Christian Discipleship Bible Study on Being Called of God

(To illustrate God's choosing I include a testimony by Carolynn Dye given in February, 2008. Hope you enjoy it - Wbisbill) (You might prefer to read the article from its sources - where there are found many other discipleship training articles. God Chooses Whom He Will)
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God Chooses Whom He Will

It was a typical Sunday morning at our church in Jefferson City. My wife and I were sitting in our accustomed place, having enjoyed an inspiring Sunday school lesson delivered by Brother Ernest, a gifted teacher. We were in transition to our praise and worship time in the service; it was ladies' day and the menu of activities was a little different than usual but equally as uplifting. Sister Carolynn Dye, the senior pastor's wife, was in charge and as she approached the podium with a slight grimace from a chronic muscle disorder, I felt a little apprehensive empathy as well as admiration for her courageous, no quitting approach to her ministry. She squared her shoulders and ever so slightly cleared her throat as to lift and project herself that all could hear for she had something noteworthy to share. The Bible says that a New Testament prophet's role is to exhort, edify, and encourage (1 Corinthians 14:3), and we were about to witness a prophetess. I will never forget her simple but profound testimony. She began with a Scripture:


I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness unto His marvelous light. (KJV Translation)

"It was recess at Dry Fork." Everyone's eyes collectively focused like light through a magnifying glass on Carolynn; we knew we were about to go down memory lane. Carolynn had a special way of relating corny, life stories that entertained but drove home powerful messages; she had hit more than one grand slam with her story telling and I felt a grin and a chuckle even without a punch line. Dry Fork was the name of her grade school. The little school only housed about 35 children, from 1st to 6th grade.

"All the grades met in one room; we had one small bus which made two trips to pick up the children; there was only one teacher, Mrs. Fleeda Guffee, who also served as the bus driver and janitor; we had a big black stove in the middle of the room; and we all carried our lunches in brown paper sacks."

With this introduction of hers, I looked around and saw people smiling; I could discern chuckled memories by the more mature (me included) in the congregation to a quieter, simpler time. The younger attendees were also smiling, although it was more in wonder than memory. I even heard more than a few chuckles expectant of a punch line to a home spun yarn. I reckon things in church always seem funnier for some reason.

"We all looked forward to recess! It was a favorite part of our day! Mrs. Guffee would just let us play, and play I did. For a second grader I was a little awkward but a good runner. On the other hand I loved skipping. I would skip a marathon and retreat into my own play world; I would skip across the play yard; I would skip down to the creek; I knew how to enjoy recess."

"This particular day was sunny, and Mrs. Guffee thought it would be a good change of pace for everyone to play softball; everyone was supposed to go across the creek, choose sides and take part in team ball. Boy, what a bummer! I always dreaded the days Mrs. Guffee would make all of us play ball instead of leaving us just on our own. I was one of the smallest there, and I was then an awkward, non-athletic little girl."

"I set out to keep a low profile, knowing that if I were chosen it would be last. As you know, we had to have two sides, two captains - each captain would choose one person each until everyone was on one team or the other. I already knew it was better for me to hide in my own little world, that parallel universe reserved for a skip-happy second grade girl; I knew how to entertain myself. Besides, what fun is it to be picked last; to have all the other children laugh at me when I struck out or when I handed the ball to an older child (when I was expected to throw it); to ignore one of my best friends holler, "Oh no! It's Carolynn's turn at bat!" Do you know what I was thinking? Who are the players the captains wanted to choose? They wanted good batters, Babe Ruth hitters, fleet runners and expert catchers. Can you guess where I came in? Last. That is right, I was always selected last, not really chosen, just the final one standing and someone had to take me. To this day, I hate hearing the words, "Let's divide up into teams!"

"However, there was one good, very pleasant thing about this day, my older brother, Wayne, was there. I do not remember why, but he was there. Paint Rock was the name of his school, but at this special time he was with me at Dry Fork."

"I withdrew into full retreat into my own little world, just hoping against hope that no one would notice me and I could just play on my own. Mrs. Guffee spoke in her teacher voice, 'Stand up and choose teams.' Her words rang loud and clear like a dinner bell to a herd of hungry children who possessed an excitement like it was a pending world series. The students scurried to their feet to be chosen. However, this little girl tried not to give attention. There was no anticipation, only anxiety."

