SEPTEMBER STRENGTH

[Sign up for this 5 day Bible study plan]

I cannot believe that I have not posted anything since PALM SONday and the entire summer has gone by and fall is approaching. However, I most definitely have been pursuing "Strength" every single day, especially in my Bible reading plans & studies. So I can be #Jesus Strong (with Lisa Whittle).

Currently, I am in a 40 day Interactive Journey to "Take Back Your Life" by Levi Lusko among many other OBSs. Plus I just completed one on "Restored" & * "Strengthen Your Faith..." Clearly, by taking back my life, I am hopefully strengthening my faith & perhaps have a totally different idea than Pastor Levi, but if you have read my testimony or know me & my life, you will understand the significance in me taking back my life. On the other side of these 40 days, I hope to be filled with God's power & strength to face better anything our future & my personal future may hold. Only with God's Strength can I overcome my past & build my future based on God's principles & my beliefs. God is the Strength of my life! Without my beliefs, my faith walk & my relationship with Jesus, I don't know where I would be now or throughout my entire life. 

Here are some Promises that strengthened my faith*

"I (you) can trust, because God will never change." Matthew 24:5 "The miracle depends on my (your) response." Matthew 9:28-30a "Having peace of mind is a position of faith." Psalm 46:10 "God is the one who fights for me (you)." 2 Chronicles 20:15 "Sons of Israel (Peggy), march!" Exodus 14:15 "Whoever believes in God will never be ashamed."1 Kings 18:37-39 "Don't give up on what God has promised you." Genesis 15:5

{those were the 7 days of *that plan}

... I AM STRONG & COURAGEOUS ...

Yet another plan of 30 days & a book I have now too!I completed this one on May 1, 2021

I will continue to press on and 
"LIVE WITH STRENGTH & COURAGE"
GOD IS THE STRENGTHof my heart
Perhaps you read the title of this blog, and came here looking for "Strength for September" because you are so weary, or weak and really need some strength to make it through some current situation, crisis or difficult circumstance. I began this post only as an update because I have been away so very long & wanted you to know that I am still here. 
Other than that I had no particular gem of wisdom to share so that you might be filled with God's strength, yet the plans at YouVersion & the Song at the end are the best I have to share because I, myself, am really leaning in and seeking more Strength every day to battle all that currently faces us in this world. We all need more Strength in our daily living. So get in God's Word & seek His Strength in many verses & may you be encouraged this September in the Lord with an abundance of His Strength, which I've read & heard comes through having more JOY ... so sing it out "the JOY of the Lord is my Strength!" (Twila Paris) or maybe this one with Jenn Johnson (Bethel) Joy of the Lord/You Make Me Brave!!! and Joy Unspeakable (Bethel) with Steffany Gretzinger! YES, be filled with Jesus, Others than You (true JOY will come) as You serve in Jesus' name!

PALM SUNDAY STRENGTH

There is Strength in Humility

Jesus Modeled Humility

"...humility was expressed most when Jesus became a man and died on the cross."{clearly}

Isaiah 53 portrays Jesus as the suffering servant. Jesus had lowliness of heart.We see more of this on Maundy Thursday when we commerorate the Last Supper."Throughout His life on earth, Jesus demonstrated a spirit of profound humility."(Matthew 20:28)

Jesus exemplifies Humility & Strength throughout this Holy Week.
 However, today, on this Palm Sunday,I want to draw our focus to the
Humility of our KING
Palm Sundaytraditionally known as theTriumphal Entry
NLT reads Jesus' Triumphant Entry for John 12:12-19;Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40

For me, in the story of Jesus entering into Jerusalem, I see His riding into town on a donkey colt, reveals His character quality of Humility ... which requires His strength, but demonstrates much more. He is fulfilling prophecy as He claims His rightful place as the prophesized Messiah. And He chooses the precious, lowly animal - a donkey colt rather than a majestic warhorse/stallion.

{Don't get me wrong, I love donkeys and God must also since He placed a cross stripe down the middle of their back in black plus notice the frequency that donkeys are used in the Bible, even with Jesus' mother Mary, on their journey for His birth. Yet, let's be truthful, donkeys are known to be stubborn & dumb creatures and still expected to carry large burdens. I can relate. But I regress ...with my [Lessons from a Donkey] The sweet donkey also symbolizes peace and God's blessings to His people. This story also connects us with the Old Testament story of Abraham with his son Isaac (in Genesis 49:10-12). 

So much rich symbolism starting out this Holy Week and the events that unfold beginning with the celebration of Palm Sunday. I also think the people that greeted Jesus with those palm branches (and even their own cloaks/clothing) being placed on the road beneath the feet of the donkey and Jesus, their King, showed humility ... laying it all down at the feet of Jesus. 

It was the weakness of His humility that doomed forever the power of evil.
the Palm branchsymbolizes:- the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul-justice and good; victory, triumph, peace & eternal life-associated with the Feast of Booths, the establishment of the kingdom-custom to honor & greet great leaders, heroes & winners of competitions-a mark of rejoicing
the Palm treesignifiesuprightness or righteousness
Jehovah saved His people out of Egypt
Palm tree wood may not be strong, it is surprisingly resilent & malleable;they are more flexible than sturdy
sothe Strength I'm seeking this Palm Sunday is NOT in the Palm branches
it's in the characteristic ofHUMILITYexemplified thisHoly WeekinJesusour Lord & King

"... Humility comes from the Latin word “humilis,” which literally means “low.” It resides just a stone’s throw from “humiliation.” Sure enough, excessive humility eventually softens into obsequiousness and self-subjugation. False humility is even worse: a conscious manipulation covertly aimed at winning praise, often to compensate for unacknowledged feelings of inadequacy. But genuine humility is a reflection of neither weakness nor insecurity. Instead, it implies a respectful appreciation of the strengths, a lack of personal pretension and a more relaxed sense of confidence that doesn’t require external recognition. ..." Tony Schwartz, NY Times, 11/15/13

Humility is Power
I can find strength in the power & the victory won by Jesus
"...Jesus’ submission to His Father’s will was an expression of His strength and irrefutable trust in God." ~Megan Pacheco

"... Great strength hides in weakness"... ~ Pastor Steven Furtick, 3/28/21

My intent for this Holy Week was to present a series on my 2021 One Word: Strength* - and show STRENGTH throughout this week found in Jesus through each of the events as we journey to the Cross and onto the Resurrection, where we find the ultimate Strength for each day of our Christian walk - with Jesus Christ. Bits and pieces of His Strength poured out in my scattered thoughts shared today & for this week Jesus undeniable

 "STRENGTH in Holy Week" 

Clearly as each of us reflect throughout this week, you (we) will notice the examples of the Strength it took, even for Jesus Christ, the Son of God, yet He chose to obey His Father, even to His excruciating death on the Cross to show us the power of Life over death! The victory He won, giving us the choice for an eternal life. This is what gives me HOPE which is what gives me STRENGTH & Joy in the Lord, our Risen Savior, our Messiah, our King ... and is the Strength of my Faith to believe that my Redeemer lives!

May you find STRENGTH & HOPE each day as you look to Jesus!

 A Blessed Holy Week and Happy Resurrection Sunday!

* due to circumstances beyond my control (and they all are) I won't be able to fulfill my intention of this series, but I pray for STRENGTH for you and for me ... and all that Jesus portrays to us through this Passion Story ...