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Power For Life
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
The new year is a week old and rife with advise on everything from how to live healthy to save money. There’s nothing new about that. The same thing happens every year powerfully underscoring Solomon’s observation there’s nothing new under the sun.
The wise king was right. Yes, the world has changed since Solomon’s time. Even a dinosaur like me can see that. New inventions spring up everyday. But Solomon knew that no matter what gadgets we come up with and no matter how we draw the map, Man remains unchanged. The social issues of today are all recycled problems.
The Man who defied God’s command in the Garden for a chance to: “ be as gods, knowing good and evil” is no different thousands of years later. We aspire to the same good and fall victim to the same sin as Adam.
The words of Jesus Christ, standing alone, are merely more good advise. However, His words do not stand alone. They are inseparable from the Man. Jesus readily admitted it was one thing to say you were the son of God and another thing to demonstrate the requisite power. He made it a point of linking His word to His ability to perform.
Here are three direct quotes:
Distraught over the existence of hypocrites? Jesus advises:
but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
The Kingdom established in Christ is a reflection of the King. It exists not it claims of new life, but in the power to live new lives; lives rooted and grounded in the King himself. Jesus Christ is the new thing under the sun. Born independent of Man, He lived a holy life; He worked the works of God; laid low the power of sin to dominate Man; and rose from the grave to everlasting life. But Christianity doesn’t stop there. Christianity is the offer of God, through Christ, to extend the Life and Power exhibited by Jesus to every single follower.
The only requirement is to accept the offer. It’s the only one you’ll receive this year (or any other) that will produce a totally new you. It’s not a glamorous as the slimmer, sexier, healthier you advertised in the media. I won’t tell you it’s easy. It won’t all happen over night. It may even make some of the people you love angry.
So why bother? Well, do you want a new you or not? If trusting in your own will power and inner goodness is working for you, this is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you want power to perform instead of advise from the untroubled--try Jesus. This offer is limited only by the beating of your heart. Act today.
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