Facets of Faith

Conversations about life, faith, and friendship.

How Does God’s Resurrection Power Change The Way You Live?

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Welcome to Facets of Faith and this month’s question: How does God’s resurrection power change the way you live? If you are unfamiliar with the term resurrection or would like to gain more understanding, read yesterday’s post entitled What’s so good about Good Friday?

The greatest difficulty in answering this month’s question is to limit my (Tracy’s) response to just one. When God’s resurrection power grabs hold of our hearts, we are transformed from the inside out, top-to-bottom, as He brings every good work in us to completion. Our minds are renewed, we are changed, and because we are changed others are too.

God, in His sweetness, helped me to narrow my focus. If I tossed a net to capture all the ways God’s resurrection power has changed my life, it would break from the weight of all God’s good work. Like Peter who tossed his net over the boat a second time, God’s provision in my life has been great.

But that’s not where we started. Even though God was always providing for me, I didn’t see Him or His hand in my life.

One of the spiritual mile markers Jesus gave me started here….

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”─Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Like a child dragging her baby doll and blanket, I drug that verse with me everywhere. I didn’t know what else to do. I had no hope at the time. I couldn’t see past my circumstances. I was lost in a sea of sin─mine and others.

That verse was my lifeline. God used it to literally save my life. I was overwhelmed by my circumstances. Me. Little Ms. Independent who could figure her way out of just about anything and had always prided herself in that. Resilient almost became Rest In Peace.

And then Jesus stepped in. He spoke hope into my heart. So many sweet-nothings from my now-Savior. But back then? We were just getting to know one another.

Where do I sit today? Grateful! That’s where.  Pulsating in God’s power. Resurrection power. Always connected. He is the Source. All that is good in me is because of Him. Anything good I get to do is because of Him. He touched my heart and transformed it, because He loves me. He loves you that way too. His resurrection power has the ability to take those once lost and help them to find their way back up to their feet. Jesus helps us stand when without His power, we would puddle and flop like a fish.

One of the things I love about Jesus is He speaks to us. Not in an audible voice (at least not with me), but like His Word promises when it says His sheep know His voice, I now do. I remember being thirsty to hear Him. I was curious how.

How do you hear God? And how do you know it’s God and not just a voice in your head thinking these things? Over time, He showed me. He trained my ear to recognize His “voice”.

If you are thirsty to hear His voice, He will teach you too. The best advice I can give is to ask for His help. Jesus, I want to hear You. Please teach me how to hear and recognize Your voice. I know He’ll answer a plea like that. Like any relationship, it takes time but He’ll honor that request.

This morning God spoke to me and showed me a connection I’d not caught before. He wasn’t going to let it get away. God helped me to reel it in. Slowly. Gradually. His truth and its meaning grasped me in a deeper, more profound way than it had before.

My eyes had read the Scriptures. Plenty of times.  These verses answer our question: How does God’s resurrection power change the way you live?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity”─Jeremiah 29:11-14a NIV

Do you see it? Do you see how God’s resurrection power changes the way we live?

Yes, God delivered me in many ways from captivity. It could be an answer, but that’s not the answer God brought to the surface this morning.

God wants us to know HOW we access His resurrection power, not necessarily the byproduct of His resurrection power. (Although I suppose that’s fine too. We need to know what we’re working toward. Freedom from captivity is definitely worth accessing Christ’s power for.)

I think most of us would want freedom as a goal.

I think more people don’t know HOW to attain it.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

That’s how!

People─even those who call themselves Christian and would say they love Jesus─often find it hard to pray. But THAT is where our real power exists. We tap into God’s resurrection power through prayer.

I love that God connected prayer to my original life verse. I didn’t know it all those years ago, but I’d grow to love prayer to the point where I can’t not do it. (And I’m letting the double negative go friends because it’s exactly how I feel.)  Little did I know, God had planted it in my heart all along as a spiritual gift He desired to grow. And He placed instruction for it right next to my life verse.  He knew He’d grow my love to hear His voice through prayer. He knew He’d ask me to stretch myself and then stretch my life verse to become verses, no longer stopping at 11. We’d be working from an expanded version.

Why do I say that’s how we access God’s resurrection power?

