Do You Want To Have The Power?

"The greatness of a man's power is in the measure of his surrender." --William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army
"One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard:  'Power belongs to you, God'" (Psalm 62:11, NIV).
"His wisdom is profound, his power is vast..." (Job 9:4, NIV).
NB:  As Daniel 2:20, NIV, says, "... wisdom and power are his" so we must distinguish but never separate these two:  wisdom without power is pathetic; power without wisdom is frightening!  
"[H]aving a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with such people" (2 Tim. 3:5, NIV).  ALL EMPHASIS MINE.

Power is different strokes for different folks, as they say!  To some, it's knowledge or expertise (for even Sir Francis Bacon said, reiterating Prov. 24:5, "Knowledge is power").  Knowledge, falsely-so-called, sure isn't though!  To some it's money if they had the money they'd know how to use it to change the world; i.e., enough money.  To some, it's the power of music, all genres, or rather the power music holds over them--to arouse emotion, to relax, to put in a mood.  To others, the only power that counts is political or what can be exerted in an authoritarian or despotic manner to deny people their basic rights, liberty, and justice.

Sometimes husbands abuse their wives in the name of power or employees exploit workers.  Some religious extremists hijack their faith and do evil in its name; i.e., ISIS and the Taliban.  To religious fanatics (and even Christians were once guilty), they use power to force conversion in some cases or convert through a program of meditations, horoscopes, palm reading, yoga, TM, or other religious rituals and exercises.

To Christians though, power is knowing the Lord and being filled with the Spirit, to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (cf. Phil. 3:10).  There is even power to change our personalities!  Jesus said that the power would descend on us to evangelize the world and we cannot do this in our own power but must learn to abide in Christ.  The thing about our power is that it doesn't come from a force, but a person who loves us--a personality.  Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi wouldn't tell Luke Skywalker that the Force loves him!  A Force cannot love!   Remember, that force had a dark side; yet God is light and in Him is no darkness.  Yet tapping into this love is great power--we overcome evil with good and love is stronger than hate.  And this is what's available to all believers if they submit to the Lord and be filled.  There is so much untapped power out their from believers who haven't learned to avail themselves of God's power in the Spirit.

Today, we must beware of unchecked political power and the drive and lust to achieve it.  As Lord Acton's adage says:  "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely."  Plutarch also wondered:  "Who shall govern the governor?"   (Power can go to one's head!)  The divine right of kings is not unlimited, but to be checked by the courts and under a system of laws and a constitution to be moral.  The thing about power in all secular forms: it never satisfied but only gives an appetite for more power.  Only as believers in Christ can we be content to know the transforming power of God in our life and it's energy to overcome spiritual inertia.  Once you've experienced it, you want to pass it on and share it with others.  The world can never know this contentment and inner joy.   

Finally, as believers, we are transferred several things upon salvation:  peace of God, in our lives as well as peace with God; pardon from all our sins--past, present, and future; purpose for living as we devote our lives to God's kingdom, will, and glory; and also the power to change because Jesus is in the business of changing lives, and overcome sin, which is so dramatic it's a transformation or miracle in itself. 

CAVEAT:  IT WON'T ALL COME AT ONCE, THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT MUST BE GROWN AND WE MUST LEARN TO AVAIL OURSELVES OF THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN DOING GOD'S WILL.                 Soli Deo Gloria!

You Shall Be As Gods

"I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God (Isaiah 45:5, NIV).
"Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god (Isaiah 45:14, NIV).
"There is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me (Isaiah 45:21, NIV).
"Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:22, NIV).
"... Before me no god was formed, or will there be one after me" (Isaiah 43:10, NIV).

(Note that Erich Fromm, noted psychologist, wrote the book, You Shall Be As Gods, to downplay the validity and meaning of sin, and claimed that if we get rid of that notion we will be free to be our own gods, as it were, quoting Satan from Genesis 3:5.

God reveals His Son in us (cf. Gal. 1:16), and through us as ambassadors of reconciliation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20), and we are thus able to share in His divine nature (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4), but upon becoming sons of God, we do not become gods in the process! We are only "gods" in the sense that we rule over nature and are in the image of God.   We represent God to the lost:  "And whatever you do or say, do I as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father"  (Col. 3:17, NLT).

