8 Practical Prayer helps

We just concluded our sermon series in James.  James concludes his letter with a reminder and call to pray.  While I am certainly no expert and have a lot of room to grow in this area, I have come across several tips to help you pray more consistently and more purposefully. 

1. Pick a time
The reality is you won't find time to pray.  Every minute of our days will get filled with something if we are not intentional with our time.  So we need to be intentional about when we pray. Pick a time.  What time is best for you?  Are you a morning person?  Does your brain shut down after 8:00 PM? No one specific time is best, it depends on what time is best for you to be distraction free and able to devote your mind and heart to God.

2. Pick a place
While you can pray anywhere. It is important to have a specific place where you go to talk with God.  This could be beside your bed, in your office, on the porch, or at your table. Again, pick a place free from distractions where you can devote your full attention to the Lord.

3. Pick a posture
There is benefit in choosing a time and place, and also a posture.  The more purpose we put into our prayer, the more of a priority it will become to us over the course of time. While we can pray while we are walking, driving, or doing dishes (and we should) picking a specific posture will help you to focus your mind and heart toward God. Some prefer to kneel, others to stand. Some will choose to sit at a table with a bowed head.  Whatever you choose, make it your prayer posture. (I would advise against lying down, as prayer time can too easily become nap time.)

4. Use a list
A list is very helpful to keep track of ongoing prayer requests, but most importantly to keep you from getting overwhelmed. I have sat down before to create a pray list and it just kept going and going, getting longer and longer. Quickly I felt overwhelmed thinking there is not enough time in the day to get through this, or if I did, it would seem rote and rushed. I suggest using a calendar styled list. Determine the number of days you are going to pray in a week (more on that below), then divide your prayer list between the days. For example you might pray for your kids everyday, but select a different aspect to pray specifically each day.  Or you might choose a different aspect of the church to pray for on each day (missions, leadership, outreach, children, teens, etc). A list like this helps you from getting overwhelmed. A list can also help you to organize your thoughts and remind you of important things to pray everyday. For example, each day your list should remind you to confess sin, give thanks, praise God for who he is, and remind you of your dependence upon the grace of Jesus. A list can also keep track of scripture that you will read each day as a part of your prayer time.

5. Read Scripture
Read selected scripture passages as a part of your prayer time. Read the Psalms to reflect on God's character. Read Proverbs to rehearse his wisdom. Read the epistles to remember the Gospel.  You can plan your reading out and add it to your prayer calendar.

6. Pray out loud
This one might seem a little out there...a little formal. Stick with me.  I realize that many people are not comfortable with praying out loud in front of a group of people, but what about praying out loud alone? Praying out loud causes you to be more deliberate in your words. Praying out loud also keeps your mind from wandering. Often is the case when I am praying silently, my mind wanders toward other thoughts; praying out loud helps keep you focused.

7. Set attainable goals
We can all pray more than we do.  It is important to set for yourself a goal of how many times for how long you are going to pray in a week.  A beginner should not set too lofty a goal. Better to set the bar a little lower and achieve it, than to set it too high and suffer from discouragement. Perhaps for you, 2 times a week for 10 minutes each is a good start. Perhaps 7 days a week for an hour is attainable for you. Whatever it is set it and go for it.

8. Get a partner
I'm not talking about someone to pray with, but rather someone to talk with about it. Share you goal with someone you trust and someone who loves you.  A partner is someone to keep you accountable as you develop a regular practice of prayer.

Identity Theft pt. 6

I don't know about you, but I don't buy things I have no purpose for.  I can't recall a time that I went into a store and just bought something that I had no intention of using.  If I am going to purchase something I have a reason for buying it.  I think that is true of God too.

Our final "lie" in this Identity Theft series has to do with our purpose, our usefulness in God's kingdom.  Unfortunately many people believe these lies...

LIE #6

I CAN’T BE USED BY GOD

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO OFFER GOD

I CAN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE
MY LIFE HAS NO PURPOSE

Scripture tells us that we have been purchased by God. He purchased us with the blood of His Son Jesus.  In Colossians 1:14 Paul uses the word "redemption."  To redeem means to "gain possession of something in exchange for payment."   Biblically these words redemption and redeem were used in the context of paying the price for the freedom of a slave.   

If we have been redeemed, it is important to know a few things about that.

• From what have we been redeemed?
• How have we been redeemed?
• For what have we been redeemed?

