Pure Power

Power. The word expresses something you are either under or are endeavouring to wield. It is the cause, humanly speaking, of the rise and fall of nations and empires.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.  ~President Abraham Lincoln

Power is the vehicle with which one forces or guides others to fulfil one's will—for good or for evil. It may seem strange then that the Apostle Paul includes power as part of the inheritance (now) for Christians.

Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus sharing his prayer for them. He says he wishes for them to know, amongst other things, "[God's] incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He"—don't miss this!—"exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand..." (1:19-20)

Napoleon didn't have power like that. Hitler didn't either. They could kill and destroy, but they had no power of resurrection and heavenly enthronement. Their empires came to an end. Christ's reign has barely begun—in the light of eternity.

If this power is for us who have the Holy Spirit living inside, what does that mean?

The picture above is of windmills, which I pass on the way to my parents. What is significant about these sources of power is that they have no power in themselves. If their bolts were too tight so their arms would not spin, they would merely be towers of medal. Useless. But, as they yield to the strength of the wind, they pass along power to light homes, to milk cows, and to give comfort and help to those living around them.

As I mentioned in another post, my pastor has been preaching on (sin, but also) the fact that God created humans as dependent beings. In the fall, we chose a pseudo-independence thus cutting ourselves off from all that we need.

"When—Listen!—a necessarily dependent creature attempts to live independently, he cuts himself off from the very Source of true knowledge and experience, which can only come from God Himself...Man did not actually achieve independence when he sinned. Nothing changed in regard to that, b/c we are of necessity, by creation, dependent creatures. And so nothing has changed simply because we decided to go our own way...We simply cut ourselves off from the necessary and essential supply that we must have as dependent creatures. When a dependent creature tries to live independently it is a DISASTER." ~Dr. Rich Liverance

What does this have to do with power?

The point is this—we are like windmills. Unless we yield to the strength of the Spirit of Christ, we have no power on our own. As we realise our dependence—not a crutch, but full life-support—God pours His strength in us, turning on the light for whole communities—the SAME power that raised our Messiah from the dead.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

Once our dependence frees us to the "blowing" of the Spirit, we will experience this power at work in us. This is why the Apostle Paul gloried in his weakness.

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Why did Paul boast of his weaknesses? Because it was by them that he realised his dependence on God. When he put his dependence on God, then God had the freedom to flow His power through Paul. As my dad would say, Paul learned to "plug himself into the Source." 

GETTING PERSONAL

What are the weaknesses with which you struggle? Do these weaknesses cause discouragement (like mine so often do to me)? Maybe that's because we are trying to be INDEPENDENT of God. Maybe we all need to realise—deep in the core of us—the truth we so glibly claim—our ONLY righteousness comes from Him.

PLUG INTO THE SOURCE

Let's lift our arms of dependence up to our Father and be moved by His power to change our world—one life at a time. 

Momentary Troubles Lead to Triumph

WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
Most of us would not label any of our problems "light," even if we might recognise them as "momentary."

But the Apostle Paul said:

For our light and momentary troubles—Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers—are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
(2 Corinthians 4:17—2 Corinthians 11:25-26)

Reciting the reason why Paul responded to his trials as he did may be easy, but it's harder to apply, is it not?

Paul focused on Christ. He aimed for a reward in eternity, not one he could place on his trophy shelf now. He "gloried in weakness." He understood (as Peter did) that suffering for righteousness gives us—for the sake of illustration—tokens which we trade in for lasting treasure in heaven.

MIND RENEWAL
How could Paul view the troubles of life that wore him down physically, emotionally, mentally as merely "light and momentary"? He wrote this sentence just before it.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

How? If one is "wasting away," how can one be internally "renewed"?

Paul gives us a huge clue in Romans 12:2—

Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

If God does the mind-changing, how does He do it?

The composer of Psalm 119 tells us:

How can a young man keep his way pure?

   By living according to Your word.

I seek You with all my heart;

   do not let me stray from Your commands.

I have hidden Your Word in my heart

   that I might not sin against You.

The longest Psalm in all Scripture focuses not on man's struggle or even God's triumph, but merely delighting in God's Word and pursuing Him constantly.

RENEWED "DAY BY DAY."

"That's what you do. You sell a big lie, and wrap it up in a truth to make it more palatable." ~ Sherlock Holmes

We've all heard it, and—having worked at a bank over ten years—I know it. You detect counterfeit not by studying it, but by studying the true item.

How many Christians study the Bible "day by day"?

How many Christians believe sex outside of marriage is normal? How many believe homosexuality is not a sin? How many lie or twist truths to avoid a consequence? How many church-going people act more vicious and unloving than an atheist down the street?  How many religious people divorce or are captive to pornography?

