Video Bible Lesson - Uncontrolled Weakness by Dr. Charles Stanley

Uncontrolled Weakness
by Dr. Charles Stanley

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

2/4/2020

02/04/2020
Uncontrolled Weakness
Dr. Charles Stanley
Judges 16:1-24
The book of Judges tells of a man named Samson, who was so strong he could kill a lion with his bare hands (14:5-6). He possessed physical strength unequalled by any human being. But this could not compensate for his inner weakness.
All of us have areas of weakness. God wants these character flaws to show us how totally dependent we are upon Him. When we handle them properly, they drive us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord. But uncontrolled weakness wreaks havoc in a person’s life.
Samson’s Achilles’ heel was uncontrollable lust. Although he was raised in a godly home and had a clear calling in life, he gave in to his desires and deliberately violated the truth he knew so well. Despite Nazirite laws forbidding involvement with foreign women, Samson pursued a harlot in Gaza (16:1). Later, he met a woman named Delilah, and even though her motives were blatantly treacherous, he gave himself over—heart, mind, and spirit—to sexual indulgence. He was in such bondage to the sin that he ultimately allowed it to dictate his actions, even at the cost of his life.
Before he died, Samson lost everything: his strength, eyesight, and honor. The man who once led his country mightily became a slave to his enemies (vv. 18-25).
What is your weakness? Is it lust, insecurity, fear, greed, gossip, or pride? Personality flaws can be a powerful motivation for good or ill, depending on our response. A proclivity for sin can ruin your life—as it did Samson’s—or drive you to utter dependence on God. The outcome is up to you.

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Wings of a Bird

Wings of a Bird

Streams in the Desert

I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth (Isaiah 58:14).

Those who fly through the air in airships tell us that one of the first rules they learn is to turn their ship toward the wind, and fly against it. The wind lifts the ship up to higher heights. Where did they learn that? They learned it from the birds. If a bird is flying for pleasure, it goes with the wind. But if the bird meets danger, it turns right around and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher; and it flies away towards the very sun.

Sufferings are God's winds, His contrary winds, sometimes His strong winds. They are God's hurricanes, but, they take human life and lift it to higher levels and toward God's heavens.

You have seen in the summer time a day when the atmosphere was so oppressive that you could hardly breathe? But a cloud appeared on the western horizon and that cloud grew larger and threw out rich blessing for the world. The storm rose, lightning flashed and thunder pealed. The storm covered the world, and the atmosphere was cleansed; new life was in the air, and the world was changed.

Human life is worked out according to exactly the same principle. When the storm breaks the atmosphere is changed, clarified, filled with new life; and a part of heaven is brought down to earth.
--Selected

Obstacles ought to set us singing. The wind finds voice, not when rushing across the open sea, but when hindered by the outstretched arms of the pine trees, or broken by the fine strings of an Aeolian harp. Then it has songs of power and beauty. Set your freed soul sweeping across the obstacles of life, through grim forests of pain, against even the tiny hindrances and frets that love uses, and it, too, will find its singing voice.
--Selected

Be like a bird that, halting in its flight,
Rests on a bough too slight.
And feeling it give way beneath him sings,
Knowing he hath wings.

Two Gates, Two Ways By Dr. Charles Stanley

Two Gates, Two Ways

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 7:13-14

Have you ever been accused of being a narrow-minded Christian? Those who level such accusations against us certainly mean it as an insult. According to Jesus, however, that’s the only way to walk if we want to experience abundant life now and eternal life with Him in heaven. But it will require a deliberate choice on our part, because no one automatically drifts onto this pathway.

The broad way is easy to find. In fact, unless you make a conscious choice to avoid it, you’ll find yourself on it. Most people like this wide path because it encompasses all philosophies and belief systems. Everything is acceptable, and everyone’s “truth” is valid. It even seems like the loving path because no one is left out. There are no restrictions, and freedom is unlimited. Or is it?

What those who travel this road fail to realize is that it’s a downward descent into destruction. All the promises it gives of satisfaction and fulfillment end in disappointment because it’s a path without God. But those who enter by the narrow gate of faith in Christ find the peace and joy of a relationship with Him that satisfies the heart. The gate is small because truth guards the entrance. The way is narrow because the Lord protects us with wise boundaries.

Which path are you traveling? You can’t have one foot on each, because they’re going in opposite directions. When you tolerate everything, you’re headed for destruction. But when you choose the narrow way, your life truly begins. You’ll walk with Christ day by day until He walks you home to heaven.

The End of “What If?”

The End of “What If?”
JENNIE ALLEN

“… do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. … Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:6,8 (ESV) 

My chest was tight, and I couldn’t breathe.

