The Calling

The Calling 

Witnessing Tools 
Thursday, June 12, 2014 
J.L. Robb
 

''Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.


 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’'' ~Matthew 23:37-39 NIV


Matthew was a Jew as were all the first Christians, before they were called Christians. He was not the first to scold the land of Judah about the shortcomings of the chosen people, their inability to follow the Law, even loosely. When God was merciful enough to give them one more chance, which He did often, they rebuffed Him.


Prophets were different. They were men or women chosen directly by God to go tell all the Israelites the truth, in the first person. They would speak to them as though they were speaking as God, which they were.


The Israelites weren’t really the Israelites anymore at this time in history, but were known as the Judahites. A few hundred years earlier it was the land of Israel, but then there was a dispute. The nation of twelve tribes became two nations. One was Israel (10 tribes) to the north; one was Judah (2 tribes) in the south. The missing ten tribes remains a mystery today, though some think they have it figured out. Judah was destroyed and the Jews annihilated, enslaved or sent to other nations. Only a few continued to somehow make it in the desolate land.


When God called Moses to go tell the Egyptians to let the Hebrews go, he didn’t want to do it. He had an excuse, he couldn’t speak eloquently enough or stuttered or something. He had other excuses. Egypt was a world power at the time, and they enslaved the Hebrews (before they became the Israelites) for 400+ years. They also had a cruel streak.


“Then take your brother Aaron with you. He’s a good speaker,” God said and that was that.


Moses did not want to do what God called him to do, but he finally did so reluctantly.


When Jeremiah was called to warn the Jews about the coming invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, he was reluctant. The Jews referred to Jeremiah as the prophet of doom. He did foretell doom and gloom if they didn’t change their evil ways, and they didn’t. They paid a big price.


Jonah and the whale prophet didn’t want to be a prophet. Chosen by God personally to speak on His behalf, Jonah tried to escape to Spain. God told him to go to Nineveh (as in Nineveh, Iraq) and tell them to change their ways, God was not happy. Think what a dangerous job that would be. Most were killed.


Maybe that’s what’s wrong with the church today.


Has God ever called you to do something? Maybe a little voice in your head that kind of nudges you to do this or that? That feeling that you really should take that new job offer or have another child or retire.


What if God calls you to do something you really don’t want to do? Examples go back to the beginning.


Following the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not an easy thing to do. Before God was the God of Abraham, He was the God of Adam and Eve. At that time there weren’t races, ethnic groups or different cultures if one assumes that Adam and Eve were indeed the very first two human beings. Even most evolutionists agree that the human population did have to start with a man and a woman at some point.


 How the first man and woman somehow seemed to evolve in the same neighborhood at the same time is another story for another time. It certainly defies the odds.


Five hundred years ago Europe was mostly Christian, about 100%. As a result, the belief in the God of Abraham was discussed everywhere, including the schools. If kids didn’t get enough at home, they would get it at school. There were no school shootings or need for metal detectors at the school entrance. People loved God, knew Jesus was the messiah who was foretold to come and for the most part at least kept the Ten Commandments. Kids respected adults and wouldn’t think about saying the f-word. It was different. Not today though.


Two hundred years ago, America was much as described above. There was God, country and family or God, family and country. God was numero uno in either case.


 Not anymore.


There don’t seem to be any prophets around today. I suppose the prophets of today could be preachers and rabbis, but they don’t seem very eager to confront the world about our evil ways. They don’t dare touch on homosexuality or alternate lifestyles; they don’t want to tell the world that God is not happy that billions have been aborted. Why rock the boat.


What is going on in the church?


Last week for the first time in world history, the most favored Pope had prayers to Allah in the Vatican. The Pope, the leader of Israel and the leader of Palestine (which has never been a state) met for the first time at the Vatican. That meeting has so many prophetic implications, it could be a whole article. Allah during Muhammad’s childhood was the moon god.


At the Washington National Cathedral, an Episcopalian priest will speak, the first transgender priest to do so.


From the Huffington Post, June 6, 2014:

Quote :

“Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge will make history on Sunday, June 22, as the first openly transgender priest to preach at the historic Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., in honor of Pride Month. The Rt. Rev Gene Robinson, known as the first openly gay priest to be elected a bishop, will preside at the service.”

The Presbyterians are attacking Israel and sympathizing with Palestine, who sends rockets into Israel almost every day. While this is a radical element of Presbyterian USA, it is an element none the less. And we all know by now, hopefully, that a radical element today without protest will be the norm tomorrow.


Now, with all the turmoil going on in the world, the Baptists are apparently removingHeaven is for Real from their LifeWay Christian Stores.

Quote :

"Many of these books and movies have sought to describe heaven from a subjective, experiential source, mainly via personal testimonies that cannot be corroborated," they said. (SBC)

Well there you go. I think non-corroboration could be applied to much of the Bible. I will definitely see this movie this weekend and report. I think on Judgment Day we will all find out that we were wrong about a whole lot of stuff.


I love Baptists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians, don’t get me wrong. But one has to admit that the church is getting a bit apostatic. As predicted.

http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=7827