Tag: Power

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A Dilapidated House

DECEMBER 21

MATTHEW 7:27_and great was the fall of it.

The longer life is lived on sandy soil the harder that life falls apart. There are people in their senior years who lived a lifetime of poor choices. Suddenly the day of reckoning appears and they have to face the music. It is heartbreaking. These people will tell you not to build your life on sandy soil.

They can still call on the name of the Lord. He will come and save them. This does not restore the years lost to foolishness. But there can be some restoration. Mercy is a welcomed guest in a dilapidated house.

Psalm 41:11(KJV), “By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.” God does not want your adversary, the devil, to have control over your life. God wants you to live as salty-lit-up disciples. A rock-solid life!

What kind of power does the devil have in your life?

Does he attack you with fear? Yes.

Does he accuse you of unworthiness? Absolutely!

Does he throw road blocks as you travel the narrow path? Yes.

Do these road blocks cause frustrations and delays in your kingdom projects? Yes.

Can he triumph over your life and control your future, current and eternal? Not a chance!!!!

 PRAYER

Everlasting Father, Help me not to live a life I will regret. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ does not want me to grow old and regret my life – I don’t want to!

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In a Tight Spot

DECEMBER 14

MATTHEW 7:26_And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not…

In Mark chapter 8 (KJV) Jesus feeds over four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish.  “8 So they [the people] did eat, and were filled: and they [the disciples] took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.”

Later, when Jesus was wearied of the Pharisees’ nagging, He enters a boat with His disciples, “14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.”

Jesus begins to teach the disciples about the character of the Pharisees. The disciples thought He was fussing at them for forgetting the bread. “17 And when Jesus knew it [that the disciples were nervous], he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?”

We feel like criticizing the disciples. They not only had witnessed the miracle of feeding over four thousand, and previously witnessed Him feeding over five thousand, but—Jesus used them to pass out the bread!

Let’s not be too hasty to criticize. In a tight spot, we quickly tend to side with anxiety over the power of our Rock.

PRAYER

Righteous Lord, Help me remember Your greatness and power every day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ wants us to remember His power—I will!

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He Teaches Truth

DECEMBER 11

MATTHEW 7:25_and the winds blew…

We live in an extremely high-tech world. Technology outdates itself at a fast pace. The newest mesmerizing product of today may be outdated in less than a year. Those of us who do not claim to be techies feel like we are giving out of steam just trying to keep up. Do you ever think it is astounding what the human mind can devise? I do!

For all our brilliance and intelligence, there is much we cannot control—most belongs to the world of nature. How about the wind for example? Can you start it? Can you stop it? We are not talking about man-made fans. We are talking about the wind. Wind is not controlled by human intelligence or muscle. In the cases of natural disasters the wind may help to clean away debris, or bring more destruction to what is already weak and broken.

In John 3:8, Jesus says, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

We cannot see the Holy Spirit, but we know when He dwells in us.

We know because He teaches us truth.

PRAYER

Jesus Lord, With the Holy Spirit I can be strong against the world. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ is stronger than the world—I want His power!

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Everything You Need

DECEMBER 8

MATTHEW 7:24_I will liken him unto a wise man…

Jesus describes the person who hears and does—wise! 

Proverbs 4:7 (KJV): “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

Proverbs 2:4-7(KJV): “If thou seekest her [wisdom] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures. 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”

The entire chapter of Proverbs 8 (KJV) describes the power of wisdom: “33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 34 Blessed is the man that heareth me [wisdom], watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.” 

Wow, it sounds like wisdom will give you everything you need for a life of freedom! How will you obtain it? Step three in Jesus’ building process is wisdom. He says wisdom comes after you’ve listened and acted.

Once you reach this step, you’re almost ready to move in.

PRAYER

Only Wise God, Please hear me call to You for wisdom. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ’s principles are wisdom for life—I want them!

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You Must Act

DECEMBER 7

MATTHEW 7:24_and doeth them…

Jesus’ masonry skills move to the next step—doing. Doing requires action. Get up and do something! Do what? Obey Jesus’ teachings you have studied the past year!

You can heed every teaching of this sermon, but until you act upon those teachings—they are powerless. This requires dedication. Doing, trusts God to help when you can’t help yourself. Doing, requires time in prayer: asking, seeking, knocking on how to live Jesus’ teachings—not just read them. 

If you make rules, but never enforce them, they cannot achieve their purpose. If you mix together all the ingredients for a cake but never bake it, it’s not a cake.

Knowing and believing are only part of the process. You must act. You may believe there are rewards for attitudes of humility, meekness, mercy, purity, and peacemaking, but believing is not doing. You can believe anger is as deadly as murder, but until you curb the anger it still controls.

You can believe in sexual purity, inside and outside of marriage, but if you are not living purity, your belief is powerless.

Remember, to have power—connect to the Source!  

PRAYER

God of Power, Please give me the power to live what I believe. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ wants me to act on His teaching—He helps me!