Sync with heaven - 2

Syncing with Heaven – 2

The Super Natural has to be perceived. You cannot see the spirit world with your natural eye. You can, however, see the effects of the spiritual world’s activity with your natural eye. When God opened the Red Sea, they saw it in the natural but they didn’t see the spirit world orchestrating it for them. To begin to sync with heaven we need to see in the spirit. The writer of Hebrews says that a cloud of witnesses surrounds us. We cannot see them with our natural eyes. We need to be perceivers of the things of God. You can perceive it without understanding it. The natural man always wants to understand it and therefore loses the ability to perceive or see it in the spirit. We are hungry for knowledge about God. Satan tempted Adam and Eve with this same lie which was the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. What we want to know has been our greatest downfall.

Power or Presence? The power of God manifests so that we can have a perception of God’s presence. The power of God does not require a revelation but when you see it you will have a revelation of God’s presence. God is a noun. His power is a verb. What we need in the church is the power/verb of God so that we can have a revelation of His presence/noun. The early church moved in the power of God and revelation of the presence of God was common. It is amazing that when Angels appeared it was common to them. To see miracles was common to them. They understood that a demonstration of God’s power would be a revelation of His presence.

Whenever the presence of God lacks in our gatherings we start to get innovative with programs. We know we need something or that something is missing so we invent a replacement for His presence. Better music and more professional people sooth our guilt and the emptiness we experience during our times together. As soon as Adam sinned he knew something was missing. Making fig leaves didn’t remove the pain of being without His presence. Thank God that He didn’t want to be without their presence either. He came and looked for them. Let me state that I think programs are great and we do achieve a lot with them, but they can never be a replacement for what God brings when His presence is there.

Heaven has a rhythm. Heaven has a pattern. God does nothing by chance. He works according to patterns. He commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle according to the “pattern” that he saw on the mountain. To sync with heaven we need to get a revelation of where God is working and how He is doing things. You have to perceive where He is moving. Jesus constantly did something different because He perceived how the Father wanted to do it. Perceiving leads to receiving. When Jesus went to Nazareth He could not do any miracles there but only heal a few sick people. One of the meanings for sick is “comatose.” When you are in a state of comatose, your head or thinking is taken out of the way. He healed those(sick) whose head didn’t oppose what God was doing.

To sync with heaven you have to bypass your thinking and your desire to understand God. The Glory of God and the presence of God are different from the power of God. The Glory of God is the ultimate expression of God. The Glory is the reign of the King. The Glory is different from the power of God. The Power of God is not the presence of God. You can know the power of God and not know the presence of God. We all have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory(not the power) of God – Romans 3:23. We must return to the glory of God.

People without His presence can do the miracles of God. Why? God honors his word. In Matt 7 they say to Jesus: “In your name we have done miracles and cast out devils.” He responds and sends them away because He says that He never knew them. They were encountering the power of God but had not encountered His presence. The power will get you to know His ability while the glory will get you to know His person. Jesus asks us to share His glory. When the power shows up, it is to fix something. Something is out of order. When the glory shows up it is to change someone. The purpose of the power of God is to demonstrate Him. The Glory of God is to establish His reign and have a people in His image.

What was Adams normality? He was created without sin and sickness and poverty or the curse. Our normal that is created by our culture and upbringing falls short of what was normal to Adam. God wants to restore a new normality to us. Jesus prays that it should be on earth as in heaven. He fully expects us to have what heaven has. He fully expects our normal to be a reflection of heaven. He came so that we might have life and have it in abundance. Before you think this means a lot of money in the bank, let me rephrase this for you. There is no bank in heaven so it does not mean that. It simply means that we have full sufficiency in all things. We have not even begun to live like God intended for us to live. To step into heavens normality we have to sync with heaven.

Some of us have been sick so long that we have accepted that as our norm. Some people have been poor so long that they have accepted that as the norm. There are some teachings out there that God wants you to be sick to teach you a lesson. What a contrast to what Jesus prayed for. I am glad that God always answers Jesus’ prayers. We need to redefine what is natural and what is supernatural. We cannot call what we have now the super natural. It looks nothing like what Jesus was asking for.

In the next blog we will look more at how to sync with heaven.

Sync with heaven!

Syncing with heaven.

One of the things Jesus prays is that things would be on earth as they are in heaven. What is important about this prayer is that it reveals the Father's heart for us. The obvious question would be: “What would earth look like if it reflected what was in heaven?”

I think we have lost focus. Jesus came to restore us back to the Father’s original plan. Adam and Eve in Eden was a picture of what God had in mind. I don’t think that God’s plans have changed. If sin never entered the garden we would have been in that same state that God purposed for Adam and Eve. Earth was created to mirror heaven. We are created in God’s image. We were created to mirror God.

Sin disrupted the plan of God. Sin did not alter the plan of God. Jesus came to show us what it would look like when we get fully restored to God’s original intent. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus could have had them pray for wealth, prosperity, and a million other things. Instead he tells them to ask that earth would be like heaven.

Everything the enemy does is contrary to God’s plan and intent. Sin came to destroy and to disrupt. Sin came to bring sickness and the curse and poverty. Sin causes things to be out of sync with heaven. Here is where I am trying to get to my point. How do we sync with heaven?

First of all, we must be able to discern when heaven is near. It takes faith to connect with heaven. When the woman with an issue touched Jesus she got healed. Jesus says to her, “Your faith has made you whole.” Everybody else was touching Jesus but they didn’t have faith. Faith discerns the environment that is present. She discerned what was there and acted in faith. She synced with heaven that was present and when she did her body lined up with what is in heaven and healing manifested.

Luke 5:17-20   And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Here we see the intellectuals of Jesus' day gathered together. The power of God is present to heal but they receive nothing. They are not synced with what is present. They don’t have the faith to discern what power is available. Someone from outside comes in and they discern and sync with what is present. How do we sync with heaven?

When we agree with God we sync with heaven. The simple command of God is that if we will sow we will reap. This is a spiritual law that God has set in place. It is like the law of gravity. You can say you don’t believe in gravity because you can’t see it. Just jump off a building and you will see how effective this law is. When you jump off a building you sync with gravity and gravity will do its work. The same principle applies when we get to the spiritual things. When you do something to align or sync you with that law, it will work for you.

What does the enemy not want you to do? He doesn’t want you to give. By not giving you are syncing with poverty and the curse. What you sync yourself with will have an effect in your life. How do you un-sync yourself from his lies? Start giving and sync yourself with the law of God. Some of you have had a report from the doctor and you synced yourself with that report. You need to un-sync yourself from that and start to agree with what the word of God says about your sickness or you will stay sick.

Imagine what is in heaven. Imagine the peace, the fullness and the provision. Imagine no lack of anything. Where have you agreed with the enemy and where does it look like you can make some changes? Blind Bartimaeus was sitting next to the road. He couldn’t even see Jesus. He just heard that he was coming. He started to shout out to Jesus. They wanted him to be quiet. He shouted even harder. He discerned that healing was present. You don’t have to see it. You have to discern it. Jesus healed him from his blindness. His faith synced him with heaven and a miracle happened.

Jesus is present today to heal, to deliver and to restore. What are you struggling with? He is more than enough. Jesus constantly told people to do something. Get up, go and wash, go and show yourself. What was he doing? He was allowing them to act in faith and to sync with heaven that was present. What do you need to do today to be changed?

A time and a season!

Eccl 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

In the book of Timothy chapter 4 Paul writes about being ready in season and out of season. For years I have viewed this as how we minister. When we are ready and prepared we are in season and when we are called to say something and don't have a time to prepare we were out of season. Even though it might have felt that way, I don’t believe it is what the scripture is saying.

Seasons are what we all have. We have natural seasons and we have spiritual seasons. The great thing about seasons is that some seasons we love and some we don’t love at all. I love spring because it speaks of new life. My wife likes winter because it is about Christmas and snow. The good thing about these seasons is that they all have a beginning and an end. The scripture says that to everything there is a season. This statement is both absolute as well as blank. The absolute is that every season or situation have a beginning but they also have an end. The blank statement is that “everything” allows us to fill in the blank. What is it that you are experiencing right now? What is the season that you are in? Is it a season of drought? Is it a season of debt? Take heart because it has an end. Every season or attack from the enemy has an expiration date on it.

