God's Chosen People - Discipleship Progams

(To illustrate God's choosing I include a testimony by Carolynn Dye given in February, 2008. Hope you enjoy it - Wbisbill) (You might prefer to read the article from its sources - where there are found many other discipleship training articles. God Chooses Whom He Will)
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God Chooses Whom He Will

It was a typical Sunday morning at our church in Jefferson City. My wife and I were sitting in our accustomed place, having enjoyed an inspiring Sunday school lesson delivered by Brother Ernest, a gifted teacher. We were in transition to our praise and worship time in the service; it was ladies' day and the menu of activities was a little different than usual but equally as uplifting. Sister Carolynn Dye, the senior pastor's wife, was in charge and as she approached the podium with a slight grimace from a chronic muscle disorder, I felt a little apprehensive empathy as well as admiration for her courageous, no quitting approach to her ministry. She squared her shoulders and ever so slightly cleared her throat as to lift and project herself that all could hear for she had something noteworthy to share. The Bible says that a New Testament prophet's role is to exhort, edify, and encourage (1 Corinthians 14:3), and we were about to witness a prophetess. I will never forget her simple but profound testimony. She began with a Scripture:


I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness unto His marvelous light. (KJV Translation)

"It was recess at Dry Fork." Everyone's eyes collectively focused like light through a magnifying glass on Carolynn; we knew we were about to go down memory lane. Carolynn had a special way of relating corny, life stories that entertained but drove home powerful messages; she had hit more than one grand slam with her story telling and I felt a grin and a chuckle even without a punch line. Dry Fork was the name of her grade school. The little school only housed about 35 children, from 1st to 6th grade.

"All the grades met in one room; we had one small bus which made two trips to pick up the children; there was only one teacher, Mrs. Fleeda Guffee, who also served as the bus driver and janitor; we had a big black stove in the middle of the room; and we all carried our lunches in brown paper sacks."

With this introduction of hers, I looked around and saw people smiling; I could discern chuckled memories by the more mature (me included) in the congregation to a quieter, simpler time. The younger attendees were also smiling, although it was more in wonder than memory. I even heard more than a few chuckles expectant of a punch line to a home spun yarn. I reckon things in church always seem funnier for some reason.

"We all looked forward to recess! It was a favorite part of our day! Mrs. Guffee would just let us play, and play I did. For a second grader I was a little awkward but a good runner. On the other hand I loved skipping. I would skip a marathon and retreat into my own play world; I would skip across the play yard; I would skip down to the creek; I knew how to enjoy recess."

"This particular day was sunny, and Mrs. Guffee thought it would be a good change of pace for everyone to play softball; everyone was supposed to go across the creek, choose sides and take part in team ball. Boy, what a bummer! I always dreaded the days Mrs. Guffee would make all of us play ball instead of leaving us just on our own. I was one of the smallest there, and I was then an awkward, non-athletic little girl."

"I set out to keep a low profile, knowing that if I were chosen it would be last. As you know, we had to have two sides, two captains - each captain would choose one person each until everyone was on one team or the other. I already knew it was better for me to hide in my own little world, that parallel universe reserved for a skip-happy second grade girl; I knew how to entertain myself. Besides, what fun is it to be picked last; to have all the other children laugh at me when I struck out or when I handed the ball to an older child (when I was expected to throw it); to ignore one of my best friends holler, "Oh no! It's Carolynn's turn at bat!" Do you know what I was thinking? Who are the players the captains wanted to choose? They wanted good batters, Babe Ruth hitters, fleet runners and expert catchers. Can you guess where I came in? Last. That is right, I was always selected last, not really chosen, just the final one standing and someone had to take me. To this day, I hate hearing the words, "Let's divide up into teams!"

"However, there was one good, very pleasant thing about this day, my older brother, Wayne, was there. I do not remember why, but he was there. Paint Rock was the name of his school, but at this special time he was with me at Dry Fork."

"I withdrew into full retreat into my own little world, just hoping against hope that no one would notice me and I could just play on my own. Mrs. Guffee spoke in her teacher voice, 'Stand up and choose teams.' Her words rang loud and clear like a dinner bell to a herd of hungry children who possessed an excitement like it was a pending world series. The students scurried to their feet to be chosen. However, this little girl tried not to give attention. There was no anticipation, only anxiety."

