Christmas is over.
We can now turn off the 'holiday cheer' attitude that we turned on for one month out of the year.
Time to flash a look of anger and maybe say a choice word to that person who came the wrong way in a parking lot and took our parking spot.
Time to quit being so patient in the line at the grocery store or post office, and purposefully let out a loud sigh when the person at the counter doesn't have their things together...who is causing a delay in the line.
Time to sweep discord back out from under the carpet (where we swept them last month), and re-engage in open strife with those around us. Backbiting, gossip and slander are welcomed again...until mid-November next year.
Time for shouts and sign language to other drivers...until the week before Thanksgiving next year.
The homeless and hurting will be fine for the next ten and a half months. They do just come out of the woodwork in November and December, don't they?
How fortunate we are to have a turn-on, turn-off faith. Isn't it great to know we will only be judged by the Lord for our actions and attitude during the mid-November-to-late-December timeframe? (Oh, and our Sunday morning actions and attitude, too.)
Our God is so merciful. He overlooks our January-to-October lives of self-absorption and fleshly living.
He showers nothing but mercy for our Monday-through-Saturday living. It's okay His heart aches and breaks six days of the week and ten and a half months of the year. Our righteousness on Sunday morning and November/December heals His heart and grants us favor from all else we do.
Bless us, Lord. Bless our lives, though we only give You a fraction of the week and year!
Bless our country, Lord. Though we don't stand up against the increasing godlessness in it. "God bless America" anyway! It's our right! Our forefathers loved and served You. It's okay that we don't stand up and proclaim You, Jesus. You just go ahead and bless us for our country's past instead of what we're currently doing and living as a nation.
Bless us, Lord, for these next ten and a half months. We'll mention You out of the corner of our mouths in mid-November next year.
In the mean time, watch over our favorite sports teams and give us everything we ask for, so our lives can be comfortable and blessed. And if any tragedies or disasters happen between now and then, why'd You cause or allow those?
We love you, Lord! See Ya!
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
a Christian Christmas
What would a true Christian Christmas consist of?
• giving each other an apple (or some other kind of basic, unglamorous item)
• taking into our home someone who is lonely or homeless, and sharing a meal and fellowship with them. Regardless of their appearance, regardless of how graceful or educated or unrefined they are.
If you don't think America is full of pious religion, stop and think how few well-meaning Christians would take someone in off the street and share a meal like this. Here's the true gut check. We'll do a meal like this in December (at a church, school or homeless shelter), but how many of us do it on Christmas day? We'll serve the homeless a Thanksgiving meal on a weekend in November. How many of us will bring a smelly, unshaven "least of the brethren" into our home on Thanksgiving Day itself? We don't. Our cozy, well-kept homes are not welcomed places for the unrefined.
America is engulfed with the dainty decorations and wanting everything to be so quaint and warm and perfect for ourselves. Largely absorbed with our own comfort. (And this doesn't even touch on the abounding glut of consumerism.)
This notion of self-comfort is definitely part of what the American media says makes Christmas Christmas. It's part of "the spirit of Christmas" and "the spirit of the season".
It's not the spirit of Jesus. He came to earth in humility and without fanfare. He showed no regard or favoritism among mankind.
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick", Jesus said. (Matthew 9:12)
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted..." (Isaiah 61:1)
America (Body included) is largely about the production and panache of what Christmas has been made out to be by the media. If you don't have a decorated place to be with family and presents, well then something is wrong with your Christmas picture.
What a crock of crap, and the Body of Jesus buys into it hook, line and sinker.
I am not knocking anyone who has been blessed of the Lord and has His favor. I'm just taking a sober look at the commercialism and separatism in American society, and its infiltration into the Body.
Christmas in this Christian-based society has become much more than the simple celebration of Jesus coming into the world.
• giving each other an apple (or some other kind of basic, unglamorous item)
• taking into our home someone who is lonely or homeless, and sharing a meal and fellowship with them. Regardless of their appearance, regardless of how graceful or educated or unrefined they are.
If you don't think America is full of pious religion, stop and think how few well-meaning Christians would take someone in off the street and share a meal like this. Here's the true gut check. We'll do a meal like this in December (at a church, school or homeless shelter), but how many of us do it on Christmas day? We'll serve the homeless a Thanksgiving meal on a weekend in November. How many of us will bring a smelly, unshaven "least of the brethren" into our home on Thanksgiving Day itself? We don't. Our cozy, well-kept homes are not welcomed places for the unrefined.
America is engulfed with the dainty decorations and wanting everything to be so quaint and warm and perfect for ourselves. Largely absorbed with our own comfort. (And this doesn't even touch on the abounding glut of consumerism.)
This notion of self-comfort is definitely part of what the American media says makes Christmas Christmas. It's part of "the spirit of Christmas" and "the spirit of the season".
It's not the spirit of Jesus. He came to earth in humility and without fanfare. He showed no regard or favoritism among mankind.
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick", Jesus said. (Matthew 9:12)
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted..." (Isaiah 61:1)
America (Body included) is largely about the production and panache of what Christmas has been made out to be by the media. If you don't have a decorated place to be with family and presents, well then something is wrong with your Christmas picture.
What a crock of crap, and the Body of Jesus buys into it hook, line and sinker.
I am not knocking anyone who has been blessed of the Lord and has His favor. I'm just taking a sober look at the commercialism and separatism in American society, and its infiltration into the Body.
Christmas in this Christian-based society has become much more than the simple celebration of Jesus coming into the world.
Friday, December 16, 2005
40 days of defense, 3 years of offense, key to offense
"Then Jesus, full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led in [by] the [Holy] Spirit
2 For (during) forty days in the wilderness (desert), where He was tempted (tried, tested exceedingly) by the devil." (Luke 4:1-2, Amplified Bible)
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(CAPS mine for emphasis)
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to BIND UP and HEAL the brokenhearted, to PROCLAIM liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the OPENING of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound,
2To PROCLAIM the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to COMFORT all who mourn,
3To GRANT [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to GIVE them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3, Amplified)
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, TEACHING in their synagogues, PREACHING the good news of the kingdom and HEALING every disease and sickness." (Matthew 9:35, NIV)
"The blind RECEIVE sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are CURED, the deaf hear, the dead are RAISED, and the good news is PREACHED to the poor." (Matthew 11:5, NIV)
"he SENT THEM out two by two and GAVE THEM AUTHORITY OVER EVIL SPIRITS." (Mark 6:7)
"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and SENT THEM two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go." (Luke 10:1)
"Go! I am SENDING YOU out like lambs among wolves." (Luke 10:3)
"The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.' 18 He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have GIVEN YOU AUTHORITY TO TRAMPLE ON SNAKES AND SCORPIONS AND TO OVERCOME ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY; NOTHING WILL HARM YOU. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.' 21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'" (Luke 10:17-21)
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21:25)
"And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros--a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra--a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or HOLD OUT AGAINST IT]." (Matthew 16:18, Amplified)
"...The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8)
Have we stopped to consider the overwhelming majority of Jesus' ministry was offense, not defense?
Upon Jesus' baptism and His being filled with the Holy Spirit He was led into the desert to be tempted by Satan (Luke 4:1). Once Jesus stood this test, without sin or blemish, the remainder of His ministry (until He allowed His arrest, beating and crucifixion--which was for mankind, not Him)...the remainder of Jesus' ministry was offense, not defense.
"Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil". satan was on offense. Was his offense fierce? Must have been. Even as God incarnate, when the temptation was over angels came to Jesus to attend to Him (Matt 4:11).
There is little else in the gospels which suggests Jesus was (or was concerned with being) primarily subject to Satan's offense. When Jesus approached someone with a foul spirit, the demon shrieked. They begged Him not to torture them before the appointed time. (Matthew 8) Jesus simply told them to go. He didn't make a big deal about them. Didn't make a big deal about people's suffering at satan's expense. He simply moved in power, restoring.
Jesus' ministry was power, signs, prophecy, teaching, miracles, healing, deliverance, resurrection and Truth. Jesus went to the people, into the crowd, proactively, and revealed the kingdom of God in power, word and miracles. He and the disciples were on offense, not defense. He dealt with the works of the devil, by simply destroying them with a word or a touch. He did not give any homage or fanfare to satan's crud which He came across. (Know anyone who gets dramatic about satan's attacks? "Oh my gosh, so-n-so is REALLY under attack! Pray for them!") This was not Jesus' attitude or approach, and it should not be ours.
"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8) It does not say Jesus appeared to withstand the devil's attacks. It doesn't say Jesus appeared to resist, rebuke or oppose Satan's offense.