There is also a time to every purpose under heaven. This is an amazing statement. Time is a created thing. God is outside of time. Time is what we live in. God is outside of time. Circumstances, sickness, death, wealth, poverty and all these things are locked into time. None of this exists outside of time. That means it is a created thing. All of this has an expiration date. What we have will only stay on this side of the grave. In the timeless realm of God this sickness and debt and death do not exist. God encapsulated all that we know in the natural to time and a season.

The good news is that God didn’t stay outside of time. The word became flesh. God stepped into time because we needed Him. To every purpose there is a time or a time to every purpose. Without God time has no purpose. For God to give purpose to time, he stepped into it and gave it purpose. Let me make it clear. Cancer has no purpose. God is the purpose of your time. Debt has no purpose. God is your purpose. Why do we have sickness and struggles? Because of a sinful world.

When they asked Jesus why a man was born blind he gave them the answer. So that the glory of God could be revealed. He refused to see what they saw. “Did he or his parents sin.” They were looking at sin as if sin was what gave the blindness reason. Sin is not the purpose of your time. God game to deliver us from sin. God is the purpose of time.

The church has believed the wrong thing. At Lazarus' grave they blamed Jesus for being late. They looked at the wrong thing. Jesus told Mary and Martha what the purpose was. “I am the resurrection and the life.” The purpose of Lazarus' death was so that the Life of God could be revealed. A time to every purpose under heaven. Wow, God knows how to redeem your time and your purpose.

When we see the wrong thing we will agree with the wrong thing. This doesn’t mean that we live in denial. That would be stupid. What we do is we acknowledge the thing that is wrong but faith says that what I am looking for is the answer not the cause. Jesus is the answer. Mary and Martha saw the problem. Jesus saw the answer. When Jesus asked them to feed the five thousand they saw the problem. Five loaves and two fish were a problem because they saw five thousand people. To Jesus five loaves and two fish were the solution because He looked into heaven and saw the solution.

What are you dealing with? What are you looking at while you are dealing with this problem? Jesus looked up and blessed the bread and fishes. At Lazarus' grave he looked up and thanked God that HE always hears him when he prays. Joshua looked up and saw the Angel of the Lord when he had to defeat Jericho. Abraham looked up after three days and saw the mountain where God would provide a lamb in the place of his son. John was in the spirit on the Lord's day and the heavens opened up and he saw Jesus in his glorified state. What are you looking at? Your problem has a season. In that season God has the answer. He did not leave us as orphans. Look for Him today and you will find him.

Breaking Expectations

Breaking expectations!

October 23, 2014

John 20:1 And early in the morning while it was yet dark Mary came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away.

We were discussing expectations the other day in a group and this scripture came to mind. I have written about it in past blogs but I love the way God gives us fresh revelation. Just when you think you understand it, God shows you another way of looking at it.

We all grow up with expectations. Some are what our parents teach us like expect to go to school, expect to do well and expect to grow up and take care of yourself one day. These are all good and well. Some of the expectations we have is because we are selfish and want things for ourselves. These are not taught by someone but us giving in to our sinful nature. The bottom line is simply that we all have expectation.

God wants us to have expectations. I believe godly expectations are just another way or a word for faith. As a matter of fact God tells us that he can do abundantly above anything we can ask or expect. What I want to look at today is something else. We can actually be bound by our expectations. Especially the ones that we develop through our past experiences.

When you talk to some people they have a hard time to trust people. They developed an expectation that all people will hurt their trust because someone else did it to them. Some struggle to love because a bad relationship created an expectation that you will get hurt if you try again. There are many things we can look at but I think the point is made.

Mary came to the tomb expecting Jesus to be still dead. She expected to come and cry over someone she have lost that was dear to her. The darkness didn’t help her situation. Yet the Bible says that in spite of the darkness she saw the stone rolled away. She still didn’t understand the meaning of this. Then two angels show up and gives her a revelation. "He is not here He is risen from the dead." Can you see what I see? She received a fresh revelation about Jesus’ condition. I love the fact that she is challenged to rethink what she expected to find at the tomb. You see the thing that will change some of our expectations is a fresh revelation. What happens when God shows up?

I love new revelation. Another thing in this story that blesses me is the fact that Jesus shows up. You see revelation must lead to an encounter with God otherwise revelation stays just knowledge. The encounter that comes after the revelation will change your expectation. Think about it. After she sees Jesus she no longer expects him to be dead. Without the encounter with Jesus the revelation from the angels she received might still be questioned. Someone with an experience are no longer at the mercy of an argument. Imagine the apostles only heard Jesus was alive. They might still be persuaded that it was not true. Because Jesus shows up they are no longer at the mercy of an argument. They know that they know that they know.

What do you know about Jesus today? Did your revelation lead you to an encounter with God? Paul says that he did not preach Christ but by a revelation first. How do I know Paul had an encounter with God after the revelation? He walked in the power of that encounter. God wants to reveal himself to us and shatter our old expectations of Him. He is ready to give us fresh revelation but it is an invitation into an encounter. I don’t want to know anything more about God without encountering Him.

Moses heard all the law that God gave him. It described what God wanted. Yet he asked to see God’s glory. I hear you God, but I must meet you. Revelation is inviting us to a meeting with God. Imagine if I heard all the good things about my wife. Her parents would tell me about her character and her qualities. They would describe how beautiful she is and how good she would be as a wife and a mother to her children. Then I thank them for telling me all those things about her and leave. That is stupid. The revelation I got about her was an invitation to meet her and have an encounter with her. If I would turn away and leave I will forever wonder about this wonderful woman I have never met.

A lot of us do exactly the same thing with God. The Holy Spirit teaches us about God and then we turn away and leave and forever wonder what this God is really about. We live with the regret of never actually meeting him. Our past expectations need to be shattered. God is bringing new revelation so that we can come and meet him.

The life of Jesus - 20

The life of Jesus – 20

October 9,2014

Interrupting God.

Luke 8:41-48 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:  For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?  And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.  And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

In this story we see a man that had a daughter dying and he requested Jesus to come to his house. I am sure he knew that she was dying and to him this was a really urgent matter. What if Jesus doesn’t get there on time? Sick people needing healing but who needed it most thronged Jesus? I am sure if you asked him in front of the whole crowd he would try to convince you that his situation needed the most attention from God. Everybody else that was crowding around Jesus was sick, but not to death. I can understand his urgency to get Jesus to come. Would we be the same when we have a need so great?

Then the unthinkable happened. Someone interrupted Jesus. Someone stopped Jesus. How dare she do such a thing? There is no time for this. I am sure the woman was present when the father asked Jesus to come to his house. Surely she must have understood the urgency of his problem. She was a woman with a great need. She had an issue as long as this father’s girl was alive. Twelve years she struggled to get healing and she spend all she had but never got better. There is a twelve-year-old girl needing Jesus because she is dying. Who needs Jesus more?

I ask this question for a very specific reason. We always feel that our need are more important. God is on our side right? When Joshua meets the Angel of the Lord he asks the Angel: Are you for us or for them? God, who is more important in your eyes? Are you for the little girl or are you for the woman? God is for both. Jesus will not pick because He loves us all the same. He is waiting to be interrupted. The difference is that the woman was bold enough to interrupt Jesus and get her healing. The power to heal her was present as much as it was there to raise the girl from the dead. She knew how to interrupt Jesus.

Zacchaeus interrupted Jesus. He was sitting in a tree when Jesus passed by. Martha interrupted Jesus when she complained about Mary not helping to serve the people. Peter interrupted Jesus when he asked him to walk with him on the water. Some of these people did it for the right reasons and some did it for the wrong reasons. The point is that God does not mind us interrupting Him. It deals with our mindset that we cannot come to God boldly. It challenges our beliefs that we are not worthy of His attention. It shows us that God is not just available when we need Him but that we can come as we are and He will receive us and help us.

