Psalm 71:16 Go In God’s Strength

I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. Psalm 71:16

Going anywhere or doing anything takes some strength to be able to accomplish the desired task. For the majority of people, they go in their own strength and abilities. Very few rely upon someone else’s strength to get done what they need to do. Relying upon someone else is seen as a weakness or a fault and breaks one’s own personal pride. The world pushes that one does everything in one’s own strength.

The writer of this psalm stated that he will go in the strength of the Lord and tell of His righteousness only.

From the time a person is born, one is taught to do things in one’s own ability. Self strength and abilities are promoted as good and needed. As one gets older, one is filled with shame when one cannot accomplish a task without help. It is seen as a weakness or a failure.

Believers have become believers from the moment they realize that they cannot save themselves and choose to put their trust in the work of Jesus. on the cross. This is the beginning of reliance upon God for strength.

Once one has become a believer, that one must be willing to do out and do the work of God here on this earth. Every believer must be His witness and work at building His kingdom each and every day. Doing this work takes strength to accomplish, a strength that one does not have in self alone.

Instead of relying upon one’s own personal strength, one must rely upon God’s strength and go out and do is work in His strength and abilities provided by His Holy Spirit.

God has a job for you to do in building His kingdom. He does not expect you to do it completely on your own and in your own abilities and strength, but to go in His strength. Without God’s strength, you will fail and fall under the pressure of this fallen world. He can help you keep going when the enemy attacks and tries to wear you down and keep you from building His kingdom. Allow God to fill you with His Holy Spirit to guide you and give you all the needed strength from day to day as you work to build His kingdom and be His witness.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know the strength God has for you; that you will rely upon God’s strength and abilities in your life; and that you will be His witness everywhere you go.

Picture by Illyia Vjestica on Unsplash

Genesis 12:1 Not All The Details Are Always Given

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

Knowing and understanding of what is expected is desired of most people. Not having a clear understanding of a job description can make it very difficult for people to fulfill a job.

Some will attempt to get out of doing a job because of the lack of details, while others will just do their own thing and sometimes miss the job entirely. The more details the less chance of mistake and easier to follow.

God tells Abram to leave his land, family and people to go to a land that He will show him, but does not tell him where he is going.

Picking up suddenly to leave to go somewhere where one does not know where he is going or what he will be doing there is very scary for most people. Most people, upon hearing something like that from God, would question God or question whether they actually heard from God. They would want to know the details of how to get to where they are going and where they are going.

God does not always provide all the details when He is giving some instructions. The believer is to hear God, trust God and act upon what he is being told. It is a walk of faith, knowing that God knows what He is doing and asking of the believer.

In order to act and live this way, a person must give up his control and his rights to God. He must be willing to give God complete control over his life, knowing that God will never do what is eternally bad in the life of any believer who trusts Him. Walking this way will allow God to great and mighty things through the believer.

God may never ask you to leave everyone behind and move to an unknown place, but He will ask you to do things that you may not fully understand. All the details will not always be given.

Your job with God is to trust and obey His every word. It is to step out in faith knowing that God will be with you and allowing Him to reveal the details when they are needed. Your life needs to be a walk of faith in God, not self or the details.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will hear God’s commands to you; that you will trust God’s word to you; that you will live a life of faith in God; and that God will work great works through you in building His kingdom on this earth.

Acts 16:10 Are You Willing To Go Immediately?

After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:10

The pizza delivery person must be ready and willing to leave the work place to deliver the pizza immediately upon getting the request and the pizza is made. He does not get to choose when he should leave. If he does not leave immediately, the restaurant will most likely quickly lose all business.

Many different services work with the same principle, that one must be ready to leave or do the work quickly.

Paul had received a vision of a man calling for help in Macedonia. He immediately got ready to leave, with the mindset that God was now calling them to Macedonia to preach the gospel.

Being willing to get up and go to a new place immediately can often be very inconvenient. Sometimes it may not even make any sense.

People are often very comfortable were they are and do not want to make any major changes. Often they are unable to see the real value in the move or action.

The believer who has his heart and mind set upon the things of God, will be able to see value in going to a new place. It is an open door to spread the gospel message to a new group of people.

God, in His all-knowing ways, can see the bigger pictures. He knows when it is best to move someone to reach someone else.

Instead of fighting to do his own thing, the believer must trust God and be willing to pick up and move forward to the new place for service to God. It may be a major move, or just going to a new store, but a life may be at stake.

As a believer, there will come a day when God asks you to change direction so that you can reach someone with the gospel message. He may give you a vision, or it may be just a small quiet voice in your spirit that guides you to a new location.

Do not ignore God’s call, but be willing to get up and immediately go where He is leading you. Trust that He knows what He is doing and will provide for all of your needs on the way. Then be willing to be used by Him to spread the gospel message there. A life is at stake.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will hear and know God’s leading; that you will trust God’s leading; that you will go where God says to go; and that lives will be brought to Jesus because of your obedience.

John 8:11 You Must Be Willing To Leave

“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11

No one likes to be condemned or told that they are wrong. Few even like to be told that they must change. While most don’t like these things, they must occur in order for effective growth to occur.

Managers of companies will always point out things in the employees or the business that are being done wrong. This not done to destroy a person or business, but to bring about improvement of production.

A woman, who was caught in adultery, was brought before Jesus for judgement. Jesus did not condemn her, but did tell her to leave her life of sin.

People are very quick to point out that they should not be judged. As they say this, it is very common that many continue to live a life of sin. They refuse to admit that they are wrong and need to change. They are enjoying their life of sin and don’t want to leave it.

Living like this reveals the heart. The mouth can claim to believe in and follow Jesus, but the actions are saying something different.

Jesus does not, not condemn in order for a person to continue living in sin and leading towards death, but to bring a person to a new life that will extend into eternity. He brings forgiveness to allow the person to leave the life of sin and live according to His standards.

God does not condemn now, but when one dies and stands before His judgement seat, if he has not been forgiven and changed, he will be judged and condemned. If one does not leave sin, then the forgiveness given means absolutely nothing.

Just like the women caught, you have been guilty of some sin in your life. The world and many in the church may be quick to condemn you.

However, God does not condemn you right now. He is waiting and willing to forgive you of every sin. As He does so, He also expects you to turn away from that life of sin and follow Him.

Jesus has given you everything you need to live for Him and stay away from sin. Do not allow yourself to go back into that sin, but to flee it and live a holy and righteous life for God and before the world.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that God will guide you to leave a life of sin; that you will live according to the ways of God; and that you will know and understand God’s forgiveness given to you.