HOW TO BE USED OF GOD

MANY ASK, “WHAT CAN I DO? HOW CAN I BE USED OF GOD?” HERE IS THE ANSWER!

How to Be USED OF GOD

Many ask, “What can I do? How can I be used of God?” Here is the answer!

Many times after hearing an inspiring sermon, or after returning from the Feast of Tabernacles, or even after a baptism, we ponder, “Okay. I agree. But what can I do? How can I be used of God?”

The first thing we must do is to take a self-inventory and ask, “What do I have to be used?” Look into your mirror. What do you see? Well, you have a mind, eyes, and ears. You’ve got a voice, hands, and feet. And you’ve got heart. And that is enough! Let’s look deeper into this composite picture of yourself and see what God can use.

Second Timothy 2:21 tells us, “If a man therefore purge [cleanses or purifies] himself…he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet [useful, or fit] for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

If you want to be used of God…let Him think through your mind

How do we let God think through our minds? Hebrews 10:16 explains, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them!” In other words, we must begin to think as God thinks in every aspect of our lives, just as though He inscribed His laws indelibly into our minds.

Second Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” A sound mind is a gift of God and the more we begin to think as God thinks the sounder our minds become.

Sin begins in the mind. A man has to THINK wrong before he ACTS wrong. This is why Christ made the Commandments even more binding, covering not only the letter of the Law, but the very thoughts and intents of the heart as well. For example, Christ said in Matthew 5:21–22, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” Instead of “doing away” with God’s Law, as some pretend, Christ made it sinful to even hate in the mind because He knew that action follows thought.

Further, He said in Matthew 5:27–28, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Christ did not “do away” with any laws but, instead, He magnified them (Isaiah 42:21)— expanded them to their spiritual intent. As Paul put it, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

To put it another way, we need to condition our minds to think as God thinks. Succinctly, we need to examine God’s Word and spiritually discern its spiritual intent, not look for loopholes how to get around something that may interfere with our libidinous lifestyle.

Be assured that God can put thoughts and ideas in your mind that can be used to bless others and glorify Himself. However, God will not force you to obey Him. God awaits your cooperation. You must discipline your thinking; fill you mind with Bible thoughts.

Philippians 2:5 advises, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cointhians 2:16). Therefore, if you want to be used of God, allow His thoughts become your thoughts.

If you want to be used of God…let Him see through your eyes

Revelation 3:18 recommends that we “anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see,” spiritually speaking, of course. God’s Word, the Bible, is that eyesalve! Apply it liberally.

Satan the devil, on the other hand, attempts to deceive and blind us by distracting and diverting our attention through—what?—“the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Satan is an artful and malignant spirit, and has many devices for deception and injuring the cause of Christ and ruining the lives of men. Persons who disbelieve his existence, who do not oppose his influence, or are ignorant of his devices, will soon be overtaken by his subtlety. He can be likened to a master magician; distracting you in one area while he accomplishes his evil deeds in another. But we are not are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). We must be on the constant lookout for his sorcery.

The Lord wants to see through your eyes—how you perceive the world. And He wants you to see through His eyes—from His perspective. He wants you to see the blessings that come from obeying His laws—and the curses that ensue from disobedience. He also wants us to see the hurts, suffering, pain, and needs of others. Why? That we might learn empathy and that we might pray all the more earnestly, “Thy Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). So, if you wish to be used of God, see the world form His vantage point; through His eyes.

If you want to be used of God…let Him hear through your ears

Revelation 2:11: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Turnabout is fair play: if you would have God hear you when you pray, you must hear Him when He speaks. He speaks to us through His Word, the Bible.

By contrast, most TV programs promote non-Christian values: foul language, illicit sex, and wonton acts of violence are common. These are not the kinds of things a Christian should be seeing and listening to. The Scripture asks us, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher” (Romans 10:14). Verse 18 concludes, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Whose words? God’s words! God’s words are what we should feed our eyes and ears with, not the time-wasting scoria and swill that pours into millions of living rooms nightly via “hellivision.” Jesus assured us, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). “He that is of God heareth”—what?— “God’s words…” (John 8:47)! Are you spiritually attuned to God’s words or are you tuned into the wavelengths of this world? If any man has an ear, let him hear.

God would also have us use our ears to hear the cries of the lost, the frustrated, and the needy so that you may help and pray for them.

If you earnestly desire to be used of God, use your ears as God does: listen to the words of God and wholesome things.

If you want to be used of God…let Him speak through your voice

Matthew 10:20 says, “For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”

How do we use our voice? Do we use our lips to build, uplift and edify? Or are we too often caught up voicing gossip, rumors, and dissention? Proverbs 14:1 states that “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” We tear down our house, church, or family by constant nagging, bickering, rumor-mongering, and gossip. Gossip is like mud thrown on a clean white wall; it may not stick, but it always leaves dirty mark. For example, if we were to begin a rumor that old Mr. So-and-so was seen on Broadway making love to a kangaroo, people may scoff. Mr. So-and-so may have an iron-clad alibi, and besides, he may not like kangaroos anyway. But you can take it to the bank that someday, somewhere, someone will meet old Mr. So-and-so and reflect, “Mr. So-and-so…let’s see…Your name is familiar…Oh, yes! You were the guy down on Broadway with the kangaroo!” Get the point? We need to praise and uplift. God’s church needs builders, not a wrecking crew.

