In Christ Alone - May 24, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

A tourist browsing a curio shop in San Francisco saw a very lifelike, life-sized bronze statue of a rat. It had no price tag but was so striking he decided he must have it.  He asked the shop owner, "How much for the bronze rat?" The reply: "Twenty dollars for the rat, two hundred dollars for the story."  The tourist gave the man twenty dollars and said, "I'll take the rat, you can keep the story."

As he walked down the street carrying his bronze rat, he noticed a few real rats crawling out of the alleys and sewers and following him down the street. This was disconcerting; he began walking faster. However, within a couple blocks, the herd of rats behind him had grown to a hundred, and they all started squealing.  He began to trot toward the Bay. Glancing backward, he saw that the rats now numbered in the thousands and were squealing and snarling and coming toward him faster and faster!  Terrified, he sprinted to the edge of the Bay and threw the bronze rat far out into the water. Amazingly, the millions of rats rushed past him and jumped into the Bay after it, and all were drowned!

The man ran back to the curio shop. "Aha," said the shop owner, "You have come back for the story!"  "No," said the man, "I came back to see if you have a bronze politician?”

Oh, if only, if only it were true.  Somehow, I doubt it would work.  I just don’t have that kind of faith in a bronze statue.  As funny as that story is, it does not paint an accurate picture of reality.  Too often, we are disappointed by the Bronze Statues in this world.  Sometimes the Bronze Statue is a job or money or new friends.  Sometimes our Bronze Statue is our skills, abilities, and talents.  Sometimes it is our wisdom and knowledge.  The problem with these Bronze Statues is that we place our hope in them rather than the One who gives us hope.

We’ve been looking at many biblical examples of faith; the kind of faith that will move a mountain.  One of the stories in the Bible that I often think about is Jesus’ encounter with a Roman Centurion.  I find it significant that the Lord was amazed at his faith.  Who could have imagined that a gentile soldier would possess this kind of faith?

⁵ When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, ⁶ “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” ⁷ Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! ¹¹ And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. ¹² But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour (Matthew 8:5-13).

What kind of mountain moving faith did this soldier possess?  What was it about this man’s faith that amazed Jesus?  The answer is found in verses 10-12.  This Gentile Soldier knew that his hope was not in a bronze statue but Christ alone.  He understood Jesus’ authority, and perhaps just who Jesus is.  However, many of the Israelites did not possess the same understanding.

Instead of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and placing their hope in Him, many of the Jews continued to put their faith in a Bronze Statues - their rules and rituals.  However, following rules and rituals will not grant someone entrance into heaven.  Actually, the Jews felt they did not need the Messiah to help them enter Heaven.  Most Jews were not looking for the Messiah to save them from their Sin. They wanted someone to save them from their enemies.  Most Jews felt they would be granted space at the banquet table simply because they were Jewish.  Now, of course, doing good things and obeying the Laws of God is good, but goodness will not guarantee entrance into Heaven.  However, this Gentile Soldier apparently understood whom Jesus is and recognized His authority, and therein lies the difference.

Here is an important lesson on faith – mountain moving faith.  Mountains are not moved because we say the right prayers or have exceptional faith.  Mountains are not moved because we have all night prayer vigils.  Mountains are not moved because we come to Church or give an offering.  Mountains are not moved by any effort of our own.  That is putting faith in our efforts and labors – a Bronze Statue.  Mountains are moved by the Lord.  In Christ alone our hope is found.  He is our cornerstone, our solid ground.  Mountains are moved when we humble ourselves before the Lord and admit we cannot do this on our own.

There are days when the mountain seems to loom before us.  The work of the Kingdom seems nearly impossible.  It seems the Devil is working against us.  Satan points to the size of the task before us and taunts, “Seriously?  Do you really think you can make a difference in this place?  Do you really think anything you do is going to make a difference in this community?  People are not going to come.  You are a failure and will always be a failure”.