Ever prayed, or know some who pray, to rebuke the devil and all his schemes? That begs a question for another blog sometime: when did Jesus ever address satan in any prayer? He prayed to the Father "deliver us from evil", and He prayed to the Father "I pray...that You protect them from the evil one" (Jn 17:15). I know someone who addresses satan in most prayers I've heard them pray...and it made me think of this. I didn't think so much about it the first couple of times I heard this person, but when it became so frequent I began to ponder this. Why didn't Jesus rebuke (or even mention) satan in prayer? I don't pose this question as a point of theology, it's just the frequency with which I've heard this it makes me think "are we praying and talking to God, or to satan?"
Satan back on offense
It was not until Jesus' final hours had come that His hands prophetically came down. He had been destroying satan's work powerfully and decisively. Since the end of His temptation, He had been on offense, advancing and revealing God's Kingdom.
When His hour had come, Jesus was no longer on offense. He had taught and said all He was to say...for the moment. He had healed and freed all He was to have healed and freed...for a season. And only a fraction of the things He did were recorded in the gospels. (John 21:25)
It was now time for Him to become the sacrificial Lamb. "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.". (Isaiah 53:7)
The Creator of the universe, the One through Whom the universe keeps existing as we know it (Hebrews 1:2-3), the One Who could have spoken a word and called over 80,000 angels to His side...did not.
At the time of suffering and crucifixion, Jesus took what was dealt out. He was taking it...for us. Until then, His ministry since His temptation had been one of offense for God's Kingdom.
Body of Jesus on offense
What percentage of the American Body sits back, comfy in our church pews, enjoying our salvation, so thankful we have it, and wait for the unsaved, wounded and dying to come to us?
Does Christianity involve church activities, and that's pretty much it? Did we somehow stumble into a church, and now that we're in that 'safe haven' are we just to sit there, comfy and secure, warm and blessed?
Is a Christian a disciple of Jesus? If so, are we disciples same as any other disciples who have walked the earth at any time, or is there a different (man-made) classification or qualification of disciple that makes us different than any previous? (And "those who actually saw Jesus" doesn't count. That's irrelevant. If you're of the opinion it's relevant, there's no need to read the rest of this.)
As disciples who are no less (nor more) than any other disciples, the question bids: why are we sitting on our lazy kiesters when we've been given the SAME authority, same Power to plug into that raised the dead (Acts 20:7-12), defied natural circumstances (Acts 28:1-6), healed (Acts 3:1-10)? The list goes on and on and on.
Going On Offense For The Kingdom
First, Jesus wants our hearts before anything else. Specifically, He says to repent. Repent means to change of one's mind for the better, heartily amending one's ways, with abhorrence of past sins.
Let's first realize we can attempt to change ourselves. This is done as an act of our own will to "be better" or "be a better person". We determine within ourselves "darn it, I'm going to change!"
There's a big difference between this versus saying "Jesus, I can't help myself. Change me, Jesus."
If we determine to make this change ourself, the change will be partial and incomplete. The majority of our walk will be struggle and defeat, not victory. We will have a form of godliness but will not be walking in His power.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24).
Repentance is linked to the first part--deny. None of us has to spend much effort to live a fleshly life in rebellion against God. Doesn't take much at all. We have the choice at any time, any moment, to live according to our flesh (aka sin nature).
I'm not going to address the "take up his cross" phrase in this particular blog. (saving for later)
Jesus also says to follow Him. That's kind of broad. What do you mean by that, Jesus?
"Follow Me." Hmmm. Have we ever stopped to realize that we can do the first two without doing the third? We can deny ourself and take up our cross, but not follow. It happens all the time. Continuously.
We may be denying ourself and sincerely desiring to walk with Jesus. We may even know what taking up our cross is, and be doing so. But if we're not following Jesus then what we're doing doesn't count for beans.
What do you mean? You mean that my living a clean life, according to the precepts of the Bible, striving to live by it, having a decent prayer life and asking forgiveness when I know I've missed the mark is not "it"? How can that be?
These next verses come up pretty frequently in this blog. Matthew 7:21-23.
Did Jesus just say this because He was bored? Had nothing else to say or do? No, He was simply laying out the tenets of the Way.
Many say: accept Jesus, study the Word and develop a prayer life. Do this and you're on the Way.
There is scant teaching on learning to follow Jesus. Yet He emphatically says that unless what we do is of Him and through Him then what we do is useless (John 15:5, Matt 7:19).
Learning to follow Jesus, tangibly and actually in our lives (not theroetically or philosophically in our minds), should become our way of life before going any further in this thread.
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So when we are following Jesus. As we learn to follow Him and are chosen to be His hands and feet through which He moves in power, it's important both our motives and hearts about it stay in check. If we have any self-glory in desiring to be used of the Lord, or any self-glory when used of the Lord, this is absolutely not of Him. There is very specific note of this in Scripture (Acts 8:9-25, Luke 17:10).
Getting back on track. The power of the Gospel. Offense.
"Jesus came...to destroy the works of the devil."
This doesn't read "When the Son of God appeared on earth the devil's work was destroyed", nor "the devil was destroyed". satan's work did not disappear or go away just because Jesus was on earth. The removal of satan's handiwork required Jesus' proactive touch or word for healing, restoration and strengthening to occur.
Colossians 2:15. The power of satan and his hordes was rendered powerless through the cross. Doesn't say "the power and authorities were removed" or "...were thrown into hell".
No, they are still in our midst. The world is under the control of the devil. I raise this point after hearing someone recently say "satan is already defeated". Folks, satan doesn't get thrown into the lake of sulfur until Revelation 20. He is alive and doing much evil in increasing measure all over the globe.
There is a difference between satan's power being rendered powerless and him already being defeated. A difference between his works being destoyed and he being destroyed. To say he (himself) is defeated indicates the battle/engagement/fight/war is over. And it's not...yet.
"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." (1 John 5:19)
"Again, the devil took him (Jesus) to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.'" (Matthew 4:8-9)
"The world hates me because I testify that what it does is evil" (John 7:7)
"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19)
Here's the good news. Actually, it's more than good. We as Followers have the authority in the name of Jesus to trample on scorpions and snakes, and to destroy the works of the devil even moreso than Jesus did (John 14:12).
Again, bear in mind that walking in the power of Jesus must coincide with being led by the Holy Spirit.
I spent time with a brother in Jesus last night who was involved in a horrific accident early this year. He was thrown by a man off a 50 foot building. He has a brain injury, a bad back, and either hip can become dislocated at any time.
This brother's heart belongs to Jesus. He loves the Lord deeply and truly. My heart went out to him, and we ended up praying together. As much as in my Christian flesh I would have liked to have seen the Lord heal him on the spot, that was not in the works last night. Can God heal him? Absolutely. Instantly? Absolutely. But it was not to be last night.
As we prayed I did not get a green light from the Holy Spirit about healing last night.. The Spirit did not fall down or lead in power for that purpose. We had great fellowship and prayer time together, and I did anoint him with oil, but his thorn remains at least for a moment.
After we prayed together, we were walking over to another location. He told me of an experience he'd had recently. He was in public somewhere, and a lady came eagerly toward him. As she approached she said "Where have you been? Where have you been?!?" Turns out she was a Follower, and she prayed for him and anointed him with oil, etc.
This brother walks with a stroller/walker with wheels. After this sister prayed for him, she said "You can walk without that now. You don't need it anymore." He appreciated her compassion, her time and her desire for the Lord to work powerfully at that moment, but it didn't happen. Why not? It wasn't God's timing. I guarantee it was not due to a lack of faith in this brother. There was nothing "wrong" with him. There is no unbelief. There is no "hidden sin" that prevented anything.
it is admirable that this sister acknowledges Jesus' ability and power to heal. That's awesome. She's already ahead of the part of the Body that thinks the power of God was for times past, not present. And I'm glad she felt compassion for this brother upon seeing his situation.
What I'm most thankful for is that this brother's faith did not waver one bit. How many thousands have been turned off because of someone whose heart and intentions were in the right place, but whose actions were not by the leading of the Holy Spirit? Matthew 7:21-23, Romans 8:14. My two staple verses.
it's about learning to be led by the Holy Spirit, friends. As I spent time with this brother last night, and heard his story, the compassion and longing for him was strong beyond description. Nothing could have been more glorious than for the Lord to reach down and touch him.
And why wouldn't He? I mean, this man is around many others. Many people know he walks with a stroller walker. They know of his affliction. Wouldn't it absolutely glorify God for this man to be touched? Yep.
Friends, we are called to follow Jesus. He is not called to follow us.
One of the spiritual cancers in America is the Dominion Gospel, where there is teaching that we are to invoke and/or "name and claim" things we want to see, things we want God to do, people we want to see healed...and God and Jesus are to just do it all.
Do what I want, Lord. Make my life content and prosperous. Bless me, Lord. Give me smooth sailing. Make my job enjoyable. Make sure my car runs well. Solve all my family conflict. Make sure there's plenty of food in the cupboard.
Bless my life, Lord, and I praise You and thank You for doing it and making it so. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Friend, you need to get back to the basics of the Lord's prayer. "Not my will, but Yours be done".