The Bible speaks of our redemption and gives answers to these questions all over the New Testament. God's plan of redemption and rescue is the theme of the New Testament and therefore all throughout it.  With a brief study of just three passages (Ephesians 2:1-10, Titus 3:3-7 and Galatians 4:3-7) we find several answers to these questions.

God's purchase of us through Jesus redeems us from sin, death, and the holy wrath of God against our sinfulness. It frees us from enslavement to the principles of the world. This redemption releases us from being driven by our desires and pleasures.

How have we been redeemed? God in his great love for us, entered our world as the person of Jesus and took upon himself the penalty and punishment of sin.  He died on the cross in our place, for our sins. By putting our faith (trust, reliance, dependence, belief) in his sacrifice, his payment is applied to us. His punishment can be our punishment. His righteousness becomes our righteousness.

Through this we are redeemed for a purpose God has established for us. We are to pursue good works that God has prepared in advance for us to be involved in. We are purchased out of slavery to this world and into His family as a heir. We now live in the identity of Christ living for the purposes of God.

Many even after they have been redeemed (saved) deny the purposes that God has for them. They view themselves according to the lies that they are too broken, too sinful, not good enough, not talented enough to be used by God. Many view themselves similar to a rusty, old, broken down car.

They fail to realize that through Jesus they have been redeemed, bought for a purpose. And Jesus makes all things new. We have been given a new life, new purpose, new identity. He has qualified us, delivered us, transferred us, and made us new. In Christ, God doesn't view us as broken or beat up. He views us as whole, righteous and useful. Why wouldn't we want to take a drive in our new identity and be used by him?

Identity Theft pt. 5

God in His grace entered into our world to rescue us from what sin was doing to our lives and what it would continue to do and where it would eventually take us in eternity.  God entered our world in the Person of Jesus and saved us--buying us back from sin and death. While he did this primarily for His own glory and His great Name, He also desires for us to live lives of victory, love, hope, peace, joy, and purpose. Unfortunately many many people whom God has rescued through Jesus find themselves still stuck in old behaviors, old ways of thinking, and old habits.  This is often linked denying truth and believing lies instead.  One truth that we fail to embrace is that we have been "transferred into the kingdom of His beloved son" (Colossians 1:13). Conseqently the lies we believe are...

LIE #5

I CAN’T CHANGE

THINGS WILL ALWAYS BE THIS WAY

IT'S MY PERSONALITY

I NEED TO BE TRUE TO MYSELF
IT'S JUST WHO I AM

Believing these lies can keep us from experiencing the life God has for us, and keep us trapped in a cycle of returning to the same hopeless patterns of sinful behavior again and again. In order to experience this truth we first must understand what is our responsibility and what is God's.  We must identify what things God has accomplished and what things we must do.

What God has Done

Through the work of Jesus Christ, God has accomplished the following:

• He has made us qualified. We have a justified (righteous) standing before God.
• We are an heir. We share in the inheritance and our position in the family of God is secure.
• He has delivered from the domain of darkness. He has freed us from the authority, rule and power of sin.
• He has transferred into the kingdom of Christ. We now live under the authority of and in the kingdom of God.

These are spiritual realities--our spiritual identity--that God has made happen for you. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ by faith, this is true of you, without doubt. Unfortunately for many, this spiritual reality is never experienced as a physical or actual reality, because we miss one very important part. Our part.

What We must Do

Romans 6:1-11 describes how God accomplished all He as done for us. It was accomplished in Jesus Christ. Jesus took upon himself the punishment that we deserved. As we identify with Jesus, the Bible calls that placing your faith in Jesus, then we can share in his identity. His punishment serves as our punishment. His Crucifixion is our crucifixion. His death to sin is our death to sin. His righteousness becomes our righteousness. His life is our life.

Verse 12 begins with "therefore". In other words, "because of all this, here's what you should do," or "if you believe this, you should act like this." This is where our part begins.

1. We must believe this to be a spiritual reality. 

We must accept it as true. We must accept and embrace that Christ has qualified, adopted, delivered, and transferred us. We must renew our minds to this truth that our old life to sin is dead and our new life we live to God.

2. We must not cooperate with our old life of sin.

Romans 6:12 says that we must "not let sin have rule over our bodies."  We must "not offer the parts of our bodies to be used as instruments of unrighteousness". Verses 12-14 use words like "let" and "offer". These aren't words of captivity, authority or oppression (because we are dead to sin and it no longer has power over us), but rather words of cooperation. So the instruction is to not cooperate with our sinful desires. That's our part.