It was a Sunday night before a busy week, and I was excited about everything ahead of me. Why couldn’t I catch a breath? It felt like my body yelled, “Something is wrong!” and my mind raced to figure out what. With my arms wrapped around my middle, I sat still and prayed. Sure enough, digging into the crevices of recent patterns of thinking, I noticed something. A subtle lie had begun to overshadow them all.

What if I fail? What if I’m not enough for this work?

If it had been a conscious thought, I would have fought it and chosen the truth: God chooses the least qualified so He gets the glory. I don’t have to measure up. But the lie pulled me into a spiral, and my body revealed the anxiety that set me spinning.

The enemy has ensnared us with these two little words: “What if?” And he sets our imaginations whirling, spinning tales of doom that lurk ahead.

Anxiety says, “What if?” What if I get too close to this person, and she manipulates me like the last friend I trusted? What if my spouse cheats on me? What if my children die tragically? What if my boss decides I'm expendable?

Certainly there are healthy levels of anxiety that signal our brains to be afraid of things truly worth being afraid of — like oncoming traffic.

But if you’re like me, we keep finding new concerns to worry about, as if by constant stewing we can prepare ourselves for what’s to come. But there is a better way, because we have a choice.

We can choose to trust God to give us what we need today, next week and 20 years from now, even if our worst nightmares come true. God’s promises give us hope in every circumstance. In the end, He will resolve every problem we may face here on earth. Paul wrote to the Philippian church about this truth, and then he gave us guidance for ridding ourselves of anxious thoughts:

“... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. … Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:6,8).

For just a moment, let’s zero in on one of these replacement thoughts: “Whatever is true … think about such things.”

What gets me in trouble is worrying about things that might never happen. But Truth is the most powerful weapon I have against the enemy, who’s “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44c). So we fight the enemy with whatever is true — meaning, whatever is real!

When we allow our thoughts to spin out of control with worry and fear, either consciously or subconsciously, we try to play the all-knowing role only God can play. We forget it’s actually good news He’s in control, and we are not.

Even when our worst fears come true, God remains our unfailing hope. He gave us a way out of our spiraling anxiety. We have a choice to surrender our fears to God.

Now, change is difficult and may come slowly. But because we’ve been made new creations, we have the Spirit’s power to make the choice for truth. Changing our minds is possible! We can pull the “what if” thoughts out of our heads and replace them with what is true. In doing so, we destroy their power over us!

Lord, thank You for giving me the Holy Spirit to help me stop my spiraling, anxious thoughts. Help me trust You fully today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)

A Prayer to Help You Serve with Right Motives

A Prayer to Help You Serve with Right Motives
From the Living Free Everyday Devotional

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  - (Mark 10:45 NLT)

Jesus came to earth to serve others, and he calls us to do the same. How are you serving others? And just as important—why? Are any of these thoughts familiar to you?

• If I don't help this person, no one will.
• I am the only one who knows how to please this person.
• This is the last time I am going to help this person
• I am tired of being a doormat.

What about any of these?

• I am going to stay around this person because I believe they will change.
• If I continue to do my best to help, I believe things will get better.
• I have to help this person because their poor choices are my fault.
• I am a bad person if I don't do what this person wants of me.

Consider This . . .

Servanthood is meant to be something we do voluntarily. Sometimes, however, we may feel we should do something for others because of pressure we feel from outside sources of intimidation or inner sources of guilt. We may not even realize we are serving another person for reasons other than a sincere and healthy desire.

Here is a prayer we can pray in order to examine our motives and begin to serve the way God would have us serve:

Father, I realize I have had some of these thoughts. I’m quick to think I have to carry others’ burdens on my own. I also see my tendency to think I can save friends and family, when I know you are the only one who can. Help me see any unhealthy motives I have for helping others. Help me establish healthy boundaries. Forgive me for helping out of these unrighteous motivations. Help me serve others with a generous, selfless heart that shows them your love. Help me be motivated by your love, not my own ego. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Do Not Be a Half-Hearted Christian.

Do Not Be a Half-Hearted Christian.
By Greg Laurie (Before his tumble into the world)

We all will leave a legacy of sorts – either a positive one or a negative one. Our lives eventually will come to an end, and each of us will leave a legacy. The truth will come out – the good things we did, the bad things we did, what we really stood for.

We may live long, productive lives and, like Caleb of the Old Testament, be able to look back after 85 years and say that we finished well.

Caleb, Joshua and the Israelites had come into the Promised Land after 40 years of wilderness wandering. Caleb had been promised a portion of the land, and he asked for what he had been assured of earlier. He said to Joshua:

“Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’” (Joshua 14:6–9

Notice an important phrase: “You wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.” It simply means that Caleb wasn’t a halfhearted person.

