Last night, I had some dream where I was talking about the difference between responding and reacting. As Christians, when we respond we should take a minute to actually analyse a situation, refer to scripture if necessary, understand how we should view the situation, then decide how to respond. When we react, we are generally doing none of these, and going with our gut, whether it makes sense, or is just driven by emotion. In my opinion, as a mature Christian, we are called to respond rather than react, as this provides us time to gain the Lord's perspective on our situation, and enables us to choose how we will act.
I notice in my life that if I just pause and let the initial wave of reactive urges pass, I am much more likely to respond in a Christ-like manner. My own selfishness will almost always rise up, if I react. It is in responding and turning to the Lord that I am able to bring my heart to a place of peace and ask for His guidance and direction and then choose how I will respond. In that momentary pause, I resist the thoughts and temptations that are pumped into my brain by my flesh and the enemy, and they generally become silent, allowing me to hear the Lord.
I am reminded of a couple of verses -
Ephesians 2:3 NIV: "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath."
Philippians 3:18-20 NIV:
[18] "For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,.."
James 4:7 NIV: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Philippians 3:15 NIV: "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you."
Lord, I pray that You will help me to respond, rather than react. Help me to be like You in everything, in every way. Help me to gain control over my life and reactions and bring them in line with Your perspective.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
The Father Qualifies Us!
This morning the word that was in my mind, as I started praying, was qualification. Yesterday the Lord took me through the whole theme of regrets and unforgiveness towards ourselves. One of the things we tend to do, when we live in these regrets, is disqualify ourselves, thinking that we have messed up so bad or for so long that we no longer are trustworthy or or even welcomed by the Lord. This morning the Lord lead me to Colossians 1:9-14, 21-22 NIV:
[9] "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, [10] so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, [12] and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. [13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
[21] "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation---..."
Starting at verse 12, Paul makes a powerful point that it is the Father who has qualified us. Our qualification has nothing to do with us, or our actions. We don't earn our qualification, we don't pay for our qualification through sacrifice or good works, or holy living. Our qualification comes from God the Father. If He has qualified us, who are we to say that we are disqualified? Can our sin erase the work of Christ, His blood's cleansing power, His forgiveness or His death? If we believe this, than we either have a greatly exaggerated notion of our importance and power, or we have believed the lies of the enemy.
The truth is that Jesus worked for us and redeemed us while we were still in sin. His salvation is for sinners, in other words those who are still sinning. If it was our job to qualify ourselves, through our own works or holy living this would not be the case. Paul expanded this message later in the letter - Colossians 2:13-14 NIV: "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross."
Again, if this is what the Lord did for us while we were still dead in our sins, how can we cancel this work, through sin? I think not, for that was the exact state we were in when He forgave us. If our sin didn't disqualify us initially, it cannot succeed a second time. Jesus did not die for just our first bunch of sins, and give us one certificate of redemption that can only be used once. No, He died for all of our sins, every one of them. "He forgave us all our sins."
So let us embrace this message, recognizing that Christ has paid the price for all our sins. Because of Jesus' actions, not our's, the Father has qualified us. Let no one convinced us of any other message, for clearly anything else is a lie. Let us embrace this wonderful grace (unmerited favor) and in thankfulness commit ourselves to Him who loves us, even while we were sinners. Let us be filled with wisdom and understanding and His wonderful power given to us to bring Glory to Him. Let us throw off the chains of regret and unforgiveness and live our life in the freedom Jesus purchased for us.
Amen!
[9] "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, [10] so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, [12] and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. [13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
[21] "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation---..."
Starting at verse 12, Paul makes a powerful point that it is the Father who has qualified us. Our qualification has nothing to do with us, or our actions. We don't earn our qualification, we don't pay for our qualification through sacrifice or good works, or holy living. Our qualification comes from God the Father. If He has qualified us, who are we to say that we are disqualified? Can our sin erase the work of Christ, His blood's cleansing power, His forgiveness or His death? If we believe this, than we either have a greatly exaggerated notion of our importance and power, or we have believed the lies of the enemy.
The truth is that Jesus worked for us and redeemed us while we were still in sin. His salvation is for sinners, in other words those who are still sinning. If it was our job to qualify ourselves, through our own works or holy living this would not be the case. Paul expanded this message later in the letter - Colossians 2:13-14 NIV: "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross."
Again, if this is what the Lord did for us while we were still dead in our sins, how can we cancel this work, through sin? I think not, for that was the exact state we were in when He forgave us. If our sin didn't disqualify us initially, it cannot succeed a second time. Jesus did not die for just our first bunch of sins, and give us one certificate of redemption that can only be used once. No, He died for all of our sins, every one of them. "He forgave us all our sins."
So let us embrace this message, recognizing that Christ has paid the price for all our sins. Because of Jesus' actions, not our's, the Father has qualified us. Let no one convinced us of any other message, for clearly anything else is a lie. Let us embrace this wonderful grace (unmerited favor) and in thankfulness commit ourselves to Him who loves us, even while we were sinners. Let us be filled with wisdom and understanding and His wonderful power given to us to bring Glory to Him. Let us throw off the chains of regret and unforgiveness and live our life in the freedom Jesus purchased for us.
Amen!
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Dealing With Regrets
So I felt like the Lord wanted to address regrets this morning. I slept pretty poorly and all night long, as well as yesterday and even Friday this has been the theme running through my head. I was asking the Lord for some verses and additional information to work with and He delivered.
Here are the primary verses He gave me - Philippians 3:13-14 NIV:
[13] "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
- and -
2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
The way the Lord explained it is that regrets are used by enemy to chain us in the past. We focus on our regrets and can't move past them. We develop tunnel vision in certain areas and can't see the truth or life outside of the view we are focused on. Basically regrets are unforgiveness of ourselves. It is fine to be sorrowful, even grieving of missed opportunities and missed people, but allowing these regrets to overwhelm us, or cause us to constantly think about the past, will end up running and ruining our lives.
We think "what if I had done this differently"; "why did I do this and not that"; "if only I had said this"; "if only I had loved better"; "if I would have prayed more"; "if I was more pure"; "If I hadn't said that"; etc. These are all accusations against ourselves that the enemy injects into our mind and none of them is based on fact or reality, for what is done is done, the past is gone and unchangeable. Thoughts like these are useful only in producing change in us, not in stirring up guilt, and self-punishment.
I didn't exactly remember the verse from 2nd Corinthians, but the Lord spoke a very similar word to me. He said that regrets and sorrow are supposed to lead to repentance. Repentance is learning from our mistakes, changing the way we think about and during those situations and then changing the way we act. The Lord doesn't hold us in bondage over missed opportunities, and He doesn't expect us to act that way either.
Thinking about Paul, he definitely had a few things he could have regretted in his life, like being present at the stoning of Stephen, or jailing other Christians, but he didn't allow regret from those situations to disqualify him from what the Lord had purposed for him. He forgot the past, was forgiven of the past, and moved forward. In the same way, we are called to move past our mistakes and missed opportunities and press forward, having learned to think and act differently.
We will always have unfinished things to do in our life, missed opportunities, and the like, but we must learn from them, and press onward. When Jesus Ascended to Heaven, He left a huge task completely unfinished, namely building the Church. We must learn to depend on others, those people the Lord has brought into our lives and press forward into the things the Lord has called us to do. We must break the chains of past regrets and unforgiveness and push into the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord. Let us repent and change and do better the next time. Let us leave the past in the past and press forward today, at peace with our past.
Amen!
Here are the primary verses He gave me - Philippians 3:13-14 NIV:
[13] "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
- and -
2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
The way the Lord explained it is that regrets are used by enemy to chain us in the past. We focus on our regrets and can't move past them. We develop tunnel vision in certain areas and can't see the truth or life outside of the view we are focused on. Basically regrets are unforgiveness of ourselves. It is fine to be sorrowful, even grieving of missed opportunities and missed people, but allowing these regrets to overwhelm us, or cause us to constantly think about the past, will end up running and ruining our lives.
We think "what if I had done this differently"; "why did I do this and not that"; "if only I had said this"; "if only I had loved better"; "if I would have prayed more"; "if I was more pure"; "If I hadn't said that"; etc. These are all accusations against ourselves that the enemy injects into our mind and none of them is based on fact or reality, for what is done is done, the past is gone and unchangeable. Thoughts like these are useful only in producing change in us, not in stirring up guilt, and self-punishment.
I didn't exactly remember the verse from 2nd Corinthians, but the Lord spoke a very similar word to me. He said that regrets and sorrow are supposed to lead to repentance. Repentance is learning from our mistakes, changing the way we think about and during those situations and then changing the way we act. The Lord doesn't hold us in bondage over missed opportunities, and He doesn't expect us to act that way either.
Thinking about Paul, he definitely had a few things he could have regretted in his life, like being present at the stoning of Stephen, or jailing other Christians, but he didn't allow regret from those situations to disqualify him from what the Lord had purposed for him. He forgot the past, was forgiven of the past, and moved forward. In the same way, we are called to move past our mistakes and missed opportunities and press forward, having learned to think and act differently.
We will always have unfinished things to do in our life, missed opportunities, and the like, but we must learn from them, and press onward. When Jesus Ascended to Heaven, He left a huge task completely unfinished, namely building the Church. We must learn to depend on others, those people the Lord has brought into our lives and press forward into the things the Lord has called us to do. We must break the chains of past regrets and unforgiveness and push into the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord. Let us repent and change and do better the next time. Let us leave the past in the past and press forward today, at peace with our past.
Amen!
Friday, March 27, 2015
"Be With Me Where I Am"
This morning I was reading a very appropriate verse for today - John 17:24 NIV: “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
Some other helpful verses - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV:
[16] "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
- and -
2 Corinthians 5:1, 5-10 NIV:
[1] "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
[5] "Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
[6] "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. [7] For we live by faith, not by sight. [8] We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. [9] So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
Yes Lord, I am so encouraged that You have a place set aside for us in eternity. We do recognize that this earthly existence is just temporary, and what awaits us is eternal. Lord, I pray that we will let this truth wash over our hearts and souls, that we might rejoice in our eternal inheritance, knowing that You call us to be with You where You are, and some you call sooner than others.
Some other helpful verses - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV:
[16] "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
- and -
2 Corinthians 5:1, 5-10 NIV:
[1] "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
[5] "Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
[6] "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. [7] For we live by faith, not by sight. [8] We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. [9] So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
Yes Lord, I am so encouraged that You have a place set aside for us in eternity. We do recognize that this earthly existence is just temporary, and what awaits us is eternal. Lord, I pray that we will let this truth wash over our hearts and souls, that we might rejoice in our eternal inheritance, knowing that You call us to be with You where You are, and some you call sooner than others.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Imparting Spiritual Gifts
Last night I was reading from Paul's letter to the Romans, and was pondering the following verses - Romans 1:11-12 NIV: "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong--- [12] that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."
The fact that Paul was conscious of his ability to impart a spiritual gift made me stop and think. I did a little research into the original language and in Greek, the translation in completely accurate, and relates well to other places where Paul is writing about the spiritual gifts. I read a couple of commentary's and for the most part they just glossed over this verse, or equated it with Paul's preaching to them. Matthew Henry did mention that he thought that maybe this had to do with the church's lack of leadership or apostolic beginnings.
When I read this verse, especially after the recent study of Spiritual gifts, I believe the best meaning is the one conveyed directly. Paul intended to impart gifts of the Holy Spirit. He had seen this before, and His other writings discuss this as a normal happening in the Body of Christ (2 Tim 1:6 & Rom 8:18). They had seen the effectiveness of praying over someone and had experienced the Holy Spirit imparting gifts at that time. The gifts are imparted, as Paul continues, to make them strong. Paul was completely convinced that he was walking in synch with the Holy Spirit, and knew (expectant faith) that when He laid hands on the church members that the Holy Spirit would impart gifts. He lists the different gifts of the Spirit in several locations, and is of the opinion that the CHurch is meant to operate with the full engagement of the gifts.
This brings me back to our need for each other to operate fully in the gifts that they have been given us by the Holy Spirit. The gifts are for our common good (1 Cor 12:4) and they strengthen us. Paul continues this same thought in verse 12 (above) for not only do the gifts strengthen us, but their use encourages us in our faith. As we operate in our gifts, and see the fruit, we become encouraged, and likewise the rest of the Body of Christ is built up and strengthened. To copy a modern marketing campaign - Spiritual gifts does our Body (of Christ) good!
So let us pray for each other, lay hands on each other and invite the Holy Spirit to impart gifts to each other. The gifts are given to strengthen us and encourage each other in our faith.
The fact that Paul was conscious of his ability to impart a spiritual gift made me stop and think. I did a little research into the original language and in Greek, the translation in completely accurate, and relates well to other places where Paul is writing about the spiritual gifts. I read a couple of commentary's and for the most part they just glossed over this verse, or equated it with Paul's preaching to them. Matthew Henry did mention that he thought that maybe this had to do with the church's lack of leadership or apostolic beginnings.
When I read this verse, especially after the recent study of Spiritual gifts, I believe the best meaning is the one conveyed directly. Paul intended to impart gifts of the Holy Spirit. He had seen this before, and His other writings discuss this as a normal happening in the Body of Christ (2 Tim 1:6 & Rom 8:18). They had seen the effectiveness of praying over someone and had experienced the Holy Spirit imparting gifts at that time. The gifts are imparted, as Paul continues, to make them strong. Paul was completely convinced that he was walking in synch with the Holy Spirit, and knew (expectant faith) that when He laid hands on the church members that the Holy Spirit would impart gifts. He lists the different gifts of the Spirit in several locations, and is of the opinion that the CHurch is meant to operate with the full engagement of the gifts.
This brings me back to our need for each other to operate fully in the gifts that they have been given us by the Holy Spirit. The gifts are for our common good (1 Cor 12:4) and they strengthen us. Paul continues this same thought in verse 12 (above) for not only do the gifts strengthen us, but their use encourages us in our faith. As we operate in our gifts, and see the fruit, we become encouraged, and likewise the rest of the Body of Christ is built up and strengthened. To copy a modern marketing campaign - Spiritual gifts does our Body (of Christ) good!
