Quote of the Day 6/1

Happy June Bloggers!!! We are going to do our Quote of the Day post again this month! I am very excited because I love to search for a quote every day that really strikes me and makes me think. I hope that you will feel the same way as I share with you what God has spoken to my heart about. The men from which we will hear are all great men with much wisdom. May we learn from their faithfulness…

"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." ~ D.L. Moody

If you have ever read the biography of Moody, written by his son, one note about his character is that he was an extremely humble man. He was a man subject to like passions as we are, but he had learned, “he must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) He said that the only people who God cannot fill, are the ones who are already full…makes sense right? How can you fill a 5 gallon bucket that is already full? How can you fill a car with gas which is already topped off? Likewise, how can God fill you with wisdom, if you already have it all? How can God fill you with knowledge, if you already know everything? How can God fill us with power, if we can do it ourselves? The obvious answer is that He cannot…

I saw a movie in which a young man wanted to learn a certain skill. He had read about it…watched instructional videos about it…watch movies about it…talked about it…dreamed about it…ALL THE TIME! It was his dream to possess that certain skill. He came across a man who possessed that skill to the highest degree. Man, did that boy ever get excited!!! He started talking about that skill like there was no tomorrow! He begged…and begged…and begged…and begged this man to train him. Finally, the master gave in and agreed to train the boy. The young pupil was very eager to get his training underway…he just knew that he was going to learn that skill better than anyone! He asked his master, “What is first, Master?” The master replied, “I want you to take this stick, and start wacking those weeds over there.” The young pupil questioned his master’s motives…”I thought you were going to teach me!!!” “I am teaching you”, said the master. “But,”, said the boy, “what about…”, he then proceeded to inquire as to why he was not going to learn about the special skill which he wanted…and began to show off his knowledge about that skill. He rattled off everything about the skill that he had retained in his brain to try to prove to his master that he was ready to “skip to the good stuff.” He didn’t need Basic Training…he was ready for war! So, he thought… After the young man’s extensive display of knowledge about his desired skill, the master paused…shook his head…looked at the boy and wisely said, “Empty your cup…” “WHAT?”, the surprised boy replied. The Master once again paused and with no anger in his voice said, “If you know so much about this skill, why can you not perform it?”

Do you know much? Empty your cup. Do you have much? Empty your cup? Have you accomplished much? Empty your cup. Do you possess wisdom? Empty your cup. Are you a good soul-winner? Empty your cup? Do you know how to build a Sunday school class? Empty your cup. Why? Because God CANNOT fill what is already full! If I think I know so much about the Christian life, WHAT DO I NEED GOD FOR? If I have arrived spiritually, WHAT DO I NEED GOD FOR? If I know all there is to know about winning souls, WHY DON’T I WIN MORE? If I am wise, WHAT DO I NEED GOD FOR? However, I DO need God!!! I am not wise! I am not knowledgeable! I have not arrived! I NEED HIM! Do you know who God is looking to use? THOSE WHO ARE EMPTY!!! Those who realize that they are NOTHING! Those who aren’t “wise in their own eyes”! Those who see themselves as week and feeble! God can’t use a “know-it-all”! Do you have some knowledge? POUR IT OUT before God Almighty and say, “God, I am a blind sheep who knows nothing! I need you! Master, teach me!” God will look down and say, “That man does know much, but he doesn’t see himself as knowledgeable! I like that! I can use Him! I WILL use Him! But, the second that He starts to think that He knows something…or did something…or can do something on his own…is the moment I cannot fill Him, for He will be too full of himself!” Do you want God to use you? Empty yourself of everything that you think you know and beg God to fill you!

We all struggle with this. Especially those of us who have the privilege of growing up in a Christian home. It is easy to feel like we have seen it all, done it all, and know it all. But, if we want to be used of God, then we have to empty ourselves of ourselves and beg him to fill us with what He sees fit. Do you want God to use you?

Empty your cup…