A Devotional by Pastor Cesar Castellanos
Today’s Bible Verse
And he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the stream, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, and his sling in his hand, and approached the Philistine.
1 Samuel 17:40
Instruments in the Hands of God
Consider, for a moment, the stones that David chose to face the giant. There were five smooth stones. What process do you think they underwent to make them perfectly smooth? They probably started off rough with sharp edges. But God knew that His servant David would someday need them. Perhaps He used the strong current of the river to make them crash into each other for years. So that when they reached David’s hands they had no imperfections or rough edges and they would be ideal to fulfil God’s purpose through David. This gave David’s perfect aim a rock that would hit the target without fail; the giant’s forehead.
Have you ever heard a person say that they find someone else so difficult that they can not stand them; but the truth is they are a hypocrite? People like this have many rough edges and can sometimes be hard to deal with. They are just like ordinary stones crashing against us. We are also like stones that are in the same stream; therefore, the currents hit us both. Every blow that we receive, files down our attitude. When we are ready, we will become like that stone, a weapon of God to bring down mighty giants.
The Apostle Peter said that we are like living stones. This means that our character is being formed in the river of this world. In it, we crash into others around us like our family or those in our community. Although we cannot explain why such people behave this way, God is using every situation to build our character.
They will become competent leaders, who know that everyone has to face adversity in life. This is just a part of God’s heavenly plan. Step by step, God is forming men and women with the right attitude. The biggest enemies we have aren’t the people on the outside, but the ego within us that is easily irritated. True men of God learn to sacrifice their lives on His altar, sacrificing themselves in order for the character of Christ to flow through them.
Have you ever heard a person say that they find someone else so difficult that they can not stand them; but the truth is they are a hypocrite? People like this have many rough edges and can sometimes be hard to deal with. They are just like ordinary stones crashing against us. We are also like stones that are in the same stream; therefore, the currents hit us both. Every blow that we receive, files down our attitude. When we are ready, we will become like that stone, a weapon of God to bring down mighty giants.
The Apostle Peter said that we are like living stones. This means that our character is being formed in the river of this world. In it, we crash into others around us like our family or those in our community. Although we cannot explain why such people behave this way, God is using every situation to build our character.
They will become competent leaders, who know that everyone has to face adversity in life. This is just a part of God’s heavenly plan. Step by step, God is forming men and women with the right attitude. The biggest enemies we have aren’t the people on the outside, but the ego within us that is easily irritated. True men of God learn to sacrifice their lives on His altar, sacrificing themselves in order for the character of Christ to flow through them.
Something to Think About
At Duke University, one of the best in the United States, there was a study carried out in which the final report showed, from secular professionals, that one of the major causes of human diseases is the lack of forgiveness. It is surprising that professionals who do not know Christian principles can come up with that conclusion in the scientific world that we live in today, because they require ‘proof’ for everything. Perhaps the assertion that the number one killer of people in the United States and worldwide is the lack of forgiveness may seem ridiculous. However, un-forgiveness can make a person sick, depressed, neurotic, psychotic, psychopathic, etc. There are many mental and emotional illnesses that occur because people don’t forgive or receive forgiveness.
Prayer
Dear Father, today I place my life on Your altar and ask You to remove all selfishness and the desires of the flesh. Forgive me for being irritated with some people. I know that You have placed them there to remove the rough edges that are in my life. Help me to be faithful to You and serve You with all of my heart, Amen.
Declaration
In the hands of God I am an effective tool that breaks the oppressive power of the enemy.
Today’s Bible Reading
- Old Testament: Daniel 3-4; Job 19
- New Testament: John 12:37-50; 2 John 1:1-13
