Think God can't use a person like you? Think again!
You may be thinking "I can never be of any use to God - I'm too old - what use has my life been" - or you may be thinking "I am just a brand new Christian - way not enough experience to be used by God" - well I really want you to re-think your position and how God can use you.
I was astounded just recently when someone shared with me how I had been used by God without even knowing it!
We hadn't seen other for years nor had we communicated in any way but as soon we saw each other his first words were "I will never forget how God used you to help my ministry" - I was dumbfounded.
It all happened way way back when I was in Human Resources for a pretty big company and we were in the process of updating our computer system. Transferring our computers from one brand to another was taking it's time and costing heaps of money no doubt.
The offer was given that the redundant computers were to be offered to charities or church affiliated bodies - so I had a quick ring around.
The first person I called was this friend who at that time was a young minister just starting out in his first church. I thought in my innocence that maybe, just maybe he could use a computer for his ministry.
Unbeknown to me, he and his Bible study group had just been praying for a computer and no sooner had they finished the prayer when my phone call arrived - I had no idea! - He was so amazed he didn't tell me until just the other day when we happened to meet after many years.
That is just one little experience of how God uses people even in the so-called 'little' things. It is these 'little' things that often astounds us as to the interest God takes in our lives - He loves us so.
When you think about it - God used a murderer to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt. He surrounded his Son with a group of uneducated fisherman and workers. One of the number, Matthew, was a tax collector working for the Romans. Tax Collectors were a despised group of Jews that were looked upon as traitors and treasonists.
He used a man who tortured Christians horribly, stoning them and ripping families apart to watch them die slow and agonising deaths, to spearhead the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
He used a one hundred year old man and his ninety nine year old wife to become parents of the chosen race of Israel, a lowly shepherd boy to become the greatest king to lead that race and the most amazing of all a young innocent girl to become the mother of Jesus.
You may also be thinking - "what a mess I have made in my life - I am such a failure - God couldn't possibly use me."
That isn't at all true! God uses our failures, trials, misfortunes and yes even our misery and guilt to glorify is kingdom. you may say you are a failure BUT because of what Jesus did on that cross over two thousand years ago, God sees you as victorious. He can turn the bad things and so-called failures into good to testify to His grace.
The fact is, we need to make ourselves available to God and he will use us.
We need to be humble - God can't use the proud - He never has. The Pharisees of long ago were a proud lot, judging others and always pointing out bad behaviour and attitude.
Paul was one of the most educated people of his day but he was also one of the proudest. God broke him down in the most spectacular way on the road to Damascus and he was never the same again. He became a humble and contrite servant of Jesus. All of his education was then directed only to the glory of God.
God knows about your past. He knows your weaknesses and insecurities. He also knows what you are capable of. God has an amazing record of taking nobodies and making them somebodies all by His grace alone.
There are untold numbers of testimonies on the Internet describing how God uses people. Some down and out, living it rough on the streets,when God reached down and pulled them out of their misery and now praising Him with awesome stories to win others. Some are astonishingly rich living life with everything the world can offer, only to realise they had nothing at all - bound in sin and hopelessness.
No matter who you are, God can make you a vital part of His incredible plan. He used an ordinary tract in an ordinary church on a cold wet and windy night, with hardly anybody there, written by an ordinary person at least two decades before, to bring me to my knees in repentance.
God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in extraordinary ways and all to advance His kingdom.
So how about you? are you willing to let Him?
You may be thinking "I can never be of any use to God - I'm too old - what use has my life been" - or you may be thinking "I am just a brand new Christian - way not enough experience to be used by God" - well I really want you to re-think your position and how God can use you.
 |
| BE EXTRAORDINARY NOT ORDINARY |
I was astounded just recently when someone shared with me how I had been used by God without even knowing it!
We hadn't seen other for years nor had we communicated in any way but as soon we saw each other his first words were "I will never forget how God used you to help my ministry" - I was dumbfounded.
It all happened way way back when I was in Human Resources for a pretty big company and we were in the process of updating our computer system. Transferring our computers from one brand to another was taking it's time and costing heaps of money no doubt.
The offer was given that the redundant computers were to be offered to charities or church affiliated bodies - so I had a quick ring around.
The first person I called was this friend who at that time was a young minister just starting out in his first church. I thought in my innocence that maybe, just maybe he could use a computer for his ministry.
Unbeknown to me, he and his Bible study group had just been praying for a computer and no sooner had they finished the prayer when my phone call arrived - I had no idea! - He was so amazed he didn't tell me until just the other day when we happened to meet after many years.
That is just one little experience of how God uses people even in the so-called 'little' things. It is these 'little' things that often astounds us as to the interest God takes in our lives - He loves us so.
When you think about it - God used a murderer to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt. He surrounded his Son with a group of uneducated fisherman and workers. One of the number, Matthew, was a tax collector working for the Romans. Tax Collectors were a despised group of Jews that were looked upon as traitors and treasonists.
He used a man who tortured Christians horribly, stoning them and ripping families apart to watch them die slow and agonising deaths, to spearhead the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
He used a one hundred year old man and his ninety nine year old wife to become parents of the chosen race of Israel, a lowly shepherd boy to become the greatest king to lead that race and the most amazing of all a young innocent girl to become the mother of Jesus.
You may also be thinking - "what a mess I have made in my life - I am such a failure - God couldn't possibly use me."
That isn't at all true! God uses our failures, trials, misfortunes and yes even our misery and guilt to glorify is kingdom. you may say you are a failure BUT because of what Jesus did on that cross over two thousand years ago, God sees you as victorious. He can turn the bad things and so-called failures into good to testify to His grace.
The fact is, we need to make ourselves available to God and he will use us.
We need to be humble - God can't use the proud - He never has. The Pharisees of long ago were a proud lot, judging others and always pointing out bad behaviour and attitude.
Paul was one of the most educated people of his day but he was also one of the proudest. God broke him down in the most spectacular way on the road to Damascus and he was never the same again. He became a humble and contrite servant of Jesus. All of his education was then directed only to the glory of God.
God knows about your past. He knows your weaknesses and insecurities. He also knows what you are capable of. God has an amazing record of taking nobodies and making them somebodies all by His grace alone.
There are untold numbers of testimonies on the Internet describing how God uses people. Some down and out, living it rough on the streets,when God reached down and pulled them out of their misery and now praising Him with awesome stories to win others. Some are astonishingly rich living life with everything the world can offer, only to realise they had nothing at all - bound in sin and hopelessness.
No matter who you are, God can make you a vital part of His incredible plan. He used an ordinary tract in an ordinary church on a cold wet and windy night, with hardly anybody there, written by an ordinary person at least two decades before, to bring me to my knees in repentance.
God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in extraordinary ways and all to advance His kingdom.
So how about you? are you willing to let Him?
God has shown me what I could do but not how to do it. And I have very little energy. I find it all very confusing and often discouraging.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment - the beautiful thing is that we don't need energy to do His will all we need to do is to make ourselves available and He will do the rest - Our willingness to do His will is all that is needed - God blessings on you as you seek to do His will - and remember you don't have to work out how to do it - he will do that for you - Just keep moving ahead with faith.
DeleteHi Bruce.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. We never know who or what the Lord may use to do His work. All we need to remember is Jesus said, "Where I am there shall my servant be also." (John 12:26) In the end it is His work & He uses whom He chooses to do it.
God bless. Great post. Keep up the great work...John
Thanks John for your reply - always appreciate your thoughts and your encouragement.
Delete