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.  Living Hope Fellowship Church
Basic Bible Study Course

Called

LESSON #10, (PART 2)

DEFINITIONS are taken from Webster's Dictionary.

Constrain: to force; compel; oblige. Vocation: 1) a call, summons, or impulsion to perform a certain function or enter a certain career, especially a religious one; hence, 2) a function or career toward which one believes himself to be called.
Verity: truth, reality.
Profession: the avowal of belief in a religion.
Attain: to gain through effort; accomplish; achieve.
Perfect: complete in all respects; without defect or omission; sound; flawless.
Oracle: opinions or statements of any who are in communication with God.

In 1 Peter 4:10-11 it is the statutes and words of God.

Foreknowledge: knowledge of something before it happens or exists.
Predestinate: in theology, to foreordain by divine decree or intent.
Novice: a recent convert, specifically, a recent convert to Christianity, a person new to a particular occupation, activity, etc., apprentice, beginner.
Admonish: warn; caution against specific faults.

1. CALLED AND/OR ORDAINED

(1) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. (2) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (3) Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; Ephesians 4:1-4.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah 1:5.

(14) And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, (15) And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: Mark 3:14-15.

Read Acts 10:42 and 1 Timothy 2:7. God gave authority to the apostles to ordain elders in the church, through the leading of the Holy Ghost in prayer and fasting. Read Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5. That authority did not stop with the first apostles. Paul appointed Titus to ordain elders, and neither were of the first 12 Jesus ordained to be with him.

2. WHO WILL GO? LORD SEND ME!

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. John 20:21.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16. Read also Luke 10:3.

Jesus wants workers in his vineyard. Read Matthew 21 and Luke 20. Read also Jeremiah 1:7.

(36) But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. (37) Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; (38) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Matthew 9:36-38.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8.

3. CALLINGS

God called and ordained Jesus Christ to be the Saviour to all who will come and be saved. Jesus then made us partakers of that heavenly calling. Jesus has been obedient to the death of the cross. We must be obedient to the death of the cross also (by our fleshly will dying and then doing the will of God). Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Isaiah 42:6 is about God calling Jesus and Hebrews 3:1-2 tells us we are partakers of the heavenly calling.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14.

Read and retain in memory as much of this scripture passage as you can: Philippians 3:7-15.

(14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Philippians 3:14-15.

Verse 10 & 11 tells us what the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is: the resurrection of the dead in Christ. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that is the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Read also Revelation 2:11, 20:6 & 14, 21:8. You will be resurrected either to eternal life or the second death (eternal death). We are admonished to suffer the loss of all things that we may win Christ. Eternal life is worth it.

We are commanded to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). God is faithful to reveal it to us if we be otherwise minded (Philippians 3:15). If we have a heart toward God, he helps us get to maturity in Christ Jesus. Perfect means: complete in all respects; without defect or omission; sound; flawless.

4. MINISTRY OR CALLING PURPOSE

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Timothy 1:9.

Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. He is the supreme sacrifice that atones for the sins of mankind. NO ONE else will attain to that calling. Salvation through Jesus Christ is made manifest to us that we may obtain eternal life. If we abide in Christ (John 15:4-6), we can win others to Him. God has ordained that by the foolishness of preaching men would be saved. We that have been brought to the knowledge of salvation in Jesus and have submitted and committed ourselves to God, should minister to others that are lost without God. Read 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 1 Corinthians 1:21. Jesus appeared to Saul for the purpose of making him a minister and a witness. Read Acts 26:16.

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11.

Romans 8:28-31 speaks of foreknowledge and predestination. Webster's Dictionary: FOREKNOWLEDGE: knowledge of something before it happens or exists. Foreknowledge therefore is just to know something beforehand. Webster's Dictionary: PREDESTINATE: in theology, to foreordain by divine decree or intent. Predestinate is to know something beforehand and to cause that thing to happen in the future. The scripture says that he predestined those whom he did foreknow to be conformed to the image of his Son. He knows all the future. He already knows who will be saved and who will not. It does NOT say that he predestinated (foreordained) some to go to heaven and some to go to hell, as some mistakenly teach. Deuteronomy 30:19 says God has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing, and for US to choose.

