WHAT IS YOUR CALLING?
*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*WHAT IS YOUR CALLING?*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Mark 6: 17-18 *For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.*
*For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Are you called to serve?
You are not called to serve one, but all.
Are you called to a nation? Spread, plant to all nations.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
God gave John the Baptist a voice and to make the way ready for the coming of Jesus.
John was confined to the wilderness, and the Apostle Mark here records his encounter with Herod, which resulted in his imprisonment and his eventual beheading.
There are thoughts and questions that may come to mind concerning this encounter with Herod and the sad end of one of the New Testament's God's most fearing men.
Was this confrontation expected of John the Baptist since it had nothing to do with the repentance message he was sent as a forerunner?
He was a voice in the wilderness, and so was his condemnation of Herod for taking his brother's wife outside his scope of calling?
Did he suffer, as some may wonder, since he was not called to Herod?
We will look at what Christ stands for in our calling in order to determine answers to these questions.
We must all know that righteousness is the core of anyone who is called by God. No one called by God should confine him/herself to a specialty in the gospel.
Paul says in 2 Tim 3:16-17 *All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:*
*That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works"*.
The one called by God must be balanced in the gospel. A balanced gospel in our calling is key to the spiritual growth of both the Preachers and the hearers.
You may be called to a ministry. It is biblical, Acts 9:15-16. This does not exclude your sound and doctrinal teachings on other principles of Christ, especially when they are for the asking or you are called to admonish them.
Though you may be called to preach to the broken-hearted, or called into deliverance, to encourage the singles, etc, the preaching on salvation, the second coming, heaven, hell and all in the gospel of Christ must be made available for the taking.
None must never be neglected, or else the gospel is not complete!
Paul, though he was called to the gentiles, preached all of Christ to all.
He preached prosperity, 3 John 2, he healed the sick, encouraged the weak, he preached salvation, he preached deliverance, he preached on evangelism, follow-up, faith, he was a voyager, a missionary, he preached Heaven, hell, he preached death and resurrection of Christ, he preached on marriage and love. The list is endless. He was a balanced gospel preacher.
He further said in Gal 3:28 *There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.*
Even John the Apostle of love, preached Christ, and the end time.
So, just as one is called to preach Christ, he is also exposed to all dangers associated with the faith.
Paul says in 2 Tim 3:10-11, *"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,"*
*Persecutions, afflictions,...."*
Paul says in 2 Pet 1: 5-12 *"......add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;.....they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ......*
*But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.*
*Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:*
*For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.*
*Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.*
Paul made a clear distinction from where we were when God called us into His fold. Some were tax collectors, Luke 3:12-13, 5:27.
Some who are Christians today used to be lawyers. Peter was a fisherman. Paul says in 1 Cor 1:26, that you *".....think of what you were when you were called...."*,
Paul exhorts them saying *".....,let every man abide in the same calling,"*
meaning that they use the condition or status they were in life and apply
that state of life to what God had called them, 1 Cor 7:21
Paul's word is not suggesting that a person called should strictly stick to his calling, barring other arms of the gospel.
It is to illustrate an example of how a once-a-time lawyer would apply what he knows in the profession to what God had called him and at the same time you find a not-so-educated or one foolish in the world yet made wise because God had called him.
God chose the wise or the foolish not so much that their calls in their former state would be necessary to complete their admission to the Church, 1 Cor 1:27.
Their choices were God's prerogative.
It is to remind them of who they were, their humble beginning, and never to forget who they were before God called them.
Whoever they are today in Christ, they are to do or apply their duties in their former state of life to the work that God had called them.
Were you called to a ministry? You were also called to all.
Be thoroughly furnished.
*Remorse corner.*
What is your calling? Paul says, it is to *"...preach Christ crucified...."*
*Call to Word action.*
1 Cor 1:23-30 *But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;*
*But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Christ is the center of all gospel.
When you believe in the gospel of Christ, you will preach all that is in it. Every of your followers must be assured and confident to receive the full Bible and the full gospel.
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me to preach Christ and be thoroughly furnished unto good works, in Jesus name
Good morning all and have a blessed day today.
God bless you.