So let us pray for each other, lay hands on each other and invite the Holy Spirit to impart gifts to each other. The gifts are given to strengthen us and encourage each other in our faith.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
God Our Healer
This morning I felt directed to go back to John 9 and reread the story of the healing of the man born blind. Here are the verses - John 9:1-7 NIV:
[1] "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
[3] “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. [4] As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. [5] While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
[6] After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. [7] “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing."
There are a few things running through my mind this morning as I meditate on this story. First, the blind man didn't go looking for Jesus, wasn't seeking healing, basically had no real interaction with Jesus before He was healed. Jesus and disciples were talking about him, and I am sure he was used to that. I always find it interesting how we will treat those with disabilities as if they are not real, or don't have feelings. Many people just try to ignore people like this man. It is so much easier to ignore them, than actually see them as people just like ourselves, with real needs and real feelings. We don't want to engage them in conversation or interact with them because we don't know what to say, or how to treat them.
Secondly, I was thinking that the man wasn't even thinking about being healed, probably never even entered his mind that it was possible. In other words he had absolutely no hope or faith, but that wasn't a problem for Jesus. Jesus apparently doesn't require either of them to heal a person, regardless of what we might have heard. So here is a man, no hope, no faith, not even asking for healing and Jesus heals him. I was thinking that this man is probably like many people who have lifelong conditions, terminal illnesses, and the like - no hope of healing, not even a glimmer, just living with the reality of the situation, trying to get through the day the best they can. There is a darkness that covers such people, a darkness of hopelessness. Not that they are depressed necessarily, just that there will never be a hope for change. However, Jesus is the light of the world, and when He shows up, He brings His own light, His own faith, His own hope. Light will always dispel darkness, and in this case He dispels the darkness of an irreversible condition, with a little dirt, spit and water. With Jesus, there is always hope, there is always the possibility of His touch.
Thirdly, the understatement of the final sentence - "so the man went and washed, and came home seeing" is astounding. Imagining the reaction of the man who can now see, I am sure he didn't just 'come home seeing'. I am sure it was unbelievable to him, walking back towards home, seeing what had been around him all those years, but that he only knew from touch and hearing. He had heard of colors, but now He was seeing them. Everything was new to him, as the Lord opened his eyes and revealed to him the realm of sight. It must have been glorious. Recently on the internet there are videos of people who can hear for the first time, thanks to modern developments in technology and understanding the way we hear. Those videos are so awesome to watch, for joy just erupts. Those are just a small example of what this must have been like.
Finally, Jesus doesn't wait around for the man to come back after washing. It is only later that Jesus finds him and introduces himself, and the man worships Him (see verses John 9:35-38). Jesus had complete confidence in the Father, and knew that in the place of obedience to the Father, that what the Father desired to do, would be accomplished. Oh, to have His discernment and knowledge of the Father's will. This is what the gift of faith brings, discernment and knowledge of the will of the Father.
Most of the time we are pressing into God, with the general belief that He can heal, but without any specific knowledge of His actual intent. God is the God who heals (Exodus 15:26) and He is unchanging. If He is the healer, Yahweh Rapha, then He is always the Healer. He always wants to heal, always heals. If He is the healer, than He is not the source of disease, sickness or anything that would contradict who He has revealed himself to be. God doesn't cause sickness, otherwise He would be the God who makes you sick, not the God who heals you. We can rely on His character for it is unchanging, and lay hold of His character as if it was a promise. So it is always right to ask for healing, always right to believe that He will heal. However His timing and definition of healing are sometimes not understood. When God speaks, His words are perfect, and our understanding of those words is at best just a glimmer of what they really mean, for His words are perfect in Eternity. His timing is not based on our understanding but on His perfect understanding. Jesus walked in this knowledge of the Father's intent and timing. Lord, help me to better understand both.
So in summary, Jesus is the Light of the World, and in His light is hope for the hopeless, healing for the sick and ill, and unchanging faithfulness. Let us press into Him to know Him better and understand the timing and intent of the Father. Let us turn to Jesus, for his invitation is unchanging. He says the following Matthew 11:28-30 NIV:
[28] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Amen.
[1] "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
[3] “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. [4] As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. [5] While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
[6] After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. [7] “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing."
There are a few things running through my mind this morning as I meditate on this story. First, the blind man didn't go looking for Jesus, wasn't seeking healing, basically had no real interaction with Jesus before He was healed. Jesus and disciples were talking about him, and I am sure he was used to that. I always find it interesting how we will treat those with disabilities as if they are not real, or don't have feelings. Many people just try to ignore people like this man. It is so much easier to ignore them, than actually see them as people just like ourselves, with real needs and real feelings. We don't want to engage them in conversation or interact with them because we don't know what to say, or how to treat them.
Secondly, I was thinking that the man wasn't even thinking about being healed, probably never even entered his mind that it was possible. In other words he had absolutely no hope or faith, but that wasn't a problem for Jesus. Jesus apparently doesn't require either of them to heal a person, regardless of what we might have heard. So here is a man, no hope, no faith, not even asking for healing and Jesus heals him. I was thinking that this man is probably like many people who have lifelong conditions, terminal illnesses, and the like - no hope of healing, not even a glimmer, just living with the reality of the situation, trying to get through the day the best they can. There is a darkness that covers such people, a darkness of hopelessness. Not that they are depressed necessarily, just that there will never be a hope for change. However, Jesus is the light of the world, and when He shows up, He brings His own light, His own faith, His own hope. Light will always dispel darkness, and in this case He dispels the darkness of an irreversible condition, with a little dirt, spit and water. With Jesus, there is always hope, there is always the possibility of His touch.
Thirdly, the understatement of the final sentence - "so the man went and washed, and came home seeing" is astounding. Imagining the reaction of the man who can now see, I am sure he didn't just 'come home seeing'. I am sure it was unbelievable to him, walking back towards home, seeing what had been around him all those years, but that he only knew from touch and hearing. He had heard of colors, but now He was seeing them. Everything was new to him, as the Lord opened his eyes and revealed to him the realm of sight. It must have been glorious. Recently on the internet there are videos of people who can hear for the first time, thanks to modern developments in technology and understanding the way we hear. Those videos are so awesome to watch, for joy just erupts. Those are just a small example of what this must have been like.
Finally, Jesus doesn't wait around for the man to come back after washing. It is only later that Jesus finds him and introduces himself, and the man worships Him (see verses John 9:35-38). Jesus had complete confidence in the Father, and knew that in the place of obedience to the Father, that what the Father desired to do, would be accomplished. Oh, to have His discernment and knowledge of the Father's will. This is what the gift of faith brings, discernment and knowledge of the will of the Father.
Most of the time we are pressing into God, with the general belief that He can heal, but without any specific knowledge of His actual intent. God is the God who heals (Exodus 15:26) and He is unchanging. If He is the healer, Yahweh Rapha, then He is always the Healer. He always wants to heal, always heals. If He is the healer, than He is not the source of disease, sickness or anything that would contradict who He has revealed himself to be. God doesn't cause sickness, otherwise He would be the God who makes you sick, not the God who heals you. We can rely on His character for it is unchanging, and lay hold of His character as if it was a promise. So it is always right to ask for healing, always right to believe that He will heal. However His timing and definition of healing are sometimes not understood. When God speaks, His words are perfect, and our understanding of those words is at best just a glimmer of what they really mean, for His words are perfect in Eternity. His timing is not based on our understanding but on His perfect understanding. Jesus walked in this knowledge of the Father's intent and timing. Lord, help me to better understand both.
So in summary, Jesus is the Light of the World, and in His light is hope for the hopeless, healing for the sick and ill, and unchanging faithfulness. Let us press into Him to know Him better and understand the timing and intent of the Father. Let us turn to Jesus, for his invitation is unchanging. He says the following Matthew 11:28-30 NIV:
[28] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Amen.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Heaven's Reality On Earth
This morning as I was sitting down to pray, I was reminded of some lyrics from a newer Christian song by David Crowder. In the song he sings, "Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal." I love that reminder that there is a place where God's Kingdom is unsullied by sin, and a perfect representation of His goodness. In heaven there is no sorrow, no sadness, no disease, no injury, no incompleteness, no loneliness, no emptiness, no hunger, no thirst, no greed, no anger, no bitterness, no mourning, no harsh words, no wounded hearts, no sin, no death. All is whole and all is perfect. What an amazing reality that will be!
While that reality awaits us eternally, the Lord is intent on bringing that reality to earth, now in this present day. Jesus taught His disciples (and us) to pray - Matt 6:9-10 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In simple words - let earth be like heaven.
This is supposed to be how we pray, and what we proclaim. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:7-8 NIV: "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." We are called to fulfill this same ministry.
This was the ministry of Jesus, as described in the Gospels, and specifically in Matthew 4:23 NIV: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom (of heaven), and healing every disease and sickness among the people." After He was crucified and resurrected He passed this ministry officially into the hands of His followers. Jesus said in John 20:21NIV: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
So I am encouraged this morning to pray down and proclaim the reality of heaven, God's perfect will, here on earth, as it exists in Heaven. I am encouraged that He has demonstrated this reality in the past, and will continue to demonstrate this reality in my life and the lives of those around me. There is still sin and sickness, evil and death in this world, but He has overcome them all, and will continue to overcome them (John 16:33), for they are all defeated, for He sits on His throne at the right hand of the Father (Heb 12:2).
Amen and Amen!
Here are the Lyrics to David Crowders Song:
"Come As You Are"
Come out of sadness
From wherever you’ve been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
There’s hope for the hopeless
And all those who’ve strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There’s rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Fall in his arms
Come as you are
There’s joy for the morning
Oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Come as you are
While that reality awaits us eternally, the Lord is intent on bringing that reality to earth, now in this present day. Jesus taught His disciples (and us) to pray - Matt 6:9-10 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In simple words - let earth be like heaven.
This is supposed to be how we pray, and what we proclaim. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:7-8 NIV: "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." We are called to fulfill this same ministry.
This was the ministry of Jesus, as described in the Gospels, and specifically in Matthew 4:23 NIV: "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom (of heaven), and healing every disease and sickness among the people." After He was crucified and resurrected He passed this ministry officially into the hands of His followers. Jesus said in John 20:21NIV: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
So I am encouraged this morning to pray down and proclaim the reality of heaven, God's perfect will, here on earth, as it exists in Heaven. I am encouraged that He has demonstrated this reality in the past, and will continue to demonstrate this reality in my life and the lives of those around me. There is still sin and sickness, evil and death in this world, but He has overcome them all, and will continue to overcome them (John 16:33), for they are all defeated, for He sits on His throne at the right hand of the Father (Heb 12:2).
Amen and Amen!
Here are the Lyrics to David Crowders Song:
"Come As You Are"
Come out of sadness
From wherever you’ve been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
There’s hope for the hopeless
And all those who’ve strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There’s rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Fall in his arms
Come as you are
There’s joy for the morning
Oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Come as you are
Friday, March 20, 2015
If You Are Thirsty, Come...
This morning I was reading through scripture and felt I should read from John 7. Just like every chapter in the Gospels, there is much to think about in this chapter, however after reading through the whole chapter, these following verses stood out to me, and that is one of the ways the Lord directs my thoughts, by emphasizing something when I read over it. It is almost like the volume of the words is increased in my mind, or sometimes it is that when I finish reading a section my mind goes back to certain verses. Here are the verses -
John 7:37-39 NIV:
[37] "On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” [39] By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The words that specifically caught my attention were when Jesus issued the invitation to come and drink. It seems like this is an invitation He is renewing today. We thirst for many things in our lives, and my belief is that at the root of it all is a thirst for Him. We chase after significance and power, identity and acceptance, comfort and peace, full life and excitement. All of these things can be found in Him, and are most fully realized in relationship with Him. We turn to many things and even to each other to quench our thirst, but we always end up just as thirsty, if not more so.
Jesus is our source for life. He is our anchor for identity. He has called us for purpose and we are significant to Him. He has all power and authority. He is full of love, mercy and compassion. He has paid for our sins and forgiveness, and offers us freedom from that which binds and sullies our lives. He desires that we might receive the Holy Spirit as our guide, our advocate and our helper, our teacher and our source of life.
If you are thirsty for any of these things, the answer is to come to Jesus, to believe in Him, enter into a relationship with Him and receive that which flows out of Him and the Father, namely the Holy Spirit. He will not provide just enough to quench our thirst, rather He will fill us up to overflowing. He desires that others get splashed by that which He fills us with.
So let us come to Jesus and drink deeply and be refreshed and filled.
John 7:37-39 NIV:
[37] "On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” [39] By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
The words that specifically caught my attention were when Jesus issued the invitation to come and drink. It seems like this is an invitation He is renewing today. We thirst for many things in our lives, and my belief is that at the root of it all is a thirst for Him. We chase after significance and power, identity and acceptance, comfort and peace, full life and excitement. All of these things can be found in Him, and are most fully realized in relationship with Him. We turn to many things and even to each other to quench our thirst, but we always end up just as thirsty, if not more so.
Jesus is our source for life. He is our anchor for identity. He has called us for purpose and we are significant to Him. He has all power and authority. He is full of love, mercy and compassion. He has paid for our sins and forgiveness, and offers us freedom from that which binds and sullies our lives. He desires that we might receive the Holy Spirit as our guide, our advocate and our helper, our teacher and our source of life.
If you are thirsty for any of these things, the answer is to come to Jesus, to believe in Him, enter into a relationship with Him and receive that which flows out of Him and the Father, namely the Holy Spirit. He will not provide just enough to quench our thirst, rather He will fill us up to overflowing. He desires that others get splashed by that which He fills us with.
So let us come to Jesus and drink deeply and be refreshed and filled.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Of Sin, Righteousness and Judgment (John 16)
This morning I am going to be meditating on a few passages from John's Gospel that have always been ones that make me go, huh?
John 16:7-11 NIV
[7] "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. [8] When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: [9] about sin, because people do not believe in me; [10] about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; [11] and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."
