Christian Blog Site

Again with the cheesy title.  Read the previous blogs first.

(Continued)
This kind of power is not power as we may think that can be exercised at will.  Power that can be exercised at MY will is called witchcraft.  Evil stuff.  But power that is excercised at the will of the Spirit is miraculous, always giving glory to God.  But this power is not really power as our society defines it.  A better word would be responsibility.  If God can trust you in such a way as to be able to cause miraculous things to happen by your word then you have a GREAT responsibility.  You are responsible for the faith of many.  God has called you to build other’s faith and set people free.

Put yourself in this scenario:  You have this great power.  With this great power comes fame.  Sadly, it is inevitable.  Many will know you and many will have seen your works.  What if one day you miss it and tell some wet rocks to catch on fire or a mountain to be cast into the sea, when it’s not the will of the Spirit.  Nothing happens.  The faith of possibly millions would be damaged.  Because like it or not(and though it may be ungodly) many of those people have based a portion of their faith on you.   Now, consider a worse scenario.  You are tempted and sin.  People find out.  The taller the tower, the greater the fall.  It has happened a handful of times where someone who was given great responsibility was caught in sin.  Churches destroyed, people turning from God to sin, people questioning God’s existence.  Do you think you’d feel a little guilty?  I know I’d feel guilty enough to consider killing myself, like Judas.  I wouldn’t go through, but the temptation would be strong.

This is the meaning of the verse: For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required. - Luke 12:48

You: Then how do I receive this power?
Me: Do Nothing.

To paraphrase one of the previous verses: “I do nothing, unless the Father tells me to.”

Nothing… ‘I do nothing’ doesn’t mean I go to church on Sunday; it doesn’t mean I read my bible everyday; it doesn’t mean I have a Jesus fish on my car; it doesn’t mean I pray alot. It means I do nothing. Jesus didn’t know if He was going to wear a red shirt or a yellow shirt for the day until He’d prayed about it. In fact, He didn’t even know if He was gonna wear one at all, til He prayed. He ate when God said ‘eat.’ He slept when God said ’sleep.’ He prayed when God said ‘pray.’ He preached when God said ‘preach.’

The real answer isn’t nothing.  The real answer is you must die.  Die to yourself.  Too many of us (myself included) make the mistake of thinking that taking up our cross daily means to put on a necklace with a cross on it every morning, which (lets be brutally honest) half the time we hide under our shirt.  Again, we must die to preach the Gospel, physically if need be.  This is the ultimate act of humility.  Humility is to act for the highest good of another(in this case God) regardless of personal cost or sacrifice.  The greatest sacrifice is to die.  Again, physically if need be.

Brace yourself, a description of perfect humility follows.

And when God said ‘you are going to take the sins of the entire world upon yourself, be beaten, crushed, hung on a cross, mocked, ridiculed, die, then be separated from Me for three days, and tormented in the flames of hell.’ Jesus’s reply? “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Got Humble? Then you got power.

I recommend you read the previous post before this one and watch the movie. 

I want to take some time to expand on us having the power to make a difference.  It’s kind of a cheesy line; I feel like a government sponsored ad for little kids when I say it but can’t change it now.

So Jesus made a difference, that we all know.  But He didn’t JUST make A difference.  He made the biggest difference.  Every evil thing that sin had brought into the world, He redeemed the world from.  Making it so that we no longer have to live with the pain and suffering sin causes.  He redeemed us from sickness; ALL SICKNESS (Isaiah 53).  He redeemed us from hell, death, eternal torment.  So I’m thinkin’ this Jesus character is a pretty solid guy. 

Now, since reading the last post no matter if it was a few minutes ago or a few days I’m sure the devil has said “Yes, being one man He changed the world, but He was God and you are not.  You can’t do anything.” 

Remind me to kick him in the face and karate chop his neck later.                             My wife, Jenny—->>>>   

Our dog–>>  devil is a pansy-><<–Me

We try to make kicking the devil’s butt a family affair.  Don’t worry we’ve got the ‘OK’ from the big man.

Back on track.

So the devil has said “Yes, being one man He changed the world, but He was God and you are not.  You can’t do anything.”  Yes, Jesus was God.  But He had no power to do anything.  Blasphemy?  No.  Check it.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. -John 5:19

I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. -John 5:30

 Back, Back, Back. You stupid legalistic spirit.

It may not seem so but it’s hard to type ‘Jesus had no power.’  Even when I had a couple direct quotes from Him confirming it.

Bottom Line

Jesus had no power.  We have no power.  WHEN APART FROM THE FATHER.  But as Jesus demonstrated so well through the Father ALL things are possible.  If we eat, drink, sleep, and breath God.  We can walk in the same power that Jesus did.  In fact, we can have greater power than Jesus did.  

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  -John 14:12 

You CAN Make A Difference (Part 3) - God does not reveal Himself to the casual inquirer.  There is a price to be paid to receive this power.  Find out the price tomorrow. 

Hint: it’s not $5