Bible Study "It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

[Chopper]

If you're not faced with a trial, temptation that's hard to resist, or a task that looms ahead of you that looks impossible to conquer, there's hope my friend, you and our Lord can overcome whatever has come your way. A life without trails and tests is not the Christian life. Yea, I know that there is another crowd that boasts of a walk thru the tulips, but that is a new evangelism, not the one of the first century that our Apostles introduced to that early dynamic Church of Jesus Christ.

Recently, I had been driving a 1996 GMC Suburban for years and years. It was rusted out quite badly. I really needed a vehicle that didn't look like it had been purchased from a junk yard. I really couldn't afford a better one so I knew that our Lord knew my heart and would somehow solve my problem without my help.

"It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Folks, if we would only wait on the Lord, we would see Him in action. I hope you all know that Jesus and His Father absolutely delight in meeting our most desperate need without our own help. Hey, they just love the praise and thanksgiving when they send a miracle our way, and all we did was "wait on the Lord".

About a month ago, my Sister-in-Law called and said that her son had given her one of his cars, a really nice one. She asked if I wanted the car that she was driving. It is a 2005 Buick LeSabre Custom. Wow!! It's loaded with all the whistles and toys. Most of all? NO RUST!! I absolutely know that if I had, on my own, bought another vehicle, it wouldn't be as nice as this gift from Jesus. I'm still thanking Jesus for His gift to me every time I drive it.

I think we need to remember, that if a soldier goes into battle with his trusty sword that has always brought him victory, and he's been working out and has huge muscles, he can wipe out hundreds of the enemy with his sword and his strong right hand....WRONG!! His confidence is in his power, not the Lord's. Why? It's because "It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

What are you faced with today, Christian Man or Woman, can't pay all the bills? The Children are out of line? Husband or Wife is threatening to leave because your marriage is failing? Unsaved Spouse? The bank is going to foreclose on your home? Single Parent in financial or legal trouble? STOP!! get on your knees and tell Jesus what's wrong. Let Him decide how to correct your situation, don't you tell Him.

"It is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” I think sometimes in this hurry, hurry world that we live in, there is very little time to feed our spirits on the Word of God. Almost, if any time, for the old fashioned "Family Altar" with the whole family. Giving thanks at the beginning of our meals at home is rare and out in public even more rare.

This crazy world that consumes so much of our days, it's like there just isn't time for God to occupy our time except, perhaps Church on Sunday mornings. PROBLEM, when a devastating problem hits, where do we go? Our own resources? Do we do what we've always done by our selves with a little half hearted prayer? Oh my friends, can't we change our daily living pattern to include some serious time honoring our Heavenly Father? He so wants to have us include Himself in our every day functions.

1Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

First we must humble ourselves and admit the sin of squeezing God out of our days and especially out of the trials that come our way. To humble ourselves means to admit defeat at trials and if the trial is going to be solved, God will solve it, we are incapable to do it. I believe that God wants to hear, "God I repent of ignoring You. From now on, I surrender my life to obey Your instructions in Your Word, of which I'll read every day to learn from You. God has a "mighty Hand" there is nothing, absolutely nothing impossible for God to fix for you, He's just waiting for you to depend on Him to fix it.

I would not ask you to do what I'm not presently doing. Because Bible study and intercessory prayer has been my practice for years every morning now, there is an excitement in my heart to get to it every morning. It's the reason this 76 year old "dirt bag" jumps out of bed every morning.

 

[reba]

First we must humble ourselves and admit the sin of squeezing God out of our days and especially out of the trials that come our way. To humble ourselves means to admit defeat at trials and if the trial is going to be solved, God will solve it, we are incapable to do it. I believe that God wants to hear, "God I repent of ignoring You. From now on, I surrender my life to obey Your instructions in Your Word, of which I'll read every day to learn from You. God has a "mighty Hand" there is nothing, absolutely nothing impossible for God to fix for you, He's just waiting for you to depend on Him to fix it.

Yup this place can be the little Church across the street...
http://christianforums.net/Fellowship/index.php?threads/church.67279/#post-1262487

 

[th1b.taylor]

The first thing I thought of when you mentioned the soldier was Gidion. He assembled as big of an Army as could be had and the LORD began cutting the heard until there was only a handful remaining and then God sent them into the battle and in the dark of night.