What We can Experience

In the kingdom of Christ bad habits are overcome, struggling marriages are healed, broken relationships are restored, and depression finds hope. This can happen when our physical realities begin to match up with our spiritual reality, when our behavior begins to reflect our spiritual identity. These two realities must work together. As we embrace what God has done for us--the new identity He has given us--we then refuse to cooperate with our old identity and we begin to experience the new reality of life in Christ's Kingdom.

Identity Theft pt. 4

Have you ever felt trapped? Have you ever felt stuck in an endless cycle? Have you ever felt like you would never get victory over a certain sin? Ever felt helpless?

Many people are trapped in a cycle of lies that rob us of who we are in Christ. But it is the Truth that sets us free. One truth in particular is found in Colossians 1:13 and says, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness..." He, Jesus, has set us free. Free to live. Free to obey. Free to have victory.

What is the Domain of Darkness?
The domain of darkness is the realm of sin and Satan.  It is the system of this world that lures us away from the beauty of Christ.  It is where the thirsty and starving go to gorge themselves only to walk away more hungry and parched than before. The domain of darkness is the cycle of lies that keep us running back seeking salvation, significance, and satisfaction from the things of this world.

Four Ways the Domain of Darkness Keeps us Trapped
Lures us with Promises that Don't Deliver
Whether it is retail products or car companies, vacation destinations or food producers, each are trying to sell you salvation and satisfaction. Think about the unbelievable amount of money spent on advertising, trying to convince you that you need this product, you won't be complete without this product, this product will change your life. They aren't just promising you a car, they are promising you status. They aren't just promising you a pizza, they are promising you happiness. Not just a beer, but the cure for loneliness. Not just a vacation, but an escape from the worries of this life. 

They promise and promise, but they can't deliver. They hold out salvation, significance, and satisfaction yet never come through. We end up with fuller houses and emptier wallets--waiting, wanting, hoping, yet coming back for more. In fact they know they don't make good on their promise. That's why about every 6-12 months they come out with a newer model, or improved formula--baiting us again.

Traps us with Escalating Guilt
Chasing other things to find happiness usually leads to sin, and sin leads to guilt.  This guilt drives us further into darkness, further into isolation, and further into the very sin that causes the guilt in the first place. Without any means of ridding ourselves from this guilt our fate is sealed as we plummet further and further into the rule of darkness and sin over our lives.

Imprison us by our own Independence
As we spiral further and further into the darkness the enemy keeps cheering us on in our own efforts. We are encouraged to save ourselves. To find satisfaction in ourselves. "Just be true to yourself!" "Keep trying!" "Believe in yourself!" "You don't need anyone!"  

When the focus is on our our behavior, our choices, our efforts then our desire for independence actually further imprisons us.

Enslaves us to our Sin
Like a culmination of all of the ways mentioned above we become slaves to our sin. We do things to feed it. We buy things to support it. We arrange our schedule to accommodate it. We think about ways to enhance it. We offer our bodies as sacrifices for it. Instead of it bringing us satisfaction, we end up satisfying it.

But Jesus enters in and binds up the "strong man and plunders his house" (Matt 12:29) rescuing us from the domain of darkness. His wonderful gospel is the only thing that can truly deliver on the promise of salvation, satisfaction, and significance.  The gospel cuts guilt at its root freeing us from it's power. Further, the gospel points us to the work of Another, and not ourselves.  It is through the work of Jesus on the cross and our dependence upon Him that we are saved. And lastly, as we identify with Christ, His sacrifice becomes our sacrifice, His righteousness becomes our righteousness, and His death becomes our death.  He died to sin, so to we are dead to sin. It no longer has mastery over us.

Although we may still live in this world with its constant search for salvation and significance, although we live in a world that values independence above all else, although we live in a world where the expectation is to put on a face and pretend everything is perfect, although we live in a world where people are slaves to their every desire and feeling,  in Christ, we have been delivered its domination, from its jurisdiction, from its power and its authority over our lives. Although we live in that world... that world does not have to live in us!

LIE #4

I’M TRAPPED

I’LL NEVER BE FREE

I’M HELPLESS

IT’S HOPELESS

I’LL ALWAYS FAIL IN THIS

We have been delivered!

