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We should never allow the mistakes of the past to keep us from starting
afresh and becoming who God wishes for us to be. The Lord forgives and
makes new every life that comes to Him and He places within them new dreams
and aspirations that are meant to be realized. The Lord declares in Isaiah
1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool." We are to realize that God forgives and
does not bring into remembrance our past and as a lesson neither should we.
We are the forgiven church cleansed with the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
and are called to accomplish great things in His Name. Be encouraged and
know that whosoever is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have
passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
I hope you are encouraged by today's message to never allow your past to
keep you from being all that God has called you to be. Remember that God
washes away your past and directs your future onto the path that He sees fit.
GOD'S DIRTY DOZEN
If I were to get to know those who know you best and ask them all the
questions I could think of about you, I would get to know you very well,
wouldn't I? Well, then it stands to reason that if we get to know God's
best friends real well, we will get to know a whole lot about God, won't
we? Let's then make some observations of those that He used, each in a
mighty way. I call them, "God's Dirty Dozen."
First, we have Abraham. His parents were idolaters and I'm sure as a young
man, you could see him with his Watch Tower Magazine under one arm and the
Pearl of Great Price book under the other, being chauffeured in his stretch
limo to the nearest name-it claim-it, go-go cult of carnal hustlers in the
name of Allah. And yet, God used him to emerge as the father of the chosen
nation.
Now we know that Joseph didn't do it. Potipher's wife knows he didn't do
it. God knows he didn't do it. And we all know he didn't do it. But when
Joseph filled out the application to be Prime Minister of Egypt it read,
"Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" He was an ex-con with a record
of being a sex offender and yet God used him in a mighty way.
Let's also remember Moses. He looked both ways, killed the Egyptian with
his bare hands and then had the audacity to dig a hole and bury him in
broad daylight in front of witnesses. That is a classic, premeditated,
first degree murder! If that happened today, he would be on death row
awaiting execution. And yet, God used him in a mighty way. And what about
David? He didn't have the guts to assassinate so he ordered a hit man to
knock off Bathsheba's husband so that they could keep their torrid love
affair going. David should have had a jail cell next to Moses! And yet,
God used him in a mighty way. Do you really think the Priestess Rahab went
around the temple genuflecting and lighting holy candles? Of course not!
She was a temple prostitute that sold her body for dirty money just like
any two-bit prostitute on the waterfront. And yet, God used her in a
mighty way.
"If the children turn out bad, it must mean that the parents weren't any
good!" It isn't necessarily so. There aren't any fathers that raised their
sons worse than Eli and Samuel and yet God used them both in a mighty way.
And have you ever heard the saying, "When the going gets tough, the touch
get going?" Some Christians have turned tail and ran when the Lord needed
them the most. Just like Mark did, so quickly that he left his clothing in
the clutches of a cop and escaped naked. And yet, God used him in a mighty
way.
Can you imagine saying, "No! I have never known this criminal named Jesus!"
God forbid it would never leave my lips even in the torment of torture. But
with the gentle pressure of a teenage servant girl, Peter the Rock, turned
into a little pebble when he denied the Lord quicker than a New York
heartbeat, not once but three times within a couple of hours. His eyes met
those to his Lord and he realized the shallowness of his commitment. And
yet, God used him in a mighty way.
I am blessed that Paul did not divulge to us the gruesome particulars of
all the atrocities he inflicted on blameless Christians or I would be less
given to read and study his Epistles. I suspect that I might forgive him
but I would not forget. The captivity, injustice and even annihilation of
these gentle souls might possibly raise a doubt about Paul's conversion
experience. Was he beyond being saved? And yet, God used him in a mighty way.
If you have been counting, that's just ten. Including you and me, it makes
an even dozen. My life was so depraved that I cursed God, shook my fist at
heaven and demanded that if He existed, to kill me to end the nightmare I
was living. He saved me instead that night and what about you?
By Rick Mathes
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
1 John 2:1-2 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye
sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for
ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
Psalm 51:1-3 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness:
according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my
transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from
my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me."
Psalm 103:10-14 "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so
great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from
the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a
father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For
He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust."
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today's Selected Poem: YOU ARE IMPORTANT
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem134.htm
Today's Selected Testimony: FATHER KNOWS BEST
Click here to read --- http://www.godswork.org/testimony109.htm
In Christ's Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