These verses are surprising to me, in that I read Jesus answers, and they don't seem to make sense to the way I think. The first verse is quite clear - Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit coming. He said that it is for our good that He goes so the Spirit can come. That is such a critical statement for us to understand. We can understand it in some ways, for the Spirit can be everywhere at one time, while Jesus was somewhat limited in His physical body. We understand the role of the Holy Spirit a bit because Jesus had spoken a bit about Him earlier, in Chapter 14, and calling the Holy Spirit our Advocate makes sense in that context. In Greek the word, here translated advocate, is Parakletos whose definition is:
1. summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid
A. one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate
B. one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor
(1) of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
C. in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant
(1) of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom
So, in the wider sense the Holy Spirit is our helper, our assistant, called for our aid, our intercessor, and our legal defense. It could take quite a while to think through those terms and understand more of what the Holy Spirit is doing in our life. I mean the fact that He could be defined as our helper and assistant, just messes with my mind.
Continuing on with the verses, Jesus says that He (Holy Spirit) will prove the world wrong about sin, righteousness and judgment. Initially that doesn't see too unusual, but is Jesus' next comments that make my mind tilt, for I think I know how He would define His thoughts around verse 8. I believe that I am not alone, for imagine the people who heard this, and there only paradigm was the law.
So Jesus says the Holy Spirit will prove the world wrong about sin because they do not believe in Him. Not because of what they do, what they have done, but about their belief. We know repentance really means to change the way we think, and in this case, sin is closely connected to how we think. How we think is what drives our actions, so Jesus is actually going to the foundation of sin, namely our beliefs and thoughts. The Law was so focused on "doing" that many people missed the point that it was really about "belief". The whole foundation of the Law was the belief in God, that He cared for His people. It wasn't just a set of rules to follow, but rather an introduction to God, and relationship with Him. So here Jesus defines sin as primarily wrong belief. So apparently, one of the Holy Spirit's jobs is to point out to us where we believe wrongly, so we can change the way we are thinking and acting. Sin is not really about actions ! (Boy that just makes the little religion that remains in me just upset). So according to this definition, it is possible to do the right thing, but have the wrong belief and thus, still be a sinner.
Back to the verses - in verse 10 Jesus says the Holy Spirit will prove the world wrong about righteousness because He was going to the Father. My first thought is what does going to the Father have to do with righteousness? Certainly this area would have confused the normal Jew, for righteousness was defined within the law, and it had to do, once again with actions and sacrifices. If one always kept the Law, and fulfilled the required sacrifices, one could be considered righteous. Jesus instead, connects righteousness to His actions. Again, He is setting the foundation, righteousness is about Him not us. It is because He has fulfilled the Law perfectly and gave Himself as the sacrifice that we are righteous. Our actions, other than believing, have no real impact on our righteousness. The world has it all wrong, and the Holy Spirit was going to show that was the case. Later through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul and specifically the author of the Letter to the Hebrews would bring much more clarity on this subject. So again, our actions are not the issue, and the Holy Spirit will show us the truth.
Finally, in verse eleven, Jesus speaks about judgment. His statement is that the prince of this world stands condemned. In other words, there was already a trial, and a conviction and judgment issued. His statement says the world gets this wrong, and thinks judgment is about something or someone else. Jesus does say that He will come and judge us all, and that day is known as the "judgment day". We see this day mentioned in Matthew (11&12), Paul (Romans 2), Peter (2 Peter 2 & 3), John (1 John 4) and Jude (6). Taking this statement to the logical conclusion, it appears that prior to that day of judgment, the Holy Spirit's work of judgment is to show the enemy is already condemned. He is primarily not focused on us, which is what I think the world generally thinks.
As I think about this, it seems the best way to show the enemy is condemned and has been stripped of any authority is to destroy his works, and set his captives free. Our goal, in joining ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, should be to do that very thing, under His power and authority. We are not called to judge each other, we are called to enact judgment on the enemy and his works. Again, this does not sit well with the spirit of religion, for the spirit of religion is all about judgment and criticalness, especially of others. However according to Jesus, we are not the judge and we are not the jury.
So I am encouraged this morning to look at my beliefs and understanding to make sure they align with these statements of Jesus. My goal is to be taught by the Holy spirit, and repent to bring myself into alignment. Lord, thank You for Your mercy, faithfulness and grace.
John 16:7-11 NIV
[7] "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. [8] When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: [9] about sin, because people do not believe in me; [10] about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; [11] and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."
These verses are surprising to me, in that I read Jesus answers, and they don't seem to make sense to the way I think. The first verse is quite clear - Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit coming. He said that it is for our good that He goes so the Spirit can come. That is such a critical statement for us to understand. We can understand it in some ways, for the Spirit can be everywhere at one time, while Jesus was somewhat limited in His physical body. We understand the role of the Holy Spirit a bit because Jesus had spoken a bit about Him earlier, in Chapter 14, and calling the Holy Spirit our Advocate makes sense in that context. In Greek the word, here translated advocate, is Parakletos whose definition is:
1. summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid
A. one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate
B. one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor
(1) of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
C. in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant
(1) of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom
So, in the wider sense the Holy Spirit is our helper, our assistant, called for our aid, our intercessor, and our legal defense. It could take quite a while to think through those terms and understand more of what the Holy Spirit is doing in our life. I mean the fact that He could be defined as our helper and assistant, just messes with my mind.
Continuing on with the verses, Jesus says that He (Holy Spirit) will prove the world wrong about sin, righteousness and judgment. Initially that doesn't see too unusual, but is Jesus' next comments that make my mind tilt, for I think I know how He would define His thoughts around verse 8. I believe that I am not alone, for imagine the people who heard this, and there only paradigm was the law.
So Jesus says the Holy Spirit will prove the world wrong about sin because they do not believe in Him. Not because of what they do, what they have done, but about their belief. We know repentance really means to change the way we think, and in this case, sin is closely connected to how we think. How we think is what drives our actions, so Jesus is actually going to the foundation of sin, namely our beliefs and thoughts. The Law was so focused on "doing" that many people missed the point that it was really about "belief". The whole foundation of the Law was the belief in God, that He cared for His people. It wasn't just a set of rules to follow, but rather an introduction to God, and relationship with Him. So here Jesus defines sin as primarily wrong belief. So apparently, one of the Holy Spirit's jobs is to point out to us where we believe wrongly, so we can change the way we are thinking and acting. Sin is not really about actions ! (Boy that just makes the little religion that remains in me just upset). So according to this definition, it is possible to do the right thing, but have the wrong belief and thus, still be a sinner.
Back to the verses - in verse 10 Jesus says the Holy Spirit will prove the world wrong about righteousness because He was going to the Father. My first thought is what does going to the Father have to do with righteousness? Certainly this area would have confused the normal Jew, for righteousness was defined within the law, and it had to do, once again with actions and sacrifices. If one always kept the Law, and fulfilled the required sacrifices, one could be considered righteous. Jesus instead, connects righteousness to His actions. Again, He is setting the foundation, righteousness is about Him not us. It is because He has fulfilled the Law perfectly and gave Himself as the sacrifice that we are righteous. Our actions, other than believing, have no real impact on our righteousness. The world has it all wrong, and the Holy Spirit was going to show that was the case. Later through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul and specifically the author of the Letter to the Hebrews would bring much more clarity on this subject. So again, our actions are not the issue, and the Holy Spirit will show us the truth.
Finally, in verse eleven, Jesus speaks about judgment. His statement is that the prince of this world stands condemned. In other words, there was already a trial, and a conviction and judgment issued. His statement says the world gets this wrong, and thinks judgment is about something or someone else. Jesus does say that He will come and judge us all, and that day is known as the "judgment day". We see this day mentioned in Matthew (11&12), Paul (Romans 2), Peter (2 Peter 2 & 3), John (1 John 4) and Jude (6). Taking this statement to the logical conclusion, it appears that prior to that day of judgment, the Holy Spirit's work of judgment is to show the enemy is already condemned. He is primarily not focused on us, which is what I think the world generally thinks.
As I think about this, it seems the best way to show the enemy is condemned and has been stripped of any authority is to destroy his works, and set his captives free. Our goal, in joining ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, should be to do that very thing, under His power and authority. We are not called to judge each other, we are called to enact judgment on the enemy and his works. Again, this does not sit well with the spirit of religion, for the spirit of religion is all about judgment and criticalness, especially of others. However according to Jesus, we are not the judge and we are not the jury.
So I am encouraged this morning to look at my beliefs and understanding to make sure they align with these statements of Jesus. My goal is to be taught by the Holy spirit, and repent to bring myself into alignment. Lord, thank You for Your mercy, faithfulness and grace.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Revealing the Father
I was just reading from John's Gospel out of the seventeenth chapter. This is really an amazing chapter, where Jesus is speaking very clearly about things, in essence lifting the veil so that we can see clearly. The following three verses have caught my eye - John 17:6-8 NIV:
[6] “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. [7] Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. [8] For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me."
These three verse really capture well the ministry of Jesus towards the Apostles. He is speaking to the Father, in the hearing of the Apostles, to help them understand. First and foremost, He revealed the Father to them, and through them to us. Everything He did and said came from the Father.
In Hebrews 1:3 is says He was the exact representation of the Father. That is an amazing thing to think about - the life of Jesus on earth as recorded in scripture was the exact representation of the Father. Everything He said and did was what the Father would do. It was because of what He said and did, that the Apostles believed He came from the Father. Yesterday I was writing about the man who was born blind, but healed by Jesus, being able to believe that Jesus was from God, because of what He did. In the same way, Jesus is reflecting here and pointing to His words and actions as the basis for the Apostles faith and belief that He came from the Father.
As we reflect on our lives, we are called to reflect and continue the ministry of Jesus, to represent Him, and through Him the Father, here on earth. I look at my own life and there is so much that does not fit the example of Jesus. My words, my actions, and my thoughts are often the result of my own selfish perspective, rather than the Father's. My desire Lord is to operate with Your perspective and clarity. My prayer is that I might, more and more, reflect You, Your love and Your heart to those around me. Lord it is me desire that through my words and actions they might give the glory to You, and that I might faithfully reveal the Father to the world.
[6] “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. [7] Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. [8] For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me."
These three verse really capture well the ministry of Jesus towards the Apostles. He is speaking to the Father, in the hearing of the Apostles, to help them understand. First and foremost, He revealed the Father to them, and through them to us. Everything He did and said came from the Father.
In Hebrews 1:3 is says He was the exact representation of the Father. That is an amazing thing to think about - the life of Jesus on earth as recorded in scripture was the exact representation of the Father. Everything He said and did was what the Father would do. It was because of what He said and did, that the Apostles believed He came from the Father. Yesterday I was writing about the man who was born blind, but healed by Jesus, being able to believe that Jesus was from God, because of what He did. In the same way, Jesus is reflecting here and pointing to His words and actions as the basis for the Apostles faith and belief that He came from the Father.
As we reflect on our lives, we are called to reflect and continue the ministry of Jesus, to represent Him, and through Him the Father, here on earth. I look at my own life and there is so much that does not fit the example of Jesus. My words, my actions, and my thoughts are often the result of my own selfish perspective, rather than the Father's. My desire Lord is to operate with Your perspective and clarity. My prayer is that I might, more and more, reflect You, Your love and Your heart to those around me. Lord it is me desire that through my words and actions they might give the glory to You, and that I might faithfully reveal the Father to the world.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Healed, Transformed, and Saved
This morning I was reading through John, specifically his ninth chapter which is a great story about the healing of a man born blind. I love this story because of the richness of the details that John includes. It sure seems to me to be an eye-witness account. Anyway towards the end of the questioning the formerly blind man says something is very true - John 9:30-33 NIV:
[30] "The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. [32] Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
I believe this formerly blind man, who clearly was not schooled formerly, lays out the basic belief of people concerning the miraculous. They believe that if something miraculous occurs that God was involved. Now in our "modern" society that may be less so, as we explain away many things, but when confronted with an honest, unexplainable miracle we tend to believe God was involved. This is clearly the point that Jesus made at the beginning of this story when asked about whether sin was the cause of the man's blindness. He said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9:3NIV). The miraculous are the works of God, things that God can do that no one else can do.
In this story Jesus spits in the dirt makes mud and spreads it on the eyes of the man born blind. I like to think this is just a follow through of creation, when He formed man out of dust (Gen 2:7), probably with a bunch of spit...Ha! Anyway, a person born blind is usually missing some part or component in the eye, and I think Jesus might just have fashioned him new eyes out of the mud. What exactly he did doesn't really matter, what does matter is that the man received his sight, and was transformed. He was so transformed that his neighbors who had probably seen him every day for years, weren't even sure it was him, and they had to get his parents to verify it really was him. I love how God touches one part of him, but transforms all of him.
God is in the business of transforming lives, all of our lives. His touch in one area, will spread to other areas as He gently leads us and speaks to us. I know people who have had radical transformations, like this blind man, and I have known those whose transformation has been slow and steady. We are all being changed into His likeness if we are His followers, some of us are just more resistant to change.
Back to the formerly blind man, I think it is also very interesting that even though he had been touched and healed by Jesus, he didn't know who he was (what he looked like). When Jesus came and found him, he didn't recognize Jesus. It was only when Jesus revealed himself that the man came to know Jesus and worship Him. The Greek word used here literally means to kneel down and kiss the hands and I can see that exact thing happening here when the man figured out that the one talking to him was the one who healed him. This also is a normal response to the experience of God's saving and transforming power.
Lord, we pray that we might truly know You! We want to know your healing, saving and transforming power in our lives. We want to know and experience the goodness of God, and helps others to know You in this way as well.
[30] "The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. [32] Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
I believe this formerly blind man, who clearly was not schooled formerly, lays out the basic belief of people concerning the miraculous. They believe that if something miraculous occurs that God was involved. Now in our "modern" society that may be less so, as we explain away many things, but when confronted with an honest, unexplainable miracle we tend to believe God was involved. This is clearly the point that Jesus made at the beginning of this story when asked about whether sin was the cause of the man's blindness. He said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9:3NIV). The miraculous are the works of God, things that God can do that no one else can do.
In this story Jesus spits in the dirt makes mud and spreads it on the eyes of the man born blind. I like to think this is just a follow through of creation, when He formed man out of dust (Gen 2:7), probably with a bunch of spit...Ha! Anyway, a person born blind is usually missing some part or component in the eye, and I think Jesus might just have fashioned him new eyes out of the mud. What exactly he did doesn't really matter, what does matter is that the man received his sight, and was transformed. He was so transformed that his neighbors who had probably seen him every day for years, weren't even sure it was him, and they had to get his parents to verify it really was him. I love how God touches one part of him, but transforms all of him.