I’ve felt it. I’ve felt Him. Literally, power surges from God pulsing through me when I get out of His way and let Him pray the prayers through me that He desires to be prayed. It’s awesome! A bit unexplainable. Might sound hokey, only I know it’s the Holy Spirit putting His power behind God’s inspired prayers.

The more I experience God’s resurrection power through prayer, the more I want to experience it because I’m experiencing Him. I trust it most when I don’t know the person and couldn’t possibly know what they need… but God does.

I’m reading an excellent book on prayer, The Daniel Prayer, Prayer That Moves Heaven And Changes Nations by Anne Graham Lotz.

Consider a question she asks, “When was the last time you heard someone pray to the point that you became more aware of the One to whom the person was speaking, than you were of the person doing the speaking?”₁

That’s the power I’m talking about and what I think God wanted emphasized.

Even simple things you know you have no business knowing exhilarate. In prayer you’re told, “Wear the shirt that says, ‘Write Your Story’ on it.” Mind you … no T-Shirts are allowed. But you follow the voice, the One telling you what to wear.

You share with others sitting in your circle, “I don’t know who is supposed to see this shirt. God told me to wear it today. I assume He wants someone to see it, but I have no idea who.”

Incredulous, the person sitting across from me exclaimed, “Are you kidding me! God’s been telling me I need to work on my story.”

And there you have it. One small way to give a little spiritual shove to someone who needed to get going on something God had given her to do.

God’s resurrection power will do that.

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

 

₁Graham Lotz, Anne. The Daniel Prayer, Prayer That Moves Heaven And Changes Nations. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016.

What’s So Good About Good Friday?

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Before getting into the question we are all answering at FACETS of Faith this month, I (Tracy) felt it would be remiss of us not to provide a brief explanation of what God’s resurrection power means for those who may be unfamiliar with the term. We celebrate Easter, because Christ died on the cross (Good Friday) for the forgiveness of all our sin. He rose again on the third day (Easter) overcoming death.

Imagine the supernatural power required to rise above death. Jesus was sealed in a tomb guarded by Roman soldiers. When the women (Jesus’ followers) ran to His gravesite and saw the tomb empty, they were curious as to where Jesus’ body went. They knew He couldn’t have opened the tomb by Himself. The rock which sealed it was immovable by man. They also knew Jesus couldn’t have slipped past the Roman soldiers. The empty tomb pointed to only one thing: Jesus rose from the dead! (Just as He said He would) That’s God’s resurrection power!

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.─1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 HCSB

God’s resurrection power gives us Hope. Hope points us all to heaven for ourselves and those we love. The only requirement to access the hope of heaven is to have a relationship with Jesus.

If you don’t know Jesus personally, you haven’t accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, you can do that today. It’s never too late as long as you are alive to say “yes” to Jesus and all the hope He has for you─here on earth and eventually forevermore in heaven.

You may be wondering what’s so good about “Good Friday” if God had to die in order for it to happen. The only reason Good Friday is good is because God rose from the dead. He didn’t stay buried.

Figuratively speaking, we don’t have to stay buried in our sin, our lack of hope, our worry and wondering what will be for our future.

When you know Jesus, you know your future is good. THAT’S what’s good about Good Friday! And your good future can start as soon as this next moment.

Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for the forgiveness of my sin. I ask You to come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Teach me who You are more-and-more each day. Lavish Your love upon me and lead and guide my steps. Help me to stand firm in your love and truth as you strengthen and encourage me as I walk with You. Give me a love for You, Your Word, and conversations with You through prayer. Thank You, Jesus, for Your ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of my sin. Thank You, too, that I am never alone, that You keep Your promises and You promise I will never be alone again. You will never leave me nor forsake me. I will never have another lonely day in my life. Thank You Jesus for loving me with an everlasting love. In Jesus’ name, amen!

Share with someone the commitment you just made. If you don’t have a church home, it’s really important to find a church that loves Jesus and teaches from His Word (the Bible). If you’d like some help with that, please leave us a comment.

CONGRATULATIONS! From personal experience, I know you are in for the sweetest, most intimate relationship you’ve ever had in your life!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.─John 3:16 NIV

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

The Lion and the Lamb: God as Lion

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I (Jennifer) am so very excited for you to meet our guest this week at FACETS of Faith. The team has known Kelli Worrall and her family for some time, and we’ve been eager to introduce her to all of you. We are very sure she is someone you should know. We love her as a dear friend, and we hope you’ll add her to your list of favorite authors.

