We have the power ...

Power is not an irrational force, as science sees it? It is an expression of divine truth & light.

In 2008, an experimental fusion reactor in France plans to demonstrate a viable and sustainable thermonuclear fusion capability. If successful, humankind will have found the ultimate, self-sustaining energy resource. Fission, the splitting of atoms, has defined nuclear technology to date. But fusion, the flip-side of fission, would reconstitute Helium atoms, releasing enormous energy: the fusion of atoms results in a loss of mass that is expressed as energy, consistent with Einstein's energy formula.

The amount of concentrated thermal energy required to induce a fusion reaction is enormous. Experiments like the Tokomak reactor in Russia, used immensely powerful magnets to contain the reaction at the centre of a containment vessel, because existing materials could not bear the heat created by converging high-energy lasers.

Fusion power initiates futher fission reactions, which also release energy. The result is a chained energy system based on the sun, that is perpetually self-sustaining. It is also immensely complex and expensive to achieve.

However, there is another energy source in our universe. It is complex, immensely powerful and completely unrestrained. I refer to the Spirit of God.

The earth was a dark void until the light, released by God in the Big Bang, initiated a sequence of events that created the four known forces of our universe: within less than a second. Those forces were the key building blocks of the universe, providing the gravitational and nuclear forces that aggregated matter into planets and stars.

Genesis 1, however, has a double meaning. For when God said, "Let there be light", He also referred to spiritual light, the great power that governs the laws and dynamics of all things. That light ensured an ordered universe, but it was the same light that brought order to the world. Moses was the channel through which God introduced the first constitutional dispensation, ensuring that universal egality, objectivity and fairness displaced the subjective, relative and barbaric systems of the pagan world.

That same light also illumines the human heart: for every person that calls on His name. The dark void of our hearts is a place of relative chaos until His light shines into the void to bring meaning, value and purpose to all.

Humankind has achieved incredible things, yet has never nor will ever transcend death. The power of God, by implication, exceeds the best we can achieve. It miraculously transforms corrupt lives into noble sons and sets within them the power of the resurrection: for "if (Romans 8) the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in you, He shall also quicken your mortality through His indwelling Spirit."

For all that man has achieved, humanity is effectively regressing. Sure there has been technological advancement, but socially we have passed our peak. Anarchy and lawlessness pervades our planet and the love of many waxes cold. But the kingdom of God, despite centuries of repression and opposition is reaching her finest hour as the church prepares for the return of the King.

So what power will you tap into? Where will you find your centre and who will sustain you when the world lapses into inevitable chaos?

(c) Peter Eleazar at http://www.bethelstone.com/

Get the better connection ...

For all the power God gives us, of what use would it be if we chose not to plug in and be connected?

It takes a vast amount of energy to generate the electricity we consume in our homes and offices. It may all be just a flick of the switch away, yet it requires vast resources to bring it all the way inside your living space.

Of course it would be no big deal if energy was required for you alone: then the cost would be nothing more than the price of a generator, unless you converted to alternative energy. But to deliver a thousand kilowatts of energy to one home for one hour, requires an infrastructure capable of delivering megawatts of energy for twenty four hours of every day.

The cost of a power station can cost over a billion Dollars: the same again for maintenance. But it depends on fuel and that fuel needs to mined at great cost: be it nuclear or fossil fuel. The fuel also needs to be transported to the power station.

A large power station can take five years to build, but to deliver its energy to living areas, vast networks of cabling and related management systems are needed. That also costs $billions to build and maintain. And of course local authorities need to also link you to the power grid. Lastly suppliers of electrical goods need to build and deliver appliances and tools that are able to convert the energy into useful work.

The fact that it takes a lifetime to build all of that is lost on all of us who take the availability of energy so for granted. Yet it would still be utterly meaningless if we opted out of the system. Power can only come to the plug points and switches in your living space, leaving you with the small task of flipping the switch – but if you don’t and for as long as you don’t, the energy delivered is forever wasted, as it cannot be stored.

