NEW BOOK
"On Mission" with God
By New Hope Publishers
CBN.com – Judith was a paralegal. While pregnant with her second child and driving to the law firm where she worked, she was unexpectedly struck with blindness. Within 24 hours she had also began to experience problems with her hearing. All of this served as a wake-up call for Judith, showing that God had a new direction for her life; one that would put her “on mission” with Him.
Traditionally when believers thought about being “on mission” with God, being called as a missionary was the first thing to come to mind. However, authors Henry and Norman Blackaby are seeing in today’s church that many believers have a sense of calling where they are in the marketplace.
“God is not removing His people from the marketplace, rather, he is reorienting them to Himself so they can begin to see their workplaces from God’s perspective,” shares Norman Blackaby, pastor and coauthor of the study and recently-released trade book Called & Accountable: Discovering Your Place in God’s Eternal Purpose (New Hope Publishers, April 2007).
Blackaby states in his book that when the term “called” is used, often it is thought of in association with people in full-time or bivocational ministry. However, he encourages, Scripture designates every believer in Christ as being called by God.
“Paul continually charged believers to “walk worthy of the calling” in Ephesians,” states Blackaby. “It was not just a few in the church who were called but every believer in Christ was called and therefore responsible to walk worthy.”
This need to help others realize their calling and the associated accountability has been a driving force behind Blackaby’s speaking engagements for Called & Accountable retreat weekends. According to Blackaby, believers need to grasp the reality that the God of the universe has chosen and called every believer into relationship with Himself.
“When this reality grips a person’s heart, immediately there comes into that life a deep sense of meaning and purpose and a sense of stewardship or accountability to God,” Blackaby states.
The accountability portion comes into play in the way believers live out their calling. Blackaby challenges attendees and readers to look at convicting Scripture passages about how to better live out or bear witness to the call.
“There are relationship instructions noted in Matthew 18, Romans 12, I Corinthians, and I Peter,” states Blackaby. A few from this list include:
- Do not be haughty, snobbish, high-minded or exclusive is one of the many listed.
- Readily adjust to people and things.
- Have no dissensions or factions or divisions.
- Be compassionate and courteous, tenderhearted and humble.
“Many of God’s precious people deeply want their lives to be used by God in a significant way in His kingdom, Blackaby asserts. “They often hear stories about how God is using other people and they wonder if God could use their lives to make a difference.”
For Judith, her experience and new mission is impacting those in her local community. An encourager to the discouraged, she is now an advocate for the disabled.
Want to learn more? Check out Called & Accountable: Discovering Your Place in God’s Eternal Purpose
Read more book excerpts and author interviews on CBN.com.
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