God is in the business of transforming lives, all of our lives. His touch in one area, will spread to other areas as He gently leads us and speaks to us. I know people who have had radical transformations, like this blind man, and I have known those whose transformation has been slow and steady. We are all being changed into His likeness if we are His followers, some of us are just more resistant to change.
Back to the formerly blind man, I think it is also very interesting that even though he had been touched and healed by Jesus, he didn't know who he was (what he looked like). When Jesus came and found him, he didn't recognize Jesus. It was only when Jesus revealed himself that the man came to know Jesus and worship Him. The Greek word used here literally means to kneel down and kiss the hands and I can see that exact thing happening here when the man figured out that the one talking to him was the one who healed him. This also is a normal response to the experience of God's saving and transforming power.
Lord, we pray that we might truly know You! We want to know your healing, saving and transforming power in our lives. We want to know and experience the goodness of God, and helps others to know You in this way as well.
Monday, March 16, 2015
The Gifts Are For The Common Good.
This morning I am thinking on the following verses from 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NIV:
[4] "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
[7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. [8] To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, [10] to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
The first verse to catch my eye in this set is verse 7, for this is the foundational basis for all of Paul's next writing. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the common good. They are given so that they may be experienced by the Body, enjoyed by the Body, and serve the Body. All the gifts are given for the same reason. All the gifts are distributed among all the believers, everyone has them, and we need them to be evident to be experienced and shared in for the common good. This is not a full list of the Spiritual gifts, he add others later in this same chapter. The point in they are all for the common good, the good of everyone. For the Body to grow and mature, we must recognize and nurture those gifts so that we might mature as a body and enjoy the fullness of the gifts.
If all the gifts are given for the same reason, then all gifts are equally important to the life of the Body. Paul goes into the analogy of the Body in the next section, and it is so important we grasp this idea. All parts, every part, is necessary and is important. Thus, we must invest in the strengthening and maturation of each part and each gift. If I am exercising, but only exercise one part of the Body, I would grow abnormally and without the proper balance in my body. For example, I might have huge biceps, but the rest of the arm and body would not be able to support these huge biceps. My shoulders and upper back would ache constantly, and that would impact my overall ability to do anything.
No, we must recognize each our parts, and make room for everyone to exercise their gifts. We must allow for practice and trying out these gifts. Our normal life as a body must include opportunities for exercise, and trial and error. No one who has never played baseball is going to be able to pick up a bat the first time and hit pitch after pitch into the bleachers. It will take time to grow into the skills required to be successful. In the same way, we must enter into and understand that Spiritual gifts are good, and thus it will take practice and perfection. So let us not get l tangled up in rating the gifts, ranking the gifts, or putting the focus on just one gift. We need them all. As a church, let us take this approach, recognizing and investing in all the gifts in all the people.
The Holy Spirit has distributed them according to His determination. He is the one who is investing His gifts into all the people. We should trust Him, and work to fulfill that which He has determined is for our good. The good of us all.
Amen!
[4] "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
[7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. [8] To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, [10] to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
The first verse to catch my eye in this set is verse 7, for this is the foundational basis for all of Paul's next writing. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the common good. They are given so that they may be experienced by the Body, enjoyed by the Body, and serve the Body. All the gifts are given for the same reason. All the gifts are distributed among all the believers, everyone has them, and we need them to be evident to be experienced and shared in for the common good. This is not a full list of the Spiritual gifts, he add others later in this same chapter. The point in they are all for the common good, the good of everyone. For the Body to grow and mature, we must recognize and nurture those gifts so that we might mature as a body and enjoy the fullness of the gifts.
If all the gifts are given for the same reason, then all gifts are equally important to the life of the Body. Paul goes into the analogy of the Body in the next section, and it is so important we grasp this idea. All parts, every part, is necessary and is important. Thus, we must invest in the strengthening and maturation of each part and each gift. If I am exercising, but only exercise one part of the Body, I would grow abnormally and without the proper balance in my body. For example, I might have huge biceps, but the rest of the arm and body would not be able to support these huge biceps. My shoulders and upper back would ache constantly, and that would impact my overall ability to do anything.
No, we must recognize each our parts, and make room for everyone to exercise their gifts. We must allow for practice and trying out these gifts. Our normal life as a body must include opportunities for exercise, and trial and error. No one who has never played baseball is going to be able to pick up a bat the first time and hit pitch after pitch into the bleachers. It will take time to grow into the skills required to be successful. In the same way, we must enter into and understand that Spiritual gifts are good, and thus it will take practice and perfection. So let us not get l tangled up in rating the gifts, ranking the gifts, or putting the focus on just one gift. We need them all. As a church, let us take this approach, recognizing and investing in all the gifts in all the people.
The Holy Spirit has distributed them according to His determination. He is the one who is investing His gifts into all the people. We should trust Him, and work to fulfill that which He has determined is for our good. The good of us all.
Amen!
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Today IS A New Day!
Today as I was praying, I felt like the Lord said, "Today is a new day!"
That might not sound like a big deal, but with the Lord, a "New Day" is very significant. I was reminded of several 'new' verses:
Isaiah 42:9 NIV: "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV:
[22] "... for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. [24] I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Joel 3:18 NIV “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias."
Amos 9:11, 13-15 NIV
[11] “In that day “I will restore David's fallen shelter---I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins---and will rebuild it as it used to be,
[13] “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, [14] and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. “They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. [15] I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God."
Acts 2:14-18 NIV
[14] "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. [15] These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! [16] No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: [17] “ 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. [18] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."
This "new day" is a day of announcement from the Lord, when He speaks new things into existence. A day when we experience the new compassions of the Lord. A day when we experience the provision of the Lord. A day of rebuilding and acceleration or His purpose and timing. A day of fulfillment of purpose and a pouring out of the Holy Spirit, bringing forth God's word through prophecies, dreams, visions and understanding.
If you have been needing a "new day" in your life, today is that day! Lay hold of the promise of the Lord, allow Him to show you what He is doing, for His plans are glorious. He desires you to know His goodness. He desires to free you out what ever dark situation you find yourself in. The Lord is releasing "newness" to the earth, into His people, into our lives. Let us look with expectant eyes, and listen with expectant ears, and trust with expectant hearts, for the new is coming.
Amen Lord!
That might not sound like a big deal, but with the Lord, a "New Day" is very significant. I was reminded of several 'new' verses:
Isaiah 42:9 NIV: "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV:
[22] "... for his compassions never fail. [23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. [24] I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Joel 3:18 NIV “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord's house and will water the valley of acacias."
Amos 9:11, 13-15 NIV
[11] “In that day “I will restore David's fallen shelter---I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins---and will rebuild it as it used to be,
[13] “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, [14] and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. “They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. [15] I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God."
Acts 2:14-18 NIV
[14] "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. [15] These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! [16] No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: [17] “ 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. [18] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."
This "new day" is a day of announcement from the Lord, when He speaks new things into existence. A day when we experience the new compassions of the Lord. A day when we experience the provision of the Lord. A day of rebuilding and acceleration or His purpose and timing. A day of fulfillment of purpose and a pouring out of the Holy Spirit, bringing forth God's word through prophecies, dreams, visions and understanding.
If you have been needing a "new day" in your life, today is that day! Lay hold of the promise of the Lord, allow Him to show you what He is doing, for His plans are glorious. He desires you to know His goodness. He desires to free you out what ever dark situation you find yourself in. The Lord is releasing "newness" to the earth, into His people, into our lives. Let us look with expectant eyes, and listen with expectant ears, and trust with expectant hearts, for the new is coming.
Amen Lord!
Friday, March 13, 2015
Sin, Sickness, Thoughts and Beliefs
This morning I felt like reading from the Book of Malachi, as one Christian comedian said "the only Italian prophet". These verses have always been interesting to me - Malachi 3:13-15NIV:
[13 "Your words have been harsh against Me," says the LORD, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?'
[14] You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the LORD of hosts? [15] So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.' "
The reason these verses have been interesting, is that these are the types of thoughts I hear when I run into a rough patch in life. These are the type of thoughts that I hear running through my mind - "what good is it to serve God, if this stuff happens?" I say they are running through my mind, rather than me thinking them, because I believe their source is not my mind, but rather they emanate from the enemy, the deceiver, the accuser of God. I love God, and my heart is turned toward Him. I know the truth of His love, affection, mercy, grace, faithfulness and forgiveness. I know His character. Yet when difficult things occur in my life, these thoughts immediately rise up. I know these don't originate in my mind, because the difference between these thoughts and my normal thoughts are too great.
Looking at this from another example, I love my wife with my whole heart. Every day I am grateful to be in relationship with her, and thankful for our life together. I do not immediately say it is useless being faithful to her, loving her, living my life in relationship with her, the moment I have a rough day. I don't love her to get something, I love her because of who she is. I do not throw aside 28+ years of loving thought towards her in a moment. So, if I am able to maintain this type of consistency of thought in my relationship with my wife, why wouldn't I be able to do the same in my relationship with the Lord?
The answer is quite simple, I can, but I must learn to discern the origination of my thoughts. Jesus says the following about our enemy, (John 8:44 NIV)..."He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." These type of thoughts are clearly lies about the character and nature of God, thus they must come from the 'father of lies'. It is our agreement with these 'thoughts' that allows them to continue to spin within our mind and grow in strength. Understanding our thoughts, the way the enemy lies to us in our mind, and discerning the origination of thoughts, is key to us being able to walk out our Christian life in peace and joy.
Secondly, these thoughts, should we grab onto them and believe them, set up to become false beliefs. The premise these thoughts work on is that when we entrust our lives to God, only good things will happen, the more we serve Him the better our life becomes. This is one of the roots of the prosperity gospel, the belief that the more you love God, the more stuff He will bless you with in your life, and that if you are bad, God will take things away. Our relationship with God should not be based on what we get out of the relationship, but rather based on the character and love from God. As I said before, I don't love my wife because of what I get, but because of who she is. The enemy wants us to believe that the things that God has promised us, because of His love for us, is what we should focus on, rather than on Him, His love and character. If a woman only marries a man because he is rich, we call her a 'gold-digger'. If a man only marries a younger women for her looks, we say he has a 'trophy' wife. These are sad relationships, where true love likely does not exist. The same could be said, for people who only 'love' God because of what they can get. If the wealthy man loses his money, his 'gold-digger' wife is quick to find the door, and the divorce attorney. If the 'trophy' wife becomes unattractive, the husband does the same thing, he quickly finds a new 'trophy'. This is the same spirit of thought behind these verses from Malachi, and it is clearly sick, twisted and selfish. Yet, many of our Christian friends have some of this thinking in their belief system.
Let me give a quick example, when my wife was diagnosed with cancer, many people were shocked that something like that would happen to her, for she is such a wonderful, loving, and faith-filled individual. What is the root of that thought? Namely that if someone is good, loving and loving of God, that nothing bad can happen to them, which as I said before is the root of thought for the prosperity gospel. Others were wondering why she would get cancer, and their thoughts were that there might be some secret sin in our lives, or unrepented generational sin, thus blaming the sickness on bad behaviour. Again, the root of this thought is the same - only good things happen to good people, if bad is happening then you must be bad. Another time, I had a herniated disk in my neck, the long-term result of a car accident I was in when I was 13, and I had well intentioned friends say that they thought I was suffering because I was "stiff-necked" towards the Lord, meaning my bad behavior was causing my bad situation. The root of all of this thinking is the same and it is wrong belief about God, and wrong belief about what our relationship with God is really about. It is based on the lies the enemy spews about God, and it is as old as man (go back to the story of Adam and Eve for the original story of the lies and deception and character assault on God).
When we encounter these type of thoughts in our own mind, we must recognize them for their origination and reject them. When we encounter them in others, we must love those who speak them, understand they have been taught wrong information, and have grace for them, but at the same time not align ourselves with their beliefs. I know that all the people who were expressing these thoughts during my wife's cancer, and my neck problems, were actually well intentioned. They thought that we were unaware of the cause of our sickness and situation and were trying to help us identify the cause. They loved us, saw our pain and wanted to enable us to get free, which were admirable intentions. I don't fault them for their wrong beliefs, in the same way that I wouldn't fault someone who was taught wrongly about fractions. I do, however, have the freedom to not believe the same way as them. There may well be those who read this and disagree with my thinking, and that is OK, as I am sure I don't have everything figured out, and likely have several areas of wrong belief hidden in my belief system.
For His part, God will continue to show His true character, as He revealed through His Son Jesus (Heb 1: 1-3). He will reveal Himself correctly in all our lives, for He is more than capable of defending His Name and character. I just need to continue to reveal the Lord in my life, and share Him with others as I know Him.
He loves me. He has good plans for me. He provides for me. He is compassionate, merciful and gracious to me. He is slow to anger, and forgiving towards me. He desires relationship with me. He guides me. He speaks to me. He corrects me, but not with harsh judgment or affliction, but rather with loving counsel and direction. He helps me to grow and mature. He gives me awesome gifts. He is the greatest, most loving individual I know. He encourages me to grow into the likeness of His Son Jesus, and helps me daily.
For my part, I love God for who He is, and that is enough!
[13 "Your words have been harsh against Me," says the LORD, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?'
[14] You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the LORD of hosts? [15] So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.' "
The reason these verses have been interesting, is that these are the types of thoughts I hear when I run into a rough patch in life. These are the type of thoughts that I hear running through my mind - "what good is it to serve God, if this stuff happens?" I say they are running through my mind, rather than me thinking them, because I believe their source is not my mind, but rather they emanate from the enemy, the deceiver, the accuser of God. I love God, and my heart is turned toward Him. I know the truth of His love, affection, mercy, grace, faithfulness and forgiveness. I know His character. Yet when difficult things occur in my life, these thoughts immediately rise up. I know these don't originate in my mind, because the difference between these thoughts and my normal thoughts are too great.
Looking at this from another example, I love my wife with my whole heart. Every day I am grateful to be in relationship with her, and thankful for our life together. I do not immediately say it is useless being faithful to her, loving her, living my life in relationship with her, the moment I have a rough day. I don't love her to get something, I love her because of who she is. I do not throw aside 28+ years of loving thought towards her in a moment. So, if I am able to maintain this type of consistency of thought in my relationship with my wife, why wouldn't I be able to do the same in my relationship with the Lord?
