Next Steps - Sep 6

"By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalms 33:6-9)

Hi everybody.

It has been a good thing for me to be reminded again that I can accomplish nothing for God under my own power.

Sometimes we can feel like we are doing what we need to be doing -- in work, school, family -- but if we are doing it with no sense of dependence on God's power and God's authority, it will ultimately fail. In our own power and strength, we "own" the results, the outcome. If things don't go the way that our efforts dictate they should go, bitterness will surely be the result. Even if things do go as we think they should, burnout is a likely result. If, instead, we do the things that God calls us to, but with a continual dependence on and recognition of God as the source of all outcomes all praises and regrets are his to carry and not ours. That is a secret to a non-anxious life. Behind that "secret" lies the truth that all we see, all that we have, our very breath comes from God and his power.

Jesus' words make things happen. He has all power and authority over everything.

Do you believe that?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in Bible times?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in the end times?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in others' lives?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in your life today?

If there is a difference in any of your answers, why do you think that is? What would it take to make all of your answers the same?

How might your day-to-day life be different if you really believed that God was the author and sustainer of everything?

I do not think that any of us believes it 100%, every minute of every day. But, that is the beauty of Grace and the beauty of God's power -- even the ability to believe this is something we are powerless to do on our own. Ask God to help you believe; Ask God to come to you in your doubts; Ask God to demonstrate this truth to you. And then ask again.

When you see it, tell somebody, when you are certain, share it, when you doubt invite someone in.

Have a great week,

Peace Hope and Love
Doug