A New Day Has Dawned
It is a new day that has dawned. My time on this earth is limited so I must be determined in my effort to serve God's will and follow His plan. There must be a concerted effort to make His Word known and to build relationships for those who will hear his voice. I am to sow the seeds of new life for those around me and to show them the guide that will help them grow tall. It is the Holy Spirit that will provide the life within them. It is the truth of the gospel that will break the outer core of that seed and allow them to grow.
My work is to be focused. My tasks are to be diligently carried out through the power of the Holy Spirit living within me. It will give me ability to go beyond what I can perceive as possible if I believe (Mark 16:17-18).
Live this out now. Don't hesitate to be one with the Holy Spirit that is within you. Remove those things that hinder you from running the race (Hebrews 12:1-2). The sinful desires of this world exist, but not in dominion over those who believe in Jesus unless we let them.
We have been shown that there is power in the name of Jesus. We have been shown that there is forgiveness in the name of Jesus. With those two things alone, we have enough to live victoriously for Christ. He said that we could speak to mountains and they would move into the sea. That is power for his purpose.
In my life, I must use that same power to bring about the agenda that He has prepared for me. It is the same power that Jesus chose to surrender so that He could do God's will and be sacrificed on our behalf (John 14:30-31).
WOW!! What an amazing truth! The most powerful being in Heaven and on earth willingly chose to lay down His own omnipotence, to be brutally sacrificed so I could have life and share in that power. That is worth my praise and worship any day. It should be worth my sacrifice every day.
[UPDATE]
I love it when the word comes together in more than one devotional or more than one scriptural reference in my day. When I wrote the entry above, I was in pain and seeking God's healing. I opened up my CTT devotional and was given the insight to write the portion above. After the inspiration and journaling, I went to the InTouch Ministries Devotional and read the emailed message included below. They are so in line that I can feel the LORD's presence. I love that it isn't of my own doing but it is real evidence that God does speak to his children if we seek His voice and choose to know without a doubt, that He will answer (James 1:5-6).
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twh
Relying on God’s Power, Not Our Own
Humanly speaking, the apostle Paul had much to boast about—his qualifications are found in Philippians 3:4-6. However, he understood that impressive “credentials” are not what really matter. Paul rightly saw that knowing Christ and relying on Him are the source of genuine value in life.
Writing from places that were lowly in both a physical and emotional sense, the apostle is a triumphant example of how believers should view themselves—namely, as the Father does. The best way to do that is to recognize God as the source of our power: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (4:13).
Many of us know this verse by heart, but have we accepted its truth? To say “all things” may seem like a bold statement, but it is balanced. The emphasis is not on “I can,” but rather on the fact that I can through Christ—He supplies everything we need to carry out His plan for our life.
This verse is an important confession that we cannot do God’s will in our own power. But that does not mean we should simply sit back and become spectators. As Christians, we have a responsibility to obey the Lord’s leading in small matters as well as in “big” circumstances. What’s more, it is our hands, feet, body, voice, compassion, and desires that the Father will use to accomplish His ultimate goals for our lives.
Obeying by faith can seem frightening, but the comfort zone isn’t where godly people choose to spend their time. To do all things through Christ involves some risks, but you’ll discover that the rewards for obedience are deeply satisfying.
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