FJK Posted February 10 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 43 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 3,349 Content Per Day: 7.53 Reputation: 1,305 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/01/2023 Status: Offline Share Posted February 10 Both of these two short writings intended as posts are about the same subject but which of them do you think is the better one to post, also do you agree or disagree with any particular part of them and why? I have a little more to add later on for clarification of the question if anyone responds or wants to discuss it. 1 The power of God is available to all, known by some, and practiced by very few. This is a statement that reflects the reality of many people who claim to believe in God, but do not live according to His will. God's power is not a secret or a mystery, but a gift that He offers to everyone who trusts in Him and obeys His commands. However, many people are unaware of this power, or choose to ignore it, or misuse it for their own selfish purposes. Only a few people truly understand what it means to live in God's power, and to use it for His glory and the benefit of others. These are the people who have a personal relationship with God, who study His word, who pray without ceasing, who worship Him in spirit and in truth, and who serve Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. These are the people who experience God's power in their lives, and who witness His miracles, His grace, His love and His peace. These are the people who are not afraid of the challenges and trials of this world, because they know that God is with them and for them. These are the people who are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, who shine God's power to those who are in darkness and despair. These are the people who are called to be God's agents of transformation and hope in this broken world. 2 The power of God is available to all, known by some, and practiced by very few. This is the main message that I want to share with you in this blog post. I believe that God has given us the ability to tap into his divine power and use it for good in our lives and in the world. But how do we access this power? How do we know that it is real and not just a fantasy? And how do we practice it in a way that honors God and serves his purposes? First, let me clarify what I mean by the power of God. I am not talking about some magical force that can make anything happen according to our wishes. I am not talking about a supernatural phenomenon that can defy the laws of nature and logic. I am not talking about a mystical experience that can make us feel euphoric and enlightened. These are all human interpretations and distortions of the power of God. They may have some elements of truth, but they are not the full picture. The power of God is the manifestation of his presence, his character, and his will in our lives and in the world. It is the expression of his love, his wisdom, his justice, and his sovereignty. It is the demonstration of his grace, his mercy, his forgiveness, and his holiness. It is the fulfillment of his promises, his plans, his purposes, and his glory. The power of God is not something that we can manipulate or control. It is something that we can receive, acknowledge, and cooperate with. So how do we receive the power of God? The first step is to believe in him. We need to have faith that he exists, that he loves us, that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and rise again from the dead, and that he has given us his Holy Spirit to dwell in us and guide us. Without faith, it is impossible to please God or experience his power (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is not a blind leap into the dark. It is a reasonable response to the evidence of God's existence and activity in history, in nature, in Scripture, and in our lives. The second step is to surrender to him. We need to acknowledge that he is the Lord of our lives and that we are not. We need to repent of our sins and turn away from our selfish ways. We need to submit to his authority and obey his commands. We need to trust in his goodness and wisdom and follow his guidance. Surrendering to God is not a sign of weakness or defeat. It is a sign of strength and victory. It is the only way to experience true freedom and peace. The third step is to pray to him. We need to communicate with him regularly and sincerely. We need to praise him for who he is and what he has done. We need to thank him for what he has given us and what he will do for us. We need to ask him for what we need and what he wants us to do. We need to confess our sins and ask for his forgiveness. We need to listen to his voice and respond to his promptings. Praying to God is not a ritual or a duty. It is a privilege and a joy. It is the way we connect with him and grow in our relationship with him. The fourth step is to serve him. We need to use the gifts, talents, resources, and opportunities that he has given us for his glory and for the benefit of others. We need to share the gospel with those who do not know him and disciple those who do know him. We need to love our neighbors as ourselves and care for the poor, the oppressed, the sick, and the needy. We need to seek justice, mercy, and righteousness in our society and in our world. Serving God is not a burden or a sacrifice. It is an honor and a blessing. It is the way we express our gratitude and worship to him. These are some of the ways that we can access, know, and practice the power of God in our lives and in the world. They are not exhaustive or exclusive. They are interrelated and interdependent. They are not easy or automatic. They require commitment, discipline, humility, courage, and perseverance. But they are worth it. They are rewarding, fulfilling, transforming, and empowering. The power of God is available to all, known by some, and practiced by very few. Which category do you belong to? Do you want to experience more of God's power in your life? Do you want to see more of God's power at work in the world? If so, then I invite you to join me in following these steps and discovering the amazing things that God can do through us when we rely on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddyv Posted February 12 Group: Royal Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 4,265 Content Per Day: 2.89 Reputation: 2,302 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/03/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted February 12 (edited) @FJK I like the brevity of the first one. That said, I think I like the structure of the second one better, plus it is a more fleshed out. For a blog post, and not a forum post, you certainly have more room to work with. For some critique, in the second one, I don't really like the idea of this step-by-step, formulaic process. That sets up a potential problem because I don't think you can say that such every person will follow exactly the same route. I think it can be rephrased though but I don't have an idea at the moment. I also think it would be very good to include Scripture references either in text, or footnoted in some way so that you can justify your assertions and claims. That maybe gets a bit technical but no one can then level that you are just making anything up. Again, I'm a technical guy and write technical reports who has to make sure I reference and back up conclusions and interpretations. Edited February 12 by teddyv missed some words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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