Friday, January 17, 2014

Renewal Of Our Strength

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalms 37:39

This week we are focusing on a new year and some tips for making it a fruitful year and a year of spiritual growth.  A year of renewal in God is so desperately needed.  Yesterday we talked about the Renewal of our Minds.  Today we will explore the Renewal of our Strength, and the Renewal of our Steadfastness.

God gives us the option of living life in our own strength, which results in fainting, weariness and falling.  Or, we can choose the option of waiting on His strength to renew our strength.  This choice will enable us to soar in life, as we were intended to, and to run and keep on running without fainting. In our strength we are unable; in God's strength we are able.

Our strength is renewed when we lose our desire to trust in man, and let God. If we have fallen in the midst of hard times in the past year, perhaps it is because we tried to stand in our own strength. But also, perhaps God was trying to say to us, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Let this year be the year we renew our strength, and to view God as the Psalmist did in Psalms 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble.

Renewing Our Steadfastness
A small boy was standing by a horse tied to a post.   A stranger asked him, "Can that horse run fast?" "I don't know," said the boy, "but he can stand fast."

David's desire was to be as this horse; to be steadfast or faithful to God and His ways.  A great sin that plagues the Church today is unfaithfulness to God and a non-committed attitude towards His Church, whom His Son died for.

Steadfastness is faithfulness.  It is the quality of reliability or trustworthiness which makes a person one on whom we can utterly rely and whose word will stand.  Be assured, you can rely upon God, but can God rely on you?

The renewing of our steadfastness spirit comes when you and I . . .
·      Lay down every weight and sin that causes us to stumble.
·      Run with endurance . . . not in our own strength.
·      Look to Jesus ... and keep on looking to Jesus.

Let this year be the year we become more faithful, to be steadfast to God, His Church, and His Word.
For many this New Year will be a year of believing and following the trends of the flesh hoping to make it a year of relying on economics and trusting in themselves.  However, we have the opportunity and ability, through Christ, to make this year a year of renewal of our minds, strength and steadfastness.
 
Scripture to Claim:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.  1 Corinthians 15:58

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