The High Calling of God

I Corinthians 14:7-12 "Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? For example, if the trumpet doesn't sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? In the same way, if you don't speak in a way that can be understood, how will anyone know what you're saying? You will be talking into thin air. No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning. If I don't know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me. In the same way, since you're eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in them so that you help the church grow."  (God's Word Translation) These verses have to do with the gifts of the spirit. But the other day as I was decorating our house for Christmas, this verse came to mind. Many years ago my husband bought a

1 Corinthians 15:58 "With all this going for us, my dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time." (The Message Bible) In the NKJV it says: "... be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." To "stand your ground" today is a legal term which means, in some states, that a person can use deadly force if they feel that their life is at risk, rather than trying to get out of the situation. Taking this into the spiritual realm, we as Christians, need to stand our ground against our enemy- the devil-rather than running away. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil and he will flee from us- not the other way around. The words "therefore" and "with all this going for us" refers us back to the rest of chapter 15. The entire chapter is speaking ab