Called by God, 29

~ The Second Call of Jonah ~

 

Introduction ~ Posts 1 – 21 (beginning on April 16, 2022) of this series looked at aspects of the Christian calling.  Specifically, we viewed the calling of God from three aspects.  First there is the Universal Call to all mankind for salvation.  Second there is the call that all Christians receive—the Obedience Call.  Finally, there is a call which all Christians receive, but sadly few accept, the Career Call. 

 

Beginning in post 22 we started looking at Biblical examples of God calling an individual. 

 

The First Call of Jonah (disobedience) ~ “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,  ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.’  But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.  He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:1-3).

 

The Second Call of Jonah (obedience) ~ “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.’  So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the Word of the Lord.  Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.  And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk.  Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’” (Jonah 3:1-4). 

 

Comment ~ Jonah is an interesting and special case.  No one should presume that if they disobey their call from God that God will call them a second time.  God may do so but is certainly not obligated to do so.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Conscience, 29

 ~ Realize You Have An Active Foe ~

 

Series Note ~ The conscience plays a crucial role in human behavior.  The Scripture has much to say about our conscience.  In posts 1—20 of this series, we looked at various descriptions of conscience.  In posts 21—25 we looked at the Big Four Emotional factors that have a very negative impact on our consciences.  Finally starting with post 26 we look at dangers to the conscience. 

 

Scripture ~ “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen” (1 Peter 5:8-11). 

 

Comment ~ Your adversary is very active and attacks your weak and most vulnerable areas.  If he can desensitize your conscience then he is well on his way to defeating you. 

 

Solution ~ Abide in Christ. 

 

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

 

“I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

 

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:1-10).

 

Question ~ How are you doing?

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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Contrast, 2

~ Contrast: Mediator vs. Direct Access ~

 

Series Comment ~ The Scripture contains many contrasts.  In this series we look briefly at some of them.  Just like in our “Binary” series many of these contrasts represent a choice of this or that.

 

Scripture 1 ~ “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.  For the law appoints as high priests [as mediators] men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever” (Hebrews 7:26-28).

 

“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:11-15).

 

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:19-25).

 

Scripture 2 ~ “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty, or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed.  And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering.  Then the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour all the remaining blood at the base of the altar.  He shall remove all its fat, as fat is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma to the Lord.  So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him” (Leviticus 4:27-31).

 

Comment ~ Today individual believers are priests with direct access to God.  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW 

 

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God Attribute, 40

 ~ God Hears ~

 

This Series  ~  This series of posts looks at some of the many attributes of God.  Generally, we move in alphabetical order.

 

Scripture  ~  “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.  If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless” (Exodus 22:22-24).

 

“For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin.  What will he sleep in?  And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious” (Exodus 22:27).

 

Comment  ~  “Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).  Since we know God hears us, we should not be disheartened!

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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