There are times when I love reading the Bible due to the rich treasures that fill my soul. Then there are times when I find it very difficult to read the Bible due to my own busyness and clouded heart. At other times, I find the Bible difficult to read because its truth hits too close to home. When this happens I have a choice to make: Ignore the truth and stop reading, OR allow the truth to change me.
Thankfully, I make the right choice most of the time:) Recently I came across one of these “hard to swallow” passages of scripture. Quite honestly, the text was more alarming to me than it was hard to swallow. 2 Timothy 3:1-4 says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -” All of us can probably say “ouch” to that!
As serious and “close to home” as those first four verses were, what really alarmed me was verse 5. It says, “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” The tendency is to say, “glad that ain’t me!” and move on. However, what if it were us? What if we are those people that have a form of godliness, but deny the power of God? What if that were us on Sundays? What if that were us when we serve in ministry? What if that were us as we lead our homes? What is that were us on our jobs and before our friends?
The truth is each of us has a “form of godliness.” The real question is does that form deny the power of God or facilitate the power of God in our lives? I hope it does the latter and not the former!
Seeking to NOT deny the power of God,
Jeff Powell
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
How to live supernaturally
John chapter 2 records for us the first miracle Jesus ever did - turning water into wine at a wedding banquet. At the end of this narrative about this first miracle, John 2:11 says, “He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” How did Jesus reveal His glory? By doing the supernatural among the natural. He took what was natural (water) and made it into something supernatural (wine) and thus His glory was revealed!
Just as Jesus took something natural (water) and turned it into something supernatural (wine), He desires to do the same with us. He desires to take our natural lives and turn them into supernatural lives and thus reveal His glory through us!
In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said it this way, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”
Our natural lives become supernatural lives anytime we allow His Spirit to shine through our thoughts, words, and actions. The result? God gets praised!
So what is the key to allowing God to reveal His glory through us? It is found back in the water to wine story in John 2. Jesus' mother gives us the key. John 2:5 says, “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” That my friends is the key - do whatever Jesus tells you to do and your natural self will be turned into supernatural living revealing the glory of God! May each of us shine brightly for Jesus by doing exactly what He tells us to do!
Blessings,
Jeff Powell
Just as Jesus took something natural (water) and turned it into something supernatural (wine), He desires to do the same with us. He desires to take our natural lives and turn them into supernatural lives and thus reveal His glory through us!
In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said it this way, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”
Our natural lives become supernatural lives anytime we allow His Spirit to shine through our thoughts, words, and actions. The result? God gets praised!
So what is the key to allowing God to reveal His glory through us? It is found back in the water to wine story in John 2. Jesus' mother gives us the key. John 2:5 says, “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” That my friends is the key - do whatever Jesus tells you to do and your natural self will be turned into supernatural living revealing the glory of God! May each of us shine brightly for Jesus by doing exactly what He tells us to do!
Blessings,
Jeff Powell
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Are You Greedy?
Most would not see themselves as greedy. Most would see themselves as generous. Most view themselves this way because they compare themselves to others. Is this the best way to determine weather or not we are greedy? Andy Stanley on page 153 of Enemies of the Heart says:
Greed is conquered with generosity.
Generous giving will break the grip of greed on your life. So whether or not you think you have extra, give and give generously. You’ve got to give to the point that it forces you to adjust your lifestyle. If you’re not willing to give to the point that it impacts your lifestyle, then according to Jesus you’re greedy. If you’re consuming to the point of having little or nothing left to give, you’re greedy. If you’re consuming and saving to the point that there’s little or nothing to give, you’re greedy.
I know, that’s strong. Actually, it’s harsh.
But it’s true.
Maybe this is a bit hard for you to swallow because you’ve never had a greedy thought in your life. Maybe you feel compassion every time you see someone in need. And in your heart you really do want to help. You want to give, but you can’t. Or you won’t. Why? Because you’re afraid you won’t have enough. But your heart genuinely goes out to those in need. So is it fair to say you’re greedy? Yes. Because greed is not a feeling; it’s a refusal to act.
Fellowship Church, may WE refuse to be greedy, not by our feelings, but rather by our actions of generosity!
Seeking to be more generous,
Jeff Powell
Greed is conquered with generosity.
