Read and Found the Joy of Knowing Christ #LeadersAreReaders April 2024

I was reading one of powerful stories from Richard Wurmbrand's Tortured for Christ (1969) about how he witnessed to a Russian lady officer on the street during the communist period in Romania. "I know that it is impolite to accost an unknown lady on the street, but I am a pastor and my intentions are earnest. I wish to speak to you about Christ," Wurmbrand said as he approached her. She asked, "Do you love Christ?" "Yes!" he replied passionately, "From all my heart." She fell into his arms and kissed him again and again. It was an embarrassing situation to do this in public, so he kissed her back, hoping people would think they were relatives. She exclaimed joyfully, "I love Christ too!"

He then took her home to meet his wife and talked to her where it was safer. He read to her selected Scripture passages. Along the way, he discovered that she knew nothing (Biblical facts, Gospel stories, what the Saviour and salvation mean) about Christ - absolutely nothing - except the Name. And yet she loved Him. He wondered, "How can you love somebody if you know only his name?" When he inquired, she explained, "As a child, I was taught to read by pictures. For an 'a' there was an apple, for a 'b' there was a bell, for a 'c' a cat, and so on. When I went to high school, I was taught my holy duty to defend the communist fatherland. I was taught about communist morals. But I did not know what a 'holy duty' or 'moral' looked like. I needed a picture for these."

"Now I knew that our forefathers had a picture for everything beautiful, praiseworthy, and truthful in life," she continued. "My grandmother always bowed down before this picture, saying it was the picture of one called 'Cristos' (Christ). And I loved this name by itself. This name became so real to me! Just to say this name gave one such joy!" Wurmbrand commented in the book: "Listening to her, I remembered what is written in Philippians that at His Name every knee should bow. Perhaps, the anti-Christ will be able for a time to erase from the world the knowledge of God. But there is power in the simple Name of Christ (Jesus) and this will lead to the light."

That day, the lady officer found (and was found by) Christ in the pastor's home and since then, the One whose name she loved lived in her heart in person. So, what does this story have to do with reading books, especially the Scripture? The goal is to know the personhood of God, and the primary means, special revelation, is through the Book. Secondly, through books about the God of the Book. Read and be led to the light! May you find the joy of knowing Christ. From pictures to words to Person.

 #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #1Book1Week

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The Supremacy of God In Preaching (1990, 2004) by John Piper, Book Review

The Supremacy of God In Preaching (1990, 2004) by John Piper

 

“There are always two parts to true worship,” writes John Piper, one of the role models who taught me to delight in God, to love the Scriptures, and to proclaim the truth with passion, “There is seeing God, and there is savoring God. You can’t separate these. You must see him to savor him. And if you don’t savor him when you see him, you insult him. In true worship, there is always understanding with the mind, and there is always feeling in the heart. Understanding must always be the foundation of feeling, or all we have is baseless emotionalism. But the understanding of God that doesn’t give rise to feeling for God becomes mere intellectualism and deadness. This is why the Bible continually calls us to think and consider and meditate, on the other hand, and to rejoice and fear and mourn and delight and hope and be glad, on the other hand. Both are essential for worship.” This is one of the most critical passages in the book. If you get this - especially the preachers - you will see why the work of preaching is not just informing but also transforming the mind and the heart of the (listening) hearers to look Godward. Piper continues by saying that the reason that preaching is so essential is that “it is uniquely suited to waken seeing God and savoring God… with the exposition of the Word of God and exultation in the God of the Word.”

Few people like John Piper understand the real goal, purpose, and high calling of preaching today. Perhaps the other preacher is the late Martyn Lloyd-Jones (I’m currently reading Preaching & Preachers by Dr Lloyd), who said: “To me, the work of preaching is the highest and greatest and the most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called.” It is always dangerous, in my opinion, to compare previous faithful preachers with contemporary preachers because times have changed. But if the truth is unchanged, then the means to declare the truth is unchanged too, namely, through preaching. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). But many of the so-called preachings nowadays is nothing more than just a motivational talk or an inspirational sharing or a psychological counselling session. Sprinkling Bible verses here and there, exciting the audiences with music and dramatic actions, delivering TED talks-style man-centred teachings, which people call preaching today. Far from the truth! As much as the judgment of God goes to the modern-day false preachers, the people also play the role and are held responsible for lifting them to celebrity status (read 2 Timothy 4:3). Preachers must teach the truth, and the people must hunger for the truth. How do you know if the preacher is teaching the truth? He will point you to SEE God. How do you know if you are hunger for the truth? You will be longing to SAVOR God.

