Hag 2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts,
Jhn 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Neh 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Zec 8:9 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
Isa 35:3-4 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Jdg 6:14 And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”
Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
2Co 4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
Gal 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
1Co 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
How many times a day to I work in my own strength, knowledge, and understanding forgetting God or acknowledging my need in all things I set out to do. Sometimes it works out pretty good and other times through frustration, confusion, and possibly some anger I make it to the end. You see, I choose to go alone in my own strength, knowledge, and understanding. It is rooted in my desire to accomplish it, me, myself, and I. Oh, I might thank God at the end but I know deep down I was seeking my own praise and self-worth. How sad is this?
There are many things I rely on God for and, more than likely, many for which I rely on myself. How can I give God the glory when I am seeking to do this in my own strength or knowledge? How is Christ glorified in this at all?
It is not as if I am not thinking about God and things of God. I will be doing this while working on a project. However, the project has not prayerfully been acknowledged before I start. I have often said our sole soul’s purpose on this side of eternity is to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ in all we think, say, and do. If I do not intentionally choose to do this at all times it will not happen.