One of the realities of becoming a Christian is that one day discouragement will infect your heart.  Oh, we begin this race strong, filled with enthusiasm.  With the Lord’s help, we will change the world.  But then things start to go wrong.  No one comes to our event.  Someone grumbles about the way it was managed.  We step out into the world with the intention of helping people meet Christ, and then we meet the agnostic or the atheist who tears the Good News to shreds.  Then we wonder.  We figure we’ve done something wrong or perhaps we are not as gifted as we thought.  We become discouraged and stop trying.  It is at this point we need the same faith seen in this Roman soldier.  It is at this stage we need to ask ourselves whether we’ve been trusting in our gifts and abilities or if we have indeed placed our faith in Christ alone.

On days when Satan attempts to destroy us and our work, those are the days we need to realize that the mountain is moved by Christ alone.  We must stop trusting in bronze statues, which is trusting in our skills, wisdom, knowledge, gifts, and abilities, and realize that we are merely the instruments through which He works.  These are His hands.  These are His feet.  These are His lips.  The Roman Centurion recognized Jesus’s authority and submitted to His authority.  Mountain moving faith does the same.

As you serve the Lord within His Church, there is nothing wrong with admitting your weakness and lack of skill.  There is no shame in telling God what He is asking you to do is beyond your abilities.  He knows this already.  He already knows the mountain He has asked you to move is too imposing – too impossible for you to move.  What He is asking you to do is stop trusting in a Bronze Rat and instead place your faith and hope in Him.  He will move the mountain.

Start a Fire in Me - May 17th, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

One winter day, shortly after buying our first wood stove, I came inside after shoveling snow for an hour.  I was chilly, so I thought I would throw a couple extra logs on the fire to warm things up a bit.  As I was reaching into the firebox, my thumb brushed against the top of the stove.  It only took a moment, but it left a nasty looking burn that took weeks to heal.

The temperature inside a modern wood stove varies between 600 and 1,000 degrees.  Considering the price I paid for my little stove, I’d say it only reached the 600-degree mark, if that.  But even 600 degrees is a mighty hot place to put your hand when you are loading wood.  Unfortunately it was not the last time I would burn my hand.  I was not willing to sacrifice the benefits of a hot fire.

Nursing my burn, I began to think about three young Jewish men who were thrown into a fire for not worshiping a golden idol.  I knew what it felt like just to put my hand in the stove for only a moment.  I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have your entire body thrust inside.  The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is an incredible example of faith that will move a mountain.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon built a huge golden statue and commanded that everyone in his empire bow down and worship that statue.  However, three Jewish men refused.  Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? ¹⁵ I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.  But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ¹⁸ But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up” (Daniel 3:14-18).

The faith I see demonstrated in these three young men illustrates many of the other examples we’ve seen so far.  They were willing to go into the furnace even while it was hot (like the priests into the Jordan River - Joshua 3:8).  They were willing to speak up in front of the king (like Nehemiah before Artaxerxes – Nehemiah 2:1-6).  But these three men teach us one more important lesson of faith.

This whole incident started because some of their coworkers were jealous.  They knew Rack, Shack, and Benny would be obedient to God’s commands and used that against them (Daniel 3:12).  This infuriated Nebuchadnezzar, so he challenged the three men and even gave them an opportunity to recant.  However, when they didn’t, the king had them thrown into the fire.  They were to be killed because their faith caused them to be obedient to God’s commands.

Once thrown in the fire, God indeed does spare the three Jewish men, and this, of course, catches the attention of the arrogant king (remember how he said, “What god will be able to spare you from my power”).  In a furnace 7 times hotter than normal, the king observes four men walking around inside the flames, and this king is moved to belief.  This mountain of stubbornness and arrogance exclaims, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”  ³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon” (Daniel 3:28-30).

In the face of a tragedy, the obedient faith of these three men becomes significant.  Their obedient faith moves a mountain.

