"Jesus said to me, "My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you." So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me."
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NCV)
Paul discovered the secret to dealing with the unpleasant things in life. He decided to treat his weakness and difficulties as a gift from God. He could do this because he realized the weaker he became, the more he had to depend on God's strength. Paul asked God to take away his weakness, but God chose to leave it. Paul's weakness strengthened his relationship with God. God did not take Paul's difficulties away; God helped Paul deal with them.
Difficulties and challenges are a good thing; they are opportunities to allow God to do things he wouldn't otherwise do. You may face difficulties in your life that you wish God would just take away. God may supply what you nee to make it through your difficulties rather than remove them. For example, a father will take his child to the doctor and allow that child to be given what appears to the child as a big, painful shot. From first hand experience, I'm absolutely terrified of needles. A child, like myself, would not understand why his father allowed someone to hurt him until he was older and realizes that shots can make you well or keep you from getting sick. Remember that God sees beyond your moment of suffering.
When you ask for God's help, you gain the chance to see all the things he can do. Take your difficulties and weaknesses to God in prayer. Ask him to use them in a way that reveals his strength and greatness.
You may think of your point of weakness as the last place where God can work through your life. Have you ever considered the possibility that it might be the precise spot where God plans to work? Commit even your weaknesses and failures to God's good work.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Good Life
"I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future." - Jeremiah 29:11 (NCV)
God is in control of the future -- your future in particular. God has your future planned. God knows everything you will do. God has a plan for you that he won't give up on.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter to a group of people who believed in God but who were exiles in a country far from their home. The letter contained good news and bad news. God promised he had a good plan for their lives; however, they would first have to endure the consequences of not obeying God. God wanted them to know that everything they experienced was in his control and part of his plan.
There is no limit to the possibilities in your life when you commit your choices, your heart, and your life to God. Dream big and take your dreams to God. With his unlimited power and resources, nothing is impossible. Your part in his plan is to believe in God and obey him. Believe God can do anything, and never give up hope. You will be amazed at how much God can do in your life. God has a plan for where you will go to school, whom you will marry, and what kind of job you will have. Not only does God have knowledge of your future mate and career, but he also knows what you need to do. Your future will be more than you hoped for with him involved. Isn't is a comfort to know that your future rests not on your own abilities, but on God's?
Your future is in God's hands. What are you hoping for? Share your hopes with God and prepare to be amazed, because he has more in mind for you than you can imagine.
God is in control of the future -- your future in particular. God has your future planned. God knows everything you will do. God has a plan for you that he won't give up on.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter to a group of people who believed in God but who were exiles in a country far from their home. The letter contained good news and bad news. God promised he had a good plan for their lives; however, they would first have to endure the consequences of not obeying God. God wanted them to know that everything they experienced was in his control and part of his plan.
There is no limit to the possibilities in your life when you commit your choices, your heart, and your life to God. Dream big and take your dreams to God. With his unlimited power and resources, nothing is impossible. Your part in his plan is to believe in God and obey him. Believe God can do anything, and never give up hope. You will be amazed at how much God can do in your life. God has a plan for where you will go to school, whom you will marry, and what kind of job you will have. Not only does God have knowledge of your future mate and career, but he also knows what you need to do. Your future will be more than you hoped for with him involved. Isn't is a comfort to know that your future rests not on your own abilities, but on God's?
Your future is in God's hands. What are you hoping for? Share your hopes with God and prepare to be amazed, because he has more in mind for you than you can imagine.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Attempting to Define Faith
"Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that somethig is real even if we do not see it." - Hebrews 11:1 (NCV)
Faith isn't an easy word to define because faith is an indefinable quality that goes beyond words. The New Testament was originally written in the Green language. In that original text it said that faith is "the substance of things hoped and the evidence of things not seen." The word substance in Greek is hupostatis, which means a structure under something, a foundation, a steadfastness of mind. Faith is the firm foundation on which you rest everything you know about God.
The Bible provides knowledge and history about God. It is filled with truth that is not changed by circumstances. The Bible clearly states who God is, that He is truth and holiness. He doesn't change. Knowing who God is and knowing about His character is not enough. The Bible says even demons know who God is.
Without faith you would be limited to the here and now. You would know God only by what you could see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. There is so much about God that goes beyond your limited human senses. No one was present for creation. It was something God did alone. The Holy Spirit is unseen and can't be touched or heard or smelled or tasted. You can't use your own abilities to define and know faith. Faith is grounded in the truth of the Bible. Faith is accepting your experience with God while combining it with the certainty of the Bible.
Are you putting your faith in what you can see with your eyes, or in what you know to be true from the Bible? Faith isn't just wishful thinking. It's substantial. It's strong enough to build a life on.
Faith isn't an easy word to define because faith is an indefinable quality that goes beyond words. The New Testament was originally written in the Green language. In that original text it said that faith is "the substance of things hoped and the evidence of things not seen." The word substance in Greek is hupostatis, which means a structure under something, a foundation, a steadfastness of mind. Faith is the firm foundation on which you rest everything you know about God.
The Bible provides knowledge and history about God. It is filled with truth that is not changed by circumstances. The Bible clearly states who God is, that He is truth and holiness. He doesn't change. Knowing who God is and knowing about His character is not enough. The Bible says even demons know who God is.
Without faith you would be limited to the here and now. You would know God only by what you could see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. There is so much about God that goes beyond your limited human senses. No one was present for creation. It was something God did alone. The Holy Spirit is unseen and can't be touched or heard or smelled or tasted. You can't use your own abilities to define and know faith. Faith is grounded in the truth of the Bible. Faith is accepting your experience with God while combining it with the certainty of the Bible.
Are you putting your faith in what you can see with your eyes, or in what you know to be true from the Bible? Faith isn't just wishful thinking. It's substantial. It's strong enough to build a life on.
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