Click here to return to Blog Post Intro
We often want to make a distinction between believers in Christ who serve God in a “full-time Christian position.” However, the Scriptures designate every believer in Christ as called by God.
Why Does God Call Us?
In Colossians 3:23-24, Paul says, “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
The entire Bible bears witness to the truth that God, from eternity, chose to work through His people to accomplish His eternal purposes in the world. The people God called were not just evangelists or full-time pastors, but they were carpenters, fishermen, farmers, shepherds, servants, and businesspeople. God can call you and use you in numerous ways to help and intercede for those around you. He simply needs your availability.
Consider this: Have you arranged your life so that when God comes to you, you are ready and available to Him?
When believers make themselves available to God, He can and will complete His work through them.
To abide in Jesus Christ is to release your life to Him so He can transform each area of your life. To abide in His love is to let the relationship of love permeate every aspect of your life. This love relationship will grow as you read and live out the Scriptures, spend time in prayer, grow in fellowship with other Christians, and join God in service and ministry.
What is a Call?
God takes the initiative. Take a look at the Creation Story in Genesis 1, “God said ‘and it was so’ and ‘it was good.'”
God encountered each person in the middle of his daily routine, brought him to Himself, and then used the person to accomplish His work. In the cases of Peter, James, John, and Matthew, we see them immediately forsake all and follow Him. Jeremiah and Jonah were given more details as to what God had in mind for their lives.
When God chose us, He designed our lives to bear good fruit. This fruit includes our character as well as our service to God in His work. With the strong emphasis that Jesus placed on bearing fruit (Luke 13:6-9), it is important to look and see what your life is yielding.
Who are the Called?
As we have made a difference between clergy and laypeople, so we have made a difference between the specially-called and the common believer. In reality, all believers are called!
Throughout the Bible, most of the people God called and worked through mightily were what we today would call everyday believers. They were ordinary people called and enabled by God to work with Him in their world. Their abilities and skills were not as important as their relationship with God. Their heart relationship of love and trust in God always determined how much God was able to do through them.
The key is not our talents, but the cultivating of our hearts, so when God does work through us, we offer the praise to Him and let others know it was God who accomplished the work. If we are not careful, we can miss the activity of God and His invitation for us to join Him while we wait for a “big” assignment.
What do you think the Lord sees when He looks at your life? He does not need our strengths, our talents, or our plans; He simply wants our willing, obedient hearts. If we make our lives available to Him, He will, in turn, strengthen, empower, and equip us (show Himself strong in us) to accomplish His will so that the watching world will see His love.
How am I Called?
From Acts 2:41-47, we see several keys to maturing in relationship to Jesus Christ:
- Gladly received the Word
- Baptism
- Growing and developing spiritual senses as they “continued steadfastly” in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread (not just the Lord’s Supper, but for sharing meals together), and praying together.
The results:
- God’s power was clearly seen as “many wonders and signs done through the apostles.”
- They were on the same page, spiritually—”all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
- They not only met each other’s spiritual needs, but they met physical needs as well–“sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone has need.”
- They were unified—so much so that they worshipped in “one accord”, shared meals with each other “from house to house”, did it with “gladness and simplicity of heart”, and praised God together (with unity).
The Holy Spirit plays the following Key Roles in helping you discern and follow God’s call on your life:
- Teacher (John 14:26)
- Giver of God’s Love (Romans 5:3-5)
- Interceder (Romans 8:26)
- Revealer of God’s Will (1 Corinthians 2:10)
- Speaker (John 16:13-15)
- Command Giver (Acts 11:12)
- Forbidder (Acts 16:6)
- Reprover (John 16:8)
- Leader (Romans 8:14)
- Messenger (Revelation 2:7)
Remember, God is faithful to prepare you for the assignments he calls you to do. Furthermore, it is within the church family that the spiritual atmosphere is created in which the ordinary Christian can hear the call of God and respond confidently. Here, the call of God is clarified, and the Christian is assisted in obeying God’s call.
When am I Called?
As we carefully study the lives of those God used significantly, the Bible reveals that is when we are in the middle of God’s activity in our world that we most clearly know the call of God for our lives (John 5:17,19-20). God wants only your heart and availability to Him. He can and will shape you for the assignment, but He needs you to step out and allow Him access to fashion your life for use in His eternal plan.
It is important to keep in mind that God can and does affirm His will for His servants. If God does not express Himself toward you, He may be trying to let you know something else. When God promises something, He does it. If you sense you know God’s will and yet do not see God doing what He promised (Isaiah 46:11b; Isaiah 14:24, 27; 1 Kings 8:56), God may be seeking to tell you that either you are not in His will or that His timing is not always immediate. God may be taking the time necessity to develop character in your life before He can give you all He has planned for you. Ask God and He will guide you to know the truth of your situation.
Your involvement, or activity, in the body of Christ is crucial if God is to carry out His eternal purpose for your life today. God’s call in your life always includes your intimate involvement with His people in and through your local church.
How Do I Live Out the Call?
God promises that He will be “in the midst of” those who are gathered together in agreement in His name. Being in agreement is foundational as you live out your life in the body of Christ alongside other Christians, as noted in the following Scriptures:
- Live in harmony and humility (Romans 12:16)
- Be united in perfect harmony (1 Corinthians 1:10)
- Be of the same mind (1 Peter 3:8-9)
Many times, people around you have a desire to follow God but are afraid to step out in faith. As you follow God and share how He is working in your life, your testimony serves as a source of encouragement to other individuals who may be hesitant to release their own lives to God. Sharing your calling with your church and living out this call among the fellowship of the church serves as an encouragement to the entire church body.
Because you know that God is working in you and will complete what He has begun, you should live with a clear sense of expectation and anticipation of God doing this in your life daily. Ask not what you can do for God, but what God is doing in you!
Have you been living your life with the understanding that one day you will give an account for how you used your life, either in service to God or looking out for self? How has this understanding shaped the way you order your goals and priorities?
That’s living with a First Commandment Focus, as you shoot for the stars!