Can we look at ourselves and begin to think in a different way. When my daughter comes to me as her father I never mind her interrupting what I do. I might have to ask her to wait, but she is never an intrusion. I love it when she interrupts me to take care of her needs. That is what being “daddy” is all about?

Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

I love how it says that when we come boldly we will find grace to help in time of need. We not only get help, but we get enough so that we can help someone else. Our interrupting God becomes a blessing to someone else. God blesses us so that we can bless someone else. When the woman touched Jesus she opened a door. Many touched Him but when she touched Him in desperation it caused others to walk through that door as well.

Luke 6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

What is the thing you need most today? It is not your healing. It is not your financial breakthrough or even your immediate need. What we all need today, most of all is to interrupt God. We all need to touch Him today in a way that will be different than anyone else who touch Him. Jesus today I need to connect with you because you are all I need.

Discipleship is expensive

The cost of discipleship!

October 7, 2014

In my quiet time this morning the Holy Spirit asked me about this subject. I had an impression of what it means to be a disciple. Jesus clearly commands us to go and make disciples of all nations and then teach them to uphold all these things. I just think that as the years went by we have lost a lot of “these things” and added a few of “these things” we feel comfortable with. What are some of these things we need to teach them? What does it look like to make disciples?

Matt 28:18-19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

In the world many other religions require strict adherence to certain rules and regulations. The people following these religions don’t have an option of choosing when and whether they are going to obey them. They don’t have the option to change the rules either. Yet, in Christianity, we feel we have the right to interpret and change it the way we feel it is best.

The simple question I want to ask is this: “When did we get the option to redefine what discipleship looks like?”

Here is what Jesus says. In these few verses see what it takes to get our focus back on the one who defined discipleship for us.

Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Jesus expects us to deny ourselves. This is giving up what we want and pursuing what He wants and desires. The word “denies” means to disown. We claim no connection to anything else but him. We deny ourselves, our desires, our opinions, and everything that we have trusted that is not of God.

Luke 14:26-27 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

How about asking us to hate our family. That must be too radical for anyone. Can this really be true? Then on top of that we are asked to pick up our cross. Anyone that had to do that knew that death was staring them in the eye. There was no way out or escape from your fate. Are we committed to that kind of discipleship?

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

How about adding a few things to what He already said. How about everything you have apart from who you are? Forsaking possessions, money, cars, houses, or anything else. Can we be that kind of disciple or was Jesus just using pictures to demonstrate something? "He didn’t mean it in that way; He meant the things you choose to give up." You are wrong!

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

How can I love if I have nothing to give? I gave everything up to be a disciple and then He asks me to love. The answer is simple. We learn to love God’s way. He gave up everything and loved us in spite of the fact it cost Him so much. We learn to love people because we do not need anything from them. We learn to love people because we understand what discipleship cost. We understand what it is to give everything and we can love with everything in us.

Do you still think this is too radical? Other religions demand total commitment and loyalty. Why can’t we be better and more loyal to God? There are millions of Christians that have given it all and will give it again and again. They never questioned God’s intentions and His call on their lives. They blindly follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

Rev. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

 Does this look like disciples? Are these the ones that understand what it means to put your hand to the plow and not look back? This is a hard blog to write. Jesus demands total commitment. He makes it simple and clear. Salvation is free and a free gift from God, but to follow Him will cost you everything. Are we even ready to make that commitment? Does it mean that God wants us to be hermits and live with nothing? Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, He loves to entrust to those things that cannot be bought by anything else but Him. Look at how He blessed Abraham. Abraham was a rich man, but in essence he didn’t own a thing. All that mattered to him was God.

The life of Jesus - 19

The life of Jesus – 19

Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42   Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.   And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she helps me.  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Two sisters, two perspectives. One sister serving and one sister listening. One sister busy and one sister resting. It is amazing that the one that was busy was the one asking if Jesus cared enough about her doing it all by herself. This makes me think about how many times we get caught up with doing something. We are always busy doing things for the Lord. It was Martha’s house so she obviously was the one that was playing the host. I wonder how many times Jesus wanted to come and visit us and we were playing the host instead of having Him host us. Mary got what Jesus was doing. She allowed him to host her in her sister’s house.

We were called to BE Christ-like, not to DO Christ-like. The key is that in “being” we are “doing” but this way it is effortless. Jesus never strained to do the work of God. He came to represent the Father in every aspect of life. During the storm in the boat He is sleeping. A storm doesn’t intimidate Him. Looking at five thousand hungry people doesn’t make Him strain to do something. “You give them something to eat,” He asked the disciples because He knew what He wanted to do. All it took to feed five thousand was a prayer. How stressful is that?

Death does not intimidate Him. “Little girl, I tell you, arise.” All He needed to raise that girl, or Lazarus, or the widow’s son, was speak. How stressful is that? We need to understand that when we stop doing things it doesn’t mean God stops doing things. God is ever faithful to perform His word. I can hear the people shout in the back. “We should be doers of the word and not hearers only.”

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

In the book of James it says that without work your faith is dead. I am so glad you said that. If we are to be doers of the word let's begin by defining the word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” To be doers of the word means to be doers of Christ. He is the word. My faith determines my work; my work does not determine my faith.

John 6:28-29   Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

You will do more work for God believing than you would if you try to do it by yourself. Do I think we should do nothing? Absolutely not! I do, however, believe we will do more for God once we have spend time with Him and once we have gotten to know His heart. We can do more from God than we can do for God! My works should never be because I see a need. My works should be evident because I have spent time with Him. We are not need driven but relationship driven. Martha saw a need. Mary wanted better relationship. A need will make you a servant while a relationship will make you a lover.

Jesus tells Martha that she is troubled about much things. Is this an indicator to us to re-evaluate what is driving us to act in certain ways? Mary has chosen the better part, according to Jesus. While there is so much to do and the need is so great, do we make the time to sit at his feet and learn? Are we straining to fulfill a need or are we resting in his provision?

I love the last part of this passage we looked at. Martha was giving service and giving food. Everything she gave left her with less than she had before. Mary however gave time and Jesus said that it was the good part and it will never be taken away from her. Look at that statement again. What time we spend in His presence is never a waste or it is never lost. What you receive or whatever is imparted during your time with Him is never lost or taken away. In more plain English, when we spend time with Him we encounter eternal things that will last forever. The enemy subtracts and divides. God adds and multiplies. When you encounter God you always leave with more of Him.

Can you take time today and spend it with Him. Can you feel the pull for communion with Him?

The life of Jesus - 18

The life of Jesus – 18

Laying down his head!

Luke 9:57-62   And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay hishead. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

What an amazing statement. I will follow you wherever you go! This man was touched by what he saw Jesus do. The previous passage talked about Jesus healing a boy that the disciples could not heal. Jesus does and this man is touched to the point that he wants to follow Jesus at any cost. Most pastors try to get their members to commit like this. Sunday after Sunday they try to motivate the people to follow God. Weekly they are up against the reality of the world drawing and pulling on their people to follow its ways.

You think such a statement would impress Jesus. It didn't. You see, Jesus saw something that we might have missed. This man wanted to follow Him but he had no place in his understanding for Jesus. Jesus challenged him with these words: "Foxes have holes and birds have nests but the son of man has no place to lay his head." In other words, Jesus was saying that he didn’t have a place to come to rest in this man's understanding. Do we have the mind of Christ? Does Jesus have a place to rest his head, his mind, in us? If we don’t have a place for his mind we will be offended and stop following him no matter how committed we feel right now. This man was committed but he wasn’t a safe place for Jesus.

Another man in this passage is challenged to follow Jesus but he is not committed unless he first finishes his own business. There is no difference between him and the guy who wanted to follow Jesus. He was preoccupied with things to do before he would commit. No place in his mind for the mind of Christ. What is occupying our minds today? What do we feel we need to do that is more important than following Him today? Jesus wants us to be a safe place for Him to come and lay his head down.

