Monday, November 28, 2005
the heart of God
May my walk take me so deep into the heart of God that if anyone would find me they must likewise journey to the deepest depths of the heart of God Himself.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Capernaum 2005
Last Saturday I left Texas heading to Tennessee (Nashville area) at 6:30pm. My goal was to get back the next morning for Sunday stuff at 9:30am.
This is a 13-hour drive, one which I've made numerous times this year.
If I was to get back in time, I had 15 hours to make a 13 hour trip. If all went as hoped I could nap two hours and still make it in time.
I wanted to get back, as I thought the Lord was going to do something way cool. I sensed this because earlier that week (before heading to Texas) the Lord prompted me to do something at the church.
I went up to the church late Thursday night that week. The Lord had me take oil and anoint and pray over every door that enters the worship area. I prayed the name and power of Jesus throughout and asked the Lord to cleanse and seal that place.
I did not get Holy Ghost goose bumps doing this, but I definitely sensed the Lord's prompting as I went around.
At that time my hope was to be back in time from my trip to see what the Lord ended up doing. I knew His Hand was over and in it, and anticipated to see the fruits of it.
Back to the trip. When I left Texas, it came to my heart to ask the Lord to shorten my trip. To supernaturally make the trip shorter than it would actually take in terms of driving hours. I asked if He could take 3-4 hours off the trip.
As I drove my request got even more bold. I got tired after about 5 hours on the road and pulled off to sleep.
At that point I asked the Lord to transport me to Tennessee. Yes, to "beam" me and my car (just like Star Trek, except with a car included) to my home in Tennessee. I absolutely know He can do this, without a shadow of a doubt. And I petitioned Him to do so.
(If you wonder how/why on earth this would be prayed, read what happened when Jesus got in the boat with His disciples in John chapter 6. Jesus, His disciples and a boat, no problem. One disciple (me) and a car? No bigger thing to do. You can also read about Phillip in Acts chapter 8.)
When I stopped to sleep, my prayer was "Lord, I'm about to go to sleep. When I wake up, let me wake up in the parking lot of my apartment complex in Nashville. Show Your glory, Lord. Do this to show Your power and your glory, that You Are." I asked it be done for a miraculous testimony of some kind, somehow. (I didn't necessarily need Him to do it for me, cause I wouldn't have prayed He do it in the first place if I didn't know He can absolutely do it.)
Apparently my body was pretty exhausted, because I ended up sleeping for 7 hours. I woke up...in Texarkana, where I'd pulled over to rest. 500 miles away from my destination in Tennessee. I hadn't been beamed while I slept.
Under normal circumstances, driving within 5 mph of the speed limit, this meant about eight hours still to drive (even when you drive 70-75 mph, stopping for gas makes long trips average out to 60 mph including the stops).
In the natural world, barring a miracle, I wouldn't be getting back at the time desired, to see what God might be up to at the service I'd prayed about.
The Lord had not transported me, but even as I got back on the highway in Texarkana I kept petitioning Him to do it throughout the trip.
"Transport me to Loop 440 in Nashville, Lord. Beam me to I-24 near the exit I take to get off the highway. Do it, Lord. Put me on I-40 in Nashville. Didn't happen while I slept, do it now while I'm awake. Show Yourself, Lord."
I wasn't being choosy, just gave the Lord several options, any of which would be miraculous...literally. And I ABSOLUTELY KNOW He can and could do this. Undeniably He can.
I drove, still with the expectancy and petitioning for the Lord to do it. I was eager to see what He would have happen.
As I got about 30 miles west of Memphis, TN, my cell phone rang. It was a brother from fellowship, just calling to check up. "I'm about 30 miles outside of Memphis" I told him. The time was right around 12:15 pm.
He mentioned that he and his wife had been asked to share their testimony that morning. They and I have become pretty tight in just the short time we've known each other. He said "I was going to mention you and our friendship even though we've been coming only a short time, but I didn't see you so I didn't mention your name."
They are a great couple, with an amazing testimony. Hearing they'd done that made me wish even more that I'd been there, but I knew the Lord had had things pan out as they did. Life is not about what I want, even if those wants are God-centered and God-focused.
I told him I'd call him again when I got near Nashville, told him I might swing by their house on my way home. I had never been to their home, so I told him I'd call for directions when I got close into town.
I was still about 230-240 miles out when we spoke. About 25 miles west of Memphis, then right around 210 miles from Memphis to Nashville.
The other thing he mentioned as we spoke was him being under the weather. Their 14-month old daughter had caught a bad cold that week, and he and his wife had both caught some of it. He moreso than his wife.
I then made a call to another buddy. I knew he would not be home yet, so I left a voicemail on his answering machine mentioning I was under the impression the Lord was going to do something cool that morning, and to let me know how it went, etc.
He called back a little later, said it went great, that my new couple friends had spoken, that the pastor had been led to change his message at the last second to other than what he had prepared, and that it rocked.
Cool, I thought.
As I kept driving, between Memphis and Nashville, I got tired. I pulled off at an exit I frequently stop in that part of the state when traveling...and took a nap. The nap was just under an hour. I then went through a drive-through and got a quick bite and got back on the road.
Even though it was mid-afternoon now on my car clock, I still kept praying for the transport. Don't know why, I'd already gotten two calls earlier about the service being cool, but over.
As I got back into the Nashville area, I pondered if I should call my new buddy and his wife or if I should just go home and take a nap.
I began to think about their being under the weather, and it came to my heart to swing by their place, anoint with oil and pray.
I then grappled for a few moments. Is this just something I'm thinking about doing, or are God's fingerprints on this desire? After a few minutes of wondering this I got a nudge one way or the other, and dialed their number.
"I'm on Loop 440 near Briley Parkway. Where is y'all's house?" I knew I was not far. He gave me directions, and I told him it would be about five minutes.
Here's where things get very interesting.
When I got to their house, they were at the kitchen table eating lunch. I thought to myself "they're sure eating a late lunch" but I didn't say this out loud, the thought just passed through my mind. It was mid-afternoon by my clock in the car.
We talked for a little bit, then prayed, then got some oil and anointed their daughter. I hung out there for a little while, then went to my place and dropped some things off before going somewhere around 5pm.
So, from all indicators to me, the Lord had simply said "no" to my request for transporting me and cutting the drive time down. God saying no doesn't change one thing about Him.
It just appeared at the time that He had chosen not to. So I thought...
Just over a week later, on Monday November 14th, I went over to this same couples' house. At one point the conversation turned to that previous Sunday when they'd given their testimony. I made the comment "Yeah, I wish I could have been there."
The wife turned to me, looked me dead in the eye, and said "You were."
"What?" I said.
She said "You were there. When we got up to give our testimony, I scanned the church to see who among the friends we've met so far were there. I didn't see you where you usually sit, but I looked at the back, where the doors with windows are where people come in, and I saw your face pop up in one of the windows. I thought to myself 'oh, he must have arrived late and is waiting for an appropriate time to come in'. Knowing that you were there gave me an extra assurance as I was about to talk. We've only been here a short while, but it was an extra boost before I spoke to know that you were there. I didn't see you after service, and asked 'where is he? He's here. I saw him waiting to come in.'"
The husband said "I haven't seen him".
As they left the service, in the parking lot as they got into their car, at 12:15pm, that is when the husband called me (when I was west of Memphis, driving in east Arkansas), to ask where I was--because she had asked, since she'd seen me.
On the 14th when we talked about this in hindsight, she remarked how emphatic she had been to him to call me and ask where I was. Because, she said, "it was not someone who looked like him. It WAS him."
After the west-of-Memphis phone call, they drove home, changed clothes, heated up food in the microwave and sat down to eat lunch. From the time of their phone call until their sitting down to eat lunch at their house was about 35-40 minutes.
Okay, now check this out.
When they sat down to eat lunch, 35-40 minutes after the 12:15pm phone call, is when I called back and said "I'm on Loop 440 near Briley Parkway. Where is y'all's house?"
• When the husband called I was still in the flat plains of east Arkansas on Interstate 40. I have driven that route numerous times in the last 8 months, so I had a good gauge of where I was when he called. Nearing the east side of Arkansas, but not quite to the large truck stops which are 5-10 miles west of the state line.
• Once you cross the Mississippi River into Memphis coming from Arkansas, it takes about 20-25 minutes (in normal traffic) to get to the east side of Memphis heading to Nashville. It takes this long whether you take I-40 (on the north side of Memphis) or Loop 240 (on the south side of Memphis).
• Memphis to Nashville is 210 miles. (On Interstate 40, Mile #1 begins on the west tip of the state, a mile inside the Mississippi River in Memphis. Downtown Nashville is Mile # 210 on Interstate 40.)
Putting this driving math together, I was about 230-240 miles from Nashville when the husband called at 12:15pm.
When they got home, changed clothes and heated up lunch in the microwave, about 35 minutes later, is when I called and said "I'm nearby, how do I get to your house?"
As mentioned, the Lord did NOT alter the clock in my car. The clock in my car showed 12:15p when the husband first called, and showed normal time progression for the rest of the drive.
When I pulled up to their house, my car clock showed mid afternoon. That's why when I went inside and they were at the table eating I had thought to myself "they're sure eating a late lunch". Why they'd be eating lunch so late, especially with a 14-month old, made no sense.
When I arrived at their house the husband likewise thought (but didn't say out loud) "he must have really sped to get here this quick from Memphis".
When we discussed this later he said was waiting for me to brag how fast I had been going between Memphis and Nashville.
There was no story of speeding to tell him (pedal to the metal, etc) because I wasn't.
My cruise control was set 3-4 mph above the speed limit for the entire trip. At this rate it is about three hours from Memphis to Nashville.
The extra cherry on top of this is that I'd stopped about half way between Memphis and Nashville and taken a nap of about 50 minutes. After the nap I went through the drive-thru at a Dairy Queen and got an ice cream before getting back on the Interstate.
So the trip from when my buddy had called, including the time of the nap, is normally four hours.
There was no reason to speed, number one because I don't like tickets for several reasons (fines, inconvenience of court, defensive driving, etc). That in and of itself is motivation for me not to speed.
Number two, since the 13-hour trip only allowed a 2-hour buffer of sleep along the way to get back in time, and since I had slept for 7 hours in Texarkana, I was 5 hours off the mark of getting back at the time desired.
There was no human way to make up the difference, so no use trying and no use risking a ticket.
(For those of you decent at math, i would have to have gone 70 mph over the speed limit for four hours straight to make up the Texarkana sleep time. I would have to have gone 140 mph for four consecutive hours somewhere between Texarkana and Nashville to make up the time.)
Third, and finally, I was in expectancy of the Lord to do a miracle the entire trip. If I sped excessively I would take away His ability to prove that a miracle was authored by Him.
If I had cranked it up to 140 mph then tried to say "the Lord worked a miracle during the trip" that would be a bunch of baloney.
knew that in order for a miracle to occur I would need to stay right at the speed limit, in order for the circumstances to undeniably prove it was God and not human circumstances that did it.
Back to my arriving at their house.
As mentioned, when I got there I had thought to myself (but not said out loud) "they're eating a late lunch". I knew they were just then eating because of a bratwurst sitting in a hot dog bun on the table.
The brat was glistening with moisture, indicating it was still warm/hot. If the brat was cooled off from sitting there for any period of time it wouldn't be glistening. Its appearance would be dull with no moisture.
This obviously-still-warm brat indicated the meal was fresh, plus their plates were still more than half full of food.
The husband said on the Monday night that we discovered this that as we talked around the table on that Sunday afternoon he was waiting at any second for me to start bragging or telling a 'war story' about how fast I had been going on the Interstate...but I never did.
He also had this thought going through his mind, but didn't say anything out loud to me about it: he knew something was definitely not computing about the timing of everything (that I was outside Memphis when he'd first called, and was sitting at his kitchen table 40 minutes later), but he didn't vocalize it.
When I entered his house and as we chatted, he wondered why I was just sitting there nonchalant, not saying a word about an attempted land-speed-record between Memphis and Nashville.
You know how guys are. Any time we do something daring or crazy involving a car and speed, we talk about it.
The Lord clearly did a miracle and He undeniably DID answer my prayer of asking He cut time off the trip. He simply chose to hide it from me at the moment He did it, and then revealed it later.
And He did show His power and His ability to do it...to my friends, in real time. To me later.
• All the time that passed on the clock in my car did not indicate the Lord was doing anything. During my driving time the clock correlated with my speedometer in terms of normal time and distance. I did not disbelieve the Lord, I simply thought He'd said no to my prayer request. It didn't change my belief, I just ate it at His answer for that situation.
• speaking of prayer request, my hope/thought had been to get to Nashville in time for that church service on Sunday morning. I had anointed the church earlier in the week for some reason, and sensed the Lord was going to do something cool. My own desire was to be there to see what it was. So, given this, and the wife saw me at the back of church just before she spoke, miracle number two (aside from the driving one). Her comment was "It was not someone who looked like you. It was you. That's why I asked afterward where you were."
In Colossians 2:5, Paul talks about being absent in body but present in spirit with other believers. If the Lord knew my desire to be in Nashville that morning was strong, would He have had me there in spirit? And in so doing, momentarily allowed the wife to see in the Spirit that I was there?
There are moments where God temporarily allows people to see in the spirit world. This is more rare than frequent, for God often has us live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7, John 20:29).
Jesus did a Capernaum experience as in John chapter 6. He hid it from me initially. My friends knew something wasn't computing, but just shrugged it off--til we talked it out a week later.
You are mighty, Lord Jesus. Keep showing Yourself in power, for Your glory and the Father's glory. You show Yourself to those who believe. You and the Father are gentlemen--You don't go where You're not invited.
Where faith is You can do mighty, amazing, miraculous things (Luke 7:1-10, Matthew 15:22-28). Where there is lack of faith, Lord Jesus, You don't do much (Matt 13:53-58).
Thank You for being a gentleman, Lord Jesus. And thank You for allowing to see Your undeniable, strong, mighty, miraculous power.
I have seen You save me multiple times in my life from car wrecks, broken bones, severed fingers, being crushed. My life has not been and is in no way pain free or incident free, but You have directly saved me from so much more.
You have healed me, both progressively and instantly.
You grew my shortened leg, right before my eyes, to match the length of my other leg. Undeniable miracle of God right before my eyes and the eyes of three other witnesses.
Another time You miraculously healed my back, where I couldn't even bend over 5 degrees, the pain was so intense. With faith believing, Lord, You touched me supernaturally, and the moment You did I could bend full over and touch my toes with no pain in my back. The pain had increased over three days to unbearable, and my back had become very close to unmovable. For close to two solid days I prayed and asked others if they would also pray. In the evening of the second day of fervent prayer, You touched.
And now, Lord, by just a simple request to do a miracle of time on a trip, You delivered. Not in the way I thought, to get me back so I could go to that service, but simply to show Your glory, witnessed by three Believers. You did cut three hours off my driving time as I had asked. Actually you went an extra step, because I took a nap of just under an hour during those last 230+ miles as well, so it was actually just under four hours that were cut off. You rock, Lord.
Your mercy and power are so phenomenal, Lord Jesus. I believe, Lord. You keep showing Yourself. I simply decided years ago to take You at Your Word. I was foolish enough to drop the religion, denominational opinions and the opinions of mankind and simply believe that You are the same today as You were when You walked this earth (Heb 13:8).
Thank You for dropping the scales of rigid religious upbringing from my eyes. Thank You for breaking through the lack of faith that is so rampant in the United States. I grew up with no example or visible witness of Your power. Thank You for the grace to believe which took root. Please grant anyone who reads this the grace to develop child-like faith in You as well, Lord.
Because of the root, which has grown as You continue to show Your might, You have free reign to do as mighty and powerful miracles as You will, to show people that the Kingdom of God is near to them.
Just these last few months, I have witnessed You heal cancer in someone who had degenerated to within days of their death. That was in September, Lord. This woman now gloriously laughs and praises You as she lives. She is in better health now than when she first became sick!
