You Can

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” —Philippians 4:13

Dear child of God, we need a checkup from the neck up, as Zig Ziglar often said. Too often, “stinkin’ thinkin’” causes a hardening of the attitude. If this is not cared for, you will truly miss out on the abundant life the Lord wants you to have (John 10:10).

Why is it that we tend to blame our bad days on our circumstances rather than on our choices? Do we truly believe God wants to make our lives miserable? If God would give up His own Son for our salvation, how much more willing would He be to give us all things necessary for the abundant life (Romans 8:32).

If you have received Christ as your personal Savior, you have all you need to enjoy life here and in eternity. With Christ, there is no reason you can’t get out of debt or lose those extra pounds that are slowing you down. With Christ, dream big. The more good that is accomplished through you because of Jesus, the more attention He will get.

For far too long, we have allowed our opinion of ourselves to be based on that of those around us rather than on what God sees us to be. The Lord sees you to be far greater than you do. He sees what you could be, not just what you are. When He changed Abram’s name to Abraham, He was saying, “I see you as a father of many nations, not just a father.” When He changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, He was saying, “I see you as a queen of many nations, not just a mother. The added H in the Hebrew language means ‘breath’. When God breathes on us, we can do all things we ought to do.

The Lord came to Gideon when he was in hiding and said, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.” It sounds to me as though the Lord’s expectations of Gideon were greater than Gideon’s.

God is looking for someone who will trust Him to do great things with his life, and it doesn’t matter how old you are. Moses was eighty when God called him from the burning bush. David was a teenager when he slew Goliath. A poor widow woman, who had a family to care for, followed the Lord’s instructions, used what she had, and went from debt to dignity.

We need to understand that, as Christians, we are children of God and heirs to the kingdom of heaven. We have connections in high places. We have no reason to be discouraged. We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37). Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world (I John 4:4).

Quit whining about what you don’t have and start rejoicing about what you do have, and could have if you would just exercise a little faith and discipline. Hope for the future will give you power for today. Start thinking about the possibilities and, before long, you will be on the road to the Promised Land. Meditate on the promises of God and you will clean up that “stinkin’ thinkin’.”

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” —II Chronicles 16:9A

Read: Psalm 112