Archive for the ‘Strength’ Category

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HE GIVES STRENGTH AND POWER

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Day 105

“He gives power to the weak, And to those who
have no might He increases strength”
Isaiah 40:29

Self-strength; Self-reliance; and, Self-sufficiency.

Isn’t this our way? It is one of the greatest pitfalls of our nature. There is a funny thing about all our self-strength, reliance and sufficiency; our bookstores have hundreds of titles on ways to solve loneliness, overweight, lack of self-esteem, and every other conceivable human weakness. So, if self-strength, reliance and sufficiency don’t work well for you, there are plenty of authors wanting to help you! Sadly it is not just the worldly books; visit a Christian bookstore and you see the same thing with a religious twist.

God says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” [Isaiah 55:8]. Fallen man believes in self-strength. God’s way is in His strength, but it only works in those who are humble and know they are weak and lack true strength. Godly strength comes only in weakness – “God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” [1 Corinthians 1:27].

How do we walk in His strength? It is “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” [vs 31]. What a gracious God – He is our strength. He gives us power. He equips us. He cares for us.

“My grace is sufficient for you;
for My strength is made perfect in weakness”
2 Corinthians 12:9

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HE DRAWS NEAR

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010

Day 74

“The waters closed over my head, and I
cried out, ‘This is the end’”
Lamentations 3:54-57

Have you ever been gripped in fear? Most of us have at one time or another. Fear has the capacity to paralyze us, seeming to grow in strength; overwhelming and reducing us to nothing. It causes us to lose all sense of control. Jeremiah cried, “…the waters closed over my head,” sensing the end of everything.

Fear also brings despair, and leads us to give up hope. Forces outside of us may bring this on, or it can be of our doing. But, Jeremiah called out of the depths of fear and despair because He understood something – the power of his God. So he called on God’s Name. When all else was gone, He knew the one sure thing in life was His God. And God heard him.

The difference between children of God and children of the world lies in the hope we hold. It transcends all causes for fear. It is this hope that has brought strength to those being persecuted for their faith. It is this hope that saves. It is this hope that keeps us even if we lose everything. It is this hope that knows He is right there and hears us. It is this hope that causes Him to draw near, and whisper in our ears, “Do not fear.”

“Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am
your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you;
I will uphold you with my victorious
right hand of righteousness”
Isaiah 41:10

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GOD’S STRENGTH

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Day 9

“Rejoice always . . . in everything give thanks”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

One of the realities faced by Christians is that we suffer the same as other people. We face financial, marital, and other problems. We get sick, have accidents, and die. We are not exempt from the trials, temptations and travails of life. And, if we live a righteous life giving testimony and glory to God we may even gain additional suffering through persecution. So why are we expected always to rejoice, and in everything give thanks?

There is no question that some scriptures seem contradictory. Having joy in suffering seems to be one of those conflicting statements. Yet, joy is an attitude of the heart that exemplifies the greatness and glory of God. It is not the same as happiness, which is an emotion subject to the influence of circumstance. Joy is based on absolute truth. It endures pain and grief because God’s strength in us brings joy into being and that gives us strength to endure.

Our Lord has tasted the first fruits of His ultimate victory over the world, our flesh, and the devil. He entered heaven triumphant, and now sits at the right hand of God. He has chosen us in Him and assured us of our perseverance and His faithfulness. This truth is the basis of our joy.

“God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

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MOVING MOUNTAINS

Friday, February 12th, 2010

Day 3

“What are you, O mighty mountain?”
Zechariah 4:7

Have you ever faced a mountain? Chances are that you have faced many in your life. We are not immune to life’s problems. We face the same realities as others in personal matters, sickness, financial and marital problems, family tragedies and, ultimately, death.

These obstacles are often “mountains” on which we struggle with faith and believing that God will take care of the outcome. Some times these mountains seem impassable. Our reflex is to use our own strength and power to deal with the situation; overcome it with our own might. However, self-strength fails us in the end. We cannot order the events of our lives, although we like to believe we can.

Our hope is not in ourselves, but in Christ, the hope of our glory. God told Zerubbabel that the mountains would become level ground before him, and it was not might or power that would do the job, but God’s Spirit. It is the same for us today. God is responsible for the obstacles and mountains in our life. We are responsible for seeking Him first and His righteousness. If we do that, He will level your mountains.

“Not by might nor by power, but
by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty”
Zechariah 4:6

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