I Can Do All Things Through Christ

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

The words 'through Christ' are key words in this verse. We are empowered 'through' Christ  The man who was called Jesus of Nazareth is now called Jesus Christ. 'Christ' means Messiah or anointed one. 'Christ' is his title and position.

38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38

17 And there was delivered unto him( Jesus) the book of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah 61). And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:17-19

The Messiah came to save us from a life without God. The ultimate goal of the ministry of reconciliation is bringing man into a relationship with the creator. Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man.

According to the New Testament, we can have the spirit of God individually in our lives, if we so choose, by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord. We can be strengthened (empowered) because of his life.   Philippians 4:13 doesn't say I  can do some things, or anything I want to do. It says 'all things' pertaining to the things mentioned in the verses leading up to Philippians 4:13. In the context of the verses around it, that means that no matter what is going on, Christ is there to strengthen and empower us.

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

The world offers many remedies to the pressures of life, most of which never lift us out of pressures. Instead they often lead us down another rabbit hole of mundaneness and madness.  Religious performance, culture, education, drugs, obsessions and pressures all darken our view to the sky. Guilt and shame dig the hole deeper.

This time of the year many people celebrate the nativity of Christ, but Santa seems to get top billing. St Nick may be a jolly ole fella, but he is not the savior. Santa may reconcile us with the mall, Amazon, or quaint traditions, but he doesn't come close to pulling us closer to our heavenly Father. Jesus as the Messiah does! He doesn't do it with guilt and shame. God's love draws us in.  All of the great men and women of the Bible had darker sides but they chose to accept God's love and opened their hearts to him and their minds became flooded with warm encouraging light.

The magi were led by light to the greatest event in the history of the world, the birth of God's son. Jesus Christ is the brightest star in the world today.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Ephesians 2:18

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: Ephesians 2:18-21