WHY NOT US (PART 3)

1 Corinthians 1:27 (AMP) [No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame.

The next person that I want us to look at is Rehab.  Her story is found in Joshua 2.  You see, the Bible does not give the occupation of every person, but it does tell us hers.  Rehab was a prostitute, yet God sent the spies to her house, and I believe that the reason He did is because He saw that she had a pure heart; a heart of faith.  Here is what the Bible says about her:

Joshua 2:1, “Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, ‘Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.’ So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.”

Then we see in Hebrews that she is in the “Hall of Faith” with other great men and women of God.  Hebrews 11:31 says, “It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God.  For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”

The thing that is so amazing is that she is in the lineage of Jesus.  That is right!  An ex-prostitute is in the line of Jesus.  See it for yourself.   Matthew 1:1, 5 says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham…Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse.”

So you see that even when life throws you a lemon, you can go ahead and make lemonade, with God’s strength.  We do not know why she started in this lifestyle, all I know is that if you let God be God in your life, He can take the lowest part of you and make it His highest.

So today, do not look at where you have come from; look at where you are going to go.  With God on your side, how can you lose?

CONFESSION: If God is for me, how can I lose?  Today God, my Father, is going to take my lows and turn them into great opportunities to help others.

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WHY NOT US (PART 2)

1 Corinthians 1:27 (NLT) Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

We looked at King David yesterday.  Even though his father rejected him, God did not, and when it was time for Him to come to the next step, he was ready.  We see this in the great story of David and Goliath.  When David came to where the children of Israel were fighting the Philistines, he was immediately put down by his older brother:

1 Samuel 17:28-30 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." 29 And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

David did not let this discourage him.  He moved on with what he knew he had to do.  It should be the same with us.  There will be times that even our family members might not understand why we believe the way we do, but we need to be true to God, and we will see that He will get us right where He wants us to be.

Discouragement will always come and, at times, it might come from where we least expect it, but we need to know that, like David, God is with us.  He promised He will never leave us or forsake us.  So today, if you feel discouraged or that no one understands, let me say this, “GOD DOES!” and He will see that you get to the Promised Land that He has for you.

Remember, people look at the outside, but God looks at the inside.  Keep your heart pure, serve Him, and watch Him line everything up in your life and get you into a position for success.

CONFESSION:  My feet are ordered by God, and I know that He will get me into the right place at the right time.  My trust is in Him.  All is going to be well!

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WHY NOT US (PART 1)

1 Corinthians 1:27 (NKJV) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.

When you look through the stories of the Bible, one thing stands out: God does not do things like the world does.  He operates the way He wants to, and nobody is going to tell Him differently.  We see this so clearly in the type of people that He uses.  He does not go for the high and mighty.  He goes for the low and humble, and makes them into who He wants them to be.  For the next few days, I want us to look at different people in the Bible, and see how God chose them and used them.

King David:  David was a young man that watched his father’s sheep.  One day when the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of his sons to be the next king of Israel, his father never even called him to come in to meet this great man of God.  Yet after Samuel went through all of David’s brothers, he asked if there was another.  Look at what the Bible says:

1 Samuel 16:10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these." 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all the young men here?" Then he said, "There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here." 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!"

David’s father might have passed him up, but God did not.  At times, you might feel like you were passed up, but stay faithful and close to God your Father.  He is the one that has great plans for you!  He never misses the one that He wants, and what He is looking for is a person with a pure heart.  So today, be that person.  Why not you?

CONFESSION:  It is God my Father that promotes and makes strong, so today my trust is in Him.  He will get me to the place that He wants me to be.

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BE A BLESSING

Daniel 12:3 (NKJV) Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

Here is another reward for those who take the things of the Kingdom seriously.  Those who turn many to righteousness will be like stars that will shine forever and forever.  I like that, how about you?  You see, if we will just say that we will live for God and let His glory shine through us, it will bless so many people!  Then, throughout all eternity, we will be blessed as we see people in heaven, because of us.

I heard a saying once and it has stuck with me: “You can either pay now and play later, or play now and pay later, but you will have to pay at some time in life.”  So you see, if we will do what we have to do now and work for the Kingdom and help many come to righteousness, we will enjoy the blessings of heaven forever!

Some say, “Well all you are looking for is to get blessed,” but I believe it is much more than that.  I believe it is being a blessing to someone else.  It is getting someone out of the chains of bondage, and helping them to be set free from the lies of the devil.  There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, and I want to make it hard for people to go to hell on my watch.  How about you?

