Episode Transcript
You are listening to daily insights on the three ABN Radio Network. And here is your host, Kaysie Butler. Hello and welcome to the program.
Thank you for joining me and I do look forward to the time I share with you today. What do you think of when I say the word power? Do you think of a strong person or a position of influence? Or maybe something small like an encouraging word or smile? Or maybe you're like my dad and you're an electrician and perhaps you just think of electricity. What about if I say the power of God? What comes to mind then? Maybe you think of God's amazing power in creating innumerable galaxies and towering mountains or gigantic glaciers.
Maybe you think of God's power in defeating the Devil. Or what about his power to change your life and your heart? Today we're going to explore the topic of power, god's power in particular. And to begin with, I want to share with you a song called All Hail the Power of Jesus Name.
And it's sung by Christian edition of Jesus. Bring for the royal and from bring forth the royal diamond and from the rest of all to Him all majesty know all sacred from reaching out to me, from me. That was all.
Hail the power of Jesus name by Christian Edition. And I was just thinking about the words of that song and they're very interesting when it says hail the power of Jesus'name. If you think about if power is associated with someone's name, it really indicates that that person has either accomplished something significant or else they have some sort of authority.
So if it's saying all hail the power of Jesus name, we've got to think about what has Jesus done that means he deserves such an honor or where is his authority? We read in John, chapter one, verse two, that Jesus made all things. And you also read in the same in Genesis one one where it talks about how he made the heavens and the earth. And when you think about that, that means everything we see in earth and heaven that he has made.
When you see just the amazing complexity and incredible design and in all that is in creation, we just have to stand back in awe at God's creative power in making those things. And with that in mind, you can see clearly how we can say hail the power of Jesus'name. I have another song for you now.
It is called I Sing the Mighty Power of God and it's sung by Robbie Falkenberg and it's about the amazing power of God in creation. I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise, that spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day, the moonshines full at his command and all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord that filled the earth with food. He formed the creatures with his word and then pronounced them good Lord, how thy wonders are displayed where I turn my eye if I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky there's not a plant or flower below but makes thy glories known and clouds arise and tempest grow by order from thy throne. Creatures that borrow life from thee are subject to thy care.
There's not a place where we can sleep, but God is present there jes, that was Robbie Falkenberg singing. I sing the mighty Power of God. Now let's turn to a different aspect of God's power.
And I'm thinking of the power of the blood of Jesus Christ to change our lives. Listen now as the Steve Batteerd Evangelistic team share the song Power in the Blood. And you'll notice that they're singing it to a different tune, so I hope you enjoy that.
Would you be free from the burden of sin? Would you worry victory win? Would you be free from your passion and pride? Come for a glancing to Calvary's hide every star wonderful calling on all there is power wonderful color much whiter than snow and stains are lost in its life giving would you do service for Jesus your King? Would you live daily his praises to sing? There is power wonderful calling of there is power wonderful in the sham you there is power wonderful there is power wonderful there is power in the blood of the you know, the secret of the power of the blood of Jesus lies in the story of the cross. Christ didn't just die, he suffered and died. And his suffering was the just punishment for the sins of every person who ever lived.
And this is what gives the blood of Christ's sacrifice tremendous power, since he has the right with it to redeem every single human being. In the face of such a complete and selfless sacrifice, the one who accuses us, the devil, is silenced, and Christ's blood prevails in redeeming those who believe in Him. In keeping with this theme, we'll now listen to a song called The Power of the Cross.
And it's shared with us by the Galken Evangelistic team. Christ on O to calm men torn and beaten nailed to a cross of see the pain written on your face bearing the awesome weight of sin every bitter thought every crowning your blood stone is the Christ became sin for us all forgiven the cross us. Now the daylight free.
Now the ground beneath wakes as it make curtain torn into dead. I raise. I finish the victory.
It for us to we stand forgiven your suffering. I am free. It's crushed together.
Why is my to one for yourself. It's the power of the cross by the Galken evangelistic team. One of the amazing things I find about God and his power is that he wants to be able to reveal his power in our lives.
He's even said in His Word in two Corinthians Twelve, verse nine, that his strength is made perfect in our weakness. And I know that certainly we all get to spots in our lives where we feel incredibly weak and we don't know what to do, and we need help. It's just so comforting to know that we can turn to a source of infinite power in those times.
Shannon Thompson shares more about this in the song. His strength is perfect. And we'll listen to that right now.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, but sometimes I wonder what he can do through me. No great success to show no glory on my own yet in my weakness he to let me know his strength is perfect when my strength is gone he'll carry us when we can't carry on raised in his power the weak become strong. Its strength is perfect.