I reminded someone of this this past week, their response is "Oh, I know. I know." I saw right through their crap. I exposed their Dominion Gospel for what it is, and they gave lip service to knowing and following the Truth.
Same thing applies to this "Wild At Heart" crud. The Wild At Heart author says man should "live from his deep heart".
Really? How about living according to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit?
This advocacy of this author, for people to live from what's in their heart, without clearly drawing a distinction between the thin line of living a Scripture-based life versus a Scripture-based life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is a recipe for disaster.
There are three sources of thoughts in my head: my flesh, the devil, and the Holy Spirit. How is telling someone "live from your heart" clarifying any distinction between these three? There are plenty already, and here come more Believers who will be living, doing and invoking their own Bible-based flesh into the world. Just like this lady who approached the brother to pray for him and he could throw his walker down.
Is she a Christian? Yes. Mean well? Yes. Love the Lord? Yes. Scripture-based Believer? Yes. Heart go out for this man? Yes. Led by the Holy Spirit? No.
Are you being led by the Holy Spirit, friend? Are you following Jesus...or asking Him to follow you?
Are we hearing the Holy Spirit? Are we learning in increasing measure to distinguish between the Holy Spirit, our own thoughts and the thoughts planted by the enemy?
We may be reading our Bible and striving to live by its principles. When we're faced with a situation, what do we do? Are we to "turn the other cheek", or do we "trample on snakes and scorpions"? The Bible says both of these things. Which is it? "There's a time for peace and a time for war" (Eccl 3). How do I know which to do?
Tune in to the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was not just speaking to hear Himself talk when He said:
""I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5, Amplified)
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things..." (John 14:26a)
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears..." (John 16:13)
John said, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matthew 3:11)
A couple of things I share about the Holy Spirit that you need to know about my background.
I grew up in a dead church. Dead. Full of religion. Full of ritual. At Christmas time Jesus was referred to as "the Christ child". What? That would be like me calling my blood brother "the male who was born before I".
The Holy Spirit was referred to as "one of the mysteries of God". Also commonly heard "that we don't understand" added to that statement.
I grew up not having the faintest clue about the Holy Spirit. He was mentioned as some distant, vague, unknowable entity.
Jesus made no bones about the Holy Spirit. Jesus was quite clear about Him, and more overt than many American churches care to acknowledge.
There is no mystery to the Holy Spirit. If you wish to know Him as you would get to know any other person or friend, you can.
"What father among you, if his son asks for]a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:11-13, Amplified)
One of the most incredible things I come across in talking with other Followers is their fear/hostility/avoidance with regard to the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a GIFT. A gift from God.
Jesus clearly affirms the Holy Spirit is a good gift. The Greek word for "good" He uses also means advantageous.
So, putting this all together: the Holy Spirit is a gift from God that is to our advantage to have. He is not a mystery. He is not something we're incapable of understanding. Jesus promised He would send the Holy Spirit to disciples, and He delivers.
Remember this. The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all gentlemen. They do not dwell where they are not welcome. If they are disbelieved, scorned, yawned at or uninvited, they may show up briefly, but they don't dwell.
This blog may have drifted from its original, but to wrap it all together: we must live by the Holy Spirit's guidance, not our Christian-based flesh or our own Christian-based thoughts, if we are to be the Lord's hands and feet, His offense, in this world.
Trust in, cling to and rely on the Lord. Seek Him. Ask Him for the advantageous gift of the Holy Spirit, that He may guide, lead and teach. If we are to walk in the power of the Spirit (Acts 10 :38), then let us be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).
There is mighty Power of the gospel we are called to walk in for the advancing of God's Kingdom. It is not our own. We are simply the conduit through which God does amazing works, to draw people unto Himself, not draw them unto us. This is not a gospel of words or human wisdom, but rather a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:4-5).
"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Hebrews 10:39
We have the option to be and do for God, or to shrink back. Shrink back into comfort. Shrink back into our cushioned pews. Shrink back into conformity with society. Shrink back into man's opinion.
Shrink back into thinking that things like potluck dinners in the name of Jesus are the "works" He has called us to. Shrink back into thinking that being a Christian means conducting a PR campaign for Jesus, where we're to be admired and liked for being Christians instead of hated (Matthew 10:22, Luke 6:22, John 15:19, John 17:14).
Maybe we need a soul search as to what we're truly called to as followers of Jesus. Apart from the scales over our eyes, as to what our society says our faith and our calling consists of. Apart from what a denomination says. Apart from the opinions we have formed ourselves about God. Aside from the teaching of the Holy Spirit and God's Word which we've received from man (rather than from God).
Let's hit our knees and hear straight from the Holy Spirit. Let's be transformed, as He renews our mind. We will not only be surprised. More importantly we will be empowered by the very hand and heart of God.
2 For (during) forty days in the wilderness (desert), where He was tempted (tried, tested exceedingly) by the devil." (Luke 4:1-2, Amplified Bible)
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(CAPS mine for emphasis)
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to BIND UP and HEAL the brokenhearted, to PROCLAIM liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the OPENING of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound,
2To PROCLAIM the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to COMFORT all who mourn,
3To GRANT [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to GIVE them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3, Amplified)
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, TEACHING in their synagogues, PREACHING the good news of the kingdom and HEALING every disease and sickness." (Matthew 9:35, NIV)
"The blind RECEIVE sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are CURED, the deaf hear, the dead are RAISED, and the good news is PREACHED to the poor." (Matthew 11:5, NIV)
"he SENT THEM out two by two and GAVE THEM AUTHORITY OVER EVIL SPIRITS." (Mark 6:7)
"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and SENT THEM two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go." (Luke 10:1)
"Go! I am SENDING YOU out like lambs among wolves." (Luke 10:3)
"The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.' 18 He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have GIVEN YOU AUTHORITY TO TRAMPLE ON SNAKES AND SCORPIONS AND TO OVERCOME ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY; NOTHING WILL HARM YOU. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.' 21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'" (Luke 10:17-21)
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." (John 21:25)
"And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros--a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra--a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or HOLD OUT AGAINST IT]." (Matthew 16:18, Amplified)
"...The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8)
Have we stopped to consider the overwhelming majority of Jesus' ministry was offense, not defense?
Upon Jesus' baptism and His being filled with the Holy Spirit He was led into the desert to be tempted by Satan (Luke 4:1). Once Jesus stood this test, without sin or blemish, the remainder of His ministry (until He allowed His arrest, beating and crucifixion--which was for mankind, not Him)...the remainder of Jesus' ministry was offense, not defense.
"Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil". satan was on offense. Was his offense fierce? Must have been. Even as God incarnate, when the temptation was over angels came to Jesus to attend to Him (Matt 4:11).
There is little else in the gospels which suggests Jesus was (or was concerned with being) primarily subject to Satan's offense. When Jesus approached someone with a foul spirit, the demon shrieked. They begged Him not to torture them before the appointed time. (Matthew 8) Jesus simply told them to go. He didn't make a big deal about them. Didn't make a big deal about people's suffering at satan's expense. He simply moved in power, restoring.
Jesus' ministry was power, signs, prophecy, teaching, miracles, healing, deliverance, resurrection and Truth. Jesus went to the people, into the crowd, proactively, and revealed the kingdom of God in power, word and miracles. He and the disciples were on offense, not defense. He dealt with the works of the devil, by simply destroying them with a word or a touch. He did not give any homage or fanfare to satan's crud which He came across. (Know anyone who gets dramatic about satan's attacks? "Oh my gosh, so-n-so is REALLY under attack! Pray for them!") This was not Jesus' attitude or approach, and it should not be ours.
"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8) It does not say Jesus appeared to withstand the devil's attacks. It doesn't say Jesus appeared to resist, rebuke or oppose Satan's offense.
Ever prayed, or know some who pray, to rebuke the devil and all his schemes? That begs a question for another blog sometime: when did Jesus ever address satan in any prayer? He prayed to the Father "deliver us from evil", and He prayed to the Father "I pray...that You protect them from the evil one" (Jn 17:15). I know someone who addresses satan in most prayers I've heard them pray...and it made me think of this. I didn't think so much about it the first couple of times I heard this person, but when it became so frequent I began to ponder this. Why didn't Jesus rebuke (or even mention) satan in prayer? I don't pose this question as a point of theology, it's just the frequency with which I've heard this it makes me think "are we praying and talking to God, or to satan?"
Satan back on offense
It was not until Jesus' final hours had come that His hands prophetically came down. He had been destroying satan's work powerfully and decisively. Since the end of His temptation, He had been on offense, advancing and revealing God's Kingdom.
