Do We Value Our Calling, Part 2

Mr. Lindsay Stephen, our speaker, discusses the importance of valuing our calling from God. He mentions five aspects of this calling, including acknowledging that our lives belong to God, testifying to Jesus as the light of the world, being humble servants, relying on Jesus as our shepherd, and overcoming evil with good. They emphasize the need to qualify for God's kingdom by following His will and resisting worldly temptations. Lindsay also mentions the importance of seeking God's will, allowing Him to shape us, and living a life of good works. Lindsay also highlights that despite challenges and persecutions, our faithfulness will be rewarded in the end. Additionally, he mentions that we are ambassadors for Christ and should strive to reconcile others to God. Hello brethren, for you in the Northern Hemisphere, Happy Sabbath to you and that it may be uplifting and inspiring and refreshing. A few weeks ago I gave a message which was on the theme of Do we value our calling? I presented five aspects or components of the calling that God has given to us as he is elect and how important is this calling in our lives. In this message I intend to continue with this theme and add some more aspects on why we have been called out from this world as birth brutes to God's kingdom. But before I do that I just want to briefly mention the five aspects of our calling I mentioned last time. The first one is that our lives are not our own but are owned by God the Father and Jesus Christ. Romans 12 verse 2 says, Do not conform yourself to this world, but be transformed, and that is change direction from, by the renewing of your mind in order that you may prove what is well-pleasing and good and the perfect will of God. We all need to know what God's will is. And the second point I mention is that we are to testify to the light and Jesus Christ is the light of the world. In 1 John 1 verse 5 it says that God is light and there is no darkness at all in him. And point three that I made was that we are to be humble servants of our owner, king and saviour. Proverbs 15 verse 33 says, The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honour is humility. The fourth point I mentioned was that as part of our calling we are to be the sheep of the good shepherd Jesus Christ. Sheep need to rely on the shepherd for their protection and security. In Psalm 100 verse 3 it says, We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. And the last aspect of the calling I mentioned, number five, is for the need to overcome. Instead of being overwhelmed by this evil society, we are to overcome it by God's spirit. In Romans 12 verse 21 it says, Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. And all of these aspects of our calling overlap and interact with each other. In fact this last point that I mentioned last time leads straight into the next point which is number six. And that point is, our calling is that we need to qualify for the kingdom of God. An essential part of our calling by God the Father is to qualify to fulfil the role that God would appoint for us as spirit beings. How do we do this? Well we need to overcome first. Let's start this section off with Philippians chapter 2. So Paul makes a mention to us in Philippians 2 and verse 12. So then my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. So this takes a lot of analysis. How are we going to achieve this? Well in verse 13 it says for you, God who works in you both to do his will and to do according to his good pleasure. Once we do our part in prayer, study and the way we live according to God's law, God will back us up with his spirit in us. We come now to 2nd Timothy chapter 2. In 2nd Timothy chapter 2 Paul was addressing the issue of false doctrine. We pick it up here in verse 19 where it says nevertheless or in spite of this the foundation of God stands firm having this seal, the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who calls upon the name of Christ depart from unrighteousness. So Jesus Christ is the rock of our salvation. God knows who is on his side as I mentioned recently. There are keys for understanding the truth of God. We have to be seeking to do his will. Continuing in verse 20. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay and some are for honour and some are for dishonour. Therefore if anyone has purged himself from these, the ones for dishonour, he will be a vessel for honour having been sanctified and made serviceable to the master and having been prepared for every good work. So we have to allow God to prepare us for the work that he wants us to do. In Jeremiah 18 it talks about Potter and the clay. So we just want to go to Jeremiah 18 and in verse 6 and instead of Israel want us to refer to as if he's talking to us individually. As if he's talking to us personally, O house of Israel or whoever we are can I not do with you even as this Potter says the Lord. Behold as the clay is in the Potter's hands so are you in my hands O house of Israel or whoever we are. We need to have the man ability to be shaped in the way God wants for us to qualify for his kingdom. In Titus 2 Paul also mentions points in qualifying for God's role and Paul went through a lot in his lifetime in preparing the role for what he was meant to do. In verse 11 of Titus 2 for the grace of God which brings salvation for all men has appeared. So it has appeared to all those whom God has called teaching us that having denied ungodliness worldly lusts we should live moderately and righteously and godly in this present world. So we have to resist the pulls of the flesh. Looking to the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our Saviour and great God Jesus Christ. Referring to the resurrection. In verse 14 who gave himself for us so that he might redeem us from all lawlessness providing us not the unpardonable sin and might purify for himself a unique people zealous of good works. These good works need to be a legacy of our way of life since our calling to enable us to qualify for God's kingdom by his grace. I'd like us to turn to 2 Thessalonians 1 where we find that Paul makes an appeal to thank God for the brethren in our prayers. 