His strength is perfect. You we can only know the power that he hold. When we truly see how deep our weakness goes his strength in us begin when ours comes to an end he hears our humble cry and proves again his strength is perfect when our strength is gone he'll carry us when we can carry on raised in his power the week become stronger his strength is perfect his strength is perfect his strength is perfect thank you, Shanna Thompson, for sharing.
His strength is perfect. I want to share with you a short story now that illustrates how God's power can help us in daily life. And the story is by Daniella Schubert, and it's as she has shared it in the book Ordinary People, Faithful God.
Daniella Schubert, at the time of sharing this story, was a theology lecturer at Pacific Adventist University near Port Morsby in Papua New Guinea. And the story is entitled Before They Call, and it's written in the first person. My heart is thumping, and my chest is squeezing tighter with each minute that passes.
I am not ready. The moment of disaster is approaching. What am I going to do? It is April 14, 2003.
No records of a cyclone or bomb hitting my area on this day exist. I was not facing anything that dramatic, just a classroom of college students, and my lecture was not ready. I can't recall why I wasn't ready for this particular lecture.
Perhaps being a full time mother, wife and university lecturer had something to do with it. Perhaps our evening devotion the night before was too extended, answering the serious questions our boys had. Maybe one was sick and I had to look after him.
Or it's possible that several students came to my office with their burdens the day before, and I listened and prayed with them and so didn't have the time to prepare. I knew I wasn't ready. So Plan B was to use a PowerPoint presentation prepared by another lecturer.
I felt that using that did not make my lectures good. Enough. But since I'm not ready, that will have to do today, I thought.
Of course, I needed a data projector and a laptop for it. Not a problem. I could use my husband's in the office just next door.
I should have had the first period free, but I supervised an exam for another lecturer. Although that didn't give me the time to properly prepare for that class. I was able to brush up on some facts.
As I was glancing at the material, a few questions popped into my mind and I jotted them down. I had the next two periods to teach and the fourth one was the class I dreaded. That morning during the breaks between classes, I managed to type those questions and print them out.
I like these questions. Maybe I'll use them during the class, I thought. Little did I know what was coming.
Eight minutes to the beginning of class. I found no laptop in my husband's office. Running to the It office, they didn't have one either.
Running back to my office, I panic. What am I going to do? I'm not ready to stand the whole 50 minutes in front of the class to give a talk on this subject. Maybe I should go home and get the laptop.
I needed at least ten minutes for that. There is no time. I need the laptop here.
I need it now. What am I going to do? 1 minute to the beginning of class. I walked toward the classroom, offering a silent prayer.
I remembered having last year's notes in the folder that I was carrying. I needed time to look at them. As I was approaching the room, the rescue plan emerged.
I would divide the class into groups. Each group would get one of those questions that popped into my mind earlier this morning. I would ask them to discuss those questions.
That would give me some time to look at my notes. As the groups delved into discussion, I glanced at last year's notes. Then I wrote on the board a sequence of facts and names which would help me go through the material.
I would ask each group to share its discussion results with the rest of the class, but not straight away. It would be during the lecture as it fitted with the material I was to cover. 50 minutes later, I walked out of that classroom with a smile on my face.
I thought that was the best lecture I have delivered so far. I also wondered how is it possible that a sure disaster can be turned into a thorough success? Only God knows. Isaiah 65 24 says I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers. Isn't that inspiring how God can use even situations like that where we get into a spot and just help us through it by making provisions even beforehand? Before we come to that crisis so that we'll be able to get through it in his strength. Well, we have time for one more song today and I've selected one called Who Can Do.
And it's sung by a men's quartet called Crystal sound a kevlar love a thousand peers breathes for us and always feel who was it tied yet lives still? Nobody but my Lord who can do, who can do who can do anything nobody but my lord and master who can do, can do, can do anything nobody but my Lord who makes us happy though we've been sad loves us even though we're bad who answer prayers and makes us glad? Nobody but my Lord who can do, who can do who can do anything? Nobody but my lord and the master who can do who can do who can do anything? Nobody my lounge upon a tree suffer shame for you and me who was it I to make us free? Nobody but my lord who owns a mansion in the sky share it with us by and by take us to his home high nobody but my Lord who can do, who can do who can do anything? Nobody but my lord and master who can do, who can do who can do anything? Nobody but my Lord who can do who can do who can do nobody but my Lord well, that pretty well sums it up, doesn't it? Who can do anything? Nobody but my lord well, I hope you've enjoyed our exploration of the power of God today as we've considered various aspects. The power of God in nature in his creative power, in his sacrifice on the cross for us and as well, his power to give us strength in hard times and when we're weak. And also his power to foresee our needs and anticipate them ahead of time and help us in those situations where we get into a crisis knowing how comprehensive God's power is.
I pray that you would experience some of it in your daily life today. Until next time, may God richly bless you and thank you for joining me. You've been listening to a production of three ABN Australia radio.