To bring salvation to humankind, God invested His own life and the sacrificial offering of His beloved Son. That sacrifice represented the culmination of four millennia of human history and God’s patient, deliberate work to provide the resources we need for salvation and eternity. It was not easily or cheaply given: the cost was beyond measure and it has taken a further two millennia of maintenance through the handed down traditions and teachings of apostles, martyrs, theologians and faithful hearts, to bring it right into your own personal living space.

But if you fail to plug in or connect to that heritage, it will pass you by and do you no good. Yet if you call on Him, he will answer you.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God ~ 1 Corinthians 1:17-18

For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16).

(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com

Imagine, no power

No one has seen electricity. Few have felt it. Once a novelty, we now just take it all for granted.

Something of everyday utility value, from what has for years been one of the world’s most reliable and affordable electricity utilities, has suddenly become a major newsmaker. We face daily blackouts now and the economy is hurting.

But God is a greater reservoir of power that we also take for granted. He has always been there and we also take that for granted. The sun will surely rise tomorrow and life will continue much as it always has. Many will find personal strength in their knowledge of God, through prayer or meditation, His Word or other sources of inspiration. He will reach us through everyday moments and extraordinary experiences: sunsets, deaths, births, marriages, changing seasons and artistic expressions.

But what if He took a day off, or shut down the system for maintenance or reached an overload? Just think what happens when electricity fails and you will get some idea of how we will miss Him.

If power fails, lights fail and we are left in darkness. If God fails, the light that guides the conscience of humanity, our sense of right and wrong and our awareness of the implications of death would all cease to exist. We would be reduced to the instinctive existence of lesser animals, bereft of higher thought and reason. Without a conscience, could we truly appreciate beauty, innocence, love, artistic expression or music?

If power fails, security systems are compromised. If God fails or we lose connection with Him, our ability to transcend corruption and sin would be compromised. The influences of the world would no longer stop at the gates of our lives, but would overwhelm us. Our sense of being would be undermined, because human worth and dignity would have no residual currency in a Godless culture.

If power fails, hot water ends and we battle to keep ourselves or our clothes clean. If God fails or we disconnect, we will lose the cleansing, refining influence of His presence in our lives. The noble instinct to rise above the cesspool and aspire to a fuller life would be displaced by a one-dimensional instinct for survival. Expedience would rule, principle would die.

If power fails, heating and life support systems, including hospitals may also fail. If God fails, life will fade and we will retreat into a marginal existence. Our sense of community would die and we would become totally self-centred, fighting for personal survival. Our health and lifespan would be compromised and life would become cheap.

If power fails, traffic systems fail. If God fails, we lose all sense of direction and order in our lives. We will not know when to stop, go or turn and the probability of colliding with other lives would increase. Peace, stability, order and personal direction would fail and we would stray off course.

If power fails, aircraft cannot safely land. If God fails, we cannot find our way back home. We will wander through the night with no place to rest or set ourselves down, until we burn out and fall into a heap of ruins.

I could go on … but if you can imagine a society with no power for any period of time, you will get some sense of how bad life will get when God withdraws His spirit from our world. That is exactly what will happen in what the bible calls, “the great tribulation”, when humankind will be given over to its depravity and divine restraints will be removed (2 Thessalonians: 6-7).

Oh how we need Him. Malachai 3:6 says, “God never changes”. He has always been there and will always be there. He never fails and they that call on Him will be saved, for Power belongs to God, Psalm 62:11.

© Peter Eleazar at http://www.bethelstone.com/

Power to the people ..

Is God merely a resource: a facility we use to get through life, a convenient utility which provides power to the people …

As happened in California not long ago, my country is facing a significant power crisis.

Economic growth has outripped energy capacity resulting in outages, load shedding (planned outages to prevent catastrophic failure) and potential rationing.

