Bob Carlisle “Getting Stronger"

 
I heard Bob Carlisle’s song, “Getting Stronger” the other day and have had this blog on my mind since then (website and lyrics below).  I thought of how the enemy lies to Christians saying because of their mistakes or weaknesses people will never see them as strong Christians.  The other lie he tells us is  you cannot be used because you don’t have it “all together”.  Whatever that means. 

I am here to declare…if you are on your knees (as the song lyrics say) and in God’s Word,  you are getting stronger, because the Lord is making you stronger – in Him, not in yourself.  

Maybe last month, or even yesterday, you didn’t feel strong. Maybe you gave in to discouragement, depression, or self-pity, or even sin. Don’t let the enemy tell you you are a failure.  Today is a new day. Ask for forgiveness for lack of faith and ask the Lord to increase your faith today.  Don’t allow guilt to keep you from the progress the Lord is making in your life.

Read Hebrews chapter 11.  It is one of the most encouraging chapters in the Bible on how to get stronger…by faith.

By Faith They Overcame

Hebrews 11:30-34

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

I know the Lord is changing me every day.  I believed it first even when I didn’t feel it, now I can feel it.  I can feel the strength and the change.  Not in strength in myself, but faith in His strength.

(This is the YouTube website to cut and paste into your browser).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E73XJl1oNfU

GETTING STRONGER by Bob Carlisle
I used to lay awake at night
Wondering was I wrong or right
I was a prisoner of my fear
Only you

I was a kind of man who'd build a wall
And be the biggest fool of them all
Had a hard time letting go
Till I was broken

Look me in the eyes
Tell me what you see
I'm not the same man
That I used to be

If you see me on my knees
It's not because I'm weak
I'm getting stronger
If you see me start to cry
You'll know the reason why
I'm getting stronger

Well I find myself face to face
In the presence of amazing grace
And I it's all I ever wanted to be
Only you

Look me in the heart
Tell me what you see
I'm not the same man
That I used to be

If you see me on my knees
It's not because I'm weak
I'm getting stronger
If you see me start to cry
You'll know the reason why
I'm getting stronger

Another song by Bob Carlisle is also a powerful encouragement is “We Fall Down”.  The YouTube I have below is very moving.  Just cut and paste it into your browser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saYYm1CkX3M&feature=plcp

Getting stronger with my sisters in the Lord!

Blessings,   Pat

God Does Answer Prayers

I don’t know why we are always surprised when the Lord answers our prayers.  Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  That is because the desire of your heart will line up with His will because you will know Him and His heart.

Oh, the desire of my heart is to be pleasing to the Lord. The 5 “R”s are the cry of my heart to the Lord.  (You will find other posts explaining them more.)

1) Renew my mind
2) Revive my spirit
3) Reinvent what I do, how I do things, etc.
             ( I am in my 60s. It is never too old to change.)
4) Reveal. Reveal those things in me that are not Christ like.
               The deep things that I have not acknowledged
5) Restore. Restore what is broken in my life. Restore the joy.

I’m adding a 6th “R” as the Lord reveals things I need to have done…Regenerate.  Regenerate those things in me that have lost their strength and power.

After getting back into town this past Thursday, I was so emotionally exhausted that I almost didn’t go to the Don Moen concert we had tickets for for over a month.  Many from our church were going to be there, so I didn’t want to disappoint them, nor my husband, so I went.

The concert was very good and my husband and I both felt washed of the stress and exhaustion we have been feeling.  However, one other thing happened that, at the time was so insignificant, I didn’t think about it until I got home. 

One of the biggest Christian radio stations was there hosting and promoting one of their programs and were giving out little flyers with a free ebook.  So, I picked one up during intermission.  No big deal, right?!

When I got home I read the title of the ebook by Randy Carlson. He has a program on the radio called, Intentional Living, a ministry of Family Life Communications Incorporated and Parent Talk, Inc. with a mission of transforming the world through the power of living an intentional life
in Christ.

Now remember one of my 5 “R”s was “reinvent”.  The name of the ebook was, “Really Live – When Getting By Isn’t Good Enough”.  That has been the feeling inside my heart, I don’t want to just “get by” and settle in to the same old routine and being comfortable.  I want God to really change me and reinvent what I do in this life.  To make my life make a difference now and the rest of my life.

So, He is giving me insight on how to take one more step to renewal and reinvention through this ebook. (If you want a copy of it and go on the journey to really living, with Randy Carlson, go to his website: http://www.theintentionallife.com/.)  Join the journey to renewal and reinvention.

God does orchestrate our lives, in ways we don’t expect and at times we don’t expect, to answer our prayers and to help us.  How I thank and praise Him.  Look for His leadings and His answers.

Blessings,     Pat