Extract from our Weekly Bulletin

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 August 30, 2015
Those Whom God Chooses

Chapter 6 of Luke’s gospel narrates how it was when Jesus chose his disciples.

In verse 12 of this chapter, we read that the night before JESUS CHOSE his 12 disciples, He was praying THE WHOLE NIGHT on a mountain.

I have preached many times on this Biblical passage, and every time I do, I like remind the people that Jesus was praying the WHOLE night (let’s say from 6 PM until 6 AM) or approximately 12 hours.

In other words, AN HOUR for each one of the Disciples that He chose.
I don’t want to be disrespectful to the Lord but when we read who were His chosen ones (knowing that He had been praying the whole night), from a carnal perspective I think He could’ve chosen much better men than these.

Jesus didn’t go to the prestige Universities or to Offices filled with Professionals, of that time, to search for His  disciples.

He went to the streets. It was there where he found , common men, with NORMAL pasts, men full of faults, weaknesses and short comings.

THIS IS THE LESSON I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER: God doesn’t choose people for WHAT THEY ARE.

He chooses them because He can see WHAT THEY’LL TURN INTO while they walk in obedience alongside Him. 1 Samuel 16:7 it reads “…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

One day the Lord showed me that although I considered myself to be a ZERO, when I was beside Jesus (Who is NUMBER ONE), we made a 10.

No person is a ZERO in the things they do as long as they find themselves at Jesus’ side.

The devil can try to tell you that you’re neither good enough, intelligent enough, attractive enough or talented enough; but with Jesus beside you, you are MORE THAN ENOUGH to fulfil what He has entrusted onto you. We want to pray for his Calling, for his Mission, for what God wishes you to realize in this stage of your life. Perhaps you’re undecided and in need of knowledge and direction.

Or perhaps the Lord is shaking your nest (as eagles do to force they’re younglings to fly), and you know it is time for you to leave behind this comfortable place where you have been and to reach for new heights in Him.

Or it is possible that you don’t feel released, happy, satisfied or content in the place where you find yourself in these moments.

These are the days in which it is necessary to do  everything we can to MAINTAIN OURSELVES in the middle of the eternal Will of our Celestial Father, of His Love, of His Provisions, of His Direction and Destiny for our lives.

When we read verses 11,13 and 14 of chapter 16 from Mark’s gospel, we see that there is a phrase or topic that repeats itself in each one of these verses.

In two of the verses, the phrase “they did not believe” is repeated. In verse 14 it says, “He rebuked their unbelief.” In the next verse, in verse 15, Jesus tells these men to GO all over the world and preach the Gospel.

For me, the fact that Jesus had sent them to preach the Gospel, knowing that they were full of fears, is something incredible.

This command demonstrates that Jesus knew what was going to happen. He knew that the second “Act” was approaching them, the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

He knew that in spite of their weaknesses, the Holy Spirit would EQUIP them and STRENGTHEN them, so that they could fulfill the works that He had entrusted onto them.

Taken from the sermon  “Life on Fire” By Reinhard Bonnk.

God Bless You,
Ps. Marisa Varjabedian