These are the famous words and rationale of Satan to Eve (cf. Gen. 3:5), that her eyes would be opened, knowing good and evil; this would make her as one of the gods (or like God).  We are not ever meant to be gods as the Mormons believe in their dogmatic theological axiom:  "As man is, God once was, and as God is, man may become."  This is the lie that has been perpetrated upon mankind since the beginning.  God isn't looking for men who want to be gods, but who desire godliness (cf. 2 Pet. 1:6-7) and to share in His divine nature (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4).  Jesus quoted from Psalm 82:6 (NASB):  "I said, 'You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High.'"  He did this to show their unreasonableness in begrudging Him to assume the title "Son of God."

He did this to make them realize that it wasn't farfetched that He claimed to be the Son of God, which was clarified in Psalm 2 as follows:  "... He said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You" (cf. Psalm 2:7).  We are born from above or again from God and inherit the right to be called the children of God according to John 1:12.  We are truly "children of God" by adoption and can claim as our privilege of God as our Father, but Jesus enjoys a unique Sonship that we don't, which is because of His deity.  It would be hard to believe that man can become God, but our gospel tells us that God became man, this is easier to believe.

Our privilege entitles us to unique authority in prayer as we approach the throne of grace with confidence and boldness (cf. Heb. 4:16) and represent Christ in the world as His emissaries and missionaries.  The problem with sinners is that they won't give up their authority over their lives (or others') to God in lordship.  We have to stop being our own gods and controlling our own destiny and start trusting in God's providence to make it happen for us.  It is never our prerogative to play God in someone's life or to lord it over God's sheep--we all answer to the same Chief Shepherd.  As Christians, we do have spiritual authority from God to be used in our gifts in their rightful domain, but this doesn't come with the right to lord it over others; we are to commend them to the Lord's care.

Though man may see himself as a god, he shall die like a man and be humbled in Psalm 82:7 (NASB):  "Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes."  The glory of Christ is that His deity stood out the most at his death and He didn't die like a mere man.   Great men of the past (in the world's eyes, that is) have often fancied themselves gods (just look at Augustus Caesar and his successors).  Jesus wasn't deified by men but claimed this authority and there was no discrepancy between His behavior, works, words, and His claims, which were verified by multiple witnesses.

If Jesus were not God, and this was His claim, He was the most deceived (and biggest deceiver) of men ever to walk this earth.  But He was no impostor and didn't beat around the bush with His claims.  The Pharisees knew who He was claiming to be, even though the disciples didn't figure it out till after the fact of the resurrection.  We have to commit ourselves to monotheism, and flee the sin of polytheism, which the Mormons have resorted to, and humble ourselves in the sight of God, that He may exalt us--for the way up is down in God's economy, just as John the Baptist said:  "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30, NASB).  Note that John (John 3:27, NASB) said, "... A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven."

Jesus never exalted Himself, but depended upon God the Father to give Him back the glory He gave up by becoming man for our sake.  Jesus via Scripture said in Isaiah 42:8 (NASB):  I am the LORD, that is MY name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images."  The ironic thing about John the Baptist's witness is that they thought he was the coming one and he had to bow to Jesus and His glory at His baptism or inauguration.

Now we are the icons of Christ, bearing His image to the world at large and the only Christ some will see is the one in us.  God the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work is to perfect us into that image and to make us useful for His work among the lost.  Paul summed it up well:  "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (cf. Col. 1:27).   That is, that others may see Jesus shining through you is the highest of compliments.  Now, the only authority we have is as servants of the Lord and to do His will, not to glorify ourselves or for financial gain--that is, we don't cash in on spiritual gifts, but their fruits are free and available to the body (note that I'm not referring to those supported by the church in ministry, etc.).

In summation, we must all come to the realization that there is a higher power we are accountable to besides the so-called "God-within" as New Agers will have you think, and this recognition of authority is what heals us in the final analysis, because we are not sovereign over ourselves but God is in control as Lord of all, whether we acknowledge it or not (we may find ourselves fighting God!).

