45 INVITATIONS

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NASB)

At our Bible Study classes this week, participants were asked to respond to the following statement, “The Lord invites us up on more than one occasion.”  The correct response was, “True.”  But this was not a True or False quiz.  Also, the statement was not indicative of how long it takes many individuals to accept the invitation to Christian discipleship.  Some have still not accepted that very pertinent invitation and that is one, if answered or not answered, that will have eternal consequences.  For those who attended the class, what I am about to show you, it is a worthwhile review.  For you who have never given the aforementioned statement any deep thought, it just might be a worthwhile revelation.  Here are just some ways that the Lord invites us “up” on more occasion. 

1. He invites us to operate on the Father’s time schedule. (Sometimes you have to wait on the Lord!  Sometimes you have to act when He says act and move when He says move.)
2. He invites us to read the Word…really to study the Word.
3. He invites us to get into the habit of going to the place of worship.
4. He invites us to hear the Word, specifically to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 
5. He invites us to come to Jesus and experience salvation. (In a fourfold sense; saved from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, saved from the presence of sin because our delight is in the Scriptures and not the scornful, and saved from the presence of sin when we enter our heavenly home.)
6. He invites us to discipleship.  (“Pick up your cross and follow me.”  Go beyond your comfort zone!)
7. He invites us by His example to take small means and bring about great results. (Whether it was the lad’s lunch that fed the multitude or the fact that through one Man, Jesus, millions, and millions have and will be saved.)
8. He invites us to be different when it comes to saying who we think Jesus is: “The Christ, the Son of the living God.”
9. He invites us to be humble for whoever humbles himself as this child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.     
10. He invites us to forgive continuously.   
11. He invites us to be a church in agreement on things that are aligned with the will of God.
12. He invites us to love one another.
13. He invites us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
14. He invites us to reconcile quickly.
15. He invites us not to live hypocritical lives.
16. He invites us not to be judgmental and to deal with the beams in our own eyes.
17. He invites us to be steadfast in our faith that He is coming back again for his bride.   
18. He invites us again to be ready for no one knows the day or time when He shall return.
19. He invites us to have the faith that with God all things are possible.
20. He invites us to launch out into the deep and catch many fish (catch folks who need to come out of darkness into the marvelous light).
21. He invites us to get in the word and furthermore, understand His parables.
22. He invites us to be good citizens.  (Render unto Caesar what is Caesars and render unto God what is God’s.)
23. He invites us to go up to worship and come down to work. 
24. He invites us to come all who are heavy laden and burdened, assuring us of rest.
25. He invites us to come and build our house on the solid rock, for all other ground is sinking sand.
26. He invites us to be fellow laborers in the gospel.
27. He invites us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
28. He invites us to be happy/blessed in The Beatitudes.
29. He invites us to live by His teachings (i.e. The Sermon on the Mount).
30. He invites us to pray.
31. He invites us to be good stewards.
32. He invites us to let Him lead us through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
33. He invites us to mean what we say when we declare, “Lord, Lord” or proclaim, “First giving honor to God who is the head of my life.”
34. He invites us to revisit Calvary and to retell the story about the love of God and Jesus’ “no greater love.”
35. He invites us to open the door every time He knocks.
36. He invites us to do a greater work.
37. He invites us to stand strong in our faith even when it is in the face of wrong.
38. He invites us to take courage in the storms of life.  For He still says, “Peace be still to our storms.”
39. He invites us to see to it that no one misleads you, for many will come saying, “I am the Christ” and will mislead many.
40. He invites us to repent and seek His forgiveness.  If we accept the invitation, we will come out cleansed!
41. He invites us to keep watching and praying that we may not enter into temptation for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42. He invites us to do things His way. 
43. He invites us to fear not; don’t be afraid.
44. He invites us to depend on the power descending from above.
45. He invites us to worship Him, much like the disciples who met Him at the designated place.  We need to stop the deserting of the church and meet Him at our designated places: the house of worship, our prayer places, on the missionary field, and on the battlefield.

This is an abbreviated list.  So add to it as you go through this day, staying God conscious.  Love you!  Be blessed!

“He said to them, “Come, and you will see…” (John 1:39a NASB)

Still committed to the climb,

Mark L. King