A Voice of One Calling

 

    Isaiah 40:3

A voice of one calling "Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert."

    We, the born again, are the voice. Like John the Baptist, who prepared the way for his cousin Jesus Christ, we cry out still today, "Jesus is coming! Prepare your hearts to receive Him!" 

     The wilderness is the area where the unbeliever dwells, just as the unbelieving Israelites remained in the wilderness instead of entering Canaan (Numbers 14:21-35).  

    There are no crooked inroads to salvation through Christ Jesus. There is the Way of Holiness (Isaiah 35:8), a strait and narrow (Matthew 7:14) old [ancient]path (Jeremiah 6:16) which leads to Zion, the mount of God. 

    We are all sinners. We start out that way because we are born with a sinful nature. But when we reach the age of accountability, where we know the difference between what is right and what is wrong, we become accountable for our beliefs and our lifestyle. 

    When we believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD and listen to The Holy Spirit of God Who has been given to the believer as a Guide and an Advocate, we become God's people, a holy nation (Romans 10:9-13; John 1:12,13; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:4, 5:32; 1 Peter 2:9). We have left the wilderness of unbelief and entered into the promised land. 

     But nothing in this promised land is ours for the taking: we must do the work God has given us to do; and do it joyfully and wholeheartedly. After all, we have the best Boss in the whole universe!  And He has given us a Partner who not only works with us but intercedes for us with our Employer. 

    So, we cry out, "Prepare yourselves to receive Jesus Christ! Repent of your sins. Throw yourselves on the mercy of the court and ask Jesus to come into your hearts, ask for and receive His Holy Spirit, Who will help you lead righteous and holy lives. Jesus is Coming! Jesus is Coming for us! Be ready. Be wise."

    When the unbelieving heart hears The Name of Jesus Christ and refuses to repent of their sins, they remain in the wilderness of unbelief and they will die in their sinful state. They will never know the joy and wonder of being loved by God; never experience Grace poured out upon their open hearts. 

    When the unrepentant heart dies in its sins, there are no more opportunities to believe in Jesus Christ. Once a person is dead they cannot be prayed out of hell and into heaven. The only Bridge between heaven and hell is Belief on The Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST and it must be walked when we kneel at the cross, see Jesus and repent, which simply means to confess our sins and turn away from doing those things. It is impossible to repent once you're dead. 

    Again, we cry out, "Prepare yourselves to receive Jesus Christ! Repent of your sins. Throw yourselves on the mercy of the court and ask Jesus to come into your hearts, ask for and receive His Holy Spirit, Who will help you lead righteous and holy lives. Jesus is Coming! Jesus is Coming for us! Be ready. Be wise."

WE ARE THE VOICE  - study playlist

A Crucified Life - - Is Called According to God's Purpose

 

    Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

    Many people have a tendency to omit parts of this verse in order to apply it to themselves. That won't work. It's like trying to put on an article of clothing only to discover it's ripped in places or permanently stained in obvious sites. 

    All things: good things, bad things; wonderful things, awful things; things that bring us joy and things that tear our hearts out. Things that bring us down and things that lift us up are working together for our good. 

    Not everything we put in a bread recipe tastes good on its own. Yeast, for example, smells good but tastes nasty. Yet, when it is included in bread it makes it lighter and softer; on the plus side it tastes great. Raw egg does nothing for me unless you add sugar and milk. Then I'll drink it.

    Before the seed can go into the ground, the ground must first be tilled. After the seed goes into the ground, it requires some form of fertilization to help it grow. It requires water and sunlight. It requires time to process before it can become food. Most raw grains are hard to digest on their own, but once ground and incorporated into a recipe, all grains become edible. Even rice needs to be processed before eating. 

   In the life of the born again believer, everything that happens to us affects us in some way, sometimes in many ways at the same time. Like being in the bowl of a stand mixer and not being in control of anything that is happening. 

