The Prophetic Word - Day 140: There is a mission shared by all who are His.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

John 14:15 NKJV

We started out our discussion this week by looking into the fact that we have all been called to be saved through Jesus Christ. Sadly, we know that not all will take that invitation.

Yesterday we discussed the fact that throughout the Bible we see people who had specific time-sensitive missions. Some of these missions were fulfilled at one moment in time. Others, would require a lifetime to be fulfilled.

Esther, who we referenced yesterday, basically did what she was sent to do over the span of just a few days.

On the other hand, considering Moses’ call, he would spend 40 years walking out his mission.

Now we turn to look at the part of our call common to all Christians and requiring a lifetime of obedient devotion.

Peter said something which may seem ambiguous, looking at it in isolation from its context:

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

II Peter 1:10-11 NKJV

So, how do we make our call and election “sure”? For that, let’s look at this statement in its context:

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

II Peter 1:2-11 NKJV

Ah! We must act on our calling by “adding” the qualities that will set us apart from the world, while keeping us walking in obedience to God’s call in Jesus Christ.

Indeed, the apostle Paul instructs that an examination of our own behavior will indicate whether we are walking in the Faith (being true to our calling).

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

II Corinthians 13:5 NKJV

Ironically, and sadly, there are many people who spend extensive time trying to figure out what their individual calling is, when they have not answered the general call by walking according to the clear instruction given to all those who are in Christ.

Worrying about what your specific—or “greater” call is—without first doing what all Christians are called to do, truly is like picking a nat out of your food, but swallowing a camel sharing the dinner plate with your hamburger.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!”

Matthew 23:23-24 NKJV

In our opening scripture we see Jesus making a very simple statement. Yes, all who answer the call to follow after Christ will follow His commands.

John further illuminated this very fact.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

I John 5:3 NKJV

Being called by God through Jesus Christ means that we all should live in such a way that the world sees Him through us.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV

Tomorrow we will bring all of this together.

For now we leave you with a wonderful promise, accompanied by powerful instruction, as to what all the children of God should be doing now.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

I John 3:1-3, 8 NKJV

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!