I think we have a lot of halfhearted people filling the pews of churches today. They want to give the bare minimum to the One who gave everything for them. If you try to live as a Christian but live as you please, you will find conflict. Some people have too much of the Lord to be happy in this world, and too much of this world to be happy in the Lord. They’re living in a miserable no-man’s-land.

I became a Christian at the age of 17. I had been out in the world for 17 years, and I think I had more than my share of it. I was raised in an alcoholic home where my mom was married and divorced seven times. For a time I got into drinking and partying. It was all I had ever known up to that point in my life. I had never gone to church to speak of, except for a while when I lived with my grandparents. I knew nothing of the things of God. I had been raised in this world, and I saw it for what it was.

Even at 17, I was already sick of the way my life was going. I was in search mode, convinced there had to be more than this. I was disillusioned by the adult world I saw. I realized they didn’t have the answers. And I didn’t like the way my generation was going and what we were chasing after. I knew we didn’t have the answers, either.

Then I heard the Gospel. I heard about Jesus Christ, who calls us to follow him. I responded and gave my heart to the Lord. I started going to a Bible study where I met some halfhearted Christians who wanted to play with the world and still be Christians. That made no sense to me. I had been there and done that. I knew how empty and futile it was. I couldn’t imagine how anyone could know the forgiveness of God and still want to dabble with this world. I thought, “Why bother?” I’d had enough of it to get my fill.

I hope you don’t have to learn this the hard way. You can take God’s word for it. He tells you to stay away from certain things for your own good. Or you can say, “What does God know? What does anyone else know? I’ll do it my way.” And then you can face the consequences of that decision.

Caleb referred to an important place: Kadesh-barnea. This may not mean a lot to us, but it’s a key point in Caleb’s story. Forty-five years earlier, Caleb, Moses and Joshua, along with the children of Israel, came to the edge of the Promised Land. The point of entry was Kadesh-barnea. They had quickly made the trek from Egypt and were poised to enter the land.

It doesn’t take 40 years to get there from Egypt, however. They were going in circles. Why did it take them so long? Here’s why: When they arrived at Kadesh-barnea, they decided to send in some spies. They chose 12 men to go in, see what was going on, and then return with their report.

They probably should have just gone into Canaan and believed the Lord. He had promised he would watch out for them and bless them and get them through. But instead they sent in spies.

After a time in the land, the spies came back. The majority of 10 effectively said, “You don’t want to go into that place. Everything in this land is big. The walls are big. The cities are big. The soldiers are big. We were like grasshoppers in their sight. There are giants in the land.”

Caleb and Joshua, however, returned with a minority report. They brought back a cluster of grapes so large that it took the two of them to carry it. The people were angry with Joshua and Caleb for daring to suggest they continue into the land. They actually wanted to kill them.

If you want to finish well and wholeheartedly follow God, then you won’t compromise but instead stand your ground. You will be more concerned with the approval of God than the approval of people.

It would have been so easy for Caleb and Joshua to go along with the crowd. Everyone was saying it, but they knew it was wrong. They stood their ground at the risk of being personally ostracized and losing their friends – and even their lives.

Think of how many people today are held back spiritually because they are so concerned with the opinions of others.

Don’t lead a half-hearted life. Make sure that every day counts. You don’t want to waste a single moment.

How Your Suffering Is Growing Your Faith: 10 Proven Ways

Jessica Van Roekel

Troubles are life’s guarantee. We can run from them, wish them away, or ignore them, but they persist whether we acknowledge them or not. Someone misunderstands us, then assumptions are made, and relationships are torn apart. Our lives don’t resemble a bucolic painting, they resemble messes, hurts, mistakes, and careless words.

What’s the purpose in struggles? Is it to make our lives miserable, to teach us a lesson, or to grow us?

Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” John 16:33. In one breath we are given good and bad news. The bad: that we will have trouble. And the good: to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world.

How does the fact that Jesus has overcome the world help us to live in the world and its many troubles? Especially when the trouble seems to linger for weeks, months, and years. What do we do when we cry for relief, but we don’t get it?

We cling to Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” We allow the struggles to grow our faith as we cling to the hope and certainty found in Jesus.

1. Suffering confronts your faith.

Faith is the substance of things unseen and hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). So how does it grow? How can we engage our faith when we're suffering?

When you’re faced with a situation that causes you to question God’s presence, actively engage the spiritual disciplines of prayer, study, meditation, and gathering with other believers. Then choose to believe that he is good even when everything within you screams that he isn’t. 

It’s when we’re confronted with situations of suffering that cause us to doubt God’s goodness that we discover whether we possess synthetic or genuine faith. And it's when we engage our faith as we live through trials that we truly own what we believe. 

Faith is a gift from God. And when you depend on the Holy Spirit, he provides peace that passes understanding and gives you the strength to hold onto the truth that he doesn’t leave you, he sees you, and that he’s guiding your steps.