The battlefield is in the mind. Paul writes about it in the book of Corinthians. It is the place that the enemy wants to occupy and have his own way. The first thing he does when he tempted Adam and Eve was to place doubt in their minds about what God said. He is a master at confusion and doubt. The mind is his game and if we don’t renew our minds then he will keep on winning.

Matt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Have your mind transformed to the place where it is the place where God is at rest. We can have the mind of Christ.

1 Cor 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Satan tries to set up a stronghold by having us imagine things that are not true. His plan is to exalt himself and his ideas against the plan and purposes of God. Once we bring our stinking thinking to God he can bring it under His power and it releases us to obey Him.

2 Cor 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Once we put our hand to the plow, we cannot look back. We are not called to look at where we have been but where we are going. The enemy wants us to see where we have missed it, while God is calling us to see what He can make of us. Our vision is pointed forward and not backwards. Looking back disqualifies you from your destiny. Lot's wife looked back and died. When Lot was commanded to leave Sodom, his wife could not let go of the past to embrace the future. We never get to know her name. She is just a monument to the past. God is not a God of the past.

The life of Jesus - 17

The life of Jesus – 17

Transfigured in prayer.

Luke 9:28-36 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While he thus spoke, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things, which they had seen.

Jesus spoke to them about his kingdom and how he must suffer and how they will see the kingdom of God coming. Then eight days later he took them up on a mountain and there the transfiguration happened. There are a few things in this passage that I want us to see.

This happened as Jesus was praying. We have underestimated the power of prayer. Prayer changes things but prayer also changes us. Prayer is the key that God has given us to the supernatural realm of his kingdom. Prayer is a weapon against the enemy’s lies and attacks. Prayer is knee mail for God. Jesus taught his disciples to pray. They actually asked Him to teach them because John taught his disciples to pray. Have you been a disciple in prayer? We want to do evangelism and we want to do outreach, but what about prayer? I think it is time for us to get back to some roots and pray again.

Prayer will change your countenance. There is something that God does with you when you spend time in prayer. This sounds like it is too good to be true, but I believe that when we start praying again, God will tear the veil between us and heaven and once again invade our space like He did when Jesus prayed here. I see Moses and Elijah showing up to talk to Jesus. A cloud of witnesses surrounds us. They talked to Jesus about how He was to suffer and die in Jerusalem. The spirit world is not uninformed about the plans and the purposes of God that He has set for us. I believe they came to encourage Jesus. Maybe when Jesus experienced his glorified body in this moment, He realized it would not be difficult to give up his old body. He would still have the pain and the suffering but what will come would far exceed what He had.

I’m amazed that Peter and John were overcome by sleep while this was happening. How does that happen? I am glad that they woke up to see some of what was happening. I declare that in this coming season people that have fallen asleep while God was doing something, while God was revealing something they have never seen, these people will awaken and they will experience it. The enemy cannot steal what belongs to us.

I long for encounters like this. It is time for us to be in such prayer that we are transfigured by the glory of God. I can hear people say: “Don’t get weird on us.” No one makes a big deal about sinners dabbling in the darkest spiritual things, but as soon as we, as spirit beings, pursue God, who is spirit, they say we are turning weird. There are realms for us to discover in God that we have not discovered yet.

What we also need to learn from this is the fact that while both Moses and Elijah showed up only Jesus was left once it was over. Moses represented the law and Elijah represented the prophets. In Jesus, it all is consummated and swallowed up by Grace. He is the fulfillment of both the law and the prophets. Peter wanted to build a place for them to stay. God overshadowed them with a cloud and then speaks to them. A cloud of witnesses that speak as God spoke to them surrounds us. Jesus is coming in the clouds and as the Bible states it, He is coming in the saints and He is coming for the saints. Those that have gone on before us will come with Jesus to meet us in the air. What a glorious day awaits us. We are invited now to enter into that realm through prayer.

Lastly, God commands them to hear what Jesus is saying. Don’t listen to the law or the prophets. Listen to Jesus. Do we ignore the law and the prophets? Not at all, but Jesus is the fulfillment and the expression of God’s love for us. The law was to point to sin. The prophets were to judge sin. Jesus points us to the Father. Listen to Him!

The life of Jesus - 16

The life of Jesus – 16

You are welcome!

Luke 8:35-40Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.  They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.  Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him. And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

In this passage we see Jesus after he stills the storm come into a place called Gaderene. Here a man possessed by evil spirits comes out of the graves to meet Jesus. I love the fact that even though he asked Jesus not to punish him the fact remains that he approached Jesus. Jesus is not offensive to the sinners. What people make of Jesus is offensive to the sinners. You know the story. Jesus delivers the man who used to run around naked and scaring people. They had to bind him with chains and he would break the chains. For years he terrorized the people from this region. Then Jesus shows up.

There is a lot in this story that we can look at but today I want to look at what happened after this man was set free. He was set free, clothed and in his right mind the Bible says. The people from the town or region come and find him like that sitting at Jesus feet. When they find him they request that Jesus leave their region. Can you imagine that? A great thing happened and they ask Jesus to leave. As a matter of fact the people from all around that region asked Jesus to leave. They would rather deal with demonized people than with Jesus. They loved their pigs more than they loved a move of God. This baffles me because not only was this man under the influence of devils but it looks like this whole region is under the influence of demons. At least this man got set free from his demons.

The man that was possessed asked Jesus if he could follow him. Jesus tells him to go to his own house and show them what great things God did for him. I want us to see that this man received the shortest known training on how to be a witness in the bible. Jesus didn’t ask him to first attend a few discipleship classes. He didn’t ask him to get ordained first and be recognized by a board of elders. No, all he says is go and show what God has done for you. They key here is show. What did that look like? Well, he was famous for what he was before Jesus met him. Now we see him going back and people could see the difference in him. He no longer ran around naked, cutting himself and demonizing people. He was a changed man. It says that he published it all over that region. He became known as the one that met Jesus. You see our family and friends need to see we are different. When they see us are they convinced that we had been with Jesus?

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

The story doesn’t end there. The greatest thing that happened was that this man's testimony turned that whole region around. It says that when Jesus returned, they received him because they were waiting for him. This same people that requested Him to leave now wanted Him to be there. How did this change happen? Remember that from all over the region they wanted him to leave. Now they were ready for Him to be there. This one man turned a region to God. What an amazing story.

All this man did was told what great things God had done for him and his own life was the testimony that it happened. What will happen when we start telling people about the great things that God had done for us? When you read further you see a lot of miracles happening when Jesus returned. All this was possible because one man was bold to proclaim the goodness of God and a whole city or region was ready to welcome Jesus back.

The life of Jesus - 14

The life of Jesus – 14

Messing up a funeral – a new voice.

Luke 7:11-17 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city were with her.  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, that a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.  And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout the entire region round about.

As we look at this passage it is important to note where this is happening. It happened in the gate of the city. The gate of the city was the place where the elders sat and where all judicial and economic matters that had to be judged were discussed. It represented the place of authority and wisdom. In this very place we see a dead young man and a lot of people without hope. Death was final and there was no possibility for change. They didn’t have any expectation but only hope to deal with such a great loss. That was until Jesus showed up. I love how Jesus loves to come to places that don't expect Him.

The young man represents the next generation and he was dead. The enemy wants us to think that there is no hope for the future. I hate it when Christians pray like we have no hope. It only proves to me that Jesus is missing. Once He comes it changes really fast. Maybe we should just start looking where He is instead of seeing what is dead. This passage can also speak of the lack of authority that was in the gate. It looked like death had greater authority. We need to bring Jesus back because all authority was given to Him.

This young man represents two things. First he represents those that were supposed to inherit and secondly he represented the one that would take care of the widow. Both things carried a blessing in the Bible. If you inherited you received a blessings and if you took care of your parents you were a blessing and you would be blessed. Him dying meant the lost of a double blessing. We cannot allow the enemy to steal so much from us. If we die we don’t inherit what our parents contended for, but more than that, we lose the blessing of blessing them and modeling to the next generation what it looks like to live in a double blessing. His death meant that his mother would not receive her blessing either. The enemy comes to kill, steal and to destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. We are qualified for an abundant life through Christ.

