Monday, February 12, 2018

37 Days – Grace Rises to the Occasion


Pastor Randy’s devotional:
My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I would like conclude our season of prayer with an encouragement for you. I was recently talking with a friend of mine, and we got into a serious discussion about our faith. Specifically, we were discussing the Coptic Christians in the Middle East who are being beheaded for their faith. The question was, “So what would you do if you were faced with that situation? Would you deny Christ, knowing you were just deceiving your persecutors to get out of this gruesome death? Would you stand strong and face it?” Now, I know what the right answer is. “I would never deny Christ, and I would gladly die a martyr’s death.” OK. So that’s the right answer. But I believe there is a very real grace of God that actually allows those men to face gruesome death. I believe grace rises to the occasion.

I don’t believe David was ready or able to face Goliath in his own strength. God’s grace in him rose to that occasion. I don’t believe Gideon was especially brave and skilled at leading a rebellion. God’s grace rose up in him to do what he could otherwise have never done. And I believe God will call you and me into situations this year that are so far over our heads—so beyond our skill and capacity—and yet sufficient grace will be available if we don’t blink. God’s calling is always beyond our ability. Many do not step into their calling because they feel so inadequate. They . . . we . . . I feel weak and unfit for the task. In those times, we can count on the grace of God rising to the occasion.

Let’s prepare now for those opportunities. Let fuel our faith now so that we will trust that grace to rise. If you show up, grace will show up. We will take our inheritance in 2018 by the grace of God. And, His grace is sufficient!

February 6th Prayer:
Great and Mighty God…Your grace is sufficient for me. Your strength is made perfect when my weakness and inadequacy is exposed. I anticipate Your power and enablement, that goes beyond my talent and gifts, to enable me to do far beyond what I could ever ask or think. Help me to not shrink back from any opportunity. By the grace of God, I am what I am. Thank You for Your sufficient grace . . . In Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:
Weakness, we don’t talk about it, we don’t want to acknowledge it, but it is very real none the less.  Each and every one of us will face challenges in our life that break us, cause us to tremble in fear and fell powerless.  These are the times when we must realize that God is our provider, God is our comfort, God is our strength and God is authority over all things.  God’s grace is sufficient for anything that we face.  Not some things, not the easy things, not the life or death things, but everything.  You cannot bring something to the throne of God that is beyond His ability to overcome. 

The key is to realize that in our flesh we are weak, we are frail, we are fearful and shaken; then to realize that we belong to the supreme authority over all things.  Once this realization sets in, dealing with our suffering, our fears, our weakness becomes manageable and conquerable.  The Lord is my strength, whom shall I fear?  No one and nothing.

Be Blessed,
Rich

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