ABC Scripture Challenge {Word #21}, Useful

Challenge Word #21: Useful

Useful: being of use or service; serving some purpose; helpful.

Has anyone ever told you that you are helpful or useful to them? How are you useful to your family? Your employer? Do you think God sees you as useful in those place and elsewhere? Do you want to be used for His purpose? We see in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Each of us that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ has been called by Him for a special purpose. Do you know what that is? Maybe you are thinking that you are not good enough to be useful to God, that you don’t have a talent or skill, or that you don’t know how to serve Him. Well you were created by Him. He has a special plan, purpose, and ministry just for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

He has created you. He has prepared something for you to do. But there are two important things to remember. First, our usefulness to Him is not of most importance to Him. He is all-powerful and does not need our help to accomplish His work. He is most concerned about our hearts. He doesn’t want to use us so we can boast. The glory only belongs to Him.

Proverbs 21:2-3 “A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”

Psalm 62:11-12 “One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: ‘Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love.’”

He desires for us to serve Him and be useful to Him because we love Him. Can you say that you love Him so much that you can’t help but want to be useful to Him?

Second, being useful or used by God does not get us into Heaven. Works gain us nothing. You are already loved tremendously by your Creator God. Jesus Christ already paid the price for you and for me. He loves us so much that He died to pay for my sins and for your sins so that we might spend eternity with Him. Our reward is in heaven, not here on earth.

Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Are you making yourself available to be useful to God because you love Him or are you too busy with your own plans?

For my page today, I used two stamps sets by Our Daily Bread Designs--Ironworks Borders and Scripture Collection 1. I also used a fun die cut from Cheery Lynn Designs called Lattice 2. It is available from the ODBD store here.

Papers: Webster's Pages, Paper Trey Ink cs
Our Daily Bread Designs Stamps: Scripture Collection 1 and Ironworks Borders
Stamp Ink: VersaFine onyx black
Embellishments: Cheery Lynn Designs lattice 2 die, flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, Heidi Swapp center of attention jet chip alpha, Zva Creative black flourishes

I pray that you will open your heart to whatever God calls you to do. Trust in Him, and be blessed by Him.

Jeremiah 17:7 "But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.”

As you post your pages, please be sure to use Keyword ABCSCRC11 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. Blessings to each of you!