The final message of our Cowbell service came from Brother Isaac Upchurch. Building on the theme of spiritual heritage and heroes, Brother Isaac turned our attention to Acts chapter 13, focusing on a truth that every believer needs to grasp: The Call of God.
1. A Personal Calling
In Acts 13:2, the Holy Ghost said, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” Brother Isaac emphasized that God’s call is never generic; it is deeply personal. God didn’t call Peter or John to the Gentiles in that moment—He called Paul and Barnabas.
- It’s Individual: When God calls a man to preach, or a woman to serve, He calls them by name.
- It’s Rooted in Sacrifice: You cannot know the specific will of God for your life until you first fulfill His general will: presenting your body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).
People say, ‘I don’t know what the will of God is.’ The problem is you’ve never presented yourself as a living sacrifice.
2. A Sacrificial Calling
The call of God is not always comfortable. Paul had a deep, personal burden for his own people, the Jews. He loved them so much he said he would almost be willing to be “accursed” if it meant their salvation. Yet, God called him away from his own desires to reach the Gentiles.
Sacrifice takes many forms:
- Physical & Emotional: Brother Isaac shared his own experience of being “homesick” while preaching in Wyoming and South Dakota. Even when you want to be in the comfort of your home church, the call compels you to move.
- Separation: Paul had to separate himself from his primary burden to follow God’s specific plan.
- Higher Standards: While every Christian is called to holiness, those in leadership are held to a higher standard as examples to the flock. However, that same requirement for prayer and study rests on every believer.
3. A Purposeful Calling
God never calls a person just to leave them idle. If He calls you, He intends to use you. Paul was called for a specific purpose: to be a light to the Gentiles and to take salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47).
Brother Isaac reminded us that:
- The Message is Constant: Paul determined to know nothing but “Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
- The Results Vary: Paul preached the same message to two different groups—one nation rejected it, while another accepted it. We aren’t responsible for the “region’s” response; we are responsible for our calling.
- Joy in Persecution: In Acts 13:52, the disciples were “filled with joy” even in the midst of persecution. True joy doesn’t come from things going our way; it comes from knowing the Word of God is being published and that we are walking in His purpose.
4. The Call is Without Repentance
The Bible says the gifts and calling of God are “without repentance” (Romans 11:29). This means God doesn’t change His mind. If He called you yesterday, you are still called today. As Brother Isaac noted, the further you go in your walk, the more God establishes that calling until it is no longer just something you do, but who you are.