Power in the Name of Jesus

I hope that you are continuing to focus your prayer towards the Power in the Name of Jesus, and what that will mean for your lives.  I pray that each person will receive something different in those words.  The light that will shine on you is from the Lord because He knows where we are at in our walk with God.

            Power in the name of Jesus can be different things.  It can be the calm when the storms of life seem to overwhelm you, and you feel like you are drowning.  It can stop the devil cold in his tracks.   It also can light a fire in your heart.

            That latter is where I am right now.  I have been through all of it, but this month, it is power in the name of Jesus that is lighting a fire in my soul.  The fire is to do something that Jesus is showing me.  The fire to spread the GOOD NEWS, no the GREAT NEWS of what He has done in my life.  

Matthew West’s song “Do Something” came on the radio as I was driving to work on Friday.  “Saw a world of trouble now, though how’d we ever get so far down…”  He continues the song.  “God, why don’t you do something?” He asks.  The song continues with the answer.  “He said “I did, yeah, I created you.””

“If not us, then who?” The song continues. So, in the name of Jesus, I am walking this journey in faith.  Not sure what the steps will look like, but I am super excited about being part of Jesus mission.

            Yes, there is power in the name of Jesus.  He has also enlisted us to walk alongside him, to be his hands and feet.  I think that there are a lot of times that I go through my life so self-absorbed.   So, I turn my eyes completely on Him and dive in.

“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” Philippians 2:9-19

            In the name of Jesus, there is fire that brings the dead soul to life.  In the name of Jesus, Peter walked on water.  In the name of Jesus, Laura can go out in faith and trust her Lord and Savior.

            There is POWER, wonder-working POWER in the name of Jesus.  He opens the eyes of the blind and the deaf to hear. In the name of Jesus, the disciples performed miracles.  In the name of Jesus, miracles happen.

            Yes, I am tired of how this world is, and I am tired of a lot of things that are going on in this world.  BUT, I refuse to let it extinguish the mission of loving each other and showing others the way to Jesus. 

            For you see, only in the name of Jesus can people change. WE can’t change people, and we shouldn’t even try.  We show them Jesus.  There is that POWER in the name of Jesus.

            I have been in the darkness, and Jesus shone brightly and tossed out the darkness.  It is scary to be in the bright light because being in Jesus' bright light has the potential to turn your normal upside down. But it is totally worth it.  For you see, I know what He has done in my life.  He created in a clean heart.  He has made me new.

            When something amazing happens to you, you want to share it with the world. That is what I want to do.  I want to tell you that there is POWER in the name of JESUS.  Try it, and see if you are not changed?

Photo by Joshua Newton on Unsplash

Dear Jesus,

I thank you for this opportunity to pray for those reading this blog.  I pray that in YOUR name, Jesus, I pray that each person that reads this be changed.  There is so much darkness in the world.  Help us to be the light to shine on the power that is in your name.

In YOUR name, Jesus, Amen

P.S. I want everyone reading this to know as I was editing this piece, the song “Break Every Chain” by Jesus Culture came on.  The main lyrics are “THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS.”  I can’t make this up, and I got goosebumps.  THERE is power in the name of Jesus, and it will not be quieted.

Keep praying in the name of Jesus.  There is power in His name.

Written by: Laura Maxson

            

October Prayer Topic: 2 Corinthians 3:17

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. "

2 Corinthians 3:17

Photo by Ryan Moreno on Unsplash

Gentle Shepherd

All I wanted was to relax in a hot bath, climb into bed and read my book.  But, no, instead I had to deal with a rebellious two-year-old who refused to go to bed.   She had resisted going to sleep and pretty much every other idea I had for her since she was born.  I was bone weary, having accomplished nothing during the day, other than caring for her and her infant brother.   So, as once more this little daughter of mine put up a fuss, something in me snapped.  A basket of stuffed animals sat nearby from which I snatched them up, and one by one, hurled them around the room, yelling with each throw.  I can still see her confused look, crying and pleading, “Mommy, stop...”  

Thankfully, my patient and long suffering husband heard the commotion and rescued us both.

Later, in my room, I poured out my heart to God.  I prided myself in being a capable, self-sufficient, hardworking individual.  Any challenge with enough work and persistence, I could handle.  How could this charming, cute as a bug, 25-pound human being, be my undoing?  “God, I can’t do this, I cried.”  And what I discovered next will forever be remembered as a profound turning point in my mothering and, more importantly, my walk with Jesus.  Because in the quietness of my spirit, I sensed God whispering, “Ah, daughter, you are right, you can’t do it.  The truth is you can’t do anything…without Me and My strength.”   That day, it became clear; my efforts are ineffective and futile.   I am utterly dependent on Jesus for every step of life, especially being a Mom.

My own Mother is a spiritually rich lady who daily demonstrates humility and wisdom.  When I first became a mother, she “gave” me a Bible text.   It became the verse that she specifically prays over me and my children.   

“He tends His flock like a Shepherd.  He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those who have young.”-Isaiah 40:11 

The sweet truth is:  our Savior has a tender heart toward us mothers (and Aunties).  He carries our children in His all-powerful arms and clasps them close to His heart.  Then, He takes our hand, and affectionately leads us, guiding us in the daily joys and challenges of raising our kids.  I love the picture of Jesus, blessing those Israelite children.  And, I see Him doing the same thing with our kids today: taking the little ones on his lap, snuggling, kissing their heads.  I imagine Him playing with the toddlers, swirling them around, placing His strong hands on a boy’s head, hugging a young girl.   Cupping the teenage girl’s face and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.   Clapping the young man on the back, giving him a “high five.”  Yes, He does this with my kids and then He grasps my hand, catches my eye and says, “Well done.”

That day with my toddler was 15 years ago.  I can’t say that everything improved overnight, but remembering my source of strength became my Lifeline.  And now, with three teenagers (O Jesus help!) I must rely on His strength more than ever.   It seems that with bigger kids, come bigger problems: boy/girlfriends, break ups, friendship challenges, grades, time management (or lack thereof), unpredictable hormones, teen drivers, higher insurance, higher costs for education…  But, my biggest area of prayer is the spiritual connection my children are developing. 

Recently, I sat on my youngest daughter’s bed and listened to her gut wrenching sobs. She rarely cries and often has difficulty dealing with her emotions.  Out came expressions of hurt, loneliness, feelings of being different and misunderstood.  There can be no worse pain for a mother then seeing your child hurt.  Nothing I said seemed to help.  Finally, I started reading some of my favorite passages of scripture.  The ones that have brought comfort to my soul through the years.  Slowly, her emotions calmed and she asked me to keep reading.  The next day she requested that I write down these verses so she could look them up.  Now, I consistently see her reading her Bible on her own.   We cannot always fix the pain and uncertainty in our kid’s lives, but we can show them where our strength and consolation comes from. We can point them to the Shepherd.

Jesus knows that we get tired and stressed.   Sometimes our kids hurt us, they don’t meet our expectations.  There are times we feel unappreciated and taken for granted.   He understands our need for adult conversation, affirmation and hope.  And He gives it in another verse in Isaiah 40.

Do you not know?    Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God,    the Creator of the ends of the earth.He will not grow tired or weary,    and his understanding no one can fathom.He gives strength to the weary    and increases the power of the weak.Even youths grow tired and weary,    and young men stumble and fall;but those who hope in the Lord    will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles;    they will run and not grow weary,    they will walk and not be faint.-Isaiah 40: 28-31

God alone understands every worry and desire. It is He who renews our strength.  He gives us the power to keep going, to keep loving, to keep encouraging, to keep running and to soar! 

-Wendy Eickmann