Thanks for allowing me to share with you something that I wrote yesterday:

Like the Karate Kid

Several days ago we were watching a re-run of one of "The Karate Kid" movies. The "kid’ was lying on a mat, fairly well beaten by his opponent. He went on to tell his Oriental mentor that he could no longer go on because he was too hurt.

The older instructor told him not to be afraid of his opponent. "Don’t give in to your fears," he said. "Instead stay focused on the strength which you have from within."

God gives us similar instructions for our lives. He tells us to not focus on the problems or situations in which we find ourselves. Instead, He tells us to focus only on Him, and that He will take care of us……..no matter what we are involved with or exposed to. He also left behind for all of us, as His Children, his spirit…….the Holy Spirit, residing within each of us. And we are to focus on that Power.

I Timothy 1:7 says: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a strong mind."

Or in "Karate Kid" style, God says, "Don’t give in to your fears. Instead stay focused on Me and on the power and strength, which I have put within you."

And the rest of the story of the movie is the kid continues to fight, in spite of huge odds, finishes the match, and becomes the victor.

Same with us. If we stay the course and focus on that Strength, no matter how beat up we might be by life’s circumstances, we will be the victors. God promises it!