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Rely On Christ
Contributed by Neal Gracey on Jan 17, 2015 (message contributor)
Summary: Friends, how many times have you finally arrived to the surface of a drowning situation only to realize that - it wasn't you who was doing the work, but God?
Happy "Christ-Reliant" Saturday, Everyone!
What kind of person do you want to be when the going gets tough? Do you want to be a person that can work your own plan to get your best outcome? Are you the kind of person that would rather be "self-reliant" because you want to determine your own outcomes, every time? Would you just rather run your own life without interference? Do you celebrate those who seem to do great things on their own and aspire to be that way yourself? In this Sunday's Sunday School class the Bible shines a very different light on this issue. The examples God gives us from the Bible were not self-reliant. These men and women were not distinguished by their great resources. No, they were distinguished by their reliance on God. I will call it their "Christ-Reliance."
Friends, how many times have you finally arrived to the surface of a drowning situation only to realize that - it wasn't you who was doing the work, but God? How many times have you looked back on a situation that was just too difficult to understand only to realize that it was God and not you that brought this outcome because you would have done things differently? Faith, Prayer, and Trust my friends, is the answer...every time. Oh, don't get me wrong; God doesn't want us to just hang around and let Him do all the work. But, He does want us to trust Him in the direction that the work is to be accomplished. (sometimes painful). When Peter asked Jesus to bid him to come out onto the water with him, do you think Peter would have ever asked that question without the affirmation that Jesus would not let him down? Nope! Walking on the water, without Christ would have never crossed Peter's mind. Or mine! Soooooooooooooooooooo, when we allow Jesus into our hearts and minds, and plans, the outcome is usually way better than we could have imagined. Friends, let Jesus in your plans. Let Him guide you instead of you being the self reliant one.
You'll be glad you did!
Matthew 14:22-36.