2 Corinthians 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
An important facet of God’s Order for mankind is for people to come to the knowledge of the FACT that without God, we are NOTHING! Many of you are thinking, “This is nothing new. I already know this.” But stay with me just a minute because it's not that simple.
1. God knew you before you were ever conceived. His Plan for your life existed in the BEGINNING.
2. God created you. Without God, you would not exist.
3. You are unique; one of a kind. There will never be, and has never been, another person identical to you.
4. God created you with a specific purpose to accomplish a specific work for Him during your life span.
5. God knows EVERYTHING about you including the number of hairs on your head.
6. God knows how many days you will live on this earth.
7. God has appointed the time you will die.
8. God wants you to understand who His Son is and place your faith in His Sacrifice on the Cross.
9. God wants you to totally depend on Him (The Father, His Word, His Son and His Holy Spirit) for everything.
10. God wants to be in constant Spirit-to-spirit communication with you.
11. God wants you to become humble and weak so He can be strong in you.
Number 11 is where many begin to falter. We have been taught our whole lives to be strong; to work hard and be independent. Time and time again, we have been told, "You must learn to make it on your own.” “You can do it by yourself, just try harder!” This goes against EVERYTHING of God’s Order and Plan for us.
The Holy Spirit caused the Apostle Paul to understand that on his own, he was nothing. That is why God used him to write most of the New Testament. Paul’s writings were not his own but that of the Holy Spirit of God; the Helper, Counselor and Teacher for all people. Although Paul was the greatest Apostle to ever walk the face of the earth, he understood that on his own, he was nothing.
In the natural, Paul had everything. He had a brilliant mind and was the most educated person alive at the time. He was extremely well respected in the Synagogue. He was physically strong, incredibly brave, with great convictions, and thoroughly devoted to those convictions. He was everything any man would want to be, and yet, he was lost, dying, and headed straight for Hell.
Then, one day on the Road to Damascus, God turned the tide in Paul’s life. When Paul met Jesus face to face, all his brilliance, education, religion, convictions, courage, pride, and physical strength became weaknesses. At that moment, he allowed the Gospel of Christ to take over every nook and cranny of his entire being. He was totally changed. The old man was dead. He may have appeared to be as he had always been, but he was by no means the same. He was different; a new man with newfound strength, new convictions, new goals, new EVERYTHING. Nothing about Paul was the same, nor would it ever be.
This transformation is called being born again. Jesus said, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3) Only God can accomplish this transformation. Say "Yes" to God. Surrender everything to Him and stop trying to do it all on your own. Allow Him to turn the tide in your life.
Only God can..........turn the tide
Transformed! Doreen
www.bettsministries.org
