No Smell of Smoke

 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.
But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king; that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”     Daniel 3:16-18

Standing in the smoky stench of the king’s smoldering denial of the Lord; three faithful servants of God simply said to the king:  “If a miracle occurs to save us … GREAT!  But, miracle or not, our God is our deliverer, our Lord is always with us, be it the flames.  Nor do we worship your gold, we bow to God alone.” 

Then, after throwing them into the furnace, the kings men looked in and could see the three walking around!  Then, they yelled: “Look! … four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed,” … yes, four!  Then, they walked out of the fire, not bound by anyone, not harmed … no hair singed nor clothing scorched, … in fact, “no smell of fire on them”—no smell of smoke!

Hallelujah!

The issue isn’t what you ask for, expect, or want.  It is by the sovereign promises of God, by His grace and mercy our Lord responds to those who serve Him.  A servant knows, without a doubt, “the God we serve is able to save us.”  It is a matter of complete humility to God that one receives complete deliverance, provision.  Jesus leads you out of daily fires and the eternal furnace, and you are un-scorched – without the smell of smoke.

In his service, no smell of smoke,  

Owen <><

Take Someone by the Hand

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up,

and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

Acts 3:7

As Peter and John were going to church to pray, they saw a beggar, a man who’d been cripple from birth at the Temple gate.  Peter, like most of us, didn’t have earthly riches, so he said to the hopeless man, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Peter gave everything that he had … access to Jesus.  By the good news Peter had been born again, received the Holy Spirit, and God’s power to share and witness in a fantastic manner.  By sharing the gospel and  complete healing power found in Jesus. 

Jesus gives all believers – yes, Peter, … and you, and I – the power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8).  That power is the Spirit of God filling you in order that you can witness and proclaim the Word of God!  It is the power to enable your hands to be a tool for God’s miracles with the laying on of hands, your being accompanied with signs and wonders of God, and the ability to proclaim with your mouth that the sick be healed in Jesus name.  … O’ Hallelujah! … Wow, dare I say, even to raise the dead with the resurrection power of Christ Jesus! That’s what we have at our disposal as a witness. …  

Unless you are willing and have the compassion to witness, to “take people by the hand, help them up,” they will never instantly receive the gospel, receive spiritual healing, receive the power of the resurrection … And, never could they receive healing of body, and see the wonders manifest by God – unless you stop to help them up.  If God is in you, then you, as Peter did, can release the power of Lord’s Spirit by speaking into the empty the Name of Jesus. 

It is simple, take the crippled, the spiritually dead, by the hand and help them up.  Jesus will do the hard part.  So be it, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,  … “

Take someone by the hand,

Owen <><

Christian empowerment: Mark 16:15-18, Luke 9:1-2, 10:15-20, Acts 1:8, 4:29-33, 5:12, 6:8, 14:3; Romans 15:1-19, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Hebrews 2:4, 1 Timothy 1:7 … there is more…

Are You Running On Empty?

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,
God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.    
– 1 John 4:12

Seeing God is something we hope for.  But, God is a Spirit, a wisp of power, a vapor of love … truly existing, nonetheless, never seen until we are dead to everything but him.  We have what looks like a quandary, a Catch-22.  How can we be full when we are Spirit filled?  After all, we can’t see the Spirit of God nor for that matter, the spirit of a person.  Even the Bible is very specific, it says, “No one has ever seen God” (John 1:18, 1 John 4:12).

But, things happen when this divine being, Spirit of God, comes into us, or fills us.  What can something nonmaterial make things happen?  Well, buildings shake, people become bold and tell others about God, … people are empowered to do the humanly impossible.  What an awesome sight we receive from someone we can’t see! (See Acts 4:32 & 6:8)

When Jesus gave a new commandment to his disciples, he told them they were to love one another.  Can we see love?  Isn’t love another wisp of vapor that is in our heart or soul, but not tangible?  If God is love, then, love is only divine and not natural?  It seems so.  That is why Christ had to explain why he commanded (not suggested) his disciples to love fellow disciples.  He gave them a simple reason why we are to follow what he tells us to do – why we are Christ followers.  Jesus said, this is why you have to do what I tell you, when you do what I say, when you love, then, “All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other."  When people see something that isn’t a natural or common sight, something unexpectedly seen, well, they desire such a power, such love, to fill their emptiness. 

Loving you,

Owen <><  

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”    Acts 13:52

STUDY VERSES:  John 4:24; Matt 5:8, Rom 8:13; 1 John 4:13, 3 John 11; Acts 2:4, 4:31, 6:8, 13:52; John 13:34-35. 1 John 4:10, 12, 16; Gal 5:22. 1 Cor 13:13 and Song of Solomon 2:4.