January 15, 2019 GOD KNOWS
Isaiah 40:31 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
2 Corinthians 1:4 “who comforteth us I all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
I want to give some clarification to my previous blog ‘As Strong Today.’ In that article we looked at various verses including the verse above in Isaiah and other verses with the theme of being victorious in life, no matter our age or circumstances. We saw that because Christ is in us, we can be overcomers in all circumstances and we have the power to be renewed in our spirit day by day, even though our outward man is decaying. All that was said in that article is true and was meant to awaken us to the fact that in Him, we can do all things because He strengthens us. What I want to clarify is that the truth of the verses we looked at in ‘As Strong Today’ does not mean that we live on a spiritual mountain top all of the time; there will not be times when we need comforting. Romans 8:26 tells us that God knows our weaknesses. So, you might understandably ask if we are overcomers, or are we weak-which is it? To try to answer that, we must understand and accept the fact that there is often a mystery when it comes to the ways of God. For example, God says that when we are weak, we are strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11. We know our weakness, but we can and should know the power of God at work in us at the same time. God has chosen to work through mere flesh and bones-people like you and I-to display His glory throughout the universe and to carry out His purposes. In 1 Corinthians we read: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” We will, and we do come face-to-face with our weakness and our human frailty, but when we do, the Holy Spirit reminds us of His presence-then everything changes. On the one hand, we see our need-our weakness-but at the same time we see and can know the power of God within us. In Psalm 43:5, David acknowledged that his soul was downcast-you could say it was a human weakness- but as he became conscience of that, he did not stay there. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” In 2 Corinthians 4:8 Paul said that “We are perplexed on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;”-then Paul goes on to proclaim their faith in God. Again, it is a mystery, but even though we on the one hand have difficulties, trials, and our humanity-our frailty- to deal with, we can at the same time know the power of God working in us, making us overcomers. To know and follow God means that we will not be defeated by the trials and it means that God will use for good the trials we face. The point is that it is our faith and trust in our God that makes the difference; that His ways are perfect; that He is uses circumstances to transform us; and that the He has made us new creations who are able to live super-natural lives even though we are but flesh and bones. It’s a mystery of God-a grand plan-to use you and me, even in our weaknesses, to fulfill His purposes in the here and now and throughout all eternity. So, let us acknowledge that we have weaknesses, but let our faith, hope and trust be in the Lord, and then let us “soar on wings like eagles” and be the overcomers that He has made us.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Isaiah 40:31 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
2 Corinthians 1:4 “who comforteth us I all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
I want to give some clarification to my previous blog ‘As Strong Today.’ In that article we looked at various verses including the verse above in Isaiah and other verses with the theme of being victorious in life, no matter our age or circumstances. We saw that because Christ is in us, we can be overcomers in all circumstances and we have the power to be renewed in our spirit day by day, even though our outward man is decaying. All that was said in that article is true and was meant to awaken us to the fact that in Him, we can do all things because He strengthens us. What I want to clarify is that the truth of the verses we looked at in ‘As Strong Today’ does not mean that we live on a spiritual mountain top all of the time; there will not be times when we need comforting. Romans 8:26 tells us that God knows our weaknesses. So, you might understandably ask if we are overcomers, or are we weak-which is it? To try to answer that, we must understand and accept the fact that there is often a mystery when it comes to the ways of God. For example, God says that when we are weak, we are strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11. We know our weakness, but we can and should know the power of God at work in us at the same time. God has chosen to work through mere flesh and bones-people like you and I-to display His glory throughout the universe and to carry out His purposes. In 1 Corinthians we read: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” We will, and we do come face-to-face with our weakness and our human frailty, but when we do, the Holy Spirit reminds us of His presence-then everything changes. On the one hand, we see our need-our weakness-but at the same time we see and can know the power of God within us. In Psalm 43:5, David acknowledged that his soul was downcast-you could say it was a human weakness- but as he became conscience of that, he did not stay there. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” In 2 Corinthians 4:8 Paul said that “We are perplexed on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;”-then Paul goes on to proclaim their faith in God. Again, it is a mystery, but even though we on the one hand have difficulties, trials, and our humanity-our frailty- to deal with, we can at the same time know the power of God working in us, making us overcomers. To know and follow God means that we will not be defeated by the trials and it means that God will use for good the trials we face. The point is that it is our faith and trust in our God that makes the difference; that His ways are perfect; that He is uses circumstances to transform us; and that the He has made us new creations who are able to live super-natural lives even though we are but flesh and bones. It’s a mystery of God-a grand plan-to use you and me, even in our weaknesses, to fulfill His purposes in the here and now and throughout all eternity. So, let us acknowledge that we have weaknesses, but let our faith, hope and trust be in the Lord, and then let us “soar on wings like eagles” and be the overcomers that He has made us.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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