Read what Pastor John said about the supremacy of God in preaching: “The dominant note of preaching be the freedom of God’s sovereign grace, that the unifying theme be the zeal that God has for his own glory, that the grand object of preaching be the infinite and inexhaustible being of God, and that the pervasive atmosphere of preaching be the holiness of God.” It is God from beginning to end. God reign! There are many gems in this book, and I highly recommend it to every pastor, teacher, preacher, and growing Christian. Although I’m not particularly called to be a preacher but a staff worker, I find this book helps me to remind myself that the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. [Note: The Westminster Shorter Catechism summarizes the chief end of man by using the word “and” to connect the two statements, but John Piper has suggested that the word “by” would be more consistent]. I have read this book for the third time. The first time I was in the FES Penang office during my visit many years ago, the second time I moved back to FES Sarawak, and again this year. Read it!

#ServeToLead #GrowingLeaders #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #JohnPiper #TheSupremacyOfGodInPreaching

To read my previous #1Book1Week book reviews, CLICK HERE  

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Jesus Christ, The Lord of the Sabbath: WHO, WHY & WHAT (Remastered, Luke 6:1-11)

 

Jesus said to the legalistic Pharisees about Himself during an argument about the Sabbath law: "The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath" (Luke 6:5). Why did He say it? Who does Jesus claim Himself to be here? What was the response of the Pharisees? Watch this video as I explore Luke 6:1-11 in detail  #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheLordOfTheSabbath #GospelofLuke

[Ps: This message is actually an expanded and remastered version of a message that I shared in one of my Christian Fellowship (CF) campuses on the topic of The Lord of the Sabbath based on the Gospel of Luke]

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Two Things that Are Suited to Humble the Soul of Men

 "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all" (1 Chronicles 29:11) #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheGreatnessOfGod

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The Duties of Parents (2010, first published 1888) by J. C. Ryle, Book Review

 The Duties of Parents (2010, first published 1888) by J. C. Ryle

My parents are good but not saints; as far as I can remember, they never taught me about Christ and the Word directly but I remember they (especially mom) taught me to pray before a meal and went to bed; I believe they want the best for me but in our culture, best mean mediocrity. I don't blame them, they just follow the examples from their own parents, grandparents, and so on. I never regret having them as my parents (although, I once imagined that I'm the prince of the King of England!) but I decide, by God's grace, to make a difference for my future children. You should too. Change must start with us. Bishop J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), of which his seven volumes of Expository Thoughts on the Gospels I owned, open this short book with the famous verse from Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go - and when he is old, he will not depart from it." If the crisis of ungodliness among young people during Ryle's time was alarming as he mentions in the book, then, surely today has become worse. In my observation, the responsibility to "train up a child" that is supposed to begin at home has ended up mostly left to the school, the church (if any), and even social media. This is not supposed to be so for Proverb 22:6 assumes that it is the responsibility of the parents or the close guardian(s) of "a child" to give godly instructions and to train him or her to walk with God. Ryle explains: "The plain truth is, the Lord's commandment in our text is not regarded - and therefore the Lord's promise in our text is not fulfilled." Don't make excuses, just obey the Word of God and you will be blessed. Here are Ryle's seventeen (17) insights of biblical responsibility of child-rearing that he outlines in this book:

1. If you train your children rightly, train them in the way they should go, and not in the way they would
2. Train Up your child with all tenderness, affection, and patience
3. Train your children with an abiding persuasion on your mind that much depends upon you
4. Train with this thought continually before your eyes – that the soul of your child is the first thing to be considered
5. Train your child to a knowledge of the Bible
6. Train them to a habit of prayer
7. Train them to habits of diligence, and regularity about public means of grace
8. Train them to a habit of faith
9. Train them to a habit of obedience
10. Train them to a habit of always speaking the truth
11. Train them to a habit of always redeeming the time
12. Train them with a constant fear of overindulgence
13. Train them remembering continually how God trains His children
14. Train them remembering continually the influence of your own example
15. Train them remembering continually the power of sin
16. Train them remembering continually the promises of Scripture
17. Train them, lastly, with continual prayer for a blessing on all you do