HOLISTIC CHRISTIANITY
Holistic care and holistic medicine have been catch words in our society recently. The writers of the Bible, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, could have coined the word "holistic" thousands of years before its recent popularity.

What the prophets taught, what the apostles taught, what Jesus taught—holistic Christianity (even if it was not called "Christianity" until years after Jesus resurrection, they all anticipated the solution in the Messiah).

What is holistic Christianity?

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 

The second is this: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Yahweh require of you—But to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. "

WHAT NOW?
To know it initially, to believe it cognitively is not enough.

We must continually inhale the fragrance of grace, hear the constant whispers of our Saviour, see the nail-scarred hands, savor the meat of the Word, remember the bondage of sin, and feel the embrace of forgiveness.

With this daily renewal, we can step out in love and forgive our enemies, do good to those who wrong us, and see what we suffer here as "light" compared to the surpassing greatness of what our Lord has done for us in the past and what is waiting for us—perhaps today!

(Need Help? If you need a little accountability or just a daily reminder, goTandem allows you to request a Bible passage be sent via text, phone, or email at whatever time or times of day you choose.

You can also ask to have someone call you to ask how you're doing with your reading. Ideally, we should each have a Christian friend to do this—and be one to another—but, if you don't, goTandem at least provides one for starters.)

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You're an Angel

Somebody posted the comment "You're an angel" on Facebook this past week, which started me thinking about people vs. angels.

Most people have an elementary understanding of angels (and it isn't my intention to do an in-depth analysis on angelology). Most know that there are good angels and "fallen angels."

With this knowledge, one can than deduce that there are "perfect" angels that do God's bidding or there are rebellious angels that fight against God.

Why is this significant?

Since this is true, that statement declares one of two things. If that "compliment" is to be taken seriously, either the person receiving it is perfect, never sinning, or is working for the devil.

You see, angels have no hope of salvation. Those who rebelled against God had no Saviour to take their punishment. The Apostle Peter said that "God did not spare angels when they sinned." But we who are less than angelic beings have a chance to repent (Hebrews 2).

Have you ever thought about that?

It's important to be grateful for the physical and material blessings of life when we see examples of those in ill health or impoverished circumstances. Yet we also should remember the grace given us by our Lord Jesus, who saw us as rebellious sinners and came down to die in our place.

Peter wrote that the prophets who prophesied about this salvation and also the angels longed to know this gift given to us. Because of its indescribable worth, he exhorts us—

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  (1 Peter 1:13-19)

This week, let's remind each other to live lives of gratitude for the Gift no other created being has been offered.

Stand and Fight

I don't remember my age—although I'm told I was four or five—but I remember vividly the day I asked Jesus into my life. I may have told it before, but such a day always bears repeating.

My sister, Connie, and I walked home one evening after church (we lived across the street). She asked me if I was a Christian. I told her yes. That night I lay in bed and analyzed my answer (I still do this with conversations) to make sure I had told her the truth. Since our father is a pastor, I've heard about Jesus while in my mother's womb. Yet, as I lay there, I realized He was not my Saviour.

It was as if a veil lifted from my eyes. One moment the state of my soul did not concern me. The next, I knew emphatically that I had not surrendered, but I needed to. No prayer. No special formula. God touched my eyes, and I could see.

Following up this moment, which I now claim as my conversion, I acted upon it by going into my parent's room and asking my father to lead me to Jesus. We knelt together and prayed, confessing my sins and my need of a Saviour. I waited three or four years before I had the courage to stand in obedience and  confess before our church that Jesus is my Lord and be baptised.

That was the easy part of my years as a Christian. I responded to a work of God in my heart. The hard part followed.

I have not had a rebellious life. I credit that partly to personality and a great deal to God's answering the prayers of my parents. I can't claim to have learned the hard way. In fact, my prayer has always been that I may learn the easiest way possible.

The battle for me is much more subtle. It's maybe like someone who grows up in a war zone. The bullets fly so continually around you that you begin to forget their significance, forget the threat they are to your life. Because I grew up dwelling on the spiritual life, it became easy to think going through the motions was good enough.

Don't get me wrong. I hate hypocrisy, so I run from anything that smacks of inauthenticity, even in myself; but it's not always so simple to see you've crossed that line. It wasn't bad things. No obvious breaking of the Ten Commandments.

It was the little things. The "lesser gods," as C.S. Lewis calls them. The gods that when given the place, block one's vision of Yahweh. 

Boredom, more than anything, is dangerous. The same Bible reading and prayer routine, when done as a routine, can lose significance. One can grow deaf. You know what I mean?

It hasn't been big moments or large chunks of time. Graciously, God gives me little "checks" to let me know I'm fading in my attention.

This thought came up while my mother and I were discussing a couple that not long ago was on fire for God, zealously attending Bible study and church. Now, they ski on Sunday, leave their Bibles on the shelf, and confess confusion that their daughters are going their own way.

