Pastor Powell's Column

July/August 2009

ACT!

“The Call of God” was our Sunday morning series recently concluded. Concluding with God’s call to Joshua was an apt summary of the essence of all the other calls. The rowdy crowd of Biblical characters showed the startling variety of what it means to be called of God. Yet at the heart of it, all these episodes come to focus in one summary reality:

The Call of God
is a call to
ACT
On God’s Promises.

Throughout chapter one of Joshua — especially verse 11 – God rings the changes on one theme: I am giving you this Promised Land, so take possession of it. Joshua’s call is a call to act on God’s Promise.

Many of us may know the promises of God’s Word, assent to their truth, study them, even memorize several of them. But it’s not really faith until we act on them. This is true of all God’s callings: not only the call to a vocation, but the call to salvation, the call to holiness, and a thousand lesser callings each day – forgive this neighbor, feed that beggar, share a word of witness.

In every case, God has made promises. But in every case, we must take possession of what He has promised, as when we take the step of faith to receive Jesus and the promised blessings of salvation. Jesus has done the hard work for us, in His suffering on the cross. Now it is our responsibility to receive by faith what He has given. Not just to know about or sing about it. But to specifically act on it.

As with that first step, so with all subsequent steps, each step of the Christian walk. We must learn the life of faith, learn to claim His promises. For Joshua, that meant facing the daunting challenges of dangerous enemies. He faced them by faith, a faith that God was giving the land, keeping His promises. And by faith Joshua was victorious. “The One who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Acting on God’s promises is a huge contrast to acting from Law. It’s the difference between a life of faith and a life of legalism. The law is a good thing. God’s Law is holy and righteous and good. But law has no power within itself to give life. The Law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. It shows our own sinful brokenness, and helplessness, our need for a Savior. All the promises of God are in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Through faith in Him we are set free from the law of sin and death.

We are freed to live by faith. To hear God’s call and then act on His promises. The promises of His help, His strength, His wisdom, His love in our hearts, His victory in our battles, His peace in times of trial, His presence and companionship – these and many more are a staggering treasury. But we can experience this spiritual wealth only as we act on His promises. Otherwise, we are spiritual paupers, doomed to defeat. We have the winning ticket for millions, but we refuse to believe it, tear up the ticket and throw it away!

God is giving us a Kingdom (Luke 12:32) that far exceeds the Promised Land. Now we must take possession of it.