Jesus had compassion and asks the mother not to weep. It almost seems out of place to ask something like that. If we didn’t read that He had compassion we would have thought that Jesus was kind of insensitive about this whole matter. What we need to see is that He is actually preparing her for the miracle. “Get ready to shout.” Get ready to praise.” He was telling her something is about to happen and what you see now is about to change. So many times we experience something bad and then we hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit telling us to start worshiping Him. It seems completely out of place. He is preparing us to receive our miracle. Her mourning was about to turn to joy. 

Jesus touched the bed they were carrying him on and it stopped. I love the fact that this happened. Sometimes we have to stop what we are doing so that God can do what He can do. Life keeps us so busy that we never stop long enough to receive a miracle. Can we wait on the Lord today until we are renewed with His strength again? Don’t let the circumstances dictate what needs to happen.

Lastly, I see the dead boy come alive. Jesus messed up every funeral He went too. God is ready to restore this generation and give them life back again. They have offered themselves in their pursuit of what is real and it killed them. We see it with our racers. When you hear the stories and what they have experienced you wonder sometimes how they even came to Jesus. I can tell you how. They were dead and Jesus showed up because He places such a value on them and on what He has called them to do. Death doesn't threaten life, it attracts life. Sin didn't threaten God, it attracted God to us.

The first thing this boy does is he sits up and talks. In another place we see Jesus raise a little girl from the dead and she asks for water. Both speak to us about the reality of what God is currently doing in the earth. This generation has a voice and they are hungry for the living water and the spirit of God. I hear them speak all over the world. Their voice comes from a place of brokenness. Their voice carries the scars of the past but it is the voice of one that speaks about restoration and deliverance. It is the voice of the bridegroom that has made her ready. This young man's voice came alive in the gates of the city. All over the world they are beginning to shout and it is happening in the place where authority resides. God is raising a generation that will carry His authority because they have hope. They have experienced death and have overcome and have had an encounter. Their voice will fill the earth with the authority of God and the gates of the city will become a place of life and not death.

Everyone marveled. Do you see what happened here? They all just realized that greater things could happen than what they believed for. Their expectations just got shattered and their small thinking got changed. God wants to shatter our small thinking and show us He is greater than our expectations. When the young man got up he spoke. Now the crowd is speaking. One voice became many voices and they were spreading the news of what happened. The Bible speaks about the voice of many waters.

Rev. 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

John is speaking about Jesus here. He is the voice or the word of God. He has the voice of many waters. One stream can't do much but when streams come together and form a mighty river it cannot be stopped. When He raises us up, we become a voice or His voice. What a blessing to see how one voice can change what people are saying. What do you think would happen when we allow God to touch us again and give us His voice again? When we are going into the earth without condemnation and with love, we bring compassion and we restore people to fellowship with God. What does it look like when God shows up?

It shatters expectations and releases hope. It makes what is dead alive again. It brings a realization that God has visited His people once again. Oh, how I long for such a visitation again that will upset the apple cart and bring life to the people of God again.

The life of Jesus - 15

The life of Jesus – 15

The woman with oil.

Luke 7:36-39   And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

This woman was known not by her name but by her reputation. She was known as a sinner. What a statement to make about someone. Her whole identity was wrapped around what she did. Whenever someone saw her she was called and identified by what she did. How would we feel when all we are known about is the very thing we did wrong. Imagine if nobody called you by your name because they don’t know you by your name they only know you by your actions. Then on top of it all, it was something terrible that she was known for. I am sure she deserved to be called this but the great thing I see in this is the fact that she not only knew how to do wrong, but she also knew to do what is right. Maybe she tried many times before to do something right. Maybe she tried to do something to have a different reputation but no one noticed. Nobody wanted to give her a chance to be known as something or someone else.

I see myself in this woman’s story. I see us all in this story. We do something wrong and its memory lasts longer than the memory of the things we do right. People seem to remember what we did wrong much longer than the things we did right. We all have a reputation. This makes the Gospel of Jesus even more glorious. Jesus came to forget our wrongs.

Psalms 103:11-12 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Jer. 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

The fact that God sent Jesus to redeem us and to forget our sins and transgressions means that God rid us of our reputation. I am no longer the man I use to be. Jesus put his own reputation on the line by standing up for this woman. God put His reputation on the line by saving us. Like the Pharisee that thought that Jesus should have known that she was a woman of ill repute, Jesus knew but was there to show that God came to redeem our past and give us a future. God knew what we were and still He chooses us. With God, when He chose us he dealt with what was judging us.

She was a worshiper when she got into Jesus' presence. His presence will change us from sinners to worshipers. She gave Jesus worship when the Pharisee gave her criticism. Our worship will draw God to our side while it will offend others. One act of worship was all it took for Jesus to respond to her. Worship is a way we draw nearer to God and then He draws nearer to us.

The Pharisee underestimated Jesus. He thought Jesus didn’t know. “If he was a prophet He would have known.” Jesus was more interested in her touching him than her defiling him. Whenever sin meets righteousness, sin always looses. What was unclean now becomes clean. God longs for us to touch Him. The church is praying for touches from God while God is saying: “touch Me.” The woman with the issue of blood reached out and touched Jesus. There is a place where we get so desperate that we reach out to God for a touch. The difference between us asking for a touch and us wanting to touch God is that most of the times when we ask God to touch us it is to be blessed. Most of the times when we touch God in desperation it is because we need to be changed.  Do you want to be blessed or changed? She didn’t touch Jesus to be blessed. She was desperate to be changed. Her reputation didn’t keep her away from Jesus.

So many times I stayed away from God because I was afraid of what people might say. So many times I missed a visitation because people’s opinions mattered. What a loss I have suffered! Those I worried about lost nothing. I was the loser. I have determined to come close to God. No longer will I stay away.

Be instant

Be instant in season and out of season.

2Tim. 4:2-3 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.

We have used this scripture so many times to ask people to be ready whenever and wherever they are. Be ready when you are in the supermarket or at the gas station. Be ready when you are on your way to class or when you are on the beach. Just be ready. I believe that this was done with the right motive but there is something else I see in this passage that I would like to share.

The word “instant” in this scripture literally means to stand or be present. The thing that Paul addresses here is the season and what we look like in our season. I also see that we have seasons that we are in and seasons that we are out of, if I can use his words. What do we do with the seasons in our lives when everything looks like it is out of focus, out of God’s plan, or out of our ability to overcome? In Ephesians, Paul reminds us that after we have done all, to stand, stand some more.

Eph 6:13-14 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness

There is no compromise between stand and stand. We are present in each season and we stand or make a stand in each season that will confound the enemy. I want to say a bit more about the seasons. When we look at the life of Joseph we see something. We can also look at the life of Moses, John the Baptist, David and many more to see this principle of seasons. Joseph had a dream. He was going to the palace to rule and reign. After he shared his dreams with his brothers, it took him to the pit. This looked nothing like the palace he was seeing in his dreams. There he was sold into slavery and he landed up in Potiphar’s house in Egypt. This was not the palace either. Then he ended up in prison and it looked like it was going from bad to worse. Each one of these experiences was a season in Joseph’s life where he had to learn to stand. He had to learn to be present and keep on believing. He had to be instant in this season of his life that looked more like it was his out of season time. The prison didn’t look like his palace or his dream. Then one day it finally came. He got promoted to the palace. His in season had finally arrived.

What I find fascinating about Joseph is that during all his out of season times he never complained. He didn’t rebel and started getting people around him to plead for his cause. He stood his ground and was present when it didn’t look like his promise. He was instant in season and out of season. The great thing is that once you are proven in your out of season you get to move into your in season and you are prepared and ready to rule in the destiny God has called you to.

