Words with real power do transform lives

Words must come with real and visible power to transform. Words of God do that when the believers of Jesus carry the power of the words and the Holy Spirit into the harvest. In Acts 13-14 (quoted from Holy Bible NLT version in parts here) Paul and Barnabas demonstrated this truth. I shall quote only the parts wherein Paul preached a powerful sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (in today’s Turkey).

Acts 13:30-38

30 But God raised him from the dead! 31 And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.

32 “And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, 33 and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus:

‘You are my Son.

Today I have become your Father.[a]’

34 For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’[b] 35 Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’[c] 36 This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37 No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay.

38 [d]“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.

Footnotes:

13:33 Or Today I reveal you as my Son. Ps 2:7.

13:34 Isa 55:3.

13:35 Ps 16:10.

13:38 English translations divide verses 38 and 39 in various ways.

Acts 13:46-52

46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. 47 For the Lord gave us this command when he said,

‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles,

to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’[a]”

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. 49 So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region.

50 Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. 52 And the believers[b] were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes:

13:47 Isa 49:6.

13:52 Greek the disciples.

Acts 14:1-4

Paul and Barnabas in Iconium

14 The same thing happened in Iconium.[a] Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. 3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4 But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

Footnotes:

14:1 Iconium, as well as Lystra and Derbe (14:6), were towns in what is now Turkey.

an innumerable multitude of people had gathered

The word today is “multitudes”. Jesus heals the multitudes. The multitudes came to Him when Jesus was on earth to hear Him and be healed. The multitudes came with various motives. The multitudes responded according to their heart conditions. Jesus sowed the seed (His words) and the condition of the heart of each man in the multitudes determined what happened after that. In the parable of the sowing not all hearts bear a harvest in terms of the words heard. Some do not even germinate. Some have shallow roots and have backed off when encounter obstacles. Some are choked by the world in one’s heart. Only some become fruitful in varying degrees. The truth is: Jesus has come to this world in open and witnessed by many-the multitudes. Many have been given the chance to be saved and healed. Some have received and some have not. Is there another chance for the multitudes of today? Today is the chance. Reality check: heart condition.

Luk 1:10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

Luk 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

Luk 5:1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,

Luk 6:17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,

Luk 6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Luk 8:4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:

Luk 8:37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenesfn asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

Luk 8:40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.

Luk 9:12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”

Luk 9:16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.

Luk 9:37 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.

Luk 9:38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.

Luk 12:1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luk 13:17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

Luk 18:36 And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.

Luk 19:37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,

Luk 22:6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Luk 22:47 And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.

Luk 23:1 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.

Luk 23:27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

Twin promises that are prophesied and accomplished fact: salvation and healing

[1Pe 2:24 NKJV] 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.

[Isa 53:5 NKJV] 5 But He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace [was] upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

[Heb 9:28 NKJV] 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

[Rom 7:6 NKJV] 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not [in] the oldness of the letter.

I SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR

Written around Easter in 1932, in the Great Depression, and also when a Jewish student bluntly challenged Ackley – ‘why worship a dead Jew?’ Ackley’s prompt response presaged the title of the hymn he later wrote. This hymn has impacted my own life since young. When confronted of my faith by various external factors beyond my control, I always thought of this hymn. I have learned that our circumstances do not make the man. The test of my CHRISTIAN FAITH is in my internal personal life. Am I living by the Spirit of Christ? I have learned that inner strength can only come from a supernatural living God with whom I have my daily relationship and communion. 

Our life is our proof that our Savior really lives. 

Romans 8:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

HYMN: I SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR

1

I serve a risen Savior
He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy;
I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him
He’s always near.He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

2

In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And though my heart grows weary,
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading,
Through all the stormy blast;
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.

3

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
To Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him,
The Help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.