So today, pray about who you can help.  Do not always look at the problems that you have; look to the blessings that you have!  Look to Jesus, and let His light shine through you.  You will truly be amazed at all that He has placed within you.  You will find out that it is more blessed to give than to receive, that a giving life, a life of giving yourself to the needs of others, is a life of rewards here, and also throughout all eternity!

CONFESSION:  I choose today to be a blessing, and to let my light shine before people that they may see my good works and glorify my Father who is in heaven.

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CROWNS

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NKJV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

The judgment seat of Christ, for many, is going to be a glorious day.  All the work that we did for the cause of Christ will be rewarded.  Over and over the scripture brings out that Christ has crowns waiting for those who have been faithful to Him.  Before we look at these crowns, let me remind you again that we are saved by grace, and not by works.  These are rewards that we receive for what we have done for Christ while on the earth, and they will be with us for all eternity.

In 2 Timothy 4:7-8 it says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”  Here we see a “crown of righteousness” given to all those who love His appearing.  If you are excited about the return of Jesus and long to see Him, then this crown is waiting for you!

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”  If you have been tried for the cause of Christ and have stayed faithful, then this crown is waiting for you! 

One more that I want to show you is found in 1 Peter 1:4, and it is called a “crown of glory.”  This is for all those who have been faithful to the calling that God has placed in their lives.

We also see throughout the scriptures that there are many other rewards waiting for those who will do it right in this life.  So, like it says in the first part of Colossians 2:18: “Let no one cheat you out of your reward.”  Go for it with all you have!  Give God all that He deserves from you, and on that day, there will be great celebrations!

CONFESSION: In this life, I choose to give God, my Father, my all, and He has promised me great rewards for being faithful to Him.

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TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NKJV) And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Teach your children.  Why, you might ask?  Because if we do not teach them, the devil will make sure that he does.  Many a dictator has said, “If you give me the children, I can take the world.”  We, as parents, need to take time each day to teach our children of the wonders of God.  It will bless them and help them to be more than conquerors in life.

When your children are young and you go for a walk, show them the wonders that God the Father has made.  Show them the ocean and the fish.  Show them the mountains and the flowers.  Show them the butterfly and the cow.  Do you see what I mean? 

As they start understanding the Word of God, have times of devotion.  Read the Bible, and let them read it.  His Word is powerful, and it will do as it says in Psalm 119:130, “The entrance of Your words give light; It gives understanding to the simple.”  In other words, the Bible will make our children smart, and not just knowledge-smart, but life-smart.

When our children are grown, we as parents can still pray for them and trust that the Word that we have planted in their hearts will not return void, but will accomplish all that it was set out to do.  God’s Word is a seed, and if we did our job as they were growing up, we know that God will make sure that there is a great harvest in their lives.  Our children will be blessed in all that they do!

CONFESSION: God’s Word is so powerful!  It is filled with life!  Today, I make a decision to plant His Word deep within my children’s hearts, and I believe that it will bring forth a hundred fold in their lives.

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GOD WANTS YOU

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NKJV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

God wants you!  That is right.  God wants you to have an intimate relationship with Him.  He does not want just one part of you; He wants all of you.  Think of what you get in return.  You get a fellowship with the Creator, the One that made you and me!  He wants all of us so that we can have all of Him.  Now when I say all, I know that God is so huge that it is not possible for any of us to have all of Him, but He wants us to have all that we can handle of Him.

This verse tells us that God wants us to love Him with all of our heart, and all of our soul, and all of our strength.  Well, that is all of us, so my Father wants all of me.  He loves me so dearly that He wants the complete person, and even with all of my shortcomings and all of my distractions, the Creator of the universe loves me and wants all of me.

I am overwhelmed, at times, by the love God has for me.  The Creator of all, (Who does not need anything because He is so complete) loves me so dearly that He wants me to love Him, and this is all because of Jesus.  When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of my shame and my separation from the Father.  He did it so that I could be totally restored to Abba.

This is so over-the-top that it is hard for our little minds to take it in, but this is where we must receive it by faith and not by our feelings.  In other words, if God says that He loves me this intensely, then I am going to live life just like it is so.

So today, do not look at your shortcomings, look to Jesus’ perfection, and know that the Father sees you just like that: complete and totally loved!

CONFESSION:  I love the Lord my God with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my strength.  God is truly in love with me, and I am truly in love with Him!

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