When His hour had come, Jesus was no longer on offense. He had taught and said all He was to say...for the moment. He had healed and freed all He was to have healed and freed...for a season. And only a fraction of the things He did were recorded in the gospels. (John 21:25)
It was now time for Him to become the sacrificial Lamb. "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.". (Isaiah 53:7)
The Creator of the universe, the One through Whom the universe keeps existing as we know it (Hebrews 1:2-3), the One Who could have spoken a word and called over 80,000 angels to His side...did not.
At the time of suffering and crucifixion, Jesus took what was dealt out. He was taking it...for us. Until then, His ministry since His temptation had been one of offense for God's Kingdom.
Body of Jesus on offense
What percentage of the American Body sits back, comfy in our church pews, enjoying our salvation, so thankful we have it, and wait for the unsaved, wounded and dying to come to us?
Does Christianity involve church activities, and that's pretty much it? Did we somehow stumble into a church, and now that we're in that 'safe haven' are we just to sit there, comfy and secure, warm and blessed?
Is a Christian a disciple of Jesus? If so, are we disciples same as any other disciples who have walked the earth at any time, or is there a different (man-made) classification or qualification of disciple that makes us different than any previous? (And "those who actually saw Jesus" doesn't count. That's irrelevant. If you're of the opinion it's relevant, there's no need to read the rest of this.)
As disciples who are no less (nor more) than any other disciples, the question bids: why are we sitting on our lazy kiesters when we've been given the SAME authority, same Power to plug into that raised the dead (Acts 20:7-12), defied natural circumstances (Acts 28:1-6), healed (Acts 3:1-10)? The list goes on and on and on.
Going On Offense For The Kingdom
First, Jesus wants our hearts before anything else. Specifically, He says to repent. Repent means to change of one's mind for the better, heartily amending one's ways, with abhorrence of past sins.
Let's first realize we can attempt to change ourselves. This is done as an act of our own will to "be better" or "be a better person". We determine within ourselves "darn it, I'm going to change!"
There's a big difference between this versus saying "Jesus, I can't help myself. Change me, Jesus."
If we determine to make this change ourself, the change will be partial and incomplete. The majority of our walk will be struggle and defeat, not victory. We will have a form of godliness but will not be walking in His power.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24).
Repentance is linked to the first part--deny. None of us has to spend much effort to live a fleshly life in rebellion against God. Doesn't take much at all. We have the choice at any time, any moment, to live according to our flesh (aka sin nature).
I'm not going to address the "take up his cross" phrase in this particular blog. (saving for later)
Jesus also says to follow Him. That's kind of broad. What do you mean by that, Jesus?
"Follow Me." Hmmm. Have we ever stopped to realize that we can do the first two without doing the third? We can deny ourself and take up our cross, but not follow. It happens all the time. Continuously.
We may be denying ourself and sincerely desiring to walk with Jesus. We may even know what taking up our cross is, and be doing so. But if we're not following Jesus then what we're doing doesn't count for beans.
What do you mean? You mean that my living a clean life, according to the precepts of the Bible, striving to live by it, having a decent prayer life and asking forgiveness when I know I've missed the mark is not "it"? How can that be?
These next verses come up pretty frequently in this blog. Matthew 7:21-23.
Did Jesus just say this because He was bored? Had nothing else to say or do? No, He was simply laying out the tenets of the Way.
Many say: accept Jesus, study the Word and develop a prayer life. Do this and you're on the Way.
There is scant teaching on learning to follow Jesus. Yet He emphatically says that unless what we do is of Him and through Him then what we do is useless (John 15:5, Matt 7:19).
Learning to follow Jesus, tangibly and actually in our lives (not theroetically or philosophically in our minds), should become our way of life before going any further in this thread.
..................
So when we are following Jesus. As we learn to follow Him and are chosen to be His hands and feet through which He moves in power, it's important both our motives and hearts about it stay in check. If we have any self-glory in desiring to be used of the Lord, or any self-glory when used of the Lord, this is absolutely not of Him. There is very specific note of this in Scripture (Acts 8:9-25, Luke 17:10).
Getting back on track. The power of the Gospel. Offense.
"Jesus came...to destroy the works of the devil."
This doesn't read "When the Son of God appeared on earth the devil's work was destroyed", nor "the devil was destroyed". satan's work did not disappear or go away just because Jesus was on earth. The removal of satan's handiwork required Jesus' proactive touch or word for healing, restoration and strengthening to occur.
Colossians 2:15. The power of satan and his hordes was rendered powerless through the cross. Doesn't say "the power and authorities were removed" or "...were thrown into hell".
No, they are still in our midst. The world is under the control of the devil. I raise this point after hearing someone recently say "satan is already defeated". Folks, satan doesn't get thrown into the lake of sulfur until Revelation 20. He is alive and doing much evil in increasing measure all over the globe.
There is a difference between satan's power being rendered powerless and him already being defeated. A difference between his works being destoyed and he being destroyed. To say he (himself) is defeated indicates the battle/engagement/fight/war is over. And it's not...yet.
"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." (1 John 5:19)
"Again, the devil took him (Jesus) to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.'" (Matthew 4:8-9)
"The world hates me because I testify that what it does is evil" (John 7:7)
"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19)
Here's the good news. Actually, it's more than good. We as Followers have the authority in the name of Jesus to trample on scorpions and snakes, and to destroy the works of the devil even moreso than Jesus did (John 14:12).
Again, bear in mind that walking in the power of Jesus must coincide with being led by the Holy Spirit.
I spent time with a brother in Jesus last night who was involved in a horrific accident early this year. He was thrown by a man off a 50 foot building. He has a brain injury, a bad back, and either hip can become dislocated at any time.
This brother's heart belongs to Jesus. He loves the Lord deeply and truly. My heart went out to him, and we ended up praying together. As much as in my Christian flesh I would have liked to have seen the Lord heal him on the spot, that was not in the works last night. Can God heal him? Absolutely. Instantly? Absolutely. But it was not to be last night.
As we prayed I did not get a green light from the Holy Spirit about healing last night.. The Spirit did not fall down or lead in power for that purpose. We had great fellowship and prayer time together, and I did anoint him with oil, but his thorn remains at least for a moment.
After we prayed together, we were walking over to another location. He told me of an experience he'd had recently. He was in public somewhere, and a lady came eagerly toward him. As she approached she said "Where have you been? Where have you been?!?" Turns out she was a Follower, and she prayed for him and anointed him with oil, etc.
This brother walks with a stroller/walker with wheels. After this sister prayed for him, she said "You can walk without that now. You don't need it anymore." He appreciated her compassion, her time and her desire for the Lord to work powerfully at that moment, but it didn't happen. Why not? It wasn't God's timing. I guarantee it was not due to a lack of faith in this brother. There was nothing "wrong" with him. There is no unbelief. There is no "hidden sin" that prevented anything.
it is admirable that this sister acknowledges Jesus' ability and power to heal. That's awesome. She's already ahead of the part of the Body that thinks the power of God was for times past, not present. And I'm glad she felt compassion for this brother upon seeing his situation.
What I'm most thankful for is that this brother's faith did not waver one bit. How many thousands have been turned off because of someone whose heart and intentions were in the right place, but whose actions were not by the leading of the Holy Spirit? Matthew 7:21-23, Romans 8:14. My two staple verses.
it's about learning to be led by the Holy Spirit, friends. As I spent time with this brother last night, and heard his story, the compassion and longing for him was strong beyond description. Nothing could have been more glorious than for the Lord to reach down and touch him.
And why wouldn't He? I mean, this man is around many others. Many people know he walks with a stroller walker. They know of his affliction. Wouldn't it absolutely glorify God for this man to be touched? Yep.
Friends, we are called to follow Jesus. He is not called to follow us.
One of the spiritual cancers in America is the Dominion Gospel, where there is teaching that we are to invoke and/or "name and claim" things we want to see, things we want God to do, people we want to see healed...and God and Jesus are to just do it all.
Do what I want, Lord. Make my life content and prosperous. Bless me, Lord. Give me smooth sailing. Make my job enjoyable. Make sure my car runs well. Solve all my family conflict. Make sure there's plenty of food in the cupboard.
Bless my life, Lord, and I praise You and thank You for doing it and making it so. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Friend, you need to get back to the basics of the Lord's prayer. "Not my will, but Yours be done".
I reminded someone of this this past week, their response is "Oh, I know. I know." I saw right through their crap. I exposed their Dominion Gospel for what it is, and they gave lip service to knowing and following the Truth.
Same thing applies to this "Wild At Heart" crud. The Wild At Heart author says man should "live from his deep heart".
Really? How about living according to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit?
This advocacy of this author, for people to live from what's in their heart, without clearly drawing a distinction between the thin line of living a Scripture-based life versus a Scripture-based life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is a recipe for disaster.
There are three sources of thoughts in my head: my flesh, the devil, and the Holy Spirit. How is telling someone "live from your heart" clarifying any distinction between these three? There are plenty already, and here come more Believers who will be living, doing and invoking their own Bible-based flesh into the world. Just like this lady who approached the brother to pray for him and he could throw his walker down.
