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promises

Your Power Source

Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV)

I’m sure you’ve experienced the frustration of human weakness.  Whether physical or otherwise, each of us experiences some inadequacy or a serious setback.  Most people desire to succeed in every circumstance.  Overall, that’s a sound, biblical approach to life.  When we face life on our best footing, we tend to face the day with confident assurance.  We expect positive outcome because we’ve done everything right.  However, when something upsets the delicate balance of “feeling in control,” our true weakness becomes evident.

The good news is that, regardless of the world’s wisdom or even your own past experiences, your success is not based upon your strength—and failure is not formed in your weakness.  We must surrender our desire to be in control to God, giving Him total access to our lives and our weaknesses.  Paul is the perfect example.  Paul was well-acquainted with weakness, yet God used him to accomplish much.  When a “thorn in his flesh” tormented him, he cried out to God for relief: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV).

Knowing all that God still had planned for Paul, you might think He would have removed every hindrance—especially the thorn that caused him such pain.   Instead, God showed Paul a new way of looking at his weakness.  God knows that man’s strength can only go so far, for so long.  Ultimately, our strength is insufficient.  When we acknowledge that fact and turn to Him, we switch from our own “power supply” to His grace—His limitless ability exercised on our behalf.

After God’s unexpected answer, the apostle gained a new perspective on weakness: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV).  Instead of begging God to fix the problem, Paul boasted and delighted in it.  Paul delighted in his weakened condition because he realized that with God backing him up, every obstacle became an opportunity for God’s power to be demonstrated.

Allow weakness to work for you and for the kingdom.  Ask God what you can learn through periods of seeming failure, defeat, or frailty.  Acknowledge God’s strength.  Release yourself into His hands and draw on His unending power.  Even when weakness is all your natural eye can see, you can enjoy the genuine victory that comes only from God.  Each deflated expectation can turn out to be your open door to accomplishment.  Any challenging experience can become an equipping moment of success—when you allow God to work through your weakness.

Finally, when you’ve feeling weak or inadequate, remember that Jesus Himself was ridiculed as He hung on the cross (see Mark 15:32).  Beaten and bloodied, He was not the world’s typical picture of strength.  Yet His “weakness” was used by God to bring salvation to the world!

Today’s blog is an excerpt from Marilyn’s 101-day devotional, Beautiful inheritance.

2024-09-19T07:43:52-06:00October 21st, 2024|

Endure to Reap the Blessing

James 5:11 says, …we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job…” Job endured terrible trials. Was he happy when God restored and multiplied all that he had lost? Was he happy when his life-span was increased? Was he happy when his wealth was increased and doubled? Yes! He illustrates the truth that if you endure, the happiness and peace of God will be your reward.

Do you feel a burden, a weight that doesn’t seem to leave you? Are the circumstances of life bearing down on you? Is there a someone in your life—a child, a loved one—who seems to be holding you down, so that you are unable to rise to the level where you want to be in your walk with the Lord?

Hebrews 12:2, tells us to look unto Jesus, “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus bore the burdens of the whole world—sickness, sin, poverty, oppression, depression—and a whole host of other things. Now, He is seated on the throne next to the Father, has many crowns, is exalted, and has a name that is above all names. One day, every knee will bow at the name of Jesus, to the glory of God the Father, because He endured the Cross.

Look to Jesus, the forerunner Who pioneered the way for us to follow. If you take up your cross and endure by the power of God, a crown awaits you.

There are 7,000 promises you can claim to help you through the hard times. Cling to them, meditate on them, memorize them, believe in them—His Word is true. The Word works!

You can endure and you will go from glory to glory because God wants you to rule and reign!

2024-09-19T06:33:18-06:00October 14th, 2024|

Mountain Moving Faith

Do your prayers move mountains, mole hills or nothing at all? Would you like to see the mountain of defeat, depression and heartache lifted? Today you will put an end to defeat; you will MOVE MOUNTAINS!

In Mark 11:23, Jesus taught,

“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”

When was the last time you spoke to the mountains that have covered your heart? God didn’t say, “Pray to Me and I will remove them.” The Word commands us to speak to them and tell them what to do. What is bothering you? Right now, address the problem in the name of Jesus and tell in to be removed and cast into the sea. Whenever the problem tries to resurface, speak the Word against it and command it to be removed. Believe that what you say will come to pass; believe that your commands will move your mountains of problems and circumstances.

When you pray, don’t pray the problem; pray the answer to the problem. Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Pray the things that your heart desires. MOVE YOUR MOUNTAINS today, and call rivers of joy into your heart.

2024-09-19T06:34:42-06:00October 7th, 2024|

Questions and Answers

Questions & Answers

  1. I have an overwhelming problem with jealousy. It is so ugly, and it is practically killing me. Can you help me conquer this?
  2. The Bible says that jealously is as cruel as the grave (Song of Solomon 8:6). Jealousy motivates revenge and can cause you many problems unless you repent. The only way you can overcome jealousy is to go to God and ask Him to help you with your problem. God guarantees in His Word that if we resist the devil he will have to flee (James 4:7). As you feel this spirit of jealousy trying to overtake you, speak out loud, “Jealousy, I resist you in Jesus’ name.” Remember the root of jealousy is fear, and perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).
  3. I have heard you say we are not to take up another’s offense. Is there a scripture reference to support this statement?
  4. Proverbs 26:17 gives us advice about keeping out of someone else’s quarrel. In the Amplified Bible it reads, “He who, passing by, stops to meddle with strife that is not his business is like one who takes a dog by the ears.”
  5. Is it ever proper to judge someone?
  6. I encourage everyone in the Body of Christ to look at others as having the potential of Jesus inside. There is no proper or improper time to judge another. The Bible tells us that such behavior will get us into a world of trouble. The consequences of judging are found in Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 2:1; and Galatians 6:7,8.

God will help us love others in the Church, and through that love we won’t have to judge or evaluate them. After all, we are God’s servants and it is God alone who is able to make us stand (see Romans 14:4). Each of us is to evaluate and judge ourselves—then we will not need to judge one another.

  1. I have a real hard time forgiving myself when I’ve offended someone or done something stupid. What should I do?

Peter, Paul, David, Abraham, and Isaac all sinned. The key to their success and greatness was that they received forgiveness and cleansing from their sin and went on with God. Realize that you are not perfect but you do have the perfect One living inside of you. Whenever you feel you’ve blown it, repent to God and to anyone else who may be involved. Then forgive yourself and thank God that you are in Christ and no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1, 2). His Word is true and He forgives every repentant sinner according to 1 John 1:9.

  1. I have been deeply hurt by people telling lies about me. How do I handle this kind of gossip?
  2. First of all, you must guard your own heart according to Proverbs 4:23. I was once deeply offended by another Christian. I felt he was being very unjust toward me, and my first reaction was to tell him off; but the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart to do good to those who hate me (Matthew 5:44). I made a decision to act on the Word, to pray for the person who offended me, and to do good for him if the opportunity arose.

Likewise, it is important for you to forgive the people who are gossiping about you and to make sure that your relationship with the Lord continues to be good. As you walk in holiness and righteousness before Him, God will make your enemies to be at peace with you (Proverbs 16:7). If you sow bitterness, you will reap bitter results; but God will richly bless you if you flow in His forgiveness and grace toward these people.

2024-09-19T08:06:18-06:00September 28th, 2024|
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