"I figured I had plenty of time. Then, it happened; my big brother was selected as one of the captains. Guess who he chose first! It was like I could feel the earth shake under me; I was pulled from my universe into reality; I was not last, I was first. I was first!"

"I heard my name called out, strident and obvious - 'Carolynn, %u2026'"

At this point in the antidote, Sister Dye injected her Scripture choice as a backdrop to the story.

John 10:3-4 KJV %u2026 The sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

Her whole point was to reveal her Savior whom she witnessed as one closer to her than her older brother. I looked to those around me; I saw a multitude of head nods mixed with smiles. She was relating; Carolynn knew it; we all knew it. She continued.

"I heard that voice calling out my name; I could not see who it was because I was still sitting on the ground; but I knew that sound. I knew who it was; I had heard it many times before. My heart thumped and pumped energy throughout. Believe me; I leaped right off that ground and hit the dirt running to where my best friend and brother was. My anxiety was transformed, instantly and magically into pride. I had been chosen! I was chosen first! I knew my captain's voice and I ran, skipped and leaped straight up to the head of the line."

Carolynn's message was clear; it was not so much about ball but about being chosen. She continued and related the Bible story of when God chose Moses in Exodus 3:11. God promised that unlikely prophet, during the lowest time of his life, that he would make him a national redeemer. "Certainly, I will be with thee!" were the words that instantly transformed the failing Moses to epic greatness! Then, before Carolynn got in full sermon mode, she continued her heart warming anecdote.

"All was good; I strutted; I smiled; it was all for which a little girl could hope! At least until it came time to bat. The apprehension surged my bravery like the waters of Niagara, and fear swept me over the fall. At that time, I tried to tell my brother that I just couldn't do it. 'I can not; they will laugh at me; I will miss the ball; I will get caught out; or, at best, I will hit tips or fly out or knock fouls! I will just strike out.' I argued with Wayne and wantonly pleaded. Having my big brother choose me was both blessing and curse. With him choosing me, I felt special, but normally, I would just stand there and swing three times at whatever the opposition threw and I could go back and play in the grass out of the arena. After all, I was an easy and expected 'out.' Why disappoint some or surprise others now?"

"I knew my brother would have nothing to do with that. Now I felt the curse; O I could hear the silent laughter loud and clear. I wished it would just end. My brother said to me, 'I'll help you!' He walked me up to that dreaded base, searched and snatched a second grader sized bat; he smiled with confidence and determination. He assured me. 'Don't worry squirt, when we hit that ball, take off running!' Squirt was my nickname; I didn't necessarily like it but from him it was ok."

"With a half-hearted, pretend bravery I secured the bat as best I could; I was ready to strike out; my mind was saying, 'Maybe it won't last long!" Now comes the part where big brother does only what loving big brothers do; I felt his arms around me, his hands over mine. 'You can do it, I'm with you, I'll help you'"

"Then I knew! With his help I could do this, my brother just kept telling me; over and over, reassuring me, helping me grip and aim that weighty wooden weapon and I knew that my loving helper would enable me to achieve what I normally could not. His affectionate reassurance melted fear and dread from this grade-schooler, and I felt I could do any and all things now!"

Carolynn, reminded our church that God has spoken in the Bible, over and over, assuring us that He is with us and will bless us! Did you know that God tells us 100 times in the Old Testament alone - "I am with you. I will bless thee."
Examples:
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
Haggai 2:4 Now be strong, be strong for I am with you.
Genesis 26:24 I am with thee and will bless thee,
And one of my favorite scriptures:
Psalm 125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is around His people.

Carolynn continued her testimony, "My confidence soared as my elder brother's hands securely covered mine like an oversized glove. My hands felt sandwiched between his grip and the bat, and it dawned on me, that it was no longer I but we that were meeting that hurled ball. I would not fail unless he failed and I knew he would not fail. He was my big brother, my rescuer. Playing softball like this is fun!"

"There we stood; in came the ball and together we swung. 'Smack' and we hit the ball. Away the ball dashed like a bird heading south for the winter. To the eyes of this second grader, away and away and way out it traveled. It seemed as if the impossible had happened and I stood there excited almost shaking. I was so thrilled, I forgot to run.

