Are you good enough?

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was arrogant
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt

Eight Things That God Loves

In chapter 5 of the book of Matthew in the Bible, there is a sermon commonly called the Beatitudes. Jesus said that people were blessed when they have any of these 8 qualities. Being blessed speaks of receiving the ultimate in well-being and spiritual joy.

1. God loves those who are poor in spirit. This means they are humble, not prideful. They consciously depend on God and not on their own abilities.
   Their gift from God: They will receive the kingdom of Heaven.
2. God loves those who mourn. They are those that recognize their needs and present them to the One who is able to help them.
   Their gift from God: They will be comforted. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says that He is the God of all comfort who comforts us in our troubles.

Gideon

Adult Sunday School Part 9:  Gideon 

How do you go from rejection, bitterness, accusations and humiliation to arrogant and steadfast faith? How can any man go from the one extreme to the other? 

Just ask Gideon. 

For me he is an example of what can be done if you are touched by God - more than once. Many of us are touched by God and it stays a touch - and even soon disappears.

Do you hear the people sing?

I saw Les Miserables for the umpteenth time last week and was once again touched by the depth and complexity of the show and it's characters. Val Jean is the typical symbol of Grace & Freedom, where Javert is the Law and Bondage.  I just realised again that we can not judge people, because we do not know what their journey is about. How many of us will give someone who has wronged us a second chance, or more important, who will USE the second chance they get. 

As in my previous blogs, I say again: Do not let an encounter with God leave us untouched.