Posted:
Based on “Our God Is Still Able” by Pastor Fidel Gomez; 7/11-12/09,
Message #GS71; Daily Devotional #6 - “Handpicked”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again.
Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them.
They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:32-40)
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): What a blessing to be a part of such a rich heritage. To be surrounded by great men and women of faith, who gladly laid down their very lives for the sake of God’s Kingdom. Their love for the Father far outweighed their love for their own lives!
Despised by the world, yet loved by God, they willingly abandoned their own agenda and embraced God’s call. No lion was too big, and no army too well armed, to dissuade their confidence in God’s power.
May we all be so determined to see God glorified and our own faith be so strong! Thankfully, like the mighty saints before us, we will be empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to battle bravely to the end. We have nothing to fear and everything to gain when we stand in faith and believe in the power of our God! And like Joshua, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel, we will see with our own eyes the deliverance of our God!
And just like us, these mighty warriors of God were intentionally positioned by God to testify of His greatness. They were not haphazardly thrown out there just to be an irritant to the world, but were strategically placed by the Father Himself. He handpicked each one personally, and breathed His destiny into their lives. God also handpicked each of us to accomplish His will in the earth.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): If Ruth, Abraham, Noah, Isaac, Joshua, and Naomi were able see the glory of God under the Old Covenant, then certainly we should be able to see it even better under the New! These marvelous people looked forward to the coming of their Messiah and fought, even then, for His cause.
They were determined, at all costs, to see God glorified. And even though their meetings with Yahweh were infrequent and sometimes frightening and confusing, they still loved Him more than their very lives. In light of their determination, faith, and bravery, we have no excuse to refuse God’s invitation to fight the good fight of faith and scatter His Seeds in the earth! Since Jesus Christ has already defeated our enemy and ordained us to His cause, we might as well be effective.
Sometimes, when life gets busy and stressful, we forget what our real purpose is and that we were intentionally placed here for God’s glory. So push aside the distractions of life, turn on your front porch light, and throw out the welcome mat. Because God’s got someone heading your way that needs a touch of the Master’s hand. And believe me; you don’t want to be too busy to miss that!
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Hebrews 11:29-34; Joshua 6:1-20
