Jesus Calling, September 2, 2014 Living in dependence on Me is a glorious adventure. Most people scurry around busily, trying to accomplish things through their own strength and ability. Some succeed enormously; others fail miserably. But both groups miss what life is meant to be: living and working in collaboration with Me. When you depend on Me continually, your whole perspective changes. You see miracles happening all around, while others see only natural occurrences and coincidences. You begin each day with joyful expectation, watching to see what I will do. You accept weakness as a gift from Me, knowing that My Power plugs in most readily to consecrated weakness. You keep your plans tentative, knowing that My plans are far superior. You consciously live, move, and have your being in Me, desiring that I live in you. I in you, and you in Me. This is the intimate adventure I offer you. My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. Thats why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Although God did not remove Pauls affliction, He promised to demonstrate His power in Paul. The fact that Gods power is displayed in our weaknesses should give us courage and hope. As we recognize our limitations, we will depend more on God for our effectiveness rather than on our own energy, effort, or talent. Our limitations not only help develop Christian character but also deepen our worship, because in admitting them, we affirm Gods strength. When we are strong in abilities or resources, we are tempted to do Gods work on our own, and that can lead to pride. When we are weak, allowing God to fill us with His power, then we are stronger than we could ever be on our own. God does not intend for us to be weak, passive, or ineffective - life provides enough hindrances and setbacks without us creating them. When those obstacles come, we must depend on God. Only His power will make us effective for Him and will help us to do work that has lasting value. For in Him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, We are His offspring. ~ Acts 17:28 God is in His creation and close to every one of us. But He is not trapped in His creation - He is transcendent. God is the Creator, not the creation. This means that God is sovereign and in control, while at the same time He is close and personal. Let the Creator of the universe rule your life. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. ~ Colossians 2:6-7 Receiving Christ as Lord of your life is the beginning of life with Christ. But you must continue to follow His leadership by being rooted, built up, and strengthened in the faith. Christ wants to guide you and help you with your daily problems. You can live for Christ by (1) committing your life and submitting your will to Him (Romans 12:1-2); (2) seeking to learn from Him, His life, and His teachings (Colossians 3:16); and (3) recognizing the Holy Spirits power in you (Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22). Paul uses the illustration of our being rooted in Christ. Just as plants draw nourishment from the soil through their roots, so we draw our life-giving strength from Christ. The more we draw our strength from Him, the less we will be fooled by those who falsely claim to have lifes answers. If Christ is our strength, we will be free from human regulations. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ~ John 14:20 Sometimes people wish they knew the future so they could prepare for it. God has chosen not to give us this knowledge. He alone knows what will happen, but He tells us all we need to know to prepare for the future. When we live by His standards, He will not leave us; He will come to us, He will be in us, and He will show Himself to us. God knows what will happen, and because He will be with us through it all, we need not fear. We dont have to know the future to have faith in God; we have to have faith in God to be secure about the future.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 06:56:16 +0000
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