It is about the power guz\u00adzlers of today and the very prac\u00adti\u00adcal ques\u00adti\u00adon: How do we Chris\u00adti\u00adans rech\u00adar\u00adge our bat\u00adte\u00adries with God?<\/p>\n
Life needs strength! Child\u00adren, young peo\u00adp\u00adle and adults are some\u00adti\u00admes stret\u00adched to their limits. That\u2019s why the\u00adre was a wide\u00adspread sigh of reli\u00adef at the begin\u00adning of July: \u00abHoli\u00addays at last!\u00bb And isn\u2019t it: We all need times when we can switch off. Times to brea\u00adthe a sigh of reli\u00adef, to draw strength, becau\u00adse life chal\u00adlenges us all and we ask our\u00adsel\u00adves every now and then: how, whe\u00adre and when could I best refuel? A chan\u00adge of sce\u00adn\u00adery is a good way to do that; a chan\u00adge of air. On the other hand, we rea\u00adli\u00adse with dis\u00adil\u00adlu\u00adsionment that the few weeks of holi\u00adday we can count on one hand are not enough! You can feel this when peo\u00adp\u00adle moan soon after their holi\u00addays: \u00abOh, I need ano\u00adther holi\u00adday! Sources of strength like holi\u00addays, fun weekends, fit\u00adness sub\u00adscrip\u00adti\u00adons, well\u00adness temp\u00adles, healt\u00adhy food, enough sleep \u2013 are often not so sustainable! \tWe live in a com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adti\u00adve socie\u00adty! This beg\u00adins with the youn\u00adgest child\u00adren in kin\u00adder\u00adgar\u00adten and the com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adti\u00adon to see who has made the most beau\u00adtiful dra\u00adwing. And it ends in old age with the com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adti\u00adon to see who is still the fit\u00adtest or who still has the smoot\u00adhest facial skin! Often it is the con\u00adstant com\u00adpa\u00adri\u00adson with others that takes a toll on our phy\u00adsi\u00adcal and men\u00adtal strength. \u00abHave you seen what the neigh\u00adbours can afford? Have you heard whe\u00adre they went on holi\u00adday? Did you also noti\u00adce Alice\u2019s beau\u00adtiful dress? Now your col\u00adle\u00adague at work has a new car again!\u00bb Ano\u00adther thing to men\u00adti\u00adon here is the cult of the body, which also eats away at your strength. Men work on their wash\u00adboard abs; women have the unneces\u00adsa\u00adry suc\u00adtion\u00aded off\u2026 With all this scrambling for the per\u00adfect body, I some\u00adti\u00admes ask mys\u00adelf: How much do we care about spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal fit\u00adness?! Why don\u2019t we take care to be strong in faith?! Don\u2019t we need an injec\u00adtion of faith for our health?<\/p>\n \tAno\u00adther thing that makes us tired is the fast pace of our socie\u00adty. Per\u00adso\u00adnal mobi\u00adli\u00adty and social media not only bring advan\u00adta\u00adges, but also a lot of stress! Much of what should make our lives easier, for exam\u00adp\u00adle, does not bring any time advan\u00adta\u00adge, on the con\u00adtra\u00adry. The time gap is imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly fil\u00adled with other things. And again the dead\u00adlines are pres\u00adsing! Workers are under so much pres\u00adsu\u00adre that they have to sweat over\u00adti\u00adme. Pro\u00adfes\u00adsio\u00adnals live with the con\u00adstant fear of fal\u00adling by the way\u00adsi\u00adde pro\u00adfes\u00adsio\u00adnal\u00adly if they don\u2019t con\u00adti\u00adnue their edu\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon. Others won\u00adder if it\u2019s time for the next rung on their care\u00ader ladder.<\/p>\n \tAno\u00adther des\u00adtruc\u00adti\u00adve force is that of adver\u00adti\u00adsing. It makes us belie\u00adve in a world that does not cor\u00adre\u00adspond to rea\u00adli\u00adty. Your suc\u00adcess cer\u00adtain\u00adly does not lie in what is adver\u00adti\u00adsed! Your per\u00adso\u00adnal life force is not depen\u00addent on your purcha\u00adsing power. Our greed is the play\u00adground for this coun\u00adter\u00adforce that makes us tired with con\u00adstant dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n 2. incom\u00adpre\u00adhen\u00adsi\u00adble reser\u00adves of strength \tAny other power\u00adhou\u00adses come to mind? It is about the power guz\u00adzlers of today and the very prac\u00adti\u00adcal ques\u00adti\u00adon: How do we Chris\u00adti\u00adans rech\u00adar\u00adge our bat\u00adte\u00adries with God? Life needs strength! Child\u00adren, young peo\u00adp\u00adle and adults are some\u00adti\u00admes stret\u00adched to their limits. That\u2019s why at the begin\u00adning of July the\u00adre was a wide\u00adspread sigh of reli\u00adef: \u00abHoli\u00addays at last!