2. Suffering drives you to discover truth.

Faith is cultivated when we face the questions that we’re too afraid to ask. Our doubts find a home in our honesty because God doesn’t shy away from hard questions. And for those secret things that we don’t know what to do with, we hold them out to God and trust him. It’s okay if we don’t know the answer because we know the heart of the one who does.

Our struggles drive us to discover God’s truth, and it’s God’s truth that strengthens our faith.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)

3. Suffering connects you with other believers in relationships.

Suffering hides behind bright smiles and dull eyes. We disguise our pain through gruff manners with others or by lighting a match to every bridge. We shut our hearts to relationships, especially if we’ve been wounded by someone close to us. But our faith grows when we risk opening the door to our hearts and let a safe, trusted person in to bear the burden with us.

God designed our hearts for community because we need each other. We need to be vulnerable, to be honest, and to be relationship-minded in our sufferings. By reaching out to others, we discover that we’re not alone and that God has provided someone to walk with us through the struggle.

4. Suffering produces endurance in your faith.

Holding fast seems impossible when you’re weighted down by tears. But moving forward, one breath at a time and clinging to God while you do the next thing, grows your faith in the midst of trials. 

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3) 

Building endurance is the by-product of standing strong in your faith in God in the midst of trials and sufferings. God’s love is steadfast, and he demonstrates this to us so that we may follow in his footsteps to grow in him, love him, and trust him. 

“For I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.” (Psalm 26:3)

5. God receives glory in your suffering.

Sufferings cloud our vision so that what we see is often not what truly is. My friend is dying. Her body suffers as the disease takes all that is good in her and uses it against her. But her eyes are fixed on God, and even in the midst of excruciating sorrow, she finds peace and strength to walk into death. She’s looking to God’s promise, not her circumstance.

“Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.” (Romans 4:20)

As you stand firm, your faith gains strength and God receives glory. 

6. God is close to you in your suffering.

Like the beautiful picture in that the poem “Footprints,” God carries us in our weakness. Sometimes I imagine Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’ cross down the Via Delarosa and I envision God as our Simon. He keeps us close; he carries our burdens while carrying us.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

We find comfort when we run to God and not away from him. He keeps you, your tears, and hurts, but most importantly, he keeps your heart. Don’t let the enemy of your soul deceive you into thinking God doesn’t mean what he says he does.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

7. God’s character is proven in your suffering.

Trusting God in the fiery furnace that we call “life” proves God’s character. God is trustworthy, even when it seems as though we’ve been abandoned. When God gets the quietest, it’s an intimate invitation to lean in even closer. Our flesh pulls us away, but if we choose to run towards God, our faith grows because we actually get to experience the truth of God—his kindness, mercy, presence. He is God with us, but do we stay with him? Let your struggle prove to your faith that God is real, mighty, and who he says he is. 

8. Your character is refined in suffering.

Once we receive Jesus as our savior and make him Lord of our lives, we embark on a remarkable journey of restoration. How we respond to the struggles we face reveals our character and our progress towards that restoration.

God doesn’t toss us into the boxing ring of life and then stand off to the side as a spectator. He cheers us, he enables us, and he walks us through the steps to a character that is refined and beautiful.

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Perseverance refines our character. Persevere, friend, persevere.

9. Joy takes deeper roots in your life through suffering.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Knowing joy seems impossible in the midst of life-altering circumstances that you never would have dreamed. In his short book, James tells us to count it all joy when we face various trials, but what is his secret? Does counting joy mean we don’t feel the anguish and heartache that threatens our happiness and peace?

The key to joy in the face of struggles is wisdom. God’s wisdom, which is unlike the world’s wisdom, enables us to view our situation with practical insight infused with spiritual implications. This means that God’s wisdom is not going to contradict his word or his character. Your struggles give you an opportunity to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God as you spend time in his word. 

10. Your suffering develops new sight.

We all want to see. We want to the know the reason why bad things happen. And we want to quickly “learn our lesson” so the struggle ends. Or we think we cause the struggles because there’s something wrong with us. Sin trips us and temptations reveal areas that need sanctifying, but sometimes hard things happen, and it has nothing to do with us.

Our world is broken. Pride grips and misguides, and we get caught in the crossfire. But faith is a gift from God that we cultivate with every choice to look to him for guidance, comfort, and strength. Our eyes see best when they’re fixed on God’s heart for us.

His heart is a heart of love that he reveals to us more and more as we tuck in closer and closer to him. In this life we will face besetting sins, physical limitations, illnesses, rejection, persecution due to our faith, daily responsibilities, disappointments, pressure, challenges, and temptations. Suffering takes on many forms, but God grows our faith as we trust in him. Lean into him in the midst of your suffering, and your faith will grow.