Thursday, January 18, 2018

Somebody's Nobodies


When God does something to make an impact, he always does it with a select few. The battle is not ours, but the Lord’s. God designed it so that victories are ultimately in His hands not ours. Without Him, we are nothing.

1 Corinthians 1:27 "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and to nullify the things of the world so that no man can boast." 

God always works through the “underdogs”. He proved this when He ordinary people, like you and me, to be His disciples. He could have chosen the rich and powerful of this world.  However, He chose a “ragtag” group of nobodies to change the world. God wants to take nobodies to make them into some-bodies. A “nobody” is a person of no influence.  If we're influencers, we influence others not by the world's ways but by allowing God to work in us and through us to will and to do of His good pleasure.  

The world's definition of “success” is those who accomplish great feats of influence and power and accomplishment. They are "gifted" in their own power. Jesus said, "Seeketh thou great things for yourself?  Seek them not." Contrary to the world's standards, God's success code is what John the Baptist said, "I must decrease that he may increase."

The world says, "Those Christians are nobodies, you can forget about them." The Christian church does not consist of those whom the world holds in high esteem. God never chose His men and women to compete with the world on the world's terms.  According to Romans 12, "Be not squeezed into the world's mold...be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The heart's desire of a person of God is to learn to become just like their master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Christians in America, we've been conditioned to gravitate toward worldliness. The wisdom of this world is earthly sensual and devilishness. However, when the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost, Christians were “born again” into a supernatural world. When a man or woman comes to the Lord, how do you explain the change in that person's life?  Peter himself had been radically changed on the day of Pentecost. The crowd took notice that he had been with Jesus. He was an unlearned Galilean and spoke not as others with enticing words of man's wisdom, but with the power of God in manifestation.  

In John 6, when Jesus said that you can't follow me unless you partake of my flesh and blood, the crowds decided not to follow him. Jesus said to His disciples, will you also leave me?  Peter answered, "Where else can we go?  You have the words of eternal life."  Jesus said, "Follow me." We do not know the destination ... but we can trust that He knows the way. A fool is a person who is lacking reason and prudence; one without good sense and composure, and one who takes no thought for the consequences of his actions. Everyone is someone's fool. Whose fool are you?

As nobodies, the world thinks that we're nothing. Great Christians are marked by humility. When Mother Theresa was touring Washington, a congressman looking for a photo-op approached her and gave her a million dollar check for her charity "Sisters of Mercy." She said to the man, "Please give this donation to someone who needs it more that we do.  God has always met our needs and he will provide. God works best with nothing."

To change the world, God has called us as "Fools for Christ." He has used the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”

According to 2 Corinthians 4:7, "For we have this treasure (the Holy Spirit) in an earthen vessel that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us."

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ, Michael


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