Do you have days when you feel completely inadequate? Do you wonder – “How can I do this? Are there any answers for the way that I feel?” Well, I admit it. There are days when I am tempted to retreat to my living room, escape into some mindless television, and try to forget the problems and needs of the world in which I live. In those moments of fear or frustration, my choice is a better one, most of the time. I find a place to pray and meditate and there I call to mind the promise of God that He is strong, His strength discovered in my inadequacies.
Years ago, while reading a book titled God is Closer Than You Think, the author made a great point that has stuck with me. He brought an electrical engineer to church to conduct an experiment. "We turned off all the lights, hooked up an ordinary pickle to some wires, and then passed an electrical current through it. The pickle glowed! It gave light to a room. Many people believe that the flow of the Holy Spirit is reserved for spiritual giants. but, throughout history God has caused His power to flow through the most unlikely people; a prostitute named Rahab, a con man named Jacob, and a cheat named Zacchaeus. So the next time you're feeling inadequate, remember that even a pickle can glow if it stays plugged in to the flow of power." (John Ortberg)
Paul, that champion of the faith also felt inadequate, sometimes overwhelmed. After a time when he despaired of life, he remembered that he was to represent Jesus in his world. He asks "who is equal to such a task?" (2 Cor. 2:16) Note how he answers his own question - "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:5-6, NIV) When we come to the end of ourselves and acknowledge the persistent power of sin at work in us, we are in the place where God can use us.
Jesus was about to return to the Father, leaving a little group of uneducated, ordinary people to carry on the work of the Kingdom. He saw the potential of the Spirit in them and promised, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49, NIV) Luke continues the story (Acts 2) telling us that a few days later, the Holy Spirit flowed into that Upper Room and rested on those men and women in a life-transforming way.
In Acts, which tells the story of the
first generation of Christians, we learn about their flops and failures, their
trials and their triumphs. Through it all, their stories convince us that God's
power, not their intellect, skills, or charisma was the key to the growth of
the Church. In just 40 years, those disciples
turned the world upside down!
Christianity has not survived for 2000 years
because of the greatness of Believers,
but because of the faithfulness of God.
Are you feeling a little overwhelmed by life today,
wondering if you’re up to doing anything useful for the Lord?
Have you failed Him in some way?
Are you discouraged by what appears to be more problems than answers, more need
than resource?
Remind yourself to remain totally dependent on His power and see what He will do with you. Before you give in to that temptation to quit, find some time to get alone with the Word and wait on the Lord. Those first disciples had to wait in the Upper Room for days. God, the Holy Spirit, came in HIS time, not theirs! And keep Ortberg’s little lesson in mind - even a pickle can glow when it’s connected to a source of power.
The word from the Word today is my favorite passage of the Scripture,
full of power and promise. Don’t rush
through it. Let it be like oxygen for
your soul as you breathe it in.
"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you
mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you
trust in him.
May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now glory be to God!By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21, NLT)
(Video of this blog at this link)
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Come let us worship our King
Come let us bow at His feet
He has done great things
See what our Savior has done
See how His love overcomes
He has done great things
He has done great things
O Hero of Heaven You conquered the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
O God You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom awake and alive
O Jesus our Savior Your name lifted high
O God You have done great things
You’ve been faithful through every storm
You’ll be faithful forevermore
You have done great things
And I know You will do it again
For Your promise is yes and amen
You will do great things
God You do great things
Hallelujah God above it all
Hallelujah God unshakable
Hallelujah You have done great things
You’ve done great things
You have done great things
O God You do great things
Jonas Myrin | Phil Wickham
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