You Have The Power!

Today I figuratively stumbled in upon a “power spin” class at the YMCA. Then I literally stumbled out of it 45 minutes later. Though I’ve been going to spin classes I had never taken the “power” class before. The instructor came in and in conversation stated that he had recently turned 65 and had secured his Medicare benefits. I thought, “Hey, I can surely keep up with this dude.” He was soft spoken and seemed gentle. He was patient and kind. I was falsely lured into thinking, “This will be a breeze. What is going to be the power part?” Then… he got on his bike and morphed into a hard-core drill sergeant. He commanded me to push into areas of stamina and endurance I had not attempted before. And I did it! (Hence the stumbling out of class part.)

After the class I felt like Super Woman. My heart said, “Thank you.” My lungs said, “Thank you.” But my brain said, “Really? I really had the power all along to do this and I just didn’t use it?”

Power is a wonderful word. And when we tap into it, power will push us into areas not attempted before. As Christians we are guaranteed the resource of power. Sometimes we just don’t use it.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

This word “power” means might, energy, marvelous works, and even physical force. This is the power we can access through the Holy Spirit in us.  The “comes upon you” in this verse means it is achieved as an inherited ability. We automatically inherit the Holy Spirit and His power at the point of our miraculous salvation through Jesus Christ. This power overtakes our lives. Do we really realize the power that is accessible to us? Are we using it?

Luke says it like this in chapter 24 and verse 49: Jesus said, “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit clothes you and fills you with power from heaven."

You are clothed or surrounded by the Holy Spirit. You actually sink into the wealth of His power. That’s pretty neat.

I Corinthians 1:7 says that you have every grace (an endowment) and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing His will. 

An endowment is there to use. We have this reserve of power ready for our use as we do Christ’s work until He comes.

It kind of makes you feel like Super Woman doesn’t it?

You have the Power!

Christians and Boppy Clowns

I’ve had a few hard knocks in my life. But, I have to face it, I’m not alone. It seems that life loves to knock Christians around. I’ve been thinking a lot about boppy clowns since the last knock.

            There used to be blow up clown dolls that kids could hit and it would go down and pop back up. Children could hit, hit, hit and that clown would keep coming back up to stand. I don’t think it’s made anymore. Maybe someone thought it promoted violence. I just know that it illustrates the realities of life. Life is not always pleasant. It knocks us down when we least expect it as we are trying to walk as a Christian.

            I’ve been feeling like a boppy clown lately. I’m just trying to go my merry way through life and “bop” I get knocked down. I struggle to get a handle on the situation and think I’ve gotten it and “bop.”  Happy - then “bop” – struggle –whew – happy - then “bop.”

            One day when I was in the middle of a “bop” I just cried out to God and said, “You know, someday I’m just not going to stand back up. And what are You going to do about it then?”

My gentle, merciful Lord at that moment drew near to me and whispered to my spirit, “Who do you think keeps lifting you up when you go down? All you have to do is stand; I’ll keep getting you up. Don’t worry about getting up, just be ready to stand.”

                              Way to put me in my place, but I needed that.

James 4:10 says: Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.

                        (Let Him do the heavy lifting.)

James 5:8 says: Stand firm because the Lord is coming near.

                        (We just lock our knees and stand.)

Other stand firm verses –

                                         Ephesians 6:14-18 Stand firm therefore, tighten your belt with truth, and put on the protection of righteousness, and put on the shoes of preparation of the Gospel of peace; in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith so you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and prayer for all your brothers and sisters.

                              I Cor. 15:15 Therefore, my beloved brothers, stand firm, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your hard work is not in vain in the Lord. 

Get the picture? Boppy clowns we may be, but we just plant our feet in the dirt. When the world knocks us down we let God, himself, pick us up, dust us off, and then we plant our feet in the dirt again.            

                                               STAND FIRM.

Remedy for Heart Trouble

John 14:1-6

Jesus said:

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God (1), believe also in Me (2). In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you (3). If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (4). And you know the way where I am going.” 