It gave me cause to reflect on God. He is not a limited resource, a capacity that must respond to human demand or consumption levels. He is the same whether we draw on His grace or not. He never goes away and as long as we remain plugged into His grace, He will never fail us.

His light never dims: indeed from a dispensational perspective we have more light now than the cumulative course of human history. The problem is that too many of us still choose to live in darkness.

The truth of God has transcended the universe, revealing His power and glory through events and physical realities light years away, without taking anything away from the beauty of a flower, the wonder of a new-born child or the glory of a majestic sunset.

God never sheds power. He never casts of His capacity nor is He is ever overloaded. If all six billion inhabitants of the planet were to cry to Him now, He would hear each person as an individual and know all about them. He would also guide them in a unique and personal way through His mysteries into present and eternal light.

God also never adjusts His tariffs for peaks and troughs in load consumption. Whether we call on Him by day, by night, in sickness or health, in good or bad times, He remains constant and the price of His grace is unaffected: because he already paid all accounts in advance, through the cross.

The price of sin is still death, but the reward for heaven is still glory, all of it: not a pro-rata or discounted share. God loves without prejudice and will receive every single person, from whatever gender, race, creed or culture … if they call on Him. He saves everyone who turns to Him and rejects all who reject Him: it is that simple.

God is more than enough. We don't need or seek another, for He is eternal and unlimited. Read Psalm 73 and see how Asaph almost stumbled becaue he misread God. Then he saw the end of wickedness and knew that God is enough.

(c) Peter Eleazar at http://www.bethelstone.com/

Behold the man

To Abraham Jesus was the sacrifice that God provided, a lamb caught in the thickets. To Jacob, God was the ultimate Father, the tried, precious cornerstone that the builders rejected.

To Moses, Jesus was the God of the burning bush - the unchenchable fire that ignited the passions of his people and gave them a beacon of hope. To Noah He was the olive tree that provided evidence of God's ongoing purpose in the face of judgement.

To David, Jesus was the shepherd, heartsong and the table amongst our enemies. To Elijah He was a swirling wind, a tempest who rides on chariots of fire, yet stirs faith with a still, small voice. To Samuel He was the voice in the night, anointing our heads with oil for the wild adventures He calls us into.

To Isaiah He was the suffering servant, bearing the iniquities of us all. To three young men, He was the fourth, the fellow in our struggles, the friend who sticks closer than a brother. To Paul, Jesus was a blinding light that demanded a response.

To John, He was the one in the midst of the churches, the mystery of the ages, the lamb that opens the seals of the book. He is all of these and more, yet all the perspectives in all the world could never describe Him.

(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com

How Hezekiah found favour with God and men

In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered - 2 Chronicles 31:21

Hezekiah was a godly king. He was also a very talented businessman and builder. He was responsible for many noteworthy projects that are described in detail in the Old Testament. We discover from the passage above that King Hezekiah had two major attributes that contributed to his success and prosperity: He sought God, and he worked wholeheartedly upholding God's laws.

Godly success involves a partnership between you and God. Success in God's economy means achieving the purpose for which God made you. That purpose can never be discovered without seeking Him with a whole heart. You may achieve great things without seeking God, but you will never achieve the things God set out for you to achieve without seeking Him. Unless you seek Him, you may find yourself one day climbing to the top of the ladder only to find it leaning against the wrong wall.

What does it mean to seek God? It means creating time to sit before His throne in quiet places. It means reading His Word in order to know Him more intimately. It means developing an ear to hear His voice so that we know when to turn to the right or to the left. God desires to know you.

Are you willing to take the time to know Him? If so, you can be sure He will guide you into those things that will bring success to every aspect of your life.

Source: John Hall, www.pleasantplaces.co.za

Kings and Priests

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. - Revelation 5:10 KJV.

The Bible describes two distinct roles in the Old Testament-kings and priests. Kings were the rulers; priests were the religious leaders. The New Testament reveals we all are kings and priests because of the redemptive work of Christ.