Identity Theft pt. 3

There is an unfortunate reality that many people experience. They have come to Christ, expressed faith in what he has accomplished for them, receive salvation and forgiveness, yet they lack any experience of closeness. They feel disconnected from any local church and disconnected from the universal body of Christ in the world. In part three of our "identity theft" series, we look at the truth that in Christ we are heirs and have been adopted into God's family and we "share in the inheritance of the saints in light". We will also look at the lies we believe that keep us from experiencing that truth.

Colossians 1:11-14 reminds us that in Christ we "share in the inheritance of the saints in light". But this truth is echoed all throughout Scripture. Ephesians 1 tells us that "in love He predestined (predetermined, pre-purposed) us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ."  In Titus 3 it says "having been justified by His grace we become heirs having the hope of eternal life." In Christ we are justified and that secures our clean record before a Righteous Judge. In Christ we are adopted and that secures our family relationship with God.

In order for us to really understand this truth and its effect on our lives we need to understand some of the differences between first century Roman adoption and adoption in our current day. Today would-be parents typically adopt babies, although it is not uncommon to adopt elementary age or even young teens.  However, in Roman culture it was more common to adopt teenage boys or even young adults. Today those who are adopted have been given up by their biological parents or their parents have died.  Not so in early Roman culture, often the adopted one still had contact with his biological family. In fact, one of the purposes of adoption was to join families, to make political alliances, but most commonly it was to secure a male heir.


You are probably familiar with Rome's most famous adoptee, Gaius Octavius. Although you probably know him by another name, Augustus Caesar. Yes, even the throne could be passed down through adoption.

Paul uses the first century cultural understanding of the permanence and familial bond of adoption to describe the new relationship between believers and the family of God.

Yet unfortunately many people still believe the lie...

LIE #3

I DON’T BELONG

I DON’T FIT IN

I’M NOT CONNECTED

I’M NOT PART OF THE COMMUNITY

I’M NOT PART OF THE  FAMILY

This lie is particularly deceiving especially when we look at our lives. Many do not look to the truth of God's Word, but rather to their own experience and draw conclusions about themselves. Here are five reasons that someone might give and how Scripture addresses each.

I'M TOO DIFFERENT: Ephesians tells us that the reason Jesus came was do break down differences and to bring all things under one leadership, Himself. And to tear down dividing walls of difference and hostility (1:10, 2:13-14).

MY PAST IS TOO SINFUL: Again Ephesians reminds that we were all dead in our sins. No one is more dead that someone else. Dead is dead. But God being rich in mercy made us alive in Christ Jesus (2:1-5). 

I'M NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE ENOUGH: God chose to use the simple things to shame the wise. He uses the weak to defeat the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). All you need to know is that Jesus was crucified for your sins (2:2). 

I STILL STRUGGLE WITH SIN: This is not a surprise to God. Jesus has saved us from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and the future presence of sin. We are still susceptible however, to its influence, but we have been given the means to overcome. The battle with our flesh will be ever-present as long as we are alive. Even Paul struggled with this constant back and forth of victory and defeat with sin (Romans 7:21-25). 

THE WAY I'M TREATED BY OTHER PEOPLE: I wish Scripture gave us some insight into how to control other people's behavior, but alas it does not. It does however give us instruction on how we are to respond. Hebrews 10 says that we ought to "spur (encourage, nudge) one another toward love and good deeds". So if someone treats you badly, don't take it personally against you, take is as they are in need of some loving encouragement. They are not acting like a part of the family, not you.

The truth of the matter is: 
IN CHRIST WE SHARE IN THE INHERITANCE

In Christ we have been adopted

In Christ we are heirs

In Christ we are family

Identity Theft pt. 2

Have you ever been denied for something? Perhaps you been turned down for a loan or perhaps you got cut from a team, picked over for promotion or rejected for a date. Because so many things in our life are viewed through the lens of qualifications, we begin to view all aspects of our life in this way. Below I want to share part two in our series IDENTITY THEFT and focus on the truth that we have been made qualified by God.

Colossians 1:11-14 makes many truth statements about the condition of believers in Christ. When we fail to believe and apply these truths to our lives we end up believing lies that will rob us of who we are in Christ.

For part 1 of this series click here.

