First Calling
Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 7:20-24 KJV
20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
Every person on the face of this earth has a “calling” and we (ihlcc) will also say every individual who ever walked the earth has a “calling”. Yes, every person born into the earth in the future will have a “calling” even before they are born. Yes, when we are speaking of “calling” we are specifically speaking about “the calling of God”. God’s “callings” (yes plural) are at least two fold that we (ihlcc) know about. The “first calling” is the voice of the Lord trying to get your attention to be saved. Yes, the Lord’s priority in your life is fellowship, thus it is His pleasure and your benefit to have a favorable response to His (The Lord Jesus) “calling” unto you. This “first calling” requires a vocal, mental and physical acceptance of His Lordship over your life. Yes, Jesus bought you for the price of His shed blood on Calvary; therefore you owe it to God to humbly accept His very gracious offer. To spend your time with God doing God’s Will on earth and in Heaven or reject God’s Love to serve the devil, the world system and the selfish lust of your flesh (your physical body) resulting in going to hell (the place of torment and darkness). The “first calling”, of course is His salvation and when people witness to others about coming to Christ that is still God’s voice urging all to be saved. The simple confession of Jesus as your Lord because you firmly believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins and through faith in His sacrifice alone you openly receive His invitation to be saved. This special gift from God cannot be purchased by good works or large sums of money because the Sinless Blood of Jesus is priceless (beyond earthly valve). This Blood of Jesus is beyond earthly comprehension of value (monetary worth) because there is no one who ever walked this earth in perfect obedience to God, our Father. No one, yes, no one can even come close to what Jesus did and for that reason the Wise Father God had to share His Holy Precious Son, The Word of God made flesh, with all mankind in order to offer salvation to all men (women, little boys and girls too). The “first calling” from God may not be obvious if you maintained your communion with Him from a little child through adulthood. We say this because there are some who were raised in Godly households so the moment they came into this world they had a sense (consciousness) of God that was encouraged and fostered by their parents. This type of Christian may not remember ever calling upon the Name of Jesus to be saved because they were always in right fellowship with God. Of course these individuals are saved because talking with God as you grow up is probably better then “calling” upon the Name of the Lord to be saved when you are all grown up. The reason is if you know God and fellowship with Him at a young age you have a good amount of history with God and those life encounters with God will probably lead you into His (Gods) perfect will more faster. We only have so much time on this earth to do God’s Will any lost time is very hard to recover. Remember, it is your fellowship that God desires so walking and talking with God in the cool of the day and acknowledging Him during your thoughts in the night season is a key part of fulfilling your “first calling” from God. Yes, there are others who didn’t know God intimately at a young age so they never knew how to contact God, so typically much time is lost while people are lost (in darkness). Thus, all those individuals need instructions on what God requires of them on a step-by-step basics. Of course being saved is first, then consistent study (reading for understanding) of God’s Word is second to produce the third tier of a mature Christian that can fellowship with God for the rest of their life. Once this is accomplished it is a lot easier to know what God is speaking to your heart which will enable you to respond to “God’s Second Calling” upon your life. On that thought of fulfilling “God’s second calling” on your life, which is doing exactly what He desires for you to do we will pause until next time. Remember “God’s Second calling” (His purpose for you) will never be fulfilled until “God’s first calling” is fulfilled (obeyed). So praise the Lord Jesus and rejoice in the fact that all believers have already obeyed the “first calling”. Next, we (ihlcc) will explore what are we doing about the “second calling” upon our life or do we even know one exists. Generally speaking if we don’t really know God intimately we will never know His intimate “calling” for us personally. The verses shared today are basically stating whatever you are doing when God called you to “His Salvation” keep doing it with God. The key difference is now you will have God’s help (His Blessing) upon your work as His Servant instead of only being a servant of men. So don’t jump to a rash conclusion that every saved person is supposed (called) to preach because that would be false but rather abide with God in what you are doing today and if the Good Lord decides for you to do something else He will most certainly let you know as you grow in knowing Him (Jesus Christ). Amen!