BH Bulletin - Wednesday 23 June 2021

Thought for the Day by Dave Howarth
​(Lead Pastor Holy Cross Church)

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4v1)

This is the headline for all that follows in Ephesians. Note a few things beginning with “E.”

• It’s a call to EVERYONE who’s a Christian. We might speak of being “called” to some job, or to be a missionary in the Congo. But in the Bible, being “called” by God means he has made you his; it’s what happens when we become Christians. In that moment, God makes us incredible, for he makes us his own children. God, then, tells us to live incredible lives, “worthy of” our incredible calling.
• It involves EVERYTHING we do: “live a life.” Living as one of God’s people isn’t a part-time job, or one more thing on my to-do list. It’s to control all I do, every day, every hour, every decision.
• And in fact, it’s ESSENTIAL that we do: “I urge you.” That’s a strong word. Such living isn’t optional. Anytime we don’t live according to our calling, we steal glory from God.
• We also rob ourselves of joy, for living this life is EXCELLENT. Whatever plans we might have for our lives, or just for the rest of this week, if they’re not about living according to our calling in Christ, then we’re like kids taken to the seaside who only play in the car park and never make it onto the beach. We’d be crazy to miss out on the ice creams, sandcastles and donkey rides!
• Of course, this will take EFFORT. You don’t need to be urged to do something that’s easy. If someone urges you to take an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii, you’re unlikely to roll you eyes and say, “must I?!” However, God never calls us to something he doesn’t give us power for.
• A final “E”: responding to our call does not EARN us favour with God. He has called us, so he has saved us by grace through the cross of Christ, and we are his dearly loved children.

So let’s live lives worthy of our calling.
Dave

---

---

Brighton & Hove City Mission Summer Newsletter 2021

2021-06-22_b_h_city_mission_summer_newsletter.pdf
File Size:	477 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

Off the Fence June 2021 Prayer Letter 

2021-06-22_off_the_fence_june_prayer_letter..pdf
File Size:	154 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---