The Calling, God IS Calling You

What is your Answer?

You can find the Steps of Life in Romans 8:29-30

"For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

Every Life

1 - God Foreknows you. Before your Mother and Father even know each other. God knows you and writes how you are to be formed in His Book.

2- God Predestines you. God sets up a Plan and a Purpose for you and your Life. You are not here by accident or happenstance. You are not here because your Parents had an oops or even because they planned on having you. You are here because God Created you for a reason.

This is where the most important Step comes in. Step number Three,

3- God Calls you. This is the last universal step in all Life. This is where you come in. This is where we become separated into two categories. We either remain a Creation of God, or we become a Child of God. This all depends, not on God, but on us, and our answer to God's Calling.

Next is what we will be talking about more in-depth next time. Steps Four, "Justification" or a Time of Preparation, which is EXTREMELY important to not skip, and Step Five, Glorification, come into play. It all depends on your Answer. God Calls you. Your Answer? Yes or No?

If you said "No?" Lightning is not going to come and strike you down when you walk out of here today. No worries about that. At least I doubt it. Probably not anyway. The Earth most likely will not open up and swallow you whole. Fire and Brimstone will not come crashing down on your head because you said "No." So what happens? Well, nothing. You are already Condemned. You are already on your way to an Eternity without God. Hell. You don't have to do anything. Neither does God. He is not Condemning you because you say "No." He is prevented from doing something to SAVE you. By YOU.

Now, what if you say "Yes." Simply put, you allow God to Save you. You allow Jesus's sacrifice to become yours. You allow God to adopt you into the Family. Romans 8:14-17

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

Imagine if you were to take a trip to a Third World Country and you witness and child being abused and suffering at the hands of those there. You fall in love with that Child and what nothing more than to save them from this. You offer to Adopt them and provide all the means to make that come to be. Yet? When the time comes, they simply run away, or they simply say "No." There is nothing more you can do. You have no choice. You must leave them in the world in which they live, suffering the things they suffer, now by their own decision. By their own hand.

God is the same way. He Created you. He set up a Plan for a better Life with Him. He went through an amazingly difficult process in which to make your Adoption simplified. Now, all that stands in the way of you being Adopted into the Family of God, not as a Member of a Religious Sect, by as a Child.

"and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."

We become completely new Creatures. We are no longer part of this World, but we become Children of God. "by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” What does that mean? That means that not only are we now saved from the World and even from Death and Hell, but we can now call God, the Alpha and the Omega, the Begining and the End, the Creator of all there ever was, is or will be, God Himself, "Daddy."

God Called you. This is the ONLY way you can even think about Jesus or even think about God Himself. When Jesus was Praying, He said this. John 17:6-11

"I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one."

Ever think about that? Look at Jesus own Words here. He did not say, I Pray you to change the World. As a matter of Fact, He said: "I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours." He did not say, I Pray them out of the World, rather to, "keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one."

He taught us the basics of being a Child of God is hung on two Commandments. All the Ten can be summed up in these Two. "Love God with all your heart, mind, and body, and love your Neighbor as yourself." He even told us, "do this, and you will do well."

Did you know that the "Golden Rule" is not just a Christian Concept? Seriously...

"Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7:12

"Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13

"A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated." Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

"Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence." Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.4

"One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire." Hinduism. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8

There are many more examples, but you get the point. The "Golden Rule" is pretty much a Universal Concept that all would do well to adhere to. However, as a Child of God, Jesus tells us something that is NOT a Universal Concept. Although the World would be a far better place if it was, and that all would do well to adhere to. He told us to love our Enemies. Matthew 5:43-45

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Paul puts it this way in Romans 12:17- 21

"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

You see, as a Child of God, you are in possession of the two most powerful and destructive Words in the Universe. "I Forgive" Once you say those two words, the ones you have just forgiven, leave your hands, and go straight into Gods. God wants you to forgive for four reasons.

1- That He may forgive you.
2- So that you can find peace.
3- As a living example of the Compassion of God.
4- "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."

God wiped out the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God wiped out the Roman Armies. God wiped out the Entire World, save Noah and Family. Uh, let me ask you a question. What could you do to your enemy that is even worthy to compare to the power of God? Just saying.

As His Child, He wants you to conduct yourself in a way that He may work through you. In everyday life. I'm not talking about going down the Road yelling "PRAISE JESUS" every other word. I'm saying LIVE for God. Even at work. Ephesians 6:5-8

"Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."

"I flip Burgers." "I drive a Garbage Truck." "I am a Cop." "I am a Janitor at the local School." So? Be the best {Insert here} that you can possibly be. Make that Burger as if you were about to hand it to Jesus. Drive that truck up to the next House as if you were hauling God's own Trash away. Walk that beat as if you were protecting Jesus at one of His massive Rallies. Sweep that floor as if you were sweeping the Floor in the Throne Room itself. It's not about the task. It's about you.

Ever hear someone say something to the effect, "You know Joe? He is always so happy. No matter what. He is sweeping that Floor and singing. He always has a Smile on his face. He always has a kind Word to say. All the kids love him. I wish I could be more like Joe." Why? Because they sense something. They feel something. Oh, they may not know what it is, but what they are sensing is the Anointing. What they are feeling is the love of God in Joe's Life. They can feel he is a Child of God. God can use that. Through Joe, simply sweeping the Floor, simply being the Child of God he is, someone may even find Salvation.

This brings us to this. This, Jesus calls ALL of us to do. Some call it "The Great Commission."

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Make no mistake about it, He means YOU as well. If you are a Child of God, then this is a directive directly from Jesus to you. However, this is why Step 4, so so very important. You NEED God to Justify you. You need a Time of Preparation. More on that next time.

What is your answer today? Do you hear God Calling you? Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, Be Blessed, Be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!