Chapter Seven: God’s Higher Calling - In the Midst of Doubts and Fears

“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” ~ Matthew 14:31 Darkness and fears over took me. I was overwhelmed and could not look up. The shadows of death surrounded my heart. Wisdom faded from view and I could not trust my own thoughts. Discouragement cut into my heart like a knife and joy escaped me. The terrors of the night seized my heart. I found no peace. My prayers seemed far from me and God was not in all my thoughts. Have these thoughts ever penetrated into your heart? If so, you are not alone in your fears and doubts. There are others that faced the same thoughts. I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. ~ Psalms 6:6. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. ~ Psalms 10:4. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? ~ Psalms 11:1. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. ~ Psalms 18:5. For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. ~ Psalms 18:28. O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. ~ Psalms 22:2. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. ~ Psalms 32:4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. ~ Psalms 38:4. For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. ~ Psalms 40:12. Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. ~ Psalms 44:19. My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. ~ Psalms 55:3-4. In Pilgrim’s Progress, Pilgrim finds himself in Doubting Castle held prisoner by Giant Despair. He sinks down in despair unable to overcome the overwhelming thoughts of failure. Our ignorance of our sin leads us to just shut down and not deal with the root of the problem. At first, we might think we can deal with the doubts on our own. We may have the attitude that no one needs to know of our doubting. But in the darkness of our little home, the darkness will over take us. When we get this way we are now a person struggling with depression or anxiety. When we realize that we need help then we should sit down with only one or two precious godly friends and share with them what we are facing. A lot of times indifference can lead to an unmovable heart. When the LORD stops working in our lives we need to realize that something is wrong. If we don’t see that we’ve come to a wall in our spiritual walk and we are truly saved, we will become flooded by doubts. The Word of God talks about our heart being deceitful and the only one who can know our heart is God. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” ~ Jeremiah 17:9. God wants to change our lives and cause us to see our lives through His eyes. We are told to examine ourselves in 2 Corinthians 13:5. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” Here are some tips that will help us get out of a depressive state. First, we needed to play good godly music. Secondly, we need to play messages of Good Godly preachers. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” ~ John 17:17. Thirdly, we need to recognize that getting consumed with doubt is giving place to the devil. “Neither give place to the devil.” ~ Ephesians 4:27. Fourth, understand that we cannot force ourselves into some spiritual place of victory. We shouldn’t try to fix it or we’ll miss out on what the LORD is trying to teach us! There will be times when we cannot get victory over our thoughts and we may even doubt our salvation. Don’t just give in and let the thoughts have free course. We may hate them but if we don’t deal with them they will overtake us. When we do not deal with thoughts, we are letting iniquity take over. And it ends up being like a never ending vicious cycle. That will continue to drain us. Our thoughts even if they seem right and good are not necessarily God’s thoughts. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11. Our mind is not programmed to think like God. God wants to teach us and He uses the fiery trails to break us. It is when we are broken He then can begin working in our lives. “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” ~ Isaiah 64:8. Someone once wisely said, “Sow a thought - reap a habit; sow a habit - reap a destiny.” Our minds are programmed when we are born with a sin nature. And we can’t just delete the program and reinstall a new one. But yet God, who knows our thoughts and our heart, can begin to root out those thoughts and replace them with right thinking. Right thinking comes only by the Word of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” ~ 2 Timothy 3:16. Habitual thoughts will flash in the back of our minds without even our thinking on them. We may try to conduct our lives as though everything is alright. But the instability of our lives will cause those doubts to seep through. The first thing that one can notice on a person who is deeply troubled will be their countenance. “Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” ~ Nehemiah 2:2. We may try to hide our struggles but within weeks the darkness will be so thick that we won’t be able to see a glimpse of sunshine from God’s Word. Don’t turn everything off thinking that is the answer. There will be things that we need to turn off, but there is also going to be things we need to turn on. Turning off the television is a very good idea but sitting in total silence when your mind won’t shut off is not helpful. Ever try to hear from the LORD but can’t get past the walls. When this happens we need to call upon the LORD even when we don’t think our prayers are getting through. Our spiritual immaturity and thinking we know it all will keep us from hearing from the LORD. When we constantly come to the LORD having the attitude “Oh I know that, LORD,” the LORD isn’t going to work in our life because we aren’t opening to hearing from him. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” ~ Romans 1:21. When we long to hear from him He will give us light. “Thou hast made us for Thyself O LORD; and our Heart is Restless until it rests on Thee.” “Blessed is the man that maketh the LORD his trust.” ~ Psalms 40:4. Romans 8 is an excellent chapter read when going through depression or doubt. God always wants to use doubts to teach us some very powerful lessons. One of those lessons is humility. Ask yourself when is the last time you thought of the cross and fell to your knees in gratefulness? Ever think of being in the presence of Jesus, what is your reaction when you think of that moment? Do you fall on your knees in tears, or do you have the attitude “that’s nice” and your heart remains untouched. When you humble yourself Christ will meet you. The doubts might yell out to you but look up! Christ will settle those doubts. Just as Salvation is of God and only God does the saving; So Victory is of God and only God gets the Victory through our lives. Claim the promises of God! “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” ~ 1 Peter 1:5. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” ~ Romans 8:16. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9. Dear friend, I hope this is an encouragement to you. Maybe, you are facing depression. Please know you are not alone. Maybe, though you have never faced depression, you now have a better understanding of how to be an encouragement to those who are. Depression is a real thing. God wants to use it for His good. The Devil wants to use it to destroy the hurting. Please don’t criticize someone facing depression, that doesn’t help the person but rather just makes things so much worse. And for those of you who maybe facing doubts and fears remember you have a good God who wants good things for you. During my depression, God in His mercy and faithfulness began to give me the glimpses of rays of light through His Word. I came across the quote “Thou hast made us for Thyself O LORD; and our Heart is Restless until it rests on Thee.” Psalms 40:4 became so precious to me. “Blessed is the man that maketh the LORD his trust.” God continued to bring Romans 8 into my life time and time again. God was trying to teach me some very powerful lessons. One of those lessons came when I was watching a video clip of the end of Pilgrim’s progress. When Pilgrim is presented to Jesus, I found myself over whelmed and began to sob. I fell on my knees, in bitter anguish knowing the LORD had stepped into my home. I did not deserve His love and tenderness. Yet Christ loves me anyway. He is the one that did the saving when I received Him. I did nothing but come to Him. I kept asking myself “Why am I saved?” Thinking to myself: “Did I have repentance, and did I have faith. I never said I trust you LORD… does that mean I’m lost?” All these thoughts and more flooded in my aching heart. But I was reminded that all I did was come to Christ and pour out my heart fully believing that if I called on Him, He would indeed save me. So now some years later, I found myself trying to have Victory on my own. But just as Salvation is of God and only God does the saving; So Victory is of God and only God gets the Victory through our lives. I had this burning desire to get closer to the LORD, but each time I tried I was hindered. The more I tried the more I felt like I was running into a brick wall. My sinful self kept getting in the way. I did not fully understand what was happening. But then everything seemed to come together. Here I was in this Doubting Castle, and all I had to do was start pulling out the promises of God. I began to claim these verses and many like them. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ~ 1 Peter 1:5. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ~ Romans 8:16. Trusting God always seemed to be my down fall. God was testing me to see if I would trust Him even when the clouds where the darkest. I failed miserably. But the LORD in all His love and faithfulness kept chiseling out the dross in my life. No sooner was I out from underneath the darkness and another trial hit me hard. Did I look up right away? Of course not! I found myself angry and bitter. Hate flooded my heart and not love! Again I had to fall down on my knees and get lovely rebuked by my Father. I had to pray for God’s love to fill my heart. A wise friend sweetly told me that I failed to trust the LORD and to watch out because until I get it right another trial is around the corner. So another trial did come but this time I caught myself and looked up. God’s not done testing me. I keep thinking of the picture of God being the Master Potter. He Longs to mold me into a vessel of Honor. It hurts to be put through the fire and the waters that cool the clay are at times over whelming and seem too hard for us to bear. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Chapter Six God's Higher Calling - God's Design for our lives.

