"THE PLACE OF STRENGTH"
I. LIFE IS FILLED WITH STRESSES.
A. Man's capacity to endure phenomenal.
1. Tests that have been conducted.
2. "We are fearfully and wonderfully made."
B. There seems to be inequities here.
1. Some seem to float along with no problems .
2. Others seem to have more than their share.
(30) C. There does seem to be a breaking point.
1. The day I am forced to confess "I can't" can be the greatest day of
victory or calamity, depending upon what I do or where I turn.
D. Man is very frail. Life hangs on a thin thread.
II. THE UNLIMITED INFINITE STRENGTH OF GOD.
A. How big is God? vs. 12.
1. "Measured the waters in the hollow of His hand."
2. "Meted out the heavens with a span."
3. To Him nations like a drop in a bucket, small dust in the scales.
B. Isaiah's disdain for men trying to mold or carve out likenesses of God.
1. This is a perennial problem.
2. Confine God to a shape.
a. Put Him in a mold or box.
3. We always end up making Him less than He is.
C. The wisdom of God.
(13. 1. "Who has been His counselor or directed Him."
(26. 2. Look up at the stars who created them?
a. He not only created, but calls them by name.
b. It is estimated over a billion stars in Milky Way Galaxy, over
a billion Galaxies.
1. You who have trouble remem-Sering which one is
Sagittarius-Arcturus - Alpha proxim and Beltequese.
(28. 3. There is no searching of His understanding.
II. THE UNFATHOMABLE MYSTERY.
A. God is willing to make these resources available to you.
1. When you get weary and begin to faint, He is willing to hold you up.
2. When the temptation gets heavy and you start to fail, He will
deliver you.
3. When your future is confused and you don't know where to turn,
He will guide you.
4. When your problems overwhelm you, He will counsel.
5. When there seems to be no way out, you are tired of fighting the tide
and you begin to sink, you put the traditional last hand up as you go
under, He will grab that hand.
III. HOW CAN YOU EXPERIENCE GOD'S HELP AND AID?
A. You must despair of your own resource and power.
1. God doesn't help those who help themselves.
2. He will often bring you to despair by allowing you to exhaust
every avenue.
a. Why?
B. "Wait upon the Lord."
1. Hardest advise to take that I know.
2. Test of faith.
3. Satan will constantly challenge it.
4. Friends will challenge it.
a. "Well what are you doing-about it?"
C. My greatest place of peril.
1. When I think I can handle the situation.
2. "Watch me take care of this one God."
D. My greatest place of strength.
1. When I know I am beat, to weak to try anything else, when I have given
up, and just waiting now upon the Lord. (192.
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Chuck Smith (1927 - 2013)
Pastor Chuck was used in the Jesus People revival where he was used along with others to minister to the hippy young people. They saw a work of the Spirit where many were added to the church and discipled. He has raised up many pastors who are a part of the Calvary Chapel movement now and where he pastors the large Costa Mesa church in California.The Calvary Chapel movement is based of simple principles that Chuck Smith taught over the years such as: The priority of agape love, Simple fellowship amongst the saints, the breaking of bread, the teaching of God's word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. And lastly and most importantly the principle not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord.