April 5, 2013 … Called Out For Service

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 96

Passage of the Day: Haggai 2: 2 [in the context of verses 1-5 [NLT] …  
1 Then on October 17 of that same year, the LORD sent another message through the prophet Haggai. 2 “Say this to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of God’s people there in the land: … 3 Is there anyone who can remember this house—the Temple—as it was before? In comparison, how does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing at all! 4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD. Take courage, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Take courage, all you people still left in the land, says the LORD. Take courage and work, for I am with you, says the LORD Almighty. 5 My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid. 
============
 Contextual Study of today’s passage: Haggai, Chapter 2 [NLT] … Go to this link … 
============

Reference Passage #1: Joshua 1: 1-2 [No matter how bad the famine gets, Jesus is always knocking on the door of our lives, desiring to come in and dine with us.] [NLT] …  
1 After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, 2 “Now that my servant Moses is dead, you must lead my people across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. …”

  Reference Passage #2: Luke 9: 23 [Jesus – Always calling us out!] [NKJV] …  
Then Jesus said to them all, “If anyone would follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. … ”

My Journal for Today: My devotional today takes me in Scripture to the times of the Prophet Haggai, when God called out Zerubbabel, the governor in Judah at the time, for service to God by rebuilding God’s Temple, built 60 years earlier by Solomon, which in the day of Haggai 2 lay in ruins. Immediately when I read and meditated through that chapter of Haggai’s journal, I also thought of Joshua, who was also called out by God after the death of Moses for a very specific, but daunting task in the service to God, … i.e., to lead God’s people into the promised land.

What about you, my friend? Have you ever felt God calling you out? Sure, I know all Christians are called to follow Christ (see Luke 9: 23 above); and we’re all called to God’s Great Commission (see Matt. 28: 19-20). But I agree with Os Hillman, that the condition and circumstances of the world today are calling out to specific believers, just as He did with Zerubbabel and Joshua in the OT, to serve the Lord in specific ways, using their individual, Spirit-imparted gifts. What about you?

Right now this servant, yours truly, is marching to God’s calling, having been called out a number of years ago to battle against the evils of our hypersexualized world (see our ministry website at this link).   And I believe that more and more of God’s army are also being called, by the conviction and direction of God’s Spirit, to serve His kingdom in very specific ways which utilize their very God-specified, Spirit-given, spiritual gifts and talents.

Today, I charge any reading here with me to be sensitive to God’s calling on/for your life. And are you ready to do battle in Christ’s name (see Eph. 6: 10-18)? Do you know what your Spiritual gifts iare? And if you feel that special calling to serve, will you do as Christ called in Luke 9: 23 or as He called Zerubbabel or Joshua and step out to serve as God is calling you?

Remember what Joshua, declared openly in witness to the Lord, (see Joshua 24: 15), …”as for me an my family, we will serve the Lord!” Will that be your cry today as you feel God calling you to serve Him? And so, … let me close by having you listen to a poignant song, sung by Daniel O’Donnell, at this link -  … Is it calling you as it is to me?

My Prayer for Today … Here I am, Lord, … send me! … Amen