Open Heaven 21 August 2023 Topic: When God Calls You I
Memory Verse: I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, (Ephesians 4:1)
Bible Reading: 2 Peter 1:1-11 (NIV)
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,
11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Open Heaven 21 August 2023 Message:
The call of God is actually a call to God. It isn’t a call to something but a call to Himself.
When He calls you, He is saying, “Come closer to me“. In Mark 3:14, the Bible says that the first reason He called the disciples was that they should be with Him.
The call of God is two-fold. First, He can call you to leave your sinful ways (Matthew 11:28). This is the very first call that every man will receive.
It is a call that brings you close and guarantees an eternity with Him if you answer. Thus, when you hear an altar call, it is God Himself calling you to salvation.
If you are still committing sin, this is one call that you should not ignore. You don’t know the final call that God will make for you to come to Him for salvation.
Many have received God’s call to salvation but then, after a while, started to live in sin again. That is not how this call works (Luke 9:62).
If you sincerely answer the call to salvation, then holiness would be your lifestyle. If you become saved and then start living a double life where you sin willfully, the Bible says that God would spew you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16) – in other words, He would reject you completely.
2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” If you claim to be a child of God, then you must depart from all iniquity.
If you don’t depart from iniquity, then God would not recognise you as His child.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9 Once God calls you out of darkness into His marvelous light, you are decrrihpri as a holy nation – not an unholy one.
Be perfect, even as the One who called you is Perfect (Matthew 5:48).
Open Heaven 21 August 2023
Points: God’s call to salvation is a call to holiness. If you don’t live holy, you are rejecting the call.
Hymn: I Am Thine O Lord
Bible in one year: Jeremiah 51, Jeremiah 52