Dear Friend in Christ:
It gets cold in Volgograd, Russia, in December. That much isn’t a shock. In 1992, a year after Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev had dissolved the USSR, many large Russian cities were heated by large water-heating plants, which pumped hot water through pipes and radiators into the ubiquitous apartment blocks that dominated city skylines. The system was effective, unless a water-heating plant stopped working properly. Then, people froze to death or endured icy conditions in misery.
I was in Volgograd on a mission visit with my friends, including Keith Curlee, Ken Lowry, and Ziad Kazan. We were staying in a relatively decent hotel that was operated by the Communist Party. Alas, during our stay, the local water-heating plant malfunctioned, and soon, our cozy little room became an icehouse as bone-chilling winds beat upon our window. Keith and I were rooming together, and each of us stacked blankets and coats on top of our beds in a vain effort to stay warm in the night.
Sleep was difficult, and so we conversed across the room about our mission, as well as our lives and ministries. Keith has always been one of my trusted mentors, and I told him of some of the very real frustrations I was having in ministry. At one point, in my angst, I said, “Sometimes, I get so tired of it all, I almost question my calling.
I’ll never forget the scene. Keith was silhouetted against the moonlit window, and he suddenly bolted upright in his bed. I could literally see the steam coming off the top of his head, his waving arms, and his torso, and when he spoke, clouds of his breath were visible in the dark cold. “NEVER QUESTION YOUR CALLING,” he shouted. “Never! Things may get tough, but the minute you abandon your calling, you’re dead. Your calling from God is what sustains you. It gives you life. It brings life to others. God gave it to YOU. Don’t let the devil steal it. Don’t give it up. Never question your calling!”
I told him he was right, and he was. But there was no way I was going to disagree with him in that moment! God took his words and engraved them on my heart, where they still reside today.
Your calling in God is precious and holy. We began to talk about this in last month’s Pastoral Letter. We saw how Romans 5 reminds us of the grace by which we stand through adversity, and the hope that does not disappoint, which is produced in adversity.
Whatever you’re facing right now, there is grace for the journey whenever and wherever you seek the Lord Whenever you are facing “giants,” obstacles, or disappointments, remember these basic facts about your life:
God initiated your calling.
Before time began, He knew you.
In His perfect time, He formed you in your mother’s womb, and He breathed His life into you.
Dear Reader, you are not an accident or a mistake, but you are a precious and uniquely made vessel ready to be filled with God’s love and power and used for the salvation of many.
IT IS HE WHO HAS MADE US
When I was a rambunctious First Grader at Greystone Christian School, our teacher helped us all memorize Psalm 100, which has been a foundation verse for me for the past 55 years.
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations”
(Psalm 100:1-5).
There is a constant spiritual battle happening on earth regarding the reality and nature of creation and the Creator. The Lord is the Maker of the heavens and the earth. He created humanity in His image and made them male and female with equal worth and unique individual giftings and functions. Since that time, our common enemy, Satan, has sought to use any means to attack creation truth through lies, manipulation, and intimidation.
The issue of creation is central to all the other issues we see in our day. Whenever we fail to see the Imago Dei–the image of God–in the lives of others or ourselves, life itself becomes devalued. In “Expelled,” a documentary film from Ben Stein, one leading evolutionist says that if you remove God from the creation equation, then just about anything else goes in terms of human philosophy and behavior.
If that happens, we are no longer considered created by God in His likeness with unique worth and purpose. We are merely evolving animals who have invented our own gods and morals which are ever shifting and malleable according to our own selfish whims. Ironically, the more our society has tried to exalt ourselves above God, the cheaper human life has become, and the worse people treat one another.Â
However, if we can hear the voice of the Lord and exalt Him to His rightful place in our hearts–if our lives and words are a true witness of Him to the people around us–then we will see the righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit revealed as His Kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Our friend Ern Baxter said this: “Man may see himself as the product of primeval slime destined for oblivion, but God declares man to be the product of divine, creative genius destined for residence with Himself.”Â
Please allow me to emphasize this again: You have been shaped and formed by God’s own hand. In fact, He is still working on you! I am reminded of the powerful song sung by Dr. Curtis Lewis at Church in the Round in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania: “Just be patient, God’s not finished with me yet!” You are a person of great worth and potential who is beloved by God. He loves you so much that He gave His own Son to die for your sins and ransom you from death and hell. What a Divine investment!
David said it this way in Psalm 139 …
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).
God has not forgotten you or your name today. You need to know that you know that you know that God hasn’t left you or forsaken you. I’m praying you will hear His voice calling you right now back to Himself. Receive by faith the precious blood of Jesus that was shed for you once and for all at the Cross. Be washed and forgiven and restored to God and to His people.
CALLED FOR PURPOSE
You are called by God to Himself for a purpose. The New Testament Greek word for this is “Kletos.” That kind of calling is an invitation from God into relationship with Himself. He offers His own life and strength to us to carry out His purpose in and through us. Again, the Apostle Paul offers us perspective through his letter to the Christians in Rome:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:28-31).Â
Paul says no matter what happens, whatever circumstances may bring, God is always at work causing all things to work together for good. God’s revelation opens the eyes of our heart (see Ephesians 1).
We are able to see beyond our natural eyes
Hear beyond our natural ears
Understand beyond our natural mind
The Holy Spirit calls us into a relationship with Himself, revealing to us Who He is and who we are in Him. This produces in us confidence and hope that cannot be shaken (see Romans 5).
Too often, what the world calls hope is really deception and delusion; wishful thinking based on false promises and bad information. But the hope that Jesus offers is based on eternal and unshakable reality. We understand that we may sometimes stumble or fall. Sometimes storms may rise and trouble will surely come. But the people who know their God will display strength and take action (see Daniel 11:32). They overcome “the dragon” by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. They are not afraid to be selfless or lay down their own lives, because their cause is beyond themselves and their hope is rooted in eternity.
You were not only created by God, but you were born for such a time as this. Let us allow the love of God to cast out all fear today. Let us repent of waywardness, rebellion, and going our own way. Let us cast aside idols, false doctrines, and the pursuit of self; to lay aside the sin that so easily entangles and run with endurance the race that has been set before us.
Thanks to all who have prayed for us during this season of serious health and financial battles. You can follow us for more updates and NEW resources by visiting our csmpublishing.org website, our official Charles Simpson Ministries Facebook Page, our X (Twitter) account @CSMinPublishing, our CSMPublishing YouTube Channel AND our newly restored csminpublishing Instagram account! We’ve produced many new video shorts, as well as audio versions of each Pastoral Letter, read by yours truly.
I will be very transparent with you: since my father’s passing, CSM has had a severe downturn in giving to support our mission. Our reserves have been depleted, and we are existing week-to-week right now. Would you prayerfully consider a special financial gift to support this ministry? We want to not only preserve the legacy of Charles Simpson’s teaching, but create new resources to restore the generational bridge. We love you and thank God for you!
In Jesus,
Pastor Stephen Simpson
President
