The Power

Week Twenty-Eight, 2022

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 20.11

It was an incredibly powerful storm. I went out on the porch just to watch the many bolts of lightning. Briefly I came inside and stood by a window to watch. Suddenly there was a powerful flash with a simultaneous clap of thunder and loss of power. I opened the door and saw smoke coming from my electric transformer. I knew it would be a long night. With a flashlight, I explored the transformer and found where the bolt struck, leaving a large round hole pierced in the heavy steel.

Not only was it a reminder of the power of lightning, but a reminder of the power of God. How Powerful Is Lightning? A typical lightning flash is about 300 million Volts and about 30,000 Amps. In comparison, household current is 120 Volts and 15 Amps. God is in control of it all.

How powerful is the Word of God? You would expect a book that is divine and living would in fact be active, and so it is. Paul writes in 1 Thess. 2:13 that the Word of God does work. Jeremiah writes: “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rod into pieces.” God’s word is powerful. The word translated here as powerful is the source of our word energy. It means to say that God’s word has God’s power, his energy.

Because it is God’s word, it is an undefeatable word. The Bible has all the essentials of the life and power of God to do his work! Isaiah says that the word of God does not return void; it does His work, powerfully so (Is. 55).

The Word of God is powerful. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

From the standpoint of your own sanctification or spiritual growth, you need this book every single day. You need to read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and delight in it. You need it preached each Lord’s Day and you need it singing in your head all day long.

It is a powerful book!

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

The problem is that believing in ourselves, and having confidence in ourselves are not bad things in and of themselves. Not bad as long, as that confidence and belief stems from our faith, confidence and belief in God. He is the source of our confidence and the foundation of our success.

True success is found when we lay down our lives and give it to Him. When we take up our cross and follow Him. When we allow Jesus to work in and through us and guide our steps and our lives. Marty Stubblefield

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“Well son, we don’t need to know about the Bible anymore, they stopped teaching that stuff when we got into school.” A parent answering their son about the meaning of John 3:16

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No one undertakes a journey alone. We depend upon others constantly–in ways both tangible and intangible–to move us toward our destination. We cannot succeed without the help of others, but forming positive relationships can be a challenge. This is true in business. In politics. In sports. In the home. And in the church. John Maxwell

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Authors, motivational speakers, and experts in every field of endeavor agree that attitude makes the big difference in life. It’s the difference between success and failure. Between winning and losing. Between a happy and miserable home life. Between friendly and unfriendly relationships. And between personal contentment and discontentment.

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According to the American Bible Society, nearly 26 million Americans reduced or stopped their interaction with Scripture in the past year.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him. G.K. Chesterto

Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need. The Minimalist

Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Ludwig Van Beethoven

It’s okay to be human, through the mistakes and disappointments of everyday life, give yourself grace to be human. Thomas Nelson Company

Jesus has blessed us in order for us to be a blessing to others. Max Wilkins

None of us are sinless, but God calls us to sin less. Jo Mo Cousins.

Fear is the attention we give our primary attention to. It can be our greatest fear or our greatest hope. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Chris Dodson

Minimalism, to me, has always been about living a focused, meaningful life—one that accomplishes the most good for the greatest number of people. Things That Matter is about living well and pursuing a life dedicated to meaningful pursuits—and allowing that pursuit to take you on journeys to places you never imagined. The Minimalist

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair. Samuel Johnson