I know how it must have started. At least, I think I do. You go to do the routine and wonder what's the point. You fail at the same things over and over all your life, what makes you think you're going to change now? Maybe, just maybe, you wonder if there isn't some easier way, some fun you're actually missing out on.

These have been fleeting thoughts, just enough to scare me back to reality. When I'm there, when my love for God is distant, I can do nothing, but tell Him. Tell Him the truth about where I am. Sometimes all I can say is "help."

The only solution for cold moments is to cry out to our Father. When we've put our guard down and the enemy points the gun in our face, only God can shoot him in the back and save us. There is no formula. No spiritual exercise.

The wonderful thing is, when we tell Him our failing, our wicked desires, He scoops us up in love. Instead of scolding us, because we've known better (we've told others the other side's not worth it), He blesses us with His grace because we called upon His Name.

His Name saved us in our first moments of rebirth, and it is the Name that will keep us till our dying breath.

Let's be on our guard then. Stand and fight!

Friendship is Unnecessary

"I have no duty to be anyone's Friend and no man in the world has a duty to be mine. No claims, no shadow of necessity. Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival." ~C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

True friendship never begins as a duty. As Lewis says, it begins out of camaraderie in purposeful activity. It is the cherry on the Sunday (or the chocolate, whichever you prefer).

"Friends are not primarily absorbed in each other. It is when we are doing things together that friendship springs up—painting, sailing ships, praying, philosophizing, fighting shoulder to shoulder. Friends look in the same direction. Lovers look at each other: that is, in opposite directions." ~C.S. Lewis, Present Concerns

This arose in thought while contemplating the other characteristic (besides honesty) that I greatly admire—loyalty.

In ancient times, and indeed in some cultures today, your survival depended on the loyalty of your friends and of your family. If a traitor dwelt in your midst, your life's hourglass just ran out. You could not storm a castle, more-or-less defend one, if someone close to you divulged your secrets to the enemy. Numbers alone could not determine who won, as much as strategy and, underneath it all, loyalty.

To use a shady example: the old-time Mafia. In high school I became fascinated with studying them. I never glamorized it, yet (and please don't get me wrong) their code of loyalty always intrigued me. You sacrifice yourself before you become a "stooly" on "the family." 

I speak of the "old-time Mafia," because anyone who knows anything about them now knows betrayals, power-struggle-killings, anything is permissible. One writer compared the decline of any so-called "moral code" in the "family" with the United State's moral decline (Italy's problem is another story). As America moved father away from God and ethics, the crime syndicate moved away from their own "ethics." But I digress.

A better example: the spy world. Antonio J. Mendez, in his CIA autobiography The Master of Disguise, explained a deception he had pulled on his trainer, which almost cost him a job as an agent. He said: 

"I had violated a basic tenet in a profession where deception is the stock and trade: You never lie to or attempt to deceive a fellow officer in the service. Once you crossed this line, there was no going back. In what has been aptly termed a 'wilderness of mirrors,' a solid foundation of trust among colleagues had to exist."

How does this all swing back around to friendship?

The reality of my last post was neutralized by the grace of friends. The reality still existed, but these friends figuratively fought alongside me. Instead of wielding swords against an enemy, they shared a meal with laughter and good conversation. At another time I've shared a heart-disappointment, and my friend has offered to "fight him" for me. Neither of us took this offer with any seriousness. Yet, the sentiment is real. He's the defensive older brother I never had.

As Lewis explains in depth in The Four Loves, friendship is not a jealous love. Each friend brings out a side of another that no one else could draw out. If one friend dies, that part that he or she brought out of the other dies too.

No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

All this makes Jesus' statement to His disciples (and now to us) even more significant, don't you think? 

The value of noncompulsory-loyalty in friendship is balm for the soul. It is like glitter falling from heaven's golden streets. Every mile with a friend lightens the burden.

Honestly Me

One of the characteristics I've prized since I was a child—besides loyalty—is honesty. I can get along better with friends who are a little testy but I know where they stand, than ones always kind to my face but I never know how they feel.

Being a pursuer of honesty sure sounds virtuous, but it has a snag. How much is too much? 

This came up this summer. I had a roommate who was raised to believe that showing annoyance or even weariness is not acceptable. That one should always be pleasant.

I don't disagree that there is a point for this; one doesn't need to reveal every feeling nor should one. But there seems an element of dishonesty when one is upset by something someone has done, yet acts as if one is still on the best of terms with the other.

Because of this internal dilemma, I find I instinctively wish to avoid the person who has hurt me. This gives me time to figure out the storm within me and pray for peace. My reaction to a situation too is usually delayed. Anger or hurt often arises after a time of reflection. Dealing with this before being faced with the provocateur allows me to react in an honest, but appropriate matter.

