Strength

I was watching this drama about a young man who was a baseball genius .  He was in the minor league and he could pitch perfect games.  There was a point in the show when the young man's manager told him that scouts from the major league would be coming to watch him.  The young pitcher became extremely nerves and during the game he passed out right before his last pitch.  When he was confronted about his nervousness, He said it was to much pressure to stay at the top. 

We all have talents, abilities, and gifts, but we also have weakness that can keep us from reaching the full potential of these talents abilities, and gifts.  I recently heard that whatever issues I do not master will sabotage me.  I did not completely understand this until I saw this program.  You can see that this statement is true when you recall the fall of great men and women past and present.  There was always a character flaw that brought them down.  Dependence on ones self and pride in our own abilities will always lead to trouble, but realizing that our strength is in letting Christ lead will always lead us to reaching our full potential.  Paul says,

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

The Message (MSG)

^7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

 

Christ is the Word of God in flesh.  Applying the Word of God to every situation gives me the strength to overcome my weakness to worry, doubt or fear.  The Word of God gives me confidence that I can do what He has gifted me to do.

 

John 8:31-32

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Truth Shall Make You Free

³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Meditating on the truth which is the Word, brings freedom.  We were already made free when Christ died and rose again. Bondage comes with negative thinking.  The Word can dispel all negative thoughts if we meditate on it.  

Philippians 4:13

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ I can do all things through Christ^[a] who strengthens me.

Amen!