When God Calls, How Do We Respond?

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

When God Calls, How Do We Respond?

Today's Text: So he ... found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him ... and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 1 Kings 19:19

The Message:      When Elijah saw Elisha in the field with the servants, plowing with his twelve yoke of oxen, he went to the field of labor, and while passing by he unfastened his mantle and threw it upon the shoulders of Elisha. During the three and a half years of barrenness and famine, the family of Shaphat became familiar with the work and mission of Elijah the prophet. The Spirit of God impressed the heart of Elisha in regard to the meaning of this action. This was his signal that God had called him to be the successor of Elijah. It was similar to the commission of Christ to the young ruler to leave all-houses, lands, friends, riches, comforts, and ease, "and come and follow me."      Elijah passed on as if that were the end of the matter. But he knew that Elisha had understood the significance of the action, and he left him, without speaking a word, to decide whether he would accept the call or reject it. Elisha hastened after the prophet and, overtaking him, asked permission to take leave of his parents, and bid farewell to his family.      The answer of Elijah was "Go back again: for what have I done unto thee?" This was not a repulse, but a test, a trial. If his heart clung to his home and its advantages, he was at liberty to remain there. But Elisha was prepared to hear the call of God. He had not been disorderly, running before the call had come, and when he was called he revealed that he would not hesitate, nor relent, nor draw back....      Had Elisha asked Elijah what was expected of him, what would be his work, he would have answered, God knows; He will make it known to you. If you wait upon the Lord He will answer your every question. You may come with me if you have evidence that God has called you; if not, forbear. Come not simply because I called you. Know for yourself that God stands back of me, and that it is His voice you hear. If you can count everything but dross that you may win the favor of God, Come.      Let all bear in mind that the Lord will not accept halfhearted service. Those who love to do the will of God can do perfect service.... If we follow on to know the Lord, willingly, gladly, we shall know that "his going forth is prepared as the morning." ...      Elisha immediately left all to commence his ministry.-Letter 12, 1897.

Commentary: My friend, in these last days God is calling upon those who are sighing and crying over the abominations that have come into the church, to bear the message of the Faithful and True Witness to His wayward people.  This message is to bring about revival and repentance within His people, to turn them from the false worship of the trinity unto the One true God of the Bible. The close of probation for the whole world is just before us, but before that close can happen there must be a people on the earth that can bear the last message of hope to the world.  The three angels message must be given to the world with the power of the Spirit of God, that it may bring the world to a point of decision.  The close of probation for God's end-time church will happen a short time before the close of probation for the whole world. The issue that will separate the chaff from the wheat in the Seventh-day Adventist church is the message of the One true God.  God must have a purified people that are filled with His Spirit, and not with the false spirit of the trinity.  Those who hold fast to the false belief of the trinity, putting a thus sayeth the church over a thus sayeth the Lord, will grieve away the Spirit of truth and will be ready to receive the mark of the beast.  Only those who heed the warning from the Faithful and True Witness to the Laodecian church by zealous repentance and the putting on of Christ's righteousness, will be purified and made white, prepared to give the last message of hope to a dark and dying world. My friend, the time is just before us when we must make our choice either to be counted on the side of Christ or on the side of the church.  The church of today is not the same church that Christ established through Ellen White and the church pioneers.  It has been corrupted little by little since their passing and is the reason why all of the abominations have come into it. Now is the time for us all to study for ourselves what is the truth.  If the One true God as shown in John 17:3 is God then we must follow Him, but if the trinity then follow it.  "but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15). God bless,

Video of the Week What You Need to Know about Creeds - Matt Dooley In this presentation, we look at creeds and the reason why the pioneers were adamantly against them.