The Stronger Man

 

Readings 100926

Have you ever had a question

that just wouldn't leave your mind?

We all have questions 

about life, faith, and what's happening 

in the world around us. 

The problem is --

many people are trying to decide 

themselves what is right and wrong 

instead of looking to God for the truth.

We act like we know better than God. 

We put ourselves in His place 

and create our own rules. 

But God's truth doesn't change 

just because people have different opinions.

Jesus said, 

"The Kingdom of God has come upon you." 

Meaning, God's power and rule 

broke into our world through Jesus.

God promised long ago 

to bless all nations, 

and He fulfilled that promise 

through Jesus Christ.

When Jesus cast out demons, 

He showed He is stronger than Satan. 

Satan may seem powerful, 

but Jesus is the Stronger Man. 

He defeats evil, 

breaks its hold, 

and rescues people 

who belong to God.

The truth is this: 

people can reject God's truth 

and make up their own, 

but that will never make their truth 

greater than God's truth. 

Christ remains the Stronger Man.

Jesus took our curse upon Himself 

so that we could be free. 

And He gives us a clear choice: 

"Whoever is not with Me is against Me."

So the question isn't whether Jesus is Lord. 

The question is: 

Will we trust Him, 

follow Him, 

and live by His truth?

Prayer

Lord, 

Keep my heart anchored 

in Your truth.
When the world grows loud, 

help me hear Your voice.
Teach me to follow Christ, 

with faith and courage.
May Your Kingdom rule in me 

before it works through me. 

Amen.

Return to Grace

 

Readings 100826 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; 

seek, and you will find; 

knock, and the door will be opened to you."  

Luke 11:9

As long as I can remember,

when worry came calling

or life took a hard turn,

my mother would say,

"Put it in God's hands."

Simple words.

Steady words.

Words that carried me farther

than I knew at the time.

But somewhere along the way,

I grew up and grew confident.

I thought I could handle it myself.

Carry the burden.

Fix the problem.

Find the answer.

So instead of putting it in God's hands,

I held on tighter with my own.

The truth is,

I wasn't strong enough.

I wasn't wise enough.

And I certainly wasn't built

to carry what only God can carry.

Paul would have had a word for that.

Maybe even two.

Foolish. 

Stupid.

Because how quickly we forget.

When life gets heavy,

or even when life gets quiet,

our first reaction is often self-reliance.

We work harder.

Push longer.

Try to solve spiritual problems

with human strength.

Yet Paul asks a piercing question:

"After beginning with the Spirit,

are you now trying to finish with the flesh?"

What a reminder.

The peace we enjoy,

the grace we receive,

and the Spirit who lives within us

were never earned.

They came by faith.

They came through Jesus.

When we trust ourselves more than Him,

we trade God's limitless mercy

for our own fragile willpower.

And that's never a good exchange.

Jesus shows us a better way.

God is not a reluctant neighbor

hiding behind a locked door.

He is a loving Father

who delights in giving good gifts

to His children.

He invites us to ask.

To seek.

To knock.

Not because we've earned His favor,

but because His grace is abundant.

So today,

whatever burden you're carrying,

whatever worry you're holding,

return it to the One

who can handle it.

Put it in God's hands.

And rest in His grace.

Prayer

Lord, 

I place into Your hands
the burdens I was never meant to carry.
Teach me to trust Your grace 

more than my strength,
and to rest in the peace 

only You can give. 

Amen.