The High Calling of God

Recently I began studying in the first book of Samuel. Chapter 4:1-11 told an interesting story. Israel decided to fight against the Philistines but Israel was defeated loosing 4,000 men. They blamed the Lord for their defeat so they decided to bring the ark of the covenant from Shiloh to save them from their enemies (Verse 3). This ark represented the Presence of God. The two sons of Eli the priest, Hophni and Phineas were with the ark. But the Philistines encouraged themselves- even though they were afraid of the ark- and they defeated Israel and captured the ark. They had blamed the Lord for their defeat and then tried to bring in the "Presence" of the Lord to win the victory. The truth of the matter is-- Eli's two sons were living unrighteous lives. Chapter 2:12 says they "were corrupt; they did not know the Lord." They were doing many vile things according to verses 12-17. In fact, the priesthood was in a backslidden condition. The very group that G...

Isaiah 40:3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" As previously mentioned- this was a prophecy about John the Baptist  (Luke 3:4-6). His was a message of repentance- to turn the hearts of mankind towards God. Today the Church is to be that same voice- to carry on that same message- "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." ( Matthew 3:1 ) ---meaning that Jesus Christ was about to come onto the scene. It has the same meaning today! Jesus Christ is about to come onto the scene! Things in the world today are lining up according to the scripture and something is about to happen! Isaiah 40:3-9 gives us some insight into what this "voice" is to be like. It can't just be our own ideas, opinions and theologies. It must line up with the Word of God. Verse 3 says it's the "voice of one crying--" It has to be a voice filled with compass...

Luke 3:4-6 " as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" I love how the Message Bible puts it: "Thunder in the desert! Prepare God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! Every ditch will be filled in, every bump smoothed out, the detours straightened out, all the ruts paved over. Everyone will be there to see the parade of God's salvation." In the olden days, a royal herald would order the roads to be prepared in preparation for the coming of a great dignitary. Everyone got involved. It was his job to proclaim that someone special was coming. John the Baptist was a herald of the coming of the Lord.  Isaiah 40:1-11 is the pro...

Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us." This past Christmas season God kept driving this point home to me-- Emmanuel = God with us. It isn't something I had never seen or realized before, but the fact of God's desire and love towards sinful mankind- so much love in fact, that He would send His Son, His Only Son, Jesus Christ into a dark and sinful world to bring us to a place of light and righteousness! He brought this home to me even more in the blessing of His Presence. I think this Christmas season was the most peaceful and joyful that I have had in many years. It wasn't so much in what I was doing, but in what was God was doing inside of me. The revelation of God with us continued to flood over my soul and I enjoyed His presence throughout the days. And it continues on even into the New Year. God with us! It isn't just a phrase- it is a f...

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...

2 Corinthians 3:16-18    "16 Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face to face!  17 They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it!  18 All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (The Message Bible) I have thought so much over the years about this "high calling" mentioned in Philippians 3:12-14 . The New King James Version calls it the "upward call". KJV calls it the "high calling". Which ever word you prefer there is a great revelation behind it. I have come to the conclusion that it is not ...