(28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (31) What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:28-31.

5. REWARD FOR OBEYING THE CALL

Read 1 Corinthians 9:16, Malachi 3:16, Matthew 25:21, and Hebrews 6:10.

(28) Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. (29) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, (30) Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting. Luke 18:28-30.

6. SPECIFIC CALLINGS

All are called to witness. The Bible was written for our admonition (Romans 15:4 & 1 Corinthians 10:11). Jesus gave the early church and the disciples commandments, and these apply to us also. Philippians 1:6 tells us that ". . . he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ". Read Romans 4:21. Read also Matthew 28:20. Jesus said he is with us alway, even unto the end of the world. Jesus gives people specific callings. Remember that Paul was separated unto the gospel (Romans 1:1).

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Ephesians 4:11-13.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Seek God and find out what he has called you to do. 2 Peter 1:10 says to give diligence to make your calling and election sure.

7. QUALIFICATIONS FOR MINISTRY

Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Ephesians 3:7.

You must be saved. To be effective, you must have the Holy Ghost. You must seek God consistently with prayer and fasting and reading the word. You must be obedient to God. You must follow Jesus in everything, including dying to the flesh. Read Joel 1:13-14.

If you are called by God to ministry, you should seek and receive the promises he has for you (remember the goods he left for us in Matthew 25:14). It is for as many as the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:38-39). Read 1 Corinthians 4:1, Matthew 23:23, & Luke 11:42.

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, (5) In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; (6) By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, (7) By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, (8) By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; (9) As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; (10) As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:4-10.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15.

(11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Titus 2:11-12.

(4) And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (5) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5.

Man has his own list of the qualifications he thinks a man or woman of God should have. We don't seek to please men, but to please the one that called us: the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

8. CALLED, DON'T QUIT

We are to run the race with patience (Hebrews 12:1). Remember what Luke 14:28 says about good intentions and counting the cost. We are to walk in the calling Jesus gives us until we have grown enough to be trusted with more (1 Corinthians 7:17).

Barnabas is first mentioned in Acts 4:36 where he sold property and gave the money to be used for the church. As he obeyed God and grew in Christ, he became a teacher, preacher, and an apostle who did signs and wonders in the name of the Lord. Read Acts Chapter 13, 14, & 15, Acts 15:35 (teaching and preaching) and Acts 14:14 (where he was called an apostle). You can "climb the ladder" in God. We are commanded to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3:18). Read Galatians 3:29 and Galatians 4:1-2.

If you have prayed and fasted and God has given you a specific calling, obey God. He is always drawing us closer to him. If he leads you up higher, follow his leading. God desires to bring you to maturity.

When Paul was called by God into ministry, he knew his calling was real, without a doubt. He had a supernatural experience with Jesus Christ. Read Galatians 1:15-16.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:29. Read Luke 9:62 and 1 Thessalonians 2:4.

IF YE DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL

Read and retain in memory as much of this scripture passage as you can: 2 Peter 1:2-11. Verse 8 says that if the things listed there be in you and abound, you would not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Verse 10 says to make you calling and election sure. A new convert, (a novice) needs to grow in the Lord and in knowledge of God's Word before trying to take care of the church (1 Timothy 3:5-6). Lack of knowledge or ability can be remedied by obedience to 2 Timothy 2:15 and all the Word of God, by the Spirit of God, and being filled with the Holy Ghost.

(2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; (7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: (11) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:2-11.

9. CALLED TO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER

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. Revelation 19:9.

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. Revelation 17:14.

Read Luke 14:16-24 about the marriage supper. Read Luke 14:25-27. Read in Numbers Chapter 16, (Verses 5 & 28-35 in particular) about the warning not to speak against those called and chosen of God. Read also Psalms 105:15.

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