Tag Archives: Call

Calling

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I can tell you all about my calling to be a preacher.  I first felt the call when I was about 16, sitting in a chair at Camp Wesley Pines, talking to Bro. Curtis Lott.  I was a “CIT” a Councilor in Training, one of the youth that was a helper at Camp.  Something happened in a worship service, and there was this feeling that I couldn’t explain where I knew that I felt like God was calling me to something.

But I didn’t know what.

So, I moved on, until a few years later, after struggling with what it was that I felt like I was supposed to do with my life, until sitting on a rocking chair at the old Gulf Side Baptist Assembly, reading through Romans, and I just knew that I was called to this.  The only thing that would give me purpose in life was ministry. So, at that point I surrendered to ministry.  By the way this should show you how messed up I am, the two “moments” of my calling took place, one at a Methodist camp, two at a Baptist camp!

Listen to what happens today in Acts 1:1-3:

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

6a00d8341c7b1d53ef0133eee6dd8b970bPaul and Barnabas had a calling from God.  I have been called by God to ministry.

And so have you.  Yes.  You read that right.  You have a calling.

If you are a baptized believe, then you are called.  Every baptized believer is called to something.  Has some purpose for God.  Has some thing that the are called to do for the kingdom.

And it may be preaching.  But it may not be.  It may be becoming a teacher.  Or nurse.  Or lawyer.  Or ditchdigger.  I don’t know.  But I know this.

If you are a baptized believer, then n matter where you find yourself, you are called to take the Good News with you.  You are called to be Salt and Light.  You are called to bring grace.  You are called to make a difference.

No matter where you are.  You are called.  You are.

And there is something today, that only you can do.

Be faithful.  Show grace. Forgive.  Give mercy.  Live.  Love.  Serve.

You are called to great things.  Great things.  Be faithful.  God will show you.  He will.

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.

What Success Looks Like

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Sometimes in scripture, God ask people to do crazy things. He told Noah to build a big boat when it wasn’t even raining, and hadn’t rained in years.

He told Abraham to leave his home and go to place that God would show him.

Jesus asked the disciples to leave behind their jobs and their identities and families to follow Him.

God calls us to things that can be seen as odd and challenging for Him sometimes. Look at what he calls Ezekiel to today.  Listen to Ezekiel 33:31-33:

And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

He tells him, you are going to be a prophet. You are going to speak and they are going to come and listen to you. They will know that what you are saying is right. They will hear all these words.

But they won’t do them. God is telling him – you are going to say these things – and no one is going to pay you any attention.

This is not the success that we would like to think about. Succes in God’s eyes is not “success.” It’s being faithful.

God called Ezekiel today to be faithful. To preach. To prophesy. To do what God had called him to. And to leave the results up to God.

What a great notion. Today, for us, success is to just be faithful. To all that we can do to be faithful to God and to His calling. That’s success. That’s victory. That’s what it looks like.

Even though no one did what Ezekiel told them to do, he was successful. Because he was faithful.

Today, let’s be faithful. In that, we will find the success that God wants us to have!

Don’t forget, you can click here to download Asbury’s mobile app and read these devotionals, as well as listen to my sermons on your smart phones.