticism a weakness or a bad habit or poor people skills.
While criticism is all that, it’s also a whole lot more.

If you have a critical attitude toward someone-
– you are hindering your fellowship with God!

He hears that bitter spirit come out in your words and wants nothing to do with it.
Makes you wonder, if your spiritual life feels like a wilderness right now – dry, cheerless, and joyless – maybe it’s because you’ve allowed a critical attitude to creep in.

It’s a choice that not only injures your horizontal relationship with others, but also your vertical relationship with God.
It’s your choice!

When He says, “Don’t!” what He really means is, “Don’t hurt yourself!”
When God says, “Don’t criticize,” it’s not because He wants to deprive us of some satisfactory experience.
He is actually saying, “That goes against the nature of who I have made you to be.”

Fish were made to swim.
Birds were made to fly.
People were made to live in fellowship with God.

When we criticize others, we break that fellowship with God.
We hinder our own joy, and our life becomes like a wilderness.

(PR)

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“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

Do you know the story of Joshua?
And how the wall of Jericho fell down after the Israelites marched around it once a day for six days, then seven times on the seventh day?

Why not just walk around Jericho one time?
I think it was because God was testing their faith.

God was teaching them that-
“Waiting time is not a wasted time!”

Isaiah 28:16 says, “he that believes shall not make haste.”
God is never in a hurry like we are.

We get upset when we miss a section in a revolving door!
God is also never late.

He knows what He is doing.
Do you know what our problem is?

We’ve been around Jericho six times and we’re ready to quit.

Say with the psalmist:
“My soul, wait you only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” Psalm 62:5.

Are you single?
Or lonely?

Take comfort in knowing God knows your heart’s desire.
Take courage in knowing God’s best is your purity.

Though it may be hard to wait-
God will honor your obedience!

(PR)

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God’ s glory is more important than our own well-being. The serious problem is not the pain that others have inflicted upon us. But the pain we have inflicted (and continue to inflict) upon God.

Let me spell out as clearly as I can exactly what I mean. Many Christians are far more interested in focusing on how they can get God to comfort them when they have been hurt than considering how much they have hurt Him.

Not that it is wrong to seek His comfort. Scripture encourages us to do this.

But it is only one side of the picture. I repeat that this is a legitimate emphasis. The important issue is not how badly people have behaved toward us. But how badly we have behaved (and continue to behave) toward God.

Take this for example:

Someone hurts us or upsets us. And we decide to become the architects of their judgment. But what does God say?

“Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay” (Rom 12:19).

Don’t you think God is hurt when He sees us ignoring His Word? We may have been sinned against, but is that any justification for sinning against God?

Are you hurting God?

Let’ s not mince words here – for any violation of a divine principle must be called by its rightful name – sin!

And no sin ought to be treated lightly – especially a sin against God.

“God, forgive me that so often I am more concerned about how others have treated me than the way I treat You. I see that a failure to trust You is a failure in love. I say, “I love You,” but only so far. Forgive me and help me forgive those who hurt me also. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

(PR)

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Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not set out. (Num 9:19)

This was a test of obedience.
It was comparatively easy to strike tents, when the fleecy folds of the cloud were slowly gathering from off the tabernacle, and it floated majestically before the host.

Change is always delightful; and there was excitement and interest in the route, the scenery, and the locality of the next halting-place.
But, the waiting…?

Then, however uninviting and sultry the location, however trying to flesh and blood, however irksome to the impatient disposition, however perilously exposed to danger, there was no option but to remain encamped.

The Psalmist says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” (Ps 40:1).  And what He did for the Old Testament saints He will do for believers throughout all ages and for you especially!

Because He is the same yesterday and today and forever!
God often keeps us waiting.

Face to face with threatening foes, in the midst of alarms, encircled by perils, beneath the impending rock.
May we not go?

Is it not time to strike our tents?
Have we not suffered to the point of utter collapse?

May we not exchange the glare and heat for green pastures and still waters?
There is no answer.

The cloud tarries, and we must remain, though sure of manna, rock-water, shelter, and defense. God never keeps us at post without assuring us of His presence, and provisions.

Wait, young man; do not be in a hurry to jump!
Wait, woman; do not rush and push!
Wait, minister, remain at your post!
Wait businessman; do not run at random!

Until the cloud clearly moves, you must tarry for His time has not yet come!

For you know very well:
“… those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint”.  (Isa 40:31).

Read Psalm 37 carefully and completely!

(PR)

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