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:12 God’s Higher Calling isn’t a “holier than thou” philosophy. However, it is a holier living policy. We need to apply the idea of holiness into our lives. It is the only way we can glorify God with our lives. We are to Be HOLY. “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” ~ 1 Peter 1:16. We are to strive to go up higher because it pleases the LORD. God has designed our lives for a purpose. His design is for us to live lives holy and set apart from the world. “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.” ~ Psalms 4:3. God longs for us to have a sweet fellowship with Him. But we cannot attain this relationship until we have a proper understanding of who God is. To have this proper view, we must first understand the concept of what it is to Fear the LORD. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” ~ Proverbs 1:7. So many times in Christian circles the concept of Fearing the LORD is over looked. I believe that if we truly understood this concept we would not have so many living a mediocre Christian life. This is the core of the matter! The fear of the LORD is the foundation to living God’s Higher Calling. Without it, anything we try to do in the name of the LORD is just empty show. Christians that seem to be living a higher standard but don’t have a proper understanding of the Fear of the LORD, will appear superficial. We shouldn’t have standards and be involved in service just because our church, our friends, or even our Pastor says so. We should be doing these things because we generally wholeheartedly fear the LORD and want to please Him. We need to fear the LORD above all else. The fear of the LORD and the Love for the LORD should drive us to go farther for him. So many times our selfish fear stops us from going forward for the LORD. The fear of man keeps us from witnessing. The fear of the unknown keeps us from doing God’s Will. The LORD has a precious plan for our lives but the only way we can accomplish this plan is by fearing the LORD and casting down that other fear. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. ~ 1 John 4:18. These passages are referring to the fear of man. We are not to have this paralyzing fear that stops us from living our lives for the LORD. Have you ever gotten to the place where the situation was so overwhelming that you just wanted to flee? Instead of taking a stand and being strong in the LORD, you found yourself wanting to run? Even David found himself engulfed by his circumstances. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. ~ Psalms 55:6. There are many things in this world that will cause us to fear. But that is not where we as Christians should live. So many times our comfort zone keeps us from truly being a witness for Christ. There will be a cross road that every Christian faces. Here at the fork in the road the signs point so clearly. In front of us is a glorious path that is filled with God’s unfathomable blessings and to the right of us is a darkened path. On this darkened path is a line of people stretched far as the eye can see. These people are shouting discouraging words. Intermingled with them are our own thoughts of doubts, fears and discouragements. The other path looks so clear and uncluttered. To enter this path we but need just go through the gate. That gate is the Fear of the LORD. Here is where all of God’s knowledge begins. When we just dwell on what the LORD wants us to do without caring what men think everything becomes clear. And I can say “I ,may face this trial but God is here with me and I fear him above all the petty disapproving thoughts.” You might wonder why the fear of the LORD is so important. And the answer is very simple... If I do not fear the LORD above all else then people will change my mind and I become a double minded person. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. ~ James 1:8. We end up basing our convictions on what others think and not on “Thus saith the LORD.” Take the scenario of three friends: Julie, Tom and Peter. Julie has a conviction regarding a certain issue, but her friend Tom has a different conviction regarding the same issue. Their friend Peter comes to them and asks what they think about this issue. Julie shares her conviction and Tom his. Peter is also a people-pleaser, so when Julie tells him here conviction Peter agrees with it. But when Tom shares his conviction that is different from Julies, Peter finds himself agreeing to please Tom. Peter doesn't go to the Word of God, instead he runs to his friends. Let’s face the truth, every single one of us is a people-pleaser in some shape or form. One person might outwardly say they don’t care what people think, but they really do because they run to five or six people for advice on the situation they are facing. Another person might be the overly sensitive type and anything someone says can easily upset them. Another might be a person that cares for others very deeply and they often find themselves getting walked over by others. We need to step away from being a people-pleaser. We can do this by doing one thing and that is striving to please God. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." ~ Hebrews 11:6. First, we cannot please God without faith. Secondly, we cannot have faith in God without trust. Thirdly, we cannot trust God if we have a wrong view of God. Fourthly, we cannot have a right view of God if we do not seek Him. So as we dive into what the fear of God is, I pray that you will seek to understand what the fear of Lord and why it is truly our driving force in the Christian life. God has a better design for our lives than so called “Christendom” claims as Christian living. We can live this better designed life if we but tap into the joy of fearing the LORD. A mediocre Christian does not fear the LORD. The mediocre Christian shows no remorse in living a lower standard. They look upon those with higher standards as “holier then thou” Christians. So popular in our day and age is the idea that “I’m saved by grace, and I can do whatever I want as long as I confess my sin according to 1John 1:9. However, a Christian that fears the LORD cannot blatantly sin. They don’t want to sin. They are aware of their sin nature and try to avoid situations that cause them to fall. Have you ever done something knowing full well you were sinning against God? Did you have this thought “I’ll confess it later?” I know I have been there. And at that moment I was not fearing God. Fearing the LORD is not just a point that you attain in your life never having to come cross it again. But as with everything else in the Christian life it is a moment by moment thing. One moment I could fear the LORD and the next I’m not. Why? Because to fear the LORD, I must be filled with the Spirit of God, without the Spirit I cannot fear the LORD. It is a constant state of being. The thoughts and motives must be constantly checked out, they need to be tried often by the LORD as the Psalmist said: “Try my reigns and my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me.” So what is the Fear of the LORD? It is “that indefinable mixture of reverence, fear, pleasure, joy and awe which fills our hearts when we realize who God is and what He had done for us.”~ The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges. God’s Higher Calling is only able to be lived when we have wisdom and wisdom comes only when we fear the LORD. Fearing the LORD comes when we follow God’s straight path and avoid sin. Let’s look at some verses that speak about the fear of the LORD. ~ That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. ~ Deuteronomy 6:2. If we fear the LORD we will keep God’s commandments and statutes ~ Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. ~ Deuteronomy 6:13. Because we carry the name of the LORD we must live our lives holy. We will serve Him and love Him if we fear Him. ~ And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. ~ Deuteronomy 6:24. God keeps us and gives us good things when we keep His statues and Fear Him. ~ And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, ~ Deuteronmy 10:12 If we have the Fear of the LORD we will walk in the His ways, we will love Him and we will serve Him with all our heart and soul. ~ Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. ~ Deuteronomy 10:20. We cleave to the LORD and His ways and serve and proclaim His name when we fear the LORD. ~ And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. ~ Deuteronomy 14:23. If we fear the LORD we will tithe and offer our first fruits to Him. The Lord God will have preeminence in our lives if we truly fear His name ~ Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. ~ Joshua 24:14. When we fear the LORD it will cause us to serve Him in sincerity and truth and all things that were first in our lives will be cast out. Things such as television, other people's views, selfish desires, worldly views… etc. Fill in the blank. Put in those things that take your time away from praying to the LORD and searching out His Word. For those things must get put aside and the LORD must become our All in All! ~ If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: ~ 1 Samuel 12:14. Obedience is a fruit of fearing the LORD, rebellion is a fruit of the selfish me first heart! ~ Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. ~ 1 Samuel 12:24. The fear of the LORD will cause our hearts to reflect on God's truth and we serve the LORD and praise Him for all the wonderful things He has done for us! ~ Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever. ~ Psalms 118:4. God's Mercy endureth forever. His mercy extends to all. If we fear the LORD, we will love those that God loves. We will have mercy on those that God has mercy on. And we will forgive those that God bestows forgiveness upon. ~ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ~ Proverbs 3:7. If we fear the LORD will not use our own wisdom or words. We will take what we know and go to God's Word and search out if it is true or false. Many a time we think we are speaking truth but that truth is based upon what we think or feel is right and not on what God says. And if we fear the LORD, we will not maybe not someday but we will at that very moment depart from evil! ~ Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. ~ Hosea 3:5 The fear of the LORD will cause us to return and seek the LORD. Ask yourself these questions: When is the last time I sought the LORD and He showed me something I had to give up? And did I give it up or am I still holding on to it? And if I gave it up, did I pick it back up again? "The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" ~ Amos 3:8. A person who continues in sin and is constantly blind to the Holy Spirit's leading does not have a proper fear of the LORD. "And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land." ~ Jonah 1:9 Jonah said he feared the LORD but his life did not show it. He had all the right words but he was not living what he was saying. Are you living what you are saying? Remember your actions speak louder then words. Practical Questions: 1. When I get convicted over my sin am I quick to confess it and let it go, or do I hang on to it thinking it’s not that bad? 2. Do I see my sin as being black in God’s eyes or do I find myself justifying it? 3. Do I let the fear of others paralyze me from witnessing and living a sold out Christian life? 4. Would I rather talk about other things then of Godly things? 5. Do I think there should be a balance and that I shouldn’t have to talk about God all the time? 6. Is God in all my thoughts? 