Be Strong

In Ephesian 6, Paul exhorts us to "be strong in the Lord." According to the construct of the sentence, the responsibility here is placed on us, not on God.

Be strong in "His mighty power." There is no place for weak, insipid, soft Christianity. We can tap into the source of strength: God's mighty power.

Leave your own strength behind so you can put on His. You can't be strong in the Lord and in yourself at the same time. To be strong in the Lord is to be weak in yourself. He is all-sufficient.

Prayer Requests

• (Lisa Adams) Please pray for my uncle Bob in Wisconsin. We lost Aunt Alice this last week. He needs strength to mourn and make lots of big decisions these next few weeks.
• (Debbie Prewitt) Pray for my grandson Tristan (12). He may have the swine flu. Also pray about my check, which was $140 short. Pray that it gets fixed.
• (Lisa Adams) I still need prayer on my ear. I have problems with pressure pain off and on, and I still get dizzy. I go in to the specialist on the 27th. I hope it's gone by then.
• (Sharon Macklin) Continue to pray for my sister, Gloria Makey. The bad sore on her tongue is not getting better. Unless Jesus heals her, the doctors will have to cut off part of her tongue. I believe for Jesus to completely heal her.
• (Theresa Myers) Pray for salvation for Steve and my children, Michael, Mark, Shawn, Tina, and Lindsay, that they will seek the Lord.
• (Theresa Myers) Pray for Frank and Leora Abbot. He has been put into a nursing home. He has Alzhiemers, the violent type, and has beaten my grandmother after 60 years together. He had never laid a hand on her before. Her heart is broken. Pray for her to seek the Lord.
• (Theresa Myers) Pray for my nephew Jerad. He is going to go to prison for a crime two years ago that he did not commit but was with the person who did it. That other person is not going to be punished at all. I pray Jerad finds God through this experience.

"Be"

In Ephesians 6:10-11, Paul bids us to "be" strong in the Lord. Note that this is something we should "be," not something we should "do." This is a state of existence..."being" strong.

There are many do's and dont's in a Christian's walk of life. "Being" is different. It's who you are. It's a matter of your inner state...your spiritual state.

Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to take off the old self and put on the new. The new self is "created like God in true righteousness." This is part of that state of "being." We are new. We are to be strong.

Prayer Requests

• Brent Darr: Pray that I get more hours at my job. It's a contract cleaning business, and they lost a contract. I'm down to 8 hours a week. Pray for another building to open or another job entirely.
• Lisa Adams: I would like prayer for strength in my Christian life and guidance. I'm not sure what God's plan for me is yet, but I am there whatever it is. I need grace also from God to help me through trials.
• Theresa Myers: Pray for Ricky Cappadona, for God's will to be done. He still has no answers regarding his last pet scan.
• Theresa Myers: Continue to pray for my grandparents, Frank & Leora, that things will go well at home with his dementia.
• Theresa Myers: Please pray for my mom, Susan Weiss, that she will realize the need to seek the Lord and seek help for depression and anxiety.
• Sharon Macklin: Please pray for my sister Gloria Makey. She has a bad sore on her tongue that could be cancer. The doctor may have to remove part of her tongue. It is very painful. Pray that God is able to completely heal with no surgery.
• Tom: Pray that Zander's dad does what's best for him and has the strength to make it through the obstacles ahead.
• Pray for Mike Laughlin, whose 16-year-old son was killed in a car accident.