Tag: jesusspeaks.com

Relying on God’s Power, Not ours

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

                Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written:  ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’  But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”  Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”  Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”  Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you” (Mathew 26: 31-35.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

               Peter boldly rejected Christ’s prophecy; he vainly exalted himself above the other disciples, saying, “Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”  Despite great effort, he would go on to deny the Lord three times before morning.  Without Jesus, Peter failed to maintain his faith in the midst of crippling fear (The Lord had been his comforter; his protector; and his provider; without him, Peter became as weak as any other man.)  Jesus promised that he would eventually send a replacement; after his resurrection and ascension, he fulfilled his commitment; Peter and the other disciples received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost [the Holy Spirit is the fullness of God dwelling within the human heart.]  After receiving God’s Spirit, Peter’s strength was restored; he immediately entered a crowded temple and boldly preached the gospel.  The Peter that denied Christ leaned on his own strength; the Peter that proclaimed Christ relied upon God’s power.  For the sake of Christ, Peter went on to endure beatings, imprisonment, persecutions without number, and even death [he was crucified upside down in the city of Rome.]  Without God, it is impossible to accomplish even the simplest tasks.  With God, it is possible to move mountains.

               Peter shares the experience of divine empowerment with some other notable men of the bible.  While the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, a young Hebrew man named Moses who had grown up in Pharaoh’s household, believed it was his destiny to free his people.  One day, Moses witnessed an Egyptian task master, beating one of his countrymen.  Filled with rage, and a sense of duty, he killed the Egyptian.  In an effort to conceal his crime, he buried the body beneath the sand.  The body was discovered, and a few days later, Moses’ life was in jeopardy.  Alone, and defeated, he fled to the desert and became a shepherd.  For decades he cared for livestock.  At the age of 80 God appeared to him and instructed him to return to Egypt to free his people.  He responded by telling God he wasn’t ‘the right man for the job.’  He no longer believed he was capable of accomplishing the task.  A once prideful and self-reliant young man, had become an old man who recognized his own weakness (apart from God); he was finally ready to be used by the Lord.  The young Moses, with his own power, was unable to bury a single Egyptian.  The mature Moses, with God’s power, led a nation to freedom, and buried the entire Egyptian army beneath the waves of the red sea.

               Western culture promotes self-reliance; in the divine culture, reliance upon God is paramount.  Is there anything in your life that you are trying to accomplish on your own?  Are you attempting to endure a difficult trial unaided?  Are you struggling to overcome an addiction in isolation?  Do you look to God for provision, or are you the provider?  Your best efforts will never compare to the works of God.  No matter how large the obstacle, or how great the need, if you humble yourself, you will harness the power of the one true and living God.  Do this, and you will be able to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4: 13.)

               “Lord Heavenly Father, we honor and praise You.  You are an amazing God.  Apart from You we are weak and incapable of accomplishing good things.  Be our strength; may we rely upon You and not upon ourselves.  Give us victory over the things that cause us to stumble; may we stand firm, may we endure, and may we overcome.  May our hearts be humble, and our lived filled with joy.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.

Embracing Change

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

                “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled and the wineskins will be ruined.  But new wine must be put in to new wineskins and both are preserved.  And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better’” (Luke 5: 37-39.) 

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                In the ancient world, when an animal was slaughtered the stomach and the bladder were extracted and utilized to store and transport valuable liquids.  Wine was a very common first century beverage.  Unlike water, wine underwent a process known as fermentation; during which gases were produced; these gases caused the wineskins to swell and expand.  The older wineskins were hard and inflexible (like leather.)  As the new wine expanded, it would cause them to tear open.  Therefore, unfermented wine was always placed in to new wineskins.  In this illustration, the old wineskins represent old ideas, habits, and beliefs that are incompatible with the new life God has offered through His Son Jesus Christ.  Most people desperately cling to their old lives; yet those who follow Jesus Christ must let go of the old and grab hold of the new; they must no longer fear change; but rather, they must fully embrace it.

                Shortly after becoming a Christian, God began to make some very serious changes in my life.  For many years I had enjoyed listening to secular rap music and heavy metal.  One day God showed me how it was negatively affecting my spirit.  So, I made a commitment to only listen to worship music (which was positive, clean, and uplifting.)  My appetite for the old music was strong; at first the new music wasn’t appealing to me; but slowly I began to enjoy it.  Soon I was joyfully singing along with the songs; I noticed my attitude was more positive; my thoughts were more peaceful; I even began to smile with ever greater frequency [Note: today, the old songs are no longer appealing to me; I even find them repulsive.]  God has made similar changes in every area of my life.  He has healed me; the old things have passed away; behold, He “has made all things new.”

                God desires to pour His Spirit in to the hearts and minds of those who are willing to receive it.  His Spirit produces great transformation.  We must let go of our fears; we must become willing to change; we must not be rigid and inflexible; only in embracing and allowing God to transform us, will we truly experience new life.  Let go of your old ideas, habits, and beliefs, and receive the fullness of God’s Spirit.  Allow Him to guide and direct you and He will lead you into His everlasting peace and eternal joy.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we ask that You make wonderful transformations in our hearts and minds.  May we become flexible; may we embrace change.  Jesus, we desire to become more like You; remove any habits, ideas, or beliefs that stand in the way of our growth; destroy the old and bring forth the new.  May we experience the fullness of Your Holy Spirit.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.

Desperation Leads to Faith

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

             Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground.  So he asked his Father, “How long has this been happening to him?”  And he said, “From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose (Mark 9: 20-28.)            

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                The Disciples were unable to cure this boy; Jesus arrived on the scene, and the boy’s Father was so desperate to have his son healed he begged Jesus to help him.  The Father had lived his entire life in fear; his son was being attacked by a demon, and the Man was helpless to do anything for his Son.  His tears revealed his level of desperation.  Faith is often revealed in moments of desperation.  The Father believed in his moment of despair that Jesus Christ could heal his son.  He had faith in the Lord.

                My journey with God didn’t begin with a strong faith in Jesus Christ.  Instead, it began when I realized that I needed a miracle.  There was an impassible and immovable obstacle which stood in my way.  I knew that many people had had their lives changed by Jesus Christ; I had heard so many testimonies of others being healed that in my time of desperation, I chose to go to the one person who could do the impossible.  So I began to read the bible, and to attend church, and to pray, and you know what…?  I found my miracle, and far more than that, I found the truth, and eternal life.  The obstacle that was in my way has been removed by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Today, when I go through some sort of trial, or I’m afraid, and anxious, my first course of action isn’t to call a friend, or to reach out to someone for advice or comfort.  Instead, I go off alone, often times for a walk, and I pray to God.  I let God know about my worries, and my struggles, and I look to him for comfort, guidance, and direction before I look to others.

                Today, many people are facing some impossible obstacle and they need a miracle.  Jesus Christ can give them that miracle, if they are desperate enough to believe that for God, “All things are possible to him who believes.”  When you struggle, when trials come your way, might I suggest that the first thing you do is take some time to pray, and to talk with God.  Go to him first in those moments of desperation, and if you believe, he will do the impossible for you.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, first we lift You up; You are an awesome and mighty God.  You are so full of truth and wisdom and we love You.  Help us Lord to make You the first person we turn to in times of trouble.  Give us a heart to believe; help us with our unbelief.  Also, give us a heart of love for others, and a compassion for those who are looking for the miracle that You might have in store for them.  Make us the kind of people that are not condemning of the lost, or those who are desperate, but fill us with Your love for them Father.  We love You Lord, we thank You, and we praise You, and we ask all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.