SEIZED BY THE POWER OF A GREAT AFFECTION

 

Over 100 years ago, people in the south, who where in a relationship with Jesus Christ used the phrase, “I was seized by the power of a great affection.” (Google it) Brennan Manning quoted it often. I was seized by that power In 1978.

Let’s face it, 2020 sucks. But we need not live in fear. We must come to grips with the fact, whether we believe it or not, God is in control. He’s allowing all of these things to bring the church closer to Him, individually, and corporately as His Body.

We MUST NOT blame God, or see Him as the master of puppets behind all this craziness. If we indeed have spiritual eyes we will see the truth of Satan’s assault on our country and the world today: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus in John 10:10

The heart of God is to give us a full and abundant life. What a glorious promise! But we are in a sin-sick world in which Satan (for now) has limited freedom to accomplish his purposes of stealing, killing, and destroying.

There a so many voices (Christian and Secular) today screaming for our affections. But God’s Word is truth. Not believing it is truth doesn’t change the fact that it is.

• If we’ve been seized by this power, then we can relate to this passage from Isaiah: "Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5

Have you really seen the King with your spiritual eyes?

• If we’ve been seized by this power, then we MUST live by this rallying reminder from the Apostle Paul: "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.”   Titus 3:1-3

We MUST pray for this country’s leadership.

• If we’ve been seized by this power, we will not be blinded by the truth of these verses that are holding our country captive: "He (God) said, “Go and tell this people: “ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10

We MUST understand that the church is under attack. We MUST be praying for the church.

• If we’ve been seized by this power, we will acknowledge that God is the only One to be feared (revered) and stop worrying about conspiracies: "Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.” Isaiah 8:12-13

There are so many conspiracy theories out there. We MUST pray for God’s truth to be revealed. Pray for discernment.

• If we’ve been seized by this power, we will experience TRUE FREEDOM to love and work for a free world. And yes, I’m an idealist.

“Freedom belongs to the core of the spiritual life; not just the freedom that releases us from forces that want to oppress us, but the freedom also to forgive others, to serve them, and to form a new bond of fellowship with them. In short, the freedom to love and to work for a free world.” Henri Nouwen

There are many in our culture and the world who consider Christians a disease. There is an old Russian proverb: "Those who have the disease called Jesus will never be cured.” In Jesus name, may we never be cured!!

WITH US IS GOD!

Emmanuel: The name means “God with us.” But the unusual and emphatic position of the words making up the name show it should be understood, “WITH US is God!”

Thus, the name Emmanuel captures the awe and wonder of the incarnation, and the unimaginable fact that the God of the universe entered the stream of time to become one with us.

So often we hear from people that it is such a magical season...and I agree. 

There is a wonder, a joy, a hope, and a peace...and it blazes a trail through all that that is tarnished, sorrowful, hopeless, and turbulent. 

What really hurts is that our culture tries to sweep the truth under the rug of tolerance.

But on the day we celebrate Jesus' birthday, on the birthday of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, on this day that He should be recognized and honored for his coming into the world....He hardly enters our minds at all. 

It’s all about the bottom line...we go through the parade of Christmas dressed in a costume of materialism. 

But I love how Brennan Manning balances this: 

“Once a year the Christmas season strikes both the sacred and the secular spheres of life with a sledgehammer force:  suddenly Jesus Christ is everywhere.

           

For approximately one month His presence is inescapable.  You may accept him or reject him, affirm Him or deny him, but you cannot ignore him.  Of course He is proclaimed in speech, song, and symbol in all the Christian circles.  But he rides every red-nosed reindeer, lurks behind every cabbage patch doll, and resonates in the most desacralized “season’s greetings” and “happy holidays.”  Remotely or proximately He is toasted in every cup of Christmas cheer.  Each sprig of holly is a hint of his holiness, each cluster of mistletoe a sign he is here.

For those who claim His name, Christmas heralds this luminous truth:  The God of Jesus Christ is our absolute future.  Such is the deeply hopeful character of this sacred season.  By God’s free doing in Bethlehem, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Light, life and love are on our side.”

Emmanuel: With us is God. Merry CHRISTmas.