Your purpose, plans and calling must be kept in proper perspective. They can never become your priority, much less your gods.
God must always be your Priority; otherwise, your heart may be stolen by idolatry. We don’t do things for the sake of the call; we do things for His sake.
If we do things for His sake, then we will do things according to our Father’s will. We will seek to glorify Him; instead of using the glory Jesus gave us to put ourselves in the limelight. John 17:22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one. Our entire being should always center on Him. Some of this is basic, but you’d be surprised how far off base people get when they don’t stick to the basics. Jesus kept it simple: “I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him” (John 8:28-29). John 5:19 Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing . . .
As you focus on the Lord, you will be a person of faith. In fact, without that focus, you will never truly be a person of faith. Faith always requires hearing before anything becomes an act of faith. If your heart is distant from God, you will find it difficult to hear His voice because you are not intent on listening to Him. If you’re not interested in what He has to say to you, chances are you will not be listening for His voice either.
The Cross of Jesus Christ is a Symbol of God’s affirmation to you. It should always serve as a reminder of how much He loves you and how precious you are in His sight. The gifts and calling came as the result of His love. At the same time, they are designed to glorify Him and confirm His Truth. Gifts work regardless of the condition of the heart. Some of you have heard this example before, but it does well underscore this point:
John 11:49-53 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.
Caiaphas prophesied because his office as High Priest made room for the gift. It was not because God was showing His approval of Caiaphas. Even Caiaphas shouted, “Crucify Him!” In fact, he was a leading proponent of the movement to crucify Jesus. Another example would be Judas Iscariot. Prior to his betrayal of Jesus, he went about doing signs and wonders along with the other Apostles. The miracles and healings confirmed the Word of God; they did not affirm Judas. Why is this important to consider? If you shift your focus from Jesus to your calling, it will be easy to become your own center of attention.
Please understand we should focus on our gifts and calling in the sense of stewardship; but, even stewardship is centered on what pleases the Master.
We protect what God gives us for His sake, and we do that by listening to Him and following His directives. Ultimately, our love for Him will lead us in the way we care for what He gives us.
If you wrestle with wanting to use your gifting to show people you’re a man or woman of God, try going back to the basics. God is your Father, and He absolutely loves and adores you! If you started seeking man’s approval, somewhere along the line you lost touch with His love; or perhaps, you haven’t fully received it yet. If that’s the case, it’s time! Secondly, the more interested you become in man’s affirmation, the more distant your heart will move from God. Heed the warning to the Church at Ephesus in Revelation, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:4-5). If you’re feeling cold or indifferent to the Lord, return to your First Love. Oh sure, some might be able to impress people with “their godliness,” at least in their own minds, but in the end it will cost them. Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’.
The point is not to somehow frighten you into keeping your First Love first. The idea is to keep things in perspective in order to please our Father, and enjoy the relationship with Him.
While your gifts and calling are designed to glorify Him, they are also in place in order for you to partner with God. He wants to do things with you as part of His family. He wants a relationship with you! While it is true that we may serve as bond slaves, He also calls us His family and friends. He does not want a mere Master-servant relationship. He wants you! He wants your heart, and He is the safest place for your heart!
Coming March 11th, 2017: “The Unity of the Spirit Conference”
See the trailer on our homepage: www.perfectfaith.org
