My Grace is Sufficient

2 Corinthians 12:9 ⁹But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!

I love, love, love this scripture. It is one I know well, but at the same time seem to easily forget. In the verses before this one the apostle Paul speaks of how he is being buffeted by a messenger from Satan.

Let’s stop right there for a minute and interject that a messenger from Satan might not always look like the devil. Sometimes that messenger can appear in the form of a friend or family member, a coworker…. No I didn’t say our friends, family members and coworkers are from the devil. But he sure does know how to use them sometimes to get under our skin.

So anyways, Paul said that a messenger from Satan came to buffet him, or basically to harass him. Three times, Paul prayed and asked the Lord and begged that it would stop. But God’s answer wasn’t quite what he expected. God didn’t say He would remove the annoyance, He said My grace is sufficient for you. Not only sufficient against any danger but it will also enable you to bear the trouble manfully.

When things come to buffet us, to harass us, to try to steal our peace and short circuit our joy we may tend to focus on the problem. Have you been there? You don’t understand why it won’t stop, you try to fight it, you do everything you know how to do, but that thing is still there trying to oppress you? That’s because we don’t need the problem to go away, we just need to use the grace of God to override it.

God’s grace is His ability in you, allowing you to do the things you couldn’t do by yourself. So often we try to fight things in our own strength, but really we just need to call on the grace of God. His strength, beats ours any day. This verse says His strength becomes perfect in our weakness. That means where we leave off, He steps in and does it better than we ever could’ve on our own.

In the last part of this verse Paul says Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!

I don’t know about you, but I sure want the strength and power of Christ to rest, dwell and pitch a tent over me! Next time you feel like you are being harassed, stop, ask God for His grace and let His strength and power come to your rescue.  Rest in the knowledge that you don’t have to fight the battle, because He will take care of it.

Authority vs.Eloquence

Matthew 7:28-29 28When Jesus had finished these sayings [the Sermon on the Mount], the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His teaching,   29For He was teaching as One Who had [and was] authority, and not as [did] the scribes.

I have read this verse before, but it didn’t really stick out to me until a couple of weeks ago. Jesus finished teaching the people and it says the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed at His teaching because he taught as One having authority and not like the scribes. The scribes were professional teachers. I imagine that they were eloquent, skilled in what they did, and able to communicate very well. Yet the people were amazed by Jesus not because of His ability to speak, but by the authority He possessed in His words. Have you ever felt prompted to speak to someone but you hesitated because you weren’t sure if you had the right words to say? Guess what? We were given the same power and authority Jesus had. We don’t have to worry about being articulate we just have to make sure our words carry the power and anointing of God. If we are speaking His words, they will contain that authority.

 In Luke 9:1-2  1THEN JESUS called together the Twelve [apostles] and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases,    2And He sent them out to announce and preach the kingdom of God and to bring healing. That same power and authority that Jesus had He then gave to His disciples. In Mark 9:15-20 15And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race].   16He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.   17And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;    18They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well. As believers we have a responsibility to preach the Gospel. If we speak His word, God will always back us up. Look what it says here in verse 20- 20And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it). The next time you feel led to speak the Word over someone’s life, don’t hesitate. Remember there is power in your words; The power of God that has the ability to deliver people from bondage, destroy every stronghold in their lives, to bring healing and life and peace. Your words contain authority, and with that authority comes the miraculous power of God to set people free. Put your confidence in Him rather than you, and His words through your mouth will bring the breakthrough for the people you come into contact with.

The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory

 

Matthew 6:9-13  9Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.   10Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.   11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors.  13And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
I once heard a recording of the Lord’s Prayer as a song. It was beautifully done- great music, wonderful vocals, and the entire song led up to the last line- For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever, amen. Even though I am a sucker for a well-performed musical selection, it was the truth of the words that stirred my spirit. Many times in these devotionals I encourage you to lift up praise to the Lord, to begin to bless His name. When we tell Him how great He is, our spirits have no choice but to respond with love, with joy, and with gratitude.  Offering praise to the Lord can turn around even the darkest of moods, and the most dismal circumstances. We were created to praise Him, and there no greater time of fulfillment for us than when we are doing what we are designed to do.
Look at these words. Understanding them gives us even more reason to praise Him- For thine is the Kingdom- In Psalm 22:28-29 David declares 27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow down and worship before You,  28For the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s, and He is the ruler over the nations! If He rules over all the nations that means He rules in our nation no matter what. Even in the midst of financial unrest, and political instability, we have a Greater Ruler to turn to. We can take comfort knowing that His reign is the only reign that will be eternal. I think of what it says in Revelations 11:15 15The seventh angel then blew [his] trumpet, and there were mighty voices in heaven, shouting, The dominion (kingdom, sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (the Messiah), and He shall reign forever and ever (for the eternities of the eternities)!
Not only is the Kingdom His, but the power! Power is defined as control and influence over people and their actions, the political control of a country, or authority. Our God has all the power, and when we connect to His power, we in turn possess that same capacity, ability and strength we need to face any situation.  The last thing we see that is His is the Glory.  He is awesomely splendid, astoundingly beautiful, magnificent, and wondrous. He already has all the glory, but yet we have the ability to bring Him more glory by magnifying His name. When we give Him praise, when we remind Him of His wonderful qualities, we are blessing Him. The bonus is that we get blessed in the process. Today I challenge you to take the time and meditate on this scripture, then begin to tell our wonderful Savior just how great He is!