7. Do I just go forward without asking “Is this something that pleases you LORD?” 8. Do I let God guide me or do I just go by what others say? 9. When circumstances come my way do I easily get overwhelmed or do I find myself looking up? Am I quick to quit or am I quick to trust the LORD? 10. Would I rather do what I want over what God wants? Particular Answers to the Questions above. Question 1: A. Those who are quick to confess sin and let it go are showing the fruits of Fearing the LORD B. Those who hang on to sin are showing that selfishness reigns in their hearts and Christ has long been removed from the throne. Question 2: A. Those who see their sin as God sees it will fear the LORD B. Those who do not see their sin as black and wicked in the sight of God will not fear the LORD. Question 3: A. Those who fear what others think over what God says have placed man over God. People have become big in their eyes while God has grown small. B. But those who refuse to be moved from the principles of God’s Word and who care more about what God thinks over man have shown that God alone is their judge. Question 4: A. Those who would rather talk about things outside of Godly things (even if those things aren’t necessarily wrong) are showing that God is not their utmost desire. B. Those who would rather speak of God Word and proclaim what He has been teaching them exhibit that God is in all their thoughts. Question 5: A. Those who think there should be a balance show a heart attitude of “Sunday Christians but not Monday Christians” B. Those who feel that Christ should be the center of every conversation show that He alone is their life. Question 6: A. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” ~ Psalms 10: 4. B. “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” ~ Psalms 12:1. Question 7: A. Those who won’t ask if their outfit, attitudes, actions, thoughts, etc. Please the LORD show that they truly don’t care what the LORD thinks. B. Those who care about what the LORD thinks will keep their thoughts in check with God’s Word, they will seek to live holy separate lives. Question 8: A. Those who take what others say without Going to God for direction and guidance are fools and simple. “O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.” ~ Proverbs 8:5. B. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” ~ Psalms 19:7. Question 9: A. “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” ~ 2 Samuel 22:31. B. “In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” ~ Psalms 11:1. Question 10: A. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” ~ John 3:30. B. “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” ~ Psalms 16:8. Are you convicted yet? I know I am. When is the last time I witnessed to someone? When is the last time God was found in my thoughts? When is the last time I really prayed over souls and for others. If we have the heart of God we will have a heart for souls! If we fear the LORD, we will be a witness to all those around us. When is the last time I cried over a lost soul? “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”~ Ps. 126:5. This verse is a promise. And do you know that God puts our tears into a bottle and records them? “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” ~ Ps. 56:8. These aren’t tears of self-pity but rather tears shed for a soul and tears shed over a brokenness of sin. We are to shed tears of compassion. We are to have compassion towards others. Ask yourself this: have I become complacent in showing compassion to my brothers and sisters in Christ? “And of some have compassion, making a difference:”~ Jude 1:22. This has always been one of my favorite verses. The Lord gives each of His children gifts to use for His service. These gifts are not talents, they are not things that you can do on your own. You have to be filled with the Holy Spirit and living God’s Higher Calling to use them. The LORD has given me the gift of compassion. If I don’t plug into God’s Higher Calling, I find that I can’t have compassion for others and selfishness has taken over. Search out and find the gift He has given you and use it! Some of you have been given the great ability of words. You can either use those words for evil of for God. Remember this “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” ~ Proverbs 18:21. Don’t use that ability for sarcasm or for attacking a brother. But rather use that ability to witness to all those around you! My tongue and your tongue is to be used for God’s glory. God gets glory when we witness and also when we edify the brethren. “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” ~ James 1:26-27. Watch what you say! All of use struggle in the area of the tongue. It is just a little thing but it can cut deeper then any sword! “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” ~ James 3:6-18. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 A tired lonely girl stood all alone she thought, With trouble, care and fear gripping at her door. Quietly in the stillness for the Lord she sought. Her heart echoed, And now, Lord, What wait I for? A question pierced her heart, Where oh girl is your hope? She wondered at why Trust is always the center core, And how many times she on her own tried to cope, She longed as David must have to have wings to soar. Fear can grip the heart to keep that one from living, Failing to Trust the LORD will stop one from growing, But oh to have God’s Power with all it’s giving To be equipped with all the fruit of the Spirit in going. The girl then realized that she could have all the Love The Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness Faith, Meekness, and Temperance all from God above. These things are given to serve God with our Best, no less. The Love of Christ must constrain us to go Forth For Him alone, with no want of anything more Then For His Love and all it’s worth. And if we trust Him, in His steps our hearts will soar. God wants good things for His own And longs for us to have His mind And be at peace in Him Alone All things we can truly find! Little heart don’t waver when the tempest rise high Little mind don’t lean on what you think you find Little life don’t fail to be spent because of fear you might die, And little mouth don’t fail to pray for all man kind.

Chapter Five God's Higher Calling: Despite Adversity.

“Trouble and Anguish have taken hold of me: yet Thy commandments are my delights.” ~ Psalms 119:143 A note about chapter five: This chapter was written during the time I found out I had Bell’s Palsy. It was written in a present tense and not in a past tense as the earlier chapters. I was going to change the tense, but I believe I need to leave this chapter just the way it is. I pray it will be a blessing. “Moses and Daniel and prophets of old they were trusting God I’m told and He drew nearer to their troubled souls. Trials are worth more then gold. Through fire and water if that’s where HE leads I am willing go, if more like Jesus I’ll be trials are worth more then Gold.” I wonder how many songs that I have sung that proclaim this same message and I wonder how willing I am to go through adversity? Could I say as Job said in the mist of trouble? “The Lord gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD:” ~ Job 1:21b. This was Job’s first reaction to adversity. What I wonder is yours and my first reaction to trouble and trials? I know what I want to do when trials come that seem so over whelming and that I can’t bear them. I want to wallow, to have self pity and others attention. “Woe is me!” is the attitude I find myself content to have. When trials come whether it is financial, physical or emotional, my reaction is the same. I want to quit serving the LORD. In the process of the writing of this book, I learned yet another precious lesson about God’s Higher Calling. God’s Higher Calling is not just for the strong, the well, the financially set, and the emotionally stable. God’s Higher Calling is for the weak, the sick and the poor and the emotionally unstable. On August 3, 2007, I woke with a headache that I had for five days straight. I was so full of the wonderful concept that “The upright shall dwell in Thy presence.” I had no idea what would unfold on that day, but oh my Abba did. My prayer that morning I wrote in my Journal “Lord, I long to dwell in Thy presence continuously today! I ask for strength to continue in the things Thou has taught me. I pray that I will cast out all imaginations. And that I will continue to look to you throughout this day. Help me not to pass by opportunities to witness and to comfort. Help me to show kindness to those around me today. In Jesus Name, Amen.” I did not know that by night fall I would have Bell’s Palsy which paralyzed the right side of my face. My smile would be gone. “But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.” ~ Deuteronomy 4:4. My first understand of all this was that God’s a purpose. I do not know what that full purpose is, but I’m willing to trust God with this. I also, understand that I must Cleave to the LORD! He’s got me! I know I’m in His hand. “Nothing ever takes God by surprise.” I once heard this saying: “Has it ever dawned on you that nothing ever dawns on God.” So how does one face adversity? How is one supposed to live when all strength seems to fail? A friend gave me this verse Joshua 1:9 ~ “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” This verse/song sweetly filled my mind and I didn’t even realize I was humming it in my head. I’m so thankful that God gives us the right kind of Friends that encourage us with scripture. The Word of The LORD has been so precious to me over the last few days. It has been no small matter that every day my devotions have held a verse about being “quickened” in them. The word “Quickened” means to be made alive; revived; vivified; reinvigorated. God gives us the strengthen we need to face each day. He gives us the direction in which to go and guides our steps along the way. Is it any wonder that Job was able to say? “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” ~ Job 13:15. God’s Higher Calling seemed so clear to me on Friday morning, but by Saturday I found myself wallowing in self pity. Should I not rest and not do those things I know are required of me? This and such other questions flooded my mind. Saturday night, I dreamed of the “Pattern on the Mount.” I dreamed that Moses decided to build the tabernacle his way instead of God’s. And what might have seemed like a silly dream really wasn’t to me, for this idea planted a thought in my heart. My way right now would be that the Bell’s palsy would be gone and that I would be instantly healed. But God’s way for me is that the Bell’s palsy remains. Sunday morning in my devotions the LORD gave me this verse: “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;” ~ Deuteronomy 4:9. God wants me to continue to go up higher even when I don’t feel like it. “You don’t want any adversity such as “Bell’s Palsy” to stop you from serving, don’t do what you just feel like… reach for God’s Higher Calling in the midst of adversity.” ~ Journal entry, August 5, 2007. Little do we know what adversity waits around the corner. We do not know what tomorrow holds. What we do know is that whether the trail is cancer, blindness, bankruptcy, the death of a loved one, or Lyme’s disease… etc, we need not quit on God. I have this quote written in my Bible from a guest speaker that preached a few years back. “I don’t want my last years, my last months, and my last weeks to dishonor God in any way for whom I’ve lived for all these years.” ~ Bro. Henderson. We are to live for God even in the mist of trials and troubles. If we quit serving, we will stop going forward for the LORD. Sadly, we will find ourselves moving backwards away from His plan and purpose. God understand our adversity and our trials. I keep having this verse echo in my heart: “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” ~ Luke 12:27. We don’t have to worry about all that will unfold with the adversity that stands before us. The LORD has us in His hand, all we must do is cleave to Him. I don’t have to worry about when the LORD’s going to heal me, I know that in His timing He will and that’s enough for me. God’s shown me so much about His standard of living and just because I don’t feel so well, does not give me the right to become lazy. “As you exercise God’s Higher Calling you’ll find your faith increasing. Cleave to God! On this path continue to trod! Seek God’s face! Despite adversity run God’s race! Purpose to do God’s Will! Seek His purpose daily still. Keep fast in prayer! Casting to God all your care! Don’t quit on God! Persevere! Continue to faithfully trod!” ~ Journal Entry, August 5, 2007. Remember this: “God is in Control!” Nothing can happen without God’s being in control! On August 8, 2007, I received a phone call from the Doctor’s office that confirmed that I had tested