I have seen You touch a pregnant woman with complications, who cried out for Your mercy as she received serious news about her pregnancy during her eighth month. You touched, Lord, and after her sonogram four days later there was absolutely no sign of the complication.
I have seen You touch a burned hand right before my eyes and the eyes of two other people. A hand which had been burned on a stove. The flesh was shriveled like a prune, had whitecaps on the peak ridges, was swollen, and on two of the four burned fingers the flesh was brown (indicating strong burn areas. Skin brown upon burn has the potential to simply fall off.) Knowing Your power, and humbly asking for Your touch, Lord in less than five minutes of prayer the pruning and whitecaps and brown and swelling were totally gone. The skin was flush, no ridges or peaks or pruning wrinkles. The skin was flesh-colored. Most amazing of all was You had taken away all pain from the burn. Even a sunburn hurts, and this was much more severe than a sunburn, and zero pain.
I have witnessed You deliver someone bound by foul spirits set free. I broke out in laughter and tears the next time I saw that person. To have seen what they looked like before, confused and restless and hurting inside, then the next time to see Your countenance and the Holy Spirit upon them--Lord Jesus, You came to set the captives free (Isaiah 61:1), and You are continuing to do so, right here in America in 2005. Bless Your name.
You have the freedom, Lord, to show Your power and glory. Thank You for not having a powerless gospel, but a Gospel that demonstrates Your power (1 Cor 2:4-5). Thank You for working with Your disciples, Your disciples today, now, and accompanying with Your power and signs (Mark 16:20).
Jesus, help us all to understand that You do not take miracles lightly. For those of us who want to see miracles, help us understand the point of miracles is to show the kingdom of God among men. That You, Jesus, are from God and are the Savior of the world. That You are the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except by and through You. Miracles are not about entertainment or comfort, they have more to do with repentance (Matthew 11:20-24).
No other miracles matter until or unless we follow You, Jesus, and You reign (Matt 12:38-40). The most important thing to You is that we follow You, and that we count the cost of Your becoming Master (Matt 19:16-22).
Help us to see this difference, Lord, and do what You need to do in our lives to make us realize that above everything You want our hearts. Not half of them. Not just the part of them that is convenient to give to You. Not just in the areas of life we've been told or trained or "feel like" giving you.
Then, with our hearts and our following, You want us to take You at Your word. May we not be bound to what we were raised to believe or have been told to believe. Help us to take You, Jesus, at Your word. First and foremost about Your desire to be our Master. May we get off the throne of our own lives, humble ourselves and give ourselves to You. Break the constraints and cords of religion and denominationalism and humanistic Christianity that are in or over anyone who reads this, Lord.
Jesus, You thanked the Father that these things had been hidden from the wise and revealed to little children, and that doing this is God the Father's good pleasure (Matthew 11:20-26).
Lord, if we want a sign but our hearts are cold, let us ponder these verses about Your miracles. Holy Spirit, reveal our own hearts to us, and to whatever length or degree we need to change, whatever we need to surrender to become as little children, show us.
Father, You have chosen the foolish things of this world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). May we become foolish children instead of wise adults, that we might see Your power, Your might and Your glory. Your Kingdom is truly at hand.
In Your name, Jesus, so be it.
This is a 13-hour drive, one which I've made numerous times this year.
If I was to get back in time, I had 15 hours to make a 13 hour trip. If all went as hoped I could nap two hours and still make it in time.
I wanted to get back, as I thought the Lord was going to do something way cool. I sensed this because earlier that week (before heading to Texas) the Lord prompted me to do something at the church.
I went up to the church late Thursday night that week. The Lord had me take oil and anoint and pray over every door that enters the worship area. I prayed the name and power of Jesus throughout and asked the Lord to cleanse and seal that place.
I did not get Holy Ghost goose bumps doing this, but I definitely sensed the Lord's prompting as I went around.
At that time my hope was to be back in time from my trip to see what the Lord ended up doing. I knew His Hand was over and in it, and anticipated to see the fruits of it.
Back to the trip. When I left Texas, it came to my heart to ask the Lord to shorten my trip. To supernaturally make the trip shorter than it would actually take in terms of driving hours. I asked if He could take 3-4 hours off the trip.
As I drove my request got even more bold. I got tired after about 5 hours on the road and pulled off to sleep.
At that point I asked the Lord to transport me to Tennessee. Yes, to "beam" me and my car (just like Star Trek, except with a car included) to my home in Tennessee. I absolutely know He can do this, without a shadow of a doubt. And I petitioned Him to do so.
(If you wonder how/why on earth this would be prayed, read what happened when Jesus got in the boat with His disciples in John chapter 6. Jesus, His disciples and a boat, no problem. One disciple (me) and a car? No bigger thing to do. You can also read about Phillip in Acts chapter 8.)
When I stopped to sleep, my prayer was "Lord, I'm about to go to sleep. When I wake up, let me wake up in the parking lot of my apartment complex in Nashville. Show Your glory, Lord. Do this to show Your power and your glory, that You Are." I asked it be done for a miraculous testimony of some kind, somehow. (I didn't necessarily need Him to do it for me, cause I wouldn't have prayed He do it in the first place if I didn't know He can absolutely do it.)
Apparently my body was pretty exhausted, because I ended up sleeping for 7 hours. I woke up...in Texarkana, where I'd pulled over to rest. 500 miles away from my destination in Tennessee. I hadn't been beamed while I slept.
Under normal circumstances, driving within 5 mph of the speed limit, this meant about eight hours still to drive (even when you drive 70-75 mph, stopping for gas makes long trips average out to 60 mph including the stops).
In the natural world, barring a miracle, I wouldn't be getting back at the time desired, to see what God might be up to at the service I'd prayed about.
The Lord had not transported me, but even as I got back on the highway in Texarkana I kept petitioning Him to do it throughout the trip.
"Transport me to Loop 440 in Nashville, Lord. Beam me to I-24 near the exit I take to get off the highway. Do it, Lord. Put me on I-40 in Nashville. Didn't happen while I slept, do it now while I'm awake. Show Yourself, Lord."
I wasn't being choosy, just gave the Lord several options, any of which would be miraculous...literally. And I ABSOLUTELY KNOW He can and could do this. Undeniably He can.
I drove, still with the expectancy and petitioning for the Lord to do it. I was eager to see what He would have happen.
As I got about 30 miles west of Memphis, TN, my cell phone rang. It was a brother from fellowship, just calling to check up. "I'm about 30 miles outside of Memphis" I told him. The time was right around 12:15 pm.
He mentioned that he and his wife had been asked to share their testimony that morning. They and I have become pretty tight in just the short time we've known each other. He said "I was going to mention you and our friendship even though we've been coming only a short time, but I didn't see you so I didn't mention your name."
They are a great couple, with an amazing testimony. Hearing they'd done that made me wish even more that I'd been there, but I knew the Lord had had things pan out as they did. Life is not about what I want, even if those wants are God-centered and God-focused.
I told him I'd call him again when I got near Nashville, told him I might swing by their house on my way home. I had never been to their home, so I told him I'd call for directions when I got close into town.
I was still about 230-240 miles out when we spoke. About 25 miles west of Memphis, then right around 210 miles from Memphis to Nashville.
The other thing he mentioned as we spoke was him being under the weather. Their 14-month old daughter had caught a bad cold that week, and he and his wife had both caught some of it. He moreso than his wife.
I then made a call to another buddy. I knew he would not be home yet, so I left a voicemail on his answering machine mentioning I was under the impression the Lord was going to do something cool that morning, and to let me know how it went, etc.
He called back a little later, said it went great, that my new couple friends had spoken, that the pastor had been led to change his message at the last second to other than what he had prepared, and that it rocked.
Cool, I thought.
As I kept driving, between Memphis and Nashville, I got tired. I pulled off at an exit I frequently stop in that part of the state when traveling...and took a nap. The nap was just under an hour. I then went through a drive-through and got a quick bite and got back on the road.
Even though it was mid-afternoon now on my car clock, I still kept praying for the transport. Don't know why, I'd already gotten two calls earlier about the service being cool, but over.
As I got back into the Nashville area, I pondered if I should call my new buddy and his wife or if I should just go home and take a nap.
I began to think about their being under the weather, and it came to my heart to swing by their place, anoint with oil and pray.
I then grappled for a few moments. Is this just something I'm thinking about doing, or are God's fingerprints on this desire? After a few minutes of wondering this I got a nudge one way or the other, and dialed their number.
"I'm on Loop 440 near Briley Parkway. Where is y'all's house?" I knew I was not far. He gave me directions, and I told him it would be about five minutes.
Here's where things get very interesting.
When I got to their house, they were at the kitchen table eating lunch. I thought to myself "they're sure eating a late lunch" but I didn't say this out loud, the thought just passed through my mind. It was mid-afternoon by my clock in the car.
We talked for a little bit, then prayed, then got some oil and anointed their daughter. I hung out there for a little while, then went to my place and dropped some things off before going somewhere around 5pm.
So, from all indicators to me, the Lord had simply said "no" to my request for transporting me and cutting the drive time down. God saying no doesn't change one thing about Him.
It just appeared at the time that He had chosen not to. So I thought...
Just over a week later, on Monday November 14th, I went over to this same couples' house. At one point the conversation turned to that previous Sunday when they'd given their testimony. I made the comment "Yeah, I wish I could have been there."
The wife turned to me, looked me dead in the eye, and said "You were."
"What?" I said.
She said "You were there. When we got up to give our testimony, I scanned the church to see who among the friends we've met so far were there. I didn't see you where you usually sit, but I looked at the back, where the doors with windows are where people come in, and I saw your face pop up in one of the windows. I thought to myself 'oh, he must have arrived late and is waiting for an appropriate time to come in'. Knowing that you were there gave me an extra assurance as I was about to talk. We've only been here a short while, but it was an extra boost before I spoke to know that you were there. I didn't see you after service, and asked 'where is he? He's here. I saw him waiting to come in.'"
The husband said "I haven't seen him".
As they left the service, in the parking lot as they got into their car, at 12:15pm, that is when the husband called me (when I was west of Memphis, driving in east Arkansas), to ask where I was--because she had asked, since she'd seen me.
On the 14th when we talked about this in hindsight, she remarked how emphatic she had been to him to call me and ask where I was. Because, she said, "it was not someone who looked like him. It WAS him."
After the west-of-Memphis phone call, they drove home, changed clothes, heated up food in the microwave and sat down to eat lunch. From the time of their phone call until their sitting down to eat lunch at their house was about 35-40 minutes.
Okay, now check this out.
When they sat down to eat lunch, 35-40 minutes after the 12:15pm phone call, is when I called back and said "I'm on Loop 440 near Briley Parkway. Where is y'all's house?"
• When the husband called I was still in the flat plains of east Arkansas on Interstate 40. I have driven that route numerous times in the last 8 months, so I had a good gauge of where I was when he called. Nearing the east side of Arkansas, but not quite to the large truck stops which are 5-10 miles west of the state line.
• Once you cross the Mississippi River into Memphis coming from Arkansas, it takes about 20-25 minutes (in normal traffic) to get to the east side of Memphis heading to Nashville. It takes this long whether you take I-40 (on the north side of Memphis) or Loop 240 (on the south side of Memphis).
• Memphis to Nashville is 210 miles. (On Interstate 40, Mile #1 begins on the west tip of the state, a mile inside the Mississippi River in Memphis. Downtown Nashville is Mile # 210 on Interstate 40.)
Putting this driving math together, I was about 230-240 miles from Nashville when the husband called at 12:15pm.
When they got home, changed clothes and heated up lunch in the microwave, about 35 minutes later, is when I called and said "I'm nearby, how do I get to your house?"
As mentioned, the Lord did NOT alter the clock in my car. The clock in my car showed 12:15p when the husband first called, and showed normal time progression for the rest of the drive.
When I pulled up to their house, my car clock showed mid afternoon. That's why when I went inside and they were at the table eating I had thought to myself "they're sure eating a late lunch". Why they'd be eating lunch so late, especially with a 14-month old, made no sense.
When I arrived at their house the husband likewise thought (but didn't say out loud) "he must have really sped to get here this quick from Memphis".
When we discussed this later he said was waiting for me to brag how fast I had been going between Memphis and Nashville.
There was no story of speeding to tell him (pedal to the metal, etc) because I wasn't.
My cruise control was set 3-4 mph above the speed limit for the entire trip. At this rate it is about three hours from Memphis to Nashville.
The extra cherry on top of this is that I'd stopped about half way between Memphis and Nashville and taken a nap of about 50 minutes. After the nap I went through the drive-thru at a Dairy Queen and got an ice cream before getting back on the Interstate.
So the trip from when my buddy had called, including the time of the nap, is normally four hours.
There was no reason to speed, number one because I don't like tickets for several reasons (fines, inconvenience of court, defensive driving, etc). That in and of itself is motivation for me not to speed.
Number two, since the 13-hour trip only allowed a 2-hour buffer of sleep along the way to get back in time, and since I had slept for 7 hours in Texarkana, I was 5 hours off the mark of getting back at the time desired.
There was no human way to make up the difference, so no use trying and no use risking a ticket.
(For those of you decent at math, i would have to have gone 70 mph over the speed limit for four hours straight to make up the Texarkana sleep time. I would have to have gone 140 mph for four consecutive hours somewhere between Texarkana and Nashville to make up the time.)
Third, and finally, I was in expectancy of the Lord to do a miracle the entire trip. If I sped excessively I would take away His ability to prove that a miracle was authored by Him.
If I had cranked it up to 140 mph then tried to say "the Lord worked a miracle during the trip" that would be a bunch of baloney.
knew that in order for a miracle to occur I would need to stay right at the speed limit, in order for the circumstances to undeniably prove it was God and not human circumstances that did it.
Back to my arriving at their house.
As mentioned, when I got there I had thought to myself (but not said out loud) "they're eating a late lunch". I knew they were just then eating because of a bratwurst sitting in a hot dog bun on the table.
The brat was glistening with moisture, indicating it was still warm/hot. If the brat was cooled off from sitting there for any period of time it wouldn't be glistening. Its appearance would be dull with no moisture.
This obviously-still-warm brat indicated the meal was fresh, plus their plates were still more than half full of food.
The husband said on the Monday night that we discovered this that as we talked around the table on that Sunday afternoon he was waiting at any second for me to start bragging or telling a 'war story' about how fast I had been going on the Interstate...but I never did.
He also had this thought going through his mind, but didn't say anything out loud to me about it: he knew something was definitely not computing about the timing of everything (that I was outside Memphis when he'd first called, and was sitting at his kitchen table 40 minutes later), but he didn't vocalize it.
When I entered his house and as we chatted, he wondered why I was just sitting there nonchalant, not saying a word about an attempted land-speed-record between Memphis and Nashville.
You know how guys are. Any time we do something daring or crazy involving a car and speed, we talk about it.
The Lord clearly did a miracle and He undeniably DID answer my prayer of asking He cut time off the trip. He simply chose to hide it from me at the moment He did it, and then revealed it later.
And He did show His power and His ability to do it...to my friends, in real time. To me later.
• All the time that passed on the clock in my car did not indicate the Lord was doing anything. During my driving time the clock correlated with my speedometer in terms of normal time and distance. I did not disbelieve the Lord, I simply thought He'd said no to my prayer request. It didn't change my belief, I just ate it at His answer for that situation.
• speaking of prayer request, my hope/thought had been to get to Nashville in time for that church service on Sunday morning. I had anointed the church earlier in the week for some reason, and sensed the Lord was going to do something cool. My own desire was to be there to see what it was. So, given this, and the wife saw me at the back of church just before she spoke, miracle number two (aside from the driving one). Her comment was "It was not someone who looked like you. It was you. That's why I asked afterward where you were."
In Colossians 2:5, Paul talks about being absent in body but present in spirit with other believers. If the Lord knew my desire to be in Nashville that morning was strong, would He have had me there in spirit? And in so doing, momentarily allowed the wife to see in the Spirit that I was there?
