Powerless Lives

Why so many Christians live powerless lives.
The tragic truth of our time is that countless Christians are living without strength when their God is full of power. And I firmly believe that one of the main reasons this happens is that we don’t understand the difference between power and strength.

Over the last week I have seen someone come close to death several times and with many prayers He defeats it and improves with each set back. It seems like semantics, but this is actually what separates the ordinary believer from the great men and women of faith in the Bible and throughout history.

Every Christian believes God is powerful. But not every Christian understands that God’s power is not just a statement. It’s a tangible, practical reality that you have to seize and appropriate to your life.

In other words, God’s power isn’t an "ACE in the deck."
It’s possible for God to have all the power but for you to live in total weakness.

Think of it like this:
God is still all-powerful when you’re continuing to live in slavery to sin.
God is still all-powerful when you’re letting yourself be a victim of your circumstances.
God is still all-powerful when you’re living a life of mediocrity.
God is still all-powerful when you’re living as if He isn’t.

God already has all the power He will ever need to do everything He wil ever want to do. In the world and in your life. But God’s power is only potential until you convert it into strength by faith and action.

Strength is where you seize God’s power and walk it out daily.

To leave the slavery of your sin.
To rise above your circumstances.
To break out of the monotony of mediocrity.
To live a life that can only be explained by an infinitely powerful God.

Don’t waste another second praying that God would be powerful. He’s already powerful. And don’t waste another second praying that you would have more power. The power of the resurrection is inside of YOU. That’s more than enough power for anything you’ll ever face in your life.

You already have what you’re praying for. Take God’s power. Appropriate it. And let it become strength in every area your life.

If you are a believer, you have already been given the great commission and you don't need anyone's permission. ACT in HIS NAME Today.

Come on Church. RISE UP. TAKE ACTION. DO SOMETHING. DO IT with POWER.

till next time,

tc

Eat More Chicken

A few weeks ago I had breakfast with a buddy. We met at Chick-fil-A. We both love their food, but also because as Christians, you’re almost required by law to meet there for breakfast. It's actually one of TC's commandments and the bible states it like this, “Where any two or more are gathered, Chick-fil-A must be involved.” Well maybe not quite like that, but very similar. In the middle of breakfast, as we wrestled with a few issues, he said something interesting: “I wish God had given us a manual for this life we’re called to lead.” That’s a fair request to make when you think about how complicated life gets. We’ve all got bills to pay, meetings to attend, iPhones, Blackberrys or even my Incredible HTC Incredible, that doesn't stop chirping at us, Twitter feeds to read, Facebook friends to talk with, and a million other things that need our attention. Life is loud and complex sometimes.

What if there was a manual that showed us how to live? What if there was a book that talked about being busy and showed us how to have lives of peace? What if we could find, not just a broad philosophy, but actually a plan for each day of our lives? Can you fathom that? I’m not talking about a pamphlet or a website or even a series of YouTube videos that give us advice about double rainbows. Can you imagine hundreds and hundreds of God-spoken pages that read like a love letter to a world on tilt?

What if we had that? I have bookshelves littered with leadership manuals by numerous authors and yet I’ve searched for that book my entire life. And I don’t think I’m the only one. Sometimes, as Christians we lose sight of the Bible. We get used to it. We get familiar with it and forget what it really is. God’s word. God’s love letter. God’s plan. God’s day to day, life to life, heart to heart truth. Maybe it’s because we get busy or we “grew up in the church.” I think part of the reason we pine for a plan when we’ve already been given one is that the enemy distracts us. One of his favorite tricks is encouraging people to search for something they already have. It’s impossible to find something that’s already been found. And the manual for life has been. It’s the Bible. And it’s what you need and I need and even friends at a Chick-fil-A and maybe very soon, like in the next few days, I can sit in a Chick-fil-A booth and just hang a while with you to.

I leave you with this parting thought.

Every now and then shut the phone off and turn of the laptop and the tv and maybe even the radio. Go some place out of the way. Go off the beaten path and just sit and dwell with God. I just bet He will pull up a stool and join you where ever you are.

till next time,

peace

tc