God Has Called Us to Himself! May We Walk Not Stumble!
We had just stepped outside into the warm night air (a 50-plus temperature that just seemed really warm for a February night).
“God calls everyone,” she said with sure authority.
She knew the truth.
She knew God as her Savior, and it was evidenced right there, as we stood in the night air.
She went on with her testimony of faith:
“God calls everyone, whether He calls you to sing, or to speak to someone, or to do a specific task. God calls all people.”
Maybe you (like me) have tripped over your own feet. Quite possibly, you too, have stumbled as you have walked across a room, up a staircase, or overtop of a rug. Stumbling (at times) seems to be a common practice. In fact, I have one pair of tennis shoes, and whenever I place them on my feet, I am fully aware that sometime during the day—I will stumble as I walk.
Thus the question becomes: Why don’t I just throw away those particular shoes?
The answer to the sanctification God provides for those He has saved is not always an easy answer to accept, BUT WE MUST IF WE ARE TO GROW IN OUR FAITH-WALK WITH OUR LORD!
The Answer: When the Holy Spirit reveals what causes us to stumble as we walk in His calling, then we are to allow God to cleanse us as He helps us move away from that which is causing us to stumble!
God calls all people—to Himself!
God wants all people—to be saved!
A JOYOUS FACT!
Everyone God calls to Himself does not accept His calling!
Everyone God calls to be saved does not accept God’s gift of salvation!
ALSO A MOST MOURNFUL FACT!
Everyone God saves is to walk closely beside the Lord!
God’s children must walk within His calling upon their lives!
ON THIS DAY, I WONDER: “WHY DO WE NOT?”
ON THIS DAY, I WONDER: “WHY WE STUMBLE & FALL WITHIN OUR FAITH-WALK?”
The Word of God provides an exposition, an explanation of what God has done for mankind. Let’s read together God’s Exposition.
“To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours,
(2 Peter 1: 1b-3 NASB)
[We belong to a family of faith!]
by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
[We know How we are granted God’s salvation—It is through the righteousness of Jesus!]
for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,
[Jesus is the Good Shepherd who provides for His own!]
through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”
- God sent Jesus to save All of humankind! God wants no one left behind! &
- It is through the glory and excellence of God that we can ever receive this most precious gift of God’s abundant salvation!
THEREFORE—SINCE, GOD HAS CALLED US TO HIMSELF—MAY WE BE REMINDED—WE ARE TO WALK WITH GOD & NOT STUMBLE!
“Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.
Now for this very reason also,
2 Peter 1: 4-7 NASB
- applying all diligence,
- in your faith supply moral excellence,
- and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
- and in your knowledge, self-control,
- and in your self-control, perseverance,
- and in your perseverance, godliness,
- and in your godliness, brotherly kindness,
- and in your brotherly kindness, love.”
GOD REMINDS US: HE LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE SENT HIS SON JESUS TO BE THE ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS!
- THEREFORE, WE MUST CHOOSE JESUS!
- THEREFORE, WE MUST DECIDE DAILY TO WALK WITHIN HIS CALLING!
- THEREFORE, WE MUST REMEMBER EVERY MOMENT THAT GOD’S LOVE WILL NEVER DISAPPOINT!
- THEREFORE, WE MUST REST WITHIN GOD’S ATONING, SAVING LOVE!
“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 1: 8-9 NASB)
For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.”
The Bible tells us:
WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET FROM WHERE OUR SAVIOR HAS BROUGHT US!
WE WERE LOST & HEADED TO HELL, BUT NOW WE ARE SAVED & NOW WE SEE!
WE SHALL LOVE THE LORD OUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART & WITH ALL OUR SOUL & WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH!
- GOD’S WORD MUST REMAIN IN OUR HEART!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE SIT IN OUR HOMES!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE WALK ON THE ROAD!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE GO ABOUT OUR DAY!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE LIE DOWN TO SLEEP!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE ARISE TO A NEW DAY!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE PLACE OUR HANDS TO DO HIS WILL!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE INVITE OTHERS INTO OUR HOMES!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART WITHIN EVERYTHING WE SPEAK & DO!
- GOD’S WORD MUST BE IN OUR HEART AS WE ARE CONTINUALLY WALKING WITH HIM!
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choice of you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
(2 Peter 1: 10-11 NASB)
for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”
GOD CALLS US & GOD THEN TRAINS US (His children) IN THE WAY WE ARE TO GO!
- GODLINESS BEGINS AT THE MOMENT OF OUR NEW BIRTH–JUSTIFICATION!
- GODLINESS CONTINUES AS WE GROW IN SPIRITUAL MATURITY—SANCIFICATION!
- GODLINESS BECOMES COMPLETE WHEN JESUS RETURNS TO BRING US HOME—GLORIFICATION!
“So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love!
Let my love look like You and what You’re made of.”
“Proof Of Your Love” by KING & COUNTRY
GOD HAS CALLED US TO HIMSELF; MAY WE BE REMINDED!
- THEREFORE, SINCE OUR FATHER HAS CALLED US & INSTRUCTED US IN HOW WE ARE TO WALK WITH HIM, MAY WE NOT STUMBLE!
- MAY WE BE READY—TODAY—TO STEP INTO THE GLORIOUS PRESENCE OF THE KING OF KINGS!