Ordinary People Used By An Extraordinary God

YOUR LIFE CAN BE EXTRAORDINARY!This book was not written for those who think they are God's best. It was written for those who feel unqualified to be called by God for a higher purpose. Jesus is walking the highways and seeking to redeem those who are lost, deep in sin and rejected of men. He wants to give these people purpose and use them in an extraordinary way. It does not matter what their history is, but whether they are hungry for God. Many struggle with personal sins and failure and feel unfit for God's use. They often look at the heroes of the Bible as super saints, but many of them weren't so super in reality. God called many of these people when they were deep in sin, blinded by rage or rejected of men. There was nothing really great about them, but their God was great. They were no different from you or I. They were ordinary men and women used by an EXTRAORDINARY GOD!This book looks at the lives of some of the men and women used by God in the Bible. I chose to focus on the primary godly attribute of each Biblical hero and then examine the sin or weakness they struggled with most. These saints or patriarchs are portrayed in a realistic manner in this book. God never intended for us to idolize these men and women. Instead He wanted us to see His great grace in action through mankind. At the end of this book I challenge the reader to pick up the mantles of these Biblical heroes and those used by God throughout Church history. Any Christian can be used by God in an extraordinary way. God is looking for those like Elisha who said, "Where is the God of Elijah?" Will you pick up the mantles that have been forgotten? Will you be the next David? The next Paul? Read this book and awaken God's call on your life today!

Ordinary People Extraordinary God tells the true stories of 17 modern-day heroes who encountered God's transforming love in their broken state and answered His call. They may never be as renowned as biblical heroes or regarded as especially gifted by the world's standards, but each of these ordinary, modern-day heroes contains infinite value in the eyes of God. He has transformed them by His redeeming love, gifted them for service, and used them for His glory in amazing ministries which have blessed thousands. You, too, are one of God's ordinary people, redeemed and transformed by the blood of Jesus. But is fear of failure and disappointing Him holding you back from living your destiny and serving in the Kingdom? If so, this book will challenge and encourage you with the reality that you are good enough and gifted enough. All it takes is a yes. Allow the stories in Ordinary People Extraordinary God to increase your faith as you step into the transforming work of a loving God.

Ordinary People Exhibiting Extraordinary Greatness is a heartfelt exhortation for all people to accept Jesus Christ and use their God-given gifts, talents, and abilities in conjunction with their spiritual character to edify mankind and glorify God. The book begins by asking, “Who are the ordinary people?” Next, it explains that gifts, talents, and abilities from God make ordinary people extraordinary. Followed by discussions on true greatness in the eyes of God, spiritual character, natural fruit and the correlation between these concepts are discussed. This is followed by biblical examples of Rahab, Ananias, and Mordecai, who exhibited extraordinary greatness, including exhortations about spiritual fruit, the true worship of God-not idols, and the glory of God. Next, is a detailed analysis describing David’s conflict with Goliath and a simple blueprint for exhibiting extraordinary greatness, including a synopsis of repentance, salvation, righteousness, the covenant, forgiveness, and the new creation. Completed by a discussion on purpose, vision, goals, standard, and mission. This exhortation should encourage and edify anyone with a desire to please God.

In today's world we need Christians and churches willing to break out of the normal patterns of religion and tradition to impact and reach the world. Ordinary People, Extraordinary Power gives a strong case for the apostolic culture as a criterion for change in the church today. A culture is a way of life of a group of people—the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. An apostolic culture is simply the ways, beliefs, behavior, and values of God's people. It is a culture of power and the Holy Spirit. Apostolic leaders will impart power and authority to the members. Believers need to be activated to heal, deliver, prophesy, and preach. They must be activated to demonstrate the kingdom. The apostolic culture includes worship, deliverance, apostolic teams, prophecy, ordaining, establishing, pioneering, evangelizing, prayer, teaching, helps, governments, missions, healing, the Gifts of the Spirit, holiness, impartation, and church government. All of these will be discussed in this book in order to help leaders and believers move in apostolic power and authority.

Being used by God is an adventure you won’t want to miss! Major Ian Thomas, a British theologian, teacher, and the founder of Torchbearers Bible Schools, spent seven exhausting years trying to live for Christ when he realized that God actually just wanted to live through Him. He offered this extremely simple advice in considering the Christian life: Go where you are sent, stay where you are put, and do what you are asked. With her trademark warmth and keen sense of humor, esteemed Bible study teacher Jill Briscoe follows Major Thomas’s example to help readers learn how to allow God to live through them, finding their mission field to be right before them—in the space between their own two feet. She uses stories from her own life and of other contemporaries to unpack the story of Moses in helping us better understand our true worth and calling. She asks, “What is your Jerusalem, your Judea, your Samaria? Whether you’re fifty or fifteen, you are called to be God’s light in a troubled world.” This classic work is being updated to include conversation starters and Bible study questions at the end of each chapter.

You don't have to be perfect to do God's work. Look no further than the twelve disciples, whose many weaknesses are forever preserved throughout the pages of the New Testament. Join bestselling author John MacArthur in Twelve Ordinary Men as he draws principles from Christ's careful, hands-on training of the original disciples for today's modern disciple, you! Jesus chose ordinary men--fishermen, tax collectors, political zealots--and turned their weakness into strength, producing greatness from people who were otherwise unremarkable. The twelve disciples weren't the stained-glass saints we imagine. On the contrary, they were truly human, all too prone to mistakes, misstatements, wrong attitudes, lapses of faith, and bitter failure. Simply put, they were flawed people, just like us. But under Jesus' teaching and touch, they became a force that forever changed the world. MacArthur takes you into the inner circle of the disciples--their selection, their training, their personalities, and their incredible impact. As MacArthur took a closer look at the lives of the twelve disciples, he found himself asking difficult questions along the way, including: Why did Jesus pick each of the twelve disciples? How did Jesus teach them everything he could in just eighteen short months? Can the lessons that Jesus taught the disciples can still influence our faith today? In Twelve Ordinary Men, you'll learn that disciples are living proof that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. As you get to know the men who walked with Jesus, you'll see that if he can accomplish his purposes through them, he can do the same through you.

Saint Paul claimed to be the chief sinner, but the man that Paul Adams once was could rival him—but not anymore. The life of deceit, selfishness, and pain that the author engaged in is now in the rearview mirror. When he reads about the people who will not inherit the kingdom of God, he can see the man he used to be walking toward eternal destruction. While Adams was close to certain death many times, God kept him here so he could become a soldier for His cause. Ever since Adams was saved, he has sought to win souls for the Lord. In this testimony, he asks powerful questions such as: • How can we work on a daily basis for God’s glory? • Where can we find opportunities to be part of God’s work? • What can we do to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit? While Adams is just an ordinary man, his journey of slowly moving toward Christ until being born again holds valuable lessons for everyone. Discover how you, too, can be redeemed and live in God’s love and grace.

Bestselling Author and Theologian Explores the Life and Ministry of Elijah Known for his in-depth yet accessible teaching, beloved author R. T. Kendall delves into the life of one of the most famous and most relatable persons in the Old Testament: Elijah. Drawn from a popular sermon series Dr. Kendall preached at Westminster Chapel in London, this discussion taken from 1 and 2 Kings traces the prophet's life and ministry from his first appearance and his confrontation with King Ahab until the time he is taken up to heaven. Kendall shows how even this revered prophet--an ordinary man with many imperfections--was used tremendously by God. A great study for both individuals and groups.