From Rubble to Revival Part Three
The Caller and the Keeper
How can we be certain of God’s calling and the current assignment?
- Fruit despite resistance
Ezra 5:1 “Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them”
Ezra 6:16 “Then the people of Israel- the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles- celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.”
Nehemiah 2:18-20a “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’ I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success.’”
Nehemiah 8:6,9-10 “Ezra praise the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground… Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 1:12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”
How can we be certain of God’s calling and the current assignment?
- Fruit despite resistance
- It aligns with the Kingdom and heart of God
“Some clearly found the comparison bitterly disappointing. Others, however refused to consider this as merely a ‘day of small things’ but rather in faith aloud that ever such a day of restoration should have dawned at all.” -Hugh Williamson
"We are often so caught up in our own agenda that we don’t have time to recognize God’s agenda for us." -Francis Chan
"You have not to look around upon others, but to look up to your God." -Charles Spurgeon
How can we be certain of God’s calling and the current assignment?
- Fruit despite resistance
- It aligns with the Kingdom and heart of God
- Found out of a place of intimacy
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
