Tag: life

Strength for the Weary

Have you ever been in a place when you needed strength? Who do you look too? How do you receive this strength that you are needing? Do you know that in this life we can’t do it on our own, we need help, we need His strength.

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited…”

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me…”

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 

“Living this life can only be lived through His strength”

His strength is limitless. When we are at our weakest that is when His strength becomes the greatest! But are we seeking for His strength? Are we asking for His strength when feel as if though you can’t take another step?

Fact: Strength is grown and developed and we can’t grow or develop without seeking Him.

Q: Where can we find this strength? How do we receive strength?

There is strength for those who hope

“ My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

The true source for our strength only comes from the hope we have in Him. 

There is strength for those who seek 

  • “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” – Psalm 105:3-4
  • When we begin to praise in our weakness, when we begin to look up, we begin to have hope and joy, joy is the strength of the Lord.
  • “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.” – 1 Chronicles 16:11

  • There is strength for those who wait

Isaiah 40:31 

“But they who wait (hope) for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.”

Purpose of His Presence

There is nothing like going on vacation to see those who you haven’t seen in such a long time. Knowing the activities and adventures that you will embark on are priceless. The time that you will spend together laughing, maybe crying about stories that you have experienced in the past are priceless. Maybe it’s just a phone call to hear their voice that you haven’t heard in a long time. That time together is priceless.

That is how it is with the Lord, David says in Psalms 63:5

“Daily I will worship you passionately and with all my heart. My arms will wave to you like banners of praise. I overflow with praise when I come before you, for the anointing of your presence satisfies me like nothing else. You are such a rich banquet of pleasure to my soul. – Passion Translation

Q: So What is The Purpose of His Presence?

A: He, the Holy Spirit keeps you from wandering and causes you to separate (consecrate) anything else that is trying to take His place.

Matthew 4:18-22

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”[a]20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

There was something about Him that made these men leave behind their lives their livelihoods all that they have ever know they threw it away for the cause of Christ. What was it? They saw His Presence so valuable.

Psalm 16:11

“You make known to me cthe path of life; 

in your presence there is dfullness of joy; 

at your right hand are epleasures forevermore.”

Do you see His Presence so valuable and so priceless?

Are You Committed?

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History tells us of men who almost made it. “If I were to ask you what Charles Pinckney, Horatio Seymour, Alton Parker and James Cox have in common?” Most people would not know who these men were. These men ran for the United States presidency. Obviously these who did not win, but almost won.

History does not reward the man who almost succeeds, only the one who does succeed. Gods Word also tells about men who almost made it but failed.

For example, the rich young ruler, or King Agrippa, who admitted they were “almost persuaded.” These men apparently died near the door but not inside it. Our World is full of religious men who are so close yet so far.

In my high school days, how long ago those days were. I was not committed at all. My favorite day of school was the last day. I was late to school, and I never paid much attention. I just didn’t have the desire to put forth the effort.

If I was to live a Christian life like my high school days, I would never make it.

The key to living a committed lifestyle for Him is yielding/surrendering our lives to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”

This verse tells me that plans are not made on our own THEN committed to the Lord.

//Application//

Three words that sums this up        Commitment involves work

//The Challenge//

What are some ways that you can be committed?

  • Prayer life
  • Get in the Word

 

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The Blessed Hope

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The Resurrection of Christ brings hope. The late Emil Brunner once said, “What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of human life.”

As the human organism is dependent on a supply of oxygen, so humanity is dependent on its supply of hope. Yet today hopelessness and despair are everywhere. Peter, who himself was given to despair during the episode of Calvary, writes in a triumphant note, “Blessed be the God and who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.”

There is hope that mistakes and sins can be forgiven. There is hope that we can have joy, peace, assurance and security in the midst of the despair of this age. There is hope that Christ is coming soon-this is what is called in scripture “The blessed hope”

Our hope is not in our own ability or in our goodness or physical strength. Our hope is instilled in us by the resurrection of Christ!

 

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And God Said…

In the beginning
“the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Once, the Earth was without form and void. Spiritual speaking we were without form and void, for some we still are. We try to figure out His ways, but yet we are still puzzled. We go before Him, but yet He has already been their. We hide, we run, but He knows where we are and where we are running too.
Genesis 1:3 ” And God said “Let there be light,” and there was light.
But with a simple Word, He spoke light onto the Earth and it happened. He created light?!  how radical!
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He created light, why are we struggling with a situation not trusting Him to speak life into it?
The same God who spoke light into existence can speak light into your darkest moments and speak life into the deepest caverns of your heart. The earth was filled
Just like the Earth it has a beginning and an end; we all have a beginning and we all also have an ending.
“All flesh is like grass, that is here one day and gone the next. for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,” 1 Peter 1:24