All posts tagged: Power

2-scriptures to help you in our fight against sin

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Sometimes when we discover certain verses of scripture, we go “bingo, I have found the answer to everything.” We kind of hold on to that verse as if it were the last word on the subject. If we are not careful, we can easily be lead into error. How so, you may ask? For example, when we read something like – “if you ask anything in my name I will do” we might think this is it, “he said and that settles it.” Well, there is a qualifier to that verse – and if we fail to take it into consideration, we could fall into error. The qualifier says, “if you ask anything according to my will.” The two scriptures I’m about to use today can sometimes seem opposed one to the other – at least some would like to make them look so. But I think they compliment or qualify one another. A clear understanding of these two scriptures is key to gaining the victory and staying victorious over sin. 1. It is the kindness/goodness of the Lord …

Influence

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Are you in a position of influence? How do you use it? How do you see it understand it? How does it stack up with authority and power? The following is a collection of thoughts that can shape your thinking on the subject: “He who has great power should use it lightly.” – Seneca “I strongly believe that the responsibility of leadership is to shape the debate—to practice and project the right attributes—whether in a business enterprise, in our society, and even in our religions.” — Farooq Kathwari “Ill can he rule the great that cannot reach the small.” — Edmund Spenser “In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people … they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.” — Ken Blanchard “No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.” — Abraham Lincoln “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” — Kenneth Blanchard “There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life.” …

Holy Spirit Fall

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Sometimes I wonder why Acts of the Apostles is actually called – Acts of the Apostles. From my understanding of the entire book, there is just one person fueling, empowering and anointing these apostles to work miracles, signs and wonders – the Holy Spirit. So, why is the book not called – The Acts of the Holy Spirit? What I mean to say is: If we are to wait for, seek the power the Spirit, that should tell us that we can do nothing without him… Acts 1:8 – you shall receive power… If we are to walk by the Spirit to be victorious over the flesh, that should cause us to rely on him more… Gal. 5:16-18 – live by the Spirit… If the only way we can belong to Christ or be a part of Him is through His Spirit, that should speak volumes of how desperately we need him… Rom. 8:9 – we don’t belong to him… If apart from Him we can do nothing – that we should do everything in our power …

Fear is not real – It’s a choice…

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2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and sound-mind. The only thing we have to fear is fear it’self – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. FDR – First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933 What are fears but voices airy? Whispering harm where harm is not. And deluding the unwary Till the fatal bolt is shot! Wordsworth Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. Edgar Wallace – The Clue of the Twisted Candle (1916) All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears–of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before a Rotary Club, and of the words “Some Assembly Required. Dave Barry Am I afraid of high notes? Of course I am afraid. What sane man is not? Luciano Pavarotti Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is. German Proverb I was particularly struck by Will Smith’s …

What is the chief end of man?

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WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Psalm 86; Isaiah 60:21; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 10:31 Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him? A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. Psalm 16:5-11; Psalm 144:15; Luke 2:10; Philippians 4:4 Q. 3. What do the Scriptures principally teach? A. The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Matthew 19:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2Peter 3:2, 15-16 Q. 4. What is God? A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Deuteronomy 4:2; Isaiah 8:20; John 20:30-31; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 John 1:4 Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one? A. There is …

Too hot for him to handle

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A few years ago one of best friends lived in Accra, Ghana. He got his monthly pay check one beautiful Friday just before he left work. His first stop was at a local bank where he cashed his check than sped to the local market to get supplies for the weekend. After walking around for a few minutes, he reached into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. To his surprise, it was gone together with every penny he had to his name. He didn’t know that someone had picked his pocket and lifted his wallet. He sat down in disbelief wondering how he was going to get through the month. Well, being a godly, praying man of God, he bowed his head and said a prayer. After the amen was said, my friend decided to stay seated for a few more minutes, as he braced himself for a few difficult days ahead. All of a sudden, a young man showed up with my friend’s wallet in his hand . The young man shaking and sweating, …

Edging God Out – Episode Four

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Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Ephesians 5:14 Today we are going to talk about the fourth lesson in the story of a prophet going down. Jonah not only refuses to share his faith, cultivate intimacy with God in his presence, care deeply for the welfare of others, but today we see him edging God out of his prayer life. The bible tells us that Jonah was asleep at the bottom of the ship. Someone may say well, hold it right there, Jonah prays in the belly of the fish.. That’s prayer! You are right, that is prayer – but that is not a prayer life. Unfortunately, for a lot of people, the only time they pray is when they are in trouble or when they want God to do something for them. They seem to have no use for God or no relationship with him when things are going great. Prayer is more than just coming to God for something – it is …