April 2nd, 2011 - Courage for Tomorrow
Psalm 31:23
O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
Our walk with Christ is filled with victories as well as trials and afflictions. Although our triumphs in the Lord mat carry us through for a time, we continually need to be strengthened by the Lord and his word. There may even be times that we feel that the journey is too long and too hard, and we want to give up, but Jesus will meet us where we are at and provide all that we need to overcome.
In 1 Kings 19 Elijah retreats into the wilderness by the threat of Jezebel.
Verse 4 – But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5And he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
Here is our strength:
Matthew 4:4 – But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Deuteronomy 8:3 – And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Ephesians 6:10 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ my rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Here is a link to an excerpt from a book that is inspiring.
http://crossroad.to/Excerpts/books/faith_under_fire/misha/small-price.htm