I don't know if you have been following all the political news, but the discussion and interviews and debates have been making headlines lately.
People in power have made statements and voiced opinions. There really is nothing new under the sun, is there?
People of power and influence in this world were on my mind when I wrote the following message to my Heavenly Father - the great and high and holy God:
Father,
I just love the fact that the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. You told me so in 1 Corinthians 1:25.
You chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; you chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. You chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are. Why? So that no one may boast, except in the Lord.
When I look at the people you have hand-picked for your spokespersons and servants who were used in mighty ways,I marvel at the list.
Moses was terrified of public speaking, yet towards the end of his earthly journey, he gave a rousing speech that took up two whole chapters in the book of Deuteronomy.
The king of Israel, David, was considered so insignificant that his father did not call him to dine with the prophet Samuel until Samuel specifically asked for him.
Isaiah's encounter with the living God brought him to the end of himself. He realized his sinful condition and only after having the purifying coals from the altar applied to his lips, could he speak on behalf of the Lord.
Jeremiah confessed his potential inability to speak for the Lord because of his youth, yet he was used in a mighty way.
God used a poor Jewish girl named Esther to save an entire nation.
The Lord used uneducated fishermen to turn the world upside down and to present the rescue plan for a perishing world.
The seemingly insignificant, unnoticed, non-influential people are the ones that are used by the Lord. His spoke persons are an unlikely lot.
They were the candidates chosen by the Creator of all mankind.
After all, He does not look on the outside, He sees straight through to the heart.
That gives me hope and encouragement. If God can use the insignificant, He can surely use me. If He can use the ordinary,then I fit right into that category.
If He can change the mundane to the miraculous, it is obvious that He can use anyone, at any time to accomplish His good purposes. Amen to that!
That is what I wanted to say. Be available to God this week, and watch what happens!
God's economy; Contrary To The World's Principles
Greetings Family, I don't know about you, but each day I check my email, there is inevitably many "FW:" in my in-box. Sometimes I will get the same forward from a host of different people. Sorry folks, I hope this does not offend you, but if I get the same thing from more than one person, I delete the duplicates. The topics in these forwards can vary from funny, to friendly; tiresome to thought-provoking; patronizing to pathetic. If you are like me, there are certain people who send forwards that you are sure to open eagerly. I had just finished reading one such email regarding money when I wrote the following:
"Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest collects it for one who is kind to the poor." Proverbs 28:8
That's the way it works in God's economy. It runs absolutely contrary to the world's principles. "The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses." Prov. 28:27
In God's kingdom, the giver becomes the receiver.
The successful ones in the worldly economy teach that we must do whatever it takes to get ahead, even if it means stepping on some people on the way up.
So that means if you reverse the world's pattern, it shows a picture of God's heart - of what is really important to Him.
God says- Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. The world says- Never let them see you sweat.
God says- Blessed are those who mourn,(mourning over sin, the godly sorrow that produces repentance) because they will be comforted. The world says- No regrets- if it feels good, do it.
There are so many other examples in God's word that would fill pages and pages of text, but the principle is clear. Followers of Christ are called out from the world. We are in the world, but we are citizens of another place - a better place. We need to live that way. We need to love that way..living out the definition of love: you before me.
That is what I wanted to say. My prayer for you this week is that you would take the time look at your circumstances and the opportunities that surround you each day through the lens of your royal citizenship. Like the song says - "This world is not home, I'm only passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." (Straight Path is familiar with this song Be a blessing this week.
Time for a Spiritual Evaluation
Greetings Family, Did you make any new year's resolutions? How are you doing with them? We are almost a quarter of the way through this year, 2011 - and I don't want to make you feel bad, or anything, but...it really is important to do an evaluation once in a while to see if we are still moving in the right direction. Did you set any spiritual goals for yourself? In January our Pastor gave us a list of questions to get us thinking about some spiritual goals for 2011. He is always looking out for our spiritual health - and watching over the care and feeding of our souls. That is a huge responsibility, and we should all be keeping our church leadership in prayer. The world has its own set of goals and priorities, and they vary greatly from those belonging to the children of the Most High God. The following journal entry was written on the very last day of the end of the first decade of this millennium. "Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy go on in being made filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; and let the holy go on in being made holy. Look! I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:11-13
Okay, finish this phrase: "truth or_______" How about: "A bird in the hand is worth____ ____ ___ ______."
These phrases are easily repeated because we have listened to and spoken them many times throughout our lives. Commercial jingles, words to a song that plays over and over in our head are all examples of the power of words. One unexpected phone call from the state police could bring words of a tragedy that change your life forever. Words are powerful! Words of commitment carry responsibility, and vows exchanged at the altar are designed to last a lifetime. The words of humans are not always reliable; but the words of the Lord are true forever. That is what I was contemplating when I wrote this journal entry.
"The Lord's promise is sure. He speaks no careless word. All He says is purest truth, like silver seven times refined." Psalm 12:6
The Lord speaks no careless word, only absolute and pure truth - no empty words, no white lies, no broken promises, no compromise. He never speaks with good intention to accomplish great things, but fails to follow through. He is not like that, but His children often are. Frail humanity in a fallen world both deceive and are deceived. Even God's children can lose sight of who God says they really are and Who they belong to. When God spoke to Moses out of that burning bush, He commanded Moses to speak to the Israelites and instruct them. Moses' reluctance to obey reveals that he had a misconception of his identity. He had a flawed view- he did not understand his own identity. When Moses focused on his limitations, he forgot that he was talking to the One who created him. Every detail of his DNA was formed by the Creator who called to Moses on that sacred ground. The bare feet that were planted in that place were very near to their Designer. The mouth that said, "Send someone else, I am slow of speech" was talking to the One who formed that very tongue and was very much aware of every word that flowed from those lips. Moses lost sight of his identity as a chosen child of the King. We are no different at times. Our identity is not made up of others opinions or what self portraits we may have created over the years. Instead, our true identity is made up of whatever God thinks of us. If He says we are His children, then we are, no matter what the deceiver may whisper into our ears when we have stumbled, or failed, or have disappointed others. If God says we are precious in His sight, then we are, in spite of how we are feeling at the moment. What God says about you is true- every time, all the time. His words never fall to the ground. Never.
Relying on the Sovereignty of God
Greetings Family, I don't know about you, but at tumultuous times like this, I must fully rely on the Sovereignty of God, the Controller of outcomes. With the recent events that have taken place, and are taking place right now in Japan, it is critical to trust and pray, pray, and when you're done praying, pray some more! We have family there, you and I. Our brothers and sisters in the family of God in Japan, are not only enduring the same set of circumstances as the lost, but they have an unprecedented opportunity to reach out, and point the unsaved around them to the only hope for mankind - the Lord Jesus Christ.