[Discoveries] 09-17-08 Stop and think about it -- Ephesians 4:11

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to 
be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers ... -- Ephesians 4:11*/

God seems to specialize in using bungling human beings, individually and 
in groups, to accomplish His great purposes. Stop and think about it. 
What could be more precious than the little baby Jesus? Priceless is too 
cheap a word. He should have been surrounded by strong armed angels with 
great flaming swords at all times. Yet God gave baby Jesus with all his 
human vulnerability into the hands of a sixteen year old girl and a 
carpenter on a road trip.

Thirty-three years later, Jesus steps off this planet with less than 1% 
of its inhabitants even knowing that He exists. Who does He trust to 
spread the word? A coward who runs at the first sign of trouble. A 
couple of fishermen who argue over who's the greatest. Eleven men who 
don't get it when He says He's going to rise from the dead. And when He 
wants to recruit more help, He goes for the biggest, meanest persecutor 
of all, Saul of Tarsus.

I could go on and talk about scaredy-cat Moses and lying Abraham and 
conniving Jacob, but, ultimately, what we find here is ourselves. Why 
would God be so crazy as to tell us to assemble together. Nonsense! Why 
would God make us into apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors 
and teachers? Doesn't He know who He's dealing with? It blows my mind 
that God is so trusting. Is He crazy?

Or is He really very, very smart?

Stop and think about it.

Be encouraged!
Dwight

What happens when you partner with Dwight Clough Ministries? Victims of 
violent crimes and survivors of abuse are finding peace, wholeness, the 
power to forgive and the strength to set boundaries. Those ensnared by 
addictions are finding freedom. Marriages are being restored. Families 
are strengthened. Christian brothers and sisters in restricted lands who 
face persecution are finding strength and encouragement. Young believers 
are learning how to walk with the Lord, and people are coming into the 
faith for the first time. None of this happens as a result of one 
person's efforts, but rather this is God's work as He blesses the 
sacrifice of many people including yourself. We partner with you, with 
other ministries, and, most significantly, with the Lord. That's how the 
supernatural happens.

You may freely post, reprint or redistribute this devotional provided a 
reference or link back to _DwightClough.com_ 
<http://www.dwightclough.com> is included.

Discoveries Devotional -- Inspiration in Your Inbox is provided daily by
Dwight Clough Ministries, Inc.
1223 West Main Street #228
Sun Prairie, WI 53590 USA
Dwight Clough Ministries is supported by your donations.
Visit _www.DwightClough.com_ <http://www.dwightclough.com/A-support.php> 
for more information.

Change your subscription: 
_http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/discoveries_

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/discoveries/attachments/20080913/ff1715ad/attachment.htm>