God's strength, not mine

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace.

The truth changes lives. It changes us, and then it begins to change the lives of the people we come in contact with. I have seen it in vivid, living color. One of the things I live for, have passion for and am doing ministry for, is to see Jesus change lives of people who have no hope until they connect with Him.

Yet even many of us who know Jesus chose not to live in truth. When we chose not to live in truth, we become weak. There is faith in us. The God of power, faith and love is in us, but His ways and character and strength can't been seen coming out of our lives.

The last part of Ecclesiastes 9 shares about a man who is poor but wise. I think of him as a guy with few muscles but lots of brains. Because this guy was wise when an army came to take over his city, he was able to help his community defeat that army.

When we know God's truth and stand in His strength, we are going to have power, wisdom and strength like few other people. We will see God work. Lives will be changes in big ways. Even those lives of people who we think can never change. I want that kind of strength. Do you?

1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Ephesians 6:10 NLT

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Be on guard. Don't stand in your own strength. Be careful not to forget God or leave Him on the outside of your situation. He continues to have the power to change your life and mine. He can and will change our situation, infuse us with His strength and resources all because we rely on His truth.

Are we allowing God to change our lives? When we are, we are standing in His strength, not our own.

2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT

That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Much of this post was originally shared in September of 2010.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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