In Your Bible Read This
1 Corinthians 1.18 to 2.16

Here Is Your Memory Verse
For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west,
nor from the south. But God is the judge: he puts down one,
and sets up another. Psalm 75, 6-7, KJV

Afterwards Talk About This
Compare how man elects his leaders with the way God looks and chooses.

Something To Do Before Next Time
Find out where there are some pastors or missionaries working in great
weakness, adversity or difficulty. Go and visit them, or write to them
to encourage them in their calling and give them hope for the future
with your words and prayers.

Written Diploma Work
Examine the verses which outline the kind of character that God
looks for and explain them in a one page essay.

Meditate On This Passage
1 Chronicles 28, 9-10

Spend a Minute to Change the World

Pray For Chile - 15,000,000 South Americans, 27% evangelicals,

58% Catholic, a century of pentecostal revival, unreached Indian peoples

 

Be sure to teach this lesson to others.

Always pray and prepare well adding

 your own verses and stories to bring it to life.

The Bible reveals that it is Jesus who is the great ‘I am’ from all eternity, the one who sends all the prophets, wise men and teachers to bless the world through all generations. Matthew 23.34

It was he who gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, Ephesians 4.11

Who Does God Choose To Send?

Andreu is the son of a pastor and was in church within hours of birth. He has rarely missed a Sunday service since then and by the grace of God led a very blessed life, committed to Christ and his cause in the earth. You would expect God to send Andreu into ministry and he has done exactly that.

But Would God Choose These People?

Stefan, could barely read and write, but is now a missionary in Spain.

Miguel the gambler, now the leader of more than 7,000 people in 30 nations.

Leo, from the streets became a power-ful evangelist, before dying of AIDS.

Philippe, a poor African villager, now leads 136,000 people in West Africa.

Lidia, born a poor lady in the poorest town in the poorest state of a poor country, Brazil, has now trained and sent more than 600 people into ministry.

Where Does Promotion Come From?

Not By Self-Appointment

like Korah who appointed himself to lead a rebellion against God's chosen leaders and brought disaster upon himself and all those who followed him. Numbers 16

 

Not By Man's Appointment

Like Saul who was appointed by man after the people refused the Lord's rule and demanded a King, to be just like all the other nations. Another disaster for all concerned. 1 Samuel 8

 

Promotion Comes Only From The Lord Psalm 75, 6-7

Here is one of the most beautiful verses in the Bible, "There came a man who was sent from God, his name was John." There was no disaster, only great blessing for many. John 1.6

Do You Qualify For Promotion?

There are three basic qualifications:

1. Conviction of sin, with genuine repentance.
2. Conversion to Christ.
3. Baptism in water, Holy Spirit and fire.

Only condition of heart not capability of mind and memory qualifies you. Bible Schools are good, go if you can, but remember that the lessons are only a vehicle for God to work in your life by his Spirit and Word. And here is another surprising qualification:

God Chooses The Weak And Foolish

God said that Gideon's army was too big and strong to win a victory for him. Gideon was told to send home all those that were afraid, and even then only of few of those who stayed passed a test and were chosen. They won! Judges 7,2-7

God himself came to earth as a weak, vulnerable man. Isaiah 53.3

God chooses weak people. See 1 Corinthians 1, 26-29

God is pleased to use weak people because his power is made perfect in our weakness. 2 Cor. 12, 9

Then God changes weak people, and increases their strength. Isaiah 40.29

 

Are You Feeling Weak?

Do they say you are too young, or too old, or the wrong sex, or the wrong colour, or married when you should be single or vice-versa, or are you disabled - then rejoice ! Your weakness and rejection may well catch God's eye.

 

God’s Plan Is To Break Your Strength

See Psalm 66.12; 102.23. He allows painful poverty and obscurity or lack of recognition to come your way to make future leaders weaker and more depen-dent upon him. The harder test by far, which so many fail, is the unexpected test of handling prosperity well.

The Great Qualification Of The Heart

God is not impressed by exterior appearances, whether tall, dark and handsome, well dressed or not, because God looks at the heart of man. That's why David was chosen in preference to his elder brothers. 1 Samuel 16.7

Peter was a rough, impetuous fisherman, hardly anyone's choice for church leadership, but his heart was right. So were the hearts of these people -

 

James and John were sons of thunder,

Thomas was a doubter,

Matthew was a lover of money,

Simon was a political militant,

Paul was an enemy of the faith,

King David was a terrible sinner,

Their hearts were right.

 

Judas was a friend and close companion of Jesus,

but his heart was definitely NOT right.

The Qualification of Good Character

It is a wonderful truth that God does not consult your past to determine your future. He writes nobody off because of what they were. It is what you are now and what you will be with his help that matters. See the character God looks for in Exodus 18.21, 1 Tim. 3,1-13; 4.12. Why not attract God’s attention by making three decisions today:

Decide to love Jesus more than you love anyone else, Luke 14.26.

Decide to deny yourself and carry your own Cross, Luke 14.27, 9.2 .

Decide to surrender everything to the Lord for his use, Luke 14.33.