"I figured I had plenty of time. Then, it happened; my big brother was selected as one of the captains. Guess who he chose first! It was like I could feel the earth shake under me; I was pulled from my universe into reality; I was not last, I was first. I was first!"

"I heard my name called out, strident and obvious - 'Carolynn, %u2026'"

At this point in the antidote, Sister Dye injected her Scripture choice as a backdrop to the story.

John 10:3-4 KJV %u2026 The sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

Her whole point was to reveal her Savior whom she witnessed as one closer to her than her older brother. I looked to those around me; I saw a multitude of head nods mixed with smiles. She was relating; Carolynn knew it; we all knew it. She continued.

"I heard that voice calling out my name; I could not see who it was because I was still sitting on the ground; but I knew that sound. I knew who it was; I had heard it many times before. My heart thumped and pumped energy throughout. Believe me; I leaped right off that ground and hit the dirt running to where my best friend and brother was. My anxiety was transformed, instantly and magically into pride. I had been chosen! I was chosen first! I knew my captain's voice and I ran, skipped and leaped straight up to the head of the line."

Carolynn's message was clear; it was not so much about ball but about being chosen. She continued and related the Bible story of when God chose Moses in Exodus 3:11. God promised that unlikely prophet, during the lowest time of his life, that he would make him a national redeemer. "Certainly, I will be with thee!" were the words that instantly transformed the failing Moses to epic greatness! Then, before Carolynn got in full sermon mode, she continued her heart warming anecdote.

"All was good; I strutted; I smiled; it was all for which a little girl could hope! At least until it came time to bat. The apprehension surged my bravery like the waters of Niagara, and fear swept me over the fall. At that time, I tried to tell my brother that I just couldn't do it. 'I can not; they will laugh at me; I will miss the ball; I will get caught out; or, at best, I will hit tips or fly out or knock fouls! I will just strike out.' I argued with Wayne and wantonly pleaded. Having my big brother choose me was both blessing and curse. With him choosing me, I felt special, but normally, I would just stand there and swing three times at whatever the opposition threw and I could go back and play in the grass out of the arena. After all, I was an easy and expected 'out.' Why disappoint some or surprise others now?"

"I knew my brother would have nothing to do with that. Now I felt the curse; O I could hear the silent laughter loud and clear. I wished it would just end. My brother said to me, 'I'll help you!' He walked me up to that dreaded base, searched and snatched a second grader sized bat; he smiled with confidence and determination. He assured me. 'Don't worry squirt, when we hit that ball, take off running!' Squirt was my nickname; I didn't necessarily like it but from him it was ok."

"With a half-hearted, pretend bravery I secured the bat as best I could; I was ready to strike out; my mind was saying, 'Maybe it won't last long!" Now comes the part where big brother does only what loving big brothers do; I felt his arms around me, his hands over mine. 'You can do it, I'm with you, I'll help you'"

"Then I knew! With his help I could do this, my brother just kept telling me; over and over, reassuring me, helping me grip and aim that weighty wooden weapon and I knew that my loving helper would enable me to achieve what I normally could not. His affectionate reassurance melted fear and dread from this grade-schooler, and I felt I could do any and all things now!"

Carolynn, reminded our church that God has spoken in the Bible, over and over, assuring us that He is with us and will bless us! Did you know that God tells us 100 times in the Old Testament alone - "I am with you. I will bless thee."
Examples:
Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
Haggai 2:4 Now be strong, be strong for I am with you.
Genesis 26:24 I am with thee and will bless thee,
And one of my favorite scriptures:
Psalm 125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is around His people.

Carolynn continued her testimony, "My confidence soared as my elder brother's hands securely covered mine like an oversized glove. My hands felt sandwiched between his grip and the bat, and it dawned on me, that it was no longer I but we that were meeting that hurled ball. I would not fail unless he failed and I knew he would not fail. He was my big brother, my rescuer. Playing softball like this is fun!"

"There we stood; in came the ball and together we swung. 'Smack' and we hit the ball. Away the ball dashed like a bird heading south for the winter. To the eyes of this second grader, away and away and way out it traveled. It seemed as if the impossible had happened and I stood there excited almost shaking. I was so thrilled, I forgot to run.

"Wayne yelled, 'Run, Squirt, run!' Here I went, habitually and happy go lucky, skipping to first base. However, my mentor wasn't satisfied with my mediocrity and he ran ahead of me as if the entire game depended on me. The herd of kids roared in laughter, seeing my brother sprinting and hollering while I was skipping and bouncing like a prancing, fledgling kangaroo. I heard the musings but I couldn't understand the fuss. Then it dawned that they were laughing at me. I felt like Job of old who said, 'For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. (Job 3:25)

"My brother was now on first waiving me on, 'Run, don't worry about them, run, give it all you've got!' By the time I got to first base, he was on second waiving his windmill arms, bellowing encouragement. The time had come to trade my skip for a sprint. He knew that, if I chose to run, I could outrun all six students in my grade. Just like God wants us to give our best my coach wanted me to get serious. His fanatic chanting, 'Come on, come on, you can do it,' pierced and overcame the crowded laughter and filled me once again with renewed courage."

It was here Carolynn interjected a pause to reflect on how Christ is our Elder Brother and Constant Companion. She quoted Deuteronomy 31:8 %u2026
And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

"I now ran to 2nd base, then to 3rd. I gave it my all! I was now committed; my big brother was in charge, and I was but his little soldier. If he said, 'Run' I'd run; if he said, 'Stop,' I'd stop. Once, I wanted to stop; it seemed to me they would get me out if I kept running, but my coach brother just kept egging me on. We all need someone to encourage us, 'You can do it; don't give up!'" Who could have imagined on this ordinary sun warmed play ground during a recess break that a skipper would become a sprinter, that the last would become the first? Who could calculate the odds of a little squirt like me getting a brief taste and glimpse of victory row which was reserved for the Dry Creek Soft Ball Hall of Fame. However, there I was standing on third waiting for directions from my mentor. Then, my brother started spinning his right arm with the fury of a propeller in flight. 'Go, Squirt, Go!" was the charge. I fixed my eyes on that irregular plank we had named as home base, and I set my feet to running. It seemed to me but a blink, and I stretched out toward the mark of my prize. I felt the feel of wood against my shoes; a sibling squirt had become a softball hero! 'I made a homerun! I made a homerun!' With my elder brother's help I made it!"

"God is like that; God is faithful. 'Faithful is He that calleth you, who will also do it. (I Thessalonians 5:24)'"

This was the end of Carolynn's story. I told my wife, "We've been in church this morning!" Sister Dye may not be an ordained minister, but her words encouraged my heart equally or more.

God bless you all; remember you are a treasure to God! God chooses whom He will; He is interested in the condition of your heart. Each and every one of you have a calling, something to do for God, God loves you so much.

More Help from the Bible:

I Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is He that calleth you, who will also do it.
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know ye therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth His commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:18 Thou shalt not be afraid,
I Timothy 1:12 Nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know in who I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day.
Exodus 19:5 If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then will you be a treasure to me above all people.
Deuteronomy 7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted for thy God is with you.

You may not look, talk or act like the majority of people, but that does not matter as long as you pattern yourself in the likeness of the One who called and chose you! Listen to His Voice, He will guide you, He knows the way. Please Him! Go where He calls you!

You may be a very funny-looking little girl, no one seems to want you on their team, but you have a Big Brother who does; His name is Jesus. He wants you, he chooses you, he is calling out your name, and he goes before you. Can you hear him beckon, 'Come unto me?'

Submitted by %u2026 Wbisbill .. February, 2008

You might prefer to read the article from its sources - where ther are founf many other disciplshi training articles.
God Chooses Whom He Will The true story of a little girl forced to play softball with the big kids. She learned a valuable life lesson:You may be a very funny-looking little girl, no one seems to want you on their team, but you have a Big Brother who does; His name is Jesus. He wants you, he chooses you, he is calling out your name, and he goes before you. Can you hear him beckon, 'Come unto me?'