The answer is quite simple, I can, but I must learn to discern the origination of my thoughts. Jesus says the following about our enemy, (John 8:44 NIV)..."He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." These type of thoughts are clearly lies about the character and nature of God, thus they must come from the 'father of lies'. It is our agreement with these 'thoughts' that allows them to continue to spin within our mind and grow in strength. Understanding our thoughts, the way the enemy lies to us in our mind, and discerning the origination of thoughts, is key to us being able to walk out our Christian life in peace and joy.
Secondly, these thoughts, should we grab onto them and believe them, set up to become false beliefs. The premise these thoughts work on is that when we entrust our lives to God, only good things will happen, the more we serve Him the better our life becomes. This is one of the roots of the prosperity gospel, the belief that the more you love God, the more stuff He will bless you with in your life, and that if you are bad, God will take things away. Our relationship with God should not be based on what we get out of the relationship, but rather based on the character and love from God. As I said before, I don't love my wife because of what I get, but because of who she is. The enemy wants us to believe that the things that God has promised us, because of His love for us, is what we should focus on, rather than on Him, His love and character. If a woman only marries a man because he is rich, we call her a 'gold-digger'. If a man only marries a younger women for her looks, we say he has a 'trophy' wife. These are sad relationships, where true love likely does not exist. The same could be said, for people who only 'love' God because of what they can get. If the wealthy man loses his money, his 'gold-digger' wife is quick to find the door, and the divorce attorney. If the 'trophy' wife becomes unattractive, the husband does the same thing, he quickly finds a new 'trophy'. This is the same spirit of thought behind these verses from Malachi, and it is clearly sick, twisted and selfish. Yet, many of our Christian friends have some of this thinking in their belief system.
Let me give a quick example, when my wife was diagnosed with cancer, many people were shocked that something like that would happen to her, for she is such a wonderful, loving, and faith-filled individual. What is the root of that thought? Namely that if someone is good, loving and loving of God, that nothing bad can happen to them, which as I said before is the root of thought for the prosperity gospel. Others were wondering why she would get cancer, and their thoughts were that there might be some secret sin in our lives, or unrepented generational sin, thus blaming the sickness on bad behaviour. Again, the root of this thought is the same - only good things happen to good people, if bad is happening then you must be bad. Another time, I had a herniated disk in my neck, the long-term result of a car accident I was in when I was 13, and I had well intentioned friends say that they thought I was suffering because I was "stiff-necked" towards the Lord, meaning my bad behavior was causing my bad situation. The root of all of this thinking is the same and it is wrong belief about God, and wrong belief about what our relationship with God is really about. It is based on the lies the enemy spews about God, and it is as old as man (go back to the story of Adam and Eve for the original story of the lies and deception and character assault on God).
When we encounter these type of thoughts in our own mind, we must recognize them for their origination and reject them. When we encounter them in others, we must love those who speak them, understand they have been taught wrong information, and have grace for them, but at the same time not align ourselves with their beliefs. I know that all the people who were expressing these thoughts during my wife's cancer, and my neck problems, were actually well intentioned. They thought that we were unaware of the cause of our sickness and situation and were trying to help us identify the cause. They loved us, saw our pain and wanted to enable us to get free, which were admirable intentions. I don't fault them for their wrong beliefs, in the same way that I wouldn't fault someone who was taught wrongly about fractions. I do, however, have the freedom to not believe the same way as them. There may well be those who read this and disagree with my thinking, and that is OK, as I am sure I don't have everything figured out, and likely have several areas of wrong belief hidden in my belief system.
For His part, God will continue to show His true character, as He revealed through His Son Jesus (Heb 1: 1-3). He will reveal Himself correctly in all our lives, for He is more than capable of defending His Name and character. I just need to continue to reveal the Lord in my life, and share Him with others as I know Him.
He loves me. He has good plans for me. He provides for me. He is compassionate, merciful and gracious to me. He is slow to anger, and forgiving towards me. He desires relationship with me. He guides me. He speaks to me. He corrects me, but not with harsh judgment or affliction, but rather with loving counsel and direction. He helps me to grow and mature. He gives me awesome gifts. He is the greatest, most loving individual I know. He encourages me to grow into the likeness of His Son Jesus, and helps me daily.
For my part, I love God for who He is, and that is enough!
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Threatened By The Miraculous
This morning I felt like I should read from John 11. The primary feature of this chapter is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. That is an incredible story and one worth of much reflection. However, this morning I am going to look at the responses to this clear miracle. Here are the verses - John 11:45-48 NIV:
[45] "Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. [46] But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
[47] Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. [48] If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
It is amazing to me that after such a great miracle, that there would be those whose focus was on themselves. These few people, after they witnessed the great miracle, went immediately to the Pharisees and told them about it. It wasn't that His raising Lazarus from the dead was bad or anything, it was the fact that this was causing more and more people to follow Jesus. This was a blow to the power base and position of the Pharisees, and they could not sit idly by and let it happen. Their statement really says what the real issue was, they were afraid they would lose the people, and then "their" temple.
I find it interesting how they claimed the temple as "ours". The temple was the Lord's and yet over time these people had come to think of it as theirs, as if God had bowed to them and given control and ownership over to them. I have a feeling that this is the case with many in church leadership today. They serve God, but the ownership and control of their church is in their hands, at least in their minds. Any time power, politics and position start making their way into the church, there is a dangerous belief about the transfer of control and ownership going on.
The church universal is the Body of Christ, with Him as our head, and over every part of the body (Eph 4:15-16). The Holy Spirit is in control, and provides leadership and guidance (as evidenced in the Book of Acts). The church, and every congregation is the Lord's, first and foremost. He has entrusted the shepherding of the flock to us, but it is His flock. The following verse makes it all very clear - Acts 20:28 NIV: "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."
I think that many of the attacks originating inside the church against ministries that see signs and wonders, healings and deliverances, are similarly motivated. They see people flocking to these ministries, drawn by the opportunity to really experience the touch of God in their own physical bodies, and lives. The attacking ministries will raise charges of cult-like behaviour, heretical teaching and the like, but the root cause is fear of losing control and power. It is a sick individual who desires power and control over others, yet many pursue exactly that in the name of the Lord, but they certainly aren't representing Him. The spirit of religion is running strong in these individuals for their religion is made up of rules of men, designed to control and give those in leadership power over those in their care.
Lord, help us to realize in our own hearts and minds any way in which this spirit of religion has invaded and set itself up. Help us to recognize such an influence and help us to repent wholeheartedly. Let us welcome miracles, signs and wonders, and deliverance as a normal part of the Body of Christ. Let us give people the grace to recognize their unique place in Body of Christ without trying to lord over them. Let us be grateful that each of us has a role and responsibility within the Body. Let us repent for any way in which we have misrepresented the Lord to the rest of the Body of Christ. Let us not be threatened when we hear the Spirit of Lord is breaking out somewhere else, but rather rejoice that the Lord is being glorified.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
A Love Letter From God
Last night I was reading from Isaiah and came across a few verses that are worth meditating on today. Isaiah 43:1-7, 10-13 NIV:
[1] "But now, this is what the Lord says---
he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
[3] For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
[4] Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
[5] Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
[6] I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth---
[7] everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. ”
[10] “You are my witnesses, ” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
[11] I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.
[12] I have revealed and saved and proclaimed---
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses, ” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
[13] Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
I love the personal aspect of these verses. If you ever want to read a nice 'love letter' from the Lord, these verses suffice nicely. Just look at all the things the Lord promises and says about His people (we are part of that people through Christ). Here is my extract of those things:
HE created us
HE formed us
HE has redeemed us
We don't need to fear
HE will protect us
HE will sustain us
HE has called us by name
We are His (Children)
HE will be with us
HE will protect us
HE is our savior
We are precious in His eyes
We are honored in His eyes
HE loves us
We don't need to fear
HE is with us
HE calls us by His name (we are His family members)
He created us for His Glory
He formed us and made us
HE chose us as His witnesses
HE chose us as His servants (this is the same term He used when speaking prophetically about Jesus - Is 42:1)
HE is the only God
He is the only Savior
We can know Him
We can understand Him
HE reveals
HE saves
He Proclaims
HE is the only God
No one can take anything out of His Hand (We are in His hands, we are the work of His hands, He has inscribed our names in his Hand)
When He acts, no one can reverse it, no one can undo it.
We could just sit and think about any of these short phrases, for each of them has deep ramifications for us. The very last verse, for example, really got me thinking. Sometimes we think that there is a back and forth battle that occurs between God and the evil forces. We think the enemy is able to win ground, to enact some sort of defeat on God's plan or purpose. This is clearly not so, according to this statement God makes about Himself. When He takes hold of something or someone, nothing in this world, seen or unseen, can break His grip. When He does something, anything, it is completed and finished, and unchangeable. He will never be defeated, will never lose, will never even be challenged. He alone is God.
A quick caveat - while the above is true, when we come to the Lord, He never constrains us or coerces us into relationship. Our free-will is precious to Him because we are precious to Him. He wants us to understand His love for us, all the things He will do for us, but He will not have us in relationship if we are unwilling. He will not hold us prisoners. He, however, is always waiting, willing and loving. We are His very creation, brought into being because of His love for us.
We have an awesome, loving God. Let us entrust our lives into His hands - for there isn't a safer place in all the world! He truly loves us!
[1] "But now, this is what the Lord says---
he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
[3] For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.
[4] Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.
[5] Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.
[6] I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth---
[7] everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. ”
[10] “You are my witnesses, ” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
[11] I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.
[12] I have revealed and saved and proclaimed---
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses, ” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
[13] Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”
I love the personal aspect of these verses. If you ever want to read a nice 'love letter' from the Lord, these verses suffice nicely. Just look at all the things the Lord promises and says about His people (we are part of that people through Christ). Here is my extract of those things:
HE created us
HE formed us
HE has redeemed us
We don't need to fear
HE will protect us
HE will sustain us
HE has called us by name
We are His (Children)
HE will be with us
HE will protect us
HE is our savior
We are precious in His eyes
We are honored in His eyes
HE loves us
We don't need to fear
HE is with us
HE calls us by His name (we are His family members)
He created us for His Glory
He formed us and made us
HE chose us as His witnesses
HE chose us as His servants (this is the same term He used when speaking prophetically about Jesus - Is 42:1)
HE is the only God
He is the only Savior
We can know Him
We can understand Him
HE reveals
HE saves
He Proclaims
HE is the only God
No one can take anything out of His Hand (We are in His hands, we are the work of His hands, He has inscribed our names in his Hand)
When He acts, no one can reverse it, no one can undo it.
We could just sit and think about any of these short phrases, for each of them has deep ramifications for us. The very last verse, for example, really got me thinking. Sometimes we think that there is a back and forth battle that occurs between God and the evil forces. We think the enemy is able to win ground, to enact some sort of defeat on God's plan or purpose. This is clearly not so, according to this statement God makes about Himself. When He takes hold of something or someone, nothing in this world, seen or unseen, can break His grip. When He does something, anything, it is completed and finished, and unchangeable. He will never be defeated, will never lose, will never even be challenged. He alone is God.
A quick caveat - while the above is true, when we come to the Lord, He never constrains us or coerces us into relationship. Our free-will is precious to Him because we are precious to Him. He wants us to understand His love for us, all the things He will do for us, but He will not have us in relationship if we are unwilling. He will not hold us prisoners. He, however, is always waiting, willing and loving. We are His very creation, brought into being because of His love for us.
We have an awesome, loving God. Let us entrust our lives into His hands - for there isn't a safer place in all the world! He truly loves us!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Our Name, Identity and Purpose in Him
This morning I am thinking about Peter, and his highs and lows, as evidenced in this chunk of Matthew's Gospel. Peter is one of my favorite Apostles, and that is probably due in part to the greater visibility we have into his life and mind. Here are the verses - Matthew 16:15-23 NIV:
[15] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
[16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
[17] Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [20] Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
[21] From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
First, when Peter proclaims Jesus as Messiah, that must have been a very significant moment, for it was when Jesus gave him his name Peter (Rock). Jesus was clearly pleased, and in His response says some awesome stuff. He blesses Simon, says that he could only have known this because the Father showed him and was thus commenting on the favor of the Father, and then signifies his importance in the coming church. Jesus gives him a new name and in scriptural history, receiving a new name from the Lord was on the level of Abraham and Jacob. It meant there was significant destiny and purpose that was being released by the Lord, this was huge. This was not some little nickname, but key to the transformation of Peter into the leader of the church.
I am sure the significance of this was not lost on Peter. The Lord saw in Him such purpose and such a calling and destiny that He gave him a new name. The name Simon in Hebrew mans that 'he has heard'. Peter on the other hand means 'stone or rock'. It is interesting that it was because 'he heard' from the Father that Jesus proclaims him the 'rock'. Peter was to become the 'rock' upon which Jesus would build His church, talk about a huge responsibility. New purpose, and new destinies require new understanding, encouragement and empowerment. From this point onward, Peter was called so, and this helped remind him of the destiny that the Lord had planned, and really who he was. His identity in Christ was solidified.
In the same way, each of us has significance to the Lord. Our identity, first and foremost, is as a son or daughter. Secondly, when the Lord looks at us, He has specific purpose and destiny planned for each of us. Coming into relationship with Him, helps us to understand who He says we are, and when He speaks about that we need to listen. I am convinced that many of us never even think to ask that simple question - Lord, who do you say I am? One of the other things I have learned is that just like most earthy father's the Lord has nicknames for us, that are signs of our endearment to him. I have special nicknames for both of my children, and my use of them, while not significant to their purpose and destiny, signifies my love and affection for them. The Lord does the same for us.
One of my favorite authors and speakers is Graham Cooke, and he introduced me to this concept. In his relationship with the Lord, he is aware of the fact that Lord calls him different names. The Lord calls him Gray when He is speaking with him from a point of affection and love, and He calls him Graham when He is speaking about other things. This opened up a whole level of intimacy to me that I never knew existed in the Lord. It caused me to press into relationship in a way I had never understood was possible. The Lord wants us all to understand how much we mean to Him, and if we go to Him and ask, I am confident He will speak His nickname for each us. He wants us to discover and understand our identity as sons and daughters.