Truthfully (since we're on that topic), if the hurt is deep, I would prefer to forgive them, but not ever have to face them again. Maybe I have done that in my past. 

Lately, God has brought several people into my life to humble me, yet He won't let me run from them. I'll have to face them again. I'll need to deal respectfully with them. Yet, I also want to be honest in my interaction and not treat them differently to their face than I feel behind their back. 

I know prayer is the best way to change an attitude, but it still isn't easy.

Have you wrestled with this? If so, what has helped you?

A WALK WITH MARY

Summary

A monologue, in which Mary the mother of Jesus reflects back on the events of the first Christmas and of the first Easter. 

Characters

Mary 

Script

I could never understand why my parents named me that. Mary. Just a family name, but why Mary? Why not Vania—'God's gracious gift' or Tobey—'God is good' or even Sarah—'princess." Why Mary? Why 'bitter'?

But not only did my name mean 'bitter,' as if that's not hard enough to answer to, it also was one of the most common names. 

'Mary! Did you finish your mending?' 

Five dozen yes's or no's would echo down our ally.

I learned to accept being common and answering to 'bitter' without becoming it. It was expected of a woman to accept her lot, and how could I be discontent when daily I knew the goodness of my God! 

One of my greatest amazements was His goodness in betrothing me to Joseph. I didn't need to be reminded, though my mother often would, of all the men my father could have chosen for me. Instead he chose Joseph, and Joseph wanted me! Such a kind and generous heart; I knew I would learn to love him very soon, if my admiration of him wasn't mixed with love already. 

"Then it happened. One minute I was daydreaming of Joseph, the children we'd have, a clean home with Joseph's shop around back, the children's bright eyes the first time they see the Temple, helping my children learn the Holy Scriptures, our Torah... when suddenly, the most incredible light shone from a being in the middle of my room. I hid my face. Was it God? Would I die? 

"Then he said it. 'Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.' 

Me! A common nobody found favour with El Elyon, God Most High! Would have His Son! Would have the Messiah that every female born of Jacob dreamt of having! But it would be me! I had only kiddingly wished for it. I would laugh with pleasure at the thought of being uncommon enough to bear the Messiah—God's tool to deliver Israel. 

Deliver Israel.... That's the part I never understood; no Jew ever did. We expected a military hero, a king. The deliverance we experienced was unexpected. It was the reason Gabriel didn't change my name when he announced my son, Jesus, God's Son would be born. He called me Mary. 

I've pondered many things while raising Jesus. Or was it me learning from Him? That's the humour of it all. He taught in our Temple when He was only twelve! But He was God; why shouldn't He!

Then He did it. He delivered us. 

He allowed those who hated Him to just kill Him. He'd walked out of a crowd-full of people trying to stone Him. Then, for just a handful of rulers, He submits to condemnation. 

It was then I knew why I was called 'bitter.' I had never face bitterness like I did there at the feet of my son as He hung dying: not even when Joseph almost divorced me or the community shunned me as an adulteress or when we fled to Egypt to save Jesus' life or when Joseph died or Jesus left home. But here... I saw the hope of Israel dying a "needless" death. I had learnt by then not to ask or interfere, but to wait on the Lord. 

So I watched. As His heart broke and His lifeblood literally mixed with water and poured from His side, I died. I suffered the bitterest my life could have known. The Hope of Israel went out with the sun. It must have been His Father's anger, I thought then, that shook the earth. What could a mere woman do, Adonai?! You know. I would have died in His place! Even as I thought it, however, I knew it wouldn't have been the same. Though what good it had done for Him to die, I couldn't know. 

When the earthquake happened, many of Jesus' followers thought it was the end; we'd be swallowed up by the earth like Korah was in the desert. Some were even foolish enough to wail that God's prophecies were ruined; surely all Israel would die for it. Others ignored nature's chaos, and believed their trust in Jesus was misplaced. 

We didn't know then that the Temple curtain had been torn. Torn from top to bottom. The entrance to the forbidden Holy of Holies was exposed. All the priests ran out covering their eyes lest they perish.

Three days of grieving. A sorrowful Sabbath. Then Mary of Magdela, Mary Clopas wife and Saloam found Jesus' tomb was empty. Mary of Magdela claimed Jesus had come to her...alive! As the weeks went by, we and five hundred others saw Jesus, touched Him, ate and talked with Him. 

My son is alive! God's Son is alive. He is no more mine to guide and mother, but I am His now. He is and always has been greater than I. I can know His Father because of His blood sacrificed and perfect, acceptable as the complete atonement for my sin. Elohim, God has accepted Him as my sacrifice; my punishment was paid by my son. I am no longer 'bitter.' I am still common among men, yet loved by the Lord. 

Have you met Him? Come. Let me introduce you to Jesus.

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© Katy R. Pent, all rights reserved.