2007

Jan. 7, 2007 The Called of God Kathleen Maples

Rom 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

Among the nations that live in this world that is lost and dying and badly in need of a light in
the great darkness that prevails in our world. You are called to be a part of Jesus Christ, part of
His Body, knowing HE alone is the Head of that Body, responsible for that Body, and to guide
and lead that Body, to nourish and protect that Body. What does the Word 'called' mean? Have
we read that, without considering the meaning of that word? I have, but when I took time to
look at it carefully, well, it should make each of us feel very, very honored and privileged, as
we consider WHO made the call. Each one of you who are born again by the Spirit of God are
VIPs in the plan of God. Each one who is not, but who hears Him knocking, needs to open the
door of their heart and let Him in because they are receiving a Royal Invitation, for a limited
time only, and are being invited to partake of real Treasure and untold riches. We must
remember, He is the Head, so it has to be His way, not ours. In the context of Scripture, to be
called means to be Divinely selected to receive an invitation, summoned to make an
appearance, addressed by name, appointed to a position by a Superior Authority in power to
grant that position, such as a job, duty, or position of power, with delegated authority. God is
saying I want to see you, come spend time with Me. Doesn't that just about blow your mind? It
does mine! It also means to be invited as a guest who has a reserved seat to a banquet. In
politics, when a new President is elected, he carefully selects those he works with and appoints
them to position, which carries with it responsibility and reward. They become members of his
cabinet, and work with him to achieve their goals in government. Unlike the President's
choices, who face grueling hearings at the hands of Congress, the children of God are selected,
appointed, and sealed by the Spirit of God, and do not have to meet the approval of the other
side. That's worth a hallelujah!!! Thank you JESUS!

We are called to be saints and that means we are consecrated, holy before the Lord and one
with HIM. It means to be sacred, pure, morally blameless. Praise GOD for the blood and the
righteousness of Jesus Christ, without whom that would be impossible!! We are called to be
something only HE can make us! It lifts a heavy load off your shoulders when you begin to
realize He wants to make you what you are to be, and you can't do it yourself.

Rom_8:28-30 tells us we are called to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and that
anything that touches us or affects our life is going to work together for good for those who
love God and are called because He purposed or determined to call them. They were
deliberately selected by God. It was no accident, and it was determined before we born. He
knew us before we were in our mothers' wombs.

Rom_9:26 tells us we are called to be the children of the Living God. We are called to be
sanctified in Christ Jesus. That word for sanctified means the same thing as the word saints
does, in the Greek.

1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have been given a personal invitation from the Lord of Lords, from the King of Kings to
come, have a personal relationship with Him. According to Eph_2:6, there is a reserved seat for
those who come to Him, at His table, in heavenly places, where He has prepared every spiritual
blessing and every thing we need to be victorious overcomers in this life. The seat is reserved
for those who will not love their lives unto the death, but would choose and desire more of HIM
and willingly say no to the demands of their flesh so they could obtain HIM. No one ruled by
their flesh or carnal minds can be seated in heavenly places. Those who are, have determined
to deny any and every thing that would hinder them from getting closer to HIM, and that
would hinder HIS plan and purpose for their lives. We are called to get to know HIM. That is
the natural result of fellowship. We will know HIM for ourselves, and in knowing HIM will
become strong in faith and joy that is not governed by circumstance.

1Co_7:22 tells us we are called to serve CHRIST first. Servants are to wait on their Master, to
minister to their needs, first, and then receive instruction, and provision for whatever needs to
be done. Part of ministering to HIM, an awesome thought if I've ever had one, is to praise Him,
adore Him, love Him, express our confidence in Him, and come hungry to learn of HIM and
share His heart for our lives, for our children, and all those around us He would love to reach
out and save. In serving Christ, we receive joy, in doing something for the ONE who does
everything for us. He doesn't really ask much, when I consider this. It sounds like it's more for
our benefit, than His. He knows everything we need to know.

Gal_1:6 tells us we are called unto His Grace. I looked that word up. Part of His grace is His
divine influence upon our hearts, it's His favor bestowed upon us, as a free gift, generously and
because it pleases and delights Him to do so.

Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Grace is the merciful kindness of God, which we did not deserve or ask for, and did not know
we needed, but yet has been freely given to us to benefit us and teach and strengthen us to live
lives that honor and glorify Christ and make us a testimony to those around us in need of Him
of what He can do, and that He is real.

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;

We have been freed from the bondages of sin, and the harsh rule of the devil in our lives as
children of the Most High God. We do not have to let our flesh rule us, nor do we have to submit
to the devil, the world, or anything that is against God. Whom the Son has made free, is free
indeed. And going back to the fellowship we are to have with Jesus, He promised us we would
know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you free. That is Joh_8:32. Knowing HIM for
ourselves will free us from men's traditions, and ideas and concepts that are unlike Him,
including religious ones, and it will free us from fear, and insecurity, and make it impossible
for the devil to lie to us and convince us we are not accepted with God. We will know better.

1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

We need to remember we are expected by Him to be an accurate representation of Him and His
character, and because we have been invited to partake of His divine nature, freely, it is a
serious thing to misrepresent Him. Only those who know Him for themselves, in truth, can
accurately begin to represent what they know of Him. We are called to HIS kingdom, of which
HE is King, so we can't go our own way, doing our own thing. We have to let Him teach us how
to walk, just like parents teach babies how to walk when they are strong enough.

