CONFIDENCE

Philippians 4:13—I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

It looked impossible. How could a little church of fifty build a sanctuary and lease the commercial space necessary for classrooms an office, bathrooms plus the large meeting room for worship?

Jeff was exhausted. He’d poured out his heart before God into people but he felt like there was no strength to continue. He could he face the people tomorrow if he couldn’t face himself today?

Sally’s children were running her into a place of despair. Their nonstop energy and knack for finding trouble left her feeling like the twenty-year old sweater hanging on the door. "Oh God! I can’t raise these kids they’re too much to handle!"

There’s a saying we call a truism—"People who say can't--don't!" Are you feeling discouraged or defeated? Do you feel like God perhaps asks too much of you? The solution is not to say "I can’t". You can! Jesus already promised to provide the strength as long as your work is through Him. The little engine could say, "I think I can, I think I can!" Praise God, I can say, "I know I can, I know I can!" In Christ nothing is impossible. The question is, am I "in Christ!"

Romans 8:38,39—For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Inspiration

A saint is made by God, "He made me." Then do not tell God He is a bungling workman. We do that whenever we say, "I can’t." To say "I can’t" literally means we are too strong in ourselves to depend on God.—Oswald Chambers in So Send I You

When a saint puts his or her confidence in the election of God, no tribulation or affliction can ever touch that confidence.—Oswald Chambers in Christian Disciplines