77 Percent

Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you.  Joni Eareckson Tada

I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that our only hope is in God.  Robert E. Lee

There will be no "knights in shining armor" in God's kingdom; our armor will have many dings and dents. No, no perfect Hollywood heroes will ride in to save the day; just wearied saints who look to God and, in weakness, find Christ's strength. This, indeed, is the essence of God's kingdom: divine greatness manifest in common people.  Francis Frangipane

A new poll finds that 77 percent of Americans think religion is losing influence on everyday life.  This was on the news this morning as I was getting ready for work.  The report stated that this is the highest rate since the late 1960’s.

This is not hard to believe when you watch the news daily and see the atrocities that humans commit against each other.  When we begin to accept that it is ok to remove “In God We Trust” from the very foundation of what makes this country, we are increasing that percentage each day.

I often ask myself why we turn to God during terrible circumstances but not when things are good in our lives.  Many times I think it is because we become complacent.  When terrorists bombed the Twin Towers in New York the majority of the country turned to God to ask why and in the next instant we asked Him for help.  Why do we stop praising Him when things get better and then blame Him when the tragedy comes? 

If only 20% of the American population thinks that God has influence on their lives then we are in trouble.  If I don’t believe in Him, the One who created me, at all times then what hope do I have in this world or the next.  When I think of the enormity of where many people of this world will spend eternity it scares me.  This is an enormous task we are faced with and it does become a daunting task if we are trying to do it without God. 

We can bring others to Christ with God’s strength or our own.  It would be like fighting a giant with a sling-shot and a rock. Maybe we could do it by building a boat where a body of water doesn’t exist.  How about feeding four thousand with a loaf of bread and a few fish? Jesus came to earth in human form to save us.  I don’t want my life to be wasted.  I believe there is much more work to be done and we are the only chance some people will have to reach heaven.     

We must first understand our weakness without Him.  If we want to bring others to Christ, we must first “believe” that God can do it through us and then we must “pursue” it with everything in us.      

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I know that through Your strength I can do things that I never dreamed.  Your ways are not ours and I need to be reminded daily of Your Greatness.  Help me to pursue others for You.  I understand I can’t do it on my own.  You are my strength and my salvation.                       

Scripture: Job: God’s Final Judgment and Glory

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer, since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12