I Can "Fail" Through Christ Who Gives Me Strength

I know, I know. The verse from Philippians 4:13 says it differently doesn't it? "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (NLT). But I was reminded by a good friend of mine this morning that the meaning of "everything" in the verse relates more so to being able to walk through any kind of situation - good or bad - because Christ gives me strength.

Here's what the previous verses have to say:

¹⁰ How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. ¹⁴ Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
Philippians 4:10-14 (NLT)

You see! We CAN fail and still relish in the strength Jesus gives us. Listen to what else my friend, John Abbott, has to say about it.

Surprise! You can’t actually “do all things” in Christ. Not the way you think you can,  

anyway. I realize this sounds like sacrilege given the suburban spin we’ve put on this biblical expression, but it’s true. Paul did not intend some sort of personal triumphalism here. Flatly, the Apostle Paul couldn’t “do all things” either. Paul could not get out of prison – which is where he penned this verse (Philippians 4:13) - no matter how intensely he believed in Jesus. He was stuck there until God determined otherwise. But, he could “be imprisoned” in Christ who strengthened him to be imprisoned. Prison is such a good place to discover Christ’s sufficiency.

The true meaning of “all things” might disappoint contemporary Christians. But, it shouldn’t. The actual point is even more glorious than the suburban legend. It gets us so much closer to grace. We normally take it to mean something like, “I can do anything I set my mind to if I simply believe.” That is… I can achieve any personal goal by faith. Get this job. Win this game. Ace this test. But, the verse has little (or nothing) to do with our personal achievement in the face of severe odds.  It’s not about our achievements at all. It’s about Christ’s achievement and a constant dependence on him regardless of one’s station in life - good, or bad.

Besides, there’s a real danger in applying it the way we’re prone to. What if you can’t “do” it? What if things don’t work out - no matter how much you believe? Your failure might call into question the goodness of God, or the sufficiency of Christ. It robs countless hurting and weak people of the truth here. There is power in weakness.

A more accurate translation of the principle is “I can trust in Christ (and the benefits of his life, death and resurrection) even when I can’t achieve a personal goal. I can fail to achieve my goals and still trust my Savior’s love. Or, I can have cancer. Or, I can lose everything. Or, I can be fired. I can “do all this” because of who Jesus is. It’s the unpredictable swings of life (want, prosperity) which Paul was able to traverse by focusing on the work of Christ. This is the “all things” he has in view here.

For Paul, Jesus’ righteous life made seasons of poverty seem like wealth and seasons of wealth seem like poverty. He could experience all these things without falling into despair on one side, or idolatry on the other.  

Point is… Christ is sufficient even when I can’t change things. Or, when my circumstance has the potential to change me. I can be in the worst place of my entire life with joy and peace because Christ is infinitely better.

So, when I can’t change my state of affairs, the person of Christ sustains me. What Paul is saying goes way beyond the point of our usual rendering. “If I’m in a circumstance where there is nothing I can do, I can do still that in Christ.” I can do nothing, if need be, and keep Christ as the supreme object of my faith. The things we are able to do are much greater than personal goals. They are the things of life.

I’ve seen the truth of this verse lived out by people in the midst of life’s worst hardships. I’ve witnessed this truth come to life when people were near death. I have seen people who could do nothing actually do all things.

Recently, it was a beloved young mom in a church who was being divorced by her unbelieving husband living out the power of this verse. On a Sunday morning, per her request, she stood (with the full support of her elders) before her church family as she explained her husband’s absence, sought the prayers of the body, and exalted the sufficiency of Christ.

The church rallied to her with unbelievable grace and compassion. Her faith was remarkable. It was hard to believe that she could be so poised in such a dark moment. But, this is Paul’s point. She was even able to go through a terrible divorce in Christ who strengthened her.

  Thanks, John, for an awesome reminder!

Tweet

Singers Who Prophesy

This week's blog comes from a thoughtful article from my Pennsylvania buddy, Dave Helmuth, and discusses the reality that what we singers do up front on a Sunday morning is more than repeat the lyrics to a song list. We help to communicate the heart and passion of God for and to the Congregation. In essence we prophecy to and with them.

