Colossians 1: Holding All Things Together

Holding All Things Together

As Paul starts off just about each letter to each new church he writes to, there are always salutations. He also always includes his background by mentioning that he has overcome his own tribulation and trials (not by his own power) but by the Holy Spirit. He tells us in verses 15-23 about the preeminence (leadership that surpasses other) of Christ. In verse 17 though, Paul writes "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This means that Jesus (being that he is God in the flesh) is the "unifying principle and the personal sustainer of all creation (Dave Guzik). Apart for Christ we can do nothing. 

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Ephesians 3: Prayer for Spiritual Strength

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

Paul further cements previous points made about the church believing that they have power on their own accord. Paul tells them straight forward and then also shows them how to believe by demonstrating a prayer in Ephesians 3:14-16. Paul says "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being." Look at how Paul  bows his knees before the Father. That is showing, honor and humility to one who is superior. He speaks on the riches of God's glory, not our own. It is easy to lose sight and think we can figure it all out and think we have all the answers, but to God be the glory. God grants us the strength and power through His spirit. It is not on our own.

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Acts 3- The Power in the Name of Jesus

The Power in the Name of Jesus

There is power in the robe of Jesus (Luke 8:43-48). There is power in the words of Jesus (John 5:8). There is power in the name of Jesus.

In Acts 3:1-10, we read about a man, lame from birth, asking for alms (begging) at a place called the Beautiful Gate. He was looking for some kind of financial support since he was lame and did not not have the ability to walk (his friends carried him). Peter and John were walking into the temple through the gate and the man asked for alms. Peter turned to him and said "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"

Acts 3:11-16, we read that people were amazed at the miracle that they just witnessed of this man. Peter had to speak to the people again as he did in Acts 2, and calls out their wonder and amazement and tells them that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the same God of Jesus that was turned over to Pilate. He continues to tell them that it is through faith in the name of Jesus that the man was healed, not by the strength of the disciples themselves.

Peter and John had an opportunity to obtain glory that was not theirs even though people thought it was. Peter turned the focus from him to the power in the name of Jesus as God's will is done. When life hits you hard and breaks you down and has you desperate that you are willing to beg, just know that there is power in the name of Jesus. And when you are surrounded by those who follow Christ, they can assist in bringing that power forth in the name of Jesus.

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Mark 5- The Healing Power of Jesus

The Healing Power of Jesus

The power of Jesus is amazing. That is an understatement, but still paints you a picture of what power Jesus has. In Mark 5:2-13, Jesus was met by a man with an unclean spirit, the man was demon possessed. The man could no longer be subdued by chains and restraints because he kept breaking them. Jesus asked the unclean spirit what its name was and it referred to it self as "Legion, for we are many" due to there being many unclean spirits in this man's body. Jesus healed the man by sending the demons into a heard of pigs that ended up drowning in the sea. News traveled of this healing and when people came to see they saw Jesus sitting there with the man and he was clothed and in his right mind.

In Mark 5:21-34, another healing took place because of the faith of the women in need. She had a discharge of blood for years. It would not stop. She had seen many doctors and had spent all she had to fix the problem, but it persisted. When Jesus was walking through a crowd of people she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." She had faith that if she even just touched Jesus, he could heal her. When she did just touch a piece of his garment, he knew that someone had done it because her perceived that power had gone from him. He asked who touched him and she admitted it, with fear. He acknowledged her faith saying that it was that faith that made her well.

 Overall, the point of these instances of healing is to show that Jesus has the ability to make a bleak situation better. He has that power. in the woman's case it was her faith that made her well. Not her faith in herself, but her faith in Jesus. In the man's case it was Jesus coming in and seeing the need and meeting it. How does that relate to us? For those people that we encounter, we can be healing agents or we can be a hindrance. We can help unite them with Christ and aide in the healing. We can pray for people. We can do whatever we can that represents God's will for that person. What will you do with Jesus?

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