Today, kings are most often represented by business and political leaders, while pastors represent the priestly roles. God calls each of us to fulfill both roles in our lives today. However, our vocational roles often create a division that is misunderstood by both workplace believers and pastors. These misunderstandings have led to a weakened and less effective Church.

Pastors have been guilty of viewing their workplace believers as dollar signs. They sometimes see them for what they can contribute to their ministries instead of equipping them to use their gifts and talents to impact the workplace believer's mission field-their workplace.

Workplace believers have tried to get pastors to operate their churches like businesses, and have used their worldly ways for spiritual purposes. They often view the pastor as the primary ministry worker instead of taking on the responsibility themselves to do the work of the ministry.

This is a grievous sin that exists in the Body of Christ, and it requires repentance from both groups. Unless we recognize this, we will never see the reality of revival that God wants to bring to the business community, and pastors will fail to gain an ally to fully complete the work of the Church in their community.

Are you a pastor who has failed to see the calling that workplace believers have received to the workplace? If so, ask God to forgive you for viewing your workplace believers as those to be used for your own purposes.

Are you a workplace believer who sees your church as another business to be run based on worldly measurements? Do you see the pastor's role as one who is primarily responsible for the work of the ministry? If so, you must repent and ask God to forgive you of this unbiblical view. God has called both of you to fulfill His purposes together through your gifts and talents.

I've never thought about it this way

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” - Matthew 6:9-10

Imagine that you have never driven a car. You are not aware of all the features of a car. Up to this point, you have had to walk everywhere you go. All you are told is that you are about to receive something that will get you anywhere you need to go. The day arrives and you are given a brand new car. You get in and drive the car. However, the emergency brake is on, preventing you from going faster than 20 miles per hour. No one tells you that you should unlock the brake. Regardless, you are excited because you no longer have to walk to your destination. You are not told that the car has lights, which would allow you to drive at night. Neither are you told about the many other wonderful features of the car. You just know you have a new car that will get you anywhere you want to go at 20 miles per hour. For the rest of your life, you drive this incredible car during the daytime only at 20 miles per hour.

Why would Jesus pray that things in earth would be like they are in Heaven if it were not possible?

When Jesus came to earth, He came in order to penetrate the very kingdom of darkness with light.

He came to bring healing to sickness, replace sadness with joy, and fill meaninglessness with purpose.

He came to change things for the better for a world that had no hope outside of God.

Using the illustration above, Jesus did not come to merely give us a ticket to Heaven (a car that you drive only in the daytime at 20 miles per hour).

He came to bring us much more-the Kingdom of God on earth. Nowhere in the Bible will you find the term, gospel of salvation.

The Church does not exist for Heaven, but for earth. If it existed only for Heaven, then each of us would immediately be taken to Heaven. There would be no reason for us to remain on earth.

So why has God allowed us to receive this new birth and remain on earth?

It is so that we might bring the Kingdom of God into our world-our families, our workplace, and our communities.

God wants you to bring the Kingdom of God into the territory He has given you so that His will can be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Your domain is your workplace, family, and community.

Ask God to show you how He wants to penetrate the darkness of your domain with His light.

Then you will see and experience all the features of this gift that has been given to you.

The book of God

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful -- Joshua 1:8

We need to be reminded, just like Joshua and the Israelites, that God gave us his Law to be a blessing to his people.

The Law was given to help Israel live the will of God in their daily lives. If they would live God's way, he promised they would be blessed.

In addition, God is the Creator.

He knows the best way for humans to live in harmony with the principles of his universe.

His Law was not intended to hinder or interfere with the happiness and experience of his people.

Instead, it was to help them prosper and find success in life.

As Paul repeatedly reminds us in Galatians, we are no longer under Law.

But, as we live by the Spirit, the character that is produced reflects the character of Jesus, the one who fulfilled the Law and brings us the blessings God has intended all along.

Bottom line: Following God's will and living his character is a blessing to us!

Source: John Hall, www.pleasantplaces.co.za