The Christian Calling by Ariel Valdivia

A year ago today, my daddy went to be with the Heavenly Father. Today I have tears, but with those tears God brings joy. Joy that can only comes from the one who created me and saved me from an eternity in Hell. Because of His son Jesus,and his sacrifice on the cross for my imperfections, I can spend an eternity in heaven with Him. My daddy knew of this joy and wrote a sermon about what our calling as believers are to be while we are still living in this world. I thought it would be appropriate since he is the one who pointed me to Jesus and encouraged my walk with God.

 The Christian Calling

 Jesus told the disciples that as they went out to serve Him they would find that people would hate them. But they were to remember that the people Hate Jesus first. Maybe the disciples were feeling that they were going to enter into a very glamorous life, a life of ease and position and glory. Jesus quickly set about to dispel that idea. He knew they were headed for trouble. They would be beaten and hounded and put in prison. Jesus knew they would suffer ridicule and banishment. They would be cruelly put to death, but someone says today, those days are gone forever, people are not persecuted and put to death for Christ sake in this modern age. That is a mistake. In many parts of the world today we find Christians suffering terrible affliction for their faith. Even right here in America there are many who suffer daily for Christ sake.

 2Timothy 3:12 All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. That's why the nominal Christian, the one who is just happy to have his name on the church roll, that kind of Christian will not suffer. His religion or lack of it may not cost him anything in this life. But real Christians vital Christianity always brings a cross, sometimes we here Christians whine and say I don't understand it. I am trying to live for Christ, yet I'm always being persecuted. Well, what did I expect? When you left the devil's side and lined up with Jesus, did you expect the devil to ignore it?

Look, The very first minute that this church opened it's doors to 650 members, that very first minute all of us there became the mortal enemy of Satan and right then the battle began. Satan started to plant seeds of doubt, disagreement, discouragement among the people. Satan and his legions started to dance around as celebrating their victory when they saw our church split. Satan is hard at work- causing war, immorality, broken homes, and shattered lives. That's why Jesus said in this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. He also said, "Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 Don't enter the Christian life expecting an easy life and a bed of roses. It's a battle between the good in you, and the bad in you, a battle between your carnal nature and your spiritual nature, a battle between the force of Satan and the forces of Jesus. We know being a Christian sometimes is tough, but it is not a heavy load that we need to carry on our backs. Being a Christian is a blessing that we need to appreciate. If we think it is too much attending church every Sunday and serving becomes to much for us, it is because we have not understood the meaning of the Christian calling.

I'm thankful that I had a father who loved God. I'm so thankful he pointed me and everyone he met to the cross. If you have never made the decision for Jesus, I pray that you choose him today.