being honest about how you feel…

when you are in an overwhelming situation remind yourself first who GOD is, remind yourself what HE’s done, ask GOD to do it again and once you’ve done that now you’re ready to talk about your problem.  tell GOD exactly how you feel.

i need to confess my inability and my inadequacy and i need to be honest if i’m afraid, if i’m scared.  i say, “this is exactly how i feel.” 

in 2 chronicles 20.12 (nlt), king jehoshaphat says to GOD in his prayer, we are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. 

have you ever felt that way?  have you ever felt powerless, like there was a problem in your marriage, your career, or somewhere in your life that you thought was overwhelming?  there’s no way to succeed in this.  you start the beginning of the week thinking maybe you can handle it but about wednesday you’re out of power.  and by friday you’re thinking, “i don’t know if i can face another week of this.” 

maybe you've felt like this poem:
            the world had a hopeful beginning
            but man spoiled it all by sinning
            we trust that the story
            will end in GOD’s glory
            but right now the other side’s winning.

have you ever felt like that?  you pick up the newspaper and it looks like the bad guys are winning. so you say, “GOD, we’re powerless and we don’t know what to do.”  so you tell GOD exactly how you feel. 

it’s interesting when you compare verse 12 where he says, we’re powerless, to verse 6 where he says, YOU have all the power in the world.  it doesn’t matter if i’m powerless if GOD has power.  if i put my trust in HIM, HE’ll take care of me.  you don’t have to have power.  and you don’t have to pretend that you do.  all you have to do is trust in GOD who’s got all the power that you need.  trust HIM.

just a thought from the front porch…

are you tired, really tired?...

now a good question to ask when you feel powerless is when can i count on GOD’s power? well for one, when i’m tired. i can count on GOD’s power when i’m tired.

i don’t even have to ask you if you are tired. i know that by the fact that i live on long island, close to the city that most of the people around me are tired. work, work, work, work, play, play, play, play, tired, tired, tired, tired.

obviously there are some things that you and i can do to slow the pace of our lives down, but in the midst of this, GOD makes us a promise. isaiah 40.28,29&31 (tev & nlt), the LORD is the everlasting GOD. HE never grows tired or weary. HE strengthens those who are weak and tired. those who trust the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. HE gives power to those who are tired and worn out; HE offers strength to the weak.

i know some of you… you need to memorize this verse! write it down and put it by your toothbrush, get a tattoo of it on your body, shave it on the side of your dog! i don’t care where you put it, just put it someplace where you can be reminded of it. it’s a great verse.

GOD’s power is unlimited. HE never gets tired. HE never gets weary. HE never goes to bed. HE has unlimited energy. HE created the entire universe and said, “what’s next?”

would you like to tap into that kind of power? it’s available.

just a thought from the front porch…

do you feel powerless?...

i love the sun. i love to get up every morning and know that i can see the sun. now living on long island means i don’t see the sun quite as much as i did when i lived in vegas and phoenix and i love living here but i really do love the sun.

i read that the power of the sun produces more energy in one second than has been used in the history of the world and that the sun, at its current rate, will be able to burn for another thirty billion years. that's a lot of power. but it's not as great as the power of the creator who made the sun.

jeremiah 32.17 (niv), sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. nothing is too hard for you.

what we're talking about is what theologians call the omnipotence of GOD. HE's all powerful. GOD is almighty. HE has unlimited power. HE never gets tired. HE is never frustrated. everything HE does, HE does easily. nothing is ever too hard or difficult for him. it's easy for him to answer a prayer. it's just as easy for him to create a universe.

in luke 18.27 (tev) it says, what is humanly impossible is possible for GOD. some of you are going through some tough stuff in your life and you need to know how do i get GOD's power in my life?

there are so many people who are powerless. they feel like victims. victims of society, circumstance, by other people, by their health. they feel always a dollar short and a day late, going two steps forward and one step back. they never seem to get it together. they feel very powerless. GOD says i want to give you power in your life.

now one power shortage that many people have is the power to get started. and most of us have a problem with this from time to time.

how many good things have you been postponing in the last six months? “i'm going to get around to that one day but...” what would you like to change about yourself but you can't get the motivation to get started?

do you ever find yourself paralyzed by procrastination? “someday, i'll...” romans 7.18 (phillips), i often find that i have the will to do good, but not the power! does this describe you?

you want to do what is right and good but just don't have the power! how many of you have learned that good intentions are not enough?

just a thought from the front porch…