Red Letters: Nothing Is Wasted - Pastor Josiah Elias

“Nothing Is Wasted” was the sermon title, and the service exemplified that theme beginning with the worship. Then when Josh Munoz spoke, he explained that he wanted the Lord to be “the object of our affections.” Josh mentioned that at the formal conclusion of the fast, he did not feel God was finished with him. Josh realized that God was to be the focus of his life not to be a part of his life. How did the disciples transform to spokesmen for Jesus Christ, the Messiah? The disciples walked and talked with Jesus daily. May we walk and talk with the Messiah daily also. God wanted Josh to burn for Him, and Josh shared what he learned with us so we could burn for Jesus. May Jesus be the object of our affection and attention not just during the fast but for the rest of our lives.

Next Pastor Josiah informed us,”I am a son first. I am a Kingdom man first.” Everything that he says and does are based on his identity. When Pastor Josiah realized he was Almighty God’s Beloved, his thoughts changed as did his whole being. He wanted to steward the Lord’s blessings well, and that is why Ashley and he prayed and discussed their sacrificial gift to the Brick by Brick campaign. He wants the Activity Center to be service-ready for the growing ministries at FC. He desires the Activity Center to be a place where “lives are transformed; marriages are strengthened; and chains are broken.”

Then Pastor Josiah introduced Taylor who shared his life and acceptance of Jesus. He was an

agnostic as a teenager to an atheist as a college student all the while smoking weed and doing drugs. A very hard time for him was in 2013 when his dad was diagnosed with cancer. After two years his dad, who was his best friend, died, and Taylor rebelled against the Lord. He buried his pain through drugs and contemplated suicide.

One time in his room, Taylor heard,”What are you doing?”

Taylor asked,”Who is this?”

He answered,”Jesus Christ.”

Taylor got up and flushed all the drugs down the toilet, but the demons kept whispering doubt to him.

Taylor began reading the book of Job, and the spiritual battle waged on. However, in the

shower, Taylor repented and gave his heart to the Lord. He had such peace the next morning. “Jesus changed my world,” declared Taylor. From September, 2023 to June, 2024 when he was baptized, Taylor’s world transformed from intoxication, demons and self harm to a world filled with Jesus. His object of affection was the Lord. The Lord cleansed Taylor of a fourteen year addiction. Taylor explained,”Jesus loves us all. If God be for us, who can be against us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” Hallelujah! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

After that stirring testimony, Pastor Josiah reminded us of the power of our testimonies. We

overcome the enemy’s attacks through the blood of Jesus and our testimonies. Praise the Lord. Revelation 12:11 states ”They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Let’s be empowered to share His work in us whether dramatic like Taylor’s or small like mine when Larry was in the ambulance, and as I followed the ambulance, I heard on K Love Katy Nichol sing, ”You catch me when I fall. You catch me when I fall. You catch me when I fall.” Larry did not hit his head on the cement when he collapsed. The Lord caught him when he fell. Hallelujah. The Lord be praised!

FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and our vision is Jesus. Last week Pastor Josiah

encouraged us to take an offensive posture against hell. Jesus is the Messiah, and we are

saved through the blood of the Lamb. This week Pastor Josiah continued in Matthew where

Jesus foretold the disciples that He would go to Jerusalem, and He would suffer. “He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.” Matthew 16:21b (NLT) His

suffering was necessary to complete God’s plan. Some challenges are necessary for us to

walk through. May we have the discernment of the Holy Spirit to know how we should walk

through challenges.

Jesus experienced many difficult challenges as did the disciples. Peter warned us,

”So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though

you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials

will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire

tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious

than mere gold.” I Peter 1:6-7a (NLT)

Now to be honest I am reluctant to go through a trial; however, Peter opened my eyes to the fact that if I want to be more Christ like, I need to go through refining. Though fire burns, it expels the dross so that the gold is purified. I have many flaws, ask Larry, but if I want to be more like Jesus, I need and want to be refined. He will help me endure the trials so that I can be more loving and surrendered like Jesus.

Another aspect concerning challenges was stability. How do you know you are stable? If

something pushes against you and you do not move, you are stable. James spoke of it in terms of double mindedness.

“But let patience have (its) perfect work, that you may be perfect

and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him

ask of God…. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who

doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For

let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

(he is) a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:4-8

(NKJV)

Back to Josh Munoz, he intimated that point in the interlude. He suggested we make God the object of our affection and attention. In other words he was telling us to be singly minded with our Almighty Lord as our focus.

Pastor Josiah reminded us of Peter who was called the Rock after Jesus asked him,”’Who do

you say that I am?’

Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” Matthew 16:15-

16 (NIV) After which Jesus commended Simon and renamed him Peter. Peter heard and

obeyed. “If we hear and do not respond, what is the point?” questioned Pastor Josiah.

In the same chapter Jesus had a different response for Peter, who did not want to hear about

the trials Jesus would experience in Jerusalem. Jesus knew that He was in God’s perfect plan, but Peter did not like the plan. It was a lordship issue. Thus, Peter was a stumbling block.

“Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying

such things.’Heaven forbid, Lord,’ he said. ‘This will never

happen to you!’

Jesus turned to Peter and said,’Get away from me, Satan! You

are a dangerous trap to me.’” Matthew 16:22-23 (NLT)

Peter intended to encourage and guide the Lord Jesus Christ, but good intention doesn’t

equal God direction. In the first encounter, Jesus praised Peter. In the second one, He

admonished Peter, who satan used to be a stumbling block.

Peter was in process as we all are. He developed into the Peter who stated,”So you must live

as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your

own desires.” 1 Peter 1:14 (NLT)

Jesus in Matthew instructed His disciples,”If any of you wants to be my follower, you must

turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

The Paramount Point is “He can use anything for His purposes, even mistakes.” You might

have heard the oft said statement,”God doesn’t waste a hurt.” I may not have wanted to go

through the trial, but the Lord used it for good. I grew so much closer to Him. Glory hallelujah!

“…all things work together for good to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

“So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is

continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers

who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”

Romans 8:28 (TPT)

Thank you, God, for not giving up on me. Thank you, Lord, for using my sins, my repentance

and my trials to refine, restore and redeem me. Thank you, Abba Father, for letting me be salt and light in this dark world. “Nothing Is wasted.”

Calendar:

2/5 Midweek Encounter

2/7-2/8 Power and Love conference

2/21-Midnight Hour

2/22-LB potluck

2/23 FC Business meeting

Submitted by

Larry and Annette Linthicum