LIE #2
"I need to do better"
"I don’t measure up"
"I’m not good enough"
"I’m not smart enough"
"I’m not skilled enough"
"I’m not significant"


The Bible instructs that we ought to give "thanks to the Father who has qualified us." What does this qualification look like, what does it mean? How were we qualified? Well, we weren't qualified by our works. Weren't qualified by our good deeds. We weren't qualified by our religiosity. We were qualified when God had mercy on us and justified us--declared us righteous--not because of the things we did, but because of what Jesus did. So we became qualified because God credited to us the perfect qualifications of Jesus Christ.

It is as if we went into a job interview, not with our resume, but with Jesus', but with our name on the top instead of his.  We did not measure up, we did not have the qualifications of perfection and holiness. We were sorely inadequate, but God made us qualified, in Christ.

Here's how Scripture describes this qualification:

• Spiritually Dead to Spiritually Alive
• Strangers/Aliens to fellow citizens of God’s household
• Enemies of God to Children of God
• Far off to Brought near
• Slave to Free
• Cursed to Blessed
• Guilty before God to Righteous before God
• Identified with Adam to Identified with Christ

This is the transformation, the qualification that takes place when a person trusts in Jesus for forgiveness.  Yet for many, many people this is apparently not enough, because I see scores of people constantly trying to qualify themselves before God and others.

I see people striving to be special, with an impulse to be important, aiming for acceptance, a drive for distinction, an ambition toward accomplishment, in pursuit of possessions. In short, it is a constant search for significance.

• People search for significance (qualification) by bragging about what they know, who they know, what they can do, or what they have experienced.
• People search for significance by belittling others.  This usually begins with "Oh yeah..." then continues to describe how their own experience, knowledge, idea, possession, etc. is better.
• People search for significance through experiences: career, vacation, golf score, crafts on Pinterest, and vicariously though professional or college sports teams, their children, or celebrities.
• People search for significance through acquiring possessions: cars make them feel important, clothes make them feel valuable, collections make them feel special, houses make them feel rich, and toys make them feel happy. 

But we fail to realize that only IN CHRIST and THROUGH CHRIST can we be truly important, valuable, special, truly rich, and happy. The truth is, there is no more significance to be gained outside of being qualified by Christ.

there is no more significance to be gained 

outside of being qualified by Christ.

Oh what would churches be like if each person would truly grasp this truth and let go of attempts to qualify themselves and make themselves more significant?  

   No more bragging

   No more one-upping

   No need to belittle others

   No desire to have to impress people

   No over valuing possessions

   No looking down on failures

   We would have energy to think about others, care for others, listen to others.

   We would no longer be inhibited by what others thought of us or by the possibility of failure

   We would no longer be focused on our own needs, or recognition, or accomplishments, but on that of others’.

   We would have a Christ-centered assurance that regardless of accomplishments or differences in income, possessions, gender, race, age, or background we have all been EQUALLY qualified in Christ and that is the most important thing.

Colossians 3:11

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian (European), Scythian (Arabian), slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have been made qualified to share in the inheritance of His kingdom.  That makes you significant.   No amount of accomplishments, jobs, possessions, knowledge, or experiences can ever or will ever make you more significant than you already are in Christ.

Mickey Mouse theology

For many years we have intentionally and purposefully trained our boys to be on the lookout for theology within movies and TV shows. Arguably one of the most prominent themes, especially within the Disney franchise, is the idea that the greatest thing we can do is believe in ourselves and follow our hearts. We have taught our boys to reject this idea outright and as Christian parents, you should too.

Now before anyone gets defensive, let me clarify what I mean. I'm not saying that I don't want my boys to have any confidence. Nor am I saying that I don't want my sons to follow their passions. While the above statements could be interpreted to mean simply that, I'm afraid that their meanings go far deeper and have far greater implications.

Here is why I teach my children to reject this type of Mickey Mouse theology:

FOLLOW YOUR HEART:  
The Bible says "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).  Left to ourselves and uninfluenced by the grace of God, our hearts will eventually take us down a path of selfishness and destruction.  "Out of the human heart come thoughts of hatred, murder, envy, pride and lust." I'm not saying that all people act this way or that my sons act this way, but if left unchecked our hearts can certainly take us to that place.

You may be thinking, "What about when our hearts lead us to do good things?"  The reality is our heart is a vessel. While our physical heart is full of blood for our body, our spiritual "heart" is full of whatever we fill it with. The Bible reminds us that from "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." So when we find ourselves doing "good" things (showing kindness, helping, giving, being compassionate, etc.) it is because we are responding to the grace of God that is overflowing in our hearts.

