Time Out for God
Devotional Ministry
By Danna Appleby
The Calling of the Spirit
There was once a barren woman named Hannah who cried out to God for a child. Hannah was specific with her request and promised God that if He would give her a son she would see to it that he serve Him all the days of his life. God answered Hannah’s prayer and she named her son Samuel. After the child was weaned she did as promised and took him to the temple to minister unto the Lord. The child grew in stature and favor with the Lord and with men.
One night when a priest named Eli had gone to bed, Samuel thought he heard him calling so he ran to him and said, “Here I am, you called me.” Eli said, “I did not call; go and lie down.” Samuel did as Eli said and went back to his bed.
Samuel heard a voice once again and thought it was Eli calling his name. Samuel arose once again and went to Eli saying, “Here I am, for you called me.” Just as before, Eli said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”
A third time, Samuel heard the voice calling so he ran to Eli in obedience and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli realized that it was the Lord calling the boy and said to him, “Go, lie down, and if He calls you, say, ‘Speak Lord, for Your servant hears.’” Samuel went back to his bed and once again, the Lord called to him and said, “Samuel! Samuel!” The boy knew just how to answer and said, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” Hannah had given her son to the Lord to minister all the days of his life, but the Lord had to be the One to call Samuel into service. (1 Samuel 3:1-10)
There have been many who have received a call from God but never heard an audible voice but a sweet whisper of the Holy Spirit. The calling can be as subtle as a gentle nudge to go and minister in ways we would never have dreamed.
There are other times the Spirit calls to come away and be with Him. The Lord longs to spend time with us and will show us what’s on His heart during those precious times of worship when it’s just you alone with Him. When we have a royal invitation to come into God’s glorious Presence, we can learn more than we ever have.
There are other times the Spirit beckons us to “come up higher.” (Rev. 4:1) I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be at the same place spiritually this time next year; I want to move up higher with the Lord. I want to grow in Christ and become mature in my faith. I want to know more about the Lord and be who He has called me to be. If I’m going to do that then I must spend time in His Presence seeking His face and sitting at His feet. I know I can make more of a difference for the
I want to challenge you to do something I feel the Lord is calling each of us to do and that is to “Step up into His Glorious Presence and into His Greatness.” If you will, allow me to do a visual demonstration. Envision yourself taking hold of the Master’s hand and “stepping up” on to a very steep step. The step is high so it will take an act of faith on your part to get up that far.
The Lord is calling each of us to step up and go higher with Him. It’s a call to go beyond the ordinary, mundane life we’ve always lived and step into a greater life than we’ve ever known before. Are you ready? I am!
One thing about it is we can become comfortable Christians, living as we always have -- continuing on year after year in the same manner and being just as we always have been, never changing and never improving. If we’re not careful, we won’t be any different twenty years from now, but that’s not what God is pleased with. We’re to grow and become mature in our walk of faith. Why? So we can become strong mature Christians who trust God with our whole hearts. We will live a faith-filled life, ready for service in the
We can think about a pond that doesn’t ever have clean fresh water flowing into it and how it soon becomes stagnant. God wants more for us than that, never becoming stagnant or ordinary, but going forth in the power of the Holy Spirit.
As for me, I want to have the fresh oil of the Spirit poured into me every day so that I will be a strong woman of faith. I want to step up into the Presence of my majestic Lord and partake of His fresh bread straight from the ovens of Heaven. Are you hungry for some fresh heavenly manna? As for me, I want fresh living water which flows from the Living Water, Jesus Christ, every single day of my life. I want fresh oil poured over my head just as Aaron the priest experienced when he was anointed and the oil ran down from his head and down to his clothing. (Lev. 8:12)
How can we live higher than we have in the past? The first thing we must do is to commit our hearts and lives to Christ and follow Him. When Jesus called the disciples to join Him, they left everything behind to do so. We must do the same and let Him lead us. As we follow Him, we will lead others to Christ along the way and it will bring great joy into our lives.
We’re also called to love the Lord our God. The Word says to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:30) Let’s love the Lord with our whole hearts. Let’s commit our lives to Him daily and honor Him with everything we have.
Also, we’re to obey the voice of the Lord. The Lord is calling us to come out from among those who are not living for Him and be separate. The world around is an unholy place with unholy people and we’re instructed not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
Another thing we’re to do is to serve the Lord with gladness. When He calls you to do something for Him, do the job with great joy and happiness that you’ve been chosen to work for Him. If you’re called to work in the nursery at your church, then do the job joyfully because you know you’re doing what God has called you to do and you’re pleasing Him. Take care of those babies with loving care and as if they were you own and in the best way you can.
Let’s do whatever God leads with all diligence. If the Lord calls you to sing, then make a joyful noise unto the Lord and serve Him in that capacity. If He calls you to write Christian literature, then write and be glad He selected you to share the Good News. If the Lord calls you to minister from a pulpit, do so with all diligence. Preach the Truth with everything you have and make your calling sure. The Word says if you do those things you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:10)
We’re also called to worship the Lord. True worshipers must worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers He seeks. God is a Spirit and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)
We can get weary from the burdens we carry, but the Lord calls us to cast our cares upon Him. We can become overwhelmed during times of family crisis, financial burdens and many other worries, but Christ is calling us to come to Him:
“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
The Spirit of God is calling us to run into His arms of love where we’ll find rest for our weary souls. Run into His arms of forgiveness and mercy. I can guarantee that you will never be the same. I urge you today to obey His voice for the Spirit is calling.
Softly and Tenderly
Words & Music by Will L. Thompson
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.
Refrain
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!
Prayer: Father, I pray for every person reading this message today. I pray for your blessings to be upon each of them as they begin to seek You in a new way this year. Help each heart to be softened to what You want to say and how you’re calling each one to a new and different way and to move higher in You. Help them to move past the ordinary life and into a life of greater relationship with You and life of dedicated service for the
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