Is she a Christian? Yes. Mean well? Yes. Love the Lord? Yes. Scripture-based Believer? Yes. Heart go out for this man? Yes. Led by the Holy Spirit? No.
Are you being led by the Holy Spirit, friend? Are you following Jesus...or asking Him to follow you?
Are we hearing the Holy Spirit? Are we learning in increasing measure to distinguish between the Holy Spirit, our own thoughts and the thoughts planted by the enemy?
We may be reading our Bible and striving to live by its principles. When we're faced with a situation, what do we do? Are we to "turn the other cheek", or do we "trample on snakes and scorpions"? The Bible says both of these things. Which is it? "There's a time for peace and a time for war" (Eccl 3). How do I know which to do?
Tune in to the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was not just speaking to hear Himself talk when He said:
""I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5, Amplified)
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things..." (John 14:26a)
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears..." (John 16:13)
John said, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matthew 3:11)
A couple of things I share about the Holy Spirit that you need to know about my background.
I grew up in a dead church. Dead. Full of religion. Full of ritual. At Christmas time Jesus was referred to as "the Christ child". What? That would be like me calling my blood brother "the male who was born before I".
The Holy Spirit was referred to as "one of the mysteries of God". Also commonly heard "that we don't understand" added to that statement.
I grew up not having the faintest clue about the Holy Spirit. He was mentioned as some distant, vague, unknowable entity.
Jesus made no bones about the Holy Spirit. Jesus was quite clear about Him, and more overt than many American churches care to acknowledge.
There is no mystery to the Holy Spirit. If you wish to know Him as you would get to know any other person or friend, you can.
"What father among you, if his son asks for]a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:11-13, Amplified)
One of the most incredible things I come across in talking with other Followers is their fear/hostility/avoidance with regard to the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a GIFT. A gift from God.
Jesus clearly affirms the Holy Spirit is a good gift. The Greek word for "good" He uses also means advantageous.
So, putting this all together: the Holy Spirit is a gift from God that is to our advantage to have. He is not a mystery. He is not something we're incapable of understanding. Jesus promised He would send the Holy Spirit to disciples, and He delivers.
Remember this. The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all gentlemen. They do not dwell where they are not welcome. If they are disbelieved, scorned, yawned at or uninvited, they may show up briefly, but they don't dwell.
This blog may have drifted from its original, but to wrap it all together: we must live by the Holy Spirit's guidance, not our Christian-based flesh or our own Christian-based thoughts, if we are to be the Lord's hands and feet, His offense, in this world.
Trust in, cling to and rely on the Lord. Seek Him. Ask Him for the advantageous gift of the Holy Spirit, that He may guide, lead and teach. If we are to walk in the power of the Spirit (Acts 10 :38), then let us be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).
There is mighty Power of the gospel we are called to walk in for the advancing of God's Kingdom. It is not our own. We are simply the conduit through which God does amazing works, to draw people unto Himself, not draw them unto us. This is not a gospel of words or human wisdom, but rather a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:4-5).
"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." Hebrews 10:39
We have the option to be and do for God, or to shrink back. Shrink back into comfort. Shrink back into our cushioned pews. Shrink back into conformity with society. Shrink back into man's opinion.
Shrink back into thinking that things like potluck dinners in the name of Jesus are the "works" He has called us to. Shrink back into thinking that being a Christian means conducting a PR campaign for Jesus, where we're to be admired and liked for being Christians instead of hated (Matthew 10:22, Luke 6:22, John 15:19, John 17:14).
Maybe we need a soul search as to what we're truly called to as followers of Jesus. Apart from the scales over our eyes, as to what our society says our faith and our calling consists of. Apart from what a denomination says. Apart from the opinions we have formed ourselves about God. Aside from the teaching of the Holy Spirit and God's Word which we've received from man (rather than from God).
Let's hit our knees and hear straight from the Holy Spirit. Let's be transformed, as He renews our mind. We will not only be surprised. More importantly we will be empowered by the very hand and heart of God.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Holy Spirit on the move
Thursday evening I went over to a couple's house from my fellowship to have dinner. We ended up talking for several hours about the Lord--it was great fellowship.
This particular couple has two adult handicapped children, I believe their ages are 30 and 32. They are both precious and funny. The male is a laugh a minute. The female, she's a sweetheart. I love them and their parents.
The female adult had a couple of grand mal seizures this summer, to the point during one of them they did not know if she'd make it. The Lord has put the children deeply on my heart ever since I've known them.
The female has had minor seizures since this summer, and sleeps with oxygen to help her breathing and reduce the possibility of their occuring while she sleeps.
The night that I was over, the wife's sister came over to stay the night as the daughter's caretaker (make sure oxygen is secure, watch her). I was sitting at the kitchen table talking with husband, it was getting late and I was about to head home.
I noticed the wife and sister were in the daughter's bedroom, and as I thought about leaving I got a nudge from the Holy Spirit. It wasn't just to go say goodbye and leave. It was to go pray for the daughter.
I went into the bedroom. The daughter sleeps in a hospital-type bed (with the tilt and elevation features). I stood beside her bed, reached out and put my hand on her left shoulder. She was already asleep. I began to pray quietly out loud as the Spirit led, at first just invoking the Lord's hand, then praying in the Spirit for awhile, then finishing either with the interpretation or in English. I wasn't paying attention if it was actually an interp or simply back into English, I just did as the Spirit led.
Even though the wife and her sister were in there, the Spirit didn't lead for there to be group prayer. The wife was standing beside me as I prayed, and I knew she was likewise in prayer when I was. The sister was behind us on the couch in the bedroom.
When I finished praying I said goodbye to the family and headed home. No fireworks. No strong drama or emotional in the praying (though there are times where the Spirit falls during prayer and prayer is very intense). It was not so this night, in praying for the daughter. I knew the Spirit had led everything, from nudging to pray, to praying solo and quietly instead of as a group, and what to pray.
Today, two days later, I saw the wife again up at the fellowship. She pulled me aside and said "I want to thank you for praying the other night. I don't know if it was before or after you came in the room, but my sister expressed she had an eerie, bad feeling about that night. She had a strong intuition that something was amiss." I shared with her that I had not heard her sister say that.
She went on to say that as I stood there praying she physically felt a burden being lifted from that room. I didn't sense anything, I just knew the Holy Spirit was guiding. She said that even after I finished praying that she felt the burden continuing even afterward to be still lifting.
From what she said, a normal night will involve her tossing and turning, peeking down the hall to see if the light in her daughter's bedroom is on, indicating whoever is watching her daughter through the night is having to do something. It's common for the daughter to have minor seizures when she sleeps, or some other kind of something during the night that requires attention regularly.
She said Thursday night her daughter slept all the way through, which is very much not the normal thing to happen. She said she likewise slept all the way through that night. She didn't sleep lightly, as she normally does, to peek and see if anything is going on or needs attention.
I got a little choked as she said this, for once again as in many situations in the recent past, the Lord has shown His mighty power while veiling my eyes from seeing it. I began to praise Him and praise Him. He has been showing Himself so strongly lately, and choosing to show this power to me after the fact.
I'm perfectly okay with Him doing so this way (like I'd have any say-so anyway, heh heh). The tears stream from humility, that He is gracious enough to reveal what He is doing. There are so many times where the Spirit leads something, and the result will likely not be seen until that Day. And I'm okay with that.
To know that I'm following the leading of the Holy Spirit in something is all that matters to me. I don't have to know or see what God is doing. If I'm following the Spirit, I know He's doing something. If it's for me to see, great. If it's not for me to see, great. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). I know when I'm nudged to do something, to simply do it and know I'm following the Spirit's lead is enough by me.
"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' " (Luke 17:10)
To be shown glimpses of what He is actually doing in a situation, by the testimony of brothers and sisters, is glorifying to Him and at the same time so incredibly humbling. Who is man, that God should reveal His intents and purposes to?
There is absolutely nothing special about me, that the Lord should show me what He as Master and Creator is doing. I'm just called to follow. He nudges to do, and I do. Knowing I did for Him, that is all I need. For God to reveal His glory and His workmanship to this imperfect servant, is humbling beyond description. All glory to His Name.
Maybe it's cause I'm foolish enough to take Him at His word. I know He can do absolutely anything. No, really--He can do not only neat things, but "far and above all we could ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). He works in power and amazement and wonder constantly. Would that we would all be so foolish as to believe (1 Cor 1:27). If we would, we might see that He shows us things, not because we're worthy, but simply because it is His good pleasure to do so (Luke 10:21, Ephesians 1:9).
This particular couple has two adult handicapped children, I believe their ages are 30 and 32. They are both precious and funny. The male is a laugh a minute. The female, she's a sweetheart. I love them and their parents.
The female adult had a couple of grand mal seizures this summer, to the point during one of them they did not know if she'd make it. The Lord has put the children deeply on my heart ever since I've known them.
