Tuesday, April 14, 2015

THE CHARACTER GOD USES


Proverbs 5:1-2 My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.
  
            God is known for taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. Throughout Scripture God used ordinary men and women to affect his kingdom in extraordinary ways.

            There is one factor that sets these types of people apart. Looking carefully at them, you can see something they had in common. The people God uses are people with responsive hearts that are ready and willing to listen to God. Also, they have made their lives available to obey God at his word. In essence they shared an integrity to honor God above man.

            Often times we think that ability and talent is a requirement to being used by God. Accomplishments, awards and recognition seem to be the goals of many who want to be used by God. In fact, these attributes more often than not become a hindrance to being used by God. That is because these attributes are man-made or bestowed according to worldly values.

            Simply put, only two things are required to make the ordinary into extraordinary: a man and the Almighty God. A covenant relationship between the two, united in the life and work of Christ Jesus makes the extraordinary out of the ordinary. God’s nature alone brings out the extraordinary from human fallen nature. What God touches becomes special because the Creator has interacted with His creature.

            Each side has a role to play in this transformational relationship. Unlike human relationships that fail because of one or the other participant, God never fails. God is faithful regardless of our unfaithfulness. Before God uses us, we must reflect what David wrote: “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise”.  (Psalm 51:16-17)

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