Kelli Worrall is a Communications professor, writer, and speaker. She is the co-author of 20 Things We’d Tell Our Twentysomething Selves. She also writes at www.thisoddhouse.org. Her second book, Pierced & Embraced: Seven Life-Changing Encounters with the Love of Jesus, will be released in August.

The only lions I have ever met have lived at the zoo. I’ve only respected and admired these creatures from a safe distance, through iron fences and thick glass.

Encountering one up-close-and-personal would be an entirely different matter. Can you imagine?

For one thing, lions are the second largest cats in the world, passed only by tigers. Male lions weigh up to 575 pounds, and females up to 395. They often measure eight feet long—head and body—and stand up to four feet tall.

The lion’s eyes are set laterally on its head to provide a good angle of vision. In other words, it can see you.

Its inner ear has a long mobile pinna able to localize a sound source. Translation: It can hear you.

Its nostrils are large, and it has complex nasal passages. It can smell you.

It can run at 50 mph and leap 35 ft. It can catch you.

Its massive limbs are built for attack. It can easily kill you, if it so wishes.

In Isaiah 31, the prophet likens our God to a lion. He warns God’s people not to turn to the Egyptians for help because something much stronger is available to them. Their terror of the Assyrians is put into perspective when the Israelites realize that their God is a lion.

Isaiah 31 reads:

1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
and rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
or consult the Lord!
2 And yet he is wise and brings disaster;
he does not call back his words,
but will arise against the house of the evildoers
and against the helpers of those who work iniquity.
3 The Egyptians are man, and not God,
and their horses are flesh, and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall,
and they will all perish together.
4 For thus the Lord said to me,
“As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey,
and when a band of shepherds is called out against him
he is not terrified by their shouting
or daunted at their noise,
so the Lord of hosts will come down
to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.
5 Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts
will protect Jerusalem;
he will protect and deliver it;
he will spare and rescue it.”

In Isaiah 31, there is no competition between the horses of Egypt and the all-powerful God-Lion. There is no contest between the material solutions of the latest military technology and the spiritual reality of God. No ally—Egyptian or otherwise—can compare with Him.

Because our God is fierce. He strikes fear into the heart of the enemy and causes them to shrink away. To be on the wrong side of our God the Lion is not only foolish, it is fatal.

Because our God is destructive. He is devastating. He destroys the enemies of Judah, but ultimately He destroys Judah itself as well. “They will all perish together.” How can God do such a thing?  Because holiness and righteousness are a serious business. Isaiah, of all people, knows this well. In chapter 6 he sees a vision of God and cries out, “Woe to me because I am a man of unclean lips.” A holy God is fearsome to behold. A lion, who executes righteous judgment, is entirely appropriate.

Our God is also active. He is a young lion, growling over His prey, and He will come down. He did not wind up the world and then walk away. Rather, He is ever-present. It is in Him that we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

And He is courageous. He is not terrified or daunted by the shepherds and their noise. Nothing can drive Him away. He moves relentlessly towards His goal.

Because our God is also protective. He is a jealous God, who lays claim to what is rightfully His. His people belong to Him, and He will rescue them. To try to get between a lion and its food would be foolish indeed. To try to thwart a loving God who is protecting His people would be similarly silly.

But this Old Testament image of God as lion does not give us the complete picture. In Revelation 5:5-6 the Son is portrayed as both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain. This contrast of majesty and meekness is reflected in Jesus’ life on earth. But also, these seemingly contradictory images describe what took place on the cross—the glory, the triumph—and the sacrifice. Jesus the lion devouring His prey, which is sin. Jesus the lamb made ransom on our behalf.

Certainly—as the other women have so aptly expressed this month—our response ought to be to emulate both the fierceness and the gentleness of our God. Too, we can take comfort, knowing that He is fighting on our behalf.

But finally, our response is to fall on our face in worship, as is so beautifully expressed in the following lyrics by Big Daddy Weave:

Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah
He’s roaring with power and fighting our battles
And every knee will bow before You

Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain
For the sin of the world, His blood breaks the chains
And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb
Oh every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb