Set Apart

March 1, 2013

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Scripture

Jeremiah 1:5 “I [the Lord] knew you [Jeremiah] before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” New Living Translation

Observation

In this verse, the Lord tells Jeremiah that He knew Jeremiah before the Lord formed him in his mother’s womb. Furthermore, the Lord tells Jeremiah that before he was even born, the Lord set him apart and divinely appointed him as a prophet to the nations. This declaration from God is the calling that Jeremiah needed to hear from God, be encouraged to follow diligently after Him, and step forward into his divinely appointed destiny as a holy, set apart, unique, prophet of God to the nations.

Application

If the Lord knew Jeremiah before He formed him in his mother’s womb, I can rest assured that the Lord also knew me before He formed me in my mother’s womb. In fact, the Apostle Peter says in Acts 10:34, “God is no respecter of persons.” And if this truth is not astounding enough, I can also trust that the Lord has a holy, set apart, unique, divine calling and appointment for me as a child of God, just like He did for Jeremiah. In Luke 12:6-7, the Bible says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Understanding that I am worth more than many sparrows to the Lord, that the Lord knew me before I was even born, and that He has set me apart with a God-ordained calling in Him, encourages me to: 1) carefully listen for His still small voice, 2) follow diligently after Him, and 3) courageously step forward in faith into my unique divinely appointed destiny in God.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are El Elyon, God Most High, Creator and Possessor Of Heaven And Earth! Thank you Lord for knowing me before I was formed in my mother’s womb and creating me with a unique divinely appointed destiny in You. Help me Lord to carefully listen for Your still small voice calling me, leading me, and encouraging me to courageously step forward in faith into my unique divinely appointed destiny in You. I love You Jesus! Amen!

Set Apart Copyright 2012, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Set Apart, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

Treasures Of Darkness

March 25, 2012

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family , , , , 1 Comment

Scripture

Isaiah 45:3 “I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.”

Observation

In this verse, the prophet Isaiah declares that the Lord will give to His anointed leader called by name and whose right hand He holds, the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places so that the anointed leader will know the Lord as the One and Only True Living God of Israel.  Even in dark secret places, the Lord still reigns because He has created the darkness and He knows every secret place. Furthermore, the Lord has special treasures in darkness and hidden riches in secret places, which He will give to His anointed leaders when they go through the dark secret places of life where no one can find them but the Lord.

Application

There are times in my life when I may feel like I am all alone in a dark place that no one knows but me; however, it is in those times of seemingly dark isolation when I discover that the Lord is right there with me as a glorious light in the midst of the darkness. As a child of God called by His name, no matter how isolated or dark a place may seem in my life, the simple truth is that I am never alone and there is never a place too dark for God because Psalms 139:7-12 states, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall fall on me,’ Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.” When the Lord holds my hand and leads me through the darkest places of my life, He gives me treasure and riches that I could not have received any other way because the Lord is good, He is faithful, and His Word is true, even in the darkest places of my life.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise You for You are El Elyon, God Most High, Creator Of Heaven And Earth!  Thank You Lord for Your faithfulness to fulfill the entirety of Your Word throughout my entire life by remaining faithful to complete the good work that You began in me 20 years ago. Knowing that You will never leave me or forsake me, even in the darkest places of my life, is a treasure of darkness that I will forever behold in worshipful gratitude to You, my Creator, Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and Forever Faithful Friend! I love You Jesus! Amen!

Treasures Of Darkness Copyright 2011, Gary J. Borgstede.  You have permission to reprint the personal devotion, Treasures Of Darkness, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

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