\u00bb And isn\u2019t it: We all need\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[35],"wpfc_sermon_series":[72],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-bernhard-hohl","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-metamorphose","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-3591","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nKing David in the Old Tes\u00adta\u00adment had a source of strength that is worth stu\u00addy\u00ading! He was strong. He was a hero! He was a sta\u00adtes\u00adman of a spe\u00adcial class. Of cour\u00adse, he had no idea about all the refuel\u00adling pos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adties of today. One can only ask: Whe\u00adre did he get his strength from? He gives us an ans\u00adwer in the book of 1 Chro\u00adnic\u00adles: \u00abIn your hand are power and strength, and in your hand (is it) to make each one gre\u00adat and strong\u00bb (1 Chro\u00adnic\u00adles 29:12b ELB<\/span>). David was a pray\u00ading man and he was awa\u00adre that if God tur\u00adned his hand away from him, he would be miss\u00ading the most essen\u00adti\u00adal thing. We see this in Psalm 27: \u00abMy heart doth set thy word befo\u00adre thee: Ye shall seek my face. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre I also, O LORD<\/span>, seek thy face. Hide not thy face from me, cast not out thy ser\u00advant in anger. For you are my help; do not for\u00adsa\u00adke me or turn your hand away from me, O God of my sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon\u00bb (Psalm 27:8\u20139 LU<\/span>)! David had to endu\u00adre many strug\u00adgles in his life and expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced much oppo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon. But the source of strength in God hel\u00adped him get through! Isn\u2019t our life and our Chris\u00adtia\u00adni\u00adty often a struggle?
\n1. oppo\u00adsing forces
\nWe always face forces that want to finish us off! Today we have very dif\u00adfe\u00adrent chal\u00adlenges than David had back then. Other things that make us tired! We want to look at some of the\u00adse \u00abtired makers\u00bb:<\/p>\n
\nFirst of all, I want to remind you that in faith we are con\u00adnec\u00adted to inge\u00adnious reser\u00adves of power. Jesus dwells in us with the spi\u00adrit of his power, his resur\u00adrec\u00adtion power. This power has a lot to do with our ever\u00ady\u00adday life! We have to use this power, other\u00adwi\u00adse we will con\u00adstant\u00adly reach the limit of our strength! Peter holds to this in his 2nd let\u00adter: \u00abJesus Christ in his divi\u00adne power has given us ever\u00ady\u00adthing we need to live as it plea\u00adses him. For we have come to know him; he has cal\u00adled us to a new life through his power and glo\u00adry\u00bb (2 Peter 1:3 Hfa). Divi\u00adne power for ever\u00ady\u00adday life! Not\u00adhing more pre\u00adcious can be given to us. This puts ever\u00ady\u00adthing that robs us of strength in a com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent light. This brings power into our ever\u00ady\u00adday life! That is why Paul can call out to us: \u00abBe strong in the Lord and in the power of his might\u00bb (Eph 6:10). Paul expres\u00adses hims\u00adelf cor\u00adrect\u00adly. It is not about my strength or my weak\u00adne\u00adss! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
\nLike last Sun\u00adday, it is again about the inner eye that looks away from my strength or my weak\u00adne\u00adss to the power of the Lord and his strength! In Psalm 59 we read how David did this. In all the hosti\u00adli\u00adties he holds fast befo\u00adre God: \u00abYou are my strength; I trust in you to save me, for you are my refu\u00adge, God. I will sing of your power. Every mor\u00adning I will shout for joy at your mer\u00adcy. You my strength, to you I sing prai\u00adses, for you, God, are my refu\u00adge. Lord, you show me your grace\u00bb (Psalm 59:10;17\u201318 NLB<\/span>). Actual\u00adly, David\u2019s con\u00advic\u00adtion can be descri\u00adbed in one sen\u00adtence like this: He draws his strength from what God is to him and God gives to him. Cle\u00adar\u00adly. David also knew times when he was down. \u00abI am exhaus\u00adted and at the end of my strength. With angu\u00adish