    Divorce affects the family as a whole, tearing it up into smaller pieces and scattering it to the four winds. Finances are split or hidden. Children are left without a rootstock on which to build their own lives. Adults learn not to trust anyone. 

    Death of the ones we love is so very difficult. Even if we get to say, 'Goodbye' and 'See you in heaven', we leave them knowing we'll never hear their voice this side of heaven again. But not being able to say our goodbyes is just as difficult. We didn't know they were going to die that day. We didn't know we'd never be able to say 'I love you' again. Death tears a person's heart up, just chews it up and leaves it all crumbled on the floor. 

    But ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM WHO LOVE THE LORD. And I love The Lord! So He is incorporating the bad things (raw eggs) into the good things (sugar and milk) because I love Him and I surrender my life to His will, His purpose. 

    WE ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE

What is His purpose? Repentance (Acts 3:19,20). Salvation (John 3:16). Baptism by water and by Spirit (John 3:5). Live A Holy Life (1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Peter 3:11). Tells others about Jesus, God's Saving Grace (Mark 16:15). To Glorify God and Not Ourselves (Psalm 34:2,3). To Love Like Christ (John 13:34; Romans 13:10; 1 John 4:7-10). Plus all the other callings (Answering God's Calls) we have discussed over the last two months. 

CALLED ACCORDINGLY 

Thank You, Lord (for the trials that come my way) - Mary Ann Tam

Don't Let Your Heart Be Hardened - Petra

Midnight - TobyMac

Humble Thyself In The Sight of The Lord - Maranatha! Music

Walk With Me - Kim Walker-Smith

Welcome Holy Spirit - Oasis Worship

Spirit Break Out - Jesus Culture

Gotta Tell Somebody - Don Francisco

Love One Another - Newsboys

Holy Forever - Chris Tomlin

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call To Be Born Again

 

    John 3:14,15

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up; that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. 

    Here in this passage of Scripture in John 3:1-21 we have the remembrance of Jesus' private visit with Nicodemus, a respected religious leader of that time. Every interaction with Christ is private, intimate, requiring only the individual and Jesus for the revelation of Truth to be imparted to the heart. 

And what is this Truth which only comes from Jesus Christ? Truth IS Jesus Christ. He is The Word of God come in the flesh (John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of Grace and Truth.").

He is The Truth (John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life: no man comes to The Father, but by Me."").

    The Truth of Jesus Christ is the key to eternal life that unlocks the prison doors of our heart (John 8:32 "You shall know The Truth and The Truth shall set you free."). This Truth frees us from sin and death (Romans 8:2 "For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death."). 

    Romans 5:6-11

 (6)For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (10) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (11) And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

    So say I now: Look to the cross of Christ and believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son, Who suffered and died for us that we might be saved from death, hell, the grave and the second death. Repent and be baptized and receive The Holy Spirit according to the promise of The Word of God. 

CALLED TO SALVATION 

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross - Keith & Kristyn Getty

The Way, The Truth, The Life - Celebration Music

Create In Me A Clean Heart - Keith Green 

You Saved Me - UPPERROOM

When I Lock Eyes With You - Maverick City Music

Abide In Me - Andrew Marcus

A Crucified Life - - Recognizes The Call of TheTrinity

 While the word "trinity" in and of itself is not used in the Bible, it is implied in The Scriptures.  Matthew 28:19 "Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 

Reference also: John 15:26, Luke 1:35. 

     ISAIAH 48:16

"Come near unto Me, hear this:  I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now The Lord GOD, and His Spirit, have sent Me."

    Isaiah 11:2

The Spirit of The LORD will rest on Him—The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and strength, The Spirit of knowledge and fear of The LORD. 

    Matthew 3:16

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw The Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.

    Isaiah 42:1

“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in Whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations."

    All of these verses tell us God, His Christ and His Spirit - -Three Persons in One. We are called to "Come near and hear". Hear The Word of The Lord. There are 147 verses specifically saying to us "Hear The Word of The LORD". God repeats Himself to instill in us the necessity of hearing Him speak to us. 