So it is a dangerous thing to simply say "follow your heart", because at any given moment it is impossible to know what someone's heart is full of. It would be better to tell them to follow God, or follow the Holy Spirit, or follow Jesus. When God the Father through Jesus by the Holy Spirit has filled a person's heart and they can follow one by following the other, it's a beautiful thing.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
In a previous blog article here I shared about believing a lie that says that we don't need anything, but the truth is we need God for strength and for salvation. When this lie is believed to its fullest extent it is concluded that we don't need God, we just need ourselves. We don't need to trust in God or believe in God, we just need to believe in ourselves.

Listen, I want my boys to have confidence, but I don't want them to have an unfounded confidence.  I don't want them to have a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" [see explanation here] kind of confidence.  I want my boys to be the most confident kids in their class.  I don't want them to be afraid of failure. I don't want them to be afraid to try new things. I want them to be confident enough to step up and do what's right. But that doesn't come from you just being you. It comes from a Christ centered understanding of who God has made you to be. It is a confidence founded on the truth that "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3).  It is a confidence that comes from knowing that God "has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light and delivered you from the domain of darkness and transferred you to the Kingdom of the Son He loves." It is a confidence that comes from knowing "that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

I have to be honest, at times I have second-guessed myself for being so "technical" with my boys and teaching them the difference between having a "Christ centered confidence in who God has made them to be" and "believing in themselves". I've thought, "maybe I'm just splitting hairs, maybe I making too big of a deal out of this." My concerns were quickly put to rest when I came across this:

and this:

That is certainly not what I want to be teaching or reinforcing to my kids. So I think I'll continue to be on the lookout for Mickey Mouse theology.

Identity Theft pt. 1

Who we are, or rather who we understand ourselves to be, is of paramount importance to our entire lives.  Our identity shapes our behavior, our understanding of God, our relationships with others, and our view of salvation.  If we accept a false identity we will not be able to experience the life that God has for us--the life that Christ purchased for us--and we will miss out on the glorious truths of the Gospel.

In the beginning of 2015 I began a sermon series entitled "Identity Theft: Lies that Rob us of Who We are in Christ."  As I have been sharing these messages I have become increasingly convinced of the importance of an accurate understanding of our identity in Christ.  So much so, I want to share it here too.

The identity statements or truths that we are examining come from Colossians 1:11-14

From this truth-packed paragraph come 6 lies that we tell ourselves that, if believed, will rob us of who we are in Christ.  The first lie is:

LIE #1

   "I have everything I need!"

This also comes in the form of:

   "I can handle this"

   "I can manage on my own"

   "I got this"

   "I just need to believe in myself"

But the truth is, we need to be strengthened.

Not unlike the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22), we tend to think we "don't need a thing".  The truth is we are "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked"  We need the strength that comes from Christ.

Not only do we think this lie but, we get told this lie, and even have this lie preached to us from church pulpits.  I bet at one time or another you've heard it said that "God never gives us more than we can handle".  Maybe you've even comforted yourself with that phrase in a difficult time. 

One problem... it's not true.

Wait a minute!  What about that verse that says so?  

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Firstly, this text is talking about temptation. Second, it is clear who provides the "way out"  it is God.  Even this scripture confirms that it is God who provides the help, not ourselves.

This has huge implications!   Because if God never gives me more than I can handle, why do I need God? If life is never going to be so hard as to go beyond my own abilities, then I don't need any help, I don't need to be strengthened, I don't need God, I just need myself.

But the truth is we do need God.  Take a look at the world around us. Depression, Divorce, Suicide, Debt (from chasing pleasures that won't satisfy) are all at or near their highest rates.  Sounds to me like "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."

Paul said it plainly and best in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 that we do need God.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

And again in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

We are our strongest when we realize that we're not.

How do we become strengthened?

Well, first, this is for believers in Jesus.  This is for Christians--those who have placed their faith in Jesus for salvation.  This isn't a self-help instruction. This is tapping into the identity that we have in Christ from being saved by Him.

How does one become strengthened?

• Recognize your Need - admitting we need help is an act of humility and with humility comes the grace of God.  That grace carries with it the strength of God.

• Rely upon God - draw close to him though His Word, through prayer

• Repeat - if we don't continue in this perspective, pride will creep in and, again, convince us that we don’t need God.