If there is one lesson we need to learn today, it is the lesson of faith demonstrated by Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (the three men we call Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego).  Pressured to compromise their beliefs, these three young men remained steadfast and immovable.  Obedience to God’s commands was greater than even life itself.  They would not compromise.  The Church should be doing the same today.

The Church is under tremendous pressure to compromise its beliefs.  The Church is challenged to remain silent as the World defies the Lord and His commands.  The Church is marginalized and criticized for holding on to outdated teachings that are seen as irrelevant in today’s culture.  Christians are told to keep their views and their faith private – to not publically proclaim the Gospel of Jesus.  Sadly, some have complied.  Some Christians have bowed down and worshipped the Golden idol, thinking in their heart that it’s not that big of a deal.  However, rather than possessing an obedient faith that can move a mountain, Christians that compromise on God’s commands are allowing the mountain to move them.

The world needs Christians who have an obedient faith – a faith that calls them out of their slumber and silence.  The World is living in the darkness of winter.  Hearts are cold.  The people need Christ’s love to warm their souls.  Where then are the Christian who will share the Gospel?  Where are the Christians whose faith causes them to obey God rather than Men (Acts 4:19)?  Where are the men and women who remain steadfast before the rulers of this world and proclaim, “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

The kind of faith that moves a mountain is a faith that places obedience to God above all else.  It is a faith on fire for God.  This is what the World needs from the Church – obedience, not compliance.  The World needs more Christians who have a fire burning deep within their heart.  “Start a fire in my soul. Fan the flame and make it grow, so there’s no doubt or denying.  Let it burn so brightly that everyone around can see that it’s You, that it’s You that we need.  Start a fire in me” (Start a Fire In Me – by Unspoken.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXHYykW28S).

He Knows My Name - May 10, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

An elderly couple had just learned how to send text messages on their cell phones. The wife was a romantic type and the husband was more of a no-nonsense guy.  One afternoon the wife went out to meet a friend for coffee. As she waited for her friend, she decided to send her husband a romantic text message and she wrote:

 "If you are sleeping, send me your dreams. If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are eating, send me a bite. If you are drinking, send me a sip. If you are crying, send me your tears. I love you."  The husband texted back to her: "I'm on the toilet. Please advise."

*Sigh* There is always one wise guy out there who gives the rest of us a bad name.  Not everyone is a pillar of perfection.  I know this will shock you but many of us – even those in this place – are far from perfect.  Just about everyone in this place knows of their weaknesses and shortcomings.  No one is perfect.  Perhaps this is why many of us turn away from serving the Lord.  Perhaps this is why little is done in the Kingdom of God.  There are too many of us looking at our weaknesses rather than responding in faith.  We fail to move a mountain because we focus on our insignificance rather that our mighty God.

As we have been looking at biblical examples of faith, Nehemiah is one who seemed to move a mountain, but it was not faith in his abilities.  Rather, he demonstrated faith that God would move the mountain through him.  What was that mountain?  Rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.

While many Jews returned to Judah following their release from captivity, Nehemiah stayed behind and served as the king’s cupbearer.  One day his brother comes to Persia and tells Nehemiah that Jerusalem was still devastated.  The walls of the city were in shambles.  Brokenhearted, Nehemiah prays that the Lord would allow him to travel back to the city to rebuild the walls.  However, something kept him from going.  He seemed to hesitate.  And for six months Nehemiah kept this calling to himself, never telling a soul.
Eventually Nehemiah can no longer hide his burden.  Eventually, the king finds out. Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. ² So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified, ³ but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” ⁴ The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, ⁵ I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.” ⁶ The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request (Nehemiah 2:1-6).

Why do you suppose Nehemiah waited so long?  Why didn’t he say something to the king the moment the Lord placed the idea in his heart (see Nehemiah 1:11)?  What was it that made Nehemiah appear so troubled?  I suspect his heart was not only troubled by what had happened to Jerusalem, but also troubled because of his lack of courage.  I suspect God had placed the idea to rebuild in Nehemiah’s heart, but he lacked faith in himself to make things happen.  This is why Nehemiah swallowed hard and said a quick prayer when King Artaxerxes (Ar-tuh-zerk-sees) asked him what was wrong.

Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem would not be an easy task.  Physically it would be very demanding.  It would be difficult financially.  So many things would have to fall into place that it would be like moving a mountain.  Since Jerusalem was under Persian rule, Nehemiah would need the king’s permission to rebuild the walls.  Without it, it would appear as treason since years earlier the King has issued a decree to stop the rebuilding process (see Ezra 4:21).  He would need building materials, which would require permission to harvest trees.  Nehemiah would need the people of Jerusalem to join him in the work.  It’s no wonder Nehemiah remained silent and sullen for six months.  How could this work possibly succeed?  In Nehemiah’s eyes, he was only a cupbearer to the king.  His life had no value.  It was his job to taste the wine before serving it to the king to make sure it was not poisoned.  Yet Nehemiah conceded and was able to see how the Lord made all this possible (“because the gracious hand of God was on me” - Nehemiah 2:8).

I think many of us struggle with these same feelings.  I think many of us feel inadequate to the task the Lord has placed before us.  I think the mountain is too overwhelming and our faith in ourselves too limiting.  I’m not talking about faith in our abilities or a faith that places confidence in our gifts and talents.  I’m talking about a faith that recognizes God has chosen to work through us.

How many times have we read in scripture that God will be with someone?  How often has the Lord promised to accomplish something for someone and with someone?  God promised Jacob that he would protect him wherever he would go (Genesis 28:15).  He told Moses, “Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say” (Exodus 4:12).  To King David the Lord said, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8).  To the nation of Israel, God declares, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). 

The kind of faith that moves mountains understands that God is for us, not against us (Romans 8:31).  He is not the God of failure.  Although we may feel inadequate to the task placed before us, the success is in the Lord’s hands.  He calls us not because we are exceptional individuals.  He calls us in spite of our weaknesses and limitations.  He does this on purpose.  “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy* when God called you. ²⁷ Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. ²⁸ God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. ²⁹ As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).  The Lord desires to do great things through ordinary people so that His glory might be revealed in our weakness (compare 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Do you think God knew Nehemiah before He placed this rebuilding idea in his heart?  Absolutely.  God knew Moses and God knew David and God knew Paul.  He knew every one of them – their strengths AND their weaknesses.  He knew their name.  In the same way, the Lord knows your name.  He knows your fears and your failures.  He does not need to be reminded why you are unqualified to serve Him.  He knows more about you than you probably know about yourself.  He is not looking for the qualified.  He is looking for the faithful – those faithful enough to trust the Lord to work in them and through them.  He is looking for men and women who have faith that God intends to accomplish something through them.  This is when mountains are moved: when we allow God to succeed through us even though the world calls us a failure.

Nehemiah’s story is one of tremendous faith.  Why would God call a simple cupbearer to become the new governor of Jerusalem?  When people like Sanballat and Tobiah jeered at him and criticized him, I’m sure Nehemiah wrestled with doubts about himself and his abilities.  I can almost imagine him reminding God that he is nothing more than a simple cupbearer – a man whose life has no value.  Yet he chose to place his faith in God – that God would be the one to make all things work together for His good.  It is the same with you and me.  We may feel insignificant, but mountains are moved when we work in His strength and in His power.

Letting Go - May 3, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island.  He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.  Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.  Then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.  The worst had happened; everything was lost.  He was stunned with grief and anger.  "God, how could you do this to me?!" he cried.  Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island.  It had come to rescue him.  "How did you know I was here?" the man asked.  "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

Sometimes in order to be rescued from a difficult situation, we need to let go of things.  Sometimes in the bleakest situation, we need to demonstrate faith in God rather than reliance upon ourselves.  Take, for instance, the story of a poor widow who was at the end of her rope.  A terrible drought had parched the land and she had only enough food for one last meal.  We read her story in 1 Kings 17.