The female has had minor seizures since this summer, and sleeps with oxygen to help her breathing and reduce the possibility of their occuring while she sleeps.
The night that I was over, the wife's sister came over to stay the night as the daughter's caretaker (make sure oxygen is secure, watch her). I was sitting at the kitchen table talking with husband, it was getting late and I was about to head home.
I noticed the wife and sister were in the daughter's bedroom, and as I thought about leaving I got a nudge from the Holy Spirit. It wasn't just to go say goodbye and leave. It was to go pray for the daughter.
I went into the bedroom. The daughter sleeps in a hospital-type bed (with the tilt and elevation features). I stood beside her bed, reached out and put my hand on her left shoulder. She was already asleep. I began to pray quietly out loud as the Spirit led, at first just invoking the Lord's hand, then praying in the Spirit for awhile, then finishing either with the interpretation or in English. I wasn't paying attention if it was actually an interp or simply back into English, I just did as the Spirit led.
Even though the wife and her sister were in there, the Spirit didn't lead for there to be group prayer. The wife was standing beside me as I prayed, and I knew she was likewise in prayer when I was. The sister was behind us on the couch in the bedroom.
When I finished praying I said goodbye to the family and headed home. No fireworks. No strong drama or emotional in the praying (though there are times where the Spirit falls during prayer and prayer is very intense). It was not so this night, in praying for the daughter. I knew the Spirit had led everything, from nudging to pray, to praying solo and quietly instead of as a group, and what to pray.
Today, two days later, I saw the wife again up at the fellowship. She pulled me aside and said "I want to thank you for praying the other night. I don't know if it was before or after you came in the room, but my sister expressed she had an eerie, bad feeling about that night. She had a strong intuition that something was amiss." I shared with her that I had not heard her sister say that.
She went on to say that as I stood there praying she physically felt a burden being lifted from that room. I didn't sense anything, I just knew the Holy Spirit was guiding. She said that even after I finished praying that she felt the burden continuing even afterward to be still lifting.
From what she said, a normal night will involve her tossing and turning, peeking down the hall to see if the light in her daughter's bedroom is on, indicating whoever is watching her daughter through the night is having to do something. It's common for the daughter to have minor seizures when she sleeps, or some other kind of something during the night that requires attention regularly.
She said Thursday night her daughter slept all the way through, which is very much not the normal thing to happen. She said she likewise slept all the way through that night. She didn't sleep lightly, as she normally does, to peek and see if anything is going on or needs attention.
I got a little choked as she said this, for once again as in many situations in the recent past, the Lord has shown His mighty power while veiling my eyes from seeing it. I began to praise Him and praise Him. He has been showing Himself so strongly lately, and choosing to show this power to me after the fact.
I'm perfectly okay with Him doing so this way (like I'd have any say-so anyway, heh heh). The tears stream from humility, that He is gracious enough to reveal what He is doing. There are so many times where the Spirit leads something, and the result will likely not be seen until that Day. And I'm okay with that.
To know that I'm following the leading of the Holy Spirit in something is all that matters to me. I don't have to know or see what God is doing. If I'm following the Spirit, I know He's doing something. If it's for me to see, great. If it's not for me to see, great. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). I know when I'm nudged to do something, to simply do it and know I'm following the Spirit's lead is enough by me.
"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' " (Luke 17:10)
To be shown glimpses of what He is actually doing in a situation, by the testimony of brothers and sisters, is glorifying to Him and at the same time so incredibly humbling. Who is man, that God should reveal His intents and purposes to?
There is absolutely nothing special about me, that the Lord should show me what He as Master and Creator is doing. I'm just called to follow. He nudges to do, and I do. Knowing I did for Him, that is all I need. For God to reveal His glory and His workmanship to this imperfect servant, is humbling beyond description. All glory to His Name.
Maybe it's cause I'm foolish enough to take Him at His word. I know He can do absolutely anything. No, really--He can do not only neat things, but "far and above all we could ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). He works in power and amazement and wonder constantly. Would that we would all be so foolish as to believe (1 Cor 1:27). If we would, we might see that He shows us things, not because we're worthy, but simply because it is His good pleasure to do so (Luke 10:21, Ephesians 1:9).
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
the attitude in miracles
Yesterday afternoon I sensed the Holy Spirit nudge me to call up a brother from my fellowship and ask him if he wanted to meet me up at the fellowship in the evening. I wasn't sure if it was myself thinking this at first, but after the third nudge I was "okay, I'll call him."
When I reached him by phone and asked him about meeting me up there at night, his response was "sure, what's up?"
I told him I didn't know, maybe that we would just pray or anoint with oil. Said I didn't know specifically why, I only knew I was prompted to ask. Said I didn't know he and his wife's schedules this week, but if it could work out some night this week to let me know.
As it turned out, I went to dinner with them and their daughter, then the brother and I met up at the fellowship after he dropped his wife and daughter off at home.
We went into the worship area, and shared for awhile, caught up with each other. Eventually we anointed and prayed for each other. After we prayed I got the oil and started going around to all the door facings that enter the worship area. My buddy still wanted to spend some time praying for his mom (has extensive brain cancer) and a few other things we didn't cover.
I started anointing all the door facings, starting at front by the stage, then going to the back. As I went to the back, I felt nudged to start singing a praise song, so I did. The one that came to mind was "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord" (it's kind of a slow song, where frequently men and women will sing in rounds--the men sing a line, and the women repeat, more or less).
My voice wasn't so warmed up, and I haven't sang much recently, so I didn't sing real loud. As I finished anointing the door posts in the back, I came into the sanctuary. I was still singing various verses of this song, but I stopped and sang in one spot. All of a sudden something clicked, and I felt led to sing uninhibited instead of singing quietly as I had been doing.
Something happened the whole time I was singing both quietly and regularly. Nearly the whole time I sang, I wondered if the Lord was going to somehow anoint my singing. All I could hear was myself, but I kept wondering if it was just me or if the Lord would or was somehow amplifying it.
So, here I was near the back of the worship area, probably about 80 feet or so from where my buddy was up front kneeling and praying for his mom and the church.
I sang two verses in the worship area standing in that spot, and it then seemed the time to stop singing. Right about this time, my buddy finished his prayer. I silently walked up to the front.
When I got up there, my buddy turned to me and said "I don't know what you were doing or what was happening, but as you sang it sounded like it was more than just you singing. It sounded like there was a group of men singing. Kinda like when a group of monks sing, as though there were multiple voices. And it was loud! It didn't distract me from my prayer, I knew the singing was in the background, but it was very, very loud. As though this place was full and everyone was singing. It was so surreal. it didn't distract me from my prayer, but man it was loud!"
I then told him that as I had been going around anointing with oil, that it crossed my mind if the Lord was going to do something during my singing, and wondering in my mind as I sang if I was the only one singing.
We both began to glorify the Lord! The Lord (just as in my driving travel a few weeks ago [see 'Capernaum 2005' entry of my blog]), kept me and my senses in the physical world, yet He allowed my brother as he was praying to experience the spirit realm.
What's amazing is, less than a month ago I was at this brother's house, and his wife had just a few days before had a vision. She and I talked about what it was like to be in the spirit realm (I was allowed to have an experience in the spirit realm this past summer), and the husband was just kinda sitting there. I looked at her and said "We ought to pray for him to experience the spirit realm so he'll know what we're talking about. We ought to pray this happen in less than a month."
My brother's ears were opened to the spirit realm (by the Lord) for a few minutes last night. Glory to God! This was none of my brother's doing, and the Lord kept me strictly in the physical world. I could only hear my voice singing, but in my spirit there was an intuition, a pondering if there was more than just my singing going on. Turns out there was. Bless the Lord.
Bear in mind above all these things being testified about: the glory and amazement of the supernatural events is not the point. The ambition is not to have experiences. The point is to know Jesus. To know His Father, the Creator of this universe and our heavenly Father. To know the Holy Spirit, who Jesus promised He would send after He ascended into heaven. The point is to know Them.
Many people live for the signs. They thirst for the miracles. That's not what Jesus said it was about. Matthew 16:1-4.
"1 Now the Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. 2 He replied to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, 3 And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away. (Amplified Bible)
These were religious people. Religious leaders. People who believed in God. They asked Jesus for a sign. Asked Him for a miracle. Jesus saw their hearts. He knew why they were asking. They weren't asking for a sign so that they would then follow Him and trust Him as Savior and the Messiah. They wanted to see a sign or miracle for the purpose of seeing a sign or miracle.
So what did Jesus do? He told them no sign would be given except the sign of Jonah, then He turned and walked away. If they (we) weren't (aren't) willing to ingrain into the soul and heart the most important miracle and sign of all, His resurrection triumph over sin and death, then no other sign matters.
