Devotional Song: Go to this link – Please take your time to see a video of a telling song performed by Steve Green, singing Find Us Faithful, reminding us that God’s grace is His calling, … unto salvation and then to be sanctified for His purposes.
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Highlight Passage #1 - NLT: 1st Thessalonians 5: 23-24
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
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Highlight Passage #2 - NLT: 1st Corinthians 7: 17a
7a Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you.
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Highlight Passage #3 - NLT: 1st Corinthians 12: 4-6
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
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Highlight Passage #4 - NKJV: Romans 8: 28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
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Reference Passage #1: Philippians 1: 6 … … [NLT]
6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
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Reference Passage #2: Acts 1: 8 … … [NLT]
8 “… But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
My Journal for Today: When I’m speaking to Christian audiences, one of my favorite ways to get their attention and to get them to agree with me at the outset of my talk is to ask: “Would all who would call themselves CHRISTIANS, please stand up.” … Usually everyone will stand up, even if it’s just peer pressure which motivates them. But then I ask, “Would all who are in FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE, please remain standing; … the rest please sit down?” … To this many will sit down, assuming I mean that they have to be paid Ministers, Pastors, or in some way hired by a church to fulfill that calling. … But then I say, “I’m confused; … would all those who are in FULL-TIME SERVICE (boldly) to Jesus Christ stand to recognize your calling?” … Then the audience begins to get it; and they all stand again.
Do you get it?
Well, if you’ve heard today’s song, sung by Steve Green, linked above; and you’ve mediated on all the passages which were highlighted by Os Hillman’s devotional or referenced above, you probably grasp that we’re all CALLED, as Christians, to full-time service to Christ. Yes, all of us, who call ourselves “Christian” are ”… the called according to His purposes” as it states in Romans 8: 28, copied above. And Jesus, upon re-entering heaven at His ascension, called ALL CHRISTIANS to be His witnesses throughout the world, … no matter where we are and where we’ll travel [see Acts 1: 8].
So, my friend, we are all CALLED to full-time Christian service, aren’t we? In fact, though it’s not copied above, you probably know the GREAT COMMISSION we have as Christians, also Jesus’ calling us to His service in Matthew 28: 19-20. And if you don’t have that one memorized and internalized, I pray that you will do so very soon.
I hope we all also know that when we were called unto salvation (see Romans 10: 9-13), we were all sanctified with gifts to exercise our calling (see 1st Corinthians 12: 4-6 above) as slaves to Christ’s service. And I pray this morning that we’ll all be using our Spirit-imparted gift(s) for God’s glory … yes, even today. And so, to that end fellow Christians, let’s go out and serve Him today in all that we think, say, and do.
My Prayer for Today … Lord, use me today for Your glory! … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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