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #JCRyle #GodlyParentsGodlyChildren #NoExcuseJustObey #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Daniel, Man of God: Being a Man of Character in a Babylon World (Audiobook, 2018) by Dwight L. Moody

 

Daniel, Man of God: Being a Man of Character in a Babylon World (retitled, revised, republished 2018) by Dwight L. Moody. Narrated by Mark Christensen

If you study and read biographies of heroes of faith outside Biblical characters, one of the names that will most probably appear is D. L. Moody (1837-1899). Men of God like Moody, R. A. Torrey, Andrew Murray, A. W. Tozer, John Bunyan, J. I. Packer, etc. are treasures to Christendom. While most Christian leaders (celebrities?) nowadays are light without heat and their books are average; these faithful men through their writings, especially, are used by God to expound and explained the Word of God with deep knowledge and mind on fire. Try reading contemporary Joyce Meyer's God Is Not Mad at You and the classic Jonathan Edward's Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, you'll see the vast difference of view of the sovereignty of God and the supremacy of Scripture.

Now, let's come back to this book... D. L. Moody wrote with clear and context, simple and Scriptural, powerfully and pleasurable to listen to through audiobook. It wasn't too technical and easy to understand if you're already familiar with the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. The character and example of Daniel's (and his friends') faith are ever relevant in the modern world. In fact, we need more Daniels in our homes, churches, workplaces and government today. What kind of man he was? Integrity before God and men, uncompromised amid temptation, favor by kings without corruption or duit kopi, God-fearing rather than men-fearing, faultless but not perfect, led by convictions rather than power, spiritual leadership, and more. I feel so small standing on the shoulder of Daniel. I knew my downfalls, inadequacies, and iniquities. This is good, right? As Mr. Moody says, “The voice of sin is loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder.” Thank God for Christ, the Forgiver. Only by the grace of God, I can imitate - to some extend - Daniel.

To listen/watch this audiobook and more Christian classics, go to Aneko Press YouTube. CLICK HERE 👉 https://youtube.com/c/Anekopress 😊📖⚡ Enjoy!

P.s: I listened to lots of audiobooks and expository preaching. I choose to share a short review of this book so that you can also explore classic Christian books or audiobooks 🔥

#1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #DLMoody #BookOfDaniel #Audiobook #ClassicBook #ManOfGod

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Freedom, Authority & Scripture (1982) by James I. Packer, Book Review

 

Freedom, Authority & Scripture (1982) by James I. Packer

Before I was born, this book already existed 🤣 My first introduction to the late Dr. J.I. Packer is through his phenomenal life-changing book, Knowing God (fully recommend). It's a bit heavy in theology, but once you get the essences of it, your eyes will be open to see how the Scripture reveals the majesty and greatness of God. In Freedom, Authority & Scripture, Dr. Packer expands on the inerrancy and authority of the Scripture that can bring true freedom in our lives.

All of us want to be free, but many do not know what true freedom is, much less how to achieve it. Freedom is not freely doing whatever we want or desire without boundaries. Nor the liberty to harm others and the absence of responsibility. "There is no freedom apart from external authority," explains Dr. Packer, "To say 'I am my own authority, a law to myself' is to enslave myself to myself, which, as Seneca (the Roman moralist) said, is the worst bondage of all. Only as I bow to an authority which is not myself am I ever free." And what is that authority? God through the Scripture! "Real freedom is only ever found under authority - God's authority in Christ, the authority which reaches us via God's written Word." 📖🔥😊 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #FreedomAuthorityScripture #DrJIPacker

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Leaders: Exercise Control Without Being Controlling (#GrowingLeader)

 

In the past, I learned this lesson the hard way: Leaders are responsible FOR people without taking responsibility FROM them 😉🔥✔ #GrowingLeader #ServeToLead

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The 48 Laws of Power (1998) by Robert Greene, Book Review