Moses was the same. In Egypt he didn’t discern the season and thought it was time to deliver the nation. He killed one Egyptian and had to flee. He knew the calling of God on his life but it wasn’t the time. He was still in his out of season time. Because he didn’t know how to be present in his Egypt, God had to send him to the desert for forty years to go and learn to be present in his out of season. Once he got to the place where he would make every excuse to not be the deliverer of Israel, God knew he was ready for his in season time. Again, we never see him complain while he was in the desert watching sheep. He was making a stand even though it looked like the opposite thing was happening. Remember that he was eighty years old when God finally had him come back to Egypt to deliver Israel from bondage.

What about David? He had to watch sheep while his brothers were in the army of Saul. What about Joshua, who got no recognition until Moses was dead? What about the millions of believers that are not on big stages and on television with a worldwide ministry? What about the mothers that are serving God while they endure daily abuse from their unsaved husbands? What about the ones that are deadly sick and still they are holding on to the promises of God because it looks like an out of season time for them? What about the ones that never complain and yet daily they suffer humiliation and persecution but they refuse to deny the name of Jesus? What about all these people that are making a stand right now when everything looks like it is contrary to everything they have believed for years? They are instant out of season right now.

The time comes when we do get back into our season of blessing and abundance. What we don’t want to do is what Paul is writing here. People give up and to ease the pain and numb the reality that serving God will cost you everything and they find someone that will scratch their itching ears. They preach a walk without pain and great reward. They spread a message that makes the people feel good about themselves and requires no responsibility. Sin is not a problem and grace is cheap. Avoid the pain and most of all it is okay to live while hiding behind a mask. Don’t let anyone know you are out of season because they might leave your church. People don’t like to hang around people that look like losers. Let’s just do another conference where we can tell you how wonderful you are while we ignore the pain that you will need to help you grow up in this season.

Be ready! What season are you experiencing right now? Does it look like your in or your out season? Be instant in whatever season you are experiencing. God rewards those that stay present instead of complaining. The reward comes after the test. God bless!

The life of Jesus -13

The life of Jesus – 13

September 11,2014

Forgiveness

Luke 6:37-38   Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

We recently had to deal with a married couple where infidelity took place. Our hearts were broken for them, as we have seen the devastation this has brought to their relationship. We have seen this before and have had to help many couples in the past dealing with this issue. It is always hard to experience this but we have seen God heal and restore this so many times. It always starts with forgiveness. This is one of the most difficult things to do and there are valid reasons for that. When someone so offended has to forgive, they have to look past their emotions and start with the decision to forgive.

What we have found in the past is that the offended party feels like you don’t understand their hurt and disappointment. That is true in the sense that this has never happened to us. We do however understand that the hurt and disappointment is real. The reason the offended party finds it hard is because they feel that if they just forgive the one that offended them, then the one who committed the offense will get away without being punished for their offense. This is real and it is hard to accept that someone that did this much hurt to me might get away wit it. We all want justice and that means that you pay for what you did.

The second reason people find it hard to forgive is the fact that if you get away with what you did, the chances are you might do it to someone else as well and we don’t want you to do it again to someone else. This is also true when we look at how many times someone commits the same crime over and over again. A leopard can’t change his spots, right?

Lastly, we see people struggle with forgiveness because they get a two-dollar apology for a ten-dollar offense. This is critical because as long as you receive an apology that does not measure up to the offense committed, reconciliation and restoration will elude your relationship with that person. Forgiveness is not being sorry you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar. If I steal your car and say that I am sorry I did it, but never give your car back, you will most probably not believe the fact that I am sorry.  You can say you forgive me but as long as you see me driving around in your car, you will struggle with your decision. Forgiveness is real when repentance is real.

This brings up an important thing for us to look at. Because we don’t preach sin and the consequences of sin and how devastating it is, repentance from sin has been watered down to an apology instead of a broken heart for what we have done. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. When last did you see someone broken over his or her sins? Many ask forgiveness without true repentance and forever struggle with guilt. Forgiveness is real when repentance is real. Guilt is removed when forgiveness is real.

In Luke, the scripture speaks of not judging because we all stand to be judged. It says, "condemn not", because we all were condemned. The word condemn here literally means "to be declared guilty". Don’t declare someone guilty but allow the Holy Spirit to convict him or her. Lastly, we need to forgive as we are forgiven. God did not judge us, He judged Christ on the cross. God did not condemn us or declare us guilty as Jesus was made to be guilty and condemned for us. And then God forgave us of all our trespasses. When we look at the next statement in this verse it gives us a key as to how we need to be.

Give and it shall be given unto you. I believe this is not speaking about giving money or gifts, but it actually speaks about how we should give forgiveness. Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. When we forgive in this way we will receive the same kind of forgiveness back to us. This is the way God has forgiven us from all our trespasses. We got away with a lot when God punished Jesus and not us.

Recently one of the racers did something and we loved him through it. He deserved to come of the race but we fought for him to stay and promised to work with him, as he needed some guidance. Afterwards we heard the comment that was made. “I got away with it,” he told another team member. He thought he won the argument to stay on the race. When they shared this with me because they felt he should be reprimanded, I corrected them. “He just gave me the greatest compliment I have had in a long time,” I said. It baffled them and I had to explain it again. “He just told you all that I loved him well, just like God loves me.” You see we all got away with it. God loved us really well.

Where do we start with forgiveness? It starts when we decide to forgive and allow our hearts to catch up with our emotions. Please don’t deny the way you feel, but don’t let emotions determine what you should do. The word of God is clear. Forgive as you have been forgiven.

The life of Jesus - 12

The life of Jesus – 12

September 10, 2014

Authority and faith.

Luke 7:1-10  Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.  And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

Today we continue to look at what Jesus did. In this story we see a Roman centurion that had a servant that was sick. Apparently, the people loved him because he built a synagogue for them. This means that he was a person with great means to bless. He sent elders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. When Jesus came near, he sent more people to ask Jesus not to come into his house, but only speak a word. I wonder why he didn’t want Jesus in his house? For most of us, it would be a privilege to host Jesus in our homes. He considered himself not worthy to receive Jesus. I am sure he could have entertained Jesus with splendor and pomp, but still he feels unworthy.

The amazing thing in this story is that the centurion actually succeeds in getting acknowledged for his faith. He understood that Jesus was someone under authority. He states it in this way: “Just say a word, and it will happen, because that is what I do, and it works.” Jesus commends him not for understanding authority, but instead for his faith.

It says that right there Jesus turned around. Jesus never actually goes to the centurion’s house. This proves that Jesus has the power and the authority to only speak a word and it can happen. What bothers me is that he never actually met Jesus. He heard about Jesus and had enough faith from just hearing. Faith comes by hearing, the Bible says. I love that, but my question remains: “Wouldn’t it have been better if he had the chance to meet Him personally?” What happens to our faith when we have a personal encounter with Jesus? It moves from hearing only to knowing the one you believe in. We all commend the centurion for his faith, and that is great, but I would rather want a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. When you have a personal encounter faith is based on experience and not on hearsay anymore. Most people are okay with believing only. If he never stopped Jesus from coming to his house Jesus would have gone to him and met with him. Faith should lead us to a personal encounter with Jesus. Don’t settle with your miracle and stop short of meeting Him.

The point is this that I am trying to make. Instead of receiving a word and get healed, wait a little longer and get a touch. What would have happened if he stayed sick for a little longer? We are constantly trying to get out of our pain instead of waiting a little longer for a touch. Just speak the word. Just confess the scripture and it works. All the time while He wants to show up and touch us. 

They returned and found the servant whole that was sick. I don’t know what the centurion told this servant. “Hold on a little while longer, for I have sent someone to Jesus to see if He would come and heal you.” I wonder what the servant was thinking while he was lying there ready to die. “When He gets here it will all be okay, I heard a lot about this Nazarene. Will he be able to heal me? At least I get to meet him before I die!” Then he felt healing pulse through his body and strength returning in an instant. "What was that?", he must have thought. “Well, I feel totally okay and healed, but I would still like to meet this Jesus.” “He is not coming? What do you mean he turned around and went the other way?” Can you understand his disappointment?

