Power Belongs to God — Joshua Daniel

Welcome to the Lord's Challenge, our weekly quarter-hour broadcast bringing the reality of God's Word to all people everywhere. Stay tuned as Joshua Daniel challenges us to a walk with God and the corresponding impact that it'll have on our lives, families and society today.

Understanding the Scriptures and Christ’s Resurrection

If you will please turn to Luke 24 chapter 46. Of course, 45 says, Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Don't forget this was the prayer of David, give me understanding.

Repentance, Remission, and the Promise of Power

Give me understanding, all right. He opened their understanding, 46th verse, and said unto them, Thus it is written, And thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. That, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

You are my witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. We take many things for granted, don't we?

You know, when you rise out of your bed, well, they say that you must pause a little because of the change in blood pressure and so on, but many of us choose to just take it for granted that we stand upright and get on with the work on hand.

Power Belongs to God

But power, whether it is physical strength or power, the energy to do our daily work, power belongeth unto God, says God's word. Power comes from God. The power to think, my, what a valuable thing that is.

Suppose, as you get older, your thinking processes die off. What happens? My, you would be a burden upon society, burden, because you can't think for yourself. You know, my dear friends, here the Lord Jesus promised his disciples, I'm going to give you power.

You know, we look for power in many fields, to think that people are already beginning to contend for the presidency. They want power. All right, for whatever purpose they use that power, they want power.

The Attractions and Burdens of Possessions

All right. Physical power, yes. We like to have a well-balanced, strong body, because we need physical power, all right. The power of money, my, some people are stuck on the power of money. You see, what does money do?

Money buys things, right? And when you begin to buy things, what do you do? You have to keep some attention on things. Everything which you buy and possess is going to make some demand upon your limited time.

Sure. And thought, do I want to spend my thought and my whole personality on something like that bench over there, or upon that cushion or carpet? Now, is that the way in which I want to live my life?

But things imply that if they are to be preserved, if they are to be kept, if they are to have their due place and purpose, they would require attention and repairs. My, what a headache it is to call a repairman.

Oh my, you like to avoid repairs, isn't it? The fewer things you have, the lesser are the repairs, naturally. But the power that comes with money and a big job, or whatever, some of us tend to be stuck with that all through life.

The Love of Money and the Loss of Spiritual Depth

What does the scripture say? The love of money is the root. You know, I say, are these fellows a bunch of beggars? From where did they come? From the slums? And they never possessed a penny? And all they can think of is money, money, money, money.

If I go there, I'll get more money. If I go here, I get more money. What? A bunch of beggars? Somehow, my dear friends, although I had the temptation set right before me as a boy at prep school, studying alongside of very rich boys, money never won my heart.

I had very little of it, and I don't regret it, because I had just very little money, or no money in my pockets, money never got to my heart. You see, thinking and planning on money, that's about the lowest thing that can happen to you.

You see, we were just hearing about deeper, higher, wider. No, no, that's no song for you to sing if your money is the thing to which you're anchored. You will never become deep. You will never become wide.

You will never rise higher. That's it. You have fixed your ceiling. But the Lord Jesus said, I will give you power from on high. Now, the same thing, practically, you will see in the first chapter of Acts.

Receiving Power to Witness

You know, when the Lord Jesus Christ was party, you know, 40 days, he revealed himself to groups of his disciples, 40 days. And in the eighth verse, first chapter of Acts, in the eighth verse, but you shall receive power.

Biblical Morality and the Decline of Social Trust

After that, the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, unto the uttermost part of the earth. You see, all right, information technology is making people around the world look at the glamorous things of life, focusing upon how this country, which is at the top of living standards, the quality of life is said to be so high.

In Europe, certain countries have come to be known as the most liberal and immoral places to which many people go to satisfy the lusts of their flesh. And in the scale of things, you say, is supposed to be at the top of the quality of life.

You know, the world has got its standards upside down. How many are the people that seem to live today without a moral yardstick? You see, liberalism came into the schools. Jesus Christ is not wanted.

And so out went the standards of the Bible. What do you have? A nation without morals. And what happens? How can you live without morals? You need to trust your neighbor. And that's how people used to say, you know, when I started preaching as a very young man for the first time amongst farmers, they would say, Mr. Daniel, that was how things were in this country.

It was a handshake which settled everything. But it's no longer the same. Oh, how sad. How can you be guiding any firm which is full of lies and a deceitful product? You can't. You won't be happy. And such companies will not have longevity.

They can't last very long. All right. How can you have a nation where people think nothing of speaking a lie? OK, I owe you $100. I will return it to you on the 1st of March. 1st of March comes and goes.

Seeking the Holy Spirit’s Power in Prayer

1st of April comes and goes. And the money is not returned. How can you run such a place? You can't. Now, my dear people, Jesus said, I will give you power. Let us pray. Let us tell God. Oh, God, the greatest gift of heaven.

I don't want and I go running after the useless things. But about the Holy Ghost who will be with you and in you. When you walk with a broken spirit and a humble heart with a clean conscience and walk humbly with you and be a blessing to the people around us.

We ask in Jesus' holy name. Amen.

The speaker on this program was Joshua Daniel. He would like to know what your response has been to the Lord's Challenge and would be delighted to hear from you. Please write. And if you have burdens you want to share and want prayer, do let us know.

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