Source Of Strength - Part 1 Series

Each day we depend on a source to help us make it through the day. We look to electricity and water for our homes, a car and fuel to be able to get to work and back. Money in the bank to pay our bills. Often times we neglect our true source...Jesus!

This morning I'll be doing a first for me, a 2 part sermon. When God dealt with me about this message he have it to me in parts. So this morning I'll be sharing with you the first part. And you'll have to come back tonight for part two!

INTRO:

- ILLUS: Imagine that you are going to Best Buy to purchase a new refrigerator. (You get the most high tech fridge out there $3500.) They deliver your shiny new appliance into your home, put it in place and you stuff it with plenty of all your favorite groceries. The next morning you go eagerly to the kitchen refrigerator and open the door, but the shelves don¡¦t glide out automatically, they just sit there. What¡¦s worse, the melted ice cream in the freezer section has run down and is all over everything. Your vegetables have turned color and the milk has gone sour. It dawns on you that your top of the line refrigerator is not functioning as you were led to believe it would. o You pick up the phone, call that salesperson who had sold you this merchandise and when he answers you give him a piece of your evangelical Christian mind!

The salesman says, Well, will you please open the fridge door and see if light comes on? NO LIGHT

Would you put your ear down at the bottom and let me know if you hear the hum of the motor? NO HUM. If you don't mind, would you kindly look around the back of the refrigerator and see if the cord is plugged in tight? END OF CORD LOOSE ON FLOOR. You come back on the phone and you say, The cord has not been plugged in but for $3,500 dollars that should not matter! It ought to work just on general principle! That's when the salesman explains that appliances are intricately designed to have astounding capabilities however, they are dependent in nature! While they have all the necessary parts to perform everything the manufacturer has designed it to do .They are not able to accomplish this on their own. They first need to be empowered by the fire that electricity provides only then can the parts do what the parts were created to do.

I Have a Source...

Hebrews 12:1-3

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ephesians 3:16-21

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Source Of Strength – for physical, emotional and spiritual needs. God has so many resources at his disposal, ready to give to us and too often we don’t go to him for refreshing when we are tired, or upset or spiritually dry. Instead we use lack of energy or spiritual zeal as excuses why our prayer life is not happening. We need to follow Christ’s example in this and utilize God’s strength more and our strength less.

Take Susanna Wesley's life for instance. A quick glance reveals she was married to a preacher in the late 1600s. They had 10 children, two of which grew up to bring tens of thousands of people to Christ: John and Charles Wesley. Sounds like a sweet story, doesn't it?

Her husband, Sam, couldn't (or wouldn't) manage their finances well. They disagreed on everything from money to politics. This couple actually had 19 children; sadly, nine died in infancy. Sam left Susanna for long periods of time—sometimes over something as simple as an argument—leaving the duty of raising their children to her alone. One of their children was unable to walk. Another couldn't talk until the age of six. Susanna herself was desperately sick most of her life. Their home burned to the ground twice; everything they owned crumbled to ashes. One of her daughters became pregnant out of wedlock. They had no money for food or necessities. Sam even went to debtor's prison.