1. Moses (Nu 12:3; Heb 11:25,26). To Moses, availablity meant self-denial and great hardship to accomplish the plan of God.

2. David (2 Sam 16:11; 1 Sam 16:13; 17:37). In the battle with Goliath, there was only one person available for the fight: David. What made David so great? The fact that he stepped out of a multitude of warriors and said, "I'll be the one." Any other person could have stepped forward and accomplished the task. But David made the voluntary decision to be great.

3. Elijah (1 Ki 17:2,3,8,9). Elijah is considered by many the greatest prophet of the Jews. What made him great? He followed instructions. God told him to go to the brook Cherith, and he went to the brook Cherith. God told him to go to Zarephath; he went to Zarephath. No argument, no complaint, he just obeyed. He was available.

4. Isaiah (Is 6:8). The great statement of Isaiah's availability was so simple: "Here am I. Send me."

5. Esther (Es 4:16). Esther was one of the great ladies of the Old Testament. She faced something that could have meant her death, and she said, "If I perish, I perish." She chose to be available.

6. Mary (Lk 1:38). When Mary was told that she, a virgin, would bear a child, she said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." She would face slander and maligning, but she was willing to pay the price.

7. Paul (2 Tm 4:16). Though at his last trial everyone deserted him, Paul remained available to God. Throughout his ministry Paul had poured out his life for the people to whom he took the Gospel (1 Th 2:8), and because all along the line he had made decisions for service, he knew at the end that reward was waiting (2 Tm 4:6-8).

Raw Material

A five-pound bag of iron made into horseshoe nails is worth $5.50. Made into needles, it is worth $3000. Made into mainsprings for watches, it is worth $250,000. We are raw materials in the hands of God What well be our worth in heaven? The answer depends on how much refining we allow God to do in our lives on earth.

-- (bygrace@thru.faith), August 25, 2000

Answers

CLAY IN THE POTTERS HANDS!!--REWARDS LATER ON!!

A LITTLE PAIN--FOR--A WHOLE LOTTA GAIN!!

1 LIFE TO LIVE----1 LIFE TO GIVE!!

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), August 25, 2000.

I do not disagree, but it feels like "suffering succcotash" in the process.

-- Church Fan (hand@waver.com), August 25, 2000.

I don't want to rock the boat or get hit with lightening, but is this a smidge OT?

Okay, okay. I'll play, too. As in, "Thy will be done." How do I separate my will from God's will? I mean who is whom? Or, what is what?

-- cryptobyte (cryptobyte@hotmail.com), August 26, 2000.

My will - geared towards me, what I want, selfish

God's will - involves surrendering my will, denial of self (not self- denial), serves others without selfish motives, and gives all glory to God

Listen for the still, small voice of the Spirit of God to guide and direct your path.

-- (bygrace@thru.faith), August 26, 2000.

mr./mrs.=GRACE---do you know what-season-we,re in? what did PETER say about last-day's attitudes??? isn,t=grace for ths children----destruction for the mockers? *SIGNS OF TIMES* UNLESS GOD INTERVENES--IT AIN'T GONNA BE PRETTY!!

HOW LONG WILL FATHER-LET HIS SON--BE MOCKED???

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), August 26, 2000.

mr./mrs.=GRACE---do you know what-season-we,re in? what did PETER say about last-day's attitudes??? isn,t=grace for the children----destruction for the mockers? *SIGNS OF TIMES* UNLESS GOD INTERVENES--IT AIN'T GONNA BE PRETTY!!

HOW LONG WILL FATHER-LET HIS SON--BE MOCKED???

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), August 26, 2000.

hi al - that was written with the assumption that crypto is a believer, since an unbeliever can't hear the Spirit of God. God gives grace to all as long as we are alive on this earth. What matters is whether or not we accept His grace (His grace gift).

-- (bygrace@thru.faith), August 26, 2000.

The inner voice may sound small, urging you to do the right thing towards your fellow driver (even though I have felt the animal urge to run them over). The Voice urges you to lend kindness to those swept in the devastation of whatever clamity has overcome them. We alone, are incapaple of solving all things, but collectively. we can seek some mastery, of some. Lend kindness, not Judgement, where you can.

-- Church Fan (hand@waver.com), August 27, 2000.