There are moments where God temporarily allows people to see in the spirit world. This is more rare than frequent, for God often has us live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7, John 20:29).
Jesus did a Capernaum experience as in John chapter 6. He hid it from me initially. My friends knew something wasn't computing, but just shrugged it off--til we talked it out a week later.
You are mighty, Lord Jesus. Keep showing Yourself in power, for Your glory and the Father's glory. You show Yourself to those who believe. You and the Father are gentlemen--You don't go where You're not invited.
Where faith is You can do mighty, amazing, miraculous things (Luke 7:1-10, Matthew 15:22-28). Where there is lack of faith, Lord Jesus, You don't do much (Matt 13:53-58).
Thank You for being a gentleman, Lord Jesus. And thank You for allowing to see Your undeniable, strong, mighty, miraculous power.
I have seen You save me multiple times in my life from car wrecks, broken bones, severed fingers, being crushed. My life has not been and is in no way pain free or incident free, but You have directly saved me from so much more.
You have healed me, both progressively and instantly.
You grew my shortened leg, right before my eyes, to match the length of my other leg. Undeniable miracle of God right before my eyes and the eyes of three other witnesses.
Another time You miraculously healed my back, where I couldn't even bend over 5 degrees, the pain was so intense. With faith believing, Lord, You touched me supernaturally, and the moment You did I could bend full over and touch my toes with no pain in my back. The pain had increased over three days to unbearable, and my back had become very close to unmovable. For close to two solid days I prayed and asked others if they would also pray. In the evening of the second day of fervent prayer, You touched.
And now, Lord, by just a simple request to do a miracle of time on a trip, You delivered. Not in the way I thought, to get me back so I could go to that service, but simply to show Your glory, witnessed by three Believers. You did cut three hours off my driving time as I had asked. Actually you went an extra step, because I took a nap of just under an hour during those last 230+ miles as well, so it was actually just under four hours that were cut off. You rock, Lord.
Your mercy and power are so phenomenal, Lord Jesus. I believe, Lord. You keep showing Yourself. I simply decided years ago to take You at Your Word. I was foolish enough to drop the religion, denominational opinions and the opinions of mankind and simply believe that You are the same today as You were when You walked this earth (Heb 13:8).
Thank You for dropping the scales of rigid religious upbringing from my eyes. Thank You for breaking through the lack of faith that is so rampant in the United States. I grew up with no example or visible witness of Your power. Thank You for the grace to believe which took root. Please grant anyone who reads this the grace to develop child-like faith in You as well, Lord.
Because of the root, which has grown as You continue to show Your might, You have free reign to do as mighty and powerful miracles as You will, to show people that the Kingdom of God is near to them.
Just these last few months, I have witnessed You heal cancer in someone who had degenerated to within days of their death. That was in September, Lord. This woman now gloriously laughs and praises You as she lives. She is in better health now than when she first became sick!
I have seen You touch a pregnant woman with complications, who cried out for Your mercy as she received serious news about her pregnancy during her eighth month. You touched, Lord, and after her sonogram four days later there was absolutely no sign of the complication.
I have seen You touch a burned hand right before my eyes and the eyes of two other people. A hand which had been burned on a stove. The flesh was shriveled like a prune, had whitecaps on the peak ridges, was swollen, and on two of the four burned fingers the flesh was brown (indicating strong burn areas. Skin brown upon burn has the potential to simply fall off.) Knowing Your power, and humbly asking for Your touch, Lord in less than five minutes of prayer the pruning and whitecaps and brown and swelling were totally gone. The skin was flush, no ridges or peaks or pruning wrinkles. The skin was flesh-colored. Most amazing of all was You had taken away all pain from the burn. Even a sunburn hurts, and this was much more severe than a sunburn, and zero pain.
I have witnessed You deliver someone bound by foul spirits set free. I broke out in laughter and tears the next time I saw that person. To have seen what they looked like before, confused and restless and hurting inside, then the next time to see Your countenance and the Holy Spirit upon them--Lord Jesus, You came to set the captives free (Isaiah 61:1), and You are continuing to do so, right here in America in 2005. Bless Your name.
You have the freedom, Lord, to show Your power and glory. Thank You for not having a powerless gospel, but a Gospel that demonstrates Your power (1 Cor 2:4-5). Thank You for working with Your disciples, Your disciples today, now, and accompanying with Your power and signs (Mark 16:20).
Jesus, help us all to understand that You do not take miracles lightly. For those of us who want to see miracles, help us understand the point of miracles is to show the kingdom of God among men. That You, Jesus, are from God and are the Savior of the world. That You are the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except by and through You. Miracles are not about entertainment or comfort, they have more to do with repentance (Matthew 11:20-24).
No other miracles matter until or unless we follow You, Jesus, and You reign (Matt 12:38-40). The most important thing to You is that we follow You, and that we count the cost of Your becoming Master (Matt 19:16-22).
Help us to see this difference, Lord, and do what You need to do in our lives to make us realize that above everything You want our hearts. Not half of them. Not just the part of them that is convenient to give to You. Not just in the areas of life we've been told or trained or "feel like" giving you.
Then, with our hearts and our following, You want us to take You at Your word. May we not be bound to what we were raised to believe or have been told to believe. Help us to take You, Jesus, at Your word. First and foremost about Your desire to be our Master. May we get off the throne of our own lives, humble ourselves and give ourselves to You. Break the constraints and cords of religion and denominationalism and humanistic Christianity that are in or over anyone who reads this, Lord.
Jesus, You thanked the Father that these things had been hidden from the wise and revealed to little children, and that doing this is God the Father's good pleasure (Matthew 11:20-26).
Lord, if we want a sign but our hearts are cold, let us ponder these verses about Your miracles. Holy Spirit, reveal our own hearts to us, and to whatever length or degree we need to change, whatever we need to surrender to become as little children, show us.
Father, You have chosen the foolish things of this world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). May we become foolish children instead of wise adults, that we might see Your power, Your might and Your glory. Your Kingdom is truly at hand.
In Your name, Jesus, so be it.
Sunday, November 13, 2005
band-aid Christianity
"God's got a plan" (add "for you" or "for your life")
"I'll be praying for you."
"The Lord is with you whatever happens."
"Oh, God bless your heart."
"God's got a purpose"
"Jesus is Lord"
Are these sayings true? Yes. Do they have a sliver of Truth in them by the Scriptures "nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus" and "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"? Yes.
Are they also inherently rude, shallow Christian catch-phrase religious babble that Believers often/frequently/sometimes spew out of their mouths? Yes.
Canned statements such as this are a putrid stench to the hurting. These loose-tongued, band-aid Christian phrases are often said by the "well" who walk around blindly in what I call the Christian Flesh.
Their statements are simply regurgitations of things they've heard, things they've read, Scripture, etc. Despite these Christian-sounding phrases, these words are not uttered under the leading of the Holy Spirit, and their words therefore have no true, effective ministry of Jesus nor the anointing of the Holy Spirit in them.
This is evidence of what we were warned of in the last days..."the love of most will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12).
So many Believers walk in some form of a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), Polly Anna, Health & Wealth, Prosperity, Blessing and/or Dominion Gospel that is a stench to God Almighty.
These "gospels" are shallow. They are hollow. They are superficial. They are a thin film of truth around a big fat lie.
"20 ...Turn away from the irreverent babble and godless chatter, with the vain and empty and worldly phrases, and the subtleties and the contradictions in what is falsely called knowledge and spiritual illumination. 21[For] by making such profession some have erred (missed the mark) as regards the faith..." (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Band-aid Christianity. Ain't it great!
"I'll be praying for you."
"The Lord is with you whatever happens."
"Oh, God bless your heart."
"God's got a purpose"
"Jesus is Lord"
Are these sayings true? Yes. Do they have a sliver of Truth in them by the Scriptures "nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus" and "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"? Yes.
Are they also inherently rude, shallow Christian catch-phrase religious babble that Believers often/frequently/sometimes spew out of their mouths? Yes.
Canned statements such as this are a putrid stench to the hurting. These loose-tongued, band-aid Christian phrases are often said by the "well" who walk around blindly in what I call the Christian Flesh.
Their statements are simply regurgitations of things they've heard, things they've read, Scripture, etc. Despite these Christian-sounding phrases, these words are not uttered under the leading of the Holy Spirit, and their words therefore have no true, effective ministry of Jesus nor the anointing of the Holy Spirit in them.
This is evidence of what we were warned of in the last days..."the love of most will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12).
So many Believers walk in some form of a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude), Polly Anna, Health & Wealth, Prosperity, Blessing and/or Dominion Gospel that is a stench to God Almighty.
These "gospels" are shallow. They are hollow. They are superficial. They are a thin film of truth around a big fat lie.
"20 ...Turn away from the irreverent babble and godless chatter, with the vain and empty and worldly phrases, and the subtleties and the contradictions in what is falsely called knowledge and spiritual illumination. 21[For] by making such profession some have erred (missed the mark) as regards the faith..." (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Band-aid Christianity. Ain't it great!
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
a word to the hurting
There are a lot of things (most of them from tough moments) that I will never know (while here on earth) why they happened. We cannot always trace God's hand in life, but we are given the option to trust His heart. This may be hard to digest, when the depth of our pain is beyond description.
I have been at the point where I hurt so bad that I could not believe as true a verse of Scripture I had known for years: "all things work for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose". I'd known that verse for years, shared it with others, believed it for myself.
Then something in life happened so raw and hurtful that I could not believe that verse when it was shared with me. I was honest enough to tell the person "I know that verse, but in all honesty I cannot believe it true for me in my life now." That's how much I hurt. And God appreciated my honesty when I told Him this same thing. And He appreciates your honesty with Him too, wherever your heart is.
He welcomes being able to prove and show Himself, if we're willing to shake off all the religion and erroneous stuff we're fed about His nature through church, TV, the opinions of others, etc. and go straight to Him. I know part of my problem for so long was getting my information and opinion of Him from sources other than He Himself.
Anyone who wants religion can have it, I'll take Jesus thank you very much. Religion is man's idea of what and who God is, and the overwhelming majority of it is dead wrong about His nature, His love, His strength, His power.
Religion does not welcome the hurting. Religion expects you to be happy and blessed. Religion says to wear a smile and tell everyone you're doing fine...even when you are not.
Jesus Christ hates religion.
Jesus wants you to be raw and honest with Him. If you're hurt, downtrodden, pissed--Jesus wants you to tell Him so, just like that. He doesn't want you to put on some fake aura of reverence or get-it-togetherness before you come talk to Him. He wants to hear your heart as it is, with your words and your language, letting Him know EXACTLY how it is. Would doing so include some rough language and choice words in sharing your heart to Jesus? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, He wants to hear it straight, all of it, how your heart wants to say it. Don't hold anything back: don't hold back your words, don't hold back your tone, don't hold back your heart. Lay it out full throttle. That's what Jesus wants you to do.
Religion tells you to ignore or shun your feelings, and be something you're not. Religion tells us we are to have a certain disposition about us if we're going to approach God/Jesus.
Jesus says "Come talk to me, raw. Don't make up your hair or your face. Don't put on certain clothes. Don't 'prepare' in any way, shape or form. Forget that! I want to hear straight from your heart."
You wonder if Jesus really says this? Know this, He scorns the pompous, self-righteous and indignant.
"Woe to you, you actors and pretenders! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so." (Matthew 23:13)
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. You and I stand equal there. None of us is higher than anyone else, nor lower.
I don't know if this is a challenge or an encouragement. But I simply say to shake off all the stuff that is preached and that American believers share with each other how God is. Drop all that stuff, and go to the Cross with whatever is bottled up inside and let it out. Strong, emotional, angry, hurt--whatever it is, be raw and honest with Him about it. Let it fly. Don't worry about using a respectful, reserved tone because it's Him. Let the true sentiment of your heart loose. However long, however strong, and tell Jesus. This may sound crazy, but He WANTS to hear the true emotion of your heart. He can take it. He doesn't want you to hold back.
Then, when you've let it out in totality and He has absolutely heard it all, true and raw, do one or two things. (1) listen. See what He says to your heart and spirit. If you sense nothing, then maybe there is something more to get off your chest. (2) ask Him for a trade. I'm going to personalize something Jesus said while on earth and make it for you. Jesus says to you, "Come to me, (say your name). You are weary, and burdened. I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, (your name), for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden light, (your name)."
Jesus wants to make a trade with you. He wants your pain, your hurt, your ache, your anger, your brokenness, your anguish--from anything current or past. He is asking YOU for it. Yes, yours. What you have experienced and have carried (or are still carrying) with you.
Please don't be like me. When I drifted from Him, it started off as disappointment, and grew into a jaded resentment. My faith waned. I didn't hang on just a little bit further til He would have brought me out into the clear. I was impatient toward His timing on things.
The result? I strayed for twelve years. Wandering. Hurting. Avoiding. Acting out. Bitter. Empty.
Wanna know something? I was going to church for 10 of those 12 years.
I was going to church. I wasn't going to Jesus.
I went to church, expecting that some miracle sermon about pain was going to right my ship, or that some brother or sister was going to be sent over to me by the Lord and say "The Lord has revealed to me you might be hurting. Will you share?"
Could that have happened? Yes, but it didn't. And though it COULD have happened, the problem is I was not looking to God. I was looking to man in God's house. Huge difference, and a huge mistake on my part. Don't make my mistake.
Brothers and sisters can be a great ear, and they can be a shoulder and/or a voice of wisdom (if they have godly wisdom). Fellowship is great, but do NOT have the expectation that another Christian is going to be the key to the healing of your heart. As long as you look to man to do what only God can do, you're going to be disappointed, and wasting your time looking to the wrong source.
Man can give empathy. Man can be a voice that they have been through similar or know what you're going through. But only your spending time with Jesus at the cross and spending time letting the Holy Spirit minister to you are going to do the real healing.
I don't know where your heart is now. If you're still not as close to Him as at some period of life before (or never been close to Him at all), if you're disappointed still on a large scale from what has happened in your life, God is okay with this, whether this entails being angry at Him about it or not.
Do you wonder or doubt if God could really understand what's going on? Read Psalm 139.
He is perfectly fine with where you are about it all. Unfortunately, from American church preaching we now have this idea that things have to be good in order to approach God. We go to Him when things are blessed, to ask for more blessing. Hogwash. Jesus wants you to talk with Him now exactly as you are, wherever your heart is: wounds, hurting or whatever.
Do not believe the lie that you have to be at a certain point or level of happiness or blessedness to approach the Lord. That is a lie from the pit to try and keep you from going to God as things are. Jesus said time and again that He came for the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners, the sick. I had it all wrong for years. In my inner heart, raw honest, I knew I wasn't walking with Him, and instead of coming into His light I hid like Adam & Eve. Guess what? There's nowhere to hide. God knows.
Why do we think we can hide from Him? It's cause we're hurt. We're hurt and so we put the hand out at arms length. And we don't come to Jesus because we see all the fake smiles on Sunday morning and do the superficial "how are you? Great, how are you" talk with fellow believers, and we think we're not supposed to be gut honest and truthful with Him about our hurts.
And it breaks His heart that we don't come to Him with our burdens, our wounds. Jesus says, to YOU and ME, "I came for the brokenhearted", "I'll trade my easy burden for all your pain and garbage", "Blessed are those whose spirit is broken".
These are His words, spoken then...and spoken now to us. Do we take Him at His word and see if He'll come through? Are we prideful to not let our guard down and admit our weaknesses and hurts to Him.
Jesus said "My strength is made perfect in your weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Word also says God's weakness is stronger than man's strongest strength (1 Corinthians 1:25). Do we come to the Lord when we're weak, broken and say so? Do we stay prideful and stubborn? Do we snub His offer to deliver on His promise and ability to not only heal our wounds but give us His strength, not as the world gives or knows strength, but His strength?
Don't we teach our kids the "Jesus Loves Me" song, whose lyrics include "I am weak, but He is strong"? Do we practice what we preach? Do we give lip service to God's strength, His healing, His touch? Or do we come to Him with our broken heart, our anger, our anguish? Are we too hurt to? Too scared? Too prideful?
