WHEN SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS NOT SUFFICIENT

 Greetings O Ye Puller Uppers by your own BOOTSTRAPS. 

Back in the 60's there was a commercial for Excedrin Pain Reliever.  There was an interaction between a mother and her grown daughter that was rather tense and made me uncomfortable.  The younger daughter was trying to accomplish something...and the older mother was trying to help her.  The younger daughter had a headache...and viciously snapped at the helping mother and said..."MOTHER...I'D RATHER DO IT MYSELF!!!!"  Yikes....the hurt look on the mother hurt me...even though I was just a kid.

So many times...as we fumble around trying to help or do something...the one who can do it better may not yell at us...but the do tell us to get out of the way...I can do it myself.  Self-Sufficiency just seems to be a lot easier.

You have heard the phrase to..."Pull yourself up by your OWN BOOTSTRAPS."  The old saying (and the Jerry Butler song) is, "Only the STRONG SURVIVE."  Darwin states it is the, SURVIVAL of the FITTEST.   It is always the 98 POUND WEAKLING that gets the sand kicked in his face...as the strong, muscle bound man gets the girl on the beach.  People worship at the altar of STRENGTH and look down their self-worshiping noses at WEAKENSS.

Whenever...Popeye The Sailor Man was getting his booty WHUPPED (not whipped but whupped)...at the last minute...he would bring out a can of spinach...gobble it down in one gulp and the STRENGTH came on and he would be able to deal with PLUTO or BRUTUS.  In the words of the Popeye theme song..."I'm STRONG to the FINISH...cause I eats me spinach...I'm Popeye the Sailor Man."  In our world...our spinach is either steroids or self sufficiency.

Even our founding fathers...who had a strong believe in God...but also had a strong belief in DEISM.  This is defined as:  "Belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind."

  Thomas Jefferson even went as far as removing any reference to miracles with razor and glue to reflect the DEISTIC point of view. 

NOTE:  As much as I appreciated Thomas Jefferson and his contribution to the early rumblings of our country...he was just wrong.

In the book of Joel... the children were called to, "Proclaim this among the nations; prepare a war; rouse the mighty men! Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up!  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; LET THE WEAK...SAY I AM STRONG." (Joel 3:9) 

Paul...under demonic attack begged the Lord three times to remove the attack...but God responded...in II Corinthians 12:9"My GRACE is SUFFICIENT...for you...for POWER is PERFECTED in WEAKENSS"

GRACE: charis (khar'-ece)=graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
The SUFFICIENCY that Paul needed in the face of satanic attack...was not SELF-SUFFICIENCY...but HELP from the GRACE OF GOD.  He needed DIVINE INFLUENCE upon his heart...and a REFLECTION (manifestation) in his LIFE.  Paul did not need to pull up his SANDLESTRAPS...and handle it by his own power...but by the POWER (dunamis/dynamic ability of God).

In this PERFECTED WEAKNESS...because THE POWER OF CHRIST dwelled in him...he could be CONTENT (not just accepting whatever came down the pike...but not being ANXIOUS when it did come)...with weakeness, insults, distresses, persecutions, with difficulties.

NOTE: Remember...the THORN in the FLESH was not God...but a MESSANGER FROM satan to buffet Paul to keep him DOWN (not exalted). As Paul HUMBLED himself...brother Peter put it this way..."Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God...and HE (God) will LIFT YOU UP (exalt) at the PROPER TIME. (II Peter 5:6)

Paul then spoke the spiritual truth..."when I am WEAK...then I am STRONG."
(II Corinthians 12:10)

Paul knew THE SECRET of money...and this secret carries over into ALL AREAS OF OUR LIVES.  It is not about what we can do...but all about what He did on the CROSS...and being buried and raised again (aka D.B.R.)

"Not that I SPEAK from WANT...for I have LEARNED to be CONTENT IN WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCE I AM." (Philippians 4:11)

Then Paul writes..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

The Amplified Bible expands this..."I have STRENGTH for all things IN CHRIST Who EMPOWERS me--I am ready for anything and equal to anything THROUGH HIM...Who INFUSES INNER STRENGTH into me...[that is...I am SELF-SUFFICIENT in CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY." (Philippians 4:13)

WOW!!!! This really blows me away...every time I read it.  It is not about my SELF SUFFICIENCY...but CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY...infused and empowering me...helping me in ALL THINGS.
In the Gospel of John...Jesus states in chapter 14 that He is going away...but He will be sending ANOTHER (allos--one of the same kind)...to HELP.  He was speaking of the Holy Spirit who is with us now...HELPING US...but what catches my attention...is the word ANOTHER.  Jesus was here first HELPING them and was going to send ANOTHER COMFORTER/HELPER.  Jesus is Helper #1 and THE (not a) Holy Spirit is Helper #2.  Both from the Father. (Read John 14 for full details). 

In the Philippians 4:13 passage...we see that our HELP...our SUFFICIENCY...our INFUSED EMPOWERMENT...comes from CHRIST (the Anointed One) who was ANOINTED with yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

You may wonder...well what part do I have to do with this if it not MY SUFFICIENCY...not me DOING IT...not me PULLING UP MY BOOTSTRAPS?  Well...I am glad you were wondering.  James 2:18 tells us that, "Faith without works is dead."  As we take our FAITH and place it in Him...and step out and do what He says...He joins us...the SUPER ON OUR NATURAL (Thanx and a Tip O Da Hat to Mylon LeFevre for that phrase)...and the WORK is accomplished.

"Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions." (James 2:18 Wheymouth's Translation)

Love and Sufficient Kisses
Rodney "Infused and Empowered" Boyd