I saw a couple of skits that I thought were worth watching so here are the links. Yes I cried and laughed. They were that good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXut0HxncvY God's Chisel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5Pju_bjlWo Coffee for Dad

We Are Able

We are able. That is what Caleb said to the nation of Israel upon returning from an exploratory trip to see first hand what God wanted Israel to have. With the exception of Joshua, the other 10 princes had a different opinion. You see they were only able to see who they were and what they were capable of doing. They left God out of the equation.
Don't we do that often in our lives. Leave God out of the equation. We work and do in our own ability. It is only when we see an impossible task that we consider the Lord in the situation or we attempt to include Him. But in general we base our future on our ability.
If we could only understand a simple truth. Well actually several simple truths. But here is the first one. God doesn't show us what He doesn't want us to have! And along with that if He wants us to have it then the ability to have it does not lie in our strength.
That is what Caleb understood. He knew that whatever battles or difficulties they would encounter would be met because God was giving them all they saw. The Lord didn't tell them in Numbers 13 to go check out the promised future(land, benefits, goodness, etc.) that He had provided to see if they could take it. He already gave it to them! He just wanted them to taste and see!
We are able. Listen to that phrase with the understanding that it is we with God! Not just in our power but in His. We are able to conquer. We are able to be set free. We are able to succeed. Be set free, change, have victory over sin, live in peace and joy, etc.............
Stop counting on yourself and thinking it is up to you. Start trusting in what God has provided and enter the battlefield to take possession of all He has prepared for you. It is time to acknowledge that we are able!

Here is a thought: Why did Jesus walk on the water? He could have gone in the boat with the disciples. There doesn’t seem to be any great spiritual meaning to Him walking on water except to catch up with the disciples and go across. Why didn’t He just get translated? The result of Him walking on water was Peter walking on water! Such a frivolous adventure. But what an awesome and unforgettable experience Peter had!! Matthew 14:22-31

Not everything Jesus did can fit into our box of religion. He showed us the Father and His glory. Maybe with all of this He showed us that God cares about more than our basic existence. He cares about our enjoying life further than obligation will allow us to live. It is alright to enjoy life beyond the just getting by mode. Pleasure is part of life! Walk on water! Lighten up a little!

We need fresh faith. We need to unclutter our Christian past and awaken a new and fresh faith in our hearts. In the story about the Centurion that comes to Jesus for his servant to be healed the Lord proclaims that this man had great faith. This man was not familiar with the Jewish religion. He was a Roman soldier. But he grasped the idea that Jesus was a man under authority from Heaven. Whatever Jesus said would be dispatched and fully backed by the Father in Heaven. He actually said to Jesus something that was amazing. He said, 'just say the word and my servant will be healed'.

He came with a simple faith that believed Jesus' word. This is the faith we need to have. Uncluttered by all the reasons that it won't work, or by circumstances that negate the remote possibility of God moving on our behalf. A faith that trusts what the word of God says.
Now there is an important note that I see in this story. The Centurion was asking for Jesus to say a word for it to happen. He wanted to hear Jesus say it right then. Something that was spoken for that moment and not the past or future. We know the word of God is alive and powerful. But don't we need the Lord to speak to us today for our situation. Not something from the past. But a now word.

We can have that present word in our lives today. All we need to do is ask Him for it and listen. I believe the bible has a word for every situation. We simply need to open our spiritual ears and listen. Spend time with the Lord by reading His word or praying. The Holy Spirit will speak to us. He will quicken a word and make it alive for our present need. He will bring life where there is death. Let Him speak to you. Then believe what He says. Use fresh faith. Don't let anything in your past interfere with trusting Him NOW!