When God stung me in a microburst to get my attention earlier this year, my twelve years of pride in not wanting to be honest with Him about my wounds and subsequent rebellion was gone real quick. I was too prideful to simply go to Him and have an honest talk with Him.
I had refused for twelve years to come to Him with my heart full of disappointments, so He put me on my back to get me to look up at Him, and I'm better for it. "The Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father the son who he delights in" (Prov 3:12)
If there is hurt in you, please don't be a fool like me. I had a storehouse of anger, but wouldn't go to the Lord. His heart hungers more than you can imagine for you to come to Him with whatever you have in your heart. Scars, current wounds, anger and all.
Again, I don't know if this is an encouragement or a challenge. Get alone, and go to the cross...with everything, and lay it out. Honest, angry, whatever is inside you. Don't hold back. Speak your language to Jesus. This is Jesus you're talking to--the guy who hung out with sinners and robbers. He is not like the high-brow, judgmental, religious, prim and proper people who'll gasp at the language you might use in talking about your wounds. He wants and appreciates unfiltered truth.
Then listen, and/or ask for a trade--your crud and all you've felt, for the easy burden He offers. You will be absolutely blown away by what happens.
I have been at the point where I hurt so bad that I could not believe as true a verse of Scripture I had known for years: "all things work for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose". I'd known that verse for years, shared it with others, believed it for myself.
Then something in life happened so raw and hurtful that I could not believe that verse when it was shared with me. I was honest enough to tell the person "I know that verse, but in all honesty I cannot believe it true for me in my life now." That's how much I hurt. And God appreciated my honesty when I told Him this same thing. And He appreciates your honesty with Him too, wherever your heart is.
He welcomes being able to prove and show Himself, if we're willing to shake off all the religion and erroneous stuff we're fed about His nature through church, TV, the opinions of others, etc. and go straight to Him. I know part of my problem for so long was getting my information and opinion of Him from sources other than He Himself.
Anyone who wants religion can have it, I'll take Jesus thank you very much. Religion is man's idea of what and who God is, and the overwhelming majority of it is dead wrong about His nature, His love, His strength, His power.
Religion does not welcome the hurting. Religion expects you to be happy and blessed. Religion says to wear a smile and tell everyone you're doing fine...even when you are not.
Jesus Christ hates religion.
Jesus wants you to be raw and honest with Him. If you're hurt, downtrodden, pissed--Jesus wants you to tell Him so, just like that. He doesn't want you to put on some fake aura of reverence or get-it-togetherness before you come talk to Him. He wants to hear your heart as it is, with your words and your language, letting Him know EXACTLY how it is. Would doing so include some rough language and choice words in sharing your heart to Jesus? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, He wants to hear it straight, all of it, how your heart wants to say it. Don't hold anything back: don't hold back your words, don't hold back your tone, don't hold back your heart. Lay it out full throttle. That's what Jesus wants you to do.
Religion tells you to ignore or shun your feelings, and be something you're not. Religion tells us we are to have a certain disposition about us if we're going to approach God/Jesus.
Jesus says "Come talk to me, raw. Don't make up your hair or your face. Don't put on certain clothes. Don't 'prepare' in any way, shape or form. Forget that! I want to hear straight from your heart."
You wonder if Jesus really says this? Know this, He scorns the pompous, self-righteous and indignant.
"Woe to you, you actors and pretenders! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so." (Matthew 23:13)
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. You and I stand equal there. None of us is higher than anyone else, nor lower.
I don't know if this is a challenge or an encouragement. But I simply say to shake off all the stuff that is preached and that American believers share with each other how God is. Drop all that stuff, and go to the Cross with whatever is bottled up inside and let it out. Strong, emotional, angry, hurt--whatever it is, be raw and honest with Him about it. Let it fly. Don't worry about using a respectful, reserved tone because it's Him. Let the true sentiment of your heart loose. However long, however strong, and tell Jesus. This may sound crazy, but He WANTS to hear the true emotion of your heart. He can take it. He doesn't want you to hold back.
Then, when you've let it out in totality and He has absolutely heard it all, true and raw, do one or two things. (1) listen. See what He says to your heart and spirit. If you sense nothing, then maybe there is something more to get off your chest. (2) ask Him for a trade. I'm going to personalize something Jesus said while on earth and make it for you. Jesus says to you, "Come to me, (say your name). You are weary, and burdened. I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, (your name), for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden light, (your name)."
Jesus wants to make a trade with you. He wants your pain, your hurt, your ache, your anger, your brokenness, your anguish--from anything current or past. He is asking YOU for it. Yes, yours. What you have experienced and have carried (or are still carrying) with you.
Please don't be like me. When I drifted from Him, it started off as disappointment, and grew into a jaded resentment. My faith waned. I didn't hang on just a little bit further til He would have brought me out into the clear. I was impatient toward His timing on things.
The result? I strayed for twelve years. Wandering. Hurting. Avoiding. Acting out. Bitter. Empty.
Wanna know something? I was going to church for 10 of those 12 years.
I was going to church. I wasn't going to Jesus.
I went to church, expecting that some miracle sermon about pain was going to right my ship, or that some brother or sister was going to be sent over to me by the Lord and say "The Lord has revealed to me you might be hurting. Will you share?"
Could that have happened? Yes, but it didn't. And though it COULD have happened, the problem is I was not looking to God. I was looking to man in God's house. Huge difference, and a huge mistake on my part. Don't make my mistake.
Brothers and sisters can be a great ear, and they can be a shoulder and/or a voice of wisdom (if they have godly wisdom). Fellowship is great, but do NOT have the expectation that another Christian is going to be the key to the healing of your heart. As long as you look to man to do what only God can do, you're going to be disappointed, and wasting your time looking to the wrong source.
Man can give empathy. Man can be a voice that they have been through similar or know what you're going through. But only your spending time with Jesus at the cross and spending time letting the Holy Spirit minister to you are going to do the real healing.
I don't know where your heart is now. If you're still not as close to Him as at some period of life before (or never been close to Him at all), if you're disappointed still on a large scale from what has happened in your life, God is okay with this, whether this entails being angry at Him about it or not.
Do you wonder or doubt if God could really understand what's going on? Read Psalm 139.
He is perfectly fine with where you are about it all. Unfortunately, from American church preaching we now have this idea that things have to be good in order to approach God. We go to Him when things are blessed, to ask for more blessing. Hogwash. Jesus wants you to talk with Him now exactly as you are, wherever your heart is: wounds, hurting or whatever.
Do not believe the lie that you have to be at a certain point or level of happiness or blessedness to approach the Lord. That is a lie from the pit to try and keep you from going to God as things are. Jesus said time and again that He came for the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners, the sick. I had it all wrong for years. In my inner heart, raw honest, I knew I wasn't walking with Him, and instead of coming into His light I hid like Adam & Eve. Guess what? There's nowhere to hide. God knows.
Why do we think we can hide from Him? It's cause we're hurt. We're hurt and so we put the hand out at arms length. And we don't come to Jesus because we see all the fake smiles on Sunday morning and do the superficial "how are you? Great, how are you" talk with fellow believers, and we think we're not supposed to be gut honest and truthful with Him about our hurts.
And it breaks His heart that we don't come to Him with our burdens, our wounds. Jesus says, to YOU and ME, "I came for the brokenhearted", "I'll trade my easy burden for all your pain and garbage", "Blessed are those whose spirit is broken".
These are His words, spoken then...and spoken now to us. Do we take Him at His word and see if He'll come through? Are we prideful to not let our guard down and admit our weaknesses and hurts to Him.
Jesus said "My strength is made perfect in your weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Word also says God's weakness is stronger than man's strongest strength (1 Corinthians 1:25). Do we come to the Lord when we're weak, broken and say so? Do we stay prideful and stubborn? Do we snub His offer to deliver on His promise and ability to not only heal our wounds but give us His strength, not as the world gives or knows strength, but His strength?
Don't we teach our kids the "Jesus Loves Me" song, whose lyrics include "I am weak, but He is strong"? Do we practice what we preach? Do we give lip service to God's strength, His healing, His touch? Or do we come to Him with our broken heart, our anger, our anguish? Are we too hurt to? Too scared? Too prideful?
When God stung me in a microburst to get my attention earlier this year, my twelve years of pride in not wanting to be honest with Him about my wounds and subsequent rebellion was gone real quick. I was too prideful to simply go to Him and have an honest talk with Him.
I had refused for twelve years to come to Him with my heart full of disappointments, so He put me on my back to get me to look up at Him, and I'm better for it. "The Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father the son who he delights in" (Prov 3:12)
If there is hurt in you, please don't be a fool like me. I had a storehouse of anger, but wouldn't go to the Lord. His heart hungers more than you can imagine for you to come to Him with whatever you have in your heart. Scars, current wounds, anger and all.
Again, I don't know if this is an encouragement or a challenge. Get alone, and go to the cross...with everything, and lay it out. Honest, angry, whatever is inside you. Don't hold back. Speak your language to Jesus. This is Jesus you're talking to--the guy who hung out with sinners and robbers. He is not like the high-brow, judgmental, religious, prim and proper people who'll gasp at the language you might use in talking about your wounds. He wants and appreciates unfiltered truth.
Then listen, and/or ask for a trade--your crud and all you've felt, for the easy burden He offers. You will be absolutely blown away by what happens.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
He could have stopped the universe
"For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life--to take it back again. No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father." (John 10:17-18, Amplified Bible)
Why did Jesus say He laid his life down voluntarily?
"He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [c]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power." (Hebrews 1:2-3, Amplified)
It was voluntarily for Jesus to lay down His life...because He created the universe (along with the Father).
Let's look just a little further into this and come back around.
"Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions [more than 80,000] of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must come about this way?" (Matthew 26:53-54)
"And it all came to pass, for that night the angel of the Lord went forth and slew 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when [the living] arose early in the morning, behold, all these were dead bodies." (2 Kings 19:35)
"When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, 4[Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs. 5For to which of the angels did [God] ever say, You are My Son, today I have begotten You [established You in an official Sonship relation, with kingly dignity]? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son? [II Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7.] 6Moreover, when He brings the firstborn Son [d]again into the habitable world, He says, Let all the angels of God worship Him." (Hebrews 1:3-6, Amplified)
So, we have an account where one angel slew 185,000 men. Jesus, at the time of his arrest, could have called 80,000 angels to His side.
80,000 angels times 185,000 men per angel. Could Jesus have stopped His suffering and death? Absolutely. Hebrews then reminds us Jesus' place and rank is far superior to the angels. He could have called any number of them, to put asunder His accusers and those who beat Him beyond recognition and crucified Him. And, since Jesus is above all angels in terms of power, authority and standing with the Father, He could have said or done anything He'd wanted about his captors.
What else could Jesus have done if He'd chosen?
He could have turned to His accusers, spoken a word, and they themselves would have shriveled like the fig tree (Mark 11:12-21).
(He could have, but this type of action was NOT Jesus. Jesus' entire ministry and message was the exact opposite of this. He brought a NEW Testament to mankind. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather to save it through Him" (John 3:17). Life is not about revenge. It's not about always wielding our authority, our power, our rights. Jesus gave a New commandment. (Matthew 5)
Another example of Jesus showing the NEW Testament to mankind:
"And He sent messengers before Him; and they reached and entered a Samaritan village to make [things] ready for Him; But [the people] would not welcome or receive or accept Him, because His face was [set as if He was] going to Jerusalem.
And when His disciples James and John observed this, they said, Lord, do You wish us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did? But He turned and rebuked and severely censured them. He said, You do not know of what sort of spirit you are, For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them [from the penalty of eternal death]." (Luke 9:52-56, Amplified).
James and John were thinking Old Testament. Jesus lived and showed a New Testament.
Jesus could have simply walked through their midst. (Luke 4:28-30) He didn't. He could have.
Looking back at all these verses, and coming back to the time of His arrest, beating and crucifixion:
Hebrews 1 tells us by and through Jesus the universe is held together and operates. Here is the Creator of the universe, by whose word the universe ticks, knowing the pain and agony He is about to face is beyond the worst imaginable to the human mind. (Isaiah 52 tells us the beating Jesus received was so horrific He didn't even look like a human being (verse 14).)
Jesus knew what He was facing. He knew what He was going to endure. As the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, do we realize Jesus could have stopped the universe right then and there, by speaking the word for it to cease? Could have changed the course of Earth at His own command, to cause or avert whatever He wished.
He could have spoken, and the guards and accusers shrivel like the fig tree. He could have called down fire from Heaven, as James and John had suggested when He previously was rejected and opposed. He could have called one angel (able to slay 185,000 men) as occurred in the Old Testament. He could have called upwards of 80,000 angels to His side in an instant. He could have passed through their midst like a vapor and disappeared (Luke 4). He could have transported himself instantly to another place (John 6:21, Acts 8:38-40).
"Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it]. [Rather, I will say,] Father, glorify (honor and extol) Your [own] name!" (John 12:27-28a, Amplified)
Jesus knew one day you and I were going to walk this earth. He already knew two thousand years-plus down the road you and I were going to live. That we were going to be alive here.
Before you were even born He knew you (Jeremiah 1:5). He knows everything about you, from before you were born, to when you get up and lie down, to how many hairs are on your head (Psalm 139:1-16).
He knows every thing you've ever done, every thought you've ever had, and every intention of your heart. He knows every struggle, every triumph, every failure, every joy and every wound...ever. And every one of those things about you matters to Him. Every single one of them.
He wants to celebrate everything good you've ever experienced or done. More importantly, He wants to heal every wound, every scar, every torment you've ever endured.
It's easy to celebrate victories. Within human nature it easy to enjoy the good. Jesus shows who He is in healing the wounded, brokenhearted and afflicted--both physically and spiritually. "to preach good news to the poor and afflicted, 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." (Isaiah 61:1, Amplified)
He is able at a touch or a word to heal whatever sin, whatever horror, whatever baggage, whatever garbage, whatever disappointment we've ever experienced. He is able to free you from anything weighing you down: any heaviness, any depression, any spirit, any struggle, any addiction, any compulsion, any habit, any actions you do, anything you think, anything you hate about yourself, anything you hate about life.
He came to set the captives free.
Stop and let this soak into your entire soul.
Let this seep into every corner and crevice of your mind and heart:
"He came to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound."
He had the guts to let the universe keep spinning, even as He faced the most horrific disfiguring any human ever had, for He knew one day you would live. He knew you would need forgiveness. He knew you would need healing.
He also knew you'd stumble but somehow make it in life to the point you are now. You're here, you're breathing, but do you have His life? Jesus said "I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35).
Do you have His Life? Or do you find yourself occasionally (or often) unable to sustain spiritual momentum or spiritual power with Him? Is your relationship with God hit and miss?
Do you find yourself hungry in life? occasionally? regularly? frequently? Are you unsettled? Disturbed? Angry? Restless? Empty? Thinking "there's something more than this" or "what's the point of this"?
Do you ever sense you're in bondage of some kind? Are you truly and unshakably free from the emptiness and tug of this world? Are you truly, truly free? (Gut honesty between you and God. You know, as does He.)
Are you free from the horrors of your past? Were you playing the music of your life when something happened that slammed the piano shut and put your whole life out of tune, and you don't care to ever play your song again? Have you refused to talk with Jesus about what happened because of embarrassment, shame, guilt, or just plain had the wind taken out of your sail?
Jesus proclaims freedom to the captives.
He is powerful and able--above any lie, false voice or tormentor that says you're trapped, unable or not worth it. You ARE worth it.
Know this. Jesus does not give freedom or healing unless asked, and He may check the strength of our desire before taking action (Matthew 15:22-28). Have you asked Him before, but unlike the woman in these verses not persisted with Him? Did you just walk away and write Him off because He didn't answer you right away?
The woman in these verses persisted beyond His initial silence. She persisted beyond His disciples trying to shoo her away. She persisted even after Jesus said "I was only sent here for certain people" (verse 24). She persisted even after He told her "it's not right to take bread from children and feed it to the dogs" (v 26-27).