I have issue with the response people have to this lesson that is as valuable as fine gold, no it is more valuale tha all of the gold in the US. They listen ut when you reach applying it to their lives, the shut their ears and eyes. And it seems as if 80 or 90% of te time, when Deeter, my daughter and I go out to eat, as soon as we finish our thanksgivng prsyer and lift our heads, people all around us have ceased eating and are staring at us as if we are from another planet.

But in 2Chron. 7:14 God is quite clear when he tells us He listens to our praters and that if we will humble ourselves and call on Him, He will even heal our nation. And on a personal level, I ave witnessed overr and over God working on my behalf and I cannot understand why people cannot trust Him.

Often the girls need to do something and they leave me here in the house. As I lay there in my hospital bed, the dogs in their kennels and somebody touches my pillow. I am never alone and He is such a comfort.

 

[reba]

He comforts us even when we are cantankerous old folks
Hugs to you guys

 

[th1b.taylor]

He comforts us even when we are cantankerous old folks
Hugs to you guys

What would old and worn out old warriors ever do without Him.

 

[Chopper]

Yup this place can be the little Church across the street...
http://christianforums.net/Fellowship/index.php?threads/church.67279/#post-1262487

You are right Buddy. Our little Church sure is good. Jesus usually comes with you.

 

[JohnDB]

There are times when we have power or authority over others we want to use it to force people to do the right things and squash bad behavior like a bug. And oh how we want to create an island of righteousness to live within.

But it's always just an illusion. Self righteousness and judgmentalism (aka hypocrisy) is worse an atmosphere to try and survive.

Jesus always wins by his Spirit... except during the final eschaton.

Not by brute force...not by political wrangling...not by bribery or back-room deals...

But by that still small whisper of doing what is good and right...that's what changes the world.

This along with the passage, "Do not rue the day of small beginnings"

It only takes a single spark to burn down a forest.

 

[Chopper]

The first thing I thought of when you mentioned the soldier was Gidion. He assembled as big of an Army as could be had and the LORD began cutting the heard until there was only a handful remaining and then God sent them into the battle and in the dark of night.

I have issue with the response people have to this lesson that is as valuable as fine gold, no it is more valuale tha all of the gold in the US. They listen ut when you reach applying it to their lives, the shut their ears and eyes. And it seems as if 80 or 90% of te time, when Deeter, my daughter and I go out to eat, as soon as we finish our thanksgivng prsyer and lift our heads, people all around us have ceased eating and are staring at us as if we are from another planet.

But in 2Chron. 7:14 God is quite clear when he tells us He listens to our praters and that if we will humble ourselves and call on Him, He will even heal our nation. And on a personal level, I ave witnessed overr and over God working on my behalf and I cannot understand why people cannot trust Him.

Often the girls need to do something and they leave me here in the house. As I lay there in my hospital bed, the dogs in their kennels and somebody touches my pillow. I am never alone and He is such a comfort.

Hey my old friend, you're never alone is right. Not only are there angels around you....Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" Like Bill Taylor!! Also you dried out old corn cob, there are quite a few folks here in this Forum who love you and pray for you. Bill Taylor goes before God's Mercy Throne on a regular basis. We love you Bill, you have been a great inspiration to me especially, for when I'm in pain, I know yours is worse, and if you can function, so can I. Thank you Bill for being you!!

 

[smaller]

It's a very hard thing to contemplate that God in Christ really IS in charge, on ALL sides of everything. Very difficult thing to grasp. Very.

I've had my back put up against so many impenetrable walls in my life. So many. They never seem to cease.

It's a wild wild ride. We think we can control things, but really we can't and don't control anything. We might think we do, but we don't.

We think sometimes that we can just lead a simple life and skirt by. But that doesn't happen either. Sooner or later our backs get put to the impenetrable wall. And the results of all of this is to simply take the sufferings, as best we can. And be thankful when it's mitigated.

But the suffering NEVER ends. In fact our minds are so used to it, we don't even realize what it is like to be without it. Our minds try to filter it out, to blockade it, to blow it off, because to take on more drives us mad.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the whole world groans in pain, corruption, suffering and in the throes of death. These are simply not easy matters for our minds and hearts to deal with. It's just plain old suffering.

