Power To Sustain
Power To Sustain
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28
A certain battery brand used to advertise that its batteries would keep going long past the average battery life. The brand was made famous by its pink Bunny mascot, wearing sunglasses and playing a drum, tirelessly marching across the television screen. Viewers were meant to believe that this battery would go on practically forever. That is a quality that people tend to value: unending, unfaltering power.
We flocked to films about superhuman strength or ability. We take our warm homes, working ovens, and functioning cars for granted. Of course, we know that batteries eventually give up. Superheroes, as strong as they appear, have weaknesses that threaten their victories. Even electricity is not a sure thing, as we can see when the power goes out during a thunderstorm.
The only unending source of power and strength comes from God! He's the very best One to turn to if we need to keep going. His power has a built-in recharge. When we stay plugged in and connected to Him, His restoration of our hearts, habits, attitudes, and energy is automatic. When we are weak, He is strong.
Increasingly, the more we acknowledge our inabilities before God, the more He can do in our lives. The more we lay down the idea of control and power on our own, the more powerful we allow God to be in our circumstances. God will sustain us no matter what. He keeps going, and going, and going , , ,
+++
One of the challenges we face in our modern, technological society is that we believe we can do anything ourselves! We don’t really need anyone. Couple this with what we see in the lives of people we are around. People are on their phones all the time. We live surrounded by people, but we live in isolation. This fosters the idea that we are in this life all by ourselves. We have lost the sense of connection with other people and this view of life has even filtered into the Church.
If there is one thing we can learn as we read through the New Testament, it is that God’s people need each other. We see this throughout the Book of Acts and beyond through the rest of the New Testament. The Apostles counted on each other. They taught those early Christian to be there for one another. The supported each other with their gifts and offerings. They broke bread together. They lived in relationship with each other and with God.
The men who wrote our Scripture by the guidance of God did so with transparent honesty. The did not sugarcoat anything. When they were hurting or tired, we see it. When they are fearful and lonely, it shows. When they didn’t know where to God or what to do, the turned to God and each other.
Paul even writes: And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
The words of the Apostles are the testimony of God. Their very lives are a witness to the presence of God and His ability to sustain them regardless of the worldly circumstances they faced.
Think about it! If you were standing before the executioner and were told, “Recant or die.” What would you do? How can a man or woman face their own death when a simple word could mean their “salvation”? The answer is the power of God to sustain them which enabled them to witness the truth of Jesus even though it meant certain death. This was the plight of almost all the apostles and countless others throughout the ages.
Thankfully, we are not facing persecution as God’s people today. But the challenges we face are no less emotionally trying. We endure hardships, loss, pain, and suffering. We often feel like we are going through everything alone and in this there can be despair. But we are not alone! We are the people of God in the world today! We are the Church, the Body of Christ. And we are Family!
We can count on each other. But we all can seek to be more diligent in connecting with one another and entering into life together so that we understand what others are facing and be there to support them.
In addition to all this, there is the presence of God in our lives. God the Holy Spirit has come to all of us. He has made His home within our very hearts where He is constantly working to accomplish God’s will in us and through us. It is the very presence of God in our lives which empowers us to face life In this world with confidence and hope!
Draw close to God and His promise is that He will draw close to you. Trust in Him for as Isaiah said, He is the Creator of all things and He is your Creator. You are His Child and He loves you. Hold onto Him because He is holding onto you and He will never let you go.
Blessings this week,
Pastor Russ
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.” Isaiah 40:28
A certain battery brand used to advertise that its batteries would keep going long past the average battery life. The brand was made famous by its pink Bunny mascot, wearing sunglasses and playing a drum, tirelessly marching across the television screen. Viewers were meant to believe that this battery would go on practically forever. That is a quality that people tend to value: unending, unfaltering power.
We flocked to films about superhuman strength or ability. We take our warm homes, working ovens, and functioning cars for granted. Of course, we know that batteries eventually give up. Superheroes, as strong as they appear, have weaknesses that threaten their victories. Even electricity is not a sure thing, as we can see when the power goes out during a thunderstorm.
The only unending source of power and strength comes from God! He's the very best One to turn to if we need to keep going. His power has a built-in recharge. When we stay plugged in and connected to Him, His restoration of our hearts, habits, attitudes, and energy is automatic. When we are weak, He is strong.
Increasingly, the more we acknowledge our inabilities before God, the more He can do in our lives. The more we lay down the idea of control and power on our own, the more powerful we allow God to be in our circumstances. God will sustain us no matter what. He keeps going, and going, and going , , ,
+++
One of the challenges we face in our modern, technological society is that we believe we can do anything ourselves! We don’t really need anyone. Couple this with what we see in the lives of people we are around. People are on their phones all the time. We live surrounded by people, but we live in isolation. This fosters the idea that we are in this life all by ourselves. We have lost the sense of connection with other people and this view of life has even filtered into the Church.
If there is one thing we can learn as we read through the New Testament, it is that God’s people need each other. We see this throughout the Book of Acts and beyond through the rest of the New Testament. The Apostles counted on each other. They taught those early Christian to be there for one another. The supported each other with their gifts and offerings. They broke bread together. They lived in relationship with each other and with God.
The men who wrote our Scripture by the guidance of God did so with transparent honesty. The did not sugarcoat anything. When they were hurting or tired, we see it. When they are fearful and lonely, it shows. When they didn’t know where to God or what to do, the turned to God and each other.
Paul even writes: And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
The words of the Apostles are the testimony of God. Their very lives are a witness to the presence of God and His ability to sustain them regardless of the worldly circumstances they faced.
Think about it! If you were standing before the executioner and were told, “Recant or die.” What would you do? How can a man or woman face their own death when a simple word could mean their “salvation”? The answer is the power of God to sustain them which enabled them to witness the truth of Jesus even though it meant certain death. This was the plight of almost all the apostles and countless others throughout the ages.
Thankfully, we are not facing persecution as God’s people today. But the challenges we face are no less emotionally trying. We endure hardships, loss, pain, and suffering. We often feel like we are going through everything alone and in this there can be despair. But we are not alone! We are the people of God in the world today! We are the Church, the Body of Christ. And we are Family!
We can count on each other. But we all can seek to be more diligent in connecting with one another and entering into life together so that we understand what others are facing and be there to support them.
In addition to all this, there is the presence of God in our lives. God the Holy Spirit has come to all of us. He has made His home within our very hearts where He is constantly working to accomplish God’s will in us and through us. It is the very presence of God in our lives which empowers us to face life In this world with confidence and hope!
Draw close to God and His promise is that He will draw close to you. Trust in Him for as Isaiah said, He is the Creator of all things and He is your Creator. You are His Child and He loves you. Hold onto Him because He is holding onto you and He will never let you go.
Blessings this week,
Pastor Russ
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