James Duff May 25th 2014 - God doesn't make junk

Micah, meaning “Who is the loser?” brings us face to face with a God who is completely just and entirely merciful. I doubt Micah was the most popular bloke going around at the time; actually, I can imagine people calling him what his name means: “Loser”. It would have been easy for Micah to believe what other people thought of him as the truth. Imagine with me for a minute Micah having to give his details to a border inspector to see if he qualified for a visa to enter the northern kingdom of Israel.Inspector: “Name?”Micah: “Micah, (who is the loser).”Inspector: “Occupation?”Micah: “Prophet of Doom.”Inspector: “What are the reasons for entering the northern kingdom?”Micah; “To tell you that your capital is going to be smashed and your people will be destroyed.”Inspector: “Why do you want to do such a thing, Micah who is the LOSER?”Micah: “Because you refuse to repent and worship Yahweh and you are completely evil to the poor and marginalized.”Inspector: “Back to Jerusalem, LOSER, we don’t need to hear such rubbish.”Although many people at the time thought of Micah as “the loser,” he must have been convinced of who God thought he was to be able to deliver the message he did. Micah’s job was to be the very mouthpiece of God. To fulfil this role he knew that he was made in God’s image (Gen. 1:27) and that he was fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). God doesn’t make junk.It is so easy for us to gain our identity from what other people say about us or by what we do for a living. It is of great importance to remember that we are God’s workmanship and it is by grasping this fact that we gain our identity. We are made by God for good works, (Eph. 2:10), to bring glory to Him by making disciples. We often find ourselves in disguise in our roles as teachers, doctors, factory workers, parents, etc. to fulfil this God-given commission.See below for a list of verses that I hope you find helpful towards fulfilling the good works he has for you to do.I am God’s child (John 1:12),I am Christ’s friend (John 15:5),I have been justified (Romans 5:1),I am united with the Lord, I have been bought with a price. I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20),I am a member of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:27),I am a saint, a holy one(Ephesians 1:1),I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18),I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins (Colossians 1:15)I am complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10),I am free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2),I am assured that all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28),I am free from condemning charges against me (Romans 8:31-34),I cannot be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39),I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3),I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and discipline(1 Timothy 1:7),I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18),I am the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14),I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21),I am God’s co-worker (2 Corinthians 6:1)I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) I am not the great  “I AM,”  but by the grace of God I am who I am. BlessingsJames