“Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”
Chuck brought Jeff Simmons out to help him work on his 1932 Ford Coupe one afternoon. Jeff was a smart young man and a great friend to Chuck. They started working, and Chuck gave Jeff some cleaning tasks, which he quickly finished. Chuck and Danny, my brother-in-law, then told Jeff to fill up the headlight fluid because the lights were going out. Jeff scurried around the garage for at least 30 minutes looking for the headlight fluid. He finally came to Chuck and asked where to find it. Unable to control themselves any longer, Danny and Chuck burst into uncontrollable laughter. There is no such thing as headlight fluid. Jeff had been played, and it would remain a funny story even after 30 years had flown by.
Somewhere down the road, we Christians have been played as well. In Jeremiah, the Lord reminds us of a truth we often forget. Jeff would have kept searching for the headlight fluid all day if he hadn’t asked Chuck where to find it. He was clueless about what he was looking for until he sought wisdom from a higher source.
Zechariah 4:6 says, “So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” We often get this truth backward. We say, “Not by Your Spirit, but by my power and might,” says me. We dive into things with our own power, might, and better judgment and then wonder why things blow up in our faces. If we are saved by grace, not by works, so that no one may boast, then why do we try to work out our faith through our own wisdom?
Faith is trusting that God will do what He says He will do. If you have no idea what the Lord has promised, you are like Jeff Simmons searching for headlight fluid, on a pointless venture that will never lead to what you seek. Instead, we wander around trying to do the will of God while still being accustomed to doing evil. Zechariah plainly states that it is not by power and might; in other words, you have to rely on God to plan your steps. Think about a foggy highway, you can only see what is immediately around you, but you must trust that the road ahead still exists. You cannot fulfill what God wants you to do while relying on your own understanding. The Bible says to walk by faith, not by sight. Over time, you will become accustomed to walking with Jesus by faith instead of your own power and might.
My brother played a funny joke on Jeff that day. Jeff was used to searching for whatever he was told to find. Now, think about how many days or years you have spent looking for what the world tells you to seek, only to realize that it does not exist. What a letdown. Satan tricks us into believing that sin can give us what God has promised. Don’t be deceived.
Prayer: Father, I pray that we focus on You and Your Word, allowing it to be written on our hearts. I pray that we lean not on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge You, and You will make our paths straight. We submit to Your authority and align ourselves under Your mighty hand in all things. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let It Go 
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