Real power pulses from the Cross of Jesus.

Everyone seems to be fascinated with POWER today. Kids watch Power Rangers and play video games where they’ve got superhuman power to do stuff, all the while dreaming of being Harry Potter.

Actually, I missed the Power Rangers. Superman and other comic book heroes wowed my generation. My kids left home before Power Rangers took root in kids’ consciousness. They were the Transformers generation.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about the Rangers, “Morphed Rangers generally possesses superhuman strength, durability, and ability in hand-to-hand combat. Some possess superhuman abilities such as super-speed or invisibility, attributes somewhat related to their Ranger abilities…When enemies grow to incredible sizes, Rangers utilize individual Zords that combine into a larger Megazord.”

“Megazords!” Got that?

Power! Super ability. Flying was what I wanted to do when I was a kid and sometimes even now I dream I’m flying–without an airplane. “You just gotta believe.”

But all that’s play-like. You want to see real power?

Look at the Cross. That ugly instrument of death is just the opposite of the atomic bomb. Instead of mass destruction it released a mushroom cloud of LIFE! All through the universe, instead of pollution it pumped out life.

1 Cor. 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know … his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Eph. 1:18-21, NIV)

That’s incredible! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, raised me from among the spiritually dead the day I repented of my sins and put my faith in the Lord Jesus. Look what happened then:

“But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you. God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven.” (Eph. 2:4-6, Contemporary English version)

You want power?  Intentionally put your faith in Jesus-Christ and let Him forgive and invade your life with His life-giving power. You’ll feel the “buzz”—your sins will be forgiven, God will make you a member of His family, that hole in the center of your being will be filled up with the One who made you for Himself. And you’ll have the possibility to live life the way He intended it to be lived.

That’s real power.

Hummm …

Harvard professor Dr. Catherine Snow followed 65 families over an eight-year period. She made this profound discovery: Dinnertime is of more value to child development than playtime, school time, and story time.
“If eating around the kitchen table trumps the benefits of school, then you’ve got my attention. At the table you can affirm, teach, listen, reinforce, and laugh! Life lessons can be learned here. So put away your phone and look into your family’s eyes.”   Dave Stone