"Potentate" ~ Our God Draw Me Nearer ~ Linda K. Milam

October 28, 2010

"DRAW ME NEARER TO THE POTENTATE" 
Potentate (from the Latin potens, 'powerful') is an informal term for a person with potent, usually supreme, power.  The term was used by the Christian Church to describe Jesus, it can be found in 1 Timothy 6:15. One example of this use is in the hymn "Crown him with many crowns" in which Jesus is described as "potentate of time"  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentate

God will show all mankind who the true "Potentate" is IN HIS TIME! Woe unto those who have not recognized JESUS as their Savior!  I believe it will be even worse for those that have called HIM their own, yet live the life of the world today, and show no fear for our Holy Lord.  I heard a great sermon last night and one phrase stuck more than others, although the entire message blessed my heart.  The Preacher questioned us and asked us to be absolutely honest with our ownselves because it was for OUR good - no one elses!  "Can you recall any time in your life when you were closer to the LORD than you are today?  Can you say I still serve Him today, like I did on any previous day?  If you cannot HONESTLY say this to yourself (because God already knows the answer)  - then you are BACKSLIDDEN!"  Boy that made me sit up and take notice. 

What Is a Backslider?  A backslider is a saved person who falls into sin. A lost sinner cannot be a backslider. You have to go somewhere before you can slide back. But one who is truly born again, a child of God who falls into sin, is a backslider. It may be outrageous and gross sin known to everyone, or it may be merely coldness of heart, a lukewarmness of heart instead of the burning fire of love for God. But when a Christian loses any of his joy, or loses part of his sweet fellowship with God, or falls into sin, then he is a backslider. Remember that only Christians can backslide.

We have many examples of this in the Bible. What an honest Book the Bible is to tell us of the failures and sins of God's people through the ages! God wanted us to know that the men of the greatest faith, saints who had truly been born again, were frail people such as we are and subject to the same temptations and surrendering sometimes to the same sins. Yet he forgave them.  At this point I think of David.

God's favored one was a murderer, liar, cheat, adulterer and the list could go on.  But in Ps. 51:1 David plead with God.  ". . .Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions."   And God did forgive HIM.  We have talked with numerous saved people in our travels. . .  Many believe, I mean they really believe, they are not backslidden and yet will admit they are not serving the LORD as they used to.  They gave up their Sunday School Class, singing in the Choir, working on a bus route, soul-winning, reading their Bible or praying, and even one of the easiest things is just leaving a tract on a table as they were out to eat.  All things of the LORD are the furtherest thing from their hearts.

We are on the whole a "good" people.  But "good" does not keep you close to God, although it helps.  Attending church services, reading your Bible, praying, and yes working in the work of the LORD will keep you close to Him.  The more I do, the closer I get!   Some reject His Word saying with  "I have never been convicted" attitude or "I don't see the wrong in what we are doing" ~ do you get what I'm saying? 

We can reject all we want, but ONE day every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that HE IS LORD! Are you being fooled by Satan into "believing" you have a close walk with the LORD?  Is what you do every day, Christ Honoring and if not, do you pray everyday for forgiveness?  So you have friends and family that have never seen you bow your head to bless your food, read your Bible on the job, or offter to pray with someone in need.  Or, worse, maybe they have seen you and  also see your daily walk and begin to think Christianity is a joke.  What is your Christian testimony worth? What are your friends and family worth. 

It won't matter what we think or how we think we can live, it DOES NOT change God's Word.  We do so miss out on so many BLESSINGS! 

Help me Lord to love you more each day. 

"DRAW ME NEARER"

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith And be closer drawn to Thee. Refrain: Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the pow’r of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine. Oh, the pure delight of a single hour That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God I commune as friend with friend! There are depths of love that I cannot know Till I cross the narrow sea; There are heights of joy that I may not reach Till I rest in peace with Thee.