“ No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead…” Joshua 1:5-6 NIV.
[A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.] 1 Samuel 3:8 NIV
[When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.] 2 Kings 2:9 NIV
[The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord .’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”]
1 Samuel 16:1-3 NIV
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Time and time again we see in the bible that God’s work must go on. God will always have someone in line, a replacement, to take up the staff and carry on. God is always choosing and raising up and preparing the next to take the place of the one that came before. Whether it be due to prior one’s inability to continue the work, or the misuse of one’s power, or a carnal mind that has overtaken spiritual insight or simply the time has come to do a new thing based on an approaching season.
God does not take his work lightly. In fact, several scriptures show us how serious he is and how important our service is. Luke chapter 9 talks about the cost of following Christ. [He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”]
Luke 9:59-60 NIV
[Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”]
Luke 9:61-62 NIV
The bible says “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
2 Timothy 1:9-10 NIV
God has given us the Ultimate Replacement. And that replacement is Grace. This Grace is interchangeable with our Lord and savior Christ Jesus, for he is Grace. This Grace (Christ) has replaced death with Life.
What an exchange! What an unmatcheable unbeatable replacement!
So the question is, how do we accept this amazing Gift of Life that we have done nothing to receive?
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 NIV
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Galatians 6:7-10 NIV
Be Blessed.
G.M.
G.M. Sunshine 