I am moving my blog to wordpress. (Ok, I'm not actually moving anything. I'm just going to stop writing here and start writing there.)
So, go to www.suchamayzinglove.wordpress.com and read today's post! See ya there!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday Means Sermons!
I actually promised this sermon to you a while ago, when I was writing about 1 Corinthians. The Scripture that it focuses on comes from that book- 1 Corinthians 1:27,
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
I've been thinking about this idea for a few days, weeks, months... I'm not really sure how long. It is such an incredible thing. God uses foolish, weak things. God uses foolish, weak things. Isn't that so true?
I've been reading a wonderful book written by my blogging sister Katie D. If you haven't read her blog or her new book (Kisses from Katie), then you're missing out. One part that I recently read has helped me understand this idea of God using the things that seem foolish and weak. Katie points out that all throughout Scripture, God called men to do things that seemed idiotic. Think about it:
-Abraham sacrificed the son that was supposed to be the father of all nations, including the Savior.
-Noah built an ark when no one knew what rain was.
-David, an insignificant little boy, ran to fight Goliath.
-Daniel actually defied a king who had the power to kill him.
-Mary carried a baby that pretty much only she knew wasn't illegitimate, but was the Savior.
-Paul actually asked the Romans to send him to Caesar, as a prisoner, when he could have just stayed behind and been released.
-Joshua told the Israelites to defeat Jericho by walking around it and then yelling really loudly.
-Ruth determined to move away from everything that was safe, away from her family and home, and into an unknown life.
-Mary of Bethany poured out her whole life's savings onto the feet of Jesus.
I can just hear the whole world groaning at these folks, saying, "Come on, guys! Really? That doesn't even make sense." I can hear the sweet old ladies and the loving parents and the loyal best friends all saying the same thing. But isn't it great to know that God uses the foolish things?
He uses weak things, in order to show Himself strong. He is a pretty bold God. He doesn't need my strength. He doesn't even want my strength. Instead, He uses my weakness.
I can only imagine what Jackie Pullinger's parents thought when she told them that God had ordered her not to go to college. What do you think her pastor advised her when she, at age 20, said she needed to get on a ship that was sailing around the world, and that she was supposed to wait for God to tell her when to get off? Imagine what her best friends advised. Hmmm. I don't know those details. Perhaps they encouraged her, perhaps they tried to stop her. I'm not sure. I do know that she obeyed the Lord, did something "foolish," and ended up living a difficult, completely unusual, and unbelievably joy-filled life.
You can read Ms. Pullinger's story in her book called Chasing the Dragon, and you can listen to her testimony at www.sermonindex.net. She has spent her adult life in Hong Kong, working with the destitute, the hopeless, the drug-addicted, the criminal, and the outcast people there. Does that sound like anyone else's life? How about Jesus? Didn't Jesus make Himself weak on our behalf? Hasn't He called us to be like Himself?
Here is the link to a great sermon, by a sweet, strong sister, Jackie Pullinger. Enjoy!
God Uses Foolish Things
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
I've been thinking about this idea for a few days, weeks, months... I'm not really sure how long. It is such an incredible thing. God uses foolish, weak things. God uses foolish, weak things. Isn't that so true?
I've been reading a wonderful book written by my blogging sister Katie D. If you haven't read her blog or her new book (Kisses from Katie), then you're missing out. One part that I recently read has helped me understand this idea of God using the things that seem foolish and weak. Katie points out that all throughout Scripture, God called men to do things that seemed idiotic. Think about it:
-Abraham sacrificed the son that was supposed to be the father of all nations, including the Savior.
-Noah built an ark when no one knew what rain was.
-David, an insignificant little boy, ran to fight Goliath.
-Daniel actually defied a king who had the power to kill him.
-Mary carried a baby that pretty much only she knew wasn't illegitimate, but was the Savior.
-Paul actually asked the Romans to send him to Caesar, as a prisoner, when he could have just stayed behind and been released.
-Joshua told the Israelites to defeat Jericho by walking around it and then yelling really loudly.
-Ruth determined to move away from everything that was safe, away from her family and home, and into an unknown life.
-Mary of Bethany poured out her whole life's savings onto the feet of Jesus.
I can just hear the whole world groaning at these folks, saying, "Come on, guys! Really? That doesn't even make sense." I can hear the sweet old ladies and the loving parents and the loyal best friends all saying the same thing. But isn't it great to know that God uses the foolish things?
He uses weak things, in order to show Himself strong. He is a pretty bold God. He doesn't need my strength. He doesn't even want my strength. Instead, He uses my weakness.
I can only imagine what Jackie Pullinger's parents thought when she told them that God had ordered her not to go to college. What do you think her pastor advised her when she, at age 20, said she needed to get on a ship that was sailing around the world, and that she was supposed to wait for God to tell her when to get off? Imagine what her best friends advised. Hmmm. I don't know those details. Perhaps they encouraged her, perhaps they tried to stop her. I'm not sure. I do know that she obeyed the Lord, did something "foolish," and ended up living a difficult, completely unusual, and unbelievably joy-filled life.
You can read Ms. Pullinger's story in her book called Chasing the Dragon, and you can listen to her testimony at www.sermonindex.net. She has spent her adult life in Hong Kong, working with the destitute, the hopeless, the drug-addicted, the criminal, and the outcast people there. Does that sound like anyone else's life? How about Jesus? Didn't Jesus make Himself weak on our behalf? Hasn't He called us to be like Himself?
Here is the link to a great sermon, by a sweet, strong sister, Jackie Pullinger. Enjoy!
God Uses Foolish Things
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