It was only after showing an undying faith in Him as able to heal and restore that He acted. Have you given up on Jesus for something that was of utmost importance to you? I have.
Take Him at His word. Ask Him to free you. If you hunger for it as the woman in Matthew 15:22-28, watch Him move. Maybe you're not at a point of asking Jesus Christ for anything. Maybe you're too tired, or too hurt. In that case, dare Him. Dare Jesus to reveal Himself to you. Then watch. Things may not churn that moment or that day, but just watch.
Why did Jesus say He laid his life down voluntarily?
"He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the [c]out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power." (Hebrews 1:2-3, Amplified)
It was voluntarily for Jesus to lay down His life...because He created the universe (along with the Father).
Let's look just a little further into this and come back around.
"Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions [more than 80,000] of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must come about this way?" (Matthew 26:53-54)
"And it all came to pass, for that night the angel of the Lord went forth and slew 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when [the living] arose early in the morning, behold, all these were dead bodies." (2 Kings 19:35)
"When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, 4[Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs. 5For to which of the angels did [God] ever say, You are My Son, today I have begotten You [established You in an official Sonship relation, with kingly dignity]? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He will be to Me a Son? [II Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7.] 6Moreover, when He brings the firstborn Son [d]again into the habitable world, He says, Let all the angels of God worship Him." (Hebrews 1:3-6, Amplified)
So, we have an account where one angel slew 185,000 men. Jesus, at the time of his arrest, could have called 80,000 angels to His side.
80,000 angels times 185,000 men per angel. Could Jesus have stopped His suffering and death? Absolutely. Hebrews then reminds us Jesus' place and rank is far superior to the angels. He could have called any number of them, to put asunder His accusers and those who beat Him beyond recognition and crucified Him. And, since Jesus is above all angels in terms of power, authority and standing with the Father, He could have said or done anything He'd wanted about his captors.
What else could Jesus have done if He'd chosen?
He could have turned to His accusers, spoken a word, and they themselves would have shriveled like the fig tree (Mark 11:12-21).
(He could have, but this type of action was NOT Jesus. Jesus' entire ministry and message was the exact opposite of this. He brought a NEW Testament to mankind. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather to save it through Him" (John 3:17). Life is not about revenge. It's not about always wielding our authority, our power, our rights. Jesus gave a New commandment. (Matthew 5)
Another example of Jesus showing the NEW Testament to mankind:
"And He sent messengers before Him; and they reached and entered a Samaritan village to make [things] ready for Him; But [the people] would not welcome or receive or accept Him, because His face was [set as if He was] going to Jerusalem.
And when His disciples James and John observed this, they said, Lord, do You wish us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elijah did? But He turned and rebuked and severely censured them. He said, You do not know of what sort of spirit you are, For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them [from the penalty of eternal death]." (Luke 9:52-56, Amplified).
James and John were thinking Old Testament. Jesus lived and showed a New Testament.
Jesus could have simply walked through their midst. (Luke 4:28-30) He didn't. He could have.
Looking back at all these verses, and coming back to the time of His arrest, beating and crucifixion:
Hebrews 1 tells us by and through Jesus the universe is held together and operates. Here is the Creator of the universe, by whose word the universe ticks, knowing the pain and agony He is about to face is beyond the worst imaginable to the human mind. (Isaiah 52 tells us the beating Jesus received was so horrific He didn't even look like a human being (verse 14).)
Jesus knew what He was facing. He knew what He was going to endure. As the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, do we realize Jesus could have stopped the universe right then and there, by speaking the word for it to cease? Could have changed the course of Earth at His own command, to cause or avert whatever He wished.
He could have spoken, and the guards and accusers shrivel like the fig tree. He could have called down fire from Heaven, as James and John had suggested when He previously was rejected and opposed. He could have called one angel (able to slay 185,000 men) as occurred in the Old Testament. He could have called upwards of 80,000 angels to His side in an instant. He could have passed through their midst like a vapor and disappeared (Luke 4). He could have transported himself instantly to another place (John 6:21, Acts 8:38-40).
"Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it]. [Rather, I will say,] Father, glorify (honor and extol) Your [own] name!" (John 12:27-28a, Amplified)
Jesus knew one day you and I were going to walk this earth. He already knew two thousand years-plus down the road you and I were going to live. That we were going to be alive here.
Before you were even born He knew you (Jeremiah 1:5). He knows everything about you, from before you were born, to when you get up and lie down, to how many hairs are on your head (Psalm 139:1-16).
He knows every thing you've ever done, every thought you've ever had, and every intention of your heart. He knows every struggle, every triumph, every failure, every joy and every wound...ever. And every one of those things about you matters to Him. Every single one of them.
He wants to celebrate everything good you've ever experienced or done. More importantly, He wants to heal every wound, every scar, every torment you've ever endured.
It's easy to celebrate victories. Within human nature it easy to enjoy the good. Jesus shows who He is in healing the wounded, brokenhearted and afflicted--both physically and spiritually. "to preach good news to the poor and afflicted, 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." (Isaiah 61:1, Amplified)
He is able at a touch or a word to heal whatever sin, whatever horror, whatever baggage, whatever garbage, whatever disappointment we've ever experienced. He is able to free you from anything weighing you down: any heaviness, any depression, any spirit, any struggle, any addiction, any compulsion, any habit, any actions you do, anything you think, anything you hate about yourself, anything you hate about life.
He came to set the captives free.
Stop and let this soak into your entire soul.
Let this seep into every corner and crevice of your mind and heart:
"He came to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound."
He had the guts to let the universe keep spinning, even as He faced the most horrific disfiguring any human ever had, for He knew one day you would live. He knew you would need forgiveness. He knew you would need healing.
He also knew you'd stumble but somehow make it in life to the point you are now. You're here, you're breathing, but do you have His life? Jesus said "I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35).
Do you have His Life? Or do you find yourself occasionally (or often) unable to sustain spiritual momentum or spiritual power with Him? Is your relationship with God hit and miss?
Do you find yourself hungry in life? occasionally? regularly? frequently? Are you unsettled? Disturbed? Angry? Restless? Empty? Thinking "there's something more than this" or "what's the point of this"?
Do you ever sense you're in bondage of some kind? Are you truly and unshakably free from the emptiness and tug of this world? Are you truly, truly free? (Gut honesty between you and God. You know, as does He.)
Are you free from the horrors of your past? Were you playing the music of your life when something happened that slammed the piano shut and put your whole life out of tune, and you don't care to ever play your song again? Have you refused to talk with Jesus about what happened because of embarrassment, shame, guilt, or just plain had the wind taken out of your sail?
Jesus proclaims freedom to the captives.
He is powerful and able--above any lie, false voice or tormentor that says you're trapped, unable or not worth it. You ARE worth it.
Know this. Jesus does not give freedom or healing unless asked, and He may check the strength of our desire before taking action (Matthew 15:22-28). Have you asked Him before, but unlike the woman in these verses not persisted with Him? Did you just walk away and write Him off because He didn't answer you right away?
The woman in these verses persisted beyond His initial silence. She persisted beyond His disciples trying to shoo her away. She persisted even after Jesus said "I was only sent here for certain people" (verse 24). She persisted even after He told her "it's not right to take bread from children and feed it to the dogs" (v 26-27).
It was only after showing an undying faith in Him as able to heal and restore that He acted. Have you given up on Jesus for something that was of utmost importance to you? I have.
Take Him at His word. Ask Him to free you. If you hunger for it as the woman in Matthew 15:22-28, watch Him move. Maybe you're not at a point of asking Jesus Christ for anything. Maybe you're too tired, or too hurt. In that case, dare Him. Dare Jesus to reveal Himself to you. Then watch. Things may not churn that moment or that day, but just watch.
my wish for you and me
I could wish you joy and peace
To last a whole life long
I could wish you sunshine
Or a cheerful little song
Or wish you all the happiness
That this life could bring
But I wish you Jesus
More than anything
I could wish you leaves of gold
And may your path be smooth
I could wish you treasures
Or that all your dreams come true
And I could wish you paradise
That every day be spring
But I wish you Jesus
More than anything
‘Cause when I wish you Jesus
I’ve wished you everything
To last a whole life long
I could wish you sunshine
Or a cheerful little song
Or wish you all the happiness
That this life could bring
But I wish you Jesus
More than anything
I could wish you leaves of gold
And may your path be smooth
I could wish you treasures
Or that all your dreams come true
And I could wish you paradise
That every day be spring
But I wish you Jesus
More than anything
‘Cause when I wish you Jesus
I’ve wished you everything
Thursday, October 13, 2005
God's silence
"When He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was." (John 11:6)
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
October 11th
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=10&day=11
"Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible— with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation. If God has given you a silence, then praise Him— He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes. The actual evidence of the answer in time is simply a matter of God’s sovereignty. Time is nothing to God. For a while you may have said, 'I asked God to give me bread, but He gave me a stone instead' (see Matthew 7:9 ). He did not give you a stone, and today you find that He gave you the 'bread of life' ( John 6:35 ).
A wonderful thing about God’s silence is that His stillness is contagious— it gets into you, causing you to become perfectly confident so that you can honestly say, 'I know that God has heard me.' His silence is the very proof that He has. As long as you have the idea that God will always bless you in answer to prayer, He will do it, but He will never give you the grace of His silence. If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, then He will give you the first sign of His intimacy— silence."
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
October 11th
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=10&day=11
"Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible— with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation. If God has given you a silence, then praise Him— He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes. The actual evidence of the answer in time is simply a matter of God’s sovereignty. Time is nothing to God. For a while you may have said, 'I asked God to give me bread, but He gave me a stone instead' (see Matthew 7:9 ). He did not give you a stone, and today you find that He gave you the 'bread of life' ( John 6:35 ).
A wonderful thing about God’s silence is that His stillness is contagious— it gets into you, causing you to become perfectly confident so that you can honestly say, 'I know that God has heard me.' His silence is the very proof that He has. As long as you have the idea that God will always bless you in answer to prayer, He will do it, but He will never give you the grace of His silence. If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, then He will give you the first sign of His intimacy— silence."
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
thoughts and sin, given roost or not
sitting here working today, this morning, when here comes a sin-thought trying to roost in my mind. It didn't want to go away, but surrendering my mind to the Lord overcame.
Then I keep working in the afternoon, and this stupid sin-thought comes back. Stronger this time. It roosted longer the second time. Not sure if it was because it was a stronger second attack or if it was my letting it roost longer than I should have.
Whichever of those was true, the Lord came through. The deliverance seemed a combination of his deliverance combined with my will/action to resist.
It had been me who was letting the sin roost longer the second time. It was up to me to do my part in shoo-ing that thought from my mind. God can deliver, but with some sin-thoughts there is also our action required also, to resist.
As I type this, the verse about "resist the devil" comes to mind. Looked it up here, the verse is actually twofold: Submit to God AND resist the devil. "Submit (be subject) to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, Amplified Bible)
There might be a tendency with temptations to think that it's totally up to God to deliver us, to save us. Well, God will do His part, but there's an our part/our action to it happening too.
I have been finding this to be true. I am to participate in helping repel the sin, whether it be my own mind/flesh or a suggestion from the enemy. It was refreshed to my mind today how sly and innocent he makes his suggestions. He portrays sin as harmless or attractive, or both.
Remember this, too. As we grow in Christ, satan knows he can't blurt out easily discernable thoughts to our mind. He has to become more cunnnig and sly in his suggestions to us, appearing as an angel of Light. (2 Corinthians 11:14, Psalm 119:125, Proverbs 14:6, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Philippians 1:9-10)
The best analogy I have ever heard about sin and bad thoughts is:
If a bird comes and lands on your head, you can either shoo it away...or let it build a nest. It's our choice what to do when that bird lands unannounced on our head.
This is the same as sin. Yes, we're going to have thoughts from our own flesh and sly, harmless-seeming suggestions from he who hates us and wants to steal, kill and destroy. We decide either to shoo away, or let those thoughts/sins roost in our minds--toward becoming sinful actions.
As part of our growing in faith in Jesus, we still (and will always) have our flesh which will contend for the throne of our lives. We will always have our flesh to fight with, as long as we are here.
Even when I get up every morning and tell Jesus "I die to myself, and will live today for You", by the mere fact of being a human I will have multiple, tens or sometimes even hundreds of situations arise each day in my thoughts and actions to live according to my flesh or live according to the Holy Spirit.
Will we be held accountable before the Lord for the sinful entering our mind? Or will we be held accountable for shooing or not shooing away those thoughts which come to us and do or don't measure up with Scripture and/or our hearts (conscience) of the Holy Spirit? (Romans 8:1-17)
We will also have the slimy sleazeball dork enemy satan, doing what he does in rationalizing sin and making sin appear harmless to us.
We decide whether to allow either of these two things to come to fruition, whether our flesh or an attack to suggest and justify sin. We decide whether either of these two are shooed away...or given roost in our minds without being shooed away. This, friend, is the breeding ground for sin.
When the breeding ground for sin is from our flesh, we are to crucify our own fleshly desires (John 6:63, Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5).
When the breeding ground is harmless-sounding, lying suggestions from the enemy, we are told "submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee" (James 4:7).
Honestly, Scripture here, in very simple terms, reveals the what and how of overcoming sin. It's not the big, huge thing we make it out to be. It's very simple.
But boy, don't we so frequently rationalize, justify and (let's be honest) esteem sin? Give it power it does not have? The Word very simply says how to deal with it. But don't we make it bigger than it is, regularly?
There are two aspects to overcoming sin. One is the charge above: put the desires of the flesh to death. Die to ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23-24). This is the one we are more familiar with. This is the one we can relate to Paul so well, in terms of battling sin in Romans 7.
I am not a Bible scholar, so this is a conclusion which I have no shame in admitting could easily be wrong, but from the way Paul writes in Romans 7 it appears this is early on in His walk with Jesus. This battle, this struggle against the flesh. Doing what he doesn't want to do, and not doing what he wants to do--in terms of living by the flesh versus living by Jesus.
Then I keep working in the afternoon, and this stupid sin-thought comes back. Stronger this time. It roosted longer the second time. Not sure if it was because it was a stronger second attack or if it was my letting it roost longer than I should have.
Whichever of those was true, the Lord came through. The deliverance seemed a combination of his deliverance combined with my will/action to resist.
It had been me who was letting the sin roost longer the second time. It was up to me to do my part in shoo-ing that thought from my mind. God can deliver, but with some sin-thoughts there is also our action required also, to resist.
As I type this, the verse about "resist the devil" comes to mind. Looked it up here, the verse is actually twofold: Submit to God AND resist the devil. "Submit (be subject) to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, Amplified Bible)
There might be a tendency with temptations to think that it's totally up to God to deliver us, to save us. Well, God will do His part, but there's an our part/our action to it happening too.
I have been finding this to be true. I am to participate in helping repel the sin, whether it be my own mind/flesh or a suggestion from the enemy. It was refreshed to my mind today how sly and innocent he makes his suggestions. He portrays sin as harmless or attractive, or both.
Remember this, too. As we grow in Christ, satan knows he can't blurt out easily discernable thoughts to our mind. He has to become more cunnnig and sly in his suggestions to us, appearing as an angel of Light. (2 Corinthians 11:14, Psalm 119:125, Proverbs 14:6, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Philippians 1:9-10)
The best analogy I have ever heard about sin and bad thoughts is:
If a bird comes and lands on your head, you can either shoo it away...or let it build a nest. It's our choice what to do when that bird lands unannounced on our head.
This is the same as sin. Yes, we're going to have thoughts from our own flesh and sly, harmless-seeming suggestions from he who hates us and wants to steal, kill and destroy. We decide either to shoo away, or let those thoughts/sins roost in our minds--toward becoming sinful actions.
As part of our growing in faith in Jesus, we still (and will always) have our flesh which will contend for the throne of our lives. We will always have our flesh to fight with, as long as we are here.