We see a similar example of this in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. At the end of the parable, the rich man, in torment, says:
"send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:28-31; context verses 19-31)
Jesus spoke of mankind's heart here. The parable says the man in torment was a rich man. Would it be too much of a stretch to say that because he had gone to hell his heart was proud, unbending, arrogant and unrepentant? He pleaded that he had brothers who needed to hear the message, so that they could escape the same fate as he.
When he asked "can you send someone to warn my brothers", the reply was "they have Moses and the Prophets, let them listen to them". In other words, there is plenty of Biblical testimony for them, to know how to to escape punishment.
The rich man replied (paraphrased) "that ain't gonna do it". The rich man said this because he himself had studied the law of Moses and the Prophets. He knew the prophecies of the Old Testament to a "t". Knew them well. He believed in God (the Father).
He thought his brothers would believe if someone raised from the dead were sent to give the warning. Surely this miraculous a sign would be sufficient to cause his brothers to repent!
What was the reply to "send someone raised from the dead to warn them"? Yes, that would make them repent"?
No, the parable finishes by saying "they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead".
Jesus was talking about the heart of mankind here, saying that for some people even if a miracle happened right before their eyes they still will not believe (trust in, cling to, rely on) Him. (John 12:37)
Human logic says if someone was raised from the dead, that would be enough for ANYONE to believe (trust in, cling to, rely on).
Unfortunately, I've seen this happen here on earth. I have seen the Lord perform an absolute, undeniable miracle of healing, and seen people be in absolute denial of the moving and power of His Hand right before their eyes.
Will Jesus still sometimes heal even if there is unbelief present? He can do some, if He chooses. He can't do as much as He could do if there is belief in a place or among a people. At least once He willing to do some miracles among unbelievers who were offended by Him. (Matt 13:58, context verses 54-58)
Bear in mind healing occurs at His choosing. How often do people (even well-meaning, Jesus-loving Believers) claim the right and authority to invoke the Lord's healing at THEIR bidding, their timing, their choosing (instead of the Lord's)?
How many people put God and Jesus on the spot, essentially saying "Heal, Lord, or else"?
Some folks become spiritually stagnant unless God moves His Hand to heal.
Others play roulette with God, saying that He needs to heal so that their unbelieving friend or family member will become a Christian. Didn't we just read that Jesus said some will not believe even if there be miracles? And some won't believe even when the miracle is the raising of the dead?
Since when is it okay to tell God how and when to be God? Don't we take note of Jesus healing when humility is present?
"When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy." (Matt 8:1-3)
This leper showed two important traits when he asked Jesus for healing: respect and humility.
He knelt down before Him. Do we bow (either physically or in our attitude) when we approach Jesus? Or do we go to Jesus with a need, and in addition to saying "I know You can do this" is there also an attitude of "and I expect You to" along with it?
When we're in a human situation in life, what's our gut instinct when a stranger approaches us with a strong expectancy for us to do something for them? What about when it's a friend or acquaintance, and again there's a strong "I expect you to do this" in their voice? What's our instinct to manipulation by those who don't know us or those who do know us, either one having an overbearing spirit when they ask us to do something for them?
There seems to be a lot of prideful expectation in the Body of Christ in America when asking the Father or Jesus to do something (heal or miracle), instead of humble requests before Jesus and humble submission with regard to the Father's will (versus our will).
Right on the heels of this healing of the leper in Matthew 8, Jesus entered Capernaum, where he came across a centurion:
""Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed." (Matt 8: 6-8).
What would most of us say to Jesus if He physically walked the earth and said "I will go and heal who is sick in your house"?
Would we call home and frantically tell whoever was at home to clean up? Would we say "And do it right! The King of Kings is coming!"
Would we make fifty calls on our cell phone to everyone we know and say "Guess what!?! Jesus is coming to MY house! Yes, yes, Jesus!!! Can you believe it?!? I know!! Yeah, He chose me!!"
Where is our humility before Jesus and Father? What a stark contrast between this attitude and the centurion's "I do not deserve for You to come under my roof".
With unbelief in a lot of places (churches included), and with pride (instead of humility) running rampant (even within the Body), it makes you wonder--is Jesus willing to still do miracles?
Sure He is. He wants to! He yearns to, yet bear these things in mind:
--He doesn't want to just "do miracles". Above everything He wants mankind to come to repentance, turn from sin and Follow Him. That is His first priority, to save us from ourselves and/or from satan's grip, more than anything else. Repentance and salvation are the main course. Miracles are the side dish, but a very important and powerful one.
We see the importance of miracles in Mark 16:20 and 1 Cor 2:4-5:
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." (Mark 16:20)
Jesus is in sync with His disciples. He works in a tag team effort to confirm preaching of the good news of His forgiveness and victory over sin and death with signs.
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Cor 2:4-5, context is verses 1-5)
The Christian faith is not a faith of words alone. There are a lot of churches who conduct their Christian ministry and business without any signs. A lot of churches have pastors who are polished in both appearance and speech. Is the gospel they preach one of words, or is it a gospel of words AND the demonstration of the power of God?
In asking this question I'm not saying to switch churches necessarily. I'm saying (1) to examine the fruit on the tree (Matthew 7: 17-18), and (2) Pastors, wake up to the Bible you preach and embrace.
Drop your denominational and theological rigidity. Why hold on to tradition, ceremony, structure and dull repetitiveness if there is no demonstration of God's power?
People wonder why the youth of America are where they are in terms of God. There are several factors. One of them is there is no power demonstrated in some churches of today. They see more make-believe power in Harry Potter movies than they see the real power of God moving in the church their parents drag them to every Sunday.
There is an intrinsic capacity inside every human being to believe and savor the supernatural.
If the Body of Christ is not walking and living in the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, kids/people are going to look to alternate (fake) sources of the supernatural. Would it be true to say that in America more people embrace Harry Potter (though it's clearly a make believe movie) than embrace the true miracles done here on Earth by God's Hand? This should not be the case.
We have a resurrected Lord, who overcame and put death to shame. The gospels are full of His miraculous moving and power to heal and save. He then charged us to do the same (Mark 16:17-18). Jesus also said His followers will do the same things, and in fact greater things than He because He was going to the Father (John 14:12).
What are we waiting for? Are we requiring that Jesus Himself appear to us personally in our bedroom before we "get it", and start doing what He said His Followers WILL (not might) do?
I am so convicted right now.
Bear in mind, our moving in His power MUST be done at His direction, not ours. Period. To walk on the same page with the Lord simply means being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14), with Jesus working with and alongside us (Mark 16:20). By walking in His power under His guidance, we are not in peril of His telling us "I never knew you, depart from Me" (Matt 7:21-23).
This is very sobering to ponder, but it is Truth. Let's strive to be led by the Spirit.
When I reached him by phone and asked him about meeting me up there at night, his response was "sure, what's up?"
I told him I didn't know, maybe that we would just pray or anoint with oil. Said I didn't know specifically why, I only knew I was prompted to ask. Said I didn't know he and his wife's schedules this week, but if it could work out some night this week to let me know.
As it turned out, I went to dinner with them and their daughter, then the brother and I met up at the fellowship after he dropped his wife and daughter off at home.
We went into the worship area, and shared for awhile, caught up with each other. Eventually we anointed and prayed for each other. After we prayed I got the oil and started going around to all the door facings that enter the worship area. My buddy still wanted to spend some time praying for his mom (has extensive brain cancer) and a few other things we didn't cover.
I started anointing all the door facings, starting at front by the stage, then going to the back. As I went to the back, I felt nudged to start singing a praise song, so I did. The one that came to mind was "Sing Hallelujah to the Lord" (it's kind of a slow song, where frequently men and women will sing in rounds--the men sing a line, and the women repeat, more or less).
My voice wasn't so warmed up, and I haven't sang much recently, so I didn't sing real loud. As I finished anointing the door posts in the back, I came into the sanctuary. I was still singing various verses of this song, but I stopped and sang in one spot. All of a sudden something clicked, and I felt led to sing uninhibited instead of singing quietly as I had been doing.
Something happened the whole time I was singing both quietly and regularly. Nearly the whole time I sang, I wondered if the Lord was going to somehow anoint my singing. All I could hear was myself, but I kept wondering if it was just me or if the Lord would or was somehow amplifying it.
So, here I was near the back of the worship area, probably about 80 feet or so from where my buddy was up front kneeling and praying for his mom and the church.
I sang two verses in the worship area standing in that spot, and it then seemed the time to stop singing. Right about this time, my buddy finished his prayer. I silently walked up to the front.
When I got up there, my buddy turned to me and said "I don't know what you were doing or what was happening, but as you sang it sounded like it was more than just you singing. It sounded like there was a group of men singing. Kinda like when a group of monks sing, as though there were multiple voices. And it was loud! It didn't distract me from my prayer, I knew the singing was in the background, but it was very, very loud. As though this place was full and everyone was singing. It was so surreal. it didn't distract me from my prayer, but man it was loud!"
