Living By The Strength Of Jesus Christ

But I rejoiced in the Lord

greatly that now at last your

care for me has flourished again;

though you surely did care,

but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in regard to need,

for I have learned in whatever

state I am in, to be content:

I know how to be abased, and

I know how to abound. Everywhere

and in all things I have learned

both to be full and to be hungry,

both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ

who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:10-13

         There are times in life when a person feel better than other times and feel that they could just about anything. Life is simply and "up and down" life, one day you are up, the next day you are down and this is due to situations a person may be facing. Paul faced the very same thing, one day good, the next day bad, full and hungry. But: Paul relied on the strength of Jesus Christ to help in those times, both good and bad. As Authentic Christians we too have this "up and down" life, both in our secular life and in our spiritual life. Too often we reach for the good times but lose our footing in the bad times. It is in those bad times that a person must bring themselves up to the standard revealed in Scripture. 

     Feelings, oh, how people live by their feelings and while this is not all bad, it is from where do those feelings arise, Scripture by means that the Holy Spirit reveals to you what to do, or from your own personal desires? Sometimes a person has such "good" feeling, as though there no cares, and then sits back in the glow. Now, in this time is the time to act immediately and do something, even though a person may not want to act while in the sunshine of these "good" feelings. Have you heard the call of God for you to do something? If so, don't say: "I'll do it: DO IT! Get rid of any laziness because laziness is only a person's desire for the "Good" times, times when a person dreams of being on the mount. As Paul who had learned to live in those grey times, Authentic Christians learn to also live in those grey times and DO! Don't cave in to desires that lead a person away form the doing that God has placed before you, don't become confused or baffled at what has been revealed to you, stand by your commitment to be all that God has called His children to be. Burn your bridges behind you, stand committed to God and this commitment is shown by our actions. Do not revise what has been revealed to you, but, ensure that your decisions have as their foundation Scripture. 

     It seems as though everyone one who calls themselves "Christian" know verse 13, but is that verse real in your lives? The only way to know is if you are doing, and not sitting back thinking others will do what God has asked of you. For instance: There are missions that need support. You may not be called to go there in person, but you can support it, by prayer, money, going to meetings to learn their needs, and make those needs known to others. Will you do in the least what the Philippians did for Paul: "Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress (Philippians 4:14)? Are you living for you, or for Jesus Christ? There is is the crux of the matter. To live as Authentic Christians it is not wealth, power, acclamation, that drives us, it is Jesus Christ and all things can be done by the strength He will give to you. ACT NOW!

O LORD, by these things men live;

     and in all these things is the life

of my spirit; so You will restore me

     and make me live. Indeed it was

for my own peace that I had great

    bitterness; but You have lovingly 

delivered my soul from the pit of corruption,

    for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

                         Isaiah 38:16-17

Allow nothing to divert your call

Richard L. Crumb