I got an email from my friend Rebecca Perkins after I wrote that I couldn't think of an appropriate verse to attach to Friday's blog about moving furniture.  She said, look at Philippians 4:13.  Which vilifies me.  "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."  She's right.

But I've always said that particular verse is somewhat misquoted--to say that you can do anything through Christ.  It doesn't say that at all.  It needs to be rearranged to read accurately--as do many verses in the Bible--so that we can decipher the King James English and be able to understand it.

You can't do anything and everything.  And you and I know it.  What the verse actually says is, "I can do all things which strengthen me through Christ.   Note the word "which."  It doesn't say ...through Christ "who."  Thus properly,  it says "things-which."  (And moving furniture qualifies.)

Christ will give us strength to do the things he asks us to do. The verse also covers emotional stuff as well.  Christ will be there to help you through it.  You will be stronger because of the trials and difficulties you go through, and Christ is there with you every step of the way.  He also suffered.

We are the conglomerate of our experiences.  The good and the bad.  That's what it means to be a "Grown-up."  Look at where you were thirty years ago, and look at yourself today.  You are stronger.  Christ got you through it.  You lean, you depend on His strength.

I like my "Janie" version of 1 Corinthians 5:13 which says, "Nothing has happened to tempt you and cause you to stumble, that has not happened to others.  But God is faithful who will not let you encounter anything beyond your strength to handle.  But will, with the problem, make a way to escape so that you will be able to withstand the pressure."

In all fairness to King James, it says, "There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.  But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able.  But will with the temptation provide a way of escape that you may be able to bear it."

I like my version better.