"I've done too much for God to love me, much less use me" part 2

 I wanted to add to what we started in the previous post.  If you are wondering if you can be used by God with your past, the genealogy of Jesus is a great place to look.  Noah imbibed too much (Genesis 9:21).  Abraham lied about his wife to save his own skin, possibly sacrificing her, not once, but twice (Genesis 12:11-13 and Genesis 20:2).  Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua 2:1).  Ruth was a Moabite, a hated race (Ruth 1:4).  David was an adulterer and a murderer (2 Samuel 11).  Solomon was a task master and loved too many women (1 Kings 11:3 and 12:4).  The point is, even though these men and women were totally human and made huge mistakes, God still used them to bring the Savior of the world to earth.  You see, it isn't about us.  It isn't about our skills, talents, "goodness", or mistakes.  Everything in life is all about God.  So the question isn't if we have done too much to be lovable and used of God.  The question should be, "is God big enough to change me and make me what He wants me to be?"  The answer to that question is YES!  God is God.  Holy, loving, just, righteous, absolutely powerful, large and in charge.  He can handle absolutely anything we do or say.  He just wants us to surrender to Him.  He just wants us to let Him work in our lives.  He will make us new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."  Romans 6:4 says, "Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."  

So, beloved, walk in the newness of life.  Don't let the enemy guilt and shame you into thinking you can't be loved by God, can't be used by Him.  You serve a big God.  Way bigger than the enemy (1 John 4:4).  Repent and believe, then watch Him work.  Don't let the enemy try to reshackle you.  Those chains are gone.  We have no need to pick them up again.  Walk in the newness of life.  And when you feel weak, remember Paul's comments on the matter, "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."  (2 Corinthians 12:9)