Part 3: Bruce Collins Interviews Keith Giles

Bruce: Compare the contrast between how others treated the women at the well as opposed to how she was treated by Jesus?

Keith: In the book I share a few quotes to reveal how Rabbi’s in Jesus day used to teach that women were worthless.

But Jesus went above and beyond to teach women, to minister to them, to heal them, to treat them as equal human beings. It was really more scandalous than I think we can usually appreciate.

With the women at the well, Jesus purposefully went to minister to a Samaritan (which is bad enough) who was a woman (strike two) and also a bit of an outcast – even among other Samaritans. She was the least, of the least, of the least, and yet Jesus is able to touch her in such a way that she becomes an amazing evangelist and her entire village comes to trust in Jesus as the Messiah. Again, the weakness of that woman was the catalyst for God’s power to work a miracle.

Bruce: What did Jesus teach us about humility?

Keith: The greatest distance in the Bible isn’t measured by how far the East is from the West, but by how far Jesus humbled himself to step down off that throne in Heaven (being worshiped night and day by the seraphim) to make himself nothing and take on the form of a servant – even an embryo in the womb of a no-name Jewish teenager in Palestine, in order to save the world.

What most Christians fail to realize is that when Jesus was on this Earth, he was fully human. His identity was God, the Son, but he was a man. He told us that he only did what he saw the Father doing. He said he couldn’t do the works he did apart from the Father. He showed us how we can live a similar life in the Kingdom. He was our blueprint for living in the Kingdom. So, we can’t use the excuse “Well, Jesus was perfect! He was God so that’s why He could turn the other cheek and forgive people and things like that. I’m not Jesus so I can’t do those things.” But that’s not what Jesus tells us. He says that if we believe in Him – if we put our complete trust in Him – then we will do the works that He did, and not only will we do those things – we’ll do even greater things. I don’t think that’s about doing bigger and better miracles, but it’s about the principle of multiplication. As the Body of Christ expands to cover the Earth we will accomplish things that Jesus didn’t during his earthly ministry.

Think of it like this: What do you think Jesus would be doing if he were here today? Where would he spend his time?

Now, let’s realize the truth: Jesus IS here today. We are His Body. We are “little Christs” (which is what the word “Christian” means). We are His ambassadors here and now.

This isn’t about us. Remember? The Gospel isn’t about us. It’s about Jesus. It’s about His Glory, His Kingdom, His rule and reign, etc.

It’s about us dying to ourselves daily. Letting go of ourselves and our rights so that His life and His plan can be accomplished: 2 Corinthians 4:10 “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

We have to get away from this idea that “God is my co-pilot”. He is not your co-pilot. He’s either the pilot or you’re on the wrong plane.

LISTEN TO THE ACTUAL RADIO INTERVIEW HERE>

Bruce Collins Interview (Part 2)

Here's a partial transcript of the interview between myself and radio host Bruce Collins:

Bruce: What does Paul's life teach us about suffering?

Keith: Paul is the first one to identify this Kingdom-principle of weakness by name, although the idea is really evident throughout the lives of nearly every one we encounter in the Bible.

God refused to remove Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” after 3 requests and finally said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient (it’s enough) for you.” And then Paul understood: This weakness was “the power of Christ in me”.

Bruce: Describe how God works in our weakness.

Keith: The short answer is: We must decrease so He can increase.

The slightly longer answer is: We need to stop disqualifying ourselves from service because we believe that we’re not smart enough, or talented enough, or that we’re not a good teacher or speaker, etc.  The reality is: Neither were any of the great men and women of faith we see in the entire Bible. They were liars, adulterers, murderers, cowards, tricksters, and everything else. In short, they were just as screwed up as you and I are. So…what’s the difference between them and us? It’s that they made themselves available to God, and they were very much aware of their weaknesses, and most importantly – they actually did whatever it was that God called them to do. They trusted in God’s strength and they recognized their own weakness.

Bruce: What does Gideon show us in the way God uses weakness?

Keith: He’s a perfect example of this principle. The Bible tells us that Gideon was from the lowest of the 12 tribes, and that his clan was the least of the clans within that tribe. His family was the least family and he was the least among his own family. The perfect choice for God who was looking for a might warrior, right? He’s threshing wheat in a wine press. Why? Because he’s terrified of the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appears to him he says, “Greetings, oh mighty man of God!” which is the biggest joke in the Bible. He’s not. But God knows something about Gideon: He knows that Gideon will do whatever He asks of him. Like…sending home thousands of soldiers because God tells him, “You have too many men for me to give you the victory.” That’s someone who is not trusting in their own strength or ability to win a battle. Gideon knew – and everyone else knew – that it was only the power of God who would win the battle and set the people free.

Bruce: When we were children, we were taught that Samson probably looked a lot like a muscular physical specimen- does that take away from the true story of Samson?

Keith: Well, just imagine if we had been told the truth? What if our picture books showed tiny, skinny little Samson being filled with the Spirit of God and then lifting the gates of the city off the hinges? Or defeating an entire army with a jawbone? Wouldn’t that have sent a message to every little boy and girl? Wouldn’t we have understood that with God all things are possible?

[end part 2]

LISTEN TO THE ACTUAL RADIO INTERVIEW HERE>

Book Review by Kirra Antrobus

The Power of Weakness by Keith Giles begins by making a very important point.  Giles states, "Even as these new ways of thinking and living confound our minds and often defy our human logic and reason, we must constantly strive to remind ourselves that it is not God's system that is unrealistic, but it is our pattern of thinking that needs to be reformed and renewed."

Giles looks at various people in the Bible and shows how clearly God chose to use the weak of the world rather than the powerful.  Moses was not a speaker, but God used him to speak to Pharaoh in order to free the Israelites.  He used Samson, whose strength only came from God and his obedience to Him.  Paul had his "thorn in the flesh" that inspired the beautiful verse, "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a (NASB).  The climactic chapter came when Giles explained how even Jesus lived His life by weakness.  Philippians 2 says that Jesus emptied Himself, becoming a man.  Through that weakness, He became completely dependent on God.

After that climactic chapter, Giles explains how all of that is important to us in the church today.  He explains to us why and how we should be living our lives through the power of weakness, and dependence on God.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I urge you to read it.  Giles' words made me really think about how God wants to use me.  He may want to use my strengths, but He will use my weaknesses as well, and maybe even more so.    When you read this book, make sure you take some time to consider how weakness played an important part in the lives of those that God has used and how He can use you as you allow God to use your weakness, too.

Purchase the book HERE>

READ the original review at Kirra's blog HERE>

LISTEN: Derek Gilbert Interviews Keith about The Power of Weakness

LISTEN HERE>

IT seem illogical, but we may be most useful to God when we’re at the end of our rope.

Keith Giles joins us to discuss his new book,The Power of Weakness. 

Drawing on examples from scripture, Keith argues that our natural Key Performance Indicators — to borrow some jargon from the business world — may actually lead us away from the path God wants us to walk, 

and that His glory is most evident when He works through those least likely to succeed.

LISTEN HERE>