Even when I get up every morning and tell Jesus "I die to myself, and will live today for You", by the mere fact of being a human I will have multiple, tens or sometimes even hundreds of situations arise each day in my thoughts and actions to live according to my flesh or live according to the Holy Spirit.
Will we be held accountable before the Lord for the sinful entering our mind? Or will we be held accountable for shooing or not shooing away those thoughts which come to us and do or don't measure up with Scripture and/or our hearts (conscience) of the Holy Spirit? (Romans 8:1-17)
We will also have the slimy sleazeball dork enemy satan, doing what he does in rationalizing sin and making sin appear harmless to us.
We decide whether to allow either of these two things to come to fruition, whether our flesh or an attack to suggest and justify sin. We decide whether either of these two are shooed away...or given roost in our minds without being shooed away. This, friend, is the breeding ground for sin.
When the breeding ground for sin is from our flesh, we are to crucify our own fleshly desires (John 6:63, Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5).
When the breeding ground is harmless-sounding, lying suggestions from the enemy, we are told "submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee" (James 4:7).
Honestly, Scripture here, in very simple terms, reveals the what and how of overcoming sin. It's not the big, huge thing we make it out to be. It's very simple.
But boy, don't we so frequently rationalize, justify and (let's be honest) esteem sin? Give it power it does not have? The Word very simply says how to deal with it. But don't we make it bigger than it is, regularly?
There are two aspects to overcoming sin. One is the charge above: put the desires of the flesh to death. Die to ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23-24). This is the one we are more familiar with. This is the one we can relate to Paul so well, in terms of battling sin in Romans 7.
I am not a Bible scholar, so this is a conclusion which I have no shame in admitting could easily be wrong, but from the way Paul writes in Romans 7 it appears this is early on in His walk with Jesus. This battle, this struggle against the flesh. Doing what he doesn't want to do, and not doing what he wants to do--in terms of living by the flesh versus living by Jesus.
Monday, October 10, 2005
faith's proving ground
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that trials produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5)
"The Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in" (Proverbs 3:12)
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." ( 1 Peter 1:6-7)
"The Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in" (Proverbs 3:12)
"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." ( 1 Peter 1:6-7)
Friday, October 07, 2005
Jesus goes back into the tomb
"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" (Luke 24:2-6)
"having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12, NIV)
"I want to know Jesus, and the power of His resurrection" (Phillipians 3:10, NIV)
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10: 8, NIV)
"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 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 16:16-20)
Jesus instructed His disciples what to do. They went out and did it, "and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it" (verse 20)
Where and why did the Gospel get so diluted? Why now does the power of the Gospel largely consist of telling others "I'm praying for you", "I'll pray for you", "Got you on my prayer list"?
Why has witnessing for the Lord been reduced to telling strangers "God bless you"?
Where is the power of Jesus' resurrection in Followers' lives? "The Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it". (Mark 16:20, NIV)
"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 Corinthians 2:4-5, NIV)
At what point did our child-like faith in believing God's power convert to the point we have put Jesus back in His tomb, and the power of His resurrection commonly becomes squelched?
Let's roll the stone away from Jesus' tomb. Let Jesus come out again--that the power of His resurrection accompany our message, and mankind be drawn to Him (John 12:32). We are not ambassadors of a powerless gospel.
Let's forsake intellectual Christianity.
Let us stop being bound by our own ideas and philosophy of what God is and how He wishes to move on earth.
Let us squelch timidity coming from the fear of man and the society/culture in which we live.
Let's quit thinking God only wants to move in power and signs amidst a body of Believers during a once or twice per week meeting.
"that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Cor 2:5)
Father, forgive us for putting you in a box. Jesus, forgive us for putting You back in the tomb you came out of. You came out of the tomb to show the power of Your resurrection, to show victory over sin. Your ministry was filled with signs, miracles and wonders. You said we will do greater things than You did because You are with the Father now (John 14:12)! You are the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). You charged your Followers what to do (Mark 16:15-18), and more importantly, when they went out and did what you instructed you worked with them and confirmed Your word by the signs which accompanied them (Mark 16:20). Forgive our doubt, forgive the shame and timidity we have exhibited with mankind with regard to Your word and Your assurance that You are with us to show Yourself when we proclaim You. Remove this cowardice from us, Lord. Shatter our own minds of the Gospel, and replace it with the Gospel according to the mind of Jesus (1 Cor 2:16). Deliver us from any deception or lies we have believed about what walking with You is and can be. Any notions which have been from our own flesh, show them to us, so we may bring them to the cross to be crucified, Jesus. Give us boldness to walk in You. Holy Spirit, guide and show us when and where we are to move, act and speak in love with the boldness of Jesus and accompanying signs. In the mighty and powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
"having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12, NIV)
"I want to know Jesus, and the power of His resurrection" (Phillipians 3:10, NIV)
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10: 8, NIV)
"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 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 16:16-20)
Jesus instructed His disciples what to do. They went out and did it, "and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it" (verse 20)
Where and why did the Gospel get so diluted? Why now does the power of the Gospel largely consist of telling others "I'm praying for you", "I'll pray for you", "Got you on my prayer list"?
Why has witnessing for the Lord been reduced to telling strangers "God bless you"?
Where is the power of Jesus' resurrection in Followers' lives? "The Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it". (Mark 16:20, NIV)
"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 Corinthians 2:4-5, NIV)
At what point did our child-like faith in believing God's power convert to the point we have put Jesus back in His tomb, and the power of His resurrection commonly becomes squelched?
Let's roll the stone away from Jesus' tomb. Let Jesus come out again--that the power of His resurrection accompany our message, and mankind be drawn to Him (John 12:32). We are not ambassadors of a powerless gospel.
Let's forsake intellectual Christianity.
Let us stop being bound by our own ideas and philosophy of what God is and how He wishes to move on earth.
Let us squelch timidity coming from the fear of man and the society/culture in which we live.
Let's quit thinking God only wants to move in power and signs amidst a body of Believers during a once or twice per week meeting.
"that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Cor 2:5)
Father, forgive us for putting you in a box. Jesus, forgive us for putting You back in the tomb you came out of. You came out of the tomb to show the power of Your resurrection, to show victory over sin. Your ministry was filled with signs, miracles and wonders. You said we will do greater things than You did because You are with the Father now (John 14:12)! You are the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). You charged your Followers what to do (Mark 16:15-18), and more importantly, when they went out and did what you instructed you worked with them and confirmed Your word by the signs which accompanied them (Mark 16:20). Forgive our doubt, forgive the shame and timidity we have exhibited with mankind with regard to Your word and Your assurance that You are with us to show Yourself when we proclaim You. Remove this cowardice from us, Lord. Shatter our own minds of the Gospel, and replace it with the Gospel according to the mind of Jesus (1 Cor 2:16). Deliver us from any deception or lies we have believed about what walking with You is and can be. Any notions which have been from our own flesh, show them to us, so we may bring them to the cross to be crucified, Jesus. Give us boldness to walk in You. Holy Spirit, guide and show us when and where we are to move, act and speak in love with the boldness of Jesus and accompanying signs. In the mighty and powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
good news, timidity, good news
how awesome You are, Father. You so wish to show Yourself in power to mankind, and we Your people are infrequently aware of what You want to do. Lord, I ask for the consistency to walk in the Spirit. Not hot and cold, not in boldness followed by timidity, but to walk in Your boldness period.
Yesterday I had a moment of boldness in the Lord followed by a moment of cowardice, but that is not the end.
Good news
I went to do a few errands in the afternoon, one of which was to stop by my local fellowship to get contact info for someone. It wasn't necessarily going to be my first errand, but I ended up in the parking lot. Just as I pulled in another car pulled in as well. I went into the office door, and a gentleman from that car followed me in. He asked the secretary if we had a food pantry. There is one, we showed him where it was and he gladly got some food.
As we walked back to the office, I sensed I was to talk to this man. The secretary said "God bless you" as he walked out and that was it. I followed him outside and said "Sir, can I talk with you for a second?" He turned around and obliged.
His name is Jim. He does drywall subcontracting and hadn't done a job in about a month and a half. I asked him about the Lord, and he said he knows the Lord. He shared more about his life, some strong events that had taken place in the last couple of years and the resulting domino effect of them.
As he talked I could sense the disappointment inside him, and as I looked intently at him there seemed to be a grayish/off-white coloring on both the outside edge and at the center of his eyes.
As we continued to speak, I said "Jim, I sense the Lord wants to give you His peace. I don't sense you have His peace, and He wants to give it to you."
We prayed, and the Holy Spirit gave the words. The verse about "My peace I give you, not as the world gives" came up, that's all I recall from what He led to be prayed.
After we prayed we shook hands. As I shook Jim's hand I sensed another bold statement of encouragement and confidence from the Lord which I spoke to Jim. As I looked into his eyes as the Holy Spirit gave this utterance, the gray coloring around and in his eyes was gone. Totally gone. His eyes were pure brown, no grayish/off white coloring at all, and I could see a confidence in them which had not been there before we prayed.
Jim thanked me, and started to walk back to his car. He took two steps, then stopped and exclaimed "I feel chills all over my body!"
"That's the Holy Spirit of God, Jim" I said.
I pray the Spirit will stay strong upon Jim. That he will continue forward to walk in the power of the Lord. That this be a beginning for a higher walk in Jesus for him.
Timidity
This awesome moment was followed later by going to a local mall. After coming out of the store, I was heading back toward the mall exit. I saw a lady up ahead who walked with a limp. It did not appear to be an injury, but rather one leg being shorter than the other. She had a dejected countenance on her face as she walked. I was prompted to speak to her as I passed by her...but I froze up. I didn't speak. Maybe the Lord wanted me to encourage her. Maybe it was just to share a morsel of His love to her. Maybe He wanted her to sit on the bench in that mall and then watch her leg grow to normal length right before her eyes.
The memory of her face is burned in my mind. Without hope. Discouragement. Bothered. It made me think "Wouldn't God healing this woman's leg change her life? Radically, it would!"
Imagine if that's what the Lord wanted to do, and He did that miracle for her. I imagined her then running and leaping through the mall, praising God to where the whole mall literally could hear. Did my timidity prevent a glorious, undeniable healing from taking place? Maybe. I repented right then and there to the Lord for not following His lead to speak to her, for whatever it was He had wanted to do.
That then made me think about the Body in America. How many of us are actually open to God doing something in people's lives like this? Not on Sunday morning, at the altar call or prayer time in the midst of a body of faith, but on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of a mall. God have mercy on the stench of our Sunday-only, believer-only thinking.
I believe in His power. I have experienced His healing power in my life multiple times. I have seen it in others. This week. Last week. Ten years ago. Twenty-one years ago.
I have no idea if that lady has given her heart to Jesus or not, but it doesn't matter. Have you noticed the Bible doesn't say that signs and miracles are only for Believers? If the lady in the mall is not a believer, don't you think her receiving a miracle would give her instant faith/belief/knowledge of Him?
Is there not a general or unspoken belief among the Body that God's touch and miracles are for Believers? What about for those who aren't followers of Jesus? Where in the gospels does it say Jesus only healed or performed miracles for those who had believed Him as the Messiah? Let me know when you find it.
The American Body in general says "lifestyle evangelism" is THE way to win people to Jesus. Well, you know, lifestyle evangelism is one way for others to come to Him, but it is not the only way.
How about us as Followers actually taking Jesus at His words in Matthew 10:8 and Mark 16:17-18?
If we were actually doing what He said His followers would (not might) do, there would be a stunning outbreak of salvation. Imagine that: the Body of Christ actually living what Jesus charged us and gave us the instruction to do, instead of treating the Bible like a cafeteria line and picking and choosing only the verses that our comfort level or denomination or background says are acceptable to believe and adhere to.
Lifestyle evangelism says you build a friendship with someone and gain their trust. Upon earning their trust, they will then be open to your sharing into their life. Lifestyle evangelism done right means they would see or notice something different in our lives, then when their trust is earned Believers share Jesus. He in us is that something different that had attracted them.
Does lifestyle evangelism occur? Sure, but know this: if the Lord has chosen yesterday to heal that woman's leg to match the normal length of the other one, there would have been instant trust established with her. God's power right before her eyes would have created trust in a burst, right then and there. There would have been no need for lifestyle evangelism. She would know the stranger who spoke with her knows the one True God and His Son. You think her ear would have been open to hearing about the Source of her healing? Think she might want to personally know Who had done this for her?
Why don't we as followers of Jesus believe in the powerful, awesome witness of Jesus through miracles? Are those reserved for Sunday morning prayer at the end of the service? Are they reserved for Believers only? I can't find that they are.
I find accounts of Jesus healing all who were sick (Matthew 8:16, Matthew 12:15, Matthew 14:14, Mark 6:56, Luke 4:40). A portion of these vast crowds were unsure of Him. Some believed. Others had heard of Him and the miracles, wonders and healings but wanted to see for themselves. They were unsure. Others came as pure skeptics. "Who is this Jesus?" they sneered. They came disbelieving, and doubting what they'd heard would happen before their eyes. Some of these skeptics were plain, ordinary people. Other scoffers were religious leaders. They saw His miracles over and over again and still refused Jesus as the Son of God.
God, have mercy on us. We think we're just walking so greatly in You with our lifestyle evangelism, and while we're doing that people are hurting and dying all around us. Shatter vain religion, God! Shatter man's idea of what You are, man's idea of what You are capable of, man's idea of how You want to show Yourself and reveal Yourself to the world. Shatter our notions of how You wish to move in us and through us.
Good news
God wants to move powerfully through me. He wants to move powerfully through you. He desires to show Himself to the world in His ways, not our ways. Are we seeking His ways for Him to move, and following His ways as prompted by the Holy Spirit, or are we living our own view of Christianity--and doing so in His name? (Matthew 7:21-23)
"I want to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection" (Phillipians 3:10). Is that truly and honestly our desire? The power of His resurrection. Stop and think about the power of His resurrection. Really. Stop and ponder it.
What does resurrection power mean? What does it include? Who is this resurrection power available to (preachers and Bible thumpers only)? What is it for? Who is seeking it? Who gets it? When is it available? Is it only for 'mature' believers--is some 'qualification' or spiritual 'maturity' needed to receive it? Is it raw and available for new believers, whose faith is so pure and child-like that His resurrection power can go forth, simply yet miraculously? Does unbelief affect it (does Matthew 13:58 come into play)?
The power of the dead being raised again to life. That is the power He wishes to use in us and through us to be His witnesses to the world.
Do we seek to know, or want to know, the power of His resurrection? Really. Do we? Are we truly and bluntly hungry to know it? Or are we playing church to some degree, giving lip service to Him, gracing Sunday smiles and faces to each other, and having our church-wide garage sales and Sunday School attendance drives? (all in Jesus' name, of course)
I'm guilty of this. Anyone else?
God wants to show His power, to draw people to His Son, and our idea of witnessing to others, our idea of God's power, is telling a stranger "God bless you." Boy, the earth really comes to the fear and knowledge of the Lord when we say that, huh? (James 2:19)
The Bible says "faith without works is useless" (James 2:20). Has it ever occurred to us that the "works" in this verse might be something greater than lifestyle evangelism and helping out with a church activity?
What if the works of believers demonstrated the power of God (healing, cleansing, speaking, raising, casting) as in Mark 16:17-18?
"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 Corinthians 2:4-5).
No wonder the world is bored with what conventional Christianity offers.
The good news is we CAN be used of the Lord in His power. Yes, the same Resurrection power that raises the dead! Are we willing to believe? Are we willing to take Him at His word? Are we willing to learn the leading of the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to step in faith to see God's power delivered, here, on earth, today? This week? Next week? From here forward?
There is an able Father and Creator waiting for us to seek Him in this. We have a willing Savior, who wants us to know Him and learn from Him. The Holy Spirit is ready, to teach us and guide us into all Truth (John 16:13). Not Truth in words only. Truth in the power of Jesus' resurrection.
Give us a hunger to know You, Jesus, and the POWER of Your resurrection.
Yesterday I had a moment of boldness in the Lord followed by a moment of cowardice, but that is not the end.