When we settle to get a touch from God He will give us one, but His heart is to meet us personally. Once you get your miracle don’t settle as if that is all that God can do. This servant was healed while Jesus was on His way. We will never know why the centurion didn’t let Jesus come to his house except that he felt unworthy. We all feel this way so many times but I want to encourage you today. Jesus died for us all when we were unworthy of His love and sacrifice. He makes us worthy. He declares us worthy by His sacrifice and His blood. He made it possible to come to our homes and fellowship with us. There is an old song we use to sing growing up that goes like this.

Without Him I would be nothing

Without Him I surely fail

Without Him I would be drifting

Like a ship without a sail.

Jesus, My Jesus

Do you know Him today?

Please don’t turn Him away

Jesus, My Jesus

Without Him how lost I would be.

The life of Jesus - 11

Healing on the Sabbath.

Luke 6:6-11 And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.  And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.  But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save a life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

The first sermon I ever preached was from this passage. I remember it like yesterday. I was in the army and was asked to share at a study group one night. God showed me how we all are like this man. His handicap was that he was unable to take or receive something because of his hand. Like his hand, sin withered us and we were unable to live to our potential. Even if someone gave him something he could not grab a hold of it. Sin scared us and made us unable to grab a hold of God. God had to grab us.

In this story we have the account of a man with a withered hand. We see Jesus meeting him in the synagogue. He is in the place that represented God but all he found was religious folk that wanted to see if Jesus would break the rules. In the synagogue there was a greater presence of criticism than compassion. Wow, does that sound familiar? The Pharisees were there not to admire God’s greatness and God’s goodness, but to see if they could find something wrong with Jesus. How do we get to that place where we no longer discern the move of God but judge the move of God? It amazes me when I listen to some Christians that have made it their mandate to judge everybody else. I have been in ministry a long time and have made that same mistake. I have learned that there is a better way to spend my time. I learned to look to where God is at work. It is better if God judges mans work.

This man was unable to work and earn a living for his family. He was most probably bullied growing up and had a low standing in society. His dignity was low and he most probably had to rely on other people to help him. Jesus shows up to help him. First Jesus asks those that didn’t think they needed something, if it is right or wrong to do something good to someone who needed a miracle. They were faced with the reality that they had to make a choice. Will we rejoice when God shows up or will be offended when it doesn’t line up with our understanding? When John announced Jesus as the one to follow him he rejoiced when Jesus started His own ministry with the same message John had: “Repent for the Kingdom is at hand.” Jesus had John's message. Then when Jesus started healing people without first asking them to repent, John doubted if Jesus was the one. He saw the Holy Spirit come on Jesus in the form of a dove. He announced His ministry to the nation of Israel. When Jesus started doing it in a different way, John had to make sure. "Blessed are you if you are not offended in me", Jesus responded. Offenses will make you a judge instead of a receiver of the goodness of God. John could not reconcile the fact that God could heal without requesting them to repent first. There was little difference between John and the Pharisees expecting Jesus to act in a certain way.

“Stretch forth your hand” and as he did it was healed. What did this man experience with the eyes of all those Pharisees on him? He was under pressure to stay within the rules and expectations of society. His need for a miracle was asking him to press into the supernatural. The good news is that God won!

Most of the time we find what we need in the place of stretching. Your healing is outside of what man can offer. The limit that is placed on us by man is not God sanctioned. God is bigger than our box.

Things change when we reach out to God. When this man stretched his hand out the miracle happened. In the kingdom is not profitable to be passive. Waiting for things to happen does not bring us to the fullness of God. The message of the New Testament is “Go and make.” We do not earn anything by what we do, but God does respond to our response to His call. Draw near unto God and He will draw near unto you. This man had to act and do something. Do something tangible and allow God to the unseen.

The religious people were mad. It didn’t matter that this man had the means now to take care of himself and his family. He would no longer be regarded as a liability to society but he would be able to earn his keep. No more bullying or prejudice or being pushed out of society. Jesus restored his dignity as well as his body. They were there to find fault with Jesus, but they were so blinded that they didn’t see their own faults.

I dare you to stretch out and touch God. He can restore your ability(hand) to receive and to give. Don’t worry. There will always be someone that will be upset with what God is doing to you and for you. 

The life of Jesus - 10

The life of Jesus – 10

August 21, 2014

Today we continue looking at Jesus and His life. We find Him interacting with a Publican called Levi. Let’s read it first.

Luke 5:27-32   And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.  And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.  But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?  And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

There are a few things in this story that stand out. Levi was a publican. In essence he was collecting taxes from the people. He was not someone that was considered to be popular. He was the opposite of what a good religious person would look like. He represented everything that was opposite the norm of accepted and respected. The Pharisees were different. They represented everything that was good and respected. They represented God. Levi represented the Roman government. Levi would be the guy you wanted to avoid hanging out with if you wanted the religious folk to like you. Who does Jesus pick to hang out with?

Jesus goes to the one that has no significance in the eyes of society. He picks the outcast and unsociable. The one that is looked down upon and pushed out. Jesus finds the one that needed some affirmation. The Pharisees were looking for the approval of men. Jesus comes and gives Levi the approval of God. What are we looking at when we need approval? We love when people give us compliments and encourage us. Are we finding our identity in what people say? That might be the greatest risk you will ever take. God sees the heart of men. God knows where you are and what you are struggling with.

The next thing I see is that Levi left all that was familiar to him to follow Jesus. There is no reference that he knew Jesus before this. This is amazing if you think that only afterwards does he sit down with Jesus at his house. What makes a man do this? What makes you dessert what is familiar to follow someone you have not met before? The truth is that we all got the same invitation from Jesus when we got saved. We left our old familiar life for a life with Him. The religious folk criticized Jesus because He was at Levi’s house. Jesus is not scared to come where you are if you heed His call to follow Him. Where were you when you heard His voice? Don’t allow the voice of criticism to intimidate you because you obeyed.

I love that Jesus said that he came to call the sinners to repentance. We can all relate to that. I want to add that repentance is not a once off experience. We are committed to a life of repentance. Repent means to change your mind. We don’t fully have the mind of Christ yet. We renew our minds daily. As we get convicted we repent and move on.

Five kinds of minds in scripture:

The natural mind - IQ

Genesis 2:7 - And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

1.      Thoughts can be good or bad.

2.      Can be developed in skills and education.

 3.      Can be in opposition to spiritual things.

The soul-ish mind

2 Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

1.      It is the mind that produces self-motivated ideas. (Sarah and Ismael)

Sarai means “ruler”. When she ruled Abram she acted from the soul wanting Abram to have Hagar and devised a plan that was not from God. When her name was changed to Sarah, (He – fifth letter in Hebrew alphabet that means “grace”), grace was added to her to be able to conceive. We have to be able to hear Jesus. Grace is required to be able to hear from God.

2.      It tries to understand Biblical truth without the spiritual understanding. John 6:63

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a mixture of spirit and soul. It is not the Tree of Life.

3.      Likes to manipulate for self gain. (Simon the sorcerer – Acts 8:9-24)

The carnal mind

Romans 8:6-8 - For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

1.      Is self-centered and against God. (1 Cor. 3:1-4)

2.      It prefers doing the work of the flesh. (Gal. 5:19-21)

3.      Is what defiles a man. (Mk. 7:20-23)

The reprobate mind

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 - And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.

  1.      Hates truth and allows deception.

2.      Rejects God. (Rom. 1:28)

3.      Lives under a false pretense. (Titus 1:16)

4.      Resists the truth. (2 Tim. 3:8)

The mind of Christ

The mind every believer has. It is a mind that is captivated by love for God and love for his fellow man. He does not have the desire to sin but to live in accordance with the Word and in pleasing God.

1 Corinthians 2:16 - We have the mind of Christ.

1.      These are thoughts that are transformed by renewing through the Word. (Rom 12:2)

2.      Thoughts coming from your spirit man in agreement with the Word. (Phil. 4:8)

3.      Mind that is controlled by the Spirit and produces the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23)

What are you looking for? Jesus is here and he is calling us to follow. Set you mind on the things above and follow His voice. He is bringing God’s approval to your life.

