{"id":20745,"date":"2016-06-01T17:48:31","date_gmt":"2016-06-01T21:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/?p=20745"},"modified":"2026-07-09T14:06:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T21:06:55","slug":"when-god-calls-a-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/when-god-calls-a-man\/","title":{"rendered":"When God Calls a Man"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ManBy Roger Oakland<\/strong>
\n Understand the Times, International<\/strong><\/p>\n

When God places a vision in a man\u2019s heart, events happen God\u2019s way according to God\u2019s will. When man plans things man\u2019s way without God, events may unfold, but they are the product of manipulation and human control. I have learned this principle the hard way, and it took me many years. Sometimes, it takes a few hard knocks to get a person\u2019s attention. When the truth finally sinks in, it is obvious that God can use anyone, anytime, anywhere.<\/p>\n

The book of Nehemiah is an example of how God established His plan through man. God uses humans but only when they listen to Him. Otherwise, while it is still possible for men and women to accomplish good works, time usually reveals how the flesh overrules the Spirit. When this happens the plans of men fail.<\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the best examples of this principle is repeated in church history. God often calls men to be the founders of movements. For example, a single man may hear from God and teach the Word of God to his flock without any other attractions. Initially, a single church will grow and become a model for other pastors to follow.<\/p>\n

Soon this founding church will be cloned by other pastors who recognize God is at work through the founding pastor. After a generation or two, other churches are added. Eventually, a movement (or what is often called an association of churches) develops.<\/p>\n

However, as the movement grows, something usually happens. A hierarchy develops\u2014a pope-like leader, some cardinals, several bishops, quite a few priests, and many many sheep. Even the leader of the movement may not understand what has happened. Although he can be a spiritual man, the cardinals have the potential to operate in the flesh. They see that their leader is getting old and frail. This means that someday they could potentially be chosen to replace him. When one is chosen, there will be smoke, won\u2019t there? Click here<\/a> to continue reading.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Roger Oakland Understand the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,165,114,4],"tags":[6,61,507,3257,3258],"class_list":["post-20745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-word-of-god-defending-the-faith","category-spiritual-deception-defending-the-faith","category-churches-in-crisis","category-defending-the-faith","tag-roger-oakland","tag-spiritual-deception","tag-discernment","tag-good-shepherd","tag-church-history","wpcat-87-id","wpcat-165-id","wpcat-114-id","wpcat-4-id"],"yoast_head":"\nWhen God Calls a Man - From the Lighthouse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/when-god-calls-a-man\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When God Calls a Man\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Roger Oakland Understand the...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/when-god-calls-a-man\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"From the Lighthouse\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LighthouseTrailsResearch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-06-01T21:48:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-09T21:06:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/bigstock-Man-Sitting-Desperately-Under-33032198-500x333.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Roger Oakland\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@LTrails\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@LTrails\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Roger Oakland\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Roger Oakland\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/30980de19ee37515b4a51f2c69630085\"},\"headline\":\"When God Calls a Man\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-06-01T21:48:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-09T21:06:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":349,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/09\\\/bigstock-Man-Sitting-Desperately-Under-33032198-500x333.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Roger Oakland\",\"spiritual deception\",\"discernment\",\"good shepherd\",\"church history\"],\"articleSection\":[\"The Word of God\",\"\u2014Spiritual Deception\",\"CHURCHES IN CRISIS!\",\"DEFENDING THE FAITH\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com\\\/blog\\\/when-god-calls-a-man\\\/\",\"name\":\"When God Calls a Man - 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