Good news
I went to do a few errands in the afternoon, one of which was to stop by my local fellowship to get contact info for someone. It wasn't necessarily going to be my first errand, but I ended up in the parking lot. Just as I pulled in another car pulled in as well. I went into the office door, and a gentleman from that car followed me in. He asked the secretary if we had a food pantry. There is one, we showed him where it was and he gladly got some food.
As we walked back to the office, I sensed I was to talk to this man. The secretary said "God bless you" as he walked out and that was it. I followed him outside and said "Sir, can I talk with you for a second?" He turned around and obliged.
His name is Jim. He does drywall subcontracting and hadn't done a job in about a month and a half. I asked him about the Lord, and he said he knows the Lord. He shared more about his life, some strong events that had taken place in the last couple of years and the resulting domino effect of them.
As he talked I could sense the disappointment inside him, and as I looked intently at him there seemed to be a grayish/off-white coloring on both the outside edge and at the center of his eyes.
As we continued to speak, I said "Jim, I sense the Lord wants to give you His peace. I don't sense you have His peace, and He wants to give it to you."
We prayed, and the Holy Spirit gave the words. The verse about "My peace I give you, not as the world gives" came up, that's all I recall from what He led to be prayed.
After we prayed we shook hands. As I shook Jim's hand I sensed another bold statement of encouragement and confidence from the Lord which I spoke to Jim. As I looked into his eyes as the Holy Spirit gave this utterance, the gray coloring around and in his eyes was gone. Totally gone. His eyes were pure brown, no grayish/off white coloring at all, and I could see a confidence in them which had not been there before we prayed.
Jim thanked me, and started to walk back to his car. He took two steps, then stopped and exclaimed "I feel chills all over my body!"
"That's the Holy Spirit of God, Jim" I said.
I pray the Spirit will stay strong upon Jim. That he will continue forward to walk in the power of the Lord. That this be a beginning for a higher walk in Jesus for him.
Timidity
This awesome moment was followed later by going to a local mall. After coming out of the store, I was heading back toward the mall exit. I saw a lady up ahead who walked with a limp. It did not appear to be an injury, but rather one leg being shorter than the other. She had a dejected countenance on her face as she walked. I was prompted to speak to her as I passed by her...but I froze up. I didn't speak. Maybe the Lord wanted me to encourage her. Maybe it was just to share a morsel of His love to her. Maybe He wanted her to sit on the bench in that mall and then watch her leg grow to normal length right before her eyes.
The memory of her face is burned in my mind. Without hope. Discouragement. Bothered. It made me think "Wouldn't God healing this woman's leg change her life? Radically, it would!"
Imagine if that's what the Lord wanted to do, and He did that miracle for her. I imagined her then running and leaping through the mall, praising God to where the whole mall literally could hear. Did my timidity prevent a glorious, undeniable healing from taking place? Maybe. I repented right then and there to the Lord for not following His lead to speak to her, for whatever it was He had wanted to do.
That then made me think about the Body in America. How many of us are actually open to God doing something in people's lives like this? Not on Sunday morning, at the altar call or prayer time in the midst of a body of faith, but on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of a mall. God have mercy on the stench of our Sunday-only, believer-only thinking.
I believe in His power. I have experienced His healing power in my life multiple times. I have seen it in others. This week. Last week. Ten years ago. Twenty-one years ago.
I have no idea if that lady has given her heart to Jesus or not, but it doesn't matter. Have you noticed the Bible doesn't say that signs and miracles are only for Believers? If the lady in the mall is not a believer, don't you think her receiving a miracle would give her instant faith/belief/knowledge of Him?
Is there not a general or unspoken belief among the Body that God's touch and miracles are for Believers? What about for those who aren't followers of Jesus? Where in the gospels does it say Jesus only healed or performed miracles for those who had believed Him as the Messiah? Let me know when you find it.
The American Body in general says "lifestyle evangelism" is THE way to win people to Jesus. Well, you know, lifestyle evangelism is one way for others to come to Him, but it is not the only way.
How about us as Followers actually taking Jesus at His words in Matthew 10:8 and Mark 16:17-18?
If we were actually doing what He said His followers would (not might) do, there would be a stunning outbreak of salvation. Imagine that: the Body of Christ actually living what Jesus charged us and gave us the instruction to do, instead of treating the Bible like a cafeteria line and picking and choosing only the verses that our comfort level or denomination or background says are acceptable to believe and adhere to.
Lifestyle evangelism says you build a friendship with someone and gain their trust. Upon earning their trust, they will then be open to your sharing into their life. Lifestyle evangelism done right means they would see or notice something different in our lives, then when their trust is earned Believers share Jesus. He in us is that something different that had attracted them.
Does lifestyle evangelism occur? Sure, but know this: if the Lord has chosen yesterday to heal that woman's leg to match the normal length of the other one, there would have been instant trust established with her. God's power right before her eyes would have created trust in a burst, right then and there. There would have been no need for lifestyle evangelism. She would know the stranger who spoke with her knows the one True God and His Son. You think her ear would have been open to hearing about the Source of her healing? Think she might want to personally know Who had done this for her?
Why don't we as followers of Jesus believe in the powerful, awesome witness of Jesus through miracles? Are those reserved for Sunday morning prayer at the end of the service? Are they reserved for Believers only? I can't find that they are.
I find accounts of Jesus healing all who were sick (Matthew 8:16, Matthew 12:15, Matthew 14:14, Mark 6:56, Luke 4:40). A portion of these vast crowds were unsure of Him. Some believed. Others had heard of Him and the miracles, wonders and healings but wanted to see for themselves. They were unsure. Others came as pure skeptics. "Who is this Jesus?" they sneered. They came disbelieving, and doubting what they'd heard would happen before their eyes. Some of these skeptics were plain, ordinary people. Other scoffers were religious leaders. They saw His miracles over and over again and still refused Jesus as the Son of God.
God, have mercy on us. We think we're just walking so greatly in You with our lifestyle evangelism, and while we're doing that people are hurting and dying all around us. Shatter vain religion, God! Shatter man's idea of what You are, man's idea of what You are capable of, man's idea of how You want to show Yourself and reveal Yourself to the world. Shatter our notions of how You wish to move in us and through us.
Good news
God wants to move powerfully through me. He wants to move powerfully through you. He desires to show Himself to the world in His ways, not our ways. Are we seeking His ways for Him to move, and following His ways as prompted by the Holy Spirit, or are we living our own view of Christianity--and doing so in His name? (Matthew 7:21-23)
"I want to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection" (Phillipians 3:10). Is that truly and honestly our desire? The power of His resurrection. Stop and think about the power of His resurrection. Really. Stop and ponder it.
What does resurrection power mean? What does it include? Who is this resurrection power available to (preachers and Bible thumpers only)? What is it for? Who is seeking it? Who gets it? When is it available? Is it only for 'mature' believers--is some 'qualification' or spiritual 'maturity' needed to receive it? Is it raw and available for new believers, whose faith is so pure and child-like that His resurrection power can go forth, simply yet miraculously? Does unbelief affect it (does Matthew 13:58 come into play)?
The power of the dead being raised again to life. That is the power He wishes to use in us and through us to be His witnesses to the world.
Do we seek to know, or want to know, the power of His resurrection? Really. Do we? Are we truly and bluntly hungry to know it? Or are we playing church to some degree, giving lip service to Him, gracing Sunday smiles and faces to each other, and having our church-wide garage sales and Sunday School attendance drives? (all in Jesus' name, of course)
I'm guilty of this. Anyone else?
God wants to show His power, to draw people to His Son, and our idea of witnessing to others, our idea of God's power, is telling a stranger "God bless you." Boy, the earth really comes to the fear and knowledge of the Lord when we say that, huh? (James 2:19)
The Bible says "faith without works is useless" (James 2:20). Has it ever occurred to us that the "works" in this verse might be something greater than lifestyle evangelism and helping out with a church activity?
What if the works of believers demonstrated the power of God (healing, cleansing, speaking, raising, casting) as in Mark 16:17-18?
"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 Corinthians 2:4-5).
No wonder the world is bored with what conventional Christianity offers.
The good news is we CAN be used of the Lord in His power. Yes, the same Resurrection power that raises the dead! Are we willing to believe? Are we willing to take Him at His word? Are we willing to learn the leading of the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to step in faith to see God's power delivered, here, on earth, today? This week? Next week? From here forward?
There is an able Father and Creator waiting for us to seek Him in this. We have a willing Savior, who wants us to know Him and learn from Him. The Holy Spirit is ready, to teach us and guide us into all Truth (John 16:13). Not Truth in words only. Truth in the power of Jesus' resurrection.
Give us a hunger to know You, Jesus, and the POWER of Your resurrection.
Monday, October 03, 2005
party in heaven, October 2, 2005
"there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one person who repents" (Luke 15:10, Amplified Bible)
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:37-40, NIV Bible)
Tonight, God gave a lady named Cheree to Jesus. Jesus will not drive Cheree away, and it is God's will that Jesus not lose Cheree, but raise her up at the last day. Cheree is looking to the Son. She has accepted God's grace, forgiveness, eternal life and power to overcome sin through Jesus' blood (Revelation 12:11). Cheree has repented--changed her mind for the better and heartily to amend her ways, with abhorrence of past sins (Luke 5:32, Amplified Bible).
As I spoke with Cheree, within this last year she had already turned from some things in her life that were being destructive in and toward her. It had already witnessed to her spirit, even before accepting Jesus, that these hampering things needed to be gone from her life, and they are gone already.
What a testimony. Someone who already laid aside their nets (Matthew 4:19-20) months before accepting the saving grace of Jesus. Imagine that--knowing the need for repentance, and repenting, long before becoming a Follower.
Cheree's name is now written in the Book of Life: "Thus shall they who conquer (are victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out their name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge them [as Mine] and I will confess their name openly before My Father and before His angels." (Revelation 3:5, Amplified)
Lord Jesus, there is none like You. You are able to keep Cheree until that day. You have her, Lord Jesus. The Father has given Cheree to You. Keep her, Lord Jesus. There is a cloud of witnesses around her, myself included Lord, who will be Your hands and your feet to help her grow in discipleship under You. She hungers to know You, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, You said that if we ask the Father for a piece of bread He won't give us a stone. Father, I ask the Holy Spirit be given to Cheree, in Jesus' name, to guide her into all Truth (John 16:13)
Lead me, Lord. Lead myself and others who know You, to lead her in following Jesus. Not in following vain and empty religion. Put Your truth alone on the lips and tongues who will be involved in discipling Cheree. Let her grow unadulterated in You. Holy Spirit, guide Cheree, in Jesus' name, amen.
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:37-40, NIV Bible)
Tonight, God gave a lady named Cheree to Jesus. Jesus will not drive Cheree away, and it is God's will that Jesus not lose Cheree, but raise her up at the last day. Cheree is looking to the Son. She has accepted God's grace, forgiveness, eternal life and power to overcome sin through Jesus' blood (Revelation 12:11). Cheree has repented--changed her mind for the better and heartily to amend her ways, with abhorrence of past sins (Luke 5:32, Amplified Bible).
As I spoke with Cheree, within this last year she had already turned from some things in her life that were being destructive in and toward her. It had already witnessed to her spirit, even before accepting Jesus, that these hampering things needed to be gone from her life, and they are gone already.
What a testimony. Someone who already laid aside their nets (Matthew 4:19-20) months before accepting the saving grace of Jesus. Imagine that--knowing the need for repentance, and repenting, long before becoming a Follower.
Cheree's name is now written in the Book of Life: "Thus shall they who conquer (are victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out their name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge them [as Mine] and I will confess their name openly before My Father and before His angels." (Revelation 3:5, Amplified)
Lord Jesus, there is none like You. You are able to keep Cheree until that day. You have her, Lord Jesus. The Father has given Cheree to You. Keep her, Lord Jesus. There is a cloud of witnesses around her, myself included Lord, who will be Your hands and your feet to help her grow in discipleship under You. She hungers to know You, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, You said that if we ask the Father for a piece of bread He won't give us a stone. Father, I ask the Holy Spirit be given to Cheree, in Jesus' name, to guide her into all Truth (John 16:13)
Lead me, Lord. Lead myself and others who know You, to lead her in following Jesus. Not in following vain and empty religion. Put Your truth alone on the lips and tongues who will be involved in discipling Cheree. Let her grow unadulterated in You. Holy Spirit, guide Cheree, in Jesus' name, amen.
Friday, September 30, 2005
God's power
"Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people." (Acts 6:8, NIV)
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20, NIV)
"...that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Corinthians 2:5, NIV)
"He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power." (2 Corinthians 13:3-4, NIV)
"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power." (Ephesians 3:7, NIV)
"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:3, NIV)
"you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:5, NIV)
"(Jesus) who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him" (1 Peter 3:22, NIV)
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV)
"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17, NIV)
"So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you." (Psalm 66:3, NIV)
"I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory." (Psalm 63:2, NIV)
""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, NIV)
""Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked." (Matthew 13:54, NIV)
"Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside." (Luke 4:14, NIV)
"All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!"" (Luke 4:36, NIV)
"And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick." (Luke 5:17, NIV)
"and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all." (Luke 6:19, NIV)
"When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. " (Luke 9:1-2, NIV)
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." (Luke 10:19, NIV)
"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."" (Luke 24:49, NIV)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8, NIV)
"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33, NIV)
"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." (Acts 10:38, NIV)
"who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 1:4, NIV)
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance" (Romans 1:16, Amplified)
"that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, NIV)
"by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit" (Romans 15:19, NIV)
"to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17, NIV)
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV)
"and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:19-20, NIV)
"out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being" (Ephesians 3:16, NIV)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20, NIV)
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Phillipians 3:10-11, NIV)
"being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:11-12, NIV)
"having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God" (Colossians 2:12, NIV)
"our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power" (1 Thessalonians 1:5, NIV)
"God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power" (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV)
"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 Corinthians 2:4-5, NIV)
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." (1 Corinthians 4:20, NIV)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. That your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power. By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. That your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power. By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
No wonder some (most?) unbelievers are bored with church and yawn at the name of Jesus. Most (American) believers have no desire nor hunger to walk in the power of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Why do American believers think saying "God bless you" to strangers is some kind of great witness and testimony to the faith?
"Well, God just wants me to be a living witness..." Really?
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
"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)
Americans believe more in Harry Potter and UFO's than the uncomparable power of God because believers are too content sitting comfortably in their church pews instead of seeking, waiting and acting on the power of the Creator of our universe to show the kingdom of God is at hand--here, now, in the 21st century.
"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death" (Phillipians 3:10, Amplified Bible)
"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20, NIV)
"...that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Corinthians 2:5, NIV)
"He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power." (2 Corinthians 13:3-4, NIV)
"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power." (Ephesians 3:7, NIV)
"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (Hebrews 1:3, NIV)
"you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:5, NIV)
"(Jesus) who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him" (1 Peter 3:22, NIV)
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV)
"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17, NIV)
"So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you." (Psalm 66:3, NIV)
"I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory." (Psalm 63:2, NIV)
""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, NIV)
""Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked." (Matthew 13:54, NIV)
"Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside." (Luke 4:14, NIV)
"All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!"" (Luke 4:36, NIV)
"And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick." (Luke 5:17, NIV)
"and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all." (Luke 6:19, NIV)
"When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. " (Luke 9:1-2, NIV)
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." (Luke 10:19, NIV)
"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."" (Luke 24:49, NIV)
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8, NIV)
"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33, NIV)
"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." (Acts 10:38, NIV)
"who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 1:4, NIV)
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance" (Romans 1:16, Amplified)
"that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, NIV)
"by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit" (Romans 15:19, NIV)
"to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17, NIV)
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV)
"and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 1:19-20, NIV)
"out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being" (Ephesians 3:16, NIV)
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20, NIV)
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Phillipians 3:10-11, NIV)
"being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:11-12, NIV)
"having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God" (Colossians 2:12, NIV)
"our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power" (1 Thessalonians 1:5, NIV)
"God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power" (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV)
"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 Corinthians 2:4-5, NIV)
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." (1 Corinthians 4:20, NIV)
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. That your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power. By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. That your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power. By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
No wonder some (most?) unbelievers are bored with church and yawn at the name of Jesus. Most (American) believers have no desire nor hunger to walk in the power of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Why do American believers think saying "God bless you" to strangers is some kind of great witness and testimony to the faith?