This is really either the first step to recovery or the step toward a chaotic, self-defeating life.  We cannot control our own destiny but are subject to God's sovereignty, which is none the less limited because of our freedom.  We must all come to the epiphany that God is real and we are His servants, not independent gods--there is no middle ground.  Our glory is not that we are gods, but that we know God and have fellowship with Him!  Peter adds (again cf. 2 Pet. 1:6) that we should add "godliness" to our faith (not god-ness!).   Soli  Deo Gloria!

Recognizing A Man Of God

This term is used too loosely and the meaning has been defined in too many ways. Many men have been called men of God; I hope it hasn't gone to their heads!  The first thing people notice is your piety and religiosity.  They see you reading the Bible all the time or hear you witness to everyone you get a chance to.  Then you get a reputation for being a Christian and everyone is watching your every step! Once you get labeled your life is under a microscope and you are under the pressure to "perform." Notice that the Pharisees were thought to be men of God or of being pious for their long-winded prayers on the street corners and strict adherence to the letter of the law.  The real man of God doesn't think of himself that way but as being the chief of sinners--the closer your walk with Christ, the more aware you become of your failings and sins--especially ones of omission!  You think of all the missed chances you had, wasted opportunities, and good deeds you could have done and regretted it with perfect hindsight.  It has been said that if we watch our character, our reputation will take care of itself!

The man of God isn't measured by how religious he is, like how long he prays or how many hours he reads or studies the Bible--I've known babes in Christ who put mature men of God to shame in these categories.  There's nothing like the first love we have when converted and original fascination with the Word that latter becomes Bible fatigue or the same-old, same-old.  You can get the bug to witness and win people to Christ ("he who wins souls is wise," says Prov. 11:30), but sometimes this is just because this is his calling and gift and how God uses him--we are not all evangelists.  Some of us plant seeds, some water, and some reap, but God gives the increase all the way.  Many believers have memorized the Dance of the Pious and mimic Christian behavior, as it were, and some are just going through the motions or playing church, but have no reality the rest of the week.

The man of God knows his God and knows what God requires of him, being oriented to the will of God:  He senses some calling and knows how God uses him and is purpose-driven and grace-oriented (cf. 2 Pet. 1:10).  God has ownership of his life and he doesn't copy Christ's behavior as much as let Christ live through him. Gal. 2:20 shows the relinquished life, the exchanged life, and the surrendered life.  And so it isn't as much as trying to be like Christ as letting Christ live through you and in you. The man of God has confidence that he knows God's will and is brave to do it like Daniel who knew when to defy the king.  According to J. I. Packer knowing God entails having a great energy for God (being tireless and spiritually ambitious), being involved in great tasks (attempting great things for God, and expecting greater things from God), great boldness and courage for God (he's not afraid to stand up and be counted and show his Christian colors and take stands, even if unpopular), great thoughts of God (he meditates and is humbled by God's greatness which affects his thinking), and great contentment in his God--whether living or dying.  "He shall be strong and do exploits" (cf. KJV) or "stand firm and take action" (cf. HCSB), or "firmly resist him [the Antichrist]"  according to Dan. 11:32, NIV.  He is basically ready to meet his Maker.( Case in point:  St. Francis of Assisi was asked what he would do if he had one more hour to live while he was tending his garden, and he replied:  "I'd finish this row!" He had no unfinished business!)  Matthew Henry said that it is the duty of each day to prepare for like it were his last.  This is not being dismal, it is realism.

In the seventeenth century, it was every gentleman's hobby to do a discourse on biblical themes.  One can be very conversant and familiar with the Bible and know his way around the block theologically, even getting A's in theology class and hardly know his God.  You can know a lot about without knowing a lot of God.  It is said by Packer that a great deal of knowledge of God is better than a whole lot about God and the width of our knowledge about Him is no gauge of our knowledge of Him.  The man of God doesn't acquire knowledge for its own sake or as an end in itself, but as a means to an end.  Everyone doesn't need to be a scholar and God can use the uneducated just as well to do His will.

The man of God is a friend of God and sees God as both his Savior and Lord.  I've heard it said by William Jay of Bath that he is "a great sinner, but Christ is a great Savior."  Only when you see yourself as a real sinner, can Christ be a real Savior to you.  George Whitefield was known to say the famous line:  "There but for the grace of God, go I."  Both Paul and John Bunyan (Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and Pilgrim's Progress) saw themselves in the dim light in this regard.  What we have to do is realize what Paul said, "I am what I am by the grace of God" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:10).  And so humility and meekness are paramount, but this doesn't mean having low self-esteem, but not higher thoughts of yourself than necessary.  True humility is not about thinking less of yourself, but of thinking of yourself less!