Continuing on with the scripture, we find that it is a very short time before Peter oversteps his new found identity. One of the things that Lord DOES want us to do is try out new levels of authority as He calls us into them. It is like when you get a new car, you take it for drive to see what it drives like. If you are like me that usually means pressing it into previously uncharted territories of experience. Peter, confident in his new identity, decides it is time to act like the leader Jesus thinks he is. Peter had probably dreaming grand and glorious Kingdom dreams and was shocked to hear Jesus talking about suffering and dying. I can just see Peter thinking it best to take Jesus aside and correct the Him, for surely He was mistaken when He was just speaking the other day about building His church, and had selected Peter to help Him. It wasn't just Peter who didn't comprehend what Jesus was saying, apparently all the Apostles thought the same thing. They thought Jesus was here for the long-term and it was just a matter of time before His kingdom was going to be established, with all of them a part of the leadership team. They were probably pushing Peter to have the "talk" with Jesus and set things straight. Peter has the "talk" and it doesn't go the way he thought it would. Yikes!
What I find significant is the fact that Jesus, while He rebukes Peter pretty sternly, still calls him by his new name. Peter's huge miss does not impact his relationship or destiny. How often have we shut people down, or walked away from them when they have really messed up, or maybe demoted them at the very least? This is NOT how the Lord operates. He shuts down the talk immediately, for as He indicates, Peter is a stumbling block to Him. In other words, the idea that Peter was voicing was possibly the very temptation that satan was trying pounding on Jesus with every day - the temptation to set himself up as an earthly ruler. We know that this was part of His temptation during His forty days in the wilderness (Matt 4: 8-9). Anyway, Jesus would not allow that talk to continue, and then He provides the correction to Peter. He tells Peter that he is thinking like a man, not like the Father God. I, for one, can't fault Peter for this miss, nor do I think does Jesus. His correction, while sometimes direct and even stern, is meant to keep us on track and continuing forward in our purpose and destiny. Peter was thinking like a man, and as Jesus' representative, and as the 'rock' he needed to be thinking like God.
Jesus didn't demote Peter, didn't take back anything He had previously said, but instead told him he needs to stop thinking and start listening. We know that Peter was not punished for this mistake, for Jesus goes from here to the mount where He is transfigured, and Peter is one of the three companions He brings. I am sure that after the rebuke, Peter had to rethink what Jesus said, and spend time listening more intently to the Lord. He realized that his first idea of what this purpose would look like was wrong, so He started listening and trying to think like God. Correction from the Lord is meant to do exactly that, draw us back to Him, cause us to listen, cause us to change the way we think (repent) and begin to think like God. Correction does not mean we have been disqualified.
The other thing that Jesus said was "get behind me". I know that often I can find myself pressing into areas without being lead by the Lord. I think this is exactly what Jesus was saying - "get behind me Peter and follow my lead, and trust me because I know what I am doing!" I know that I have heard many people say "this isn't what I signed up for..." as in things didn't turn out the way they thought it would. Anytime we deal with the Lord, following after and trying to understand His words to us, we will likely run into this same thought. I am pretty sure that was what Peter was thinking, or at least some derivation. He needed to learn His place (servant leadership directed by the Lord) and trust that the Lord knew exactly what He was doing and that He was operating at a whole different level. He was missing the bigger picture, because he was thinking about himself, and his own concerns.
So, this morning I am encouraged to press into the Lord to find out who He says I am, in Him. I am encouraged to uncover my identity in Him, my purpose and destiny. I am encouraged to listen more and plan and strategize less, unless under the guidance of the Lord. I am encouraged to press in, but also allow the Lord to lead me. I am encouraged that the Lord will not treat me like other men, He will not punish me or demote me when I mess up or miss what He is saying. I am encouraged that the Lord loves me, and has an affectionate nickname for me.
Thanks You Lord for your personal love and direction. You are so good to me!
[15] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
[16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
[17] Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [20] Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
[21] From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
First, when Peter proclaims Jesus as Messiah, that must have been a very significant moment, for it was when Jesus gave him his name Peter (Rock). Jesus was clearly pleased, and in His response says some awesome stuff. He blesses Simon, says that he could only have known this because the Father showed him and was thus commenting on the favor of the Father, and then signifies his importance in the coming church. Jesus gives him a new name and in scriptural history, receiving a new name from the Lord was on the level of Abraham and Jacob. It meant there was significant destiny and purpose that was being released by the Lord, this was huge. This was not some little nickname, but key to the transformation of Peter into the leader of the church.
I am sure the significance of this was not lost on Peter. The Lord saw in Him such purpose and such a calling and destiny that He gave him a new name. The name Simon in Hebrew mans that 'he has heard'. Peter on the other hand means 'stone or rock'. It is interesting that it was because 'he heard' from the Father that Jesus proclaims him the 'rock'. Peter was to become the 'rock' upon which Jesus would build His church, talk about a huge responsibility. New purpose, and new destinies require new understanding, encouragement and empowerment. From this point onward, Peter was called so, and this helped remind him of the destiny that the Lord had planned, and really who he was. His identity in Christ was solidified.
In the same way, each of us has significance to the Lord. Our identity, first and foremost, is as a son or daughter. Secondly, when the Lord looks at us, He has specific purpose and destiny planned for each of us. Coming into relationship with Him, helps us to understand who He says we are, and when He speaks about that we need to listen. I am convinced that many of us never even think to ask that simple question - Lord, who do you say I am? One of the other things I have learned is that just like most earthy father's the Lord has nicknames for us, that are signs of our endearment to him. I have special nicknames for both of my children, and my use of them, while not significant to their purpose and destiny, signifies my love and affection for them. The Lord does the same for us.
One of my favorite authors and speakers is Graham Cooke, and he introduced me to this concept. In his relationship with the Lord, he is aware of the fact that Lord calls him different names. The Lord calls him Gray when He is speaking with him from a point of affection and love, and He calls him Graham when He is speaking about other things. This opened up a whole level of intimacy to me that I never knew existed in the Lord. It caused me to press into relationship in a way I had never understood was possible. The Lord wants us all to understand how much we mean to Him, and if we go to Him and ask, I am confident He will speak His nickname for each us. He wants us to discover and understand our identity as sons and daughters.
Continuing on with the scripture, we find that it is a very short time before Peter oversteps his new found identity. One of the things that Lord DOES want us to do is try out new levels of authority as He calls us into them. It is like when you get a new car, you take it for drive to see what it drives like. If you are like me that usually means pressing it into previously uncharted territories of experience. Peter, confident in his new identity, decides it is time to act like the leader Jesus thinks he is. Peter had probably dreaming grand and glorious Kingdom dreams and was shocked to hear Jesus talking about suffering and dying. I can just see Peter thinking it best to take Jesus aside and correct the Him, for surely He was mistaken when He was just speaking the other day about building His church, and had selected Peter to help Him. It wasn't just Peter who didn't comprehend what Jesus was saying, apparently all the Apostles thought the same thing. They thought Jesus was here for the long-term and it was just a matter of time before His kingdom was going to be established, with all of them a part of the leadership team. They were probably pushing Peter to have the "talk" with Jesus and set things straight. Peter has the "talk" and it doesn't go the way he thought it would. Yikes!
What I find significant is the fact that Jesus, while He rebukes Peter pretty sternly, still calls him by his new name. Peter's huge miss does not impact his relationship or destiny. How often have we shut people down, or walked away from them when they have really messed up, or maybe demoted them at the very least? This is NOT how the Lord operates. He shuts down the talk immediately, for as He indicates, Peter is a stumbling block to Him. In other words, the idea that Peter was voicing was possibly the very temptation that satan was trying pounding on Jesus with every day - the temptation to set himself up as an earthly ruler. We know that this was part of His temptation during His forty days in the wilderness (Matt 4: 8-9). Anyway, Jesus would not allow that talk to continue, and then He provides the correction to Peter. He tells Peter that he is thinking like a man, not like the Father God. I, for one, can't fault Peter for this miss, nor do I think does Jesus. His correction, while sometimes direct and even stern, is meant to keep us on track and continuing forward in our purpose and destiny. Peter was thinking like a man, and as Jesus' representative, and as the 'rock' he needed to be thinking like God.
Jesus didn't demote Peter, didn't take back anything He had previously said, but instead told him he needs to stop thinking and start listening. We know that Peter was not punished for this mistake, for Jesus goes from here to the mount where He is transfigured, and Peter is one of the three companions He brings. I am sure that after the rebuke, Peter had to rethink what Jesus said, and spend time listening more intently to the Lord. He realized that his first idea of what this purpose would look like was wrong, so He started listening and trying to think like God. Correction from the Lord is meant to do exactly that, draw us back to Him, cause us to listen, cause us to change the way we think (repent) and begin to think like God. Correction does not mean we have been disqualified.
The other thing that Jesus said was "get behind me". I know that often I can find myself pressing into areas without being lead by the Lord. I think this is exactly what Jesus was saying - "get behind me Peter and follow my lead, and trust me because I know what I am doing!" I know that I have heard many people say "this isn't what I signed up for..." as in things didn't turn out the way they thought it would. Anytime we deal with the Lord, following after and trying to understand His words to us, we will likely run into this same thought. I am pretty sure that was what Peter was thinking, or at least some derivation. He needed to learn His place (servant leadership directed by the Lord) and trust that the Lord knew exactly what He was doing and that He was operating at a whole different level. He was missing the bigger picture, because he was thinking about himself, and his own concerns.
So, this morning I am encouraged to press into the Lord to find out who He says I am, in Him. I am encouraged to uncover my identity in Him, my purpose and destiny. I am encouraged to listen more and plan and strategize less, unless under the guidance of the Lord. I am encouraged to press in, but also allow the Lord to lead me. I am encouraged that the Lord will not treat me like other men, He will not punish me or demote me when I mess up or miss what He is saying. I am encouraged that the Lord loves me, and has an affectionate nickname for me.
Thanks You Lord for your personal love and direction. You are so good to me!
Monday, March 9, 2015
Faith To Persevere When The Lord Doesn't Seem To Respond
This morning I am reading from Matthew 15:20-28 NIV:
[21] "Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. [22] A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
[23] Jesus did not answer a word.
So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
[24] He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
[25] The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
[26] He replied, “It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.”
[27] “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.”
[28] Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment."
This is such an interesting story, for in the telling of it, it seems that Jesus is cold-hearted towards her. He actually ignores her first several pleas, as noted by the disciples. This is the only time, that I am aware of, that Jesus acts this way, so its important to understand why.
First, when examining such a scripture, it is important to review this in light of all the other revelation also found in scripture, and not create some theology based on this single set of verses that is in conflict with rest of the scriptural revelation. We know that Jesus died for the sins of all men and women. We know that He loves each of us, regardless of our national heritage. We know that He healed everyone that came to Him. We know that He had great compassions, mercy and grace. We know that He was obedient to the Father in word and deed.
We also know that there were several other incidences where Jesus ministered outside the people of Israel, (e.g. Samaritan Woman - John 4; The Centurion's son - Matt 8:5-13) and in the story of the Centurion, Jesus makes a special point of talking about those outside the nation of Israel taking their place at the heavenly feast. Thus we know that Jesus statement here is not to be taken literally, but has another purpose.
I believe we see some of that purpose in the continuing conversation between Jesus and the woman, as Jesus even allows her to correct Him (look closely at verses 26 & 27). There is something else going on here, and we can learn from this interaction. I believe the Lord was testing that faith that the women apparently was exhibiting, in obedience to the Father, and He was waiting on the Father's release.
She had faith, that much was evident, but the motivation of the faith could have been in question. It seems to me that the Lord is testing her to see her real motivation and level of faith. Many times we hear something that we would like to have or experience, but our hearts are not fully engaged, or our motivation is not right. The Lord, in His love for us, and for our own maturation, will draw these issues to the surface, so that we can see what is in our heart, and repent of any wrong understanding or behaviour. We know nothing about this woman, but the Father knew everything. The Father was directing Jesus in how to respond, how to answer, and was thus after something.
We must never forget that the Lord deals with each of us individually, sometimes uniquely. He loves us perfectly, and wants the best for us. Maybe this woman lacked any real perseverance in her life, and thus the Lord was drawing her into a place of need where she discovered the fruits of perseverance. It is really impossible to know exactly what the Lord was doing in her heart, and we must remember that as well about our fellow brothers and sisters. We can easily judge a situation, believing we know exactly what the Lord is after in a person's life, but in reality, we know nothing unless the person tells us, or we receive some very direct prophetic understanding. Even then we must be careful not to judge. Maybe He was correcting a wrong perspective that she had about the Love of God and how it would apply to her daughter and herself. We will never know for sure this side of heaven.
At the very least, we can learn from this story the benefits of perseverance. We can see her pursuit of the Lord, in spite of resistance from those close to the Lord. We can see she is unrelenting, even when the answer the Lord gives seems to indicate His will is to not respond. We can see her challenging His statement back to her, refusing to believe that God would not move and act on her behalf. I am reminded of stories from the ministries of Smith Wigglesworth and John G. Lake, where they prayed throughout a night, or for many days before seeing breakthrough for a particular individual. One wonders how often the Lord is inviting us to grow in perseverance and we don't want to go there because of the personal cost or effort?
Lord help us to rightly discern Your purpose and intention in our lives for our present situation. Help us to hold onto the truth that we know about you, and not create a theology to explain our present experience, or apparent lack of activity on Your part. Let us learn to persevere, understanding that when You place in us faith for something, You intend to draw us deeper into dependence on You, and deeper into relationship.
Amen.
[21] "Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. [22] A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
[23] Jesus did not answer a word.
So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
[24] He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
[25] The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
[26] He replied, “It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.”
[27] “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.”
[28] Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment."
This is such an interesting story, for in the telling of it, it seems that Jesus is cold-hearted towards her. He actually ignores her first several pleas, as noted by the disciples. This is the only time, that I am aware of, that Jesus acts this way, so its important to understand why.
First, when examining such a scripture, it is important to review this in light of all the other revelation also found in scripture, and not create some theology based on this single set of verses that is in conflict with rest of the scriptural revelation. We know that Jesus died for the sins of all men and women. We know that He loves each of us, regardless of our national heritage. We know that He healed everyone that came to Him. We know that He had great compassions, mercy and grace. We know that He was obedient to the Father in word and deed.