2 Thessalonians 1 and we pick it up in verse 3. Without fail remember your work of faith and your labour of love and your endurance in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father. So Paul is addressing spiritual growth through love of the brethren which is the work of the spirit toward qualifying. Knowing your election brethren as you are beloved by God our overcoming is not made easy for us physically it can be overwhelming when we look at all that is going on in the world today. In Paul's day it was also bad with persecutions on the Romans and Jewish authorities against practicing Christians. There has never been a time in history when it has been easy to be a true Christian. And continuing verse 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction even as you know what sort of men we were among you for your sake. So this is an eyewitness statement as we are to qualify for the kingdom of God we are to live a life of doing things in the faith and belief that God will most certainly carry out for us if we faithfully obey God's voice to the end of our lives. We can look to the example of Abraham in the first chapter of Hebrews 11. And Abraham was just one example in the book of Hebrews. So we pick it up from the example of Abraham in verse 8 of Hebrews 11. By faith Abraham being called of God to go out into the place which he would later receive for inheritance on the resurrection obeyed and went not knowing where he was going. So when we were first called and were baptised we didn't really know where we were going especially those of us who have been in for a long time. Continuing verse 9 by faith he sojourned in the land of promise like a foreigner dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the joint heirs of the same promise. Now Jacob was seen when Abraham died. God is the master builder of what is in store for all eternity for us for all of us. Think of how the universe will be fashioned. In verse 11 by faith also Sarah herself received power to conceive seed and gave birth when she was well beyond the childbearing age because she had deemed him faithful he had personally promised her a son and Sarah was 90 when Isaac was born. Because of this faith there came into being from one man and moreover one who was productively dead descendants as numerous as the stars in the heavens as countless as the sands on the seashore prophesied in Genesis 15. Qualifying has everything to do with what we do with what God has given to us in our life to overcome. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 and of the pounds in Luke 19 tell us what we need to do. If we do what God desires of us then we will have responses such as in Matthew 25 verse 21 and verse 23 we'll have a look at that what the response was after being faithful. Matthew 25 verse 21 where it says and his Lord said to him well done good and faithful servant because you were faithful over a few things I will set you over many things enter into the joy of your Lord and down in verse 23 his Lord said to him well done good and faithful servant because you are faithful over a few things I will set you over many things enter into the joy of your Lord and that was referring to the one who was given two talents. and the other scriptures Luke 19 verses 17 and 19 so Luke 19 verses 17 and 19 and he said to him well done good servant because you were faithful in a very little you shall have authority over 10 cities and the second one who came up saying your Lord Lord your pound has made five pounds and he said to this one and you'd be over five cities okay in 2nd Timothy 2 verse 12 there'd be to turn there it says if we endure we shall also reign together with him we now come to point 7 as part of our calling I want to bring out is that we are ambassadors for Christ and the first scripture on this aspect is in 1st Corinthians and this is very different to the way society conducted itself in Corinth at the time so we have what Paul is describing here in 2nd Corinthians 5 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 20 where Paul says therefore we are ambassadors for Christ and God as it were is exhorting you through us we beseech you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God for he made him he knew no sin to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him he resisted every temptation to sin but by what he experienced in the flesh he knows what we all go through as human beings and I'd like to just continue in chapter 6 verse 1 we then working together with him are also exhorting you not to receive the grace of God in vain as ambassadors we are to work together with Christ for this purpose we're not to continue living in sin as a way of life once before we were called into the body of Christ we need to change and be transformed I need to ask the question here what is an ambassador? in modern terminology an ambassador means an official envoy a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative or messenger in 1st Kings 4 verse 34 turn there representatives or ambassadors from all nations came from all over to hear the wisdom of Solomon sent from all the kings of the earth and report back to them as Christ's ambassadors God is making an appeal through us by what we say and how we live we are promoting a way of life when we imitate Christ who said I am the way the truth and the light John 14 verse 6 but just looking back at 1st Corinthians 5 verse 20 referring to us as ambassadors for Christ just as a political ambassador lives in a foreign land representing the interests of their home and Lord so too do Christians represent Jesus Christ and his message to the world God is making his appeal to the world through us as his ambassadors who are called to do his well on the other hand because we are to come out of the world out of this world not be part of it we are not to meddle into the political affairs of this world of which satan has the seat and is ruling over it Jesus said to Pilate in John 18 verse 36 my kingdom is not of this