The Power of God

Dear Weekly Readers!

May the Grace, Mercy and Peace of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ abide with you all always! Amen.

I have been having thoughts lately about what this time of the year on the Christian calendar means to me. Thoughts of Redemption, Salvation, Justification...the Work of Regeneration! Hope for the helpless, the lost found! The way back for backsliders! Encouragement for the believers!

1 Corinthians 1:18 says this: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Have you felt the Power of God as shown through what Jesus has done for you? The Power of God living in your heart today by the Holy Ghost? The Power of God lifting you up when you have fallen, caring for you each day? This is what God wants you to know! The Power of God.

Let us look into the Old Testament for a real life example of the power of God at work, the proper way to respond to the call, and the way forward for the repentant sinner. The Psalm we will look at, Psalm 51: 1-12, was the plea or prayer of David after Nathan came to him about the affair with Bathsheba.

To me, this story shows that no matter how far one has fallen, if he is contrite, repentant, and seeks mercy, God is willing and able to save. It also shows again that God works through the agency of man to deliver the saving message of the Gospel.

Let us remember first that David was a man after God’s own heart, the apple of his eye…David was a great king of Israel, he was an ancestor of Jesus, he was listed in “Hall of fame of faith” in Hebrews 11.

This great and much respected man fell into sin. This shows very clearly that we also can do the same and we must flee temptation.

David saw Bathsheba as she bathed. He lusted, and acted upon the lust and committed adultery with her. She became pregnant. Then David tried to cover up by calling her husband Uriah home from battle to be with his wife, (which failed because Uriah would not go in unto Bathsheba because he felt it not right when his men were in the heat of the battle). Then David told his general to put Uriah in the front line so then he would be killed and he indeed was. Bathsheba mourned, and then David took her for his wife. David attempted to cover up this entire series of events. Perhaps he thought he had pulled off the perfect crime and cover-up. But can we hide from God? No, the Lord sees all!

This whole series of events displeased the Lord.

The Lord sent Nathan to David, (GOD CALLED THROUGH NATHAN) and Nathan told the story about a rich man and poor man. The rich man had many flocks and herds. But the poor man had only one ewe lamb which was very loved and treasured by the poor man.

A traveler came to the rich man, and to prepare a feast, the rich man did not take from his flocks; he instead took the one sheep of the poor man.

This story made David very angry. He said, "Whoever has done this shall surely die…. And must restore four fold since he has no pity." And Nathan said to David, "Thou art the man."

This thought comes to me here: do we love our friends enough to tell them they have sinned? To say, "It is you. You have sinned." Do we lovingly try to correct them, or do we turn a blind eye and let them alone in those things that have beset them?

So we see the faithful Nathan doing the Lord’s work. Now let’s see how David responded.

2 Samuel 13: And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

David admitted his sin and repented. This is the correct response! What if he ignored the message? What if we listen to the many groups and, yes, even some churches, that would tell us that we are in fine shape as we are? They would tell us that we are Christians because we show up in church, we look like Christians; therefore we surely are Christians.

The Lord allows fallen man when convicted of sin to know better. We know we are not okay when we have not repented. In this condition we need the Saviour, we need to hear the Saving Gospel of the Forgiveness of our Sins by what Jesus has done, by the Power of the Name and Blood of Jesus! By the Power of God. When we obey and believe by faith, the Preaching of the Cross is no more foolishness to us, it is the Power of God!

To say that one is okay before they have died with Christ, before they have repented and received the gospel of and by faith, is immoral and unjust. Let us learn from scripture as it shows us over and over again that all we like sheep have gone astray, each one to our own way. We need to turn from the path of deceit and destruction, and turn to the living Lord who has done all things for us!

The Power of God for every believer!

Lord, allow us to hate sin so much, so as to make Calvary necessary! Allow us to see what Jesus has done on the cross for us!

All of our sin, debt and rebellion has been nailed to the Cross of Christ. He has paid it all, all to him I owe!

Please read the 51st Psalm and notice the number of pleas included. Look for the humble and contrite heart of David as he pleads with his Lord in verse 1 to "Have mercy on me...blot out my transgressions." Verse 2: "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquities..." Verse 3: "I acknowledge my transgressions..." Verse 7: "Purge me with hyssop..." Verse 8: "Make me to hear joy and gladness..." Verse 9: "Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities." Verse 10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Verse 11: "Cast me not away...take not thy Holy Spirit from me." Verse 12: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."

Let these be our pleas now and always. Oh how we want to be right with our Lord, oh how we want to really know the power of God, the joy of our salvation, and to have the freedom, peace, and liberty in the Holy Spirit that only He can give unto us!

I hope to someday write more about this Psalm as this article is already too long and there is much to say on these precious verses.

May God Bless your week!
John Ruotsala