TODAY'S QUOTE

"Over the past twenty-five years I have learned

that God cannot use a person who is not broken

and completely surrendered to Him." 

-Paul Y. Cho in

PRAYER: KEY TO REVIVAL

LESSON FROM A DONKEY

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We can learn a lesson from a specific donkey

which lived almost two thousand years ago.

But first an observation about; donkeys, horses,

mules and there kind.

I confess I am not a "horse person".  I have 

riden a number of horses and even owned one

that we bought for the kids.  We bought it from

a local respected "horse person" who assured us

it was well "broken" and suitable for the kids.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, and more ha, ha's.

I have learned that donkeys, horses and mules

have a mind of their own, even that ones that

are "broken".

That is why I went back to motorcycles.  At 

least they do not have a mind or brain of their

own.

As you know even better than I do, that a horse

or what ever, is of no value to a person until it

has been broken.  It has to be taught to do what

you want it to do, not what it wants to do.  Hence

the task of breaking it's will to make it usable for

you.

Now to the specific donkey that has a lesson for

us.

When Jesus Christ was getting ready for what 

we call his triumphant entry into Jerusalem he 

sent two of his disciples to get a particular donkey

that was tied up in town.  What made this donkey

special was that it had never been risen on by anyone.

It was "unbroken".

But, when Jesus Christ, it's very creator crawled up

on it's back, it totally submitted with out as much

as one buck.

The point is, 

if we would submit ourselves to God he would not

have to "BREAK" us to be of use to God.  We want

to do our own thing and it is going to cost us 

dearly.

What does God want of us if we are going to 

live with and for him?

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart, O God,

you will not despise." 

(Psalms 51:17 NASB)

BROKEN FOR A PUROSE

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"Cowboys" (and girls)  tell me that a horse has to

be "broken" to be any good.  I am inclined to believe

that.

The only horse I ever owned we bought for the kids.

Apparently the horse was not broken for kids or for 

me.  When I got rid of it, my hope was that it went 

to the glue factory.  I just wanted it out of here.   That

is why ultimately I went back to motorcycles.  They 

do not have a mind of their own.

But the world is full of a lot more problems than just

problem horses.  You know by now that life is full

of problems, trials and tests.  God allows these for a 

number of reasons.  They can test our faith, strengthen

our faith or change the coarse of our life etc.  But

there is at least one more purpose that God has had

to use, with myself anyway.

Just as a horse has to be broken to submit to the 

will of it's owner.  We have to be "broken" to be

obedient to God.  Not only do the Scriptures tell

us that we cannot serve both God and money.

But they teach us that we cannot serve ourself

and God.

I do not know how many times I have faced

an insurmountable problem because God was

trying to get my attention and I needed to be 

"broken" before God so that he could use me.

Consider the possibility that huge problem or

mess of problems in your life might be a loving

God trying to get your attention to keep you from

destroying yourself.

"Submit therefore to God.  Resist the devil

and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God

and He will draw near to you..."

(James 4:7,8a NASB)   

AM I USELESS ENOUGH FOR GOD TO USE?

Moses "...was taught all of the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a great man in words and deeds."

-Acts 7:22 (TEV)

This is outstanding. Here is God's chosen man;

educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,

a great man in words,

a great man in deeds.

He is in the prime of life, forty years old (v.23).

And he knew what his God given mission was (v25).

I have read that Josephus gives an account of Moses even being general of an Egyptian army.

Wow! What a man to lead God's people out.

But God could not use him like that.

God had to send him to the desert for forty more years to get all the wisdom of the world out of him.

And as God does with all his outstanding saints,

Break him.

After forty years we see in the account of the burning bush, (Exodus ch. 4)

that Moses could not even talk well any more.

We see a man whose self esteem was shattered.

[Sorry, but even self esteem can get in the way.]

Moses is finally a "nothing".

Now God can use him.

Remember Peter?

Bold and confident. Going to follow Christ to death it's self.

But with his denial of Christ it broke him.

He cried like a baby and then went back to fishing.

Or the apostle Paul.

A proud Pharisee trained at the feet of Gamaliel.

But on the road to Damascus busted, brought to nothing.

Now that you have all of your degrees,

titles,

abilities

and experience.

Are you read to serve God?

It might hurt.

Let's learn from the apostle Paul.

"But to keep me from being puffed up with pride because of the many wonderful things I saw, I was given a painful physical ailment, which acts as Satan's messenger to beat me and keep me from being proud. Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away. But his answer was; 'My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are week.' I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me. I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

-2 Corinthians 12:710 (TEV)