Ordinary

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Hello sweet friends.  Do you feel ordinary and wonder how the LORD can use you?  I want to tell you today that our Savior and LORD desires to use us to impact His kingdom.  Your ordinariness is not a concern or issue with Him.  Let’s stop making it an issue or an excuse for why we are not being obedient to our Savior. 

When we read and study God’s Word, we notice that Jesus called ordinary men to be His disciples.  These men demonstrated no extraordinary abilities or spiritual superiority.  God graciously empowered them to share the gospel message to a lost and dying world.  Friend, God desires to empower us to share the gospel message and meet the needs of others in the name of Jesus.  Are you willing?  When we feel ordinary, weak, or incapable and we humble ourselves to be used by our Savior, God will empower us with His strength.  We are not and never will be sufficient for the task our LORD has called us to, but He desires to use us as His instruments to share the gospel with the lost.  Only He can provide what we need.  2 Corinthians 12:9 – My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  God never intended for us to rely on our own energy, efforts, or talents.  He desires for us to seek Him for what we need. I can do all this through him who gives me strength – Philippians 4:13. 

God desires our faithfulness.  He will transform us, as He did the disciples, and use as to further His kingdom.  Friend, will you surrender yourself to be used as a precious vessel for the Master’s use?  John MacArthur states in his book titled Twelve Ordinary Men, “There are no intrinsically qualified people.  God Himself must save sinners, sanctify them, and then transform them from unqualified into instruments he can use.”  Yet you, LORD are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter, we are all the work of your hand – Isaiah 64:8.  Friend, humbly submit to your Heavenly Father and allow Him to transform you. 

 The power is in the Word – the gospel message we are commanded to carry to a lost and dying world.  Jesus speaks clearly to us in John 15:16  - You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  Our Savior and LORD empowers us to go and bear fruit which will have an eternal impact.  No credentials are needed.  You just must be willing to humbly submit to your Savior and LORD.

As we study through Scripture, we see many references about human weaknesses.  This should be a reminder to us that our faith should not be placed in the wisdom of men, but our faith should be placed in the power of God.  2 Corinthians 2:3-5 – I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. 

I encourage to humbly submit to being used by the LORD to carry the gospel message to the world.  We do not have the ability to do this on our own, but with the empowering of the Holy Spirit we will be able to bear much fruit.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth – Acts 1:8.

Dear Heavenly Father, I realize I am weak.  Empower me to carry the gospel message to a lost and dying world.  Empower me to meet the needs of others in the name of Jesus.  Mold me and make me into who you would have me to be, LORD Jesus.  In Jesus Precious Name I Pray…..Amen.iH