Devotional Song: ... Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of Steven Curtis Chapman singing the poignant song … His Strength Is Perfect; … declaring the reality of God’s strength being there to cover our weakness, especially when we are discouraged in life.
Highlight Passage Nehemiah 4: 1 [NKJV] …
1 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
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Highlight Context - Nehemiah 4: 1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
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Reference Passage #1 - Deuteronomy 31: 6 [NKJV] …
6 “ … Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” …
… In the wake of horrible discouragement, God’s promise, thru Isaiah, for strength to walk the walk of faith
Reference Passage #2 - Isaiah 40: 31 [NKJV] …
31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; … They shall run and not be weary; … They shall walk and not faint. …
… In the wake of horrible discouragement, God’s promise, thru Isaiah, for strength to walk the walk of faith
Reference Passage #3 - 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 [NKJV] …
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. …
… Jesus’ promise to cover our weakness with HIS strength
Reference Passage #4 - Hebrews 4:16; 13: 5 [NKJV] … GO TO THIS LINK …
… God’s promise in the wake of discouragement
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Lawrence Dormani, related a tactic used by the famous (or infamous) heavyweight fighter, Mohammed Ali, who used to taunt his opponents to anger, as with the famous George Foreman fight in 1974. During the fight, Ali was quoted to have yelled at Foreman, “Hit harder! Show me something, George. That don’t hurt. I thought you were supposed to be bad.” Foreman then expended all His fighting energy trying to overcome the taunts, falling right into Ali’s hands.
Any reader here with me today has probably heard the taunting phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” … NOT!!! … Words are often the primary tactic used by Satan to tear down our strength of resolve.
And, that was illustrated by Dormani in today’s ODB entry by the story of how the local leaders in Jerusalem at the time Nehemiah was trying to rebuild with walls of the city (see the highlight passage linked above). But Nehemiah did not lose his resolve, going immediately to prayers of faith to His Lord, … no doubt remembering God’s promise of steadfast strength (see Deut. 31: 6 and Isaiah 40: 31).
And, we New Covenant believers can take heart, overcoming the discouraging words of others by internalizing such truth as in 2nd Cor. 12: 9 or Hebrews 4: 16. Yes, discouraging words from others can sap our spiritual - or even our physical - strength. But the word of God is always stronger than the words of Satan, spoken by the world (go on your own to meditate on Isaiah 55: 11).
And, as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the linked song above. … ”His Strength Is Perfect when my strength is gone. “
My Prayer for Today … O Lord, … Thank You for being there for me when others try to tear me down with discouraging words. … 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, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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