Being Called

This is one of my favorite pictures of Justin, our middle son, who just turned 19 years old. I can't hardly believe he is that old!

Anyway, when I was studying the word yesterday in the wee hours I thought of this picture. It looks as if someone is calling him and he's looking for where his name is being called.


Today that's what I've been studying. Being Called by God.

I have often times use the word, "Called", in reference to being called by God to go into the ministry. However, the Lord has reminded me that is much more than that!

Called by Him to be His child. Sometimes in our work / ministry it is easy to use this word and mean one thing when in deed it's true meaning has a much more greater depth.

Several verses stood out to me and so I'll just share some of what has been renewed in my mind.

God- Called me to Salvation but in salvation He desires for me to then perfect holiness in the fear of God.
1 Thess. 4:7-8 says:
"For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you."

This struck me in a new way. If God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but sanctification then it should be our mission to strive to live a life that is pure. This is so hard at times to really grasp. Having received the gift of eternal life, It should mean that I desire to be like HIM! Why then do I strive so hard to do what I want?

Heb. 12:14
"Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord."

This really hit me hard. I've learned over the years that certain people are put in my life to cause me to grow up in my spiritual life and visa versa. Sometimes I want to flee from these people but what I've learned is that those who flee from conflict or confronting a situation they really aren't willing to do the work necessary to " live in Peace with all men" and maybe even on a more personal note, we don't really want to do the work necessary to live in peace with all men. Meaning, we don't want to change to make things work. Now please don't read into that and make the assumption that I think we can all get along and love eachother. I do! Well, if the Lord would return and we were made perfect, I really do believe it is possible. However, in the condition of our current situation, striving for holiness. Then, we must work hard, strive for peace with all men. What I've learned though is that it is truly possible to do this even in the midst of serious conflict. If, that is ,both people want and desire to "pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." We have desire to do the work necessary to live at peace with all men. Which often times means we need to some work in our own lives in order to do that, it is rarely just one person who needs to change!

The Heb. 12 passage is pretty powerful. I mean, if we aren't willing to pursue peace with all men and we run away from dealing with issues that arise then we are choosing not to continue on the road to sanctification. Which is HOLINESS!

Romans 6: 22-23
"Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death."

Let me just stop there for a moment.
One of the first things we have to do is realize our own condition. Sometimes in the midst of dealing with sin we often times put or focus on others and their condition. I can't believe how many times I do this. But what a wake up call for me today! I need to realize the outcome of those things that I try so hard at times to hold on to, its DEATH! And man, I have been chosen to live a life with Eternity in mind!

"But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. "

This really spoke to me - Because, so many times the real issue is that I can't see that I'm enslaved to my own sin. I should however be claiming the freedom I have in Christ Jesus and draw from the benefit I know I have in HIM, which will result in sanctification. Ultimately, overcoming the sin issue. We have an untouched resource we often times just forget about, the Holy Spirit!

My sanctification is on going - I am sanctified in Christ Jesus but what I need to do is live that out in the day to day things.

It's really about growing to maturity in our spiritual life! It really is no small thing to be CALLED by God through Jesus Christ! The promises are endless for those who have believed.

It's just a great time to reflect on the Joy of my salvation. The overwhelming choice my God made to save me. For I have taken such a blessing and have not considered my own responsibility in living that out!

It's really about laying down our flesh. Dying to self! I should want , desire, strive for righteousness.
2 Cor. 7:1 says: " Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

For me this week, it's about realizing my own condition.
James 3:13;17-18
"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deed in the gentleness of wisdom." " But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy. and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

1Peter 1:14-16
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy one who called you, be Holy yourselves also in all your behavior. Because it is written, 'You shall be Holy, for I am Holy.'"

and again: 2 Cor. 7:1
"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness int he fear of God."

I am challenged daily in the work we do to put my flesh aside and not feed it. I'm often times ashamed when I go back over my day and see the choices I've made. How I've not chosen to be holy in moments where I could have made that choice to not conform to the former lusts!

I think for me this week it is just carefully choosing my thought process, and while I may not say the things I'm thinking- those too are sin! So I pray that I will guard my heart against allowing my thought life to wonder in places it shouldn't and make the choice to think on these things: Phil.4:8 "Finally, brethren, what ever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

May we all grow in our Journey of Sanctification/ Holiness!

Here's to living out what we've been Called to in Christ Jesus, Salvation!