positive for Lyme disease. It’s not something I wanted, but God knew that I would get Bell’s Palsy and have Lyme’s. He has a divine purpose in it all. “God will you use this situation to fulfill your purpose that Souls may be reached?” ~ From Sunday Night’s Message, August 5, 2007. I’ve already seen just a little bit of what God’s doing through all this, and I know He’s not done working. I’m comforted in that thought. I read the following Article the morning that I found out I had Lyme Disease: .................................................................................. August 8 Confidence Not Misplaced "The LORD God will help me" (Isaiah 50:7). These are in prophecy the words of Messiah in the day of His obedience unto death, when He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. He was confident in divine support and trusted in Jehovah. O my soul, thy sorrows are as the small dust of the balance compared with thy LORD's! Canst thou not believe that the LORD God will help thee? Thy LORD was in a peculiar position; for as the representative of sinful men -- their substitute and sacrifice -- it was needful that the Father should leave Him and cause Him to come under desertion of soul. No such necessity is laid upon thee: thou art not bound to cry, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" Did thy Savior even in such a case still rely upon God, and canst not thou? He died for thee and thus made it impossible that thou shouldst be left alone; wherefore, be of good cheer. In this day's labors or trials say, "The LORD God will help me." Go forth boldly. Set your face like a flint and resolve that no faintness or shamefacedness shall come near you. If God helps, who can hinder? If you are sure of omnipotent aid, what can be too heavy for you? Begin the day joyously, and let no shade of doubt come between thee and the eternal sunshine. ~ From C. H. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotional. .................................................................................. I know there are going to be days when I’m not looking to God as I should. There might be times when I ask “Why LORD?” I wrote the following Article back when my sister passed away. Sometimes in life we face difficulties and trials. Truth is we all have stories of heartache and pain. Many times we ask God: “Why, Why me Lord?” Sometimes the only answer we receive from the Lord is simply this: “Just Trust me.” In our human heart we cannot understand why God would allow these things to happen to us or to others around us. The pain that enshrouds our heart seems to choke out any understanding or peace that we so long to have. The statement “Trust the Lord,” seems to be something that is easy to say but harder to do. People that say this to us sometimes can make us feel like they have no idea what we are facing. They could not possible understand our situation. God’s grace seems so far and distant. We can feel alone and rejected. We just don’t see what the Lord is doing. If our eyes could be open to the spiritual realm, we would see that God has turned up the furnace of trials in our life to work out the dross that has been building up. We would see that every time we cry, God gently works on us and cries with us. God says: “Trust me, dear heart, I have everything under control.” He hears our distant reply: “No, Lord! I don’t know what you are doing and the pain is too much for me to bear.” God has not truly left us; he is ever present with us. However, we still yell out: “Why me, Lord? ... Why?” The Lord is in control. He is the Great Potter molding us into vessels of honor. He is the Great Gardener pulling out the weeds that don’t belong in our lives. “What a privilege it is to know that … I am a field under heavenly cultivation ~ not a wilderness but a garden of the Lord, walled by grace, planted according to a divine plan, worked by love, weeded by heavenly discipline, and constantly protected by divine power.” ~ Charles Spurgeon. We might think something like this: “Sure this sounds all good and easy, but this thing that I am going through no one understands.” It’s true that I might not have gone through the trial that you are going through and you might not have gone through the trial that I am going through, but God knows our pain. He suffers with us. He bears our burdens. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:17. This means that he takes our pain upon Himself. He removes it from our heart, and places it on His; and in return He replaces our fears with peace. Just as a loving father protects his child, so the Lord protects us. “Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” ~ Psalms 42:8. In times of adversity and heartache, we need to continue to remind ourselves that God is in control and that He loves us and cares for His children. Remember God always gives us the strength we need when we tap into it. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9. Practical Application: ~ Get alone with the Lord, even when you don’t feel like it. ~ In times of trouble keep key verses with you. ~ Remind yourself of this truth every time you begin to question… “Why Me?” Why me Lord? Why did you allow me to hear the Gospel? Why out of Billions did you reach down your hand to me? Lord, when I think about how narrow the road is to heaven and how broad that road to Hell is, I have to question… Why. Why did you allow me passage on the narrow road? Is it not but for the Grace of God? ~ Ask God to use this trial to reach the lost around you. ~ Remember: Keep on Keeping on and Don’t quit on God! ****************************************** I know I am to continue to serve in the areas that the LORD has me serving right now. I can’t quit those things. I must hold fast in the service of the LORD. Where He takes me from here I do not know. One thing is sure; God’s design for our lives is to live in His Higher Calling. There is no other way to live. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn of Thy statutes.” ~ Psalms 119:65.

Chapter Four God's Higher Calling - The departing to mediocrity.

“Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again,” ~ Jeremiah 31:21a God's Higher Calling is a day by day thing. It's a daily setting your heart on Christ. Sometimes I think we focus so much on the outward physical that we miss seeing the inward heart. What does God emphasize? “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,” ~ Deuteronomy 10:12. It doesn't take much to let your heart grow cold and worldly. “Sin will take you farther than you want to go and leave you longer than you want to stay.” We don’t just wake up one day and say to ourselves: “Self, I think I’ll stop living for the LORD today.” But what we can and most often do is we slowly let the World creep in on us. Ever play Shutes and Ladders? This was one of my favorite games as a kid. Many times I’ve thought of how the Christian walk is like a game of Shutes and Ladders. Each time we yield something to the LORD, we take a step forward. During Christian camps and revivals these are the times we come to a ladder in our life and we go up for the LORD. But each time we take our life in our hands and say no to God, we shoot back down. Remember that one shute that takes you all the way down to the beginning? You’re just about to win and you hit that shute which plunges you all the way down. The Christian life can be compared to that, if we chose not to obey the LORD, we just keep shooting back down. Just as in the game we end up moving our piece over the same blocks we had already traveled, so it is as we climb back up in the Christian walk, we end up having to be taught the same lessons. Just a little distraction can misplace our focus off of the LORD and on to ourselves. A friend once told me that in everything we do we need to guard our heart, keep our testimony, and take everything to the LORD before we do it. This may sound right and true, but just as we cannot know our heart without God’s guidance; neither can we keep our heart on our own! “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” ~ Jeremiah 17:10. It is impossible for us to keep our heart, we have to give our heart to the LORD. It is an every day occurrence. Every day, we need to cast down thoughts, and put our hope and trust in the LORD. It is a struggle to stay focused on the LORD and when we let self rein in our hearts it is impossible. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” ~ Col. 3:17. I often warn teens about wrong relationships. But it doesn’t matter if your 13 or 30, we all must guard against having a wrong relationship. He wants us to spend our season of singleness focused on Him! This is our season of singleness; we must not waste it! Remember God is trying to make us to be all glorious within. “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” ~ James 1:3-4. We can’t see God’s perfect plan for us. Maybe, God is working on us now, to make us into marriageable material. Whatever the reason, God’s plan is perfect. “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” ~ Psalms 18:30 ~ From Singleness of heart I’ve seen so many wreck their lives because of a guy or girl relationship. I thought back to when my older sister was a teen and how her life started down the path of destruction. It started out so innocent. I remember how my sister and her best friend would talk about boys. They would tell each other who they liked and giggle every time the guys came into the room. They encouraged each other to like guys, by over exaggerating things that would take place. They daydreamed about the different guys. They prepared their minds to do the worst because they didn’t cast down the thoughts. Instead they encouraged the thoughts to remain. And from there they both headed out to the world. Both got pregnant at an early age. Though my sister received Christ just months before she died, she lost the chance to live her life to God’s fullest potential. She died a month after her 29th Birthday. My dear friends please watch your thoughts! It may start out so innocent but it ends in destruction. “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” ~ 1 Corinthians 7:1. Don’t think for a moment that you can handle it. God placed this in the Word of God for a reason. We can’t handle it. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” ~ Psalms 1:1. Egypt is a picture of the world and worldly desires. All it takes for us to go down to Egypt is thought in the wrong direction that goes unchallenged. “That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!” ~ Isaiah 30:2. We need to challenge our thoughts. Our thinking can lead us into trying to fix our own lives. “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” ~ Proverbs 16:9. The word deviseth means to invent; to contrive; to form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to excogitate; to strike out by thought; to plan; to scheme; to project; as, to devise an engine or machine; to devise a new mode of writing; to devise a plan of defense; to devise arguments. Is this how you want to run your life? “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.” ~ Genesis 13:10. Do you think God directed Lot’s steps or does it look like Lot devised his way? All it took for Lot to move away from the presence of God was one look. Lot’s life progressively grew worse and worse. He missed out on so many of the blessings of God all because he didn’t challenge his thinking. When we think we need something or want something so much and we pursue it with all of our heart, refusing to hear all the warnings around us, we better watch out. Our thoughts that we are dwelling on are most probably not of God. Lot only took a few steps out of the will of God. It wasn’t a huge leap that destroyed Lot’s life; it was just one small step at a time. The climb back up to where God would have us to be is never easy! During Summer Camp of 2005, God showed me an illustration of how the world claims our hearts. He gave this to me the day before I left camp. It was an illustration I had seen when I was a teenager. To do this illustration I needed a dress. And not just any dress, I needed a dress that was precious. I brought with me to camp my high school graduation dress. I had no intention of destroying the dress when I brought it. But during one of the messages God required it of me. To have the full effect for this illustration the dress would have to be cut bit by bit… piece by piece. The following is what ended up being called…. