And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:1-2
If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have probably heard many clichés and “sound bites” that are meant to encourage and inspire. Some “warm and fuzzy” things that are said regularly are very helpful and keep the believer reminded about God’s faithfulness and our responsibility. Other quotes we repeat are actually not supported by scripture, but we reiterate them as if they are a memory verse. There are also some that are not necessarily unbiblical or wrong, they just only give a partial view of a full truth. If we were to really dive into scripture we would see a bigger picture that would probably encourage us even more.
Have you ever heard the phrase “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called?” You probably have, and odds are that this quote has even filled you with such encouragement that it has given you courage to conquer a large task. It is one that is not necessarily wrong but it doesn’t tell the full story. In the passage above, Paul gives a statement that shows what happens when a person gives their all to the gospel, and seeks to see others transformed. Paul was not a brilliant man, and He had a horrible past. God used this man who supported the brutal persecution and killing of Christ followers, and turned him into a ministry powerhouse.
I know what you are thinking. “How does Paul contradict this encouraging quote in this passage?” Well, he really doesn’t entirely but I wonder how many times we use the saying above to justify the idea that we are only equipped for what we feel called to do. You see, God works in many ways and every single bit of it is miraculous. If He calls us to something beyond our capability, He will equip us for the task, but sometimes I think that there are times where we are not fully equipped for the work He has called us to do and in those times we are supposed to allow Him to bridge the gap. Other times, He awakens something within us we didn’t know was there…Something that has existed within us from the very beginning. From this, we can assume that there are things in life that God asks us to do out of faith and a certain level of uncertainty. If we are Christians than this means that we are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is in us that we can “do all things through Him who gives [us] strength”.
So, the ultimate question is not whether or not God equips us, but whether or not we have faith in the God of infinite resources. Call upon Him today. You are already equipped. Now, go, grow, and see the world transformed.
Prayer for today: God, help me to believe that you have already provided every ounce of Holy Spirit that we need to accomplish every good work. Help me to lean on your promises today. Amen.
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: ministrysauce.com
1 Corinthians 2:1-2
If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have probably heard many clichés and “sound bites” that are meant to encourage and inspire. Some “warm and fuzzy” things that are said regularly are very helpful and keep the believer reminded about God’s faithfulness and our responsibility. Other quotes we repeat are actually not supported by scripture, but we reiterate them as if they are a memory verse. There are also some that are not necessarily unbiblical or wrong, they just only give a partial view of a full truth. If we were to really dive into scripture we would see a bigger picture that would probably encourage us even more.
Have you ever heard the phrase “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called?” You probably have, and odds are that this quote has even filled you with such encouragement that it has given you courage to conquer a large task. It is one that is not necessarily wrong but it doesn’t tell the full story. In the passage above, Paul gives a statement that shows what happens when a person gives their all to the gospel, and seeks to see others transformed. Paul was not a brilliant man, and He had a horrible past. God used this man who supported the brutal persecution and killing of Christ followers, and turned him into a ministry powerhouse.
I know what you are thinking. “How does Paul contradict this encouraging quote in this passage?” Well, he really doesn’t entirely but I wonder how many times we use the saying above to justify the idea that we are only equipped for what we feel called to do. You see, God works in many ways and every single bit of it is miraculous. If He calls us to something beyond our capability, He will equip us for the task, but sometimes I think that there are times where we are not fully equipped for the work He has called us to do and in those times we are supposed to allow Him to bridge the gap. Other times, He awakens something within us we didn’t know was there…Something that has existed within us from the very beginning. From this, we can assume that there are things in life that God asks us to do out of faith and a certain level of uncertainty. If we are Christians than this means that we are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is in us that we can “do all things through Him who gives [us] strength”.
So, the ultimate question is not whether or not God equips us, but whether or not we have faith in the God of infinite resources. Call upon Him today. You are already equipped. Now, go, grow, and see the world transformed.
Prayer for today: God, help me to believe that you have already provided every ounce of Holy Spirit that we need to accomplish every good work. Help me to lean on your promises today. Amen.
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. You can find his blog here: ministrysauce.com
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