One Wednesday night, I asked my congregation some questions:
1. How many of you played Division 1 college athletics? No hands went up.
2. How many of you were valedictorian of your class? Four hands went up. (I have a smart church!)
3. How many of you were voted most likely to succeed? A couple of hands went up.
4. How many were voted most beautiful or most handsome? No hands went up, except mine. (I was runner-up most handsome in 9th grade, but I was home schooled.)
5. How many of you were in Who's Who? A couple more hands went up.
6. How many of you have not raised your hand yet? A ton of hands went up.
You know what that test proved? It proved that the vast majority of God's people are just ordinary folks. They are NOT extraordinary. They are just ordinary.
ORDINARY PEOPLE
Jesus chose 12 disciples - ordinary men. His inner circle consisted of Peter, James, and John. They were fishermen, not physicists. They were "uneducated and untrained men" (Acts 4:13). They were ordinary, not extraordinary. And that is precisely the way the Lord likes it!
"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God" (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
Notice this verse says, "NOT MANY." It does not say, "NOT ANY." There are some in God's family that are extra special individuals in the areas of wisdom, might, and nobility. Paul was the chief of sinners, but he had a keen mind unlike any of the other apostles. He could run circles around Peter intellectually. His pedigree was stellar. But, when you stop to think about it, most of God's people are like Peter, not Paul. They are just regular, ordinary folks. (The elite of this world tend to be far too proud to humble themselves before Jesus of Nazareth and admit their desperate need.)
WHY CHOOSE THE ORDINARY?
You know one of the BIG reasons why the Lord chooses the ordinary? Because He loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. When you see extraordinary things take place through ordinary people, all the glory goes to God. It just HAS to be God because an ordinary person can't pull off something that extraordinary!
When young David whipped the Giant, Goliath, with a sling shot and a stick, all the glory went to God. How else could he have won? It MUST be God! If the New Orleans Saints whip the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday, it is one champion versus another champion -- one extraordinary team versus another. But if my town's Pleasant Grove seventh grade B team whips the Colts, people would say in amazement, "WOW! That MUST be from God."
DON'T BE DISCOURAGED
If you are ordinary, you are in the majority. If you are sometimes foolish, often weak, and deemed unimportant in the eyes of the world, REJOICE!! God can do His greatest, most impressive work through you. Yield to Him today. Let Jesus sit on the throne of your life and live through you. You will be amazed at the difference He will make.
And remember in your weaknesses, He says, "My grace is enough for you; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9 AMP).
Praise God for your weaknesses. Praise God that you are ordinary. He does His best work in ordinary people! Let Him start in you today.
1. How many of you played Division 1 college athletics? No hands went up.
2. How many of you were valedictorian of your class? Four hands went up. (I have a smart church!)
3. How many of you were voted most likely to succeed? A couple of hands went up.
4. How many were voted most beautiful or most handsome? No hands went up, except mine. (I was runner-up most handsome in 9th grade, but I was home schooled.)
5. How many of you were in Who's Who? A couple more hands went up.
6. How many of you have not raised your hand yet? A ton of hands went up.
You know what that test proved? It proved that the vast majority of God's people are just ordinary folks. They are NOT extraordinary. They are just ordinary.
ORDINARY PEOPLE
Jesus chose 12 disciples - ordinary men. His inner circle consisted of Peter, James, and John. They were fishermen, not physicists. They were "uneducated and untrained men" (Acts 4:13). They were ordinary, not extraordinary. And that is precisely the way the Lord likes it!
"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God" (1 Cor. 1:26-29).
Notice this verse says, "NOT MANY." It does not say, "NOT ANY." There are some in God's family that are extra special individuals in the areas of wisdom, might, and nobility. Paul was the chief of sinners, but he had a keen mind unlike any of the other apostles. He could run circles around Peter intellectually. His pedigree was stellar. But, when you stop to think about it, most of God's people are like Peter, not Paul. They are just regular, ordinary folks. (The elite of this world tend to be far too proud to humble themselves before Jesus of Nazareth and admit their desperate need.)
WHY CHOOSE THE ORDINARY?
You know one of the BIG reasons why the Lord chooses the ordinary? Because He loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. When you see extraordinary things take place through ordinary people, all the glory goes to God. It just HAS to be God because an ordinary person can't pull off something that extraordinary!
When young David whipped the Giant, Goliath, with a sling shot and a stick, all the glory went to God. How else could he have won? It MUST be God! If the New Orleans Saints whip the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday, it is one champion versus another champion -- one extraordinary team versus another. But if my town's Pleasant Grove seventh grade B team whips the Colts, people would say in amazement, "WOW! That MUST be from God."
DON'T BE DISCOURAGED
If you are ordinary, you are in the majority. If you are sometimes foolish, often weak, and deemed unimportant in the eyes of the world, REJOICE!! God can do His greatest, most impressive work through you. Yield to Him today. Let Jesus sit on the throne of your life and live through you. You will be amazed at the difference He will make.
And remember in your weaknesses, He says, "My grace is enough for you; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9 AMP).
Praise God for your weaknesses. Praise God that you are ordinary. He does His best work in ordinary people! Let Him start in you today.
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
From His Heart Ministries
Today's Bible Verse...
In
the overwhelming, hair-raising, and depressing prophecies of Jeremiah,
God repeatedly told his people he would destroy them for their obstinate
and hardened hearts. Yet in the middle of these powerful and scorching
warnings, God also slips in passages that soar with hope and grace. Can
you think of anything more reassuring than God's promise to "refresh the
weary and satisfy the faint"? For seventy years, that's all Israel had —
God's promise. But when the time came, God made good on his word. I
believe he will do the same with us today!
My Prayer...
Great Shepherd, I am tired and weary. Please refresh my
Spirit and my body. Please help me find satisfaction in the abundance
you have already so graciously shared with me. To you belongs all glory,
honor, strength and power. I joyously submit myself in faith, waiting
for the rest and satisfaction you have promised.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.
Today's Verse Illustrated...
If Churches Were Totally Honest by Rob Portlock
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