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The Bible Says
“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (I Corinthians 1:27 NKJB).
A fuse is a device which provides protection for electrical circuits by stopping the flow of electricity should an overload occur. Fuses are purposely designed with a weak filament so that they will easily melt when the circuit overheats. Only because of their weakness are they able to be useful and perform their job. Likewise, as a fuse must be weak if it is to be useful, we also must be weak if we are to be useful to the Lord. Our weakness provides God with the opportunity to demonstrate His strength. Hence, do not be discouraged because of weakness resulting from a lack of charm and ability.
--The Bible Friend, June 2004, page 2. Whether we are black or white, young or old means little to the “Lord Of The Harvest.” When David offered to challenge Goliath he was what we would consider a high school kid. No wonder King Saul said: “You are not able, for you are but a youth” (I Sam. 17:33 NJKB). Anybody else would have arrived at the came conclusion --- all except David. He knew in his heart what God could do through him. His faith was not in “David,” but in the “Name Of The Lord Of Hosts” (I Sam. 17:45 NKJB). When God lays a ministry on your heart and that burden will not go away (even though the thought frightens you) you may be sure God is speaking to you! Abraham lived in “Ur Of The Chaldees” a city comparable to New York City, today. He had every convenience known at that time — but God said: “Go to Canaan and become a shepherd on the frontier.” That call had rung in his heart for years, but he was 75 years old when he finally left Haran and headed for Canaan (Genesis 12:4). Today Abraham is one of the most prominent names mentioned in the Bible. God’s promise to him was: “I will bless thee . . . and thou shalt be a blessing. In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:2,3). But had Abraham not listened and obeyed God’s call, no one would remember that Abraham ever lived. To obey God’s Call always requires genuine courage and commitment. The easy way is to sit down and do nothing. The worldwide Church and the entire Christian Era was made possible by the dedicated life of “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness --- besides the other things which come upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity (2 Cor. 11:24-29 NKJB). What a list! When I am tempted to feel sorry for myself, I turn and read what the Apostle endured “as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). After a face to face encounter with the Risen Savior on the Damascus Road, Saul was blind three days; then God sent Ananias to heal his eyes, change his name from “Saul” to “Paul”, and to assure him that God was calling him to be a pioneer missionary to the Gentile world. Following is:
“Go for he (Paul) is a chosen vessel of Mine to bare My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15,16 NKJB). Many years later,
“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9,10 NKJB).
“...be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). How could one be strong and weak at the same time? Paul’s answer was: “And He (Christ) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
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