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How do we know the way?” 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way (5), and the truth (6), and the life (7); no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

(Parenthesis numbers correspond with numbers below)

Heart disease is a killer. Doctors hop on the defense as soon as they detect the slightest problem with your heart. You want a cure and your doctor wants to use the latest technology to help you. The goal is to catch it early. And you are anxious until you are reassured by your doctor that you are going to be OK.

Well, our Great Physician, Jesus, felt the same way when He knew His disciples were uneasy about His announcement that He was leaving them. The disciples knew it was not the temporary times He went alone to pray. No, this was a more permanent departure. They probably thought, “We’re not ready to stand on our own.” They had been with him 24/7 since He asked them to follow Him and now what? They were unsure, confused, anxious, stressed, and just plain troubled. Does that sound like your life at home, or at work? I seem to encounter problems every day that make me unsure and stressed. How do I handle this situation with family, finances, co-workers, bosses, friends, and "not so much" friends? But Jesus gave the disciples a prescription to cure their heart trouble. And this same treatment works for us today.

RX for heart trouble:

1.    Believe in the Father God the creator/sustainer of everything.

2.    Believe in Christ the Messiah/Savior/Redeemer.

3.    Believe in Christ for your future.

4.    Believe in Christ for your security.

5.    Believe in Christ for your direction.

6.    Believe in Christ as the definer of truth.

7.    Believe in Christ as your life force.

                                                Use daily as often as needed.

The key here is “believe.” This word comes from the Greek word “pistis.” It is a complicated combination of faith and trust in God with our mind and the divinely imparted faith that God gives to His children. It’s not a faith we can work up on our own but one we access because we are His own. Some have called it faith-believing.  This is belief we trust in, are certain of, have divine confidence in. and can rely on for answers in our sticky situations of life.

If we are heart troubled, we only have to follow the treatment listed above by Christ, in Christ, and through Christ.

The Old hymn reminds us:

Only believe. Only believe. All things are possible. Only believe.

(Oooh, you’ve got to hear Yolanda Adams sing it!)

Jehovah-scope Your Future

           I went back to my small hometown. Let’s just say that “Mayberry” was modeled after it. The courthouse is in the middle of Main Street. The police station, fire station, library, funeral home, and post office are one block away. I went to school with the son of the newspaper owner and editor-in-chief and now the son is the newspaper owner and editor-in-chief. The newspaper is not expansive. There are not a lot of newsworthy happenings each day here. The largest sections of the newspaper include: who died, who was arrested, the advice column, and the daily horoscope. We all say “awe” about who died, shake our heads at who was arrested, try to figure out who the faked-named person is in the advice column, and see if our daily horoscope actually describes our day. Today I’m supposed to seek advice from someone I trust before making a major purchase. Well, duh.

          The word horoscope actually means: to look closely at the heavens to see how their alignment relates to our future. Frankly, I don’t think we need to horoscope. We need to Jehovahscope. We need to look closely at the maker of the heavens and see how He relates to our future.

          A good place to find your daily Jehovahscope is in Proverbs. I selected Proverbs 16 but you can really start wherever the Holy Spirit leads you.

This week’s Jehovahscope

Proverbs 16:1-7

Monday – We make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answers.

                  (Look for His answers today.)

Tuesday – People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.

                  (Be aware of your motives not just your actions today.)

Wednesday – Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

                  (“Pray” before you “do” today.)

Thursday – The Lord works out everything for His own ends, and the wicked for the day of disaster.

          (God will work out everything for you today, unless you are planning something wicked.)

Friday – The Lord hates the proud hearted. Be assured they will be punished.

               (Practice humility today, for goodness sake!)

Saturday – Mercy, love, and truth make atonement for sin. By honoring our awe inspiring God men can stay away from evil.

                 (God can and will forgive you. Look for His love today.)

Sunday – When man’s ways please the Lord, He makes his enemies live at peace with him.

                (Let others see how you are following Jesus today.)

          There! That’s this week’s Jehovahscope. I plan to check in with Him daily and see His plans for me come true. Now here’s a future I can rely on.