Psalm 131 is truly the picture of the balanced Christian life! David says this in verse 1:
1 LORD, MY heart is not haughty - ( I am not arrogant) -nor my eyes lofty - (I don't magnify myself); neither do I exercise myself in matters too great or in things too wonderful for me (I don't operate in my own strength and ability, but rely on YOURS, and give YOU all the credit!). In verse 2 David is saying that he can operate in the peace of God because he is growing into a mature believer, one who is able to wait patiently on the LORD, with complete faith, trust and confidence that He WILL come through! Do YOU have that hope? God has promised to do great and mighty things THROUGH us (John 14:12)! He will confirm His own Word, spoken out of our mouths, and HE will be glorified! Recognizing who we are, IN HIM, will give us the confidence to do the things that Jesus did, knowing that it is HIS ability, but it happens THROUGH us! THAT is how He meant for us to live! AMEN!
Going right along with that is 2 Corinthians 4:5-7:
6 For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [Gen 1:3.]
7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.
AMP
Do you see that God gets all of the glory when we act in obedience to His Word? WE preach the Gospel and HE does the work of confirming His Word with signs and wonders and miracles (Mark 16:20)! We need to make sure that it is the Gospel that we are preaching, then God does the rest! And then, to further encourage us to continue fulfilling our ministry, in spite of all obstacles, trusting in His deliverance, verses 17-18:
17 For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!],
18 Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.
AMP
His Word IS Truth, there are no contradictions, and everything we do now in obedience to God's Word, will result in blessings in THIS life and rewards in the next! And he will continue to receive all the glory! Hallelujah! Here is song "Yours Is The Kingdom" from Hillsong:
Judges 11-12 begins with the works of Jephthah. One of the things that I believe is most important concerning the life of Jephthah is the fact that even though other people didn't think he was deserving because he was the son of a harlot, God does not look on outward things! He judges the heart and ANYONE who comes to Him in faith, He will not turn away (1 Samuel 16:7)! It doesn't make any difference where you've been or what you've done in your life, either for good or for bad! Follow hard after God now and obey His Word and the voice of His Spirit, and He will use YOU mightily, too! He so wants to! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
