God Uses Ordinary People Who Have Gone Through the Wilderness

“And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, “Truly I say to you this poor widow put in more that all of them.” (Luke 21:2

Hey Gang, The fourth and final common denominator: God uses normal every day people who have gone through the wilderness! He uses people who have been tested by fire and have not wavered in their faith and trust in God. 

Remember after the feeding of the 5000 God immediately sent the disciples onto the sea where they encountered raging storms?  Why?   They had failed the test in the feeding of the 5000 when Jesus said, “You feed them!”  Was it idle talk?  Does not the Bible say,” Jesus had already developed a plan to feed the troops? John 6:1-6.

 But, there was a far greater lesson to be learned that day, in the training of the disciples!  Do you think there was any doubt in the disciples’ minds that they were in danger of visiting Davey’s Locker?   Some were fisherman and knew the violence of the Sea of Galilee and, I suspect, they were resolved that their life on earth was over.

 But Jesus loved them and came to them at the exact right time.  And after Jesus had arrived on the scene and calmed the seas, note Matthews words, “And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, You are certainly God’s Son!”  Lesson learned!  (Matt 14:22-33).

 In my traverse through God's Holy Writ, I have noticed that God uses folks who would qualify for a "Ground Zero Rating".  He tends to take broken vessels, and smashes them and then places them on the potter’s wheel and then, and only then, He begins to cut and gouge until He works them into the image of His Son, Yeshua.

Finally my dear family and friends, God has a desire to use you.

  You might feel you have nothing to offer, that I am nothing – but, let me emphasize, that is precisely the kind of person God wants. “Poor in spirit (Matt  5:3) means empty of self. He takes broken vessels and molds them into the image of His Son Jesus.

 Soooo, one last time, say it with me, I AM NORMAL; GOD LIKES ME; GOD IS FOR ME AND GOD CAN USE ME!  Like the good Jewish mom looking out for her chicks, she came to Jesus and asked if her sons, John and James,  might sit on His right and His left.  His response, “You do not have a clue what you are asking.”  "Are you able to drink that cup that I am about to drink?"  And then He put meat on what was in the cup,  "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave" (Matt. 20:21-27).

 O, yes, one last requirement - you must have faith – the common denominator in Hebrews eleven !.  Faith is the anchor to our walk with the Lord.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  It was not the marching or yelling that brought the walls of Jericho down, it was faith!

 Blessings, 

Gramps