Only in Christ, Not in Us

I hear the savior say

Thy strength indeed is small

Child of weakness watch and pray

Find in me thine all in all

Jesus paid it allAll to him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

Lord, now indeed I find

Thy power and thine alone

Came and changed the lepers spots

And it melt the heart of stone

Jesus paid it all,

All to him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

And when before the throne

I stand in him complete

Jesus died my soul to save

My lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all

All to him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

Oh, praise the one who paid my debt

And rises life up from the dead

Oh, praise the one who paid my debt

And rises life up from the dead

Oh, praise the one who paid my debt

And rises life up from the dead

- Jesus Paid it All 

“My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 To serve God with any amount of success, to do God’s work well and triumphantly, a primary qualification is a sense of our own weakness. If God’s warriors march out to battle strong in their own might and boast, “I know that I will conquer; my own right arm and my conquering sword will gain me the victory,” defeat is not far away. God will not go out with those who march in their own strength. If we count on ourselves for victory, we are wrong—for it is “‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). Those who go forth to fight, boasting of their own ability and skill, will return with their bright banners dragging in the dust and their armor stained with disgrace.

We who serve God must serve Him in His way and in His strength—or He will never accept our service. Whatever people do, unaided by divine strength, God can never claim as His own. - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

This morning I return to work.  Vacation over. I look back upon the week and am thankful and grateful to answered prayers.  In my life and in the lives of my family and friends I have seen it.

This morning I also remember that last week's successes were not of me alone. It was the inclusion of Jesus in those plans that brought about success. 

The greatest reason is found within that hymn.  If it wasn't for what Jesus did, I wouldn't be here today or any day of my life.  Mankind would have obliterated itself by now.  Evil, when not restrained by the Holy Spirit has but one desire, to pit itself against all the plans of God. 

A time is coming very soon when yet again the Spirit is going to step aside.  After the Church is raptured to Heaven, evil will again try its hand at thwarting God's written Word.  What is written in the Bible WILL be fulfilled.  Evil men will always try to erase the Bible, thinking that if it isn't read, lived or memorized, it cannot come true.  Which is why God said He would be writing it on the hearts of people.  Where Satan cannot go. 

We face many challenges every day.  There's always two ways to go about it.  With God leading or with us leading. 

We face stress and anxiety, frustration and woes when it's us leading.  Look at the Biblical examples (plural) of how it turned out for the people of God who didn't listen to Him when He said if they went somewhere that He wasn't going that He wouldn't be there.  Dozens to thousands died. Seems harsh to make a point, but, the description of the people of God has been a stiff necked people. 

We ought not to follow that example.  It's always amazing to me how so many things part like the Red Sea when God leads.  Problems are merely incidents rather than full blown issues when The Arm of God is doing all the heavy lifting. 

We stress out about so many things.  Jesus was oh so right, obviously, about Martha and her concerns about doing things and complaining about Mary not helping. Stopping to take in time with Jesus changes everything. 

Nothing is worth stressing about if God goes before us.  We get frustrated easily when we don't see results.  Sometimes it's a slow motion explosion to get the right results, not our idea of results. Our microwave society has been a curse in so many ways.  I have often wondered about the decades before I was born, of living in a simpler time.  So I began removing things that caused Biblical distractions. The simpler I got the more Jesus got of me. The less stressed that I became. 

In our weakness He is more than adequate for what we face, as long as He goes first. 

Stop and breathe.  Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus look full in His wonderful face and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.