    In Revelation, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" is spoken at the end of each letter written to the seven churches. 

-Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29

-Revelation 3:6, 13, 22

    To hear The Word of The Lord is to receive The Word not only into our hearing but into our hearts, where The Word takes root and grows into fulness within us, strengthening us and perfecting us. For we are God's covenant people. Becoming holy is a necessity; it is The Blood of God's Christ applied to our sins which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. It is The Spirit of God Who makes us holy throughout our lifetimes. 

    To hear The Word of The Lord is to obey The Word of The Lord wholeheartedly and in The Love of The Lord. We  are thrilled to be called to do something for Him...because we love Him. 

    Obedience requires trust; trusting that God has a plan and a purpose for the immediate work at hand even if we can't see how it could possibly work out. 

    Obedience requires faith in God; faith to persevere through difficult times; faith to continue the journey even when tears blind our eyes. Faith to follow Christ even when our families and friends threaten us, beat us, kill us. 

    We answer the call of The Trinity to "Come near" and listen. For God speaks with a quiet voice. We need to "be still and know that He Is Lord". We must allow ourselves to remain in His presence and not be distracted by the other voices calling out our names, voices that keep us from His presence and prevent us from hearing what The Word has to say to us. 

    We are instructed to be wise and gain instruction (Proverbs 1:5), but the entire Book of Proverbs is filled with Words of Wisdom. We need to read it with understanding that we may learn what is required of those who read it. This is hearing The Word of The Lord. 

    I could go on, but perhaps the rest of this study should be concluded by yourselves. What are you hearing when you "Come Near" to God, His Christ and His Spirit?

CALLED BY THE TRINITY

Trust - Sixpence None The Richer

Hear The Word of The Lord - Kingsmen

Walk By Faith - Jeremy Camp

Word of God Speak - MercyMe

Waiting Here For You - Martin Smith 

 

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Come Out of Darkness

 

    1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. 

    What is this darkness out of which we were called? It is spiritual darkness. It is the darkness of thought and heart where the 'marvellous light' --the light of Christ Jesus--has not yet shined upon. 

    Figuratively speaking, it is the principle of sin and sin's results. Literally speaking, it is the outer darkness where sin reigns. It is outside of God's holiness and therefore cannot be in God's presence. 

    But we who choose to answer the call to salvation through Jesus Christ are brought into His marvellous light. 

OUR FAITH + HIS GRACE = ETERNAL LIFE

    This darkness out of which we have been delivered blinds the eyes of the heart and is the veil which prevents the light from entering the mind and its thoughts. We who now believe once stumbled in the dark in ignorance believing that the lies from the devil and being satisfied in them. 

    What lies? For example: "Everybody's doing it." Everybody was not doing it, whatever the "it" was when the devil tempted us to do it and we gave in. "All roads lead to God." All roads do not lead to God. There is only one Way to God and that is the Way of Holiness. It is an old path, a narrow path: few find it. 

    Wherever negativity is, Satan is; stirring up trouble and instigating wickedness. As he stirred up the mob, who shouted to crucify Christ (Matthew 27:22,23).

    Ephesians 6:12 tells us darkness has rulers and that the believer fights spiritual battles against them: 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.'

    1 John 4:4 encourages God's people in God's Word that "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." When we consider this verse we realize that God is referring to the god of this world, to Satan, and to Satan's minions (spirits of antichrist {see verse 3}). 

    In us we have The Holy Spirit of God, Who was sent to us after Christ left, having ascended into heaven to be with His Father. The Holy Spirit of God leads us along the Way of Holiness, drawing us ever closer to the Marvellous Light of God's Love. 

    I am so thankful I answered the call to leave the darkness and step into the Light. Now that I am no longer living in the darkness of this world, I can see the hand of God everywhere and I know His voice. 

CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS 

Here I Am To Worship/The Call - Hillsong Worship

Good, Good Father - Chris Tomlin

Living Waters - Hlengiwe Mhlaba

Spirit Lead Me - Michael Ketterer

I See The Lord - Lindell Cooley

 

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call To Serve God's Purpose

 

    2 Timothy 1:9

He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

    GOD's GOOD PURPOSE

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Ephesians 1:4-6

For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.

    Romans 8:28,29

For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

    Philippians 2:13

For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

FULFILLING GOD's PURPOSE

    God knows you. He formed you, created you. He calls you and I to be one with Him through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. The call, the invitation, still cries out to the lost, the dying, the hopeless, the despairing, the lonely, the homeless. 

    His servants go into the alleys, the streets, highways and the thoroughfares, preaching the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ; teaching holiness and discipleship in the power of The Holy Spirit. We go that His purpose might be fulfilled not only in us but in those who believe and receive the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    The kingdom of God advances every time a soul gets saved. Every time a sinner repents and is baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ, accepting Him as Lord and Savior of their lives, the enemy of our souls-Satan-loses another battle and The Lord gains a faithful follower and friend. 

    Everyone is predestined to salvation but not everyone will accept it. It is such an incredible thing to believe that Someone would die for us! It boggles the mind. But if the seed lands in the heart, then the heart begins the search for the Truth. Jesus Christ is The TRUTH. Therefore, everything He speaks and does is TRUTH. That's a fact that cannot be broken or misconstrued. 

    Paul tells in Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved." That's me. That's you. 

    THE HOLY CALLING

Holy means set apart, sacred. Calling means invitation. God is giving us a sacred invitation to come near to Him. He calls us to repent of the sins which keep us separated from Him; for He is a holy God and requires His people to be holy as well. This can only happen when we keep a penitent heart, a humble spirit, a loving attitude towards God.

    Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD: "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

    Diving Love calls us into God's presence, where we recognize and realize that His love exceeds our sins and covers us completely when we sincerely let go of the desire to do that which has kept us separated from Him. As we reach God's presence, we drop all pretence and cry out to God to save us. And He does. 

    I am a sinner saved by grace. God's grace. God's purpose is being fulfilled in me. Who I was before my sins were forgiven is now who I am now that I am forgiven.

Ephesians 2:8-10

    (paraphrased) By grace am I saved through faith; not of myself: it is the Gift of God. 

    Not by works {that I have done}, so I cannot boast {of this miracle wrought in me}. 

    I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as my way of life.

FULFILLING GOD's PURPOSE

God So Loved - We The Kingdom

 Don't Let Your Heart Be Hardened - Petra

Have My Heart - Maverick City/TRIBL

 You Come For The Broken - UPPERROOM

God Has His Purpose - ASOP

 Refiner - Maverick City

Fly Eagle Fly - Whiteheart

 All My Hope - Crowder

Whosoever Meaneth Me - classic hymn

 Above All - Michael W. Smith

    

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Submit to God

 

    James 4:7

Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

     Submission to God is what I do. It is me putting myself under God's Authority, under God's protection, under God's hand. God will only place Himself where His people are. He will not interject Himself into any situation where He really is not wanted. 

UNDER HIS HAND

    1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

UNDER HIS PROTECTION

    Psalm 91:2

I will say of the LORD, He is my Refuge and my Fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

UNDER HIS AUTHORITY

    Colossians 2:11

In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.

THE GENTLEMAN CALLER

    Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.

    Submission to God requires humility on our part. We must put our pride aside and surrender to God's will for our lives. 

