WHEN GOD CALLS YOU 1
MEMORISE: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, Ephesians 4:1
READ: 2 Peter 1:1-11
1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
MESSAGE
The call of God is actually a call to Himself. When He calls you, He is saying, "Come closer to me". In Mark 3:14, the Bible says that the first reason he called the disciples was that they should be with Him.
The call of God is two-fold. First, He can call you to leave your sinful ways (Matthew 11:28). This is the very first call that every man will receive. It is a call that brings you close and guarantees an eternity with Him if you answer. Thus, when you hear an altar call, it is God Himself calling you to salvation. If you are still committing sin, this is one call that you should not ignore. You don't know the final call that God will make for you to come to Him for salvation.
Many have received God's call to salvation but then, after a while, started to live in sin again. That is not how this call works (Luke 9:62). If you become saved and then start living a double life where you sin willfully, the Bible says that God would spew you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16) – in other words, He would reject you completely. 2 Timothy 2:19 says, "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
If you claim to be a child of God, then you must depart from all iniquity. If you don't depart from iniquity, then God would not recognise you as His child.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; – (1 Peter 2:9)
Once God calls you out of darkness into His marvelous light, you are described as a holy nation- not an unholy one. Be perfect, even as the One who called you is perfect (Matt 5:48).
KEY POINT
God's call to salvation is a call to holiness. If you don't live holy, you are rejecting the call.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 51_52
HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD
1. I am Thine O Lord
I have heard Thy voice
And it told Thy love to me
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
CHORUS:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord
By the pow’r of grace divine
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine.
3. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend.
4. There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
