The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember:
Noah got drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was cross eyed
Joseph was abused
Moses had a speech impediment
Gideon was afraid
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were young
David had an affair and planned a murder
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
The apostles were under the age of 20
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while on watch
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, 5 times
Zaccheus was too short
Paul was a Pharisee
Timothy had an ulcer
Lazarus was dead
No more excuses! God can use you to your full potential. Matter of fact, He uses the weak. Everyone knows that you have a flaw. If you let God use you, the world will know it was not you doing this great work - you are not capable. Only God could have done it. This is how He shows Himself - through the common sinful man.
Stop making excuses and let God use you to do miracles. Be a miracle worker.
Amen
I was shopping with a friend one day when she sped up her car to keep me from handing a couple dollars to a man on side of the road with a sign asking for food money. She explained to me that so many people in the city, asking for financial help don't actually need it; they are con artist. I will admit she has a point. There are just such people out there taking advantage of the good spirit of many.
To prove a point, I went to Strong's Concordance and looked up the word "give". There are five pages of verses with the word "give" quoted. That does not even include "giver", "given" or "giving". Of course, there are more verses about what God gives to us than those commanding us to give. However, if God can give us so much, shouldn't we pass along to others?
Here are a few of those verses:
Gen 14:20- Then Abraham GAVE Melchizedek a tenth of everything
Pro 25:21 - If your enemy is hungry, give him food
Mt 10:8 - freely you have received, freely give
Mk 6:37 - Give them something to eat
Mk 10:21 - Give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven
Mk 12:17 - Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's
Lk 6:30 - Give to everyone who asks of you
Lk 11:9 - Ask and it will be given you
Acts 3:6 - Peter offered all he had
Ro 12:20 - If your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink
Jms 2:16 - Help with physical needs
Jms 1:27 (My personal favorite) Pure religion is caring for widows and orphans
Although we need to discern in our giving (that's just being responsible with what we have), nowhere are we told to question who we give to or what they will do with what we give. We are merely told to give to others, especially if they ask of us.
With some American Indian blood running through my veins, I am reminded of a teaching from my youth that says: When you have a successful hunt, you are to share with anyone who asks. During the days when I was returning from a successful art show, I remember many times there were people with signs, asking for help. In Iowa, I was approached in a parking garage for food for a hungry family. Stopping for gas on I-70, I was asked for a donation for cleaning my windshield. I laughed to myself as I drove off with a windshield dirtier than when the man started.
In Ohio, I was looking for a place to have breakfast and called to a man, on the corner,
with a sign to join me. It was a fascinating meal, listening to him
talk about high school and his family. The waitresses all knew him. It
seems he frequented this particular corner. He ate breakfast and
ordered lunch to go.
Times when I was not asked: There was the faces of three boys in a dollar store who were short some change to pay for a couple trinkets, when I made up the difference. Or the Indian boys, in Oklahoma, who had only pennies for ice cream that cost more than a dollar. They were amazed to get help for the sweet treat.
I remember a woman in a diner in South Dakota trying to get attention to be seated and being ignored. She was not dirty, just an old Indian woman, with a couple dollars for pie and coffee. I sat her down with me and demanded a menu for her. It was enlightening to listen to her talk about her life on the reservation and where she lived now. She had ordered a four course meal with lots of coffee, boxed up everything she could not finish, along with desert, and asked for quarters to do her laundry. I wrote her name in my Bible so to never forget and still pray for that poor unfortunate.
This text is not written to brag but to show an example, ITim 4:12. Many, many people do so much more than my occasional small treats. My point is that we do not have to give huge amounts to impact someone. And, I was rewarded by being so well entertained. People have stories we are not aware of. It takes our mind off ourselves for a few minutes and reminds us that others also suffer and so often more than we do. I need to help others to keep myself humble.
Amen
Jesus did not go where He was not welcome or invited.
He was a respecter of persons.
When He found Himself unwanted, He left. He told his apostles to wipe the dirt from their sandals and move on - to where they would be appreciated. Let's learn from this and stop trying to cram Jesus down the throats of those who don't want Him. Don't waste time on those who cannot or will not hear. Work with those who want to hear. Mk 6:4 Mt 11:20
People came to Him. His disciples would go ahead of Him into a town and let people know that he would be teaching at a certain place and time. They came to Him: On the mount, in a boat, in Peter's house (where there was standing room only). Lk 10:1 Mt 5:1 Mt 14:13 Mt 15:30
"Come unto me"
We are given free will - let's allow others to have it. Be a "respecter of persons". No one can accept his Savior unless the Spirit convicts them. God puts it in a man's heart to answer the call to walk with Jesus.
Don't preach to others if your house is not in order. It is a "man" who takes care of his family first. Biblical order: God (spiritual life), family, friends, neighbors, town, country, world. We take baby steps for a reason.
We need to do a little more living by example. We are instructed to go into all the world; let's do it like Jesus did. Be an example of help and love. Put effort into being a good example of Jesus ad God will use you; He will bring people to you. He will put them in your path to help. Like I said earlier, take care of your own back yard first. Lk 6:37
*Be careful not to drive people away. Smile; be pleasant, friendly, courteous, helpful, patient and genuine. You can't help anyone if they go the other way when they see you coming.
Another point: How about we stop preaching to the choir ?! Jesus ate with sinners, healed the poor, forgave the prostitute. He is the savior of the lost. It is too easy to help your Christian brother. The dirty, homeless man on the corner is too easy to condemn but the one who needs the help. Mk 6:34 Lk 14
Let's not rob others of their pain and suffering along with the joy they get from suffering and overcoming. Everyone is coming to their time to make a stand. You can help but you cannot do it for them.
Amen