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Dress Devotional: "The Value of Beauty" How many of you wake up in the morning and say to yourself, “how can I make myself look as ugly as possible?” Not a one of us. See this box, isn't it pretty? Name will you open this for us? (she toke out a tiara, necklace, slippers, and lace handkerchief) Now, which is prettier the outside or the inside? Answer: The Inside. "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is fare above rubies." ~ Proverbs 31:10. When we look at this verse, what is it that we see about this woman? Answer: The Inside. (I held up the flower decorated box) It's ok to look pretty; there is nothing wrong with that. But what is on the inside is going to shine forth to the outside. 1 Peter 3:1-4 - The key in these verses is not what the woman is putting on but what is in her heart. What is one thing that you have to give to the Lord; if you do not have this, you would not have anything? Answer: LIFE. You have a little bit of life that God has given you, what are you going to do with it? 2 Kings 4:1-6 - The widow with the little bit of oil. I have this little Bit It's all I have this Little Bit To pour it out Oh How it would spoil It's all I have this little Bit I have been told that I must pour it out And I will receive all the more. Oh, how I want to shout! It's all I have this little bit. To pour it out would cost me great Can I not keep it safe this little Bit Oh what shall be my fate; It's all I have and no more I've shut the door expecting no more Then only what is on the floor So quietly into the vessels I pour And from this lesson I've been taught That God can use a little bit And give more than I could ever wrought I must give my little Bit! When you give your little bit to God, God can use it and give you more than you could ever imagine. (I held up a beautiful dress, white lace shimmering). “Let's say this dress is you as a saved young lady. This is your life.” (One of the girls had scissors in her hands ready to cut).. “What happens when?” (As I list these things; picture as she cut into a white lace dress; with each thing I say she snipped). You stop singing in church Laugh during the service Looking around during service Back talk Give in to peer pressure Think about Boys Have wrong friends Wrong hobbies Vanity Pride Selfishness Rebellion to parents Gossiping Jealousy Flirting Wrong music Country music Bad movies Letting things of this world take the place of God Snippet remarks Worldly standards Wrong thinking (By the time I had finished saying this; the dress was destroyed; the girls were silent... When my helper first started cutting they had been screaming “No don't do that!” Afterwards they were quiet.) I looked at all their faces and held out my hands and said, “You have this little bit of life what are you going to do with it. You can either use it for self and look like this dress or use it for God. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next night there was a bonfire with all the teens and I took the dress along... One of the girls got up and explained the whole story of the dress, because most of the boys did not know of the dress devotional. When it was my turn to speak, I got up and picked up the dress and said “This dress was beautiful but it’s not anymore... We started out saying this dress represented a saved person, but what I am about to do represents a lost person’s life.” With that I tossed the dress into the fire... it began to melt and soon began to burn. I continued, “All those things that you hold on to now are going to burn away and you will burn forever in hell. Don’t think that you can live for yourself now and someday you’ll get saved. God has given you just a little bit of life that you have on this earth. Don’t waste it. In my hand are the buttons from the dress; if you will take the little bit of life that God has given you and give it back to Him; He can make you Ladies into something beautiful and for you guys, He’ll make you into godly men of integrity”. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When God lays something on are heart to do and we say no, we are showing that we have let Pride rise up in our hearts. God cares about the inward heart more than our outward appearance. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” ~ Proverbs 16:18. Pride will keep us and hold us back from going forward. Fear of the unknown will challenge our faith and if we are not careful we will let these thoughts take us down a path we do not wish to walk. The root of bitterness will chain us and destroy us. These are all doors out of the Will of God. The Will of God is not a destination but rather a path. There are many doors of distraction off of this path. These doors of distraction all lead down to Egypt. “And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:” ~ Genesis 26:2. The LORD has a much better land for us to dwell in. Please avoid Egypt. Watch your thoughts, guard against thoughts of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” ~ 1 Corinthians 9:27. We must continue to examine our motives. Examine them through God’s glasses – The Word of God. Ask the LORD to direct your steps. Yield every area to HIM and avoid devising your own way! Continue to seek out God’s Higher Calling! The LORD isn’t done working on me to which I am so grateful. He loves us so much, how can we not give him our best. When we chose to live for self, we are leaving God’s Higher Calling. God’s Higher Calling is the Will of God. When we are out of God’s Will, we cause our Savior anguish. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know this: No matter what may come my way, I want to continue to go up HIGHER!!!! “Just some old wounds” Looking down at His children below Angles surround Him in Heavenly glow, Christ sees His own failing to run the race, Then comes a look of pain on our LORD’s face “Are you all right, LORD?”... Says a servant that was slain. The Lord replies, “Just some old wounds causing me pain.” So remember this, blood bought child, When you fail to live for Him and abide, And you’ve thrown good away for the wild, Christ cries when you walk to the other side. He paid the price for you All He asks is for you to yield yourself. That is all you need to do, Choose Christ and leave self on the shelf!

Chapter Three – God’s Higher Calling: All Other Ways Derailed

Chapter Three – God’s Higher Calling: All Other Ways Derailed “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies.” ~ Psalms 119:59 What is the best life for us to live as a Christians? “For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.” ~ Proverbs 8:35. God’s Higher Calling is that life and when we live it, we obtain favor of the LORD. But how do we know when we are living God’s Higher calling and when we are not? Is each individual right or is there a Higher Standard that all Christians everywhere need to follow? And how do we know what that standard is, if there is such a thing? This is where the HC Test comes in. What is the HC test you might ask? The HC Test is the Higher Calling Test. This is the Test that determines if everything we do and say, everything we wear and every place we go is apart of God’s Higher Calling. The HC test also shows where our hearts truly lie. If an issue fails to pass the HC test, that issue needs to be discarded. If you can’t discard it, then you have chosen not to live God’s Higher Calling! Remember Solomon? His wisdom was not from himself. Remember how he asked God for wisdom and God gave it to him? That wisdom was never rightfully Solomon's, but rather something God had loaned to him so that he could lead God’s people. When the Queen of Sheba visited him, instead of proclaiming all that he had was God’s, he took the credit for everything. He allowed other people to think the wisdom was his own. At the end of his life, his heart was turned away from the LORD and he made many unwise choices and God punished him by telling him that the kingdom would be divided in his son’s reign. Solomon didn’t leave behind a beautiful legacy. He could have, if he had given God the praise and been faithful in serving God all the days of his life. He started out so well, but he did not finish well. And he was the wisest man that ever lived! Are we our own? “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” ~ 2 Cor. 6:9. Since we are not our own we need to be checking ourselves to make sure we are not living like we are our own. Take any issue such as contemporary Christian music, country music, movie theaters, and modesty and apply the HC Test. All of these issues, I’ve heard referred to as the gray areas of the Christian life. It’s the attitude “What’s good for you, doesn’t mean it’s good for me” or “What’s bad for you, doesn’t mean I can’t do it.” “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” ~ James 4:17. Ever use this verse with this attitude? “Hey, I don’t know its wrong, so it’s ok, I can do it.” or “God hasn’t shown me it’s wrong and I’ve prayed about it.” Here is the ultimate test… just give it up. So what if you don’t know if it’s wrong or not; everything about you should be God’s. Therefore everything needs to be given to God. Give all the gray areas in your life to God. We base the idea of what a gray area is upon our own thinking. But our thinking has a source. The source for our thinking is either God or the Devil. Remember Peter, how he proclaimed that Christ was the Son of God. “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 16:17. But then shortly afterward, Jesus said this to Peter after Peter rebuked Christ: “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” ~ Matthew 16:23. Gray areas are not from God. Gray areas are nothing more then an excuse that Satan uses to keep us from going up higher. They are weights that we need to set aside. We need to savor the things of God and so many times the gray areas savor the things of man! Ask yourself who does this issue honor? If it is questionable is there really any question of what needs to be done with that area of your life? So many times, we view issues with the excuse that there just aren’t enough verses for that topic to be sure that that issue is wrong. However, if there aren’t verses to back up your opinion, the issue is wrong and not the fact that there aren’t enough verses for the issue. The HC test is a simple question: “Is this apart of God’s Higher Calling, is it going to help me to live a holier set apart life for God or is it going to keep me where I am?” The Modesty HC Test: Does what I wear state that I am a Christian called to live a higher standard? “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;” ~ 1 Peter 2:9. “Dad, is this skirt modest?” “Modest?... yes.” “Does it say bad girl?” “No, not bad girl.” “Does it say, God’s Higher Calling?’ “No” Though this father was right in telling his daughter that the skirt wasn’t apart of God’s Higher Calling, another father might believe that it is fine. Our standard comes from the LORD. He has set the standard for modesty. I’ve heard all the arguments and I’ve used them myself. Arguments such as: The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what is right when it comes to dress. Or I just don’t feel that there is anything wrong with _____ (fill in the blank.) It doesn’t matter whether you think something is wrong or right, what matters is whether or not you are willing to give that thing up to God. Want to know if you are willing to give something up? Just give the thing up! If it is apart of God’s higher standard, He’ll bring it back into your life but guarantee He’ll use your willingness in being yielded to Him and cause you to grow. Everything needs to be given to God because you belong to God. If a lady is unsure if pants are wrong, she needs to give them to God. My pastor’s wife told me to bag my pants and get rid of them; soon the desire to wear them would go away. And it did, until I let them back in again. As harsh as this may sound, pants on ladies open the door wide to lowering standards in other issues besides dress. I’ve seen this personally in my own life every time I brought pants back. A few years ago, I again started wearing pants and last year I realized that I was not willing to get rid of them. I was holding it to myself proclaiming, “No, no, God, you can’t have them!” It was not something I actually said or necessary thought, but in my heart not being willing to give them up, I was demonstrating that attitude. You want to go up higher? Look into the mirror, and ask God if what you are wearing pleases God. In January of 2006, Mrs. Amy Heinz, missionary’s wife to Chile, told the teens this exact thing. I sat there as a counselor and thought to myself that I was ok and did not need to ask God about my dress. God was trying to get a hold of my heart in a gentle matter, and when that didn’t work he showed me the hard way. If you really want to go up higher, give everything to God. Go through your wardrobe and anything that does not say God’s Higher Calling, get rid of it! The Music HC Test: “Does my music say God’s Higher Calling?” “Does the music coming from my car sound recognizably different from those around me?” Satan uses music to grip the Christian’s heart and keep him from living the Christ centered life. It’s a slow process. First, one starts listening to contemporary Christian music and then the “positive hit” type of music along with Country, until they are so far into music that they can’t even see why it’s wrong. Movies today are so infiltrated with music. I have very rarely tuned my radio to a rock station, but I have listened to the songs on movies and found myself liking them. And then when I would be searching for a Christian station, I’d hear a song from a movie and leave it on that rock station. I had come so far without even seeing the effects of where my choices had taken me. I also found songs that had Christian words and thought they were good Spirit filled songs. I found myself listening more and more to songs by the praise and worship bands. I started listening to the WORD FM which plays some contemporary songs but mostly rock. I wasn’t a hard core listener of contemporary Christian, Country or rock, I was a dabbler. And it was destroying my walk with the LORD. You want to know if your living God’s Higher Calling put your music through the HC test. The Movie HC Test: Are my movies and what I watch found in God’s Higher Calling? “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” ~ Psalms 11:5. God says that those that love violence his soul hates. Where does that put those who say: “I love action films”… “It just has a little bit of violence.” What about this one? “Violence doesn’t affect me.” What about watching things that are morally wrong? Movies where people steal and get away with it? In fact, in the movies it is considered cool that the characters pulled off the perfect heist. One of my favorite movies is Gone in 60 seconds. Let’s see, the moral of the story, a kid gets in trouble and his brother bails him out by helping him steal cars. It’s a glorified auto theft story! Not something I need to be filling my mind with. It’s not going to cause me to live a holier life for Christ. “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”~ Psalms 101:3. You see that last part of the verse; it shall not cleave to me. You want to know how not to have sin cleave to you, stop filling your mind with sinful thoughts through movies. Movies will tell you how to dress without you even knowing. They tell you what to listen to and it creeps in unawares. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”~ Col. 3:2. We are to set our affection on things above. Set means to fix; to render motionless; as, the eyes are set, the jaws are set. Our eyes are supposed to always be fixed upon looking to those things which are above, and we are to guard against our eyes wondering to those things below. I had high places in my life that I refused to remove. “Save that the high places were not removed:” ~ 2 Kings 16:4. These places were things that were more important than God and placed above God. My father would often tell me that the TV was a god in my life. I didn’t like that and usually would become very offended. I would often give movies up for a while and then bring them back in. I would try to stay away from movies with innuendoes and yet I always thought I could just fast forward a bad part because after all I’m not watching it. “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” ~ Proverbs 6:16-19. We are not to even look on devised wicked imaginations. I think these verses describe so much that is on Television rather well. Television shows are another down fall in the Christian life. Cable is like opening a portal to hell. I know it is harsh, but I’m preaching to the choir! I liked shows like CSI and House until I stopped watching them for a while and tried to watch them again. They are filled with trash, better yet they are trash! We get so complacent when it comes to such junk. Christians revaluate what you are watching. Give it up for a while and I’m talking months not weeks, and then try to watch the show again and see how far you have come! If you are truly a child of God you will see all the filth that is on the Television. I did not see why I needed to give it up until I thought on how controlling the television as been in my life. It is a high place that needs to be torn down. “He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made:” ~ 2 Kings 18:4. I still like a movie once in a while, but I am aware of the control they have on me. “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” ~ Proverbs 4:15. What we put in our mind will affect how and what we think! The beauty of God’s Higher Calling is that God is continually teaching us. There are things this week that God’s taught me. I could have remained where I was by not obeying the LORD. What if I hadn’t yielded that which the LORD required of me? Instead of going forward, would I have taken two steps backward? I was going also discuss the topic of movie theaters, yet I don’t think I have to, because Christians that are living a higher standard won’t go to movie theaters. Movie theaters don’t cause us to live God’s chosen life for us. I do believe that there is a balance. Not every Christian is on the same level as another, we all are still growing and we all our in different stages of our Christian life. There are times of purging. There should be times when we do not turn the television on. And yet if we watch TV, we should always do so in moderation. Being careful of what we let in. Try reading your Bible before you put on a movie it will help you put God first over the Television. The HC Test derails our ways: There was a train that thought it was too limited because of the track it was on. It could go back and forth on the track but what it longed to do it could not. For that little train as it ran up and down the line would longingly look out at the fields and the towns it would pass. “I wish I could venture off the track and visit the places this line doesn’t go. Oh, what adventures I would have!” One day, there was a breach in the line and the little train saw its chance. He sped full ahead and with all of his effort he jumped track. He was so excited at his triumph that he didn’t realize what had happened. For when he tried to move to have all those wonderful adventures, he found his wheels stuck fast. Without the track under foot, he had become immobile. So it is in our lives, when we leave the track God has for us because we think we are being limited. And we find that we, like trains, were made for a specific purpose. The state of being godly is found in Psalms 91. Here we see that all other ways of the so called Christian life are derailed. This is the only way we are to live. This is the Christ like way. This passage has references to Christ. However, it also is a message to us on how we are supposed to live. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Remember, Moses up on that mount? The Bible says that he talked face to face with God as a man talks with to his friend. Moses was in the secret place with God. He was in the place where God could talk to him. Remember, where the people were? They were down at the bottom of the mountain unable to go any higher. Am I in God’s secret place? “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” In the secret place with God, is a place of protection from the world. “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” The world has a lot of snares in which to trap us and there are many noises in which to turn our eyes away from the LORD, but if we are living in the secret place with God, He keeps those things from taking over. He delivers us! Who am I trusting in and where am I resting? “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever? Under His wings, my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever. “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” Terror by night ~ this world has a lot of terror by night. As I watched my family leave for Arizona in 2007 this thought came into my mind: “There go my protectors.” My brothers have always been my protectors; my brother, Jeff especially. I have never felt afraid when I was with him, except maybe when he was driving. A few times, after they had gone, I found myself afraid. A sound in the night could make my heart beat wildly. But you know what I also found? When I began to pray and rest in the LORD’s protection, it was as if He covered me with His wings of protection and I could rest in that fact. But what about the arrow that flieth by day? Any verses come to mind? How about Ephesians 6:16. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” When we put our faith in the LORD and make him our trust, we will not be overcome by the Devil. Am I purposing to avoid complacency? “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” All around others may want to live in mediocrity but we need to purpose that we will live in the Secret Place with God. But “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” ~ Daniel 1:8. There is a message that Bro. C.R. Curtman preached at a youth camp. He called it the king’s meat. The king’s meat is anything that comes out of the World. Anything! He warned about what the king’s meat will do to a Christian. The king’s meat quenches the Holy Spirit. This is why before camp, parents are asked to make their kids turn of the outside worldly influences such as the Television and Internet. But they shouldn’t just turn it off before camp but after camp. Bro. Curtman’s main question was, “Why do teens make decisions at camp that only last for about a week?” The answer: “The king’s meat quenches those decisions and keeps the individual from living a victorious Christian life.” Is the LORD my habitation? “Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;” so many times, we as Christians are inhabited not by the things of God but rather the things of the world. Is the LORD your habitation? Is that where you can be found, or do you have to come out of your habitation – the world to spend some time with the LORD? How’s my fighting in this spiritual warfare? “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.” These verses are talking of Christ, but I think they can be applied to us. First of all, God does give us angels to protect us. They fight the battles we cannot see, for we are in a spiritual warfare. “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” ~ Daniel 10:13. Secondly, God gives us the ability to have victory over sin. And the strong holds of Satan can be pulled down in our lives. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” ~ 2 Corinthians 10:4. Whom do I love? “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” ~ Psalms 91:13-16. These verses define what it is to be called up higher. It is having a love for God so great that it causes us to cast down all other ways. It is calling upon God first when the trouble comes! Not trying to fix it ourselves and then run to God when all else fails. It is being satisfied with having nothing but the LORD. And it is yielding to God every area of our heart! So my dear friends, what are the areas that God is requiring of you? What are the areas in your life that no longer hold any face value? Has your life’s way just been derailed?