You can be a man or woman of God being relatively ignorant of the Word, but applying what you do know and being faithful to it.  God isn't calling us to success but to faithfulness, according to St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  The more you know the more responsible you become! God makes the man or woman of God especially wise, full of knowledge and wisdom, even if that is not their gift: St. Teresa is credited with many sayings that survive her and scholars everywhere quote her; she was was a humble, and faithful servant.  God isn't looking for our achievements (God may burn up the ones we're most proud!) but our obedience!  "To obey is better than sacrifice" is what Samuel told King Saul in 1 Sam. 15:22.

There were three men of God in Scripture that "walked with God."  "Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God."  The others who did are Abraham and Enoch who took a final walk with God to paradise.  The man of God knows how to stay in fellowship with his Lord by keeping short accounts of his sins and making confession a discipline and constant practice.  He knows when he's having fellowship with his brother as a fruit of fellowship with the Father and the Son.  This implies that he prays without ceasing or what that means is that the communication line is always open and he makes himself available to hear from God--he is in sync with God and on the same page as his brothers.

Being in fellowship implies being filled with the Spirit, which is a continual, renewing thing, and not a one-time event.  As a result of this, he manifests the fruit of the Spirit throughout his life as a testimony.  Others see Christ in him and he models the Christian way (early believers were known as members of the Way).  In short, he knows Jesus who is the Way and therefore knows the Way--he knows what he is doing! Love is the telltale sign, to know Him is to love Him.  Jesus is not one of many ways, nor the best way, but the ONLY way, someone wise said.

As a corollary to the above, the man of God can find God and can recognize His presence.  He has found the Lord, or should I say the Lord has found him!  There may be times when God seems MIA and the whereabouts of God is in question, but He knows that he will eventually find him and won't give up on God during trials and tribulations, which don't make him bitter, but better.  He knows, for instance, that the same sun melts the butter, but hardens the clay.

The man of God knows what God is telling him and knows how to get it from the Word, though He may use other means like dreams or visions (God hasn't retired them).  A man of God should be and is a man of the Word and loves the Bible in that he relies on it and knows how to go to it with every problem and dilemma.  "O, how I love thy law.  It is my meditation all the day long," says Psalm 119:97. He respects the Word and the teaching of it and is a student of the Word making progress, even if not as fast as some. He who won't read the Bible is not better off than he who can't!  I've seen people of low reading skills become very adept at the Word because God gave them insight and illumination through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Understanding the Word is not a matter of intellect, but of the condition of our will, mind, and heart: Are they needy, receptive, open-minded, willing, and teachable?  Understanding the Word is not just for the scholar but for the man who knows his God and seeks His enlightenment to open the eyes of his heart (cf. Eph. 1:18).

The man of God is one of vision and purpose and knows what he wants out of life and of the Lord, and doesn't give up on his dreams or hopes.  He lives his life in light of eternity but not in the future or in the past.  You can do a lot of things and expend a lot of energy, but if you aren't purpose-driven you are just busy for its own sake and there is no virtue in being busy per se.  Sometimes you have time on your hands but you know how to redeem it and make the most of the opportunities and open doors that God gives.  As David said, "My times are in Your hand," in Psalm 31:15.  Therefore, he is never too busy for the Lord's work and never feels interrupted because God is in charge of his daily agenda and schedule.

Finally, the man of God lives in relinquishment to God's will and is constantly wondering about what Jesus would do or what God's will is: Whether he needs spiritual counseling or verification of a hunch.  He lives the substituted life with Christ living through Him (cf. Gal. 2:20).  God doesn't always spell it out but expects us to search for it and be devoted to it.  In my early days as a believer, I couldn't understand why some Christians were always wondering what God's will was, but this just showed that I wasn't ready for it and not that devoted to it.  In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed for the Father's will to be done nonetheless, and pronounced his amen in resignation! If He had to do it, so must we.  But if we are not willing to do God's will we will not know it. according to John 7:17!    Soli Deo Gloria!