We also know that there were several other incidences where Jesus ministered outside the people of Israel, (e.g. Samaritan Woman - John 4; The Centurion's son - Matt 8:5-13) and in the story of the Centurion, Jesus makes a special point of talking about those outside the nation of Israel taking their place at the heavenly feast. Thus we know that Jesus statement here is not to be taken literally, but has another purpose.
I believe we see some of that purpose in the continuing conversation between Jesus and the woman, as Jesus even allows her to correct Him (look closely at verses 26 & 27). There is something else going on here, and we can learn from this interaction. I believe the Lord was testing that faith that the women apparently was exhibiting, in obedience to the Father, and He was waiting on the Father's release.
She had faith, that much was evident, but the motivation of the faith could have been in question. It seems to me that the Lord is testing her to see her real motivation and level of faith. Many times we hear something that we would like to have or experience, but our hearts are not fully engaged, or our motivation is not right. The Lord, in His love for us, and for our own maturation, will draw these issues to the surface, so that we can see what is in our heart, and repent of any wrong understanding or behaviour. We know nothing about this woman, but the Father knew everything. The Father was directing Jesus in how to respond, how to answer, and was thus after something.
We must never forget that the Lord deals with each of us individually, sometimes uniquely. He loves us perfectly, and wants the best for us. Maybe this woman lacked any real perseverance in her life, and thus the Lord was drawing her into a place of need where she discovered the fruits of perseverance. It is really impossible to know exactly what the Lord was doing in her heart, and we must remember that as well about our fellow brothers and sisters. We can easily judge a situation, believing we know exactly what the Lord is after in a person's life, but in reality, we know nothing unless the person tells us, or we receive some very direct prophetic understanding. Even then we must be careful not to judge. Maybe He was correcting a wrong perspective that she had about the Love of God and how it would apply to her daughter and herself. We will never know for sure this side of heaven.
At the very least, we can learn from this story the benefits of perseverance. We can see her pursuit of the Lord, in spite of resistance from those close to the Lord. We can see she is unrelenting, even when the answer the Lord gives seems to indicate His will is to not respond. We can see her challenging His statement back to her, refusing to believe that God would not move and act on her behalf. I am reminded of stories from the ministries of Smith Wigglesworth and John G. Lake, where they prayed throughout a night, or for many days before seeing breakthrough for a particular individual. One wonders how often the Lord is inviting us to grow in perseverance and we don't want to go there because of the personal cost or effort?
Lord help us to rightly discern Your purpose and intention in our lives for our present situation. Help us to hold onto the truth that we know about you, and not create a theology to explain our present experience, or apparent lack of activity on Your part. Let us learn to persevere, understanding that when You place in us faith for something, You intend to draw us deeper into dependence on You, and deeper into relationship.
Amen.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Morning Interaction With The Lord
When I woke up this morning, I was thinking about worship. I was thinking that really all we are doing is responding to the Lord. As Graham Cooke says, we don't have any thoughts about God that He didn't initiate, so really worship is just learning to respond to that which He is initiating. I had this thought as I was thinking about the need to draw near to Him, so that He will draw near to us, but was gently corrected. He is already near, He is already drawing us, and HE is previous (the initiator). I guess the way to say it is we can't surprise God, because He is always there before us preparing the way.
I have been thinking much about the pressing in the Lord has me doing concerning healing and ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit, Kingdom proclamation and Kingdom demonstration. Lord in our vernacular, You are painting me into a corner, as I cannot conceive of any other way to move forward, which is good, but which leaves me in a dependence wholly on You, for I can do nothing, except the proclamation, and even that is weak. You must show Yourself strong, as I have nothing in me, besides You that has power.
I feel a little like Elijah and the prophets of baal, for his dependence was fully on You. You either showed up or You didn't and if You didn't, he was dead. As scary as that position is, I would rather be there than anywhere else, because You are faithful, and loving, compassionate and merciful, full of grace, and the God who provides, and Lord, You know how bad we need Your provision. Lord, help me to walk in complete humility, understanding how You are wholly responsible for everything, and I am basically just an empty vessel if I were to extract everything that You have given me.
I am reminded of two things from yesterday. My friend's conversation with his employee, showing how little he has accomplished when he took away all the accounts my friend had given him. That is like us, if we extract everything that was given us by the Lord, we have nothing left. This should lead to us being very humble in our ministry and relying on Him wholly. His desire is that He be glorified in everything we do, so that we are shining light on Him in our actions, in our words. He is the reason, He is the origination, He is the giver, He is our source. It is extremely prideful to take credit for anything, for it all comes from Him. We can revel in what He has given us, enjoy what He has give us, show off what He has given us, but take no credit.
Secondly, I was walking through Hy-Vee yesterday and when I arrived the majority of the store was partially lit, as much of the power was off due to a problem somewhere in Liberty. They were trying to cover all the coolers, and wouldn't open them so that people could purchase the refrigerated goods. They had whole sections blocked off, for they were trying to keep the cool inside the coolers, just like if you lose power at home, you aren't supposed to open the refrigerator or freezer. I was almost done shopping when the power was restored, and the manager made sure it would stay on. Once that indication was given, he gave the order to tear down the coverings. One of the guys remarked to me, how much more fun it was tearing down than putting it up. As I was walking toward the register, I felt the Lord say something incredible. (It might also just be my own pride). He said this happened (the power being restored) because I was in the store. I had to laugh a little, but on further reflection I get what He was really showing me.
This was a giant image of what the condition of the church is. The church is supposed to be a place to come and buy food (Isaiah 55:1-2) from the Lord without money. Without real power, there is only so much available. Nothing fresh. The church, in her theological and religious efforts to cover for her lack of power has blocked us from actually even experiencing much of what is available in Him. There are whole sections of what the Lord desires for us, presently blocked. I have nothing I can do to actually restore the power, the power is coming from it point of origination. God can, through me and my presence, restore power, open up areas once blocked, and restore freshness to that which we can receive. This is true for all of us. He wants to restore power to the church! He wants us to be able to receive all that nourishes us and gives us life. He doesn't want a partially powered church, some dry goods only place for people to come. He wants to restore access to all that He has for us, He wants us to fully enjoy His gifts, His provision, His life!
As I am sitting here, the Lord is opening my eyes to all the prophetic imagery He sows into my life. Here are a few examples:
1) The people yesterday who were waiting for my son and I to take the elliptical apart and load it in our truck. They thought they had been waiting way too long, but in reality it was 20 minutes, which was really fast in my estimation. We had barely gotten in our truck and they were leaving the house, they had somewhere else to be. How often is this our same approach to God? We don't want to wait for Him to do that which needs to be done, because we have someplace else to be.
2) Josh carving wood, an old dry piece of wood takes much more effort and time to carve. Fresh wood, is soft, and pliable and much simpler to fashion and carve. We want to be fresh, have His life flowing through us, connected to the source of life so that we are maleable, able to fashioned and formed.
3) One of the other things I was thinking about was how sickness and injury is pressing into our group recently. It is interesting that we (at least me) are pressing into the areas of healing and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, where His dominion drives away sickness, disease and heals everything. It is almost like the enemy is pressing in, trying to discourage us, trying to make us fear him, fear proclaiming anything that defeats him, because of his counter-attack. We must rest in the Lord, and let Him enter the battle on our behalf, when He enters the battlefield the battle is over. I am reminded of my dream of spiritual battle. In this dream the battle was raging all around, angelic and demonic forces, engaged. When He was carried onto the battlefield in His litter, the enemy was completely vanquished, He didn't even raise a finger, his sovereignty was just extended over the battlefield. Jesus said He has "strong confidence". We could rest in His presence, even with the presence of the enemy all around us.
Thank You Lord, for speaking to me and encouraging me.
I have been thinking much about the pressing in the Lord has me doing concerning healing and ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit, Kingdom proclamation and Kingdom demonstration. Lord in our vernacular, You are painting me into a corner, as I cannot conceive of any other way to move forward, which is good, but which leaves me in a dependence wholly on You, for I can do nothing, except the proclamation, and even that is weak. You must show Yourself strong, as I have nothing in me, besides You that has power.
I feel a little like Elijah and the prophets of baal, for his dependence was fully on You. You either showed up or You didn't and if You didn't, he was dead. As scary as that position is, I would rather be there than anywhere else, because You are faithful, and loving, compassionate and merciful, full of grace, and the God who provides, and Lord, You know how bad we need Your provision. Lord, help me to walk in complete humility, understanding how You are wholly responsible for everything, and I am basically just an empty vessel if I were to extract everything that You have given me.
I am reminded of two things from yesterday. My friend's conversation with his employee, showing how little he has accomplished when he took away all the accounts my friend had given him. That is like us, if we extract everything that was given us by the Lord, we have nothing left. This should lead to us being very humble in our ministry and relying on Him wholly. His desire is that He be glorified in everything we do, so that we are shining light on Him in our actions, in our words. He is the reason, He is the origination, He is the giver, He is our source. It is extremely prideful to take credit for anything, for it all comes from Him. We can revel in what He has given us, enjoy what He has give us, show off what He has given us, but take no credit.
Secondly, I was walking through Hy-Vee yesterday and when I arrived the majority of the store was partially lit, as much of the power was off due to a problem somewhere in Liberty. They were trying to cover all the coolers, and wouldn't open them so that people could purchase the refrigerated goods. They had whole sections blocked off, for they were trying to keep the cool inside the coolers, just like if you lose power at home, you aren't supposed to open the refrigerator or freezer. I was almost done shopping when the power was restored, and the manager made sure it would stay on. Once that indication was given, he gave the order to tear down the coverings. One of the guys remarked to me, how much more fun it was tearing down than putting it up. As I was walking toward the register, I felt the Lord say something incredible. (It might also just be my own pride). He said this happened (the power being restored) because I was in the store. I had to laugh a little, but on further reflection I get what He was really showing me.
This was a giant image of what the condition of the church is. The church is supposed to be a place to come and buy food (Isaiah 55:1-2) from the Lord without money. Without real power, there is only so much available. Nothing fresh. The church, in her theological and religious efforts to cover for her lack of power has blocked us from actually even experiencing much of what is available in Him. There are whole sections of what the Lord desires for us, presently blocked. I have nothing I can do to actually restore the power, the power is coming from it point of origination. God can, through me and my presence, restore power, open up areas once blocked, and restore freshness to that which we can receive. This is true for all of us. He wants to restore power to the church! He wants us to be able to receive all that nourishes us and gives us life. He doesn't want a partially powered church, some dry goods only place for people to come. He wants to restore access to all that He has for us, He wants us to fully enjoy His gifts, His provision, His life!
As I am sitting here, the Lord is opening my eyes to all the prophetic imagery He sows into my life. Here are a few examples:
1) The people yesterday who were waiting for my son and I to take the elliptical apart and load it in our truck. They thought they had been waiting way too long, but in reality it was 20 minutes, which was really fast in my estimation. We had barely gotten in our truck and they were leaving the house, they had somewhere else to be. How often is this our same approach to God? We don't want to wait for Him to do that which needs to be done, because we have someplace else to be.
2) Josh carving wood, an old dry piece of wood takes much more effort and time to carve. Fresh wood, is soft, and pliable and much simpler to fashion and carve. We want to be fresh, have His life flowing through us, connected to the source of life so that we are maleable, able to fashioned and formed.
3) One of the other things I was thinking about was how sickness and injury is pressing into our group recently. It is interesting that we (at least me) are pressing into the areas of healing and the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, where His dominion drives away sickness, disease and heals everything. It is almost like the enemy is pressing in, trying to discourage us, trying to make us fear him, fear proclaiming anything that defeats him, because of his counter-attack. We must rest in the Lord, and let Him enter the battle on our behalf, when He enters the battlefield the battle is over. I am reminded of my dream of spiritual battle. In this dream the battle was raging all around, angelic and demonic forces, engaged. When He was carried onto the battlefield in His litter, the enemy was completely vanquished, He didn't even raise a finger, his sovereignty was just extended over the battlefield. Jesus said He has "strong confidence". We could rest in His presence, even with the presence of the enemy all around us.
Thank You Lord, for speaking to me and encouraging me.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Power For Change - Our Response To Miracles
It appears that my prayer and study focus continues to be the signs and wonders and their purpose in Jesus' ministry. This morning I am reading from Matthew 11:21, 23 NIV:
[21] “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
[23] "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day."
These verses are an interesting study, for Jesus is speaking about the miracles He has worked and the impact they should have in one's life and in life of the greater community. It is important to think about miracles both individually and corporately, for they impact both, and are obviously meant to. Miracles are meant to drive people to relationship God, to confront their issues of unbelief, and to bring about repentance. Repentance means to change the way you think, and to change the way you act because of this new way of thinking.
When we are confronted by the miraculous, we must deal with it in some way, we must respond. We can deny it happened. We can nod our head and think 'how nice'. We can try to explain it away. We can realize that there really is a God and He is affecting someone's life right here on earth. We can have any of these responses or several others, but we must respond. These towns had responded, but had not repented or changed the way they thought about God, or acted towards Him.
I find it interesting that Jesus didn't mention the messages that He had preached in these towns. He didn't fault the people for their lack of response or repentance to His messages, but rather took them to task over their response to the miracles. The point is, anyone can talk and preach good messages, but it is miracles, signs and wonders, healings and deliverances that distinguished Jesus' ministry. As I have covered before, they were the proof that what Jesus said was from God, for only God could do those things. Jesus said in John 14:10-11 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."
As I was thinking about these verses I was reminded of an earlier verse that speaks about the Kingdom advancing with power or violence (Matt 11:12). Jesus is the one who was advancing the Kingdom, and the violence was not evil, but rather the power of God defeating and banishing disease, sickness, woundedness, and the demonic. He was confronting these and unbelief with power and authority. We don't necessarily classify this as violence, but to the sickness and demons, it was very violent, for they were cast out an banished. The first definition of violence reads: "marked by extreme force or sudden intense activity" Websters Dictionary. That is exactly what Jesus was doing, exerting extreme (Divine) force or power. The force requires a response - that is a basic physics equation, but also true in the Spiritual realm.
