THE BAREFOOT SERVANT OF THE LIVING GOD

 

When God wants to get our attention, He uses the unexpected.

The Lord oftentimes uses people who are rejected to bring glory to the kingdom and to Himself. Jesus Christ was rejected by many, and yet He became the Savior of the world. The Bible says of Him, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” Luke 20:17.

"It has become a habit that God uses ordinary people to change the course of history. The Bible is filled with these examples.

In fact, the entire book of Acts is a narrative of story after story of how God uses people to shape the world."

"Now when the men of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish High Court) saw the confidence and boldness of Peter and John, and grasped the fact that they were uneducated and untrained (ordinary) men, they were astounded, and began to recognize that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in reply. Acts 4:13-14.

These established leaders of the day were stunned at the boldness of the untrained, unqualified, and ordinary men of God, Peter and John. Their only explanation for what they saw was that their time with Jesus had completely transformed them."

Today, God is waiting for His transformation Spirit to take possession of his church. Because it is only through the Holy Spirit that God is able to finish the work of the gospel in this generation.

Let’s take a moment and go through a small list of some of the unqualified and ordinary men and women God chose to work through in time past to do the most unexpected things.

Noah – He drank too much, but God used him to build the ark to save the world. Genesis 6-9.

Abraham and Sarah – They were an old, washed-up couple whom God used to build a nation. Genesis 11-25.

Joseph – He was an entitled teen who went through God’s classroom of hardship, yet through uuit all, this only helped in the training of him to save both Egypt and Israel. Genesis 37-50.

Moses – Although a humble beginning, he was trained in leadership skills in Egypt for 40 years. Then untrained and retrained by God for 40 years for leadership, to be used by God for 40 years as spokesman and leader to bring God's people out of bondage to the promised land. Read the book of Exodus.

Rahab – She was a prostitute whom God used to help his people overtake Jericho. Joshua 2.

Jonah – He was running from his calling, who God brought back to save Nineveh. Jonah 1-3.

Esther – She was the adopted orphan who became Queen to save Israel. Esther 1-8.

Peter – He was the quitter and had a filthy mouth. who God brought back to help start the church. Matthew 26, John 21, Acts 1-2.

Paul – He was the enemy of God who became the most prolific Servant of the Living God in the New Testament. Acts 7-9.

As you can see, there is literally nothing we can do to disqualify ourselves or another from being a candidate whom God chooses to work through. Today, God is longing to put our name on this list. Yet, this could never happen until we all surrender our all to the will of the Holy Spirit.

Today, I am so happy that God's promises are sure. The Bible says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" Luke 11:13.

"Christ has promised the gift of the Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much as to the first disciples. But like every other promise, it is given on conditions. There are many who believe and profess to claim the Lord's promise; they talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet receive no benefit. They do not surrender the soul to be guided and controlled by the divine agencies. We can not use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit, God works in His people “to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.

But many will not submit to this. They want to manage themselves. This is why they do not receive the heavenly gift. Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who watch for His guidance and grace, is the Spirit given..."

We are told by them of old, "There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, putting aside self, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God."

"If His people will remove the obstructions, He will pour forth the waters of salvation in abundant streams through human channels..."

The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains striving, wrestling souls in every emergency, amid the unfriendliness of relatives, the hatred of the world, and the realization of their own imperfections and mistakes. A union of divine and human endeavor, a close connection first, last, and ever, with God, the source of all strength—this is absolutely necessary."

The greatest example of GOD THE FATHER using an ordinary servant in an extraordinary way was when Jesus emptied Himself for the salvation of lost humanity. In human flesh, Jesus was filled by the Holy Spirit without measure. So, in like manner, the HOLY SPIRIT will be given to every follower of Christ when the whole heart is surrendered for His indwelling. Our Lord Himself has given the command, “Be filled with the Spirit,” and this command is also a promise of its fulfillment."

It was the good pleasure of the Father that in Christ should “all the fulness” dwell; and “in him ye are made full.” Colossians 2:9, 10, R.V.

Today, I would like to share a story that is worth repeating. On October 30th, while on a series of meetings in the Grand Cayman's for the British Overseas Territory Chaplains. Chaplain Bentley Robinson, chaplain of the Grand Cayman Prison, gave an invitation for all the chaplains to come to minister after a long day of meetings to the man's prison.

I was asked to be the speaker. The LORD said speak on the subject of the "VALUE OF A SOUL." This was a prophetic message of prophecy with key texts on Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Matthew 24 with a focus on the 12 major signs that shall be seen just before Jesus comes back the second time, and the value of a soul to save from Acts 8:27-39.

While I was getting out of the car to go into the prison, my brand-new shoes, of which I had never worn before, came apart. So I spoke to the chaplain and asked him if I could preach with no shoes on. And he said, "It was ok".

Note, this is the first time this has happened in history in this prison. A preacher standing up in the Grand Cayman Prison chapel to preach to the inmates with no shoes or socks on.  THE BAREFOOT CHAPLAIN.

To God be the glory, His spirit filled the chapel. After the spoken word, ABOUT FIFTEEN MEN GAVE THEIR HEARTS TO THE LORD. SEVEN STOOD TO BE BAPTIST, AND SIX STOOD FOR SPECIAL PRAYER FOR WHEN THEY LEAVE PRISON. GOD IS MOVING IN AN UNUSUAL WAY IN THIS PLACE. KEEP US ALL IN YOUR PRAYERS.

Special thanks goes out to you who are praying for all the British Overseas Territory Chaplains. Yesterday, I asked a teacher of the Bermuda Institute in Bermuda to have the students pray for us. The results are beyond words! God is doing great work in Grand Cayman and throughout the British Overseas Territories and the world.

Thank you for your prayers, and keep holding us up in your prayers. Have a wonderful day. Blessings, Blessings, Blessings.

By GARDEN MINISTRY