CALLED TO SUBMIT TO GOD

This Is The Kingdom - Elevation Worship

Nothing But The Blood - Matt Redman

I Just Need U - Toby Mac

All I Ever Wanted - Red Rocks Worship

Shepherd of My Soul - Rivers & Robots

Lose My Soul - TobyMac

Broken Vessels - Hillsong Worship

Eye of The Storm - Ryan Stevenson

Jesus Is Knocking At The Door 

For Those Tears I Died - Donnie Sumner

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Be A Living Sacrifice

 

    Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

    What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? A sacrifice is giving up that which is precious to us. It's more than lent, it's given up to God. We give this sacrifice willingly, joyfully and obediently because we love The Lord that much. 

    In the Old Testament people were commanded to give God the best of their cattle and fowl: doves, lambs, bulls. But that blood only covered sins temporarily. So God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die once, and for all, that all who believed God and received The Word--the gospel of salvation through the blood of God's precious Lamb--would have their sins forgiven and be saved. 

    A living sacrifice is when we give our lives over to God, for Him to live in us and us to live in Him through Christ. We greet Him first thing in the morning. Speak with Him throughout our day. Meet with Him in private prayer. Listen for His still, quiet voice to speak with us. We read the Holy Scriptures He has given us, seeking out how we may please Him that we might be, as stated in this verse, acceptable to God. 

    A living sacrifice chooses to do God's will and not their own. It's opting to live a life that pleases God instead of living for our own self-satisfaction. Sometimes the decision to obey is harder than you might think. 

    For instance, quite a few family/friend get-togethers are set up on Sundays. And people expect you to be there. In their mindsets, you can skip church for one Sunday, at least!  But, no, you have made the decision to follow Christ. Your heart is in His and He is in you and you want to please Him and His Father more than you want to please your family, your friends. 

    See what I'm saying? 

    A living sacrifice makes the decision every day to be obedient to our heavenly Father. To be honest, I don't always sit here and begin typing right away. Takes me awhile sometimes to be in a position to hear the Spirit flow. Yet, there are other days when I can't stop typing because I'm not getting the words out fast enough. What a privilege to be used of God! 

    Have you made the decision to be a living sacrifice yet? If not what are you waiting for? God has shortened the days for His people who are suffering for His Name's sake. The lesser length of days means those who have not yet made a decision to believe on The Name of The LORD Jesus Christ for their salvation are running out of time. 

    Come, come to The Father. Confess your sins to Him and turn away from doing those things to following God's Way of doing things. The Word says to Repent and be baptized; be filled with His Holy Spirit. To do so would make you acceptable to God. It is the foundation for living a sacrificial life: having the Sacrifice of God living in you. As He lives in me, I long for more of my family and friends to know this Joy, too. 

    I want you to be in the body of Christ, too. Living for Jesus. Loving Like Jesus. Talking to Jesus. Walking with Jesus. I want you to know what a joyful satisfactory life this is. But you have to want it, too. More than life itself. 

    As God spoke to Isaiah in Chapter One verse 18: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool."

    And in Romans 10:9-11, 13

9) If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10) One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

11) Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame.

13) For whosoever shall call upon The Name of the Lord shall be saved.

CALLED TO BE  A LIVING SACRIFICE

I Surrender - Hillsong

Purify My Heart - Jeremy Riddle

All To Jesus I Surrender - Robin Mark

Let Your Living Water Flow - Vinesong

Psalm 40 - Francesca LaRosa

Not My Will - Kim Walker-Smith

Here's My Life - Planetshakers

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Leave It All For The Sake of The Kingdom

 

    Luke 18:29,30

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times more in this age - and in the age to come, eternal life."

    These words were said to the rich young ruler, who had observed the law and obeyed the commandments since he was young (verses 18-28). But Jesus knew this man's heart, as He knows all hearts, and that the man would not be so easily persuaded to give away his treasury. Are we not just as guilty when we refuse to part with whatever we hold most dear to our hearts? 

     

    God is the God of Restoration. 

    Matthew 6:33

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

    Matthew 19:29

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My Name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." 

    Mark 10:29,30

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life."