Get into the flow!

Getting into the flow.

This weekend we had a meeting and the word that came forth was “Get into the flow.”

When you look at the story in John, chapter 5, we see Jesus at the pool of Bethesda. An angel would come and stir the water and then whoever gets in first would be healed of whatever disease they had. The problem with a pool is that is gets stagnant when you stop stirring. There is no flow and no movement. I wonder how many times we have settled at the pool instead of the river? Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit and that we will have a river inside of us.

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Can you see what I see? We are not called to be a pool but a river. Why do I like rivers? Pools have no life in them. You can create a pond, but rivers create themselves. You can determine where a pool can be, but a river flows where there is the least resistance. I wonder why we have not seen the river of God in our lives? A pool restrains the water. A river releases the water to flow. Have we restrained Him and ended up like a pool?

I see in the story of Joshua, just before they crossed the Jordan to inherit the promise land, a kingdom principle. Look at it with me. They are about to inherit the promise of God after walking in the desert for forty years. The nation is about to have the reality of what their fathers believed for. What are you believing for and have not seen realized in your life? There is something that brings you into the promise land.

Joshua 3:12-17 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

The river was overflowing its banks. It was the time of harvest. What it tells me is that there is an abundance of water available and it is time to harvest something. They are about to harvest their inheritance. What must happen first is that the priests must take up the Ark of the Covenant and put their feet in the water. Someone has to carry the presence of God and get into the river. As soon as the priests feet touched the thing that separated them from inheriting, God made a way for them. The priests touched the river, but all Israel inherited their promise.

What happens when we get into the river? We cause our children to inherit their promises. Why do we want a pool if we can have a river? The river looked like the impossible thing to do. The river became the key to their inheritance. Does something look like an impossibility today? It might be the very thing that makes you step into your inheritance.

Psa. 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Rev. 22:1-2 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

The righteous are like a tree planted by a river. There is a river flowing from the throne of God. We are the planting of the Lord. We live in the river of God. If you are dry and thirsty you stepped away from what you were called to be.

Is. 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

God said that HE would pour out His Spirit in the last days. We are waiting for an outpouring when He wants to pour us out and pour out of us. If you have His river flowing in you, He wants to pour you out. Look at this scripture:

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

It is better to give than to receive. We have looked at this scripture only with receiving in mind. Allow Him to pour you out today and become a blessing!

The life of Jesus - 9

The life of Jesus- 9

August 15, 2014

We have seen strange things today.

Luke 5:17-26   And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.  And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.  And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.  And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Today we look at Jesus and find a few kingdom principles in this passage. Where Jesus is, the power of God is present. In this passage we see a face-off between man's wisdom and God’s presence. The Doctors of the Law and the Pharisees were there to observe. They came to represent the understanding of man. They were the ones that knew about God. In the meantime, God was standing right in front of them. What happens when the wisdom of man is confronted with the power of God? God will do things that will be outside the box of man's understanding. Can you put God in a box? It would be better if you discard your understanding and allow the power of God to demonstrate His character. His character is to deal with sin and the consequences of sin. There is no room in the understanding of man for that concept. How can a God so holy love a sinner like me so much?

Next we see Jesus doing something that would offend the wise men of his day. He is about to heal someone but He did it in a way no one expected. Instead of saying, "be healed", He says that the man's sins are forgiven. We can glean a lot from this. Let me say that sickness is not because you have sinned. If that was true we should all be sick. If a doctor could heal you then he could forgive you your sin. What Jesus is demonstrating is that He has the power to do both. If He only forgave the man, there would be nothing tangible for them to see. So Jesus is about to demonstrate something tangible for them to see and for them to believe he can do it.

Sometimes God will do something in the visible so that we can see His ability to do the things we cannot see. How many times have we asked for forgiveness and struggled believing that we are forgiven? Here is visible proof that when He says He forgives, He actually does it. If He has the power to heal, He has the power to forgive. So He commands the sick man to take his bed and walk. He does and it proves that He can forgive our sins.

We have seen strange things today. Were they talking about the man getting healed? I don’t think so because Jesus constantly healed people. I thing they had seen many healings before they saw Jesus heal the lame man. The strange thing they are talking about is the fact that HE can forgive sins. In their minds you had to go and offer a sacrifice to be forgiven. You had to go to the temple and have them do it for you. Here, this man is forgiven without a sacrifice. He is forgiven without having to see a priest. Do you struggle with receiving forgiveness? Don’t let it be a strange thing today. He is able to forgive you of all your sins.

1John 1:8-9   If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 103:11-12 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Jer. 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

He cleanses us, He forgives us, and He forgets what we have done wrong. The Pharisees, with their minds, struggled to receive this. Don’t let your mind be the stumbling block that keeps you away from receiving your forgiveness. There was wisdom in that room and there was the power to heal and forgive. What will you receive today? Is it okay when God does something we don’t understand but we come out changed on the other side? 

The life of Jesus - 8

The life of Jesus- 8

August 9, 2014

Luke 5:1-9 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.

This morning we look at the way Jesus influenced the people around him. In this story Jesus is about to interrupt the normal expectation of Peter’s day. Peter fished all night and was washing the nets when Jesus showed up. God likes to show up uninvited. Somehow we think Jesus comes when we invite Him. Jesus didn’t wait for Peter to invite him to his fishing business. When God shows up like this He is looking for a response. He asked Peter to stop what he was doing and allow Him to use his boat. It almost looks like Jesus is intruding into the normal day activities of the fishermen. Well, you are right. When He shows up He interrupts what we see as usual and brings something that will change the outcome of our day.

The second thing I see from this passage is the fact that Jesus is asking Peter to do something that looks like it is impossible. Think about Peter for a second. He must have been tired because he fished all night. He wants to go home and sleep and be prepared for the next night of fishing. Now he is asked to go back to fish when it is known that fishing happens at night. The command that Jesus was giving Peter was changing his place of failure into a place of abundance. The outcome of yesterday is not what determines the outcome for today when the word of God shows up. God is speaking to you today and it is changing what you have failed at yesterday and it is putting the favor of God on your life for today. God can change the season of failure into a season of abundance if you agree to follow His command.

Once Peter put his nets in the water abundance happened. A lot of people believe the word spoken to them but they never put a net in the water. What I am trying to say is that we have to do something and participate with God if we want to see God change our circumstances. There is something we can do. Sitting on your backside and believing does not do a lot for change. What is out there that you can do so that God can bless you? As sons we have an inheritance that we don’t have to do anything for, but as servants of the most high God we work and labor with faithfulness and experience his blessings on the work of our hands. Peter did something and the word spoken to him brought the blessing. Welfare is not a kingdom principle. That is man's way of blessing laziness and people that don’t want to do it for themselves. Faithfulness is the kingdom way of blessing those in need. God blesses us and then we bless those in need.

When Peter acted on the word he had to call for help and there was enough for him and his partners. The blessing resulting from obedience extends to those you want to bless. I want you to see that when God blesses there is always abundance. God is not skimpy and frugal with what He does. You will never have to wonder about the way He saved you. You are not: barely saved. He did it all and saved you all the way and will bless you all the way to the extent that you will be a blessing to others.

Lastly, I see Peter confessing he is a sinful man. Did Jesus talk to him about being a sinner? Not that we know of. Look at what this scripture in Romans says:

Rom. 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

I believe that when Peter realized that God blessed him and he understood the goodness of God he repented. There is a key in this as we hear the world questioning God’s goodness. What will lead them to repentance? History has proven that when people prosper they turn away from God. Remember what happened to Peter. Jesus showed him that his past experience does not determine his present outcome. Even if people turned away from God in the past, I declare that when people see the goodness of God they will turn to Him in this season.

Luke 5:10-11 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

They left everything and followed Jesus. What an impact Jesus must have made on them! It only took one time for them to make that decision. My prayer is that you will experience such an encounter with Jesus today that it will make you leave everything and follow Jesus. Remember that your past does not determine your future. What do you say yes to today? Jesus is here to interrupt your schedule and you didn’t have to invite him to do it.