If you enjoyed the Equipping Men: Practical Tools for Life's Issues audio series, then perhaps you will be blessed by the new audio series entitled, Rising to the Call. We're excited about making this new resource available for men and their families. The articles in A Chariot of Fire have come from that series.

      I thought you might be interested in learning about the messages contained in Rising to the Call. I encourage you to make this series a part of your family library. Or perhaps you may know of other friends and family who would benefit from more tools for handling life's issues. Please pass on the information and let's advance the Spirit of Elijah!

Rising to the Call Series

Having Ears to Hear the Call

Did you know it is possible to see but not see and to hear but not hear? Jesus said the teaching on how to listen was foundational to understanding all of his teaching. You'll be encouraged by the insights from this lesson and enjoy the fruit of having ears to hear God's callings in life.

Rising to Your Callings

The callings of God are irrevocable acts of God that establish special relationships with responsibilities, privileges, and promises which provide hope for the future. Recognizing these callings of God in life enables us to rise to those callings and lead the next generation.

Rising to the Call of Holiness

What blessings await the generation that learns how to apply the principle of holiness to all of their callings in life. You'll be enlightened with new vision in how to lead your family to pursue holiness-without which no one will see the Lord.

Rising to the Call of Faith

Have you ever felt that you didn't believe enough? Have you ever wondered what kind of faith ninety percent of Americans have who say they believe in God? You'll learn to distinguish between two kinds of faith so that you and your family may rise to the callings of God in life.

Rising to the Call to Pray

Need some encouragement and motivation to pray? Jesus provided three powerful incentives to his disciples in response to their request, "Lord, teach us to pray." As men are equipped to rise to the call to pray, our culture, churches, and families will be transformed to glorify God.

Rising to the Call of Purity

God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in holiness. You'll be blessed as you discover how to be transformed from a user into a man who knows how to "possess his own vessel" in holiness and honor.

It's Yours to Lose and Recover

Although the callings of God in your life are irrevocable, the privileges and promises are yours to lose. Many men have suffered great loss because they didn't recognize God's callings. But because God is a Redeemer, there is great hope of recovering those blessings in your present callings.

Seven Qualities of a Family Leader

The Apostle Paul exemplified seven qualities of leadership that will be an encouragement to men and their families. There's a spiritual battle waged against men in leadership. This message will equip men to overcome their weaknesses and fears.

A Relational Husband and Father

Need some practical suggestions on how to be relational with your wife and children? Why is it important? Learn how a relational husband and father can make the gospel real to his family.

Who Has the Hearts of Your Children?

The one who gives them the most hope! Hope is a powerful motivator. This message teaches the dynamics of the hearts of your children as well as the dynamics of hope so that you may rise to the call of God to give hope to your family.

Dad, the Scout in the Family Wagon Train

Just like the scouts led the way west for the pioneers, dads are to blaze the trail for the family. You'll be encouraged as you hear about the vision, the course, and Source of supply for you and your family wagon train.

Out of the Trenches, Men!

God's Word has called men to be soldiers for Christ, but in recent decades our culture has emasculated men. What are the qualities of an ideal warrior that men need to maintain? This message calls men out of the trenches and onto the spiritual battlefield for the sake of their families and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ordering Rising to the Call

We are now taking orders for the Rising to the Call series in order to assist in the production costs. You may order by calling us at (830) 980-5606 or by going to our website at www.spiritofelijah.com. The series will be available in audio cassette as well as CD's, and should begin shipping in three weeks. It would be a blessing to us as well as to others if you would pass on this information to other men whom you think will be encouraged and equipped by the new resource.

Rising to the Call:
The Promises of The Foundational Calling

Promises are important. They are important because of the hope they foster in our lives. Without promises, our hearts have nothing in which to hope. Every calling of God comes with promises IF we are faithful to the responsibilities of each calling. For review, I want to define again what constitutes a calling of God. A calling is an irrevocable act of God that establishes a special relationship with responsibilities, privileges, and promises that provide hope for the future.

      In this article, I want to focus our attention on the last part of our definition of a calling: promises that provide hope for the future. How important it is for children to learn to think ahead to the future when considering their actions. A child who learns the dynamics of hope early in life is one who will be prepared to make wise decisions in life. Fools rush in without thinking of the consequences of their actions. Wise men consider the ramifications of their actions on others and their impact on their future. More importantly, they are ripe for the promises and hope provided in the gospel.

Learn the Dynamics of Hope

God has made the heart of man to hope. In Proverbs 13:12 we read, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life." Our hearts are full of desires seeking fulfillment. The human heart has the capacity to treasure those things that offer fulfillment in the future. This makes hope a tremendous motivator in life. If we're to see the importance of the promises in our foundational calling in life, we need to understand the dynamics of hope.