world let's look at how we are described in 1st Peter in 1st Peter chapter 2 Peter was describing description of us as called out ones in verse 9 but you are a chosen a chosen stock a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for a possession of God that you might proclaim his excellent virtues who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light you were once not a people but now are the people of God who had not received mercy but now have received mercy so they called out and were selected and we to have behavior showing high moral values if we love God and respond to the calling he has given us he will be our God and we will be his people and he will dwell in us a true ambassador of Christ will strive to have the mind of Christ and let's look at this in a verse in Proverbs the verse in Proverbs in Proverbs 13 and in verse 17 we have a description here a wicked messenger falls into mischief but a faithful ambassador is health wicked people get into trouble they are easily waylaid by foolish distractions or pressure to compromise they are not trustworthy nor reliable on the other hand faithful ambassadors could be counted on to get the message conveyed accurately and on time God's called out and chosen should have impeccable reputations before the world as did Joseph and Daniel as ambassadors for Christ correct communication is of utmost importance do we confuse facts embellish events or exaggerate solutions or situations or do we communicate as promptly and thoroughly as we should a faithful ambassador brings prosperity to those trusting him for he finishes the job as desired and expected God wants us to finish the job that we are called to do how does the apostle Paul do this well we see this in Ephesians 6 so we go into Ephesians chapter 6 and this is he says this after describing the armor of God okay so in verse 18 of chapter 6 praying at all times with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and in this very thing being watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints so we have to guard the door around minds to be properly oriented and Paul had the whole church on his mind in focus continuing verse 19 and for me that boldness of speech may be given to me so that i may be that i may open my mouth to make known the mystery of the gospel for which i am an ambassador in chains that i may speak with boldness as it behoves me to speak being an ambassador for Christ is not always an easy path as we all know in Matthew 7 Jesus gives us a warning in Matthew 7 and verse 13 warning has been given to us to be prepared enter in through the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many in other words the vast majority of those who enter through it for narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life certainly in this life for those who are called and few are those who find it and Jesus gives other instructions to disciples in Luke in Luke chapter 10 and verse 3 Luke 10 and verse 3 go forth behold i am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves so it is treacherous out there in the world many of us might remember when the American embassy was taken over by radicals in Iran from late 1979 to early 1981 over 50 people in the embassy were held hostage for a total of 444 days many were transported to various parts of the country to prevent foreign attempts to rescue them living conditions deteriorated over time to solitary confinement for many some were tortured, beatings were described by the hostages and there are often threats of bodily harm all of this had the endorsement of Ayatollah Khomeini it was not until minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworn in as president and while he was given his inaugural address on 20th January 1981 that 52 hostages were released to US personnel now referring to us in our calling no matter how bad the conditions might be with us how are we to live as ambassadors? Paul gives us the answer in Ephesians so in Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians 5 and verse 15 this is how we are to live as ambassadors so then take heed that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as those who are wise we need to consider the situation that we're in redeeming the time because the days are evil we know how evil with all that goes on the secret agendas and conspiracies what we do with our time is very important to God for this reason do not be foolish but understanding what the will of the Lord is we now come to another part of our calling number eight and that is to do with our inheritance what are we to inherit if we remain faithful? well in Matthew 5 verse 5 and Psalm 37 verse 11 it says that the meek shall inherit the earth we have many promises of receiving an inheritance in God's word in Acts 20 Paul says this Tyre to his departure from Ephesus in Acts chapter 20 and he is seeing the Ephesians for the last time Acts 20 and verse 32 and now commit you brethren to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified I plan to go through some scriptures quickly to expand on our inheritance but first we go to 1st John 3, 1st John chapter 3 1st John this is a well-known scriptures for all of us and in verse 1 it says behold or see the evidence what glorious love the father has given to us that we should be called the children of God for this very reason the world does not know us because it did not know him so we are God's very own offspring in John 1 verse 10 it says he was in the world and the world came into being through him but the world did not know him continuing here on in chapter 2 in verse 2 beloved now we are the children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is manifested we shall be like him because we shall see him exactly as he is so we're not yet born but we have the begettal of God the father and when he's manifested it will be in full glorious spirit beings next we turn to 1st Peter 1st Peter just a few pages back 1st Peter chapter 1 and in verse 3 where it says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead the hope is that we will live forever into eternity unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfaithing reserved in heaven for us unfaithing means that we have a clear vision of our inheritance and that we don't lose sight of it continuing verse 5 who are being safeguarded by the power of God through faith the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time in this you yourself greatly rejoice though for the present if it is necessary you are in distress for a little while by various trials so we all go through trials in order that the proving of your faith which is much more precious than gold that perishes though it is being tested by fire may be found under praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ we all have trials and God never allows trials for no reason and all this is part of being the children of God in verse 8 who not having seen you love in whom though at the present time you do not see him you believe and rejoice with unspeakable joy and filled with glory and are receding the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls we are receiving this day by day and it's just one of many prophecies to the future resurrection continuing verse 10 confirming which salvation the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you had diligently searched out and intently inquired searching into that way and what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them was indicating testifying beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and these glories that would follow to whom it was revealed that not for themselves but to us they were ministering these things which have now been announced to you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven into which angels which things the angels desire to look so the plan of God is so great that it is even difficult for the angels to comprehend it the apostle Paul brings more light on God's great plan and our part in it in Romans so in the book of Romans Paul also gives us some shows more light on it Romans chapter 8 chapter 8 and pick it up in verse 14 for as many as are led by the spirit of God these are the sons of God we have to be willing to be involved with God to be led by the spirit now as you have not received the spirit of bondage again under fear but you have received a spirit of sonship whereby we call out Abba Father and that that is the term of endearment the spirit itself bears witness come jointly with our own spirit testifying that we are the children of God we are children and we are also as as truly as of God and joint as with Christ if indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together with him so as it is we are going to inherit we need to suffer and go through trials so that we can be equipped and qualified to become as continuing in verse 18 for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us for the earnest expectation of the creation itself is awaiting the manifestation of the sons of God so I come back to the question how do we value our calling the destiny of the world depends on us what we do with our calling and how we overcome I'd just like to go into one of the psalms here and psalm 16 psalm 16 and David had a lot of insight into our inheritance psalm 16 and verse 5 the Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup oh we can think of cup of the passover you shall uphold my lot the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a beautiful inheritance so this is describing how our minds are opened up to the wonders of God's word inheritance that God has for his family and one final scripture I want to come to in this part of our calling which is our inheritance is in revelation 22 so revelation 22 and they go to the very last chapter in verse 1 then he showed me a pure river of water of life clearest crystal clearest crystal flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb God's spirit and power is flowing continually and in the middle of the street and on this side and that side of the river was the tree of life producing 12 manner of fruits each month yielding its fruit and the leaves of the tree are for the for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him there'll be no tree of the knowledge of good and evil at that time no more sin after the new heavens and new earth because satan and the demons are cast out into the blackest of darkness forever continuing verse 4 and they shall see his face and his name in their foreheads and there shall be no night there for they shall have no near the lamp for the light of the sun because the Lord God enlightens them and they shall reign into the ages of eternity this is physical and spiritual for Jesus is the light of the world so our inheritance is just awesome we come to another part of our calling number nine and that is to love God we are called to love God. God's word is full of God's love for us from Genesis to Revelation and all that God the Father and Jesus Christ has done for us with our calling how much how much should we love them in return love is the cornerstone of Christianity the cornerstone of Christianity and the bedrock of our way of life let's come to 1st John chapter 4 to pick up this aspect of love towards God it also means to love one another so 1st John chapter 4 okay in verse 7 pick it up in verse 7 beloved we should love one another because love is from God and everyone who loves has been begotten by God and knows God the one who does not love does not know God because God is love 1st John. God originated love in the first place and this is a summary of what love is continuing verse 9 in this way the love of God was manifested towards us that God said he's only begotten son into the world so that we might live through him in this act is the love not that we love God rather that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins propitiation is a continual source of forgiveness or atonement for our sins in verse 11 beloved is God so loved us we also are duty bound to love one another no one has seen God at any time yet if we love one another God dwells in us and his own love is perfected in us we are being perfected it's