The 48 Laws of Power (1998) by Robert Greene

 Robert Greene is a genius. He wrote books on strategy, seduction, human nature, and power. I have read The 50^Th Law (co-author with Curtin Jackson a.k.a. 50 Cent), halfway through The Laws of Human Nature, listened to a dozen of his interviews, and just finished this book. What can I say? If you want to observe power, to gain power, and to arm yourself against power, this book is a great resource. Unfortunately, too, if you’re crazy for power as a dictator, you will get it if you apply (most of) these laws. These laws are amoral, meaning, they don’t concern either you will use it for good or evil.  Greene said in an interview with The Guardian, “I believe I described a reality that no other book tried to describe. I went to an extreme for literary purposes because I felt all the self-help books out there were so gooey and Pollyanna-ish and nauseating. It was making me angry." Some people like Will Smith and Jay-Z love this book and some consider it as a 'psychopath's bible.’ In Utah State Prison, two of Greene’s books The 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction are banned. The reason? The authority says, “They’re all about manipulation.” Also, cunning and ruthless.

 I say, this book is DANGEROUS – and dangerous doesn’t mean it's all bad. First, the laws are generally true (I think instead of calling these ‘laws’, ‘rules’ are better). For example, Law #1 Never Outshine the Master, Law #3 Conceal Your Intentions, and Law #20 Do Not Commit to Anyone. To some extent, in the beginning, these laws are true but unsustainable in the long run. Secondly, the laws are thought to be ‘realistic.’ “I’m not evil – I’m a realist,” explained Greene. My problem with this is that it is very subjective. For example, Law #2 Never Put Too Much Truth In Friends. Use Your Enemies, it not realistic at all. In the war, perhaps; in the movies, maybe; in my workplace, nonsense. Thirdly, most of the laws are opposite of my Christian values. This is a matter of faith, so if you’re not a Christian, ignore this one. Law #14 Pose As A Friend Work As A Spy, Law #15 Crush Your Enemy Totally, and Law #32 Play to People’s Fantasies, for example, are very intentionally divisive, deceiving and manipulative. Fourthly, (this is the good part) I use the laws to identify how people might use the laws against me, as protection. In a sense, if I use it as identifiers, then, I also acknowledge that some of these laws are realistic, right? So, you see, it is a DANGEROUS book. Partly true, partly realistic, partly evil 💪👌👐 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #RobertGreene #TheLawsOfPower

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Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose (2006) by Derek Prince, Book Review

Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose (2006) by Derek Prince

Last week I didn't post anything on my social media, so I have lots of time (and works too, but I'm able to manage my work very well) to read books. I finished two books. One by N. A. Wilson on the life of Adolf Hitler and this book. Now can you see how much time we wasted on social media weekly? Monthly? Yearly? Except for WhatsApps, I don't even have active personal social media accounts! You can be a reader - all of us can - if only you reduce your idle time on social media. Join my #SocialMediaSabbath every week. To know more, visit LEGASI.tv Instagram.

Okay, about this book. If I want to understand the Bible better, I refer to David Pawson; but if I want to learn more about spiritual warfare, I go to Derek Prince (don't be confused with Joseph Prince ya). There are invincible forces influencing our lives today. Some recognize it, some just simply ignorance. "The Bible speaks plainly about these forces," writes Prince, "In fact, it has a great deal to say about them. It calls them respectively blessings and curses." The word “bless” or “blessing” occurs more than 410 times in the Bible; the word "curse" occurs nearly 160 times. Both are absolutely real —so real that our Lord Jesus had to be made a curse so that we might be redeemed from the curse and receive the blessing (read Galatians 3:13).

Prince explains, "Some people are inclined to think that blessings are real but curses are imaginary, or hypothetical. That is an illogical idea. If we consider any pair of opposites, it stands to reason that if one is real, the other must be real. Take day and night, for example. If the day is real, then the night is also real. Heat and cold — if heat is real, then cold is real. Good and evil — if good is real, then evil is real. We cannot accept one and ignore the other. So it is with blessings and curses. Blessings are real, and so are cursed." I think the questions from the back cover are very telling: Are you or your family experiencing repeated sickness or accidents? Do you feel under mental, emotional, or financial pressure much of the time? Are your closest relationships in turmoil? Do you wonder why success comes easily to others but seems to elude you? If you say YES to most of the questions (there are very good questions outline in the book to identify it), probably, you're intentionally or unintentionally, is under a curse.