Lyrics and Music: Alfred Henry Ackley (1887-1960)

12TH WEEK 5TH DAY: WHAT HAD THE LAMB DONE ON THE WOODEN CROSS

WHAT HAD THE LAMB OF GOD-JESUS DONE ON THE WOODEN CROSS? He shed His redemption blood. He had broken the curse. He had taken away the power of death. He had set free. 

(ALL SCRIPTURES ARE QUOTED IN New King James Version (NKJV) (Boldness and italics added)

Hebrews 2:14-15  14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 2:13 2 Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 8:17
2. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:18

Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Hebrews 9:12

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. In Context

Hebrews 9:14

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? In Context

Hebrews 9:18

Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. In Context |

Hebrews 9:22

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. In Context

Hebrews 10:4

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. In Context

Hebrews 10:19

[ Hold Fast Your Confession ] Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, In Context

Hebrews 10:29

Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? In Context

Hebrews 11:28

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. In Context

Hebrews 12:24

to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. In Context

Hebrews 13:11

For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. In Context

Hebrews 13:12

Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. In Context

Hebrews 13:20

[ Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell ] Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, In Context

RESPONSE HYMN: JUST AS I AM

1

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

2

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

3

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

4

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

5

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

6

Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Lyrics:

Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871)

Music:

William Batchelder Bradbury (1816-1868)

Best Christmas present from the King

God sent His Christmas present through the preaching of a small church's junior pastor

last Sunday. He was following his routine sermon series throughout the season and finally came to the last chapter of Matthew. He decided to complete the series so he could get on to another book next year. But it turned out to be the best present this year. As he preached the truth about the resurrection of Jesus this watchman opened the Bible to 1 Corinthians 15 which declares clearly what a Christian could best receive as a Christian. What makes a Christian different from others? What is the only good gift that we receive that others will not until he or she receives the Son of God, Jesus as Savior and Lord? Yes, the Power that raised Christ from the dead, the same Power gives life to our mortal body. Yes, Salvation from Jesus means living His super abundant Life (John 10:10) on earth and Resurrection (John 3:16; 11:25-26) to be with God after death of the mortal body!

Romans 8:11 (The resurrection power God gives through the Holy Spirit to those who believe)

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Ephesians 1:19-23 (NKJV) (Paul's prayer for us to know this:)

¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
²² And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Corinthians 15 New International Version (NIV) (quoted in parts; boldness added)

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas,^[b] and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, ⁸ and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born... ¹¹ Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, ... ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. ²⁴ Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For he “has put everything under his feet.”^[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. ²⁸ When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

²⁹ Now if there is no resurrection, ...what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”^[d]

³³ Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”^{[e] 34} Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” ³⁶ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷ When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body...
⁴² So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ⁴³ it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.... ⁴⁹ And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we^[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.
⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable...⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[h]

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”^[i]

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 15:3 Or you at the first
2. 1 Corinthians 15:5 That is, Peter
3. 1 Corinthians 15:27 Psalm 8:6
4. 1 Corinthians 15:32 Isaiah 22:13
5. 1 Corinthians 15:33 From the Greek poet Menander
6. 1 Corinthians 15:45 Gen. 2:7
7. 1 Corinthians 15:49 Some early manuscripts so let us
8. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
9. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14

Freedom from fears

never before seen
such ample bountiful rich
blooms defying drought
————————————-
Sometimes we go through a prolonged spell of heat and drought. It seems very difficult to carry on living even the routine living human beings are equipped to live. The mind simply tells us self-talks that discourage and depress us further.
Today we read what Jesus says instead. All these words have come true. What Jesus has promised has happened. Those who believe in Jesus have experienced the abundant life through the power of the Holy Spirit He has given to His believers. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty – freedom from bondages, oppressions, depressions, infirmities, and all hindrances that block us from taking and living the abundant, super-sufficient life that Jesus has promised.
John 10
⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
John 7
³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing^[g] in Him would receive; for the Holy^[h] Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 4
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Luke 11
¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
2 Corinthians 3:14-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.