I can only gro\u00adan and cry out\u00bb (Psalm 38:9). We may stand by our weak\u00adne\u00adss, like Paul, to whom God said, \u00abMy grace is all you need. My strength is shown in your weak\u00adne\u00adss\u00bb. To this Paul repli\u00ades, \u00abAnd now I am con\u00adtent with my weak\u00adne\u00adss, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Kno\u00adwing that it is for Christ, I am recon\u00adci\u00adled to my weak\u00adne\u00ads\u00adses, hard\u00adships, dif\u00adfi\u00adcul\u00adties, per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adti\u00adons and insults. For when I am weak, I am strong\u00bb ( 2 Cor 12:9\u201310 NL<\/span>). But actual\u00adly, the ques\u00adti\u00adon still preoc\u00adcu\u00adp\u00adies us: \u00abHow does it work in prac\u00adti\u00adce, how do we rech\u00adar\u00adge our bat\u00adte\u00adries with God? How do we live from this source of strength?
\n3. sources of strength
\nDavid has alre\u00ada\u00addy given us some ans\u00adwers: I have intro\u00addu\u00adced him as a pray\u00ading man. Pray\u00ader is a very important source of strength for Chris\u00adti\u00adans. Talk to God as you feel like it! He under\u00adstands when you com\u00adplain and lament like David in some of the Psalms! But David also sang and rejoi\u00adced. That\u2019s not everyone\u2019s thing. But we can all give thanks. In a cri\u00adsis, look back at the good things you have alre\u00ada\u00addy expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced with God. Give thanks anew for what HE<\/span> means in your life. Thank God for each new day. Thank God for the abili\u00adties He has given you. Thank you for your work, for your health, for God\u2019s grace. Thank you for the peo\u00adp\u00adle around you; for the peo\u00adp\u00adle with whom you can share faith. Thank you for God\u2019s help in suf\u00adfe\u00adring, in times of ill\u00adness. When God and his power have a place in your life, you are con\u00adnec\u00adted to the decisi\u00adve source of power!
\nPer\u00adhaps you should first pray a pray\u00ader of rep\u00aden\u00adtance: \u00abLord, for\u00adgi\u00adve me, I did\u00adn\u2019t say thank you enough when I was doing well. I attri\u00adbu\u00adted my strength to ever\u00ady\u00adthing but you, for\u00adgi\u00adve me.\u00bb Rep\u00aden\u00adting and clai\u00adming for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness is like a power drink for the soul! When I think of this key\u00adword power drink, our son comes to mind. In his teenage years, he once had a lon\u00adging for a real\u00adly mas\u00adcu\u00adli\u00adne body, burs\u00adt\u00ading with mus\u00adcles. He bought a fit\u00adness sub\u00adscrip\u00adti\u00adon and pep\u00adped hims\u00adelf up with body-buil\u00adding sup\u00adple\u00adments. He had a pro\u00adte\u00adin pow\u00adder with bana\u00adna fla\u00advou\u00adring and mixed his drink every day. Despi\u00adte the bana\u00adna fla\u00advour, it tas\u00adted awful. And he quick\u00adly asked me once: \u00abDad, don\u2019t you want some too\u00bb. Of cour\u00adse I tur\u00adned him down. But I think: \u00abThat would be gre\u00adat if the\u00adre was a power drink like that for the faith, for exam\u00adp\u00adle with straw\u00adber\u00adry fla\u00advou\u00adring!\u00bb That would be much easier! But back to the sources of strength:
\nExpe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adcing church ser\u00advices, here or at home in front of the screen, streng\u00adthens our faith! Just like the mee\u00adtings in smal\u00adler groups: Small groups, all glow groups, men\u2019s evenings, Sis\u00adter\u00adhood, Gene\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon+ occa\u00adsi\u00adons etc. The fact that Covid19 has bru\u00adt\u00adally limi\u00adt\u00aded our oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adties to meet is part\u00adly to bla\u00adme for our almost emp\u00adty power tanks! We have a lot of cat\u00adching up to do to refuel! It is streng\u00adthening to have peo\u00adp\u00adle by our side with whom we can exch\u00adan\u00adge open\u00adly and honest\u00adly, wit\u00adhout reser\u00adva\u00adtions. Good rela\u00adti\u00adonships are so important! It is so streng\u00adthening when we hear from others what they have expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced with Jesus! The\u00adre is also a lot to hear in various media. I am thin\u00adking of \u00abGottkennen.ch\u00bb, \u00abFens\u00adter zum Sonn\u00adtag\u00bb or the tes\u00adti\u00admo\u00adnies of the King\u2019s child\u00adren on YouTube!