1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

2Th_2:13-14 tells us we are chosen to be saved, through sanctification of the Spirit of God, and by
believing the truth. We have been called, or invited, to obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ,
through the hearing of the Gospel. Don't be ashamed of the testimony that has been given you
of the Lord, His Gospel. When people scoff or find fault with the Bible, we do not have to debate
or defend it. It's His to back up. We are to believe and live it through the power He will give us
to do that. We have been offered a holy calling, not because of anything we did, but because
God selected us, for His own reasons, and gave us great grace in Jesus Christ before the world
began. That is 2Ti_1:9.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

If you read in Exodus about the Levitical priesthood, you know they did not receive an
inheritance with the other 11 tribes of Israel. God was their portion. He set them apart to
minister to Him, and then to the people what they got from Him. That was a physical
illustration of what we are to be. We are to be a set apart people, whose strength comes from
knowing the Lord is awesome and knows our faults, but loves us anyway, and has made
provision to perfect everything which concerns us. He doesn't see us as we are-but He sees us
as we are IN CHRIST. Under the blood. He called us out of darkness, out of sin, out of pain and
misery and addictions and fears, to His wonderful LIGHT which brings peace and security and
direction to our lives. It's not a pipe dream, but a reality. He will help us see this.

Read on down a few verses in 2 Pet to verse 21 and you will see that because Christ suffered for
us, in doing so, He left an example, a pattern for us to follow when we suffer for His name's
sake. The world hated Him. The religious crowd hated Him. When His life is manifested in us,
those around us will not like it, they will resent it, and the world will hate it.

1Pe_3:9 says we should not rail on those who rail on us because we have been called to inherit a
blessing. It's the same blessing Abraham was called to inherit. God told Abram in Gen_15:1
"Fear not, for I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Whatever we need, God can
say "I am the Solution, I am the Answer."

We have also been called not only to obtain the glory of the Lord, but to eternal glory.

1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that
ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.

Being separate from the world, spending our time praying and reading and studying the Word
of God to see if it approves the life we live, seeking God, denying our flesh, enduring the scorn
of the mockers, enduring the sight and sounds of sin around us and the awful results that vex
our souls, is suffering. Being tempted and harassed by the voice of the devil in our minds, being
targeted by his fiery darts of doubt, fear, unbelief, hopelessness, and his lies, this is suffering.
Being constrained from retaliation to those who hurt you because you love Christ, is hard.
There are things we have to endure as soldiers in the Lord's army and service. But what we
endure is not worthy to be compared with what He has in store for those who endure to the
end.

We have been called to glory and virtue. That word "Glory" means dignity, honor, praise,
worship, majesty, and the absolute perfect excellency of Christ. Our presence before the Lord
on that day, as victorious saints who did not yield to the pull of the world, the lies of the devil
and refused to give in to the demands of our own flesh, will be considered a glory-and all that it
means-that we should be found to the praise of His glory....

Those He called, He also gave power and authority, through faith in His promises over all
power of the enemy. He said don't rejoice that the unclean spirits are subject to you, but rejoice
because your name is written in heaven. (Luk_10:19-20)

He said we should be called a House of Prayer in Mark 11:17.

Mar 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations
the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Those who pray and commune with God-well, there is something about them that causes others
to look at them and instinctively know they know God. I don't know how better to explain it.
Those who pray and will not be kept from the presence of God, they are better able to handle
whatever comes their way. Like the Scripture in Daniel said, they that know their God shall do
exploits. They won't panic and run scared when something goes bad wrong.
In Luke 19:13, we have been called to occupy until He comes, not give place to the devil. We
need divine direction on how to do that. We can only get it from HIM. He told Zechariah in Zech
4:6 "'it's not by might, not by power but by my Spirit," We are to labor and gain for God, and
we can only gain if we listen and let Him lead. There is great power in humility before the Lord.
True humility in one who knows how weak and bankrupt they are without God thus they
depend heavily and completely on HIM and His promises.

Joh 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I
have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

I want to be His friend, don't you?

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the
prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen.

Don't deny the Word of God when the devil tries to tell you that you messed up and are not
worthy to do something for God, or that you can't pray because God is mad at you over a
failure. What does that say? HE HAS MADE US kings and priests, accepted in the beloved,
(Eph_1:6) He's made us meet (or acceptable, worthy) to be partakers of the saints in light, (
Col_1:12, ) so He tells us 3 times we have been made acceptable here. When we entertain the
voice of the liar, and don't remember the Truth, we hurt ourselves, and God.

Now, it gets even more serious. What happens to those who are called?

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

What does it take to be chosen? Enduring to the end. Not casting away our confidence.
Drawing nigh to Him so He can draw nigh to us and show us who He is. Trusting Him no
matter what. That kind of trust requires and is built on a personal relationship with Him.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of
lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

At the end, after the rapture, and Jesus comes back to the valley of Megiddo, when the beast,
the false prophet, and the anti-christ and their armies take on the Son of God, the armies of
heaven will come with Him, those who endured to the end, they will be chosen and in heaven
with the Lord, because they were ready for the rapture. They loved not their own lives and the
right to make their own decisions to the death. They turned the life the Lord gave them back
over to His control, and let Him live in and through them. He brought them through to the
victory, and they will be chosen. They did not draw back and turn back to the world.

Just because the Lord calls us to holiness doesn't mean everyone will embrace holiness. Even
though He calls us to separation from sin, and to deny the carnal and rebellious drives of our
flesh which are against the life He births in us, doesn't mean every one will choose to do that.
HE came to destroy the works of the devil It's already been done. When we are tempted, we
have the right to call on Him for strength to resist the temptations, for understanding of what
we are facing, and power to overcome it. It's already been given to us, we just need to learn
how to use it. But for those who do not answer the call with an unconditional surrender to the
demands this awesome call will make on our lives, they will not be chosen.

But for those who do:

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and
his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine
linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of
the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
I can't even begin to understand the joy of the marriage supper of the Lamb. I won't even try to
explain it. I just know I want to be there. I've got to be there. He wants me there. He wants you
there. We all have been given the invitation. What we do with it is up to us.