I see God working more and more everyday and His works never cease to amaze me. Praise be to my God who works all things, through all things, all for His Glory! Yesterday, I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 1:26-28.

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and he things that are not—to nullify the things that are..."

A co-worker of mine, who will remain nameless, told me of his brother, whom I went to high school with. Supposedly, after high school, he joined the army, came back, got saved and started living in obedience to God. Praise the Lord! That's awesome! Now however...(i hate however's), he is suddenly married to this girl whom, my co-work claims is a controlling little word I will not say and that his actions of late are not very Christ-like. My co-worker claims to have been a Christian once before but now denys the faith. In talking to him on this matter, of course all my advice comes from the Word of God which being a "Former Christian", my co-worker respected. I told him that it could be possible that his brother isn't saved and that you should examine the fruit of Christianity in his life, same for his new bride. He tells me in honesty and in understanding of this concept, he sees no fruit. Then I proceed to tell him about the atonement of Christ, that Christ died once and only once, and that once you are saved you are always saved. To fall away from the faith...the matter is delicate here. If you fall away from the faith, the bible tells you to examine yourself. Chances are you never had the real thing to begin with.

In either case I left him with these pearls of wisdom to take to his brother and his wife:

"Wives submit to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church...therefore just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."    Ephesians 5:22-24

"'I hate divorce', says the Lord God of Israel." Malachi 2:16

It was only after sending him on his way in prayer and with these verses to help him that I realized... that message applies just as much as to him as it does his brother. He claims he chose to walk away from Christianity, for reasons I do not know, yet if you are truely saved by grace then you can't just walk away. When God has a hold of you, you can do nothing but hang on for the ride. Once saved always saved! You can't lose it and you can't lay it down!

I realize now that conversation had that purpose. God's working, not mine. I am just an instrument and unworthy am I of even that honor. But God uses the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise. I was one. My co-worker, even though he may deny it, is one. I sent him, an unbeliever, armed with scripture to help his brother... whether he believes in it or not, he is working for God. All things work according to His purose and for his Glory for He controls all things, even those who do not believe.

He is the potter, the whole earth, his wheel, and we are just clay.

Ndosch

To live is Christ, to die is gain.

Phillipians 1:21

Prayer - Brian, Billy, Wayne, Jessica, Rory, Chris and family, Jeff, Candie, Self