God’s Grace! 7-18-24
A few days ago, a conversation came up between someone and me pertaining to the life of Paul and Barnabas, and the friction (disagreement) caused them to separate from each other. After our conversation was over, I began to think about people in the Old Testament and some of them in the New Testament.
I also began to think about people like Abraham, who had sex with his wife Sarah’s handmaiden (Genesis 16:1-4). By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance.
And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God, yet he is in Hebrews Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:8-10).
Jacob (trickster)- But Isaac said, your brother came and tricked me. He has taken your blessing. Esau said Jacob is the right name for him. He has tricked me these two times. He took away my share of everything you own, and now he has taken away my blessing (Genesis 27:35-36).
How do you think we know about these people? Do you think somebody else was with them and wrote their life story? Of course not! The Spirit of God gave them what to write. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:21).
The Word of God was written about great men and women of God who were imperfect people with all types of issues and character defects. Although there are always consequences to sin, our loving, awesome and mighty Lord God knew what each person was going to do before they ever did it.
Therefore, He did not call them because of their action, He called all of us because of His great love for us. God already knew what our human defects and frailty would be, but He also knew and He still uses our defects to become more in the image of His dear Son.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5).
The principle in the natural, is how a good father is to grow his sons and daughters into mature adults so they will have a successful life.
Although we see each others’ faults, and sometimes judge others, we shouldn’t be doing it. Remember this, we have no right to judge others. How do we know what the Spirit of God told them to do? Even though God knows our frailties, He sees us as complete in Him. That is the reason we need to come out of our natural mindset and think like the Almighty God our Father wants us to think; that is from His perspective.
Paul, the apostle penned this so eloquently. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10).
The moral of this story is, God can take a nobody in the eyes of some people and raise them up to greatness!
I plan to continue with the rest of this message tomorrow.
Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org
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