What if worship singers' main role is to prophesy (declare the emotion and heart of God)? I was reading in 1 Chronicles 25 and the heading in my bible for that chapter is "The Singers." I was struck by the directive this seems to give us as singers. In referring to the singers, it states "David... set apart some... for the ministry of prophesying accompanied by (the band)." Hmmm...so how would my singers sing if they realized they are to be prophesying? First, before you get uptight, overwhelmed, or theological about folks prophesying, here's what I mean. I may be prophesying if I "sound like I've been with God" because I know who God is and what He's like and say and do things that are reflected in scripture. If I have a current, growing relationship with Him, He will be revealing Himself to me more and more, and that will spill out. Matthew Henry's Commentary says this:  "To prophesy, in this place, means praising God with great earnestness and devout affections, under the influences of the Holy Spirit." So what's the difference between a singer who just sings and one who prophesies? (great question!)

Singers Prophesy To prophesy, I have to hear God. To sing, I have to hear myself. To prophesy, I have to be clear. To sing, I can watermelon. To prophesy, I have to walk in fearless obedience. To sing, I can just show up because I was on the schedule this week.    To prophesy, I have to realize I'm only a conduit. To sing, I can be the singer in the spotlight.  So let's sing hearing God, being clear, walking in fearless obedience, and remembering that we're a conduit. How can you be more intentional?

Hear God To prophesy, I have to hear God. To sing, I have to hear myself. So, if i'm going to hear God (like the "Shepherd's-voice-hearing-sheep" that He says I am), there are at least three things I need to do: 1. Get to know the God revealed in scripture 2. Be in growing relationship with Him through private prayer and worship 3. Ask Him for specific revelation

Be Clear To prophesy, I have to be clear. To sing, I can watermelon. There's a message when I prophesy. In fact, it's all about the message. (how many prophets checked their outfits or tried to look cool?) This may just help you sing with greater enunciation and emotion. But let the subtext and poetry inspire you and sing with great meaning.

Walk in Fearless Obedience To prophesy, I have to walk in fearless obedience. To sing, I can just show up because I was on the schedule this week. No matter what we feel prompted to do, we need to walk in it. Think of it more as a posture of your heart to walk out, not defined by your track record. And don't "worst case scenario" either, because you don't have the grace for the future, just for right now. Walk in grace. And do what He says.

Realize I'm only a Conduit   To prophesy, I have to realize I'm only a conduit. To sing, I can be the singer in the spotlight. You can tell a story about something that happened to you in two ways. In one, it's clearly about you. In the other, it's about the shared experience, the truth gleaned, the humor, the point. You're not the point. Tell the story (read: sing) so that He is the point, not you.

Tweet

Happy Memorial Day to all my Friends in the USA

Memorial Day.

A day to remember.

A day to honour the men and women who lost their lives while in service to their country.

But also a day to commit... to commit to living our lives among the peoples of the world in a way that encourages peaceful resolution to problems... to commit to training up our children to seek alternate solutions to violence in their daily lives... to commit to loving our neighbours as ourselves.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NCV) 

³⁷ Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and most important command. ³⁹ And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”

Most who survive the horrors of war encourage those coming after them to do whatever they can to maintain peace and avert war. May each Memorial Day (and in Canada, Remembrance Day, November 11th) provide for us the motivation we need to pray for peace on earth as it is in heaven.

That's the journey Jesus calls us to... inviting his Kingdom to be revealed on earth as it is in heaven. "Lord help us to remember to always seek your Kingdom first and foremost."

Death and Worship

"My Dad died last night."

I had just welcomed my friend to THE ATTIC night of worship and the official launch of my two books "Worship Walk" (revised edition) and it's Spanish Translation "Caminar en Adoración". He had driven down from Staynor, ON to Kitchener for the event. A good two hour drive!

"Why are you here?" I asked him. "You should be with your family!"

"I needed to come," he replied.

As the evening ended and we chatted some more and prayed together, he said that this night of expressing worship to God in song had been exactly what he needed. He said that time was as profound a time of inmate worship as he's had in a long time.

Death does that.

Death brings us face to face with the Author of life - Eternal Life! And when we consider the end to this life what more can we desire than to be in the presence of Jesus, our Saviour? And what we only glimpse at now through our limited (and limiting) understanding - we will then see with perfect clarity.

Paul said something about this in 1 Corinthians 13:12: 

"Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely." (NLT)

Death reminds us that worship isn't about us. It is about God. And all the best worship experiences of our lives wrapped up into one elegant package can't compare to the perfection of relationship we'll experience when we come face to face with God.


Enjoy the mirror we have. Just remember it is only a poor reflection, at best, of what God will reveal when this life ends and the next one begins!