"For my strength is made perfect in weakness."
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
A primary qualification for serving God with any amount of success, and
for doing God's work well and triumphantly, is a sense of our own
weakness. When God's warrior marches forth to battle, strong in his own
might, when he boasts, "I know that I shall conquer, my own right arm and
my conquering sword shall get unto me the victory," defeat is not far
distant. God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own
strength. He who reckoneth on victory thus has reckoned wrongly, for "it
is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."
They who go forth to fight, boasting of their prowess, shall return with
their gay banners trailed in the dust, and their armour stained with
disgrace. Those who serve God must serve him in his own way, and in his
strength, or he will never accept their service. That which man doth,
unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the
earth he casteth away; he will only reap that corn, the seed of which was
sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love.
God will empty out all that thou hast before he will put his own into
thee; he will first clean out thy granaries before he will fill them with
the finest of the wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one
drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in
his battles but the strength which he himself imparts.
Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be
a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give thee victory.
Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your
casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.
"When I am weak then am I strong,
Grace is my shield and Christ my song."
5 solas!
Our Gracious Father, we Sing Forth Your Praise, as we Gather Before Thee, Safe in Thy Love. Hear our Prayers, O Father our King, as we Petition Thee for the Saving of our Land. You have Overwhelmed us with Blessings, our Lord, through the Abundance of Thy Grace. Take not Thy Favor Away, on Account of the Multitude of our Sins. We Pray for Nationwide Revival, a Movement of Thy Spirit in the Hearts of all men. We Ask that Souls be Reaped for Thy Kingdom, and not for Judgement, as we Richly Deserve. "The Lord our God is Merciful, and Pardons those who have Rebelled Against Him." (Dan.9:9)
We Plead that You would Usher In an Era of Truth, a Time when men would Cease to Speak Lies. Open the Eyes of the Deceived, that they will Vote for the Preservation of Life. Put into the Multitudes Hearts, O God, the Desire to Save and to Care for the Unborn; Instill into our Souls a Holy Hatred for All Sin. Rescue us, our Shepherd-King, and Help us to Want to Obey and Follow Thy Ways.
We Ask that You would Fill our Mouths will Your Praise, and Make our Nation to Reverance Thy Holy Word. "Now I Praise and Glorify and Honor the King of Heaven, the Judge of All, Whose Every Act is Right and Good; for He is Able to Take those who Walk Proudly and Push them into the Dust!" (Dan.4:37) Save us, our Loving Lord, and Cause us to Worship and Glorify Thy Name. Through the Grace of the King, we Ask All Things, amen.