    There's your real prosperity gospel. Our souls prosper when we surrender everything we have, leave (the opinions of) everyone we love and give all that we are to His mighty hand. For in His hand is Life and Life Eternal. God wants to be first in our lives. So does everyone else. But only we can make a decision who we will listen to and follow. 

    We must consider the consequences of our intended direction, taking time out of our busyness to contemplate the results of our actions. This would be the wise action to take. Seldom do we make wise decisions, especially when we are young children or young adults. But God desires us to seek Him out first, whether early in life or early in the day. To put what He wants (His will) ahead of what we want (our own will) for our lives. 

    LIFE: Job 12:10 & Acts 17:28; Psalm 31:15

DEATH: Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

    LIFE ETERNAL: John 1:1-3; John 20:27

DEATH ETERNAL: Revelation 20:14,15

    PROSPERITY: 1 Chronicles 29:12

LACK: Philippians 4:11,12

    Why does the Bible say 'many are called but few are chosen'? (Matthew 22:14). Because all of us are called to do our part in the kingdom, but not everyone wants to be in this kingdom. Nor does everyone want to do what it takes to serve in this kingdom. 

    We are all called to salvation. Yet, the path to salvation is narrow. It is the width of a cross. The path to salvation is small. It is the size of a mustard seed. The path to salvation is both old and fresh. The call to be saved through Jesus Christ still rings out, yet the plan of salvation was set in motion when Adam and Eve sinned. 

    We are all called to serve in this kingdom. In whatsoever capacity God sees fit to use us, that is where we will serve. But wherever we serve God, it will be for the advancement of God's kingdom. 

    We are all called to love each other like Christ loves us: willingly, wholeheartedly and sacrificially. 

CALLED TO LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND

For The Sake of The Call - Steven Curtis Chapman

My Portion - Isla Vista Worship

Seek First - Jason Upton

Love You Just Like That - Jason Upton

Magnificent Obsession - Steven Curtis Chapman

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Lauren Daigle

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Suffer

 

   1 Peter 2:21 

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps.

    What does it mean to suffer for Christ? The literal description in Strong's is "to be acted upon in a certain way, either good or bad"; to be ill-treated. That's all well and good but how do I (we) suffer for Christ individually and within the church as a whole? 

    For starters, when someone attacks us--whether verbally or physically--we don't fight back. We are not to speak against them. We don't seek revenge against anyone. We take it to Jesus and He takes care of the problem. As long as we remain in Him and He in us, we have no reason to cause those who fight against us any ill-will of our own. As Christ stood silent when accused, so, too should the believer remain silent. (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:63).

    It is a privilege to suffer for Christ. Philippians 3:7-9 speaks of losing everything for the gain of knowing Jesus Christ. And in verse 10: I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death. And in Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

    To suffer for Christ is to rise above the pettiness, the miry clay which clings to us trying to bring us down to the level we left behind when we chose to believe God and follow Christ. This is not a 'holier than thou' life: this is a humble remembering of who we were then and who we are now. 

    It is to have compassion, mercy, understanding and wisdom towards the people who are trying to undermine our witness. God says we are to pray for our enemies. I pray that the hearts of those who hate God be turned towards God and remain in Him to be His people. Our hearts are to be aligned with God's heart, which is to have as few left behind as possible. John 6:40 "For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

    To suffer for Christ is to be longsuffering. It is to not lose patience with anyone who is not where you and I are in our relationship with Christ. Imagine if He had done that when we were young Christians! Where would we be? 

    Fruit trees take a few years to mature before they begin to bear fruit. Sometimes the first fruit bearing season just needs to stay on the tree, as the fruit can be bitter and inedible. So, too, is the Christian's heart. We are nurtured by The Word and sustained in our faith when we get The Word into us, not just memorization but knowing that God is writing His Word on our hearts. (Ezekiel 36:26,27)

    To suffer for Christ is to see by our faithfulness that our prayers are being answered. Our children are turning back to God and bringing their families with them. Our sisters, our brother, are searching God's Word, devouring it with a hunger born from spiritual starvation. 