the process of our calling and we go now to verse 16 as we have known and have believed the love that God has towards us God is love and the one who dwells in love is dwelling in God and God in him by the spiritual indwelling the love of God is perfected within us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment because even as he is so also are we in this world there is no fear in the love of God rather perfect love casts out fear because fear has torment and the one who fears has not been made perfect in the love of God in the love of God the love of God is the bond of perfection this is the pinnacle of love being perfected and these verses are very important in our calling process on the path to eternity in verse 19 we love him because he loved us first so we are willingly in debt to him if anyone says I love God and hates his brother he is a liar for if he does not love his brother whom he has seen how is he able to love God whom he has not seen and this is the commandment that we have from him that the one who loves God should love his brother and let's look at a couple of verses in the next chapter which is chapter 5 chapter 5 verses 2 and 3 by this standard we know that we love we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments for this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome or difficult when we look at the world keeping the commandments are a burden to them because they don't want to do it they don't want to obey God let's have a look at what God told Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy 10 and this is near the end of Moses life and shortly before they were to enter the promised land so it's Deuteronomy 10 and instead of referring to Israel put our name in there so that we look at it applying to us applying to us personally so Deuteronomy 10 verse 12 and now Israel or whoever we are what does the Lord your God require of you but to fear the Lord your God and to walk in all these ways and to love him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul to keep the commandment of the Lord and his statutes which I command you today for your good and in the next chapter we have blessings given to the nation that follows God's way we pick up a couple of verses there in Deuteronomy 11 Deuteronomy 11 verse 13 and it will be if you will hearken diligently to my commandments which I command you today to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart with all your soul and down in verse 22 for if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do to love the Lord your God to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him to love God is a command that we are to do as part of our calling the blessings will come if we do that to the children of Israel as mentioned in this chapter and the spiritual blessings for those of us who have been called to the fruits of the spirit and partaking of the divine nature if we are to love God we are to keep his commandments which are based on love let's look at what Jesus said in Matthew 22 Matthew 22 somebody was asking him the question and probably to bait him as well in verse 35 you pick it up from there and one of them a doctor of the law questioned him tempting him and saying master which commandment is the great commandment in the law and Jesus said to him you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your real soul and with all your mind so in other words with all determination our will emotion this is the first and greatest commandment and the second way is you shall love your neighbor as yourself on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets and a parallel scripture to this is in Mark 12 28 31 we won't turn there and Jesus tells us what we need to do if we truly love him and love God the father we find this in John 14 when he tells his disciples the night before this crucifixion in John 14 and we pick this up in verse 21 in John 14 and verse 21 the one who has my commandments and is keeping them that is the one who loves me and the one who loves me shall be loved by my father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him so this is love as loving as a way of life in verse 23 Jesus answered and said to him if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and will come to him and make our abode with him the whole message of the word of God God will be dwelling with us in verse 24 the one who does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine but the father who sent me we have a promise given to us mentioned by the apostle Paul in Romans 28 or sorry Romans 8 Romans 8 and it will be verse 28 and this is an assurance which is comforting to all of us and we know in verse 28 we know that all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to his purpose and this is the ultimate goal that we have of faith and it ties in with our inheritance while there are numerous places in the psalms showing God's abundant love for his people I just want to turn to a couple of places in the psalms showing David's love for God for he was a man after God's own heart so firstly let's turn to psalm 18 psalm number 18 I love you oh Lord my strength this is verse one the Lord is my rock and my fortress and my reduce my deliverer my God my rock in whom I take refuge he is my shield and the horn of my salvation my high tower God provides our needs for everything in life both physical and spiritual another psalm to look at is psalm 116 psalm 116 and we pick it up well beginning it just in verse one I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayers because he has bowed down his ear to me therefore I will call upon him as long as I live God is interested in everything we do in life throughout our life so in Colossians 3 Paul emphasizes what we need to do in Colossians 3 and we pick this up in verse 14 above all these things put on love which is the bond of perfection so love is the ultimate of perfection if we love God we also need to have the love of the truth as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 10 and the last point I want to make in this message point number 10 is that