Chapter Two: God’s Higher Calling: Our Duty

“Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works.” ~ Psalms 119:27 Why is God’s Higher Calling so important? “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” ~ Romans 8:12-14. God’s Higher Calling is important for us to live because it is our duty! We are debtors to God. God made us His own and He bought us with a price. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” ~ 1 Cor. 6:20. As God’s Children, we are bought with a great price and our lives are not our own. How we often forget this, and live for self and selfish motives. Maybe, we try to appear like we are living the Christian life in order to get the praise of men. The Pharisees in the Bible lived their life for the praise of men. Christ called them hypocrites. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.“ ~ Matthew 23:27. Duty is that which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation. It is our duty to live a higher standard. We are to do our duty by continuing to give back our all to Christ. “Our all” would be every fiber of our being. Someone once said, “Life - put your heart into it.” If we are really truly living the Christian life, we will put our all into doing right. If we really want to put our heart into life, then we must first define what LIFE is. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” ~ John 14:6. Jesus Christ is our Life. We need to put our full heart into serving Him. God’s higher calling is our duty. We are to be faithful by doing our duty which is avoiding meritocracy, and living a higher standard. The word “Duty” has the same connotation as the word obedience. “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;” Ephesians 5:6. We need to obey God’s higher calling for our lives. God’s higher calling is not meant to be drudgery, but rather it is to be a delight and our hearts desire. We ought to have a delight to go up higher no matter what it may cost! Because remember, we are not only supposed to do our duty but we are to exceed it! “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” ~ Luke 17:10. God’s Higher Calling is not only for the stage of singleness but it is for the married stage, the stage of motherhood and fatherhood, for the stage of youth and the elderly. It is for all stages of life! I’ve heard these phrases used: Singleness-God’s Higher Calling, and also, Motherhood-God’s Higher Calling. But which one of these is correct. Which one is God’s Higher Calling? The answer may surprise you –Neither! God brings each individual to a stage of time in their life and in each stage each individual is to be living God’s Higher Calling. It is not the stage of life that is God’s Higher Calling but rather our entire life is supposed to be a life set apart to serve God in a higher standard of living. I wrote this in my Bible after I was approached yet again for being single… “My duty is not to get married or to stay single, but rather to do what God has for me in the time He has given me to do it.” In essence, my duty is to obey God, live apart from the world and continue to be teachable so that I can continue to go up higher. What does God have to say about our duty? “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. Oh my dear friends, God has a precious plan for your life. He formed it with his own hand and longs for you to obey his every command. God’s Higher Calling is not something we can make a one time decision to do. “Yes, from now on, I’m going to live God’s Higher Calling.” Oh, It may start with that thought, but it is a daily thing… a moment by moment thing. “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,” ~ Deuteronomy 10:12. God’s Will for our lives is to live our lives in the fear of the LORD. We are to daily walk in all His ways; this includes loving Him with all of our heart and serving Him with all of our Life. This is exactly what God’s Higher Calling is all about. It is not a one time decision that we make and never think on again. Why is it that so many can go to the altar and get things right, but when they wake up on Monday morning they have forgotten all about the decisions they made? I’ve been there as I’m sure you have too. The answer really is not that difficult. To have complete victory and to stay consistent with the decisions made, there has to be a daily renewing of the mind. The Battle for life starts in the mind! What you think will effect what you do! “Sow a thought, reap a deed. Sow a deed, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a Character. Sow a character, reap a Destiny.” ~ Pastor Hammett. How can we avoid mediocrity? “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” ~ Romans 12:2. Every day and yes, even every minute the world is trying to conform us. We are being feed information from the world every time we step out the door. I’ll never forget one year at camp, I had to run out to the store midweek into camp. My mind had been surrounded by God’s Word, godly messages, and godly leaders. As I walked into that store, I felt like a “peculiar person.” The feeling that I didn’t belong flooded my soul. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” ~ Titus 2:14. I also was aware of the shroud of ungodliness that surrounded me. All I wanted to do was get out of that store. I felt as if every one of those lost souls had a demon on their shoulder and I walked in with two angels of light by my side. I soon heard cursing and rock music and thoughts began to flood my mind. Why? Because the world is trying to conform us and Satan is trying destroy us. He wants to keep us from going up higher. Oh, God may use a mediocre Christian, but He can’t use them to their full potential. But the Christian who is living God’s Higher Standard He can use to their fullest and above their own full potential! A preacher once gave this illustration: “God has every one of His people in his dishwasher of sanctification. He often comes and pulls one of us out to use but if we won’t let the dishwasher clean us and we remain dirty He can’t use us and puts us back in to be re-washed. The dishwasher represents trials that God puts us through to purge us of our sins, but if we won’t yield things to the LORD so He can clean us, we won’t be used!” How can we live the Christian life to the fullest potential? “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” ~ Romans 12:1. We are commanded to be holy. It is our duty to be holy. We have to renew our mind daily! It is not just a one time thing! I bring this up again because we live as if we think holiness and victory are something we get a hold of once at the altar, but that is not where we get holiness. It starts in the mind not with some action, but with a reordering of our thinking. How do we renew our mind? The Sunday School answer, Read your Bible, pray, memorize Scripture and meditate on it. We hear these words so often. However, we could do some of these things and still not renew our mind. Let’s go to the wilderness shall we. So many men were taken out to the wilderness to learn life lessons. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness. Elijah, Moses, Joshua and Philip all spent some time in the wilderness. I can’t say I’ve spent time in a real wilderness. I did spend some time hiking with my family out in the dessert of Arizona. And from these hikes, God gave me a picture of what it is to renew your mind daily and how trials lead to a sweet close walk with God… The Necessity of cool clear water in the wilderness ~ We started out each with a bottle of water in hand. Some of us grabbed our water from the fridge and some of us grabbed our water from the pile of water bottles sitting out. Even though, we had walked only for a short time, those of us who did not have refrigerated water soon found our water not to be just warm but hot. Though it was wet it was not thirst quenching. The Word of God is our water. It is in the wilderness of life that we need that fresh cool view from the Word of God. This takes time. But time seems to escape us and we find ourselves racing to read anything in the Word of God just for the sake of reading it. The water is wet but because we don't take the time to ponder and meditation on the Word of God and what God has for us, it does not quench our overly dry thirst. The Longing for shade in the wilderness of life ~ God's Presence and Prayer, without these two things we will never be able renew our mind with the Word of God. When the things of this life have compassed around us and we are in the wilderness where the sun is pounding down this is when our time with the LORD can be the sweetest. “Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” ~ Jeremiah 31:2-3. This verse speaks of God loving us and drawing nigh to us. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” ~ James 4:8. “Purify your hearts, ye double minded,” we can do this only when we are in communion with God. If we let our thoughts whether good or bad run our life, we will not hear from God. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” ~ James 1:8. Our thoughts will keep us from doing what God wants us to do. We need to bring every thought before God. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” ~ 2Cor. 10:5. When we get to a place where we are continually yielding our thoughts to God, we will find such rest and peace. God wants to cover us with His wings. He wants to protect us from the World. “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” ~ Psalms 91:4. It is under His wings that we have sweet communion with Him. “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” ~ Isaiah 51:3. This is such a precious verse, because the wilderness can be a place of distress and great grief and loneliness. But when we look to the LORD and begin to fellowship with Him in the midst of the wilderness, it is as if the sand becomes grass, trees spout up, a stream appears, and soon before you even know it you’re standing in a peaceful quiet oasis just you and the LORD.