Before we look at her story, though, let me give you a little background to help you better understand the situation.  The King of Israel at this time was Ahab, and he was not a very godly king at all.  The Bible says, “But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. ³¹ And as though it were not enough to follow the example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. ³² First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. ³³ Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him” (1 Kings 16:30-33).

Baal was a fertility god who was worshiped through sex and sacrifice.  And if the illicit sex were not enough to arouse God’s anger, then for sure it would be the sacrifice.  You see, it was not bulls or lambs that were slain.  It was children.  Parents would often sacrifice a child to this god.  As judgment against Israel, God sends the prophet Elijah.  He speaks a curse against King Ahab and announces that there will not be any rain for a long, long time (Actually, it didn’t rain on the land for three and a half years). 

At some point during this drought, when it had become so severe that food and water were hard to find, Elijah travels to Sidon – Jezebel’s home – and stays with a poor widow.  “So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” ¹¹ As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.” ¹² But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” ¹³ But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” ¹⁵ So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. ¹⁶ There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah” (1 Kings 17:10-16).

Picture this poor widow.  She has enough flour and oil to bake one last meal.  Being a widow, she had no one to support her.  There was no government food stamp program.  No charity.  No food pantry.  She was on her own.  Then some stranger comes into town and asks for a drink and some of her food.  That’s right.  Elijah said, “Feed me first, then you can eat.”  What would you do at this point?  Would you provide a portion of your last meal to a stranger?

The point of this story is faith, not in God supplying our every need.  I’m not trying to preach some prosperity gospel here.  This isn’t some lesson on giving God all you have so He will give you an abundance in return.  To give so I get in return is bartering.  There is no faith in bartering.  The supply of flour and oil is not the thrust of this story.  Faith is the point we should learn.

Jesus actually helps us understand this story when He tells the people of Nazareth, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. 25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon” (Luke 4:23-26).

The people of Nazareth became outraged because they were expecting Jesus do something for them (Do miracles – verse 23).  They were looking to receive something, not prepared to give something.  They thought of themselves, not of others.  Based on the way Jesus speaks of this widow, we can assume there were people in Israel during the drought who thought only of themselves as well.

Why did God help this woman and not the others?  Why help someone from Sidon and not the people of Israel?  It all comes down to an attitude of faith.

Isn’t it interesting that the King of Israel was shamed by the faith of a poor widow from Sidon?  King Ahab still held on to Baal, as if this fertility god could solve all his problems.  However, this woman must have let go of that false hope because she was able to find faith in God.  Even while prepared to die, she found the strength to help just one more person.  In her poverty, she did not refuse offering the little she had to help someone else.

I know sometimes we feel like we are living in a drought.  At times, it seems we are at the end of our rope.  We have nothing left.  We are spent emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually.  We have nothing left to give, or so it seems.  What do we do at this point in our life?  It all depends on where we have placed our faith.  It all depends on what we are holding in our hands.

The kind of faith that will move a mountain is not based on circumstances and situations but is a faith that holds on to God.  You cannot hold on to God during trying times if you are still holding on to the things of this world.  At some point, you will need to let go.  Please do not miss this important lesson of faith.  God sent Elijah to this woman at the lowest point in her life.  She was ready to give up.  She was cooking one last meal and then going to die.  Yet when asked, she gave one more time.

Those who hold tightly to the things of this world have no idea what it is like to have the Lord sustain them.  They have never experienced Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Provides) because they are turning to the wrong places and the wrong things in order to make it through a crisis.  However, for those who reach the end of their strength and let go, they will find birthed within them a supernatural strength.

What do we do when we reach the end?  What do we do when we have no strength to continue?  We give one more time.  We give, not trusting in our own strength but with the strength God provides.  We give faithfully.  We give believing that God will sustain us through the trial.  We give depending on God, not in our own wisdom and understanding.  We hold fast to the promises of God.