Posts

The Law Reveals God!

By
Image
  The Law Reveals God “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.’” — John 14:9 Reflection One of the purposes of the Law was to reveal God’s nature. When God appeared before Israel at Mount Sinai, He came in awesome, terrifying glory. There was fire, smoke, dark clouds, thunder, lightning, the sound of trumpets, and even the mountain itself shook violently. The people trembled and stood at a distance. But God’s revelation to the Jewish people was not just a one-time physical event. God revealed Himself more by giving His people the Law, which was an expression of His very nature. The Lord did not give the Jewish people just regulations, rituals, and commandments. He gave them a picture of who He is. Many of us today read the passages of the Torah that convey the Law and feel overwhelmed by their extraordinary details. But if that is all we get out of our reading, we are missing the point. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Perishable vs Imperishable!

By
Image
  Perishable vs. Imperishable Scripture: Luke 4:1–2, NLT “Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days.”  (Luke 4:1–2, NLT) Without  Son Power , we are helpless to counter the deceitfulness of Satan. Notice in the above verses that Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit.” Son Power gives us the wisdom we need to counter the various temptations of the evil one. The entire story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness is found in Luke 1:1–13.  Jesus was filled with the Spirit  and  led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He was tempted by Satan when he was at a point of human weakness. It was only through the power of the Holy Spirit that he was able to overcome Satan’s temptations. Satan tempted Jesus in areas of physical comfort, material blessings, and the allure of power and fame. With each attempt to tempt him, Jesus countered with the use of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Way of Escape!

By
Image
  The Way of Escape    No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.  1 Corinthians 10:13   We read the story of the Hebrew slaves coming out of Egypt as history. But the apostle Paul told the Corinthians that within the story there is found an example—an example for us about the dangers of yielding to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:6-11).  Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 The Israelites had the opportunity to avoid sin in the wilderness, but they failed to take advantage of it. Paul warned the Corinthians to be careful: If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall (verse 12). We, like the Israelites in the wilderness, will be tempted to sin. Also like the Israelites, God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Source of Son Power!

By
Image
  The Source of Son Power Scripture: Hebrews 1:10–12, NLT “ In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever. They will wear out like old clothing. You will fold them up like a cloak and discard them like old clothing. But you are always the same; you will live forever. ” (Hebrews 1:10–12, NLT) These verses were written about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is the one who laid the foundation of the earth! Jesus made the heavens with his hands! Jesus is the one who is always the same and will live forever! The earth and heavens we are able to see will be folded up someday and discarded like old clothing, but Jesus will live forever. From a human perspective, I do not know if we can even begin to comprehend the magnitude of these verses. We are talking about power far beyond any human imagination. We are talking about  Son Power . The same Son Power that is at work in the heart of the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Praise as a Remedy!

By
Image
  Praise as a Remedy    Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.  Psalm 43:5   If you have ever been disappointed in a friend or family member, you have probably found it a challenge to pray for them. But it is hard to stay angry with another person when we are praying for them. The same could be said about our relationship with God. If we find ourselves disappointed in our circumstances, the surest remedy is to praise God. Recommended Reading: Psalm 47:6-9 Psalms 42–43 were likely originally one psalm later divided into two for purposes of liturgical worship in the temple. They recount a period of disappointment by the psalmist who thought God had forgotten him and was not going to rescue him from his oppressors. But both psalms end the same way: “Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him” (Psalm 42:11; 43:5). The psalmist didn’t let his disappointment k...
Post a Comment
Read more

Divine Power!

By
Image
  Divine Power Scripture: Zechariah 4:6, NLT “ Then he said to me, ‘This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ ” (Zechariah 4:6, NLT) Son Power   is the Holy Spirit at work in the life of the believer.  Son Power works in our life as we continue to receive the revelation and understanding of the Holy Spirit. He is the divine power of God, the Lord Jesus Christ himself prompting us and empowering us to do his will. Son Power is sourced in God alone.  Many passages in the Bible confirm that the sufficiency for living the Christian life is provided to us by God. It is not by self-power, self-effort, or self-reliance that we accomplish anything of everlasting value. Trusting in self to live the Christian life will always lead to failure. In John 6:63, Jesus said, “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Resurrection Power Is In You!

By
Image
  Resurrection Power Is in You “The surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe… which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” — Ephesians 1:19-20 Reflection Paul prayed that you and I would comprehend the greatness of God’s power toward us who believe. This is resurrection power, the power Father demonstrated when He raised Messiah from the dead. And this power is at work in you. That truth becomes especially important when you feel discouraged, depleted, or as though nothing is happening in your life. There will be times when you do not feel strong. There will be days when pursuing God feels difficult. But your spiritual life is not sustained by your feelings. God is strengthening you from within by His Spirit. So we keep moving forward by faith. We continue pursuing Him, even when we cannot see immediate results. We thank Him, give Him glory, choose what is right, and discipline ourselves ...
Post a Comment
Read more