Finding New Strength

 Sometimes you get exhausted. You are overwhelmed. It's just too much. You've run out of energy. You can no longer find your drive.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. Is 40:29–30 NLT

The eagle is unique. Eagles can live up to a hundred years. Over the years, their feathers become old and worn. They can no longer fly well.

They withdraw and perch on a mountain top. Then they moult. They lose their old feathers and gain new ones. Without feathers, they can be vulnerable, but they find a safe remote place and wait until they are strong again.

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Is 40:31 NLT

With new feathers they are strong again, but even then they do not fly like other birds. They often glide like a glider.

Jesus said that the source of our strength is the Holy Spirit. Jesus is God, but as a man on earth he relied on the Holy Spirit.

Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” Jn 3:6–8 NLT

A truly converted Christian receives a completely new life through the Holy Spirit, but it is not enough to be born again by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is not just there to save us. He is our companion, our guide and our strength, just like in the life of Jesus on earth.

Are you so overwhelmed that you can't find time for a day of rest?

Withdraw for a time, a few days, a few hours or if that is just not possible, for a few minutes. Focus your thoughts on the presence of God around you and also within you. Perhaps you can place your hand on your chest. This is not only your chest, but also the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, who loves you immeasurably.

If you have problems sleeping, pray for help and don't be afraid to seek medical help. Lack of sleep can do terrible damage.

Look at your routine. Are you just trying to do too much? Are you trying to please other people? What apparent duties are just not absolutely necessary?

You are called to do what God calls you to do, not what other people want you to do. Learn to say no.

See yourself as God sees you.

 Before the creation of the world, God already had an image of you in his mind. He saw in you a reflection of the beautiful humanity of Jesus.

Of course, I don't mean that you should be an itinerant Jewish preacher in Israel. You may be a woman. You may be an introverted academic. We are all different and unique, but we are to reveal the glory of God in different ways.

But almost everything has gone wrong with God's plan. The first humans rejected God's plan and were disobedient. Since then we have seen murder and war, lies and deceit, selfishness and perversion time and time again.

We are all born with shortcomings, with negative tendencies and character flaws. But God has never given up.

God can turn a run-down car into a Formula One machine.
But humanity needed a new beginning.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

Jesus took the punishment for all the sins of all people on the cross. He died so that we could have a new beginning, freed from guilt, because God's Son bore the guilt on his innocent soul.

Your guilt is taken away if you gratefully accept God's sacrifice and want to make a new start with Jesus.

We can have a new life with Jesus because Jesus not only died for us, but also rose again. Jesus is no longer a humiliated man on earth, but the eternal King of mankind in heaven.

Jesus wants to assure you.

… “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.
Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. …” Jn 11:25–26 NLT

Are you deeply dissatisfied with life? Are you perhaps at the end? What does Jesus have to say?

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NLT

Jesus loves you. He is waiting for your cry for help.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer 33:3 NIV

Your new life with Jesus

 If you have entrusted your life to Jesus, you have begun an entirely new life. .

Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence. 2 Co 5:17 GW

You are no longer the same person. You are a son or daughter of the Father in heaven. You have eternal life.

    Your eternal life has already begun and will never end.

    You are already a citizen of the eternal kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 Jn 5:12 NIV

Jesus is the eternal Son of God. His life belongs to you and your life belongs to him.

    You have an eternal love relationship with God.
    You are IN Christ and the Spirit of God is in you.

Because Jesus died on the cross for your sins, you no longer have to die for your sins.

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Ro 8:11 NIV

Because you are in Christ, God will not only provide for your needs. He will also bless you with amazing gifts of love.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Ro 8:31–32 NKJV

God's abundant grace has not been given to us to be selfish like spoiled children.

God gives us His heavenly power, wisdom, healing and love to save the world, to bless our fellow human beings, to rescue people from darkness and hell.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16 NKJV

Jesus rose from the dead, but he did not remain on earth, but returned to his Father in heaven.

Now we are his representatives on earth.

    Jesus has no hands on earth except your hands.   

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Mk 1:40–42 NKJV

What Jesus began, God wants us to continue.

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

... they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mk 16:17–18 NKJV

Jesus' wounded feet are now healed, but you can still see the scars in the sky. Jesus is now walking on streets of gold.