I then told him that as I had been going around anointing with oil, that it crossed my mind if the Lord was going to do something during my singing, and wondering in my mind as I sang if I was the only one singing.
We both began to glorify the Lord! The Lord (just as in my driving travel a few weeks ago [see 'Capernaum 2005' entry of my blog]), kept me and my senses in the physical world, yet He allowed my brother as he was praying to experience the spirit realm.
What's amazing is, less than a month ago I was at this brother's house, and his wife had just a few days before had a vision. She and I talked about what it was like to be in the spirit realm (I was allowed to have an experience in the spirit realm this past summer), and the husband was just kinda sitting there. I looked at her and said "We ought to pray for him to experience the spirit realm so he'll know what we're talking about. We ought to pray this happen in less than a month."
My brother's ears were opened to the spirit realm (by the Lord) for a few minutes last night. Glory to God! This was none of my brother's doing, and the Lord kept me strictly in the physical world. I could only hear my voice singing, but in my spirit there was an intuition, a pondering if there was more than just my singing going on. Turns out there was. Bless the Lord.
Bear in mind above all these things being testified about: the glory and amazement of the supernatural events is not the point. The ambition is not to have experiences. The point is to know Jesus. To know His Father, the Creator of this universe and our heavenly Father. To know the Holy Spirit, who Jesus promised He would send after He ascended into heaven. The point is to know Them.
Many people live for the signs. They thirst for the miracles. That's not what Jesus said it was about. Matthew 16:1-4.
"1 Now the Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. 2 He replied to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, 3 And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away. (Amplified Bible)
These were religious people. Religious leaders. People who believed in God. They asked Jesus for a sign. Asked Him for a miracle. Jesus saw their hearts. He knew why they were asking. They weren't asking for a sign so that they would then follow Him and trust Him as Savior and the Messiah. They wanted to see a sign or miracle for the purpose of seeing a sign or miracle.
So what did Jesus do? He told them no sign would be given except the sign of Jonah, then He turned and walked away. If they (we) weren't (aren't) willing to ingrain into the soul and heart the most important miracle and sign of all, His resurrection triumph over sin and death, then no other sign matters.
We see a similar example of this in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. At the end of the parable, the rich man, in torment, says:
"send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:28-31; context verses 19-31)
Jesus spoke of mankind's heart here. The parable says the man in torment was a rich man. Would it be too much of a stretch to say that because he had gone to hell his heart was proud, unbending, arrogant and unrepentant? He pleaded that he had brothers who needed to hear the message, so that they could escape the same fate as he.
When he asked "can you send someone to warn my brothers", the reply was "they have Moses and the Prophets, let them listen to them". In other words, there is plenty of Biblical testimony for them, to know how to to escape punishment.
The rich man replied (paraphrased) "that ain't gonna do it". The rich man said this because he himself had studied the law of Moses and the Prophets. He knew the prophecies of the Old Testament to a "t". Knew them well. He believed in God (the Father).
He thought his brothers would believe if someone raised from the dead were sent to give the warning. Surely this miraculous a sign would be sufficient to cause his brothers to repent!
What was the reply to "send someone raised from the dead to warn them"? Yes, that would make them repent"?
No, the parable finishes by saying "they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead".
Jesus was talking about the heart of mankind here, saying that for some people even if a miracle happened right before their eyes they still will not believe (trust in, cling to, rely on) Him. (John 12:37)
Human logic says if someone was raised from the dead, that would be enough for ANYONE to believe (trust in, cling to, rely on).
Unfortunately, I've seen this happen here on earth. I have seen the Lord perform an absolute, undeniable miracle of healing, and seen people be in absolute denial of the moving and power of His Hand right before their eyes.
Will Jesus still sometimes heal even if there is unbelief present? He can do some, if He chooses. He can't do as much as He could do if there is belief in a place or among a people. At least once He willing to do some miracles among unbelievers who were offended by Him. (Matt 13:58, context verses 54-58)
Bear in mind healing occurs at His choosing. How often do people (even well-meaning, Jesus-loving Believers) claim the right and authority to invoke the Lord's healing at THEIR bidding, their timing, their choosing (instead of the Lord's)?
How many people put God and Jesus on the spot, essentially saying "Heal, Lord, or else"?
Some folks become spiritually stagnant unless God moves His Hand to heal.
Others play roulette with God, saying that He needs to heal so that their unbelieving friend or family member will become a Christian. Didn't we just read that Jesus said some will not believe even if there be miracles? And some won't believe even when the miracle is the raising of the dead?
Since when is it okay to tell God how and when to be God? Don't we take note of Jesus healing when humility is present?
"When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy." (Matt 8:1-3)
This leper showed two important traits when he asked Jesus for healing: respect and humility.
He knelt down before Him. Do we bow (either physically or in our attitude) when we approach Jesus? Or do we go to Jesus with a need, and in addition to saying "I know You can do this" is there also an attitude of "and I expect You to" along with it?
When we're in a human situation in life, what's our gut instinct when a stranger approaches us with a strong expectancy for us to do something for them? What about when it's a friend or acquaintance, and again there's a strong "I expect you to do this" in their voice? What's our instinct to manipulation by those who don't know us or those who do know us, either one having an overbearing spirit when they ask us to do something for them?
There seems to be a lot of prideful expectation in the Body of Christ in America when asking the Father or Jesus to do something (heal or miracle), instead of humble requests before Jesus and humble submission with regard to the Father's will (versus our will).
Right on the heels of this healing of the leper in Matthew 8, Jesus entered Capernaum, where he came across a centurion:
""Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed." (Matt 8: 6-8).
What would most of us say to Jesus if He physically walked the earth and said "I will go and heal who is sick in your house"?
Would we call home and frantically tell whoever was at home to clean up? Would we say "And do it right! The King of Kings is coming!"
Would we make fifty calls on our cell phone to everyone we know and say "Guess what!?! Jesus is coming to MY house! Yes, yes, Jesus!!! Can you believe it?!? I know!! Yeah, He chose me!!"
Where is our humility before Jesus and Father? What a stark contrast between this attitude and the centurion's "I do not deserve for You to come under my roof".
With unbelief in a lot of places (churches included), and with pride (instead of humility) running rampant (even within the Body), it makes you wonder--is Jesus willing to still do miracles?
Sure He is. He wants to! He yearns to, yet bear these things in mind:
--He doesn't want to just "do miracles". Above everything He wants mankind to come to repentance, turn from sin and Follow Him. That is His first priority, to save us from ourselves and/or from satan's grip, more than anything else. Repentance and salvation are the main course. Miracles are the side dish, but a very important and powerful one.
We see the importance of miracles in Mark 16:20 and 1 Cor 2:4-5:
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." (Mark 16:20)
Jesus is in sync with His disciples. He works in a tag team effort to confirm preaching of the good news of His forgiveness and victory over sin and death with signs.
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Cor 2:4-5, context is verses 1-5)
The Christian faith is not a faith of words alone. There are a lot of churches who conduct their Christian ministry and business without any signs. A lot of churches have pastors who are polished in both appearance and speech. Is the gospel they preach one of words, or is it a gospel of words AND the demonstration of the power of God?
In asking this question I'm not saying to switch churches necessarily. I'm saying (1) to examine the fruit on the tree (Matthew 7: 17-18), and (2) Pastors, wake up to the Bible you preach and embrace.
Drop your denominational and theological rigidity. Why hold on to tradition, ceremony, structure and dull repetitiveness if there is no demonstration of God's power?
People wonder why the youth of America are where they are in terms of God. There are several factors. One of them is there is no power demonstrated in some churches of today. They see more make-believe power in Harry Potter movies than they see the real power of God moving in the church their parents drag them to every Sunday.
There is an intrinsic capacity inside every human being to believe and savor the supernatural.
If the Body of Christ is not walking and living in the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, kids/people are going to look to alternate (fake) sources of the supernatural. Would it be true to say that in America more people embrace Harry Potter (though it's clearly a make believe movie) than embrace the true miracles done here on Earth by God's Hand? This should not be the case.
We have a resurrected Lord, who overcame and put death to shame. The gospels are full of His miraculous moving and power to heal and save. He then charged us to do the same (Mark 16:17-18). Jesus also said His followers will do the same things, and in fact greater things than He because He was going to the Father (John 14:12).
What are we waiting for? Are we requiring that Jesus Himself appear to us personally in our bedroom before we "get it", and start doing what He said His Followers WILL (not might) do?
I am so convicted right now.
Bear in mind, our moving in His power MUST be done at His direction, not ours. Period. To walk on the same page with the Lord simply means being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14), with Jesus working with and alongside us (Mark 16:20). By walking in His power under His guidance, we are not in peril of His telling us "I never knew you, depart from Me" (Matt 7:21-23).
This is very sobering to ponder, but it is Truth. Let's strive to be led by the Spirit.
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