Tag Archives: supernatural

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Surfacing

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Our Daily Bread

Colossians 1:15-23

By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. —Colossians 1:16

Human beings straddle visible and invisible realities—the natural and the supernatural. I thought about these two worlds when I went out in a boat to watch whales off the coast of New Zealand. A whale would rest on the surface for a while, then breathe deeply a few times, his exhalations creating a spectacular spout, before plunging a mile deep to feed on squid.

Despite having its own lively habitat of marine plants and sea creatures, the whale must surface for oxygen from time to time or it dies. Though it knows little about the world above, it needs vital contact with it to survive.

I sometimes feel like that whale, coming up for spiritual air at regular intervals to stay alive. But there is no neat division between the natural and the supernatural. The world we live in is not an either/or world. What I do as a Christian—praying, worshiping, demonstrating God’s love to the sick, needy, and imprisoned—is both supernatural and natural.

The same God who created the world that’s visible to us actively sustains it and has made a way for us to approach Him, the invisible. Paul wrote, “You, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death” (Col. 1:21-22).

All our actions take place in the visible world, which we can touch, smell, and see. Yet the Creator and Sustainer of all things has provided a way for us to breathe the spiritual air we need and crave. —Philip Yancey

God’s throne is always accessible to His children.

Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 1-3; John 5:25-47

Insight

Some skeptics have cited Colossians 1:15 to argue for Jesus being a created being: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” But in the Jewish mind “firstborn” did not primarily refer to birth order. Instead, it meant the preeminence of the firstborn male over the family property. Clearly, Paul is emphasizing the preeminence of Christ.

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – Obedience Releases the Power

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“For the Lord says, ‘Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in My name. When he calls on Me I will answer, I will be with him in trouble, and rescue him and honor him'” (Psalm 91:14,15).

Pete was the playboy type. He believed that Christ was in his life and that he had eternal life and would go to heaven when he died, but he was not willing to “go all the way with the Lord.” He wanted to live the “good life,” he said. One day perhaps he would make a total commitment of his life to Christ, but not now. He had all kinds of physical and emotional problems, but somehow he was never able to make the connection that the fact that his life was miserable was because of his disobedience to God.

All of God’s supernatural resources are latent within us waiting for us, as an act of the will by faith, to release that power. This explains the difference between impotent, fruitless, defeated Christians and those who are buoyant, joyful, victorious and fruitful in magnificent ways for the glory of God. Both are indwelt by the same God and possess the same supernatural power, but one for whatever reason – lack of knowledge, lack of faith, disobedience – fails to release the power while the other – knowledgeable, dedicated, obedient, faithful – releases the power.

John 14:21 is another way of stating Psalm 91:14,15. Jesus said, “He that hath My commandments, and keep them, he it is that loveth Me and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.”

We demonstrate that we love God when we obey Him. And when we trust and obey Him, all the supernatural resources of deity are released in our behalf. He literally heals our bodies, our minds and our spirits and enables us to live the supernatural life.

Bible Reading: Psalm 91:7-13

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will acknowledge Jesus daily as the Lord of my life and demonstrate my love by obeying His commandments. In so doing, I can be assured that He will be with me in trouble and deliver me and honor me as He promised.