The Person That God Can Use

While the Transition Team is leading the congregation through the task: determining our congregational identity I have decided to preach a 4 part series of messages entitled: The People That God Can Use. The foundational verse for the series is Acts 13:36. "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep."

I am challenging each member to be a person that God can use so that together we can be a congregation that God uses in the 21st century. This challenge is being connected to our congregational identity as we seek to answer the "bottom line" question: What does God want us to be and do at this moment in time?

Each week we are looking at a different characteristic of people that God can use. Last Sunday we highlighted the first quality. The people that God can use learn to depend on God rather than depending on themselves. There are three things that need to happen in order for us to develop this God dependency.

1) We review the Biblical models of people like Moses and Joseph to realize that it is not our dreams or talents but God's power that brings success.
2) We seek God in prayer. The closer we get to God, the bigger we realize He is and smaller we understand ourselves to be.
3) We experience humbling situations. God allows humbling and humiliating experiences to refine our character and release His power in our lives.

Read Paul's autobiography in 2 Corinthians 12 where God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." To which Paul responded, "I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

God can only use us only we learn to depend upon Him and not ourselves for success and achievement. Next Sunday we will discover the second characteristic of the person that God can use to accomplish His purposes.