The amazing energy of microwave ovens was first used in restaurants, ship galleys, and canteens in 1946, weighing over 750 pounds, standing almost six feet tall, and costing nearly $5,000. The first residential ones were first sold on October 25, 1967, selling for only $500 and designed for countertops in kitchens. They cook foods by injecting them with a form of energy called microwaves, which are invisible to the human eye and fall between radio waves and infrared waves in length. A device which is called a magnetron creates a flow of electrons that transmit microwaves into the cooking chamber through an antenna. The microwaves cook food through radiation heating, exciting molecules within an object.
“Words from Above” in the Bible tell us about the amazing power and energy of the spoken Word of God, as well as the power of His Son, and the power of His Holy Spirit. The power and energy of the Holy Trinity are both amazing and invisible, and like microwaves, their impact affects the people of the world and the world God created. In John 3, Jesus spoke to a ruler of the Jewish people named Nicodemus, who came to Him by night recognizing Him as a teacher sent by God into the world.
Jesus quickly informed Nicodemus that the only way he could see the kingdom of God was to be “born again”, which suggests that Jesus realized Nicodemus was interested in being a part of the kingdom of God. Because Nicodemus failed to understand what Jesus meant, Jesus explained that he needed to experience a spiritual birth. Jesus then used the illustration of how the wind blows wherever it chooses, how we can hear the sound of the wind, but that we cannot tell which direction it will blow next. He said that in the very same way, the Spirit of God works in our lives, but we are unable to explain how He works.
Jesus later promised His disciples that they would soon receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and that promise was fulfilled on the following Day of Pentecost. The crowds of people gathered in Jerusalem at the time were amazed at how the power of the Holy Spirit affected the disciples of Jesus on that day. From that point forward, the disciples began to preach the Word of God with an amazing new boldness and with great power. The power with which they spoke came from the Holy Spirit living inside of them, working through them to accomplish God’s will and purpose to spread His message throughout the world. That same mission has been delegated to each and every follower of Jesus today.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For information, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
