THE POWER, II | Frank Becker

Week Fifty-One, 2024

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:29-31).

They were teasing us with their ultimate land fall destination. They were Helene and Milton, both category five hurricanes and all with a bee line for where we live. Ultimately, they found land a little South and a little North of us, but not without a broad path of destruction.

The wind and storm surge were terrific. We had five feet of water in our weekend condo and my boat was totally destroyed. Many others fared worse when one hundred mile plus winds and numerous tornados brought down many trees.

Most places in the country have their territorial disasters, fires, earthquakes, tornados. Where I live, our weather challenges are hurricanes, in this case two major ones in a two-week time span. Many had much more damage than we did, and some lost everything.

God’s power in these kind of catastrophic weather events is beyond imagination, but that’s not His greatest power. Look in the Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is all you need, for my power is the greatest when you are weak. Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Yes, His power goes beyond the things of earth, like the weather and goes to the soul of man. Our power comes when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

The biblical description of power relates primarily to God and people. Power is an inherent characteristic of God (Rom 1:20). It is the result of his nature. God’s kind of power is seen in his creation (Psalm 19; Psalm 150:1; Jer 10:12).

God is all powerful. The weather shows us His power, but the soul absorbs it. Have you accepted His power in your soul today?

Sometimes True Stories

“You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:43-44

Today we make enemies with those who merely disagree with us politically, spiritually or any other way. We also find it easy to make someone who has harmed us physically or emotionally into our enemy. Then we can hate them and vilify them, but love and pray for them? Get real!

That sounds hard, if not impossible. Then I realized Who is telling me to do that. Every sin I have committed has made me an enemy of Jesus Christ, since He alone led a perfect life. We all have to come to the conclusion that this is certainly hard, but when we realize what Christ did for us on the cross, we have to do it.

When we truly begin to pray for our enemy, our hearts will change, and we start to see them as Christ sees them. At first, it must be intentional. Then it becomes easier and easier. Just do it! Rich Jensen

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Surveys show that approximately two-thirds of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. While most commentators tend to think only of economic issues, I have often suggested that much of this concern is also related to the breakdown of cultural norms and values. Here’s proof.

A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that 80% of Americans believe the influence of religion in America is declining. Nearly half of those surveyed (49%) said religion’s declining influence is bad for the country, and nearly as many (48%) felt there was “some” or a “great deal” of conflict between their religious beliefs and American culture.

Equally troubling is the fact that 41% of Americans felt it was best to “avoid discussing religion at all” whenever they disagreed with someone about religion. This growing impulse to self-censor is a result of the left’s increasing intolerance, and it’s exactly what they want. They want to shut us up and shut down debate.

Let me be clear: I believe this trend is a very disturbing development – especially in a nation founded on religious liberty and which adopted the phrase “In God We Trust” as our national motto.

Some may say, “You can’t legislate morality.” Yes, you can. We do it all the time. All law is someone’s idea of what is right and what is wrong. The question is: Whose ideas are going to prevail?

Our first president, George Washington, was also very clear about his belief in the role of religion in American life and that only a virtuous people can remain free. In fact, Washington felt so strongly that he wrote at length about the importance of religion in his Farewell Address. Washington declared:

“Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. . .

“And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

“It is substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.”

Nearly 190 years later, President Ronald Reagan put it more succinctly when he warned, “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

Quotes You Can Use

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Salvation doesn’t just make you right with God – it makes you new. Live by faith in Christ. Andrew Evans

People don’t perish because they didn’t hear the Gospel. They perish because they have sinned and rejected the Lord. The Gospel is the only hope for salvation. Edgar Aponte

I would better beg for bread on earth like Lazarus than beg for water in hell like the rich man. Dwight L. Moody

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

ORG charts define the structure of the organization, but the real power may not be on the chart.

People are now expected to spend more time in the practical world and less in the theoretical. Michael Smith

In Christ, you have been called to freedom. Don’t abuse your freedom but use it to love and serve others. Edgar Aponte

Jesus’ presence in His creation compels us to take His presence to the lost world today.

We forget that waking up each day is the first thing we should be thankful for.

The meaning of life is to help others find the meaning of theirs. Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Does the Lord still speak to His people today? Yes, yes, He does… We may just need to listen. Marty Stubblefield

One is not aware of a loss when what is lost is of no value. Michael Smith

If you have time to worry, you have time to pray!!!!!!

If you seek relevance and trust, stop gaslighting and just tell the truth. Michael Smith

We should not enjoy confrontation, but sometimes it’s necessary for the sake of the Gospel. Resist the pressure to compromise. Edgar Aponte

One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to the facts. C.S. Lewis

Moral relativism is back. In reality it never left, it was just repackaged as “tolerance”. Michael Smith

When you encourage others to live their truth, their truth will be infiltrated with selfish lies and deception. Dwight Short

Turn your cares into prayers!!!! Dan Shock

Selected portions of Thoughts On Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

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