    Even as Christ was lifted up on the cross for all the world to see, many people came and saw Him there. But not all of them believed. Just a few. But these few, in just seven weeks, would be filled with The Holy Spirit of God, Who would cause them to speak in other languages that the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ would go forth. And go forth it did.

    As these Christians were persecuted and killed, many fled to foreign nations where they preached the gospel and people believed God and received The Holy Spirit, that second precious Gift from God; the first, being His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And they counted it a privilege. 

    Here we are now almost 2000 years later and still we are facing the same evil that faced Jesus: hated because we believe God and God's Word to be TRUTH. 

    Let us put all of our armor on (Ephesians 6:10-20) every single day, that we may be able to suffer efficiently and effectively. Let us gather together in prayer, seeking God's will before the day begins and the night ends. We rejoice that we have been found worthy to suffer! 

CALLED TO SUFFER 

He Lives! 

You Will Suffer - John Piper (sermon clip)

Cry of The Broken - Hillsong Worship

Surrounded - UPPERROOM

Weathered - Dante Bowe/Hannah McClure

Lay It All Down - United Pursuit/Will Reagan 

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Holiness

 

    1 Peter 1:16

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: "Be holy, for I am holy."

    Holiness is a process. We gain a little bit more of it each day that we are obedient to The Holy Word of God. 

    It is this process which is implemented in us when we receive The Holy Spirit of God, Who is instrumental in making us holy. 

    Why is holiness necessary? It is consecrating ourselves for God's purpose, choosing to be God's people in a world where doing so can kill us. Idolatry and self-righteousness abound in our world today. Even now someone is plotting how to rid the world of real Christians and real Christianity. 

    We have been set free from the bonds of sin and are living examples of God's Mercy; reflections of Christ's Love. Therefore, we are already in the process of becoming holy. Though some may not go through the process because they are at death's door when they receive Him, their level of holiness is implied when they believe and receive Jesus into their hearts. 

    Holiness is Consecration

    Leviticus 11:44-45 

"For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground. 

For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

    Leviticus 20:7

"Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am The LORD your God."

    Holiness is a Way. 

    Isaiah 35:8

"And there will be a highway called The Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it--only those who walk in The Way--and fools will not stray onto it." 

    

    Consecration is making a choice, a decision, to be different by being obedient to God's Word. Sanctification is the process that follows consecration. It is The Way of Holiness. 

    Why do we want to be holy people of God? We want to see God and live.

    Hebrews 12:14 

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 

    Matthew 5:8 tells us to be pure in heart, for then we shall see God. 

    Romans 6:22 

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. 

    This is what we have been studying for the last year and a half. What it means to be born again. How to live a born again life. This crucified life. Answering God's call to service and faithful obedience to Him in His Word. 

    When sin in a person sees the holiness of God, it cries out and is immediately subdued by the power of God. Isaiah said "Woe is Me!" (Isaiah 6:5). Gideon was stunned to find that he was in God's presence (Judges 6:22). Moses wanted to see God's glory but {without holiness} no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:18,20,23). 

    Only One has ever seen God face to face and lived to tell about it: 

    John 1:18 

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, Who is Himself God and is at the Father's side, has made Him known.

    1 Timothy 6:16

He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

    I want to be holy. Because God wants me to be holy. That I may see Him and live. Live eternally with Him. Don't you?

CALLED TO HOLINESS

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (also includes the history of the song) -  Luke Powell

Refiner's Fire - Vineyard Worship

Take My Life - Micah Stampley

Refiner - Maverick City Music

Holy Spirit - Jesus Culture/Kim Walker-Smith

Living For Jesus A Life That Is True - Marlie Gardyne

Psalm 69:32

The humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Follow Christ

 

   

Matthew 4:19

"Come, follow Me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

    Not all fishermen use lures. Some use nets. Some use spears. But those fish are meant to be eaten. 

