Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV): Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
GOD is gracious: loving, caring, forgiving, and patient. He cares for us, despite our faults, fears, and failures; above our doubts, disbelief, retreats, rejections, rebellions; in spite of our sins (Romans 3:23)--our unrighteousness (Romans 3:10): closed minds, blind eyes, covered ears, tainted tongues, hard hearts, idle hands, and wayward feet. God is compassionate, merciful; He offers us His only begotten Son Jesus, even while we yet separate ourselves from Him, through sin (John 3:16-18; Ephesians 2:1-10). God's free gift of grace saves us though (Romans 5); we are justified (made right with God) by faith, by Jesus' redeeming blood, His selfless sacrifice; we are reconciled with our Heavenly Father through Him, our salvation, our gate, our door, our Way (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 10:9; John 14:6). The blessing—salvation—is ours, if we only believe and confess Jesus Christ as our Lord, our Savior, our King (Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 4:15; Ephesians 2:13-22); if we only obey God and walk in faith, trusting His Word, praying without ceasing, listening for God's voice, and heeding His Call (1 John 5:1-4).
GOD loves us (John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:16, 19; Romans 8:38-39), and He calls us according to His purpose: He calls us to repent of our sins (anything that separates us from the knowledge, love, purpose, presence, words, wisdom, and will of God) (Luke 13:3; Luke 15:7: 1John 1:9); He calls us to seek His face first—first in faith, not last in fear (Matthew 6:33), to serve, obey, and worship Him as the One, True, and Living God (Deuteronomy 5:7-9; 1 John 5:20-21; Psalm 100:2); and to love Him like a spiritual addict (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), with life-long intimacy, with consuming love; He calls us to forgive, love, and serve others (Matthew 6:14; John 13:35; 1 John 4:7,21; Galatians 5:13; John 13:14-17; Luke 6:35-38), all of which Jesus taught and demonstrated while on earth; He calls us to give of our gifts, our talents, our treasures, our time, and ourselves for His glory, for His purpose, for His honor, and for the blessing and benefit of others (Romans 12:1; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:3-12; Luke 6:38; Galatians 6:9-10; Ephesians 4:7-16).
From Genesis to Revelation, here’s the truth of God’s Word: GOD is Good, GOD is Just, and GOD is Love.
GOD is on call, patiently waiting for us, and His is the best guarantee anywhere: His rates are free; His reach, worldwide; His connections, limitless; His warranty, a lifetime, with an extension—eternal salvation—through His Son, Jesus; His applications are supernatural, His features, original creations; and His performance, perfect every time, beyond imagination through the Holy Spirit. Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and our Savior, choosing God as our Provider, He doesn't drop or disconnect us; He neither leaves nor forsakes us, hanging us out to dry, abandoning us to die. Instead, God offers us Life and Liberty through Jesus Christ, and Power and Authority through the Holy Spirit, a divine seal and spiritual indicator dwelling with us wherever we go; this Spirit is our Comforter, Helper, Intercessor, Gift-giver, and Truth-bearer, so by Him Jesus Christ we will know.
GOD is available 24/7, just waiting for us to hear, to listen, to believe, to act, and to heed His Call. With God we don't need land-line telephones, and we don't need cell towers; we just need a private place, a prayer closet, and spiritual access—the Holy Spirit—and we need faithful, fervent prayer. Neither do we need cell phones, smart phones, laptops, iPads, Wi-Fi or wireless connection; we can dial God any time with a touch of Faith, a sincere heart, and a spirit of forgiveness, thanksgiving, worship, praise, intercession, and submission through Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. God's calling us daily, but most of us are screening our calls, often in fear because we're not ready for a life-long commitment with God; we're not prepared to live for His glory, to fulfill His Great Commission (to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ and the reality of God's Kingdom to the nations, to fish for men and women, to save lost souls); we're not ready to deny ourselves first privilege, personal gain, and self-reliance, and surrender to His will, to work toward His purpose, to walk by faith, not by sight, dependent on God to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory; we're not confident that we can trust Him with our hearts, our circumstances, our families, our finances, our careers, our friends, our souls, our lives.
Despite our reservations though, our putting Him on hold, God faithfully, paternally, and patiently waits on us, still calling with extended arms, ever-reaching fingers. He doesn't give up on us, even when we ignore Him; instead, He G-mails us, He leaves voice mail, and He releases instant messages, giving us multiple chances to answer His call, to unlock the doors to our minds, spirits, and hearts. He wants us to trust Him, to cast all our cares—burdens and anxieties on Him (1 Peter 5:7); He wants those of us who are called by His name to be obedient, to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek Him and turn from our wicked ways, so He can hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land, and sanctify our house—our temple of faith—making this His dwelling place (2 Chronicles 7:14-16). Will we continue to ignore His call or will we answer Him, discovering our purpose in His divine master plan, our place in this faith walk?
In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me"; earlier in Matthew 4:4 Jesus says, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God," and He clarifies the importance of heeding God's voice—that still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12); He indicates the relevance and impact of God's words, especially His spoken words. He says in John 10:4-5 that His sheep will follow Him, for they know His voice, yet they will flee from strangers. Those who don't recognize God's voice or His Call generally haven't spoken to Him or prayed much; they haven't developed a personal relationship with Him, so they're deaf to His Voice and fearful of His Presence. Likewise, in John 6:63-64, Jesus says the "words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not." Are we blocking God or are we attentive to His Voice, His Presence, His Call?
When He speaks, we should listen; when He calls or knocks, we should answer. Each day's choices have consequences; they decide our final destination—eternity with God or eternity without Him. We can't always delay or procrastinate, putting important decisions off until tomorrow, until we "get right with God," until we're "saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Spirit," until we sow our wild oats and live life to its fullest, until Age comes and Death knocks at our door. Tomorrow's breath isn't promised, nor is tomorrow's Call from God guaranteed. God's calling us; let us answer: "God, it's good to hear Your voice today. Thank You for remembering me, for choosing me for this assignment, for this purpose in this season. I've been faithful, waiting in expectation for Your call. Your Son, Jesus, is already here, dwelling in my heart. He's prepared me, in word and action for this blessed day, so I've been faithwalking every day. I'm thankful, God, for the Holy Spirit has anointed and gifted me, making this blessing, this Call, possible. I'm ready for Your will to be done, Lord; I'm ready to use my gifts and talents for Your glory; I'm ready to give you my time and my treasures; I'm ready to serve, to teach, to pray, to preach, to prophesy, to worship, to lead, to stand, to run, to walk, to GO. Here I am, Lord. Use me to spread the Gospel (the Good News); use me to bless others, to make a difference, to change a life, to change the world; use me, Lord, to find and win lost souls, even in my own family."