Don't be discouraged if you think you do. The good news is that God has provided the means to overcome it. From the beginning, God desires for you to receive His blessings and not curses through Jesus Christ, His Son. In my life, relationships and ministry, I sense that something is not right and believe that spiritual warfare and curses were in operations. Only when I acknowledged what's going on, I then bring it in prayer to my Father in heaven. Now I know that I'm free and experience God's blessing in my life. The best is yet to come! I really recommend this book. Or, you can start by watching YouTube video How to Pass from Curse to Blessing by Derek Prince. Would you pray this prayer:

"Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that You are the Son of God and the only way to God; and that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. I give up all my rebellion and all my sin, and I submit myself to You as my Lord. I confess all my sins before You and ask for Your forgiveness — especially for any sins that exposed me to a curse. Release me also from the consequences of my ancestors’ sins. By a decision of my will, I forgive all who have harmed me or wronged me — just as I want God to forgive me. In particular, I forgive [say the name of the person]. I renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic — if I have any 'contact objects,' I commit myself to destroy them. I cancel all of Satan’s claims against me. Lord Jesus, I believe that on the cross You took on Yourself every curse that could ever come upon me. So I ask You now to release me from every curse over my life — in Your name, Lord Jesus Christ! By faith, I now receive my release and I thank You for it."

😊⚡✔ #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #DerekPrince #BlessingsAndCurses #SpiritualWarfare

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Five (5) Leadership Lessons from Simon Sinek

Author and motivational speaker, Simon Sinek, observed the way great leaders think, act and communicate, and how they inspire everyone to take action. His talks and books have important leadership lessons that can help us, no matter what our role is in the organization. Here are the five (5) lessons that I learned from him.

I would like to recommend reading Leaders Eat Last. This book is valuable and timeless (although I think it can be shorter). People also say that Start With Why also good, but I haven't finished reading it yet

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #LeadersEatLast #SimonSinek #LeadershipLessons

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Jesus' Leadership #29 He Believed In His Disciples (from Unstable 'Reed' to Immovable 'Rock')

Jesus looked at a promising young man and said, "You are blessed, Simon son of John… Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church, and all the power of hell will not conquer it…" (Read Matthew 16:16-19, NLT). Simon meant "Reed" (as in a plant that sways when any force pushes it) while Peter meant "stone" or "rock" (Jesus is "the Rock", Peter is a small rock, stone). Surely Jesus must have seen something special in Peter because his record shows that he was rather a reckless guy – hardly the kind of person you would declare to be a leader or pioneer of everything you were doing.

Peter was presumptuous when he trying to keep Jesus from going to Jerusalem because he was afraid, denying even knowing Jesus when He was captured by the Romans soldiers (this was his ultimate failure), and cutting off the Romans guard's ear with a sword after Jesus had preached love and forgiveness to him for about 3 years!

I think Jesus had to believe in His disciples and He was committed to change them. Their backgrounds were not glorious and they did not grasp what He was saying most of the time. They were constantly arguing over who is the greatest among them and they (once) dozed off and forgot Him when He needed them the most. Yet, these were the people He chose to be His apostles not just disciples and He believes the best in each of them – even when there was evidence to the contrary! He continues to give them great-Kingdom responsibilities and ultimately they were able to do it by His power and grace (except, Judas Iscariot).

It was because of His inner knowledge that allowed Jesus to give His disciples authority. He freely shared with them His longings, His Divine purpose, and even His humanity. If He did not believe in them, He would not have called them brothers [and sisters]. He would not have taken them whenever He goes and tells them about the things of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. You see, people tend to rise to the occasion when they have someone who truly believes in them. Perhaps we just need someone to show us who we really are inside. Perhaps that is what we are all so desperately searching for – someone who believes in us and to acknowledge the potential that we each sense about ourselves but are hesitant to show.