\nIt is also pro\u00adfi\u00adta\u00adble if we main\u00adtain cont\u00adacts with mis\u00adsio\u00adna\u00adries so that we can hear what they expe\u00adri\u00adence with God. Let us not for\u00adget the Bible with its sto\u00adries and truths. We can read them again and again, becau\u00adse they encou\u00adra\u00adge and uplift us. Or why not read a Chris\u00adti\u00adan book again? The\u00adre are peo\u00adp\u00adle who have had adven\u00adtures with God and the\u00adse sto\u00adries can shape us. I have recei\u00adved ano\u00adther valuable tip from fri\u00adends to rech\u00adar\u00adge my bat\u00adte\u00adries: When you are in the hole and can hard\u00adly get up, take care of others! Ask yours\u00adelf, who can I do some\u00adthing for, wri\u00adte a few lines or make a pho\u00adne call? If you can do that, it will get you back on your feet!
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\nGet me right! You can also thank God for the fit\u00adness cent\u00adre, for pre\u00admi\u00adum super food, for shape shakes and pro\u00adte\u00adin sup\u00adple\u00adments, but you must not for\u00adget the power that God has pre\u00adpared for us. Rech\u00adar\u00adging with God is simi\u00adlar to rech\u00adar\u00adging an elec\u00adtric car: you have to stop, plug in the cable and give the bat\u00adtery the time it needs. This is also how dra\u00adwing strength from God works: stop, dock with God and have time! For you, this may mean sim\u00adply being still, being silent, put\u00adting your mobi\u00adle pho\u00adne away, distancing yours\u00adelf from ever\u00ady\u00adthing that can dis\u00adtract you; wai\u00adting until you feel that you are online with God.
\nTal\u00adking to God and con\u00adscious\u00adly lis\u00adtening to him can also be done while wal\u00adking, jog\u00adging, cycling or swim\u00adming in the lake. Psalm 84, which is a song of the sons of Korah, sums it up: \u00abHap\u00adpy is the peo\u00adp\u00adle who have strength in you, O Lord; the\u00adre is con\u00adfi\u00addence in their hearts. They pass through the val\u00adley of tears and make it a spring. Yes, with bles\u00adsings the ear\u00adly rain covers it. They go from strength to strength\u00bb (Psalm 84:6\u20138a ELB<\/span>). This is the strength we need every day, in good days and in bad.
\nAmen!
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\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead the Bible text: Isai\u00adah 40, 29\u201331<\/p>\n
\n\tRech\u00adar\u00adge your bat\u00adte\u00adries with God! How do you do that?
\n\tDo you need to chan\u00adge any\u00adthing in your \u00abspi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal fit\u00adness programme?\u00bb
\n\tSug\u00adges\u00adti\u00adon: Wri\u00adte encou\u00adra\u00adging Bible pas\u00adsa\u00adges on small cards and have them rea\u00addy in case of emer\u00adgen\u00adcy. Or do you have other ideas?
\n\tRead Isai\u00adah 40:29 ff and share about it.
\n\tEncou\u00adra\u00adge one ano\u00adther and cele\u00adbra\u00adte the Lord\u2019s Sup\u00adper together.
\n\t <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"