part of our calling is to glorify and magnify God's name included in this is getting praise to our great creator and the words should be used interchangeably God can and should be praised valued approved glorified lifted up and magnified in their personal lives and as an example to others how do we praise and glorify God to glorify God is to extol his attributes his holiness faithfulness his mercy his grace his love his power his sovereignty and on the presence just the name a few of his attributes we can meditate on all these attributes rehearse them in our minds constantly and internalize them and internalize them we can make use of the opportunities of reflecting to others of God's nature and of his plan of salvation made possible through all that Jesus Christ has done to glorify God is to mirror his image which is to love as generously as he does no one can glorify God as perfectly as Christ did which is why we need his mercy there is so much in the psalms on praising and glorifying God let's turn to Psalm 66 for a start and this has a millennial flavor Psalm 66 in verse one make a joyful noise to God all the earth and everyone will be doing this all through the millennium sing forth the honor of his name make his praise glorious having this God's spirit as a result of our calling and responding to this and being given the knowledge of God's plan through the Sabbath and holy days is even more reason to glorify God in everyday life let's turn to another psalm one of David's Psalm 34 Psalm 34 and David certainly loves God Psalm 34 verse 1 I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall always be in my mouth we don't bless God only when we have blessings when everything is going just great but all the time even during trials continuing in verse 2 my soul shall make its boast in the Lord the humble shall hear and be glad oh magnify the Lord with me let us exalt his name together to magnify means to make something appear larger than it is now God can't obtain more glory than the infinite worth that he has that he's had from all eternity so if we can't make God seem bigger or more glorious than he already is then how do we find how do we define God being glorified or magnified well the answer lies in how we perceive God's greatness compared to our own lives in the flesh subject to the law of sin and death it means to see God as great as he is he is magnified when we think more and more how excellent he is the magnification occurs in us when we perceive his glory I would like us to turn to a few verses in Psalm 8 and 9 and see David's view of God's greatness David certainly had a perception of how great God is so Psalm 8 to begin with verse 1 oh Lord how oh Lord our Lord how excellent is your name in all the earth you have set your glory above the heavens and we see this glory today as we never could have seen before you look on the internet on the James Webb telescope some of the images there are just fantastic in verse 2 out of the mouths of babes and sucklings those who have been called you have ordained strength because of your adversaries to silence the enemy and the avenger think of when we were returning with Christ to stop the enemies of God including Satan and the demons at trumpets in chapter 9 so just one more chapter over chapter 9 and we look at verse 1 I will praise you oh Lord with my whole heart I will tell of all your marvelous works this is the attitude we need to have today to prepare for eternity and in verse 2 I will be glad and rejoicing you I will sing praise to your name oh most high being close to the holy day season beginning with trumpets and concluding with the last great day praising and glorifying God will be a highlight for this season for God the Father and Jesus Christ has made it all possible let's go to psalm 100 psalm number 100 which is also very much to do with praising praising God psalm 100 and verse 1 shout for joy to the Lord all the earth so the whole earth is going to be doing this during the millennium serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing know that the Lord he is God he has made us and we are his we are his people and the sheep of his pasture enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise give thanks unto him and bless his name so everyone will know who God is in the flesh first and then spiritually praise brings us into God's presence for everything that he has done and made for us and concluding with verse 5 here for the earth for the Lord is good his steadfast love is everlasting and his faithfulness endures to all generations so God's truth will be expanded during the millennium all generations throughout history will know God's truth in the second resurrection think of the praise and glory that will be given to God the Father and the Jesus Christ to magnify so as we come to a close I'll repeat the aspects of our calling that I've added here in this message number six we need to qualify for the kingdom of God number seven we are ambassadors for Christ number eight we are being prepared for inheritance number nine we are to love God number ten we are to glorify and magnify God's name with these two messages I've mentioned 10 aspects related to our calling and there are so many other aspects that could have been mentioned or that are connected to these components but I will come back to the original question do we value our calling for what has been opened up in our minds of our calling it pales into insignificance this temporary physical life and I'll finish with this scripture in revelation 22 in revelation chapter 22 applying to our calling in verse 12 and behold I am coming quickly and my reward is with me to render to each one according as his shall be so that's the rewarding addition to eternal life and verse 13 I am out for indonesia the beginning and the end the first and the last blessed are those who keep or practices commandments that they may have the right to hear the tree of life and they enter by the gates into the city so with this I wish everyone a happy holy day season that it may be uplifting encouraging and inspiring thank you