Saturday, January 04, 2014

Excellency of the Power

Here is a short but wonderful article form my friend and mentor, Dr. Bill Burnside,


Excellency of the Power

We're in for a bitterly cold week-end almost nationwide with snow and ice pellets in the forecast. The snow is beautiful and the ice is cold! And the wind is blowing and making a winter wonderland. We can appreciate the beauty and fierceness of a blizzard when we're inside a warm home with plenty of food, water, heat, and light. So our best prayer for today is that no one loses power in this storm. Many of us would be without heat as well as light if the power should fail. Some even would have no water. Be thankful you have power and tell that to the Lord.
        
Power! how vital for our walk with the Lord. "Without Me you can do nothing!" Jesus told us. "Then the angel who talked with me . . . said, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by [man's] power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." Zech. 4:5-6
        
And the Apostle Paul wrote, ". . . My message [came] in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." 1 Cor. 2:4-5

One way to glorify God is to recognize and acknowledge our utter dependence on Him for life and breath and all our needs. Without the power He gives us we do not even have the physical strength we need to take care of ourselves and those given to us to care for. But His grace, strength, power is sufficient for us: "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. . . ." 2 Peter 1:3 NIV Thank Him for it.
        
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Cor. 4:7 And be thankful that His power never fails! "I can do all things [that God calls on me to do] through Christ who strengthens me [gives me power]." Phil. 4:13

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