We all have one thing in common and it is called the flesh, it limits us and causes us to fall short of God’s best. The church of Corinth was full of this carnality, following the ways of the world with sexual immorality. Divisions and comparisons abounded to no end, keeping them from loving each other as genuine friends. James asks us what causes divisions among God’s clan, and notes that jealousy and selfish ambition must be at hand.
By your own affections you are restricted, what are those that are keeping you limited? What is keeping you from giving your best? Why is your faith not exploding with zest? Perhaps you have been wounded and you are limping along, you can stop singing that old pain filled song. He will be a Father to you and bind up your wounds, all while giving you direction while seeing you through. He is your inheritance, a treasure at least, giving you power to live life as a rich feast.
Paul longed for the church to grow in maturity and grace, together looking to God and seeking His face. We are not to be people of small faith, holding back the Kingdom at a wavering pace. With a boldness that trusts He will meet us in all, we are to step forth, answering yes to His call. Since we have these precious promises to take hold, lets cleanse ourselves from defilement as His face we behold. Bringing holiness to completion in the fear of His love, we have renewed fellowship with Christ when we receive His promises from above.
“He calls forth great things in you and gives you an inheritance.” Gary Wilkerson, When God Strikes a Match.
Imagine what it would be like to be Lazarus. You are suddenly sick and die, only to be called out of the grave by Jesus. You go to your eternal home and find that your life does not end here on earth. Your life after death is this incredible witness to everyone around you for all of history. It is such a powerful testimony that people plot your death.
Talk about being called out. Lazarus come out! And he rose from the dead. Lazarus found his place next to Jesus and found his purpose in being his friend. It was the Lord who did the work and raised him from the dead.
What are you being called out from? What in your life feels like it is a hindrance, keeping you back? For me, for years it was fear and insecurity. Having wounds that needed to be healed, I struggled with tremendous anxiety and fear of stepping out and being seen. I wanted to stay hidden because I thought I would be rejected. I believed and agreed with the lies that I was “not normal.”
So funny because as I was listening to an audiobook called “All In,” the speaker noted that the last thing he wanted to be considered was “normal.” He didn’t want to be in with the crown but step out and live his life loud. He had learned that His God made the way for new adventures in every day.
The speaker/author, notes that people can be either ridge huggers or cliff hangers. He wanted to encourage people to step out on the cliff and see what happens. While we don’t want to walk off of cliffs for just the sake of walking off them, we can grow our faith by stepping out more and more.
When God calls us, it is as we step out that we experience His resurrection power bringing life. There are examples where people failed to step out. We see this with Abraham’s father. He only took his family part way and then settled. Where are we settling?
It is only as we take risks and act that our faith is activated and grows. Yet, it is not taking risks for the sake of taking risks but stepping out in self-sacrificing love with our eyes on Jesus that we burst forth from the grave and, with the Lord, pave the way.
Your flesh can be carnality and immorality but it can also be a failure to launch. It can be ridge hugging. It can be standing back when you should stand out. We forget that we are to be a city on a hill that shines the light into the world.
I placed my glory upon you, to demonstrate my goodness shining thru. As I AM so are you are the earth, a light on a hill, life-giving birth.
So I went and washed and then I could see, the One who has infinite mercy looking at me. I was blind but now I see, His love is here sustaining me. I am not in lack, nor am I lost, He already paid the price at a high cost. He called me out from the grave, so that with my life I could make some waves. He says “come out” as He calls me by name, to walk in His power and infinite fame.
Jesus says in John 18:36, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” He invites us to enter into it and see things from a different perspective. The Lord already went ahead and made our way prosperous. We need not shrink back but are to manifest a new reality.
The Kingdom of God has come and there is more with us than against us. And if it isn’t enough, we have ministering angels attending to us to help us every step of the way. When we see through Kingdom reality, it will bring new perspective on all our situations.
As a good friend recently mentioned, when we see the invisible, we can do the impossible. God is not calling us to live as the world, but to step out of the world and live for Him. We are to give our lives for His purposes and be a witness of His goodness and glory.
A friend of mine was called into ministry. She had a great opportunity to work with this incredible lady who had a powerful ministry in Israel. For a time, she did this and she seemed on fire for the Lord and incredible things happened for her. She was stepping out in faith and seeing God meet her. But then she became worried about her job. She began to focus so much on her job, working tons of overtime, that it hindered her ability to do ministry. Not only this, but it was exhausting her and hindering her work. She lost the ministry opportunity because of neglect. And in putting in all the extra hours at the office, she wasn’t appreciated but let go for making too many mistakes. All that to say, if she could have just made the shift in where she put her faith.
Lord, forgive me where I have been a ridge hugger. Help us to see the world from your perspective and live for you. Let our lives genuinely give you glory. Let us not be found sitting on the sidelines.
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