1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,460 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:23,549 Speaker 1: today's devotion is inspired by Jeremiah chapter 1, verses 7 5 00:00:23,550 --> 00:00:27,030 Speaker 1: and 8, which says, But the Lord said to me, 6 00:00:27,390 --> 00:00:30,380 Speaker 1: Do not say, I am only a youth, For to 7 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,210 Speaker 1: all to whom I send you, you shall go. And 8 00:00:34,250 --> 00:00:38,089 Speaker 1: whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be 9 00:00:38,170 --> 00:00:41,570 Speaker 1: afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, 10 00:00:41,990 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: declares the Lord. It may not be pleasant to admit, 11 00:00:48,580 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: but frequently we can get better at making excuses than 12 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: we are at getting things accomplished. We like to tell 13 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: ourselves that someone else would be a better fit for 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,010 Speaker 1: the task God has called us to accomplish. But the 15 00:01:01,050 --> 00:01:04,669 Speaker 1: truth is, if Jesus Christ lives within us, we are 16 00:01:04,830 --> 00:01:08,510 Speaker 1: fully equipped for every task that's been ordained for us 17 00:01:08,569 --> 00:01:13,030 Speaker 1: to complete. What excuses do you like to tell yourself? 18 00:01:13,750 --> 00:01:18,300 Speaker 1: Are you too young? Too old? Lacking in formal education? 19 00:01:18,860 --> 00:01:24,650 Speaker 1: Lacking in experience? Not talented enough? Too introverted? Something else. 20 00:01:25,730 --> 00:01:28,250 Speaker 1: The truth is, the Lord doesn't call us to a 21 00:01:28,330 --> 00:01:30,709 Speaker 1: task and then tell us to rely on our own 22 00:01:31,090 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: natural strength and wisdom. He calls us to rely on 23 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,940 Speaker 1: Him and to utilize the gifts He so willingly supplies. 24 00:01:40,260 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: When we read through the scriptures, we see scores of 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: the most unlikely people being used to accomplish great things 26 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:53,130 Speaker 1: with God's strength for His glory. Don't preach a message 27 00:01:53,170 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: to your heart that's the opposite of what God's Word communicates. 28 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,700 Speaker 1: If God calls you, He will equip you, He will 29 00:02:00,740 --> 00:02:05,220 Speaker 1: empower you, and He will direct the very steps you take. 30 00:02:07,190 --> 00:02:12,010 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank You for Your Word. And 31 00:02:12,030 --> 00:02:13,610 Speaker 1: we thank You for the privilege that it is to 32 00:02:13,650 --> 00:02:16,370 Speaker 1: be able to read this portion of Scripture together today 33 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:19,780 Speaker 1: from the book of Jeremiah. And Lord, when we look 34 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,139 Speaker 1: at this portion of your word, we're reminded of a 35 00:02:22,220 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: trait that so often we exhibit. We're good at making excuses. 36 00:02:27,580 --> 00:02:30,540 Speaker 1: We try to figure out ways that we can justify 37 00:02:30,700 --> 00:02:34,970 Speaker 1: not doing what you've called us to do. We tell ourselves, 38 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,910 Speaker 1: like Jeremiah did, that we're too young. Or maybe we 39 00:02:37,930 --> 00:02:41,269 Speaker 1: tell ourselves that we're too old or too inexperienced or 40 00:02:41,350 --> 00:02:44,290 Speaker 1: some other kind of excuse that we like to pretend 41 00:02:44,490 --> 00:02:47,510 Speaker 1: is valid, even though you tell us it's not valid. 42 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: If you've called us to something, you will also equip 43 00:02:51,580 --> 00:02:54,700 Speaker 1: us to do what you've called us to do. And 44 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: I'm grateful, Lord, that you remind us in your word 45 00:02:56,980 --> 00:02:58,940 Speaker 1: that you're not asking us to do everything in our 46 00:02:59,020 --> 00:03:03,220 Speaker 1: natural strength or in our natural wisdom. You're calling us 47 00:03:03,260 --> 00:03:07,220 Speaker 1: to rely on you all throughout the day, in every experience, 48 00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:10,670 Speaker 1: and to utilize your strength and the gifts that you 49 00:03:10,750 --> 00:03:14,290 Speaker 1: so willingly supply. And Father, we're grateful for the fact 50 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:16,650 Speaker 1: that you use the people in this world that seem 51 00:03:16,910 --> 00:03:21,220 Speaker 1: so unlikely. to accomplish the wonderful things that you're doing 52 00:03:21,260 --> 00:03:24,620 Speaker 1: through humanity. So Lord, we pray that we would learn 53 00:03:24,660 --> 00:03:27,130 Speaker 1: to preach a message to our hearts that's not the 54 00:03:27,310 --> 00:03:30,269 Speaker 1: opposite of what your word communicates, but rather is fully 55 00:03:30,330 --> 00:03:32,470 Speaker 1: in line with what you tell us in your word. 56 00:03:32,950 --> 00:03:36,910 Speaker 1: You call us, you equip us, you empower us, and 57 00:03:36,930 --> 00:03:40,100 Speaker 1: you direct the very steps we take. And as those 58 00:03:40,140 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: who know you through your son, Jesus Christ, we pray 59 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,060 Speaker 1: that these would be truths that we come to believe. 60 00:03:47,310 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: Thank you again for these reminders from your word, and 61 00:03:50,100 --> 00:03:53,890 Speaker 1: we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.