Peter went on to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to the formerly shunned Gentiles (see Acts 11:1-18). No other preacher or prophet (although Jonah preached to the Gentiles, he didn't bring Good News) had been called to go to the "unclean" Gentiles before with such Good News. According to church history, Peter eventually was crucified for his good work of preaching Christ and the Cross. In deference to Jesus, his Lord, it is said that he asked to be crucified upside down. This request came from a man whom everyone but Jesus called "Reed." Peter no more easily sway in his faith like a reed, his faith was firm and immovable like a rock!

To have someone we admire believe in us can help set our God-given greatness free. It certainly worked for Peter. Jesus believed in him and all of His disciples.

How can you show those who work with you that you believe in them?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

I read this book as soon as I finished Francis McNutt's Deliverance from Evil Spirits (see the previous book review). This book came as a surprise to me. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. If truth be told, I went into it a bit critical and skeptical. I'm just not one to subscribe to all these manifesting spiritual things. But the way the book was written, you know that Don Basham was really experiencing this. For what reason he was 'chosen' to deal with this phenomenon events is another story (though he wrote the details of how he called into this ministry. But by him coming from a completely conservative background to be thrown in the midst of manifestations of evil, is quite bizarre and had me thinking a lot. The book was well written on this subject and I learned a lot.

The "censored quarter of Christ's ministry," in Basham's estimation, is the part involving evil spirits or demons. He claims that one-quarter of Christ's ministry was devoted to deliverance ministry, yet the Christian church - during his day and even today - often chooses to ignore it totally or partially (or avoid this topic altogether). Basham has spent years counseling people with chronic problems and addictions. But throughout the course of his work, he was amazed to discover that exercising authority over demons could achieve in an instant what months of personal counseling often failed to do (not that he discounted the counselling ministry. Not all sickness and problems caused by demons but mostly are, said the author. We must be careful, of course). And so deliverance became not a fearful thing to him, but a thing of hope and reassurance. Don believes that "the ministry he now understands means more than (just) deliverance 'from' evil, it means deliver 'into' health and well-being." With real-life stories and vast experiences, the writer hooked me into reading this book to the end. Very good!

This book is now updated (this one is the first published version) and had a new title, "A Pastor's Reluctant Encounters with the Power of Darkness." I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about this subject.

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Young Men and Women, Consider the Power of Jesus

“[I am] glad to boast about my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ can work through me”

(2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT)

It is a truth of Scripture that whatever Jesus is, He is for us by virtue of our union with Him. His power works through me or dwells in me. He is the “reservoir of divine omnipotence from which we can constantly draw for our ever-recurring needs.”

It is good to know that the Greek word dunamis, or inherent power, is different from exousia, or authority. The writers of the Gospel never used the word dunamis together with our Lord while He was on earth nor in the Bible does Jesus ever exercise His dumanis. There is only one occasion on which both words are used of Him: “What authority (exousia) and power (dunamis) this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!” (Luke 4:36). But these were the words of neither the comment of the Gospel’s writers nor of Jesus Himself, but of the people, the spectators. Elsewhere, only exousia (authority) is used of Him. “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth…” (Matthew 28:18).

Jesus was the Son of God but He completely identified Himself with the human race – us. Therefore, in fulfilling His earthly ministry, He never exercised or draw on His inherent power (although He could!) but exerted only the authority delegated from His Father.

There is much comfort and encouragement for us redeemed-sinners in this fact. When we read of Jesus’ miraculous works of power, it seems like it does not help us much. We say, “Yes, that is wonderful but He was the Son of God. I am just a weak and sinful man. Christ had powers and resources that are not available to me. He was sinless and I am sinful.” But that is just where we are wrong.  Although Jesus possessed limitless inherent power, He voluntarily refrained from using it (He can but He won’t). In order that Jesus might be made “in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:17), He renounced that privilege and restrict Himself to exercise only the authority His Father had delegated to Him. Jesus claimed: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself” (John 5:19).

His miracles were not performed by innate power, but in dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s dunamis. In the same way, the miracles done by the apostles were done by the authority He delegated to them. So, instead of being discouraged by the fact that Jesus was the Son of God, we can be encouraged that He chose to be continually dependent on His Father for power to do His will. We can do the same!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.