"Wayne yelled, 'Run, Squirt, run!' Here I went, habitually and happy go lucky, skipping to first base. However, my mentor wasn't satisfied with my mediocrity and he ran ahead of me as if the entire game depended on me. The herd of kids roared in laughter, seeing my brother sprinting and hollering while I was skipping and bouncing like a prancing, fledgling kangaroo. I heard the musings but I couldn't understand the fuss. Then it dawned that they were laughing at me. I felt like Job of old who said, 'For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. (Job 3:25)

"My brother was now on first waiving me on, 'Run, don't worry about them, run, give it all you've got!' By the time I got to first base, he was on second waiving his windmill arms, bellowing encouragement. The time had come to trade my skip for a sprint. He knew that, if I chose to run, I could outrun all six students in my grade. Just like God wants us to give our best my coach wanted me to get serious. His fanatic chanting, 'Come on, come on, you can do it,' pierced and overcame the crowded laughter and filled me once again with renewed courage."

It was here Carolynn interjected a pause to reflect on how Christ is our Elder Brother and Constant Companion. She quoted Deuteronomy 31:8 %u2026
And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

"I now ran to 2nd base, then to 3rd. I gave it my all! I was now committed; my big brother was in charge, and I was but his little soldier. If he said, 'Run' I'd run; if he said, 'Stop,' I'd stop. Once, I wanted to stop; it seemed to me they would get me out if I kept running, but my coach brother just kept egging me on. We all need someone to encourage us, 'You can do it; don't give up!'" Who could have imagined on this ordinary sun warmed play ground during a recess break that a skipper would become a sprinter, that the last would become the first? Who could calculate the odds of a little squirt like me getting a brief taste and glimpse of victory row which was reserved for the Dry Creek Soft Ball Hall of Fame. However, there I was standing on third waiting for directions from my mentor. Then, my brother started spinning his right arm with the fury of a propeller in flight. 'Go, Squirt, Go!" was the charge. I fixed my eyes on that irregular plank we had named as home base, and I set my feet to running. It seemed to me but a blink, and I stretched out toward the mark of my prize. I felt the feel of wood against my shoes; a sibling squirt had become a softball hero! 'I made a homerun! I made a homerun!' With my elder brother's help I made it!"

"God is like that; God is faithful. 'Faithful is He that calleth you, who will also do it. (I Thessalonians 5:24)'"

This was the end of Carolynn's story. I told my wife, "We've been in church this morning!" Sister Dye may not be an ordained minister, but her words encouraged my heart equally or more.

God bless you all; remember you are a treasure to God! God chooses whom He will; He is interested in the condition of your heart. Each and every one of you have a calling, something to do for God, God loves you so much.

More Help from the Bible:

I Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is He that calleth you, who will also do it.
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know ye therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth His commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:18 Thou shalt not be afraid,
I Timothy 1:12 Nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know in who I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day.
Exodus 19:5 If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then will you be a treasure to me above all people.
Deuteronomy 7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted for thy God is with you.

You may not look, talk or act like the majority of people, but that does not matter as long as you pattern yourself in the likeness of the One who called and chose you! Listen to His Voice, He will guide you, He knows the way. Please Him! Go where He calls you!

You may be a very funny-looking little girl, no one seems to want you on their team, but you have a Big Brother who does; His name is Jesus. He wants you, he chooses you, he is calling out your name, and he goes before you. Can you hear him beckon, 'Come unto me?'

Submitted by %u2026 Wbisbill .. February, 2008

You might prefer to read the article from its sources - where ther are founf many other disciplshi training articles.
God Chooses Whom He Will The true story of a little girl forced to play softball with the big kids. She learned a valuable life lesson:You may be a very funny-looking little girl, no one seems to want you on their team, but you have a Big Brother who does; His name is Jesus. He wants you, he chooses you, he is calling out your name, and he goes before you. Can you hear him beckon, 'Come unto me?'

NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES ON DISCIPLESHIP (Part 1)

 Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Luke 14:27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

 Luke 9:23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

 Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

 2 Timothy 2:2 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

 John 15:1-17

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ...

 Ephesians 4:11-17 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ...

 Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

 Luke 14:33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

 Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 1 John 2:1-29 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...

 Titus 2:1-8 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ...

 John 21:15-19 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me."

 Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

 Acts 14:20-22 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

 John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

 Matthew 10:32-39 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. ...

 James 1:1-27 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ...

NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES ON DISCIPLESHIP (Continued)

 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

 Acts 8:26-40 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" ...

 Matthew 7:12 "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

 Luke 24:47-49 And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

 Isaiah 53:1-12 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. ...

 2 Kings 6:1-6 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go." Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he answered, "I will go." So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed." ...

 Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

 John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.