Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Message from Phil Adams, Principal JH/SH & Central Elementary

And he said, "Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.

II Chronicles 20:15 – English Standard Version

“This is my one incessant prayer to you, hour by hour, day upon day: It’s yours. I am not fighting this battle for you, God. It’s your battle. And you are fighting for me. It is all yours and I want whatever you have for me in this situation…”

“…this day is yours; I am yours; these people are yours; the resources are yours. The challenges we face are yours, as is anything we hope to accomplish.”

“It’s yours, God. It’s not mine.”

-- From Leadership Prayers, by Richard Kriegbaum


What are the advantages to fighting in a battle we do not own?

• Someone else decides the strategy and tactics
• Someone else decides the rules of engagement
• Someone else decides the goals of the battle
• Someone else has to get and maintain the supply lines
• Someone else is responsible for the outcome

For the believer, that “Someone” is God. Each of us daily faces battles which God has already assumed control of, or has already revealed to us what the rules are. Yet we struggle so much in each of the above areas as if it were up to us. We worry. We manipulate. We lash out. We burn out. Today is God’s day. It’s really not a matter of giving it to God. It is a matter of not grabbing it from Him in the first place.

5 comments:

  1. Good reminder, Doc. The battle belongs to the Lord!

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  2. Thanks for the reminder that we do not "own" anything, but that everything belongs to the Lord (including our battles). How can we give Him something that is already His? We are stewards and we give back to Him what already belongs to Him. Praise God!

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  3. So well said, Phil, and so timely to the challenges and opportunities we face as a school community. Thank you for a "word well spoken".

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  4. Janice K said....
    Thanks Doc for reminding me that when I get so full of myself and become MRS BIG STUFF, that GOD is the BIG KAHUNA and I can stop trying to do His job!
    JK:-)

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  5. come to think of it....why would we want to even think of snatching a day from God if he already has things in control? It would be so much easier if we just sat back and watch God do his thing.....it would be so less stressful that's for sure!!!!

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