“Everything is from God, who has
reconciled us to Himself through Christ
and has given us the ministry of
reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18
Consider these words carefully. Everything
is from God. Yes, all our material
possessions are gifts of God, but these
words remind us we are in fellowship with
God only by His grace. We had nothing to
do with being restored to Him. Our sin kept
us out of reach, but God in His mercy
opened the door of reconciliation.
What made the heroes of the faith such
great men or women of God? What brought
them their greatness? Was it some act of
bravery, great accomplishment, or
something else?
“By faith Noah, after he was warned about
what was not yet seen and motivated by
Godly fear, built an ark to deliver his
family.” Hebrews 11:7
“By faith Abraham when he was called,
obeyed and set out for a place that he was
going to receive an inheritance.”
Hebrews 11:8
The Lord told Moses, “Return to Egypt,
…so Moses took his wife and sons, put them
on a donkey, and returned to the land of
Egypt.” Exodus 4:19-20
The pattern we see over and over again in
scripture is God calling His chosen servants
and their act of obedience in response. They
became great servants of God by following
His commands, yielding their lives to His
purposes and plans.
Samuel became the Lord’s prophet, David
became King of Israel, Peter became a pillar
in the church, and Saul became the
missionary Apostle Paul by the command of
God. It all began with God. God initiated
the relationships in every situation. Their
greatness was the result of their obedient
response to the call of God.
What is true about the heroes of the faith is
also true for each of us. It was God, not us,
that initiated the relationship.
“No one can come to Me (Jesus) unless the
Father draws him.” John 6:44
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I
appointed you to go and produce fruit.”
John 15:16
Ordinary people became extraordinary by
responding to the call of God and fulfilling
His plans and purposes.
What could God accomplish in and through
our lives if we (1) heard His call and (2)
responded in obedience?
We are given the ministry of reconciliation
and will fulfill our calling by faith.
Blessed by you…Bro. Sherman
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