Generous giving will break the grip of greed on your life. So whether or not you think you have extra, give and give generously. You’ve got to give to the point that it forces you to adjust your lifestyle. If you’re not willing to give to the point that it impacts your lifestyle, then according to Jesus you’re greedy. If you’re consuming to the point of having little or nothing left to give, you’re greedy. If you’re consuming and saving to the point that there’s little or nothing to give, you’re greedy.
I know, that’s strong. Actually, it’s harsh.
But it’s true.
Maybe this is a bit hard for you to swallow because you’ve never had a greedy thought in your life. Maybe you feel compassion every time you see someone in need. And in your heart you really do want to help. You want to give, but you can’t. Or you won’t. Why? Because you’re afraid you won’t have enough. But your heart genuinely goes out to those in need. So is it fair to say you’re greedy? Yes. Because greed is not a feeling; it’s a refusal to act.
Fellowship Church, may WE refuse to be greedy, not by our feelings, but rather by our actions of generosity!
Seeking to be more generous,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
How does Tim Tebow WIN?
Last Sunday, I watched with joy and amazement as Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to a playoff victory. Much has been written about his 316 passing yards and his 31.6 average yards per completed throw. And the parallel has been drawn between these stats and the verse, John 3:16.
Aside from these conversations, there is another reality concerning Tebow mania. And that reality is that Tebow is a winner! He loves to win, not just in football, but in life. What does it take to WIN?
W orship - Worship is adoring God, thanking Him, it is being in awe of Him. My day began really bad today, but as I drove to the office, I conversed with God and declared to Him that even though there was heaviness in my heart, I knew that His Son was still there and wanted to shine through the darkness of my life at that moment. Worship - it is all about God!
I ntegrity - you know if you have it and you know if you don’t. If you do, your actions remain consistent the MAJORITY of the time even when no one is watching you. Integrity paves the road for blessings from God!
N ever give up. Another word for this is persistence. The mark of any winner, is they persist until they WIN. They never give up, even when faced with defeat. After WWII, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School. He stood before the students and said, “Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” May we never give up on God!
If you decide to Worship God, live a life of Integrity, and Never give up; you will WIN in life, just as Tebow does!
Winning,
Jeff Powell
Aside from these conversations, there is another reality concerning Tebow mania. And that reality is that Tebow is a winner! He loves to win, not just in football, but in life. What does it take to WIN?
W orship - Worship is adoring God, thanking Him, it is being in awe of Him. My day began really bad today, but as I drove to the office, I conversed with God and declared to Him that even though there was heaviness in my heart, I knew that His Son was still there and wanted to shine through the darkness of my life at that moment. Worship - it is all about God!
I ntegrity - you know if you have it and you know if you don’t. If you do, your actions remain consistent the MAJORITY of the time even when no one is watching you. Integrity paves the road for blessings from God!
N ever give up. Another word for this is persistence. The mark of any winner, is they persist until they WIN. They never give up, even when faced with defeat. After WWII, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School. He stood before the students and said, “Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” May we never give up on God!
If you decide to Worship God, live a life of Integrity, and Never give up; you will WIN in life, just as Tebow does!
Winning,
Jeff Powell
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
God and Magnets
In my office I have a neat toy. It is a simple toy that I purchased a few years ago coming back from a mission trip. It is a collection of small magnets that one can make into a train, a necklace, a bracelet - you name it.
And they are really fun to play with. And quite addictive I might add! It is amazing how long two magnets can keep my attention.
Today as I was thinking about these little mysteries of life called magnets, I was reminded that God in many ways is like a magnet. There are certain things that cause God to be really attracted to us...and then there are other things that cause Him to be really repulsed from us...
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4:7
“Be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
“Humble yourselves therefore under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6“
Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
From these few verses we see that humility, faith, holiness, and prayer are things that cause us to be attracted to God and Him to us. Try it out this week. Exercise humility, faith, holiness, and prayer and see how connected to God you find yourself being!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
And they are really fun to play with. And quite addictive I might add! It is amazing how long two magnets can keep my attention.
Today as I was thinking about these little mysteries of life called magnets, I was reminded that God in many ways is like a magnet. There are certain things that cause God to be really attracted to us...and then there are other things that cause Him to be really repulsed from us...
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4:7
“Be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
“Humble yourselves therefore under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6“
Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
From these few verses we see that humility, faith, holiness, and prayer are things that cause us to be attracted to God and Him to us. Try it out this week. Exercise humility, faith, holiness, and prayer and see how connected to God you find yourself being!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
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