To piggy back on yesterday’s message I wanted to offer up this message.
There was a time when I lived a much different life than I do now. I was wallowing in my sinful lifestyle. I made one poor choice after another. I was not trustworthy and knew nothing of honor.
But then God.
God, in a series of different events, came crashing in on me and after a point, I never looked back.
What you should know is, because of my “previous life”, riddled with willful sin and rebellion, I could say I am disqualified from ministry. Others who knew me before could decide I will never be trustworthy. But what I’ve discovered is, the Lord’s transforming power within me has been so redeeming that He restored to me the very influence that He had intended for me to have from the beginning. I couldn’t sabotage my way out of it. I couldn’t force Him to take away influence. He built it into me. He did it. He did it on purpose. For His purposes. I have yet to discover them fully, but I’m willing to walk it out now.
I will never forget the first time I posted a Bible verse on facebook. I was so nervous because many of my “friends” on there also knew me in my youth and I worried that shouts of “Hypocrite” would come. But as I posted it, I realized, that voice was the enemy. I had been redeemed and it didn’t matter how others responded, it didn’t change the redemptive work He had done.
When I first heard God instruct me to write a years-worth of devotionals and post them on facebook, I was nervous again. But I’ve seen the most beautiful things happen because of this act of obedience. People send me private messages sharing personal things from their hearts and asking for prayer. I have some faithful readers who encourage me with comments. I treasure every single one.
The message today is, when you surrender to the idea that God can and will use anyone to reach you, don’t forget He can also use you! No matter what. You are useful to Him. There is nothing you can do to permanently disqualify yourself from being used to minister to others. All He needs is willingness.
So, the next time you remember God can use anyone, don’t forget that includes you.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:22
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story- those He redeemed from the hand of the foe. Psalm 107:2
365 Days in the Presence 