Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please go this video link to hear Steven Curtis Chapman singing the lyrics he wrote in the song His Strength Is Perfect, proclaiming the reality of God’s strength being available when our weakness is so apparent in times of weakness.
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Highlight Passage – NKJV: Philippians 4: 13 [NKJV] …
13 I can do all things through Christ Who gives me the strength.
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Highlight Passage [Context] – NKJV: Philippians 4: 10-13 [NKJV] … Go to this link …
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Reference Passage #1 – NKJV: Isaiah 41: 10 [NKJV] …
10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Reference Passages #2 2nd Corinthians 12: 9-10 …
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
My Journal for Today: Ever had a time when your weakness could not provide the strength to overcome the circumstances of life? … Of course, we all have. And it’s in those moments when, as Paul wrote from prison to his beloved friends in Philippi [see today’s highlight passage], that it was God’s strength he could, and would, rely on to deal with his weakness. He also wrote about that to the Christians in Corinth when he had to deal with some physical pain which was almost overwhelming for him (see 2nd Cor. 12: 9-10copied above).
Paul had to learn that in spite of his own personal weakness, like the Prophet Isaiah wrote (see Isaiah 41: 10), that we need not fear in moments of weakness; because God’s strength is always available to help lift us up in our times of weakness. I hope you’ve taken the time to use the link above to see the video of Steven Curtis Chapman singing his song, His Strength Is Perfect because His lyrics had to be there when his little adopted daughter was killed accidentally and tragically by his own teenage son. Can one imaging the weakness one had to feel in such a moment? Only God’s enabling grace could cover one in such a time of weakness.
And I personally can attest to the truth and reality of today’s highlight verse, because it was that passage which, through an amazing set of circumstances, was used by God to show me that my search for spiritual strength could only be realized in a saving relationship with Christ; and in that moment of utter brokenness, I cried out for God’s strength to cover my weakness; and my Lord and Savior has done just that.
May I suggest a tool to use when you feel weak – too weak – to handle the crushing circumstances of life? This technique has never failed me. When I get down or am feeling too weak to handle life, …
… [1] I stop and quote ALOUD – as a prayer to God – the three verses copied above (see Isaiah 41: 10, 2nd Cor. 12: 9, and Phil. 4: 13). [Of course that implies that these verses are memorized and internalized by belief into our consciousness.] Then, I stop and pray to GOD, THE FATHER, thanking Him for sending His Son to save me.
… [2] Then, I repeat the three verses, again ALOUD as a prayer to God, followed by a prayer to GOD, THE SON, thanking Him for saving me.
… [3] And finally, for the third time, I recite, ALOUD, the three verses, followed by a prayer to GOD, THE SPIRIT, thanking Him for giving me the enabling and empowering grace to cover my weakness.
As I wrote above, that technique/tool has never failed to do what those three verses declare when I’m feeling too weak to handle life. Why don’t you try it the next time you’re feeling weak; and then write me at my email address – billb13@bellsouth.net – and let me know if it helped?!
My Prayer for Today … Lord, I can do all things with Your strength to cover my weakness.… Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread [TGIF], distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read the Our Daily Bread blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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