      In Colossians 1:3-6, we discover the dynamics of hope. The Apostle employed hope as the motivational principle for the Colossians to keep their focus on Jesus Christ alone as their Source of life. Paul wrote,

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel…

Faith and Love are Produced by Hope

You'll notice that faith and love are produced by hope. When we heard the promises of the gospel, we were given hope. The hope of the promises being fulfilled produced faith in our hearts. In Galatians, Paul taught that faith always works through love. We could further say that hope also produces joy, because when love finishes working in our lives, we are filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit.

      Promises made by someone who has demonstrated the power to fulfill those promises foster hope. This may be illustrated by the fact that hundreds of thousands of people fly on airplanes. The faith to board the airplane comes from the fact that the airline promises to get their customers to their destination safely. Promises of on-time arrival and more amenities increase hope. If an airline has demonstrated a consistent ability to fulfill those promises, a passenger develops a greater loyalty to that airline. But if an airline did not have a successful track record in delivering its passengers safely and on time, it would have a difficult time attracting customers! It is the promise offered by someone who has demonstrated consistent ability to fulfill that promise which fosters hope in the hearts and launches people into action.

      The reason earthly treasures allure us is that they offer a temporal hope to the heart. In the absence of a greater hope, the heart will seek unconsciously the greatest hope available. Jesus taught this concept in the Sermon on the Mount when he said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21). If our treasures are on earth, our hearts will be earth-bound. If our treasures are in heaven, then our hearts will be heaven-bound. Jesus understood the importance of hope, and therefore contrasted the difference between the hopelessness of living for earthly treasures and the hope of living for heavenly treasures. He knew the greatest hope has the heart!

Offer Hope in the Foundational Calling?

As we lead our families and teach our children about the responsibilities of their calling as children, the promises of God are provided as a motivation for them. Consider for instance what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise) THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH" (Eph. 6:1-3). In order to encourage the children to fulfill their responsibilities to their parents and to God, he included the fact that this command came with a promise.

      God promises well-being if children obey their parents. He also promises that God's people, as a unique expression of His love and presence, will be preserved. These promises are meant to produce hope and motivate children to fulfill that responsibility of their calling.

      The book of Proverbs offers tremendous examples of employing the dynamics of hope to children. Notice the promises which provide hope for the future as the father in Proverbs encourages his son. First, the father gives the responsibility of the son, and then he gives the promise which provides hope for the future.

Proverbs 3:1-2
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you.

Proverbs 3:3-4
Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

      The verses above are a very small example from the book of Proverbs. Perhaps you might read through the book of Proverbs this month, taking a chapter per day. Make note of the responsibilities of sons and daughters to their fathers and mothers, but make special notice of the promises. Maybe have your children make a list of the promises and then what is required for those promises to be fulfilled. In this way you can teach them about the dynamics of hope as well as give them the basis for practicing faithfulness in their foundational calling in life.
I want to encourage you, fathers and mothers, to become parents of hope.

      As you teach your children the way to live life, fill them with hope by explaining the benefits of your way of life. Use God's Word with His promises as the basis for your actions and lifestyle. God often revealed the hopelessness of ignoring His ways, so you might do the same with your children. Teach them the hopelessness of the things you prohibit or that the world values and promotes. They need to see that the customs and ways of this world offer no hope for the future, but only temporal gratification with severe consequences and sure destruction.
If you are dealing with a child who lacks faith to follow you and obey you, then you have a perfect situation in which to apply these principles. You can know they are lacking hope or that you have not offered a greater hope to their heart than the world or peers have offered. If you analyze what hope they are being offered from their friends or the world, you'll find what their heart is looking for.

      Your mission is to provide them a greater hope along those same lines that comes from God and from their calling to you as your child. Show them how their choices are going to impact their future callings in life: they'll either suffer in the future or they'll experience benefit and blessing due to how they fulfill their calling now.

      As a project for family devotions, you might consider reading the promises of God in the gospel (the theme of next month's article). What do you think about evaluating your family values and practices by the hope they offer for the future? When you make decisions about training your children and the programs or activities in which they are to be involved, ask yourself, "What hope does this provide for the future?" It will give you wisdom in making your decisions.

      I hope this article has inspired you with hope! May God give us all grace to be parents of hope as our Father in heaven is a God of hope.

            Norm Wakefield
            Elijah Ministries
            PO 377
            Bulverde, Texas 78163
            www.spiritofelijah.com