I’ve heard people say, and I’ve been told, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”
NO, THE LORD DOES NOT. That’s not scriptural, nor is it true. In fact, the opposite is true. The Lord helps those who realize they can not help themselves so they surrender their lives to God. Jesus said it best in Luke 9:23,
If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
When we face trials, such as Peter reminds us we inevitably will, don’t we tend to go to the well and say things, such as “I’ll  figure something out”, or “I’ll deal with this myself.” We get caught up in our own strengths and abilities. We tell ourselves there’s a solution or relief from our dilemma. “If I  work long enough and hard enough I’ll figure out what to do.” (I’m telling on myself here. I’ve done that and said that a lot. Can I get an “Amen” or two?)
Paul says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things [i]through Him who strengthens me.” That does not mean I can do all things. I can not make two and two equal five. I can not play first base for the St. Louis Cardinals.
But I can choose to allow Jesus to do whatever it is I have to do. I can surrender it all to Him and let Him do whatever He wants to do in me, through me and as me to bring glory to the Father.
For His Glory 
Steven Sawyer I got your name on Linked In “Christian Authors and Illustrators of Children’s Books.” I like what you are doing and I like your passion for God.
That headline about Relationship with god grabbed me because I’m qu7ite practical kind of person and it has always escaped me how to this relationship business. Even though I have dedicated myself to God and am reborn – and have been serving him for along time I do not feel comfortable with the term relationship because I simply do not see it. It is far too ambiguous for me: When I break it down to what actually happens I find only myself there.
Part of it may be because I don’t go to God for love or comfort but for hard, practical answers. Not meaning to sound superior in any way, but old men like me have a very different set of needs to women and children. Of course, it has a lot to do with the country I live in too. South Africa is just one step away from anarchy.
Of course this doesn’t have to apply to everyone. God works with us all in a special way.
Just the same, I would like to hear someone spell out what a real relationship with God is. After all, relationship is about building a barn together and exchanging ideas, not just a set of instructions about reading your Bible, being good and loving your neighbour. It is that MORE that I have always found too unreliable and ambiguous to be useful.
Something to chew on?
God bless your ministry.
NS: I have WordPress blog too – dedicated to the story of Eden – if you would like to look (edenbook.wordpress).
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Steven, this will encourage Christian poets and writers in their work and lives, so I’ll highlight your post on the Christian Poets & Writers blog – http://christianpoetsandwriters.blogspot.com. God bless.
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Thank you, Mary. My goal every day is to share the Lord’s encouragement with as many believers as possible. In addition, hopefully, non-believers might bump into something that motivates them to seek the Lord. Thank you for our encouragement. God bless.
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