Jesus now has no feet on this earth but your feet. Will you go now to those who need eternal life?

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Mt 28:19–20 NKJV

New Start, New Life

 God has given you your life because he loves you. Whether you were born in loving marriage or not,  you are loved by God from the bottom of His heart.

God has given you talents and abilities because He loves you infinitely. God has built talents into your being, even if you have not developed your potential yet.

God designed you to have loving relationships and friendships because He loves you. You may have been so hurt that you withdraw from love and friendship, but God wants to heal your broken heart.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3

God has a good life planned for you, even if you have messed up your life, or people have so mistreated you, that you have not fulfilled God's good plan until now.

But in the Bible, I read how Jesus restored totally ruined people so that they could start again with God's love.

Jesus found a lonely woman at a well. She had been married five times and was now in a de facto relationship.

Did Jesus see her as a sinful woman?

How could she survive as a single woman? As a prostitute or beggar? Starving, abused and raped?

The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.” Jn 4:25–26 CSB

She believed that Jesus was the Saviour from God and that He could and would save her.

She became a missionary with a whole new life.

Your New Life

I feel so imperfect, so flawed, so incomplete, but God approves of me as His son. Only because of what Jesus did on the cross, paying for all my sins. My record is wiped clean.

I am a work in progress, but God sees the finished product.

I am a building site, and God is the architect and builder. He loves to see his beautiful house taking shape.

God enjoys the work He is doing in my life.

As I wrote these thoughts on my computer, I felt touched by the love of God. Then I felt that I had God's approval to modify these words a little so that God Himself would speak directly to me.

You feel so imperfect, so flawed, so incomplete, but I approve of you as My son. Only because of what Jesus did on the cross, paying for all your sins. Your record is wiped clean.

You are a work in progress, but I see the finished product.

You are my building site, and I am the architect and builder. I love to see My beautiful house taking shape.

I enjoy the work I am doing in your life.

When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 The Living Bible

Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new creation. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.

And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God. 2. Cor 5:17-18 The Passion Translation
 

Expect Breakthrough at Pentecost

At the first Passover, the Hebrews were not in a temple or at large events. They were in family homes. They were sheltering from a deadly plague.

A few weeks ago the Jews celebrated Passover and the Christians celebrated Easter at home. The old story repeated itself. We have found refuge from the epidemic at home.

Jesus was slaughtered as the Lamb of God. When was that? Exactly at the same time when the lambs were slaughtered for the Passover.

It was at the time of Passover that Jesus took the punishment for our sins on the cross.

After this terrible time, the disciples withdrew from public ministry. When Jesus came back after His death, He spent 40 days, almost 6 weeks, in private fellowship with His chosen disciples.

Then Jesus returned to His Father in heaven. We call this the Ascension.

Not long after He said this, He was lifted up to heaven before their eyes and disappeared in a cloud.

While they were looking at him, two men dressed in white suddenly stood with them.

They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven.

"One day he will come again just as you saw him go away." Acts 1:9-11. Jesus will surely come back from heaven. The time is getting closer every day.

The disciples prayed in the temple for a while, but then they withdrew again and waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. They were already saved, believing and faithful, but they were waiting for a great turning point from God.

We can read in Acts chapter 2 how the Holy Spirit came upon them, how they were filled and transformed by God's Spirit.

They delivered prophetic messages in languages they had never learned.

The Jews from different countries understood the messages in languages they knew, and 3000 Jews came to faith.

In 2020 we experienced something for the first time in 3220 years. Jews and Christians celebrated in private homes and found refuge from a terrible epidemic.

50 days after the first Passover, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.

50 days after the death of Jesus on the cross, God did not give the law, but the outpouring of the Holy Spirit for all believers.

Today 2200 years later we have a new day of Pentecost.
Millions expect a new dramatic turning point in this time of crisis.

God will give many believers a dramatic breakthrough today.

Many will receive supernatural wisdom and revelation.

Many will be freed from fear, confusion and uncertainty.

After the resurrection 500 disciples saw Jesus, but only 120 were in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.

Let’s expect God's intervention today. Why not follow the example of the 120 in the Upper Room?