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!