THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION:
Greetings again my Brethren. Over the past few months we have been looking at the diversity of circumstances God can use to speak to us. One of my favourite’s is the wilderness, that difficult time in our lives when we think God may have abandoned us or a time of dryness to where we do not feel the presence of the LORD. But, in reality God was right there all the time working more than feelings and emotions into us. He was working His word in us, teaching us that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. He was teaching us, “Who is he coming up from the wilderness leaning on His beloved.” (Song of Songs 8:5) God was teaching us how to “lean” on Him, teaching us His ways and not our ways. So, this month we will transition some what from circumstances to instruments. This month we will begin to look at some of the many diverse instruments God uses to communicate His ways and words to us. If you think God ONLY uses the Bible (which He does mainly as He speaks to our spirit also) to communicate His ways and word you would be wrong. Now, I am not talking about musical instruments, oh no, but I am talking about instruments in the sense of a capability or lack of an ability to be used to communicate with us. For example: I would like to look at timidity or being timid as a child, deer, or a flock of birds is timid. In the Book of Jeremiah we read of the Prophet Jeremiah’s (the weeping Prophet) call to be a Prophet. “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:4-9) When we think of children seldom do we think of them as a minister of the Gospel where God would use them to preach or teach, but when it is all said and done God is not above using anything or anyone who makes themselves available. Ability is NOT the criteria to be used of God, oh no, availability is and even if you are a timid child. Here we see Jeremiah talking with God and making excuses like Moses (Moses was timid too) tried, but God wanted nothing to do with their excuses. God told Jeremiah before he was formed in his mother’s belly, “I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” I am sure Jeremiah thought God must be crazy, but as Jeremiah grew in stature and in God he quickly saw the handy work of God’s power and authority in his life and the timidity as child-like soon disappeared. Same as with David. At the ripe old age of 16 David was anointed King of Israel, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.” (1 Samuel 16:13) What do you think David thought? WOW, King of Israel where is the palace? Do you think he was a bit timid? But no, David went back to tending sheep where he slew a bear and lion with his bare hands. Do you think he was timid after that? No, it was this experience killing the bear and the lion that gave him the confidence to go after Goliath. “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:34-36) Do you see something good developing here? Yes, we may be a child and yes, we may be timid, but timidity and our youth should never stop us from doing the LORD’s will for our lives. “Therefore, David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.” (1 Samuel 17:51) Do you think David was ever timid again? Do you think he ever thought God was not with him? Even the young boy who gave Jesus two fishes and five barley loaves. John writes, “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9) What do you think the “lad” thought when Jesus multiplied the fishes and loaves? Do you think he was timid ever again? He just gave Jesus what he had and Jesus did the rest. God will use anything we have to do whatsoever He wants done if we give it to Him. So, we see timidity is no excuse to be used of God. God will use timid people if they want to be used after God works in their lives to get rid of the timidity. John writes, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelations 21:8) Take heed my friend, the word “fearful” is translated timid. So, the timid, “shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
More next month as we continue to look at the many diverse instruments God can use to communicate with us. Are you there my friend? In tough situations and circumstances? Have you heard His voice? Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