    When a Christian goes fishing, they are the bait. The Love of God exemplified in Christ in us is the lure. God is the Fisherman. The Holy Spirit is the line...and the net. The fish are the people who have yet to hear and believe and receive the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    How does Christ make us fishers of men (mankind)? Through our faith in God; by trusting in Christ as our Saviour and allowing The Holy Spirit to mold us into holy people. 

    It is not enough to believe that God is. Everyone believes in some kind of god, even those who believe there is no God believe their own words to be true: making themselves their own god. Some will even go so far as to believe that some of the Holy Bible is true, picking and choosing verses as if they were shopping in some spiritual grocer's. 

    "Follow Me", Jesus says. "Follow Me wherever I go. Let Me lead you through valleys, valleys dark, valleys dense. Let Me tend to your needs and nourishment. Let Me carry you when the Way in which we must go is too difficult to walk alone or too deep to swim across. 

    "Follow Me to the synagogues, to the temples, to the people who need to hear My Father's Words. To the people who are searching for The Word of Life. To the people who are hungry for The Bread of Heaven and The Living Water. 

    "Follow Me to the needy, the poor, the broken, the lonely, the desperate, the tormented, the possessed. Follow Me to the hurting, the weeping, the judged, the dead and dying. 

    "Follow Me to the courtyard. Watch Me remain silent and behave in like manner. Follow Me to the cross when you take up your cross. Follow Me to the grave and enter My garden.

    "Follow Me and I will walk with you. Follow Me and I will talk with you. Follow Me and I will sing over you. 

    "Follow Me," Jesus says, "and I will make you fishers of men."

CALLED TO FOLLOW CHRIST 

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

I Give Myself Away - Wm. McDowell

I Found God (When I Stopped Looking For Myself) - Ben Laine

I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin

My Soul Follows - David & Nicole Binion ft. Travis Greene

I Have Decided - Forerunner Music/Jaye Thomas

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Humble Oneself

 

    1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

    To humble oneself is to choose to put ourselves under His Authority. It is good to humble ourselves, as God gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34) . And we need His grace. 

    Who are the humble? The meek, the lowly in heart. They who put God first and themselves last. With Christ as our example of humbleness (Matthew 11:29), we place the cares of our lives into His loving hands. 

    We come to God in prayer and praise, in worship and tears, in thanksgiving and joy, bringing Him everything that bothers us, all that grieves us and whatever brings a smile to our faces or fills our mouths with laughter. We are ever aware that our very existence is by the mercy of God. 

    I read this book quite a few years ago titled I Am Third in which the coach had this plaque above his desk which read: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself third. That's my daily goal. 

    It isn't as easy as it sounds, though. Sometimes God allows us to go through the storms of life. Not because He doesn't care, but because He wants us to know that He will go through these rough waters with us. He will be with us in dangerous (fiery) situations. If He chooses to bring us through, we will get through, with Him. But, if He chooses our death instead, we will still be with Him. 

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

    The thing we need to remember is that life and death are not about us. Our life is to magnify Christ that He may be seen in us through our actions and heard in our words. The believer's death glorifies God in the same way. We submit with grace; we do not seek revenge against they who attack us, imprison us and kill us: for vengeance belongs to God (Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30). As Job says, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."

CALLED TO HUMBLENESS  (what I listened to while I studied)

I Found God - Ben Laine

Beatitude - Jonathan Ogden

Defender - Rita Springer

You Are The Light - Andrew Word

Psalm 34:1-9 - Awona

Red Carpet - Chapel Co.

You're The Best - Ben Oribe

Rest In You - All Sons & Daughters

Simple 

Simple Truth - Ryan Ellis

Filled With The Light - The Halls

Altar - Emilie Weiss

He Makes Me Well - Allie Paige

Home - Splendor Tree

Seek & Find - Zach Winters

Holding Us All Together - Andrew Word