Also, God wants to hear your voice through prayer (Luke 18:1). “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There is no better way you can use your voice. Colossians 3:16 advises, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

God also speaks His Words through the teachers and ministers He sends. Do we hear their voice? Do we appreciate them? Or do we take them for granted? Thousand of people would give nearly anything to hear what your ears hear through the Church of God International. Unfortunately, it is a true saying that “familiarity breeds contempt.” Some out of habit-force will nit-pick, fault-find, and complain because, perhaps, a minister” seems boring,” or perhaps mispronounces a word, misquotes a fact or a Scripture and completely shut out the gist of his message. Stop and consider: how would you feel if God’s servants were suddenly taken from you? Do we sometimes unintentionally undermine the inspiration God sends by misuse of our tongues…or do we have the attitude of Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, ‘Thy God reigneth!’”

We need to realize God may even sometimes use us as His witnesses to give testimony if we are humble before Him! We are told in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” If you truly wish to be used of God, let him speak through your voice.

If you want to be used of God…let Him work through your hands

Matthew 9:37 reminds us, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” We might add, “Ooohhh, so very few!” Willing workers are needed in the Master’s vineyard—people who are willing to be used of God to serve others. Christianity is a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-involved religion. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17). When you are willing to use your hands to assist in God’s work—even if it’s only your job to pay tithes or give offerings to God’s work—God will notice, and you will be blessed. Consider Malachi 3:10: “‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith,’ saith the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’” We are told in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Will you accept God’s challenge?

And if you are one of those fortunate enough to attend a weekly Sabbath service, be a doer, not a taker. Chip in. Get involved. If you see that something needs to be done, just do it. Even if it is only picking up hymnals. Or giving someone a ride to services. Or writing a note or card of encouragement to someone who is sick or less fortunate than you. We are family, and that is what family is all about. It is true that many hands make light work, so lend a hand. By analogy, God’s church is compared to a bride and, like a new groom who goes out of his way to help, provide and comfort his new bride, so we should do all in our power to be of assistance to others. So, if you indeed wish to be used of God, let him work through your hands.

If you want to be used of God…let Him walk through your feet

Proverbs 4:26 advises, “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”

An essential part of our Christian armor is, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (1 John 2:6). In other words, we ought to “walk the walk,” not just talk the talk.

Your feet represent your walk; your life-style; the way you live your life.

Why not let God have your life? He can do more with it than you can, anyway. We an old favorite have a hymn that goes, “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go.” Do we? Are we really willing to follow Christ wherever He leads…or do we sometimes get caught up in a impasse and say, “Whoa! Stop! That’s enough! Why, if I keep the Sabbath and the holy days, I’ll lose my job! If I don’t keep Christmas and Easter, my family will think I’ve lost my sanity. And if I stop going out with my friends to some of those occasions, they’ll think I’ve become a religious fanatic!” What, dear friend, is your sticking point? Where do you draw the line in your obedience to Christ? What is it that may cause you to compromise or rebel? Is it a habit, a secret lust, or some embedded custom that you refuse to give up? It is amazing to what extent our minds will go to rationalize our sinful thoughts and behaviors! Why? “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7). God will only bless you up to your last point of obedience because He cannot—He will not—bless your disobedience. We must always remember that we are the clay, and He, God, is the potter (Isaiah 64:8). We are to yield to His leading and direction, and not be like one popular singer who crooned boastfully, “I did it MY way!” Let’s do it God’s way, instead!

God seeks the lost, the hopeless, and the helpless. Do you? Do we go out of our way to help others in a right attitude? Or are we sometimes like the self-righteous Pharisee who crossed over to the other side of the street to avoid involvement (Luke 10:30–32)? “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). God needs your feet to go, work, and to live for Him. Trust Him for guidance. Psalms 119:105 tells us, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

We are asked in Romans 10:15, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” If you would be used of God, set the example: allow Him to go through your feet.

If you want to be used of God…let Him love through your heart

First John 4:7 implores us, “Beloved, let us love one another:” We are told plainly in Matthew 22:37, 39, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Love is a built-in psychological need. Every person needs to love and to be loved. Even you. Even me. Even our leaders, and, yes, even our enemies.

This writer must confess, however, that he sometimes has an ulterior motive when praying for his enemies because he knows that if God would answer the prayer that his enemies prosper and be in health—as we would have others pray for us—and that they would come to understand those things we understand, and come to live and love God as we strive to do, we will in time find that our enemies are no longer our enemies…but our brothers in Christ instead! Brethren, pray for one another.

When God measures a man, He puts the tape around his heart instead of his head. God marks those who “sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezekiel 9:4). Do we? We need to let God’s love reach out through us to meet the needs of the world. In its final analyses, the gospel message is a message of love.

At baptism we TOTALLY COMMIT. We pledge before God and His angels that we acknowledge our sins, that we repent of them, and that we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We are truly humbled as we come to recognize that we are bought with a price: the blood of Jesus Christ who bled and died for us—in our stead (1 Corinthians 6:20). We need to maintain that commitment, that fire, that zeal, and that dedication, and not allow ourselves to grow negligent, indifferent, or lukewarm. Jesus Christ Himself tells us to “hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).

In summation, if you will do these things…if you will let God…

think through your mind…
see through your eyes…
hear through your ears…
speak through your voice…
work through your hands…
walk through your feet…and
love through your heart…

—in other words, if you will totally commit your life to Jesus Christ and develop an uncompromising, passionate love for the Truth—you will soon find that you are being used of God!