Today we are looking at something that is interesting and I want you to be attentive, and I also trust that God would give us some speed. We are considering Acclimatizing With The Culture of Your Calling. The title sounds somehow, but I want you to rather be inspired by the title, hoping strongly that there is going to be a word for you. While meditating on the title, I decided to look up the keywords of the title from the dictionary, and there are about three keywords there that I want us to consider.
Listen To Podcast: ACCLIMATIZING WITH THE CULTURE OF YOUR CALLING
The word "Acclimatize" , according to the dictionary means "to get used to a new place, situation or climate." So, when you acclimatize yourself, what actually simply takes place is that you just settle, you get established, you get used to something, the new experience, the new responsibility, the new opportunity. It is no more shocking you, you are now used to it. That is you acclimatizing to a thing or to a place. So, it is to get used to a new place, a new situation or a new climate. Now, what does climate mean? According to the same dictionary, climate is the general attitude or feeling an atmosphere or a situation which exists in a particular place.
Now, if you must note, we began with acclimatize, which actually emphasis you being used to a new place, new place being the key thing there, getting used to a new place. Now, when we looked at climate, we also saw that it is about a particular place. Another word for it is the prevalent attitude or feeling of a particular place. It is about a place and it is about the general attitude. Another thing that we must also find the meaning before we move on is "culture". Remember that we are looking at Acclimatizing With The Culture of Your Calling.
Now, culture according to that same dictionary, Oxford advanced dictionary, culture is the customs and beliefs, at way of life and social organization of a particular country or a group. So, you must understand that when you are talking about acclimatizing, you are talking about you being used to something, being used to a new thing, a new place; and then culture have to do with the way of life of a people, within a group or a country, and then we also saw that climate has to do with the general attitude and it is something that affect everybody.
Now, today as we are considering Acclimatizing With The Culture of Your Calling, I am sure you understand that the Bible makes us to understand that our calling is a high calling in Christ Jesus. Now, one of the things I have come to realize is that everybody is called. You see, there are dimensions in calling. You could be called unto salvation or you could be called unto service. Now, "come to me all you that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest." That could be a message given to somebody to invite somebody to Christ for the first time. It could also be a message given to somebody to actually come to Jesus and to settle down, and to become acclimatize with the new life that prevails around Christ Jesus.
The Bible says we are seated with Christ Jesus in the heavenly places. That is the place where we are settled and established. And in that place, there is a manner in which we must live, there is a way we must conduct our affairs. You see, while everyone of us is called; not everyone responds. While not everyone responds, not everyone who even responds eventually become acclimatized with the culture of their calling. I am sure you understand that. Now there is a place that I want us to begin from in the book of Ephesians 4 from verse 1 so that we can have some Biblical basis for our discussion today.
Ephesians 4:1-6, the Bible says:
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Now, if we look at that Scripture from verse 1-6 that we stopped, we will realize that it is essential that beyond being called, for a man or a woman to walk worthy of his or her calling. You see, your calling could be different from my calling, however, one thing that is common to all of us is that there is a walk that our calling demands. Another word for that "walk" is there is a life that our calling demands, a life that you and I must live. You see, for every call that is from God to a man comes with a life from God for the man. For every responsibility that God has for you and I, there is a life of God that is also available for you and I.
You cannot do the work of God in the life of the world. You cannot choose to abandon the manner of life of God and then embrace a manner of walk of God. That is, you can't do the work of God outside of life that God has commanded you to live and outside of the life that God has given you to live. It says "walk worthy of your calling with which you were called." You see, your calling is not something for us to debate or argue about, we are aware that God has called you. Now, you are also aware that there is a life that your calling demands. Your issue is acclimatizing with that life, settling down with that life and making that life a reality in your life.
It is not enough to say you are a medical doctor, there is a manner of life that is expected of medical doctors for medical practice. I have not been able to find any correct medical doctor that lives a life that is filthy or dirty. You see, one thing that characterizes the medical practice is neatness or cleanliness, which we could use in another context as holiness. Doctors don't thrive to be holy or to be clean, they are clean by the nature of their calling. And so, when a man who is a medical doctor lives a life different from that cleanliness is said not to be living a life worthy of his or her medical practice.
For every calling comes a life, and that life is a set of precepts or patterns that you are expected to follow. At a point, apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians said "imitate me as I imitate Christ." The assignment that God has for me requires that I imitate Christ so that I can live the life of Christ, because until I live the life of Christ, I cannot in all possibility do the work of Christ. There is a place in the Acts of the apostles chapter 26 that I want us to quickly note before we conclude. Acts 26:19, the Bible says:
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance."
It says in verse 19, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision." Now, heavenly vision is another thing we can call a high calling. You see, when a Nigerian or an African receives a call from Asia or America or from Brazil, you are said to have receive an international call. When you receive a call within your nation it is called a local call. Now, a high calling is a call that is beyond this realm. It is a calling that is outside this atmosphere, that is beyond this culture, this climate. It is outside your culture. Now, when you have this kind of calling, you are expected to walk worthy of the call.
"I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" heavenly call on my life because the vision clearly spelt out a life I must live. I want us to quickly see Acts of the apostles 22 and I will read from verse 9. Apostle Paul recounting his experience says in verse 9.
“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’
Now, if you read that Scripture, you would understand that for every call a man literally receives from God, comes with a life that the man or the woman must live. And that life has no origin from any man, it is a life that comes direct from God. No wonder apostle Paul in Galatians 1 said in verse 11 "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." It is important by any man who is called by Christ to understand that the gospel that you will preach, the life that you will live is not such that you will learn from men, or pick from your culture or religion on this earth, it is such that Christ must deliver to you as a person.
How you talk, who you associate with, the kind of foods you eat, how you think; it must be delivered to you by God. The problem and the struggles that we have among the believers today is that we try to do the work of God in the way and manner of this world. We try to apply and employ methods and techniques that were learnt from books on this earth, from the worldly books, from the universities to execute the plans and the purposes of God in our lives. It cannot be done.
The word of God to you today is it is important that you become acclimatize with the culture of your calling. It is unique to you and it is direct from God to you. Become acclimatize to it. How can you achieve this? You must not disobey the heavenly vision. If God has not really given that vision, go to God, give Him chance, be opened to Him, tell Him "I here I am, speak to me, your servant is listening" and He will deliver to you the vision for your life which carries in it the life that you must live.
I am so glad that God has given me the opportunity to deliver this message to you, acclimatizing with the culture of your calling. And I hope as the word has come to you, it will mix with faith in your heart, you will not struggle with it and you will produce fruits with it. My name is Gboyega Adedeji and I hope to connect with you again next week #Friday, God willing in this same program, Forms and Patterns, inspiring you for effective ministry.
Stay Blessed!