This force requires or elicits response and that is one of the reasons I believe that He presented the Good News about the Kingdom of God and then demonstrated it with power. His words set the stage for a change in the way the people thought, and the miracles, signs and wonders, were the power that forced a response. It is our choice how we respond to things, and these people were no different. That is exactly what Jesus was commenting on, the response was not repentance, or changing the way they thought. He had provided the understanding and then the proof, and they had not changed.
I am more and more convinced that the Lord fully intended us to minister in the same way He demonstrated. What kind of a loving God would tell us to continue His work, and then not empower us to do the work effectively. We can choose how we go about the work, with power assist or not. I would choose the power assisted model. When sawing through a tree I can use a hand powered saw or I can use a gas powered chain saw. I choose the chainsaw, the one with power assist. In the same way, our ministry can make room for and expect the power assistance available to us through the Holy Spirit (chainsaw), as promised by Jesus, or we can slog away using just our words and logic (hand powered saw). I prefer the version that introduces divine force for change and repentance.
Lord, only You can provide the power.
[21] “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
[23] "And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day."
These verses are an interesting study, for Jesus is speaking about the miracles He has worked and the impact they should have in one's life and in life of the greater community. It is important to think about miracles both individually and corporately, for they impact both, and are obviously meant to. Miracles are meant to drive people to relationship God, to confront their issues of unbelief, and to bring about repentance. Repentance means to change the way you think, and to change the way you act because of this new way of thinking.
When we are confronted by the miraculous, we must deal with it in some way, we must respond. We can deny it happened. We can nod our head and think 'how nice'. We can try to explain it away. We can realize that there really is a God and He is affecting someone's life right here on earth. We can have any of these responses or several others, but we must respond. These towns had responded, but had not repented or changed the way they thought about God, or acted towards Him.
I find it interesting that Jesus didn't mention the messages that He had preached in these towns. He didn't fault the people for their lack of response or repentance to His messages, but rather took them to task over their response to the miracles. The point is, anyone can talk and preach good messages, but it is miracles, signs and wonders, healings and deliverances that distinguished Jesus' ministry. As I have covered before, they were the proof that what Jesus said was from God, for only God could do those things. Jesus said in John 14:10-11 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."
As I was thinking about these verses I was reminded of an earlier verse that speaks about the Kingdom advancing with power or violence (Matt 11:12). Jesus is the one who was advancing the Kingdom, and the violence was not evil, but rather the power of God defeating and banishing disease, sickness, woundedness, and the demonic. He was confronting these and unbelief with power and authority. We don't necessarily classify this as violence, but to the sickness and demons, it was very violent, for they were cast out an banished. The first definition of violence reads: "marked by extreme force or sudden intense activity" Websters Dictionary. That is exactly what Jesus was doing, exerting extreme (Divine) force or power. The force requires a response - that is a basic physics equation, but also true in the Spiritual realm.
This force requires or elicits response and that is one of the reasons I believe that He presented the Good News about the Kingdom of God and then demonstrated it with power. His words set the stage for a change in the way the people thought, and the miracles, signs and wonders, were the power that forced a response. It is our choice how we respond to things, and these people were no different. That is exactly what Jesus was commenting on, the response was not repentance, or changing the way they thought. He had provided the understanding and then the proof, and they had not changed.
I am more and more convinced that the Lord fully intended us to minister in the same way He demonstrated. What kind of a loving God would tell us to continue His work, and then not empower us to do the work effectively. We can choose how we go about the work, with power assist or not. I would choose the power assisted model. When sawing through a tree I can use a hand powered saw or I can use a gas powered chain saw. I choose the chainsaw, the one with power assist. In the same way, our ministry can make room for and expect the power assistance available to us through the Holy Spirit (chainsaw), as promised by Jesus, or we can slog away using just our words and logic (hand powered saw). I prefer the version that introduces divine force for change and repentance.
Lord, only You can provide the power.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Relying On The Lord To Confirm Their Words...
Last night before going to bed, I was reading from Acts 14 and was once again captured by the fact that the Lord confirmed Paul's words with signs and wonders. Here are the verses - Acts 14:1-3 NIV:
[1] "At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. [2] But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. [3] So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders."
I love verse 3, for that is such a clear description of the way I believe the Lord wants to work. It was the signs and wonders that confirmed their message. The signs and wonders weren't the message, the message was about Jesus and who He was, and what He did. The message was about the Kingdom of God being established by Jesus (that was one of the primary messages of Paul - see Acts 28:31 which is the last verse in Acts). The signs and wonders were to confirm what Paul and Barnabas said was true.
The Greek word here translated 'confirmed' is Martureo and it is defined as follows:
1. to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration
A. to give (not to keep back) testimony
B. to utter honourable testimony, give a good report
That is a perfect verb for for what the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit was doing through Paul and Barnabas. He was affirming that people had both heard and seen something that was divinely inspired. In other words only God could do such things, and thus they must be His messengers. So their message about Jesus was provided an experience that the people witnessed that proved what they (Paul and Barnabas) said was true.
In the following verses, we see an example of the Holy Spirit empowering them to work a miracle and the people who witnessed it were convinced about the divine nature of the miracle. This happened in the next city they visited after Iconium.
Acts 14:8-12 NIV
[8] "In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. [9] He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed [10] and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. [11] When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” [12] Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker."
This is a perfect example of a normal response to a miracle - people think it must come from God. Now these people were raised with Greek thought and religions, so when they saw the miracle, they knew it was only possible for a god to do, and thus thought that Zeus and Hermes had come to visit. They came to right conclusion about the divine nature of the miracle, just had the wrong god.
So, going back to the previous verses, we see that Paul and Barnabas spoke for considerable time there, and the Lord confirmed their message of His grace by enabling them to perform miracles. The message of His grace is clearly outlined in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, chapter 2. As an aside, the message of grace is really quite astounding, when compared to the works and sacrifice based Greek religion. The people don't have to earn God's favor, or sacrifice to Him to stay on His good side. There isn't a whole group of gods that one has to be constantly worried about, but just one God, the only true God. This God loved them so much that He did everything they needed for salvation, including forgiving their sins, and all they needed to do was believe in Him and enter into relationship with Him. He would visit them personally in the form of the Holy Spirit and empower them, all as a free gift, because He loved them! That must have been very interesting to hear for the first time.
Back to Paul and Barnabas, in the New American Standard translation their mission in Iconium was described as follows: "Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace,..." Acts 14:3 NASB. I like the addition of the fact that they were relying on the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace. They didn't just preach, but they relied on the Lord to testify that what they were saying was true. They didn't primarily rely on the logic of their arguments to prove that what they said was true, rather they relied on the power of the testimony of signs and wonders. Wouldn't that be a refreshing change to our Sunday sermons?
Lord, our desire, as Your church, is to walk in this same ministry with integrity. Our desire is to see You confirm our message about Your grace and Your Kingdom, not for our sake, but for Yours and the sake of the people who have not met You, or who have not understood how good You really are. Empower us and encourage us to proclaim Your message to all the world.
Amen!
[1] "At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. [2] But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. [3] So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders."
I love verse 3, for that is such a clear description of the way I believe the Lord wants to work. It was the signs and wonders that confirmed their message. The signs and wonders weren't the message, the message was about Jesus and who He was, and what He did. The message was about the Kingdom of God being established by Jesus (that was one of the primary messages of Paul - see Acts 28:31 which is the last verse in Acts). The signs and wonders were to confirm what Paul and Barnabas said was true.
The Greek word here translated 'confirmed' is Martureo and it is defined as follows:
1. to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration
A. to give (not to keep back) testimony
B. to utter honourable testimony, give a good report
That is a perfect verb for for what the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit was doing through Paul and Barnabas. He was affirming that people had both heard and seen something that was divinely inspired. In other words only God could do such things, and thus they must be His messengers. So their message about Jesus was provided an experience that the people witnessed that proved what they (Paul and Barnabas) said was true.
In the following verses, we see an example of the Holy Spirit empowering them to work a miracle and the people who witnessed it were convinced about the divine nature of the miracle. This happened in the next city they visited after Iconium.
Acts 14:8-12 NIV
[8] "In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. [9] He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed [10] and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. [11] When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” [12] Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker."
This is a perfect example of a normal response to a miracle - people think it must come from God. Now these people were raised with Greek thought and religions, so when they saw the miracle, they knew it was only possible for a god to do, and thus thought that Zeus and Hermes had come to visit. They came to right conclusion about the divine nature of the miracle, just had the wrong god.
So, going back to the previous verses, we see that Paul and Barnabas spoke for considerable time there, and the Lord confirmed their message of His grace by enabling them to perform miracles. The message of His grace is clearly outlined in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, chapter 2. As an aside, the message of grace is really quite astounding, when compared to the works and sacrifice based Greek religion. The people don't have to earn God's favor, or sacrifice to Him to stay on His good side. There isn't a whole group of gods that one has to be constantly worried about, but just one God, the only true God. This God loved them so much that He did everything they needed for salvation, including forgiving their sins, and all they needed to do was believe in Him and enter into relationship with Him. He would visit them personally in the form of the Holy Spirit and empower them, all as a free gift, because He loved them! That must have been very interesting to hear for the first time.
Back to Paul and Barnabas, in the New American Standard translation their mission in Iconium was described as follows: "Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace,..." Acts 14:3 NASB. I like the addition of the fact that they were relying on the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace. They didn't just preach, but they relied on the Lord to testify that what they were saying was true. They didn't primarily rely on the logic of their arguments to prove that what they said was true, rather they relied on the power of the testimony of signs and wonders. Wouldn't that be a refreshing change to our Sunday sermons?
Lord, our desire, as Your church, is to walk in this same ministry with integrity. Our desire is to see You confirm our message about Your grace and Your Kingdom, not for our sake, but for Yours and the sake of the people who have not met You, or who have not understood how good You really are. Empower us and encourage us to proclaim Your message to all the world.
Amen!
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
The Proof Of The Pudding Is IN The Eating
This morning I jumped back to Matthew's Gospel for a little. The following verses are worth thinking about - Matthew 11:2-6 NIV:
[2] "When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples [3] to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
[4] Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: [5] The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [6] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
I love how Jesus answers John's question. He answers with experiences, and activity reports. He doesn't go into the theology, the prophesies, or scripture to build a case to state who He is, He merely states what He has demonstrated. This is the exact same approach He used for the proclamation of the Kingdom, proving what He said was true by demonstrating it. Wouldn't that be an interesting way to describe church, if we could?
It is my belief that this is the call of the church, to continue the ministry of Jesus, for we are His Body. How can we for a minute be satisfied with anything less than the full ministry as described by Jesus? The world needs to see that the Kingdom of God is real and present. They need to see that we are more than talk and good intentions and programs. They need to see the reality of the Kingdom of God present on the earth, as demonstrated by healing, signs and wonders and miracles.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to fulfill the law, and open a way for us to have relationship with the Father. He came to represent the Father. He came to pay for our sins, and break the power of sin, death and the evil one in this world. He came to establish the Kingdom of God which was the demonstration of everything I just listed.
As I write this, I am reminded of an old English saying - 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'. We have shortened this in our day, but the meaning is quite clear. It is in the experience that one evaluates or tests the claims made. The best hamburger in the world can only be decided by eating one, after trying many others. In the case of a hamburger, the rating would be subjective and highly dependent on one's preferences. This is not the case with Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom of God, or His role as Messiah, or His identity as the Son of God. Anyone can say these things about themselves, but only One can offer the proof. That is what we are called to continue to do, to offer the proof of what we believe. How else will the world be able to determine which of the competing messages is true?
Jesus understood this completely, and that is why His answer to John is so perfect. There were many who had claimed to be the messiah, but only Jesus was able to demonstrate this claim with proof. There were many rumors of things that were amazing, so He offered fact to put rumors to rest. His list of miracles, healings and signs and wonders are part of His glory - for they illuminate Him for who He is. They are meant to be part of the glory of the body of Christ, as well, for how else could the Body of Christ be rightly discerned.
So let us pray that we could once more demonstrate the truth of what we believe by experiential proofs. Let us pursue the truth in the saying - 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'! Our invitation will truly be - 'come and hear and see'.
Amen!
[2] "When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples [3] to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
[4] Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: [5] The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [6] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
I love how Jesus answers John's question. He answers with experiences, and activity reports. He doesn't go into the theology, the prophesies, or scripture to build a case to state who He is, He merely states what He has demonstrated. This is the exact same approach He used for the proclamation of the Kingdom, proving what He said was true by demonstrating it. Wouldn't that be an interesting way to describe church, if we could?
It is my belief that this is the call of the church, to continue the ministry of Jesus, for we are His Body. How can we for a minute be satisfied with anything less than the full ministry as described by Jesus? The world needs to see that the Kingdom of God is real and present. They need to see that we are more than talk and good intentions and programs. They need to see the reality of the Kingdom of God present on the earth, as demonstrated by healing, signs and wonders and miracles.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to fulfill the law, and open a way for us to have relationship with the Father. He came to represent the Father. He came to pay for our sins, and break the power of sin, death and the evil one in this world. He came to establish the Kingdom of God which was the demonstration of everything I just listed.
As I write this, I am reminded of an old English saying - 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'. We have shortened this in our day, but the meaning is quite clear. It is in the experience that one evaluates or tests the claims made. The best hamburger in the world can only be decided by eating one, after trying many others. In the case of a hamburger, the rating would be subjective and highly dependent on one's preferences. This is not the case with Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom of God, or His role as Messiah, or His identity as the Son of God. Anyone can say these things about themselves, but only One can offer the proof. That is what we are called to continue to do, to offer the proof of what we believe. How else will the world be able to determine which of the competing messages is true?
Jesus understood this completely, and that is why His answer to John is so perfect. There were many who had claimed to be the messiah, but only Jesus was able to demonstrate this claim with proof. There were many rumors of things that were amazing, so He offered fact to put rumors to rest. His list of miracles, healings and signs and wonders are part of His glory - for they illuminate Him for who He is. They are meant to be part of the glory of the body of Christ, as well, for how else could the Body of Christ be rightly discerned.
So let us pray that we could once more demonstrate the truth of what we believe by experiential proofs. Let us pursue the truth in the saying - 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating'! Our invitation will truly be - 'come and hear and see'.
Amen!
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