Skip to main content

Brokenness Part 3: POWER and HOPE!

 


I am musing about....

Brokenness...

 but also about POWER and HOPE!!

Does anyone else get a little concerned about the one-sided narrative we hear in many of the Gospel songs and on-line sermons, blog posts and various messages these days?

So often they highlight the reality that we are fallen, broken, flawed, and in need of a Savior!

All true. SO. VERY. TRUE.

We do not need less of this message. We need to keep it coming!

But there is more. Another part of the message that we need to be hearing more of.

And that is the narrative of God's Power! Of the reality of the potential (by God's grace and power) for living an overcoming life!

The narrative of how in Christ ...

We. Are. New.

Different!

It is a narrative of hope!

We are NOT the same as we were prior to our conversion, prior to surrendering to our Jesus.

We are now a NEW CREATURE.

His Spirit lives IN us !

And that makes all the difference in the world.

I repeat. That makes all the difference in the world!

Is our human nature still evil-bent? Is our capacity to sin and fail still a reality? Oh yes!

But do we now see life differently? Do we have a new perspective? A new love? Oh yes!

Can we overcome on our own?

Not for a minute!

But the beautiful thing is that we are no longer facing the enemy and his tactics on our own. We are now empowered by God's Holy Spirit dwelling, moving and working within us. 

ONLY by His grace can we overcome!

"I CAN DO all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me" Phil. 4:13

"Greater is HE WHO IS IN ME than he who is in the world"   John 4:4

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.   2 Cor. 5:17

Does this put too much emphasis on us and our own works?

Not at all. It is ONLY because of Jesus that we can do anything, let alone the right thing, the overcoming thing!

It is a beautiful message. One of hope and victory!

His amazing power; dwelling within us, activated by our Faith and our LOVE for Him!

Does expounding this narrative mean that people will feel like failures or experience shame when they are not victorious over sin? Is that the reason that we are not hearing this narrative shared more extensively in this present cultural moment? In the church of today?

I wonder.

We need to share the whole Gospel; the message of God's forgiveness and mercy, of His grace and justification.

He is a God of second chances; many of them! He responds in love to the heart of a repentant child!

But we need to share the pivotal part of the Gospel that speaks to the hope of overcoming as well!

May this message of both mercy AND victory abound! 

As God's children live overcoming lives, their testimony shines bright.

It is a beautiful way to show the world that Jesus is alive and well. Because He is helping His children live victorious lives over sin! 

 How amazing is that? How humbling!

 We are NEW!

We are DIFFERENT!

We ARE NOTHING without Him.

We are NEEDY!

We are RELIANT!

We are BLESSED!

We HAVE OVERCOMING POWER!

Because of JESUS!!

(The final part of this series, Part 4, will give a practical message relating to the HOW!)


                                    
























Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God Stories. What's yours?

    I am marveling at God stories. What's yours?? Our daughter has a good friend. Her name is Stephanie. She is creative, talented, bubbly, sensitive and loves Jesus! And she wrote a book. For kids. About God. Called Always Remember . It is different then most kid's books. It has a poetic lilt which is beautiful, but atypical in its cadence. It's wording is unique; yet lovely. It is simple and it is deep.  It's premise is pivotal, declaring Truth! It is almost layered in that each reading of this basically simple book helps peel back another level of understanding and appreciation. It is a book that is actually instructional. It should be read often as a way to reflect and then to live. The main theme is teaching kids (and adults alike) to... Stop. Ponder. Remember God. To see Him every day in everything. To align daily with who He is. It is beautifully illustrated, with large colorful pictures that engage, teach, enlighten and intrigue. She shared how the book was firs...
3 comments
Read more

There once was a fly....

  I am musing on a story that begins like this.... There once was a fly. There once was a fly. It lived in Salt Lake City. More specifically, in Kingsbury Hall on the campus of the University of Utah. Kingsbury Hall is the Performing Arts Center. So that fly had the opportunity to view many productions. Last night, that fly was viewing a televised production that likely millions were watching. As that fly buzzed around, it decided to land on a nice head of white hair. And stay there awhile. Little did he know, that he was sitting on the head of the Vice President of the United States. Little did he know how important the role of Vice President of the United States is. Little did he know how important the upcoming election which was being debated is. Little did he know how much of that country's future was at stake. Little did he know how many prayers were being offered for that man upon whose head he sat... and  for those he works with Little did he know of the challenges that...
2 comments
Read more

Did you know Our Brother Jim?

  Did you know our brother Jim? Did you ever talk to him? Because if you did It's safe to say, There's a good chance  you made his day. He loved people, There is no doubt  He liked to visit Liked to find things out Not in a gossipy sort of way That was not Jim's kind of way, He simply cared  Took an interest you see, He just enjoyed knowing  About you and me, He loved his Jesus With all his heart He leaned on him greatly He did from the start, After he surrendered, Back in 78, From that time on He served love from his plate, He enjoyed little kids Had a heart for the old, He loved to sing, Had a faith that was bold, Took care of his mom With kindness and care, Took her for rides, They were quite a pair, They gardened together, Made apple sauce, As boys worked on their farm, He was a fun, friendly boss, He was a farmer Through and through, He embraced all the things That grain farmers do, Then there was that day Five years ago, When things changed forever An acci...
5 comments
Read more