Chapter One: God’s Higher Calling Defined

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.” ~ Psalms 119:18 What does it mean to go up higher? “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself:” ~ Psalms 4:3. First, it means we are separated to the LORD. Secondly, we are not just separated but we are separated for a purpose… the purpose of godliness for Christ. Thirdly, since we are separated this means we had to come away from some thing or some place. At the time of Salvation, God takes us off the broad way that leads to destruction. We no longer are to walk in the way of the World. We now are to be walking down a new road… growing with each step we take. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”~ 1 Peter 2:2. As a baby grows, they learn to lay on their stomach and then they wil start to roll over. From there the child will begin to push up using their knees and then they begin to craw... from there they start to learn how to walk. So as a baby begins to grow in a step by step process, so we too begin our new life as a babe; growing and then crawling and on to walking. Then there comes a time when we get to a place where we feel we don’t have to go any farther. This place is the place of complacency or mediocrity. This is a dangerous place to be. We must ask the question are we at a place of complacency or mediocrity? “But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” ~ Hebrews 10:38. This verse is not just referring to those that turn back to the world by some drastic measure. It is also referring to those who refuse to go any farther for God. In a sense, they are drawing back because they aren’t perusing God’s Best and Higher Calling. It is so easy for a Christian to remain where they are. If they remain there for too long, they end up going backwards. If a person isn’t going forward, they are going to draw back. This does not just happen to individuals but to whole families. They let circumstances overwhelm them. Until one day, someone is asking: “Hey, whatever happened to so and so.” Well, they use to sit in the front rows and then they moved to the far back rows. Until, one day, they were just gone. What happened? They let circumstances stop them from serving and began to come late to services and leave right afterward. At times it looked like they purposely avoided talking to people by making a b-line for the door. How do I know this? My family and I were there. In fact, we had let our circumstances overtake us to the point that we were up and moving! We were running away. I’ll never forget how God stopped us from going. We were all packed. Boxes were every where. My father was on the phone with his soon to be new boss, when I heard him say: “Sorry, I can’t do that, guess it’s not going to work out.” My father had been lead to believe that the small business he had would be bought out by the new boss. But the deal fell through and we ended up unpacking. The Lord knew that if we had moved that day, we would have still been living a mediocre Christian life and not God’s best plan for our lives. Are we satisfied in our comfort? “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.” ~ Psalms 119:1. God wants us not to sit in our own comfort, but rather He longs for us to keep drawing near to Him. It is a place where God can have clear communion with His own. As Moses had to be called up to a mountainous place to get alone with God, so must we go up higher. Examine your life; are you in a place of comfort? Are you noticing a decline in your life from the things of God? Are you finding yourself thinking that you use to be involved and you use to serve, but are no longer involved? Maybe your still serving but you find that you just want to stay were you are and not go forward? Which way are we going to chose? Path number one: “And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD.” ~ 2 Chron. 17:6. Path number two: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” ~ Proverbs 14:12. Man is walking in a path. Do you know the song: “Just two choices on the shelf, oh what will your choices be… Pleasing God or Pleasing self, Oh, I would more like Jesus be.” We have a choice to make and there are only two paths to choose from. There is man’s way and the end of that path is death! And there is God way and the end of that path is an eternal relationship with God. These Paths may sound similar to the paths of Salvation and eternal damnation. But I am talking to Christians! My dear friends, every day you make a choice to either chose your own path, or let God direct you in His Higher Calling. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” ~ 2 Chron. 16:9a. Those whose heart is perfect toward God, these are apart of God’s Higher Calling. Why is God’s Higher Calling so important? To answer this question another question must first be proposed. What is God’s Higher Calling? It starts with Galatians 2:20 ~ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me Every Christian is called to be crucified with Christ. It is a command. But so many Christians neglect to obey. We are not supposed to settle for less then God’s best. But what is God’s best for us? God’s best is so simple and yet so many refuse to live that way, because it costs! What does it cost? The answer is Self. Another dreadful word that we often hate and it is another reason why Christians refuse to do God’s best. That word is Change. God wants to root out and adjust things in our life so that we can live the Christian life. You see, the Christian life is God’s best for us and yet we cannot live it for this life is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ lives this life through us but only if we are yielded to His Holy Spirit working through us. This is God’s higher Calling and it is the only way we can live the Christian life. This higher calling isn’t just for Pastors and leaders and Sunday School teachers, but it is for all Christians! To settle for anything less then God’s Higher Calling, is to settle for a mediocre life. Not even a mediocre Christian life, because based on the definition of the Christian life… any thing below God’s Higher Calling isn’t Christian. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2. Anything of the World is not apart of God’s Higher Calling. It’s not Christian! And therefore what we put in will conform us, what we wear will conform us, what we see will conform us! “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” ~ Col. 2:8. The world spoils us. It stops us from serving and from doing our duty and from obeying our heavenly Father! I see so many people that claim to be Christians living this fake, empty life, calling it Christian. I am tired of seeing people dress worldly, talk worldly, walk worldly, act worldly, and still claim to be one God’s own. But I have been there. I have been there, I have let the fashions of the day tell me what to wear. The movies tell me what to think. When I filled my mind with all this fluff, it looked so right and I did not even see how wrong it was. Then one day, I asked the LORD to show me my blind spots. I did know what would happen when I prayed that. They say don’t pray for patience for you will get trials. Well, let me tell you, if you don’t want trials, don’t pray that God will show you your blind spots. “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” ~ Job 23:10. And through the trials, God enlarged my heart to have a desire to go up higher and live Christ’s Christian life. What weights are we carrying? “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” ~ Hebrews 12:1. There are many weights that we can be carrying and we just don’t see them as weights. These weights were things I considered not really having an effect on my Christian life at least not to a great extent anyway. They weren’t something that I thought was wrong, just maybe something not every Christian should do. After a friend began to point out some things she saw in my life, I began to realize that I was not where I use to be and not even close to where I should be. But thank the LORD, He was not content with my being there. He took me through some fiery trials. He wanted to root out the dross and show me what the weights that needed to be cast off. But that was just the Beginning. For at this time, I could not see nor hear God’s higher calling. It took a trial of utter exposure of the Soul and Spirit and less then a year’s time to break me and get me to a place where I would be able to be molded. Do you know that song? “Break me, take me, mold me, and make me. I want to do Thy Will, O LORD.” We sang this a lot at teen camps before a service. And I for a long time loved this song. However, there was a time in my life when this song scared me. Deep down, I knew how far I had drifted. Instead of looking at myself and realizing that I had brought me to this lower standard of living, I blamed my circumstances. And I might have been justified in doing so according to the World’s standards. For those of you who think you have arrived or that you are indeed trying to live the Christian life, Beware! Please be careful not to criticize or look down on others because their standard is lower then yours. God is possibly teaching them things that you do not know. Pray for them, for God to show them where they need to be. Beware of this attitude: “I’m not as bad as those over there, LORD!” This is not God higher calling and you are not living it, if you criticize and look down on others. If you are living a higher standard, this does not guarantee that you are living God’s higher calling. I’ve seen many a lost soul living a higher standard and they are lost and not apart of God’s higher calling. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” ~ 1 Cor. 10:12. If you are to approach someone, be prayed up. Make sure there are no beams in your eye. Never approach someone in anger or with harsh words or false facts. Be honest about yourself with that person. If God has shown you something that you are learning in your own life, share it. If you can’t share it, then don’t think you can help a person by approaching them because that is showing a Pharisee attitude. Beware of Criticism. Criticism often is nothing more then Gossip. I have criticized, thinking I was doing good and I didn’t help anyone. I hindered more then helped. Criticism is not discipleship, it destroys! Had it not been for the LORD teaching and guiding, I could have let criticism destroy my life. I wonder how many people my criticism of others has effected. For those of us who have criticized, pray for that person. Ask God to continue to work in their life and pray that what you’ve said won’t hinder the work of God. And for those of us, who have been criticized, don’t let it hinder you. Satan is going to bring back every harsh and hurtful thing that was said at the oddest times. Guard against bitterness. People are going to fail and you are going to fail others. Watch what you say… Gossip, criticism, jealousy, bitterness, backbiting, fear of other, shunning others is not apart of God’s higher calling! “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” ~ Gal. 5:21-23. Don’t criticize, Encourage! Encourage them in love. We are to have love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We are to show these things to others! God can use the criticism of others, to bring about a sweet and wonderful change. You have to be willing to be broken and molded. A self pity attitude will stop you from going up Higher. This is where Satan wants you to stay, in a place where you feel that you are not worthy to serve God, so you quit! For a while, I was there. I quit on God because I let criticism stop me. Because every time I started to serve, harsh words from the past would come echoing back in. I am thankful for the trials now, because had I not gone through them, I would not be hearing God’s call to go up Higher! I pray that God will give you the ears needed to hear God’s Higher Calling. There is no other Christian life to live then that of God’s Higher Calling. There will be those that want you to remain as you are, and you might lose their friendship. But I ask you this, what is more important: Your friends’ opinions or God’s great call for your life?