Shortly after I had my own personal engagement with God in Christ, loving me, my life got turned upside down in very short order. I'll spare the drama and suffice it to say I was basically left with nothing. Immobilized by the myriad of impenetrable walls. Could barely find the strength to put one foot in front of the other.

And from that place, that place of nothing, I was taken to a pinnacle, where I had, seriously, almost everything I ever dreamed of. A million dollar a year job, a mansion of sorts by most standards, toys. All the trappings. And WHAT did I find there? MORE SUFFERING. I could write just as much if not MORE downside on the "rich" side as I found on the nothing side. Riches, wants and needs filled, STILL will not avoid any impenetrable walls.

Bottom line? There will be suffering.

Romans 8:
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We tend to mask over and not see/perceive the sufferings that Paul writes about, their causes, the personal applicable reality for us. There is a reason Paul set his mind on things above, because to set them on the things of this present time will drive a person mad.

And what is behind all this madness? That's right. It's God in Christ. It ain't the devil, it ain't us. It's exactly what God Himself planted us into. There is no way around it.

 

[smaller]

In my reasoning's with God, His Word, on these matters, I have sought His Wisdom by the very simple question, WHY? Yeah, I'm like the little kid, always asking WHY?

There is a picture in scriptures, seldom seen, about the WHY.

It is God Himself who uses evil and deploys evil. Precisely to show His Power over not only evil, but "all things."

This matter is delineated quite precisely in Romans 9, here. This matter of resistance was not by Pharaoh, not by Esau, but plain and simply by GOD HIMSELF putting adverse powers into play in this world:

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Think about that for a minute.

Now just how BAD do you think God could make things? I might answer, VERY. So bad in fact that the whole world would be forced into a corner, where there is no escaping, to this end:

Romans 3:
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

This is not a laughing matter. Imagine, God, turning up the volume of BAD, of EVIL, to the point where the WHOLE WORLD and EVERY MOUTH is flat out stopped dead in it's tracks.

WHEN you see this picture, THEN you will know the end game of God in Christ. And imagine, for just a minute, what the world is heading into prior, right now, even as we speak, on it's road to that end.

It's the opposite picture of what most believers have in their own minds, with all their "rosy scenarios."

God, He Is Supreme. And He Is All There Is and ALL that matters. I would not dare to even squeak, in His Presence. The fear of God that I have has made my body quake with fear. Because He has shown me what things are like, on the downside. I know what's on the horizon.

TEARS. And lots of them.

But I would not count a single tear as loss, for the knowledge and Glory of Him. It is from these tears that we will be LIFTED. But there will be a LOT of them, shed, on our way to Romans 3:19 as a collective.

Look at the direction Paul pointed to here, and see what God has in His Storehouse:

Romans 7:
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

And again,

1 Corinthians 15:
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

This again is no laughing matter. It is a REAL matter. And these matters are unfolding, now, right now, before our own eyes. If we are observant.

This is where the exercises lead to:

1 Cor. 15:
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

Think upon His Sovereignty in "all things" for just a moment, and realize the direction this world is heading, HEADLONG into Romans 3:19, Romans 7:13, 1 Cor. 15:24, 1 Cor. 15:56

There, will the world find the BOXED CANYON, the impenetrable walls, surrounding creation, where there will be only ONE direction to LOOK.

UP.

Luke 21:28
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

 

[Chopper]

There are times when we have power or authority over others we want to use it to force people to do the right things and squash bad behavior like a bug. And oh how we want to create an island of righteousness to live within.

But it's always just an illusion. Self righteousness and judgmentalism (aka hypocrisy) is worse an atmosphere to try and survive.

Jesus always wins by his Spirit... except during the final eschaton.

Not by brute force...not by political wrangling...not by bribery or back-room deals...

But by that still small whisper of doing what is good and right...that's what changes the world.

This along with the passage, "Do not rue the day of small beginnings"

It only takes a single spark to burn down a forest.

 

[Roro1972]

I will say I am struggling and praying and confessing daily, and waiting, and praying.

 

[Chopper]

I will say I am struggling and praying and confessing daily, and waiting, and praying.

Check out my new thread in "Bible Study" on our thought life, it might help.