"Well, God just wants me to be a living witness..." Really?
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
"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)
Americans believe more in Harry Potter and UFO's than the uncomparable power of God because believers are too content sitting comfortably in their church pews instead of seeking, waiting and acting on the power of the Creator of our universe to show the kingdom of God is at hand--here, now, in the 21st century.
"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death" (Phillipians 3:10, Amplified Bible)
"Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
Thursday, September 29, 2005
America's God
What kind of portrayal of God would one get if their only perceptions were off of American television?
•• He is to be praised for touchdowns, home runs and game-winning shots
•• He is to be thanked for acquiring fame, wealth or success by the world's standards. If you're a female, this generally pertains to having the magazine look. Male attainment of success comes in a variety of forms: business suit (business or political bigwig), physical prowess (athletes, models, entertainers), money (corporate successes).
•• He is to be doubted and questioned when anything bad happens
• He is not very relatable to the common man. The crowds of Jesus' day followed Him. The miracles Jesus performed affirmed He was from God and of God, and caused hunger for teaching on the Kingdom as well. Jesus was an ordinary man, with dirty feet and rough but gentle hands. Do those who grace American television as representatives of Jesus impart the same relatability to society, in order to reach those who have not turned their hearts to God? Or is there some kind of Christian status, attainment or look required to follow Him? Something to consider. Paul said "I have become all things to all men, that some might be won to Jesus" (paraphrase of 1 Cor 9:22). We are to be relatable to others, not a cancerous group where people's first thought is 'no thanks'. True that people love the darkness and don't want to come into the light (John 3:19), but if we are walking in Him the light will/should penetrate the darkness and draw people to Him. Human beings were human beings in Jesus' day, and they were DRAWN to Him. "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52) Jesus grew in favor with men (mankind). Other posts have commented why more are not drawn to Him through today's American believer...
•• He is to be mocked and parodied about the notion of creation. I've got some very undiluted thoughts on this that I'll refrain from saying here, which make a conversation with an evolutionist very interesting. Suffice it to say a conversation with an evolutionist or atheist in most cases takes a predictable path for most believers. It doesn't have to...God is awesome.
"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." (1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Amplified Bible)
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25, Amplified Bible)
"He scoffs at the scoffers and scorns the scorners, yet He gives His undeserved favor to the low in rank, the humble, and the afflicted." (Proverbs 3:34, Amplified Bible)
•• He is to be praised for touchdowns, home runs and game-winning shots
•• He is to be thanked for acquiring fame, wealth or success by the world's standards. If you're a female, this generally pertains to having the magazine look. Male attainment of success comes in a variety of forms: business suit (business or political bigwig), physical prowess (athletes, models, entertainers), money (corporate successes).
•• He is to be doubted and questioned when anything bad happens
• He is not very relatable to the common man. The crowds of Jesus' day followed Him. The miracles Jesus performed affirmed He was from God and of God, and caused hunger for teaching on the Kingdom as well. Jesus was an ordinary man, with dirty feet and rough but gentle hands. Do those who grace American television as representatives of Jesus impart the same relatability to society, in order to reach those who have not turned their hearts to God? Or is there some kind of Christian status, attainment or look required to follow Him? Something to consider. Paul said "I have become all things to all men, that some might be won to Jesus" (paraphrase of 1 Cor 9:22). We are to be relatable to others, not a cancerous group where people's first thought is 'no thanks'. True that people love the darkness and don't want to come into the light (John 3:19), but if we are walking in Him the light will/should penetrate the darkness and draw people to Him. Human beings were human beings in Jesus' day, and they were DRAWN to Him. "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52) Jesus grew in favor with men (mankind). Other posts have commented why more are not drawn to Him through today's American believer...
•• He is to be mocked and parodied about the notion of creation. I've got some very undiluted thoughts on this that I'll refrain from saying here, which make a conversation with an evolutionist very interesting. Suffice it to say a conversation with an evolutionist or atheist in most cases takes a predictable path for most believers. It doesn't have to...God is awesome.
"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." (1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Amplified Bible)
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25, Amplified Bible)
"He scoffs at the scoffers and scorns the scorners, yet He gives His undeserved favor to the low in rank, the humble, and the afflicted." (Proverbs 3:34, Amplified Bible)
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
why
Some think Jesus didn't suffer that much emotionally, or He can't relate to some of the things we go through, because He was God. These timeless song lyrics shout otherwise. Michael Card's "Why":
Why did it have to be a friend who chose to betray the Lord?
And why did he use a kiss to show them that's not what a kiss is for?
Only a friend can betray a friend--a stranger has nothing to gain.
And only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain.
And why did it have to be a thorny crown pressed upon His head?
It should have been a royal one made of jewels and gold instead.
It had to be a crown of thorns because in this life that we live
For all who would seek to love a thorn is all the world has to give.
And why did it have to be a heavy cross He was made to bear?
And why did they nail his feet and hands, when His love would have held Him there?
It was a cross, for on a cross a thief was supposed to pay.
Jesus had come into the world to steal every heart away.
Yes, Jesus had come into the world...to steal every heart away.
Why did it have to be a friend who chose to betray the Lord?
And why did he use a kiss to show them that's not what a kiss is for?
Only a friend can betray a friend--a stranger has nothing to gain.
And only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain.
And why did it have to be a thorny crown pressed upon His head?
It should have been a royal one made of jewels and gold instead.
It had to be a crown of thorns because in this life that we live
For all who would seek to love a thorn is all the world has to give.
And why did it have to be a heavy cross He was made to bear?
And why did they nail his feet and hands, when His love would have held Him there?
It was a cross, for on a cross a thief was supposed to pay.
Jesus had come into the world to steal every heart away.
Yes, Jesus had come into the world...to steal every heart away.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
glory to God in the highest
What an awesome Guide we have in the Holy Spirit.
Today I was traveling for my job, and when I arrive in this city I visit occasionally, it is a no brainer to just follow the Interstate to where I go for business. Today I was nudged by the Holy Ghost to take a detour, which I did.
In the natural it would have seemed like a wild goose chase, as the first few places I stopped along the way I knew what I was looking for--but did not come across it. I just kept going. I knew I had not "missed" the Holy Spirit, rather I sensed that my stopping was working out the timing for when I did come to what I was taking this detour for.
At the fourth stop, the Holy Spirit moved. I was in a grocery store, walking the aisles, and the Spirit quickened a particular lady to my heart. As I walked the store after seeing her, the Lord then put a specific something on my heart to do for this lady. I prayed for confirmation as to what the Lord was putting on my heart regarding this woman, and He provided it--in a crazy yet strong and undeniable way. Praise His name.
I ended up speaking with her in the parking lot. I mentioned what the Lord had impressed me to do for her (bless her financially). She was a 66 year old, elegant black lady. She was understandably a little guarded when we first spoke, but when she sensed the kindred spirit of Jesus between us that changed.
We had a glorious conversation. She spoke humbly yet proudly of her life of giving to others, that she doesn't need much herself and most of the groceries she bought would be given to others. Her faith and godly wisdom shone from her heart as she spoke. Of course then the Lord blessed her with His money (which had been on loan temporarily to me, until it ended up where He wanted it--given to her, from Him, for her faithfulness and giving.)
She gave me a hug afterward, and she whispered "The Holy Ghost go with you." There was something in the way she said it...powerful, alive. Not just words. It was truly awesome--in my opinion I got the bigger of the exchange of blessings...
Before I left I felt the heart of the Lord come upon me. I looked at her with a tear in my eye and said "One day, ma'am, we will see each other again. And when we do, let's remember and enjoy what we did here today." What a glorifying moment for the Lord. Bless His name.
Today I was traveling for my job, and when I arrive in this city I visit occasionally, it is a no brainer to just follow the Interstate to where I go for business. Today I was nudged by the Holy Ghost to take a detour, which I did.
In the natural it would have seemed like a wild goose chase, as the first few places I stopped along the way I knew what I was looking for--but did not come across it. I just kept going. I knew I had not "missed" the Holy Spirit, rather I sensed that my stopping was working out the timing for when I did come to what I was taking this detour for.
At the fourth stop, the Holy Spirit moved. I was in a grocery store, walking the aisles, and the Spirit quickened a particular lady to my heart. As I walked the store after seeing her, the Lord then put a specific something on my heart to do for this lady. I prayed for confirmation as to what the Lord was putting on my heart regarding this woman, and He provided it--in a crazy yet strong and undeniable way. Praise His name.
I ended up speaking with her in the parking lot. I mentioned what the Lord had impressed me to do for her (bless her financially). She was a 66 year old, elegant black lady. She was understandably a little guarded when we first spoke, but when she sensed the kindred spirit of Jesus between us that changed.
We had a glorious conversation. She spoke humbly yet proudly of her life of giving to others, that she doesn't need much herself and most of the groceries she bought would be given to others. Her faith and godly wisdom shone from her heart as she spoke. Of course then the Lord blessed her with His money (which had been on loan temporarily to me, until it ended up where He wanted it--given to her, from Him, for her faithfulness and giving.)
She gave me a hug afterward, and she whispered "The Holy Ghost go with you." There was something in the way she said it...powerful, alive. Not just words. It was truly awesome--in my opinion I got the bigger of the exchange of blessings...
Before I left I felt the heart of the Lord come upon me. I looked at her with a tear in my eye and said "One day, ma'am, we will see each other again. And when we do, let's remember and enjoy what we did here today." What a glorifying moment for the Lord. Bless His name.
the old rugged cross
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To ransom his life on a tree.
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To ransom his life on a tree.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Your cup is my cup
I never dreamed You would ask me to do what Abraham was asked to do.
That was for him...and men like him.
Men of the Bible. Men of great faith.
My tears. And my soul.
No word, either human or in the Spirit, could describe this anguish.
Is it the fear of uncertainty?
Is it what I might lose?
Is it what I might gain?
Is it both?
Is it crucifying flesh? If so, why has dying to self never been like this?
Is it all of these?
I came to the altar two months ago, laying this on the table.
Now You are asking me to raise the knife.
I never thought I'd fully relate to Jesus saying
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done."
That was for You, Jesus. It is now for me to know this.
I am unable myself. It is only and solely with Your power and strength that I can, and will.
Your example. You, and Abraham.
You were tested in this, and came out blameless.
Help me keep my eyes solely on You and not on the storm, lest like Peter I begin to sink.
Jesus, You showed more guts than anyone on this earth has ever imagined.
Give me your guts, Immanuel. I humbly ask for them. I fervently, strongly and boldly ask for them!
I cannot do this without them. I will, because You did and Abraham did.
I will, because You will give me Your guts. And I will stand.
You will prove Yourself, for You alone are God.
Let God be true, and every man a liar.
That was for him...and men like him.
Men of the Bible. Men of great faith.
My tears. And my soul.
No word, either human or in the Spirit, could describe this anguish.
Is it the fear of uncertainty?
Is it what I might lose?
Is it what I might gain?
Is it both?
Is it crucifying flesh? If so, why has dying to self never been like this?
Is it all of these?
I came to the altar two months ago, laying this on the table.
Now You are asking me to raise the knife.
I never thought I'd fully relate to Jesus saying
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done."
That was for You, Jesus. It is now for me to know this.
I am unable myself. It is only and solely with Your power and strength that I can, and will.
Your example. You, and Abraham.
You were tested in this, and came out blameless.
Help me keep my eyes solely on You and not on the storm, lest like Peter I begin to sink.
Jesus, You showed more guts than anyone on this earth has ever imagined.
Give me your guts, Immanuel. I humbly ask for them. I fervently, strongly and boldly ask for them!
I cannot do this without them. I will, because You did and Abraham did.
I will, because You will give me Your guts. And I will stand.
You will prove Yourself, for You alone are God.
Let God be true, and every man a liar.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Storms
I've read the 6th chapter of John several times in the last couple of months. I was intrigued looking at the details of the storm: the events leading up to it, the sequence of events that took place during and after the storm, the possible thoughts and conversations by the disciples during and after it, the parallels of this actual storm to the figurative storms in our lives, and the lessons and truths linked to it.
After breaking down this storm in John 6, I was inspired to look at other storms in the New Testament as well. It was interesting to see the differences and similarities among three different storms in Matthew 14, Luke 8 and John 6.
The following is semi-unfiltered. I have gone through it several times to try and make the sentences read more clearly (though I don't know how well that was done compared to the intent of doing so). I say unfiltered because the thoughts that these passages made me think of have also been written down. I call it "thinking out loud". As thoughts were written about these storms, it sparked other thoughts and ponderings about the path of following Jesus.
Knowing then these storm passages led to thoughts, and those thoughts led to other ponderings, it is hoped the following is not too badly in disorganized disarray. Anything fruitful, encouraging or sound in the following is from the Holy Spirit. Any chaff is from me. I am continually being pruned by God, and welcome further spiritual maturity where thoughts and writings will contain less and less chaff. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30)
1) storm in Matthew 14:22-34
"Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.
And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone. But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright. But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid! And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God! And when they had crossed over to the other side, they went ashore at Gennesaret." (Amplified Bible)
Observations/Reflections:
• Jesus told his disciples to leave in the boat without Him
• a storm rose up on the disciples as they journeyed in the boat
• it does not say how long the storm had been taking place, or how long the disciples had been weathering it, when Jesus appeared during the fourth watch (somewhere between 3am-6am)
• even as Jesus performed a miracle (walking on water), His Followers "screamed with fright". Can you imagine His thoughts as He approached them? "I purposed to send them on ahead of Me, knowing this miracle might take place. This miracle will glorify the Father, yet another testimony that I am of Him." Did Jesus know they would be terrified? Was He hoping when they saw Him it would be a glorious moment, they would be celebrating and praising God the moment they saw Him on the water? Did He already know He'd instead have to be calming their fears in thinking He was a ghost?
• Jesus defied the laws of physics and all natural laws of earth when He appeared
• Jesus had to identify Himself. Was it because the disciples couldn't see Him clearly through the storm? Was it too dark? Was it because of their fear and fright (their perception was distorted by their fear, and they couldn't see or think clearly)? Human fear can cause perceptions of reality and truth to be skewed, whether Believer or not.
• Do we not see or recognize Jesus in our lives sometimes, even if He's right in front of us, because of circumstances, etc.?
• Jesus admonished them to stop being afraid of Him. It doesn't say they were afraid of the storm/wind.
• even after identifying Himself, Peter still said "if it is You, command me to come to You on the water". How often does Jesus appear in our lives and we don't recognize Him, or we ask Him for further confirmation that it's actually Him, even after He identifies Himself? This happens often, and it's okay--the Trinity has lots of practice reaffirming and assuring Followers of their presence and their guidance.
• Peter likewise began to walk on water. The storm continued, even as Peter (and Jesus) performed the miracle of walking on water. The storm did not cease when faith was exercised. How often do we expect our own storms to be gone the instant we start exercising our faith in Jesus in a situation?
• it doesn't say how long Peter walked on the water before his faith wavered. I've always thought it was only a few seconds, but it doesn't say it was only a few seconds. When Peter got out of the boat, did he stand by the boat for 10-15 seconds, marveling, taking in the miracle brought on by his belief, before he began walking toward Jesus? I have always figured it was very short time, for surely if it had been more than very briefly other disciples would have then joined them on the water too...or would they? Some folks would logically conclude "yes", but the reality is some people still do not put their faith in Jesus, turn from sin (repent), etc. even though they undeniably see His power working in others. People see Him, unequivocally, in others, yet they themselves will not come to Him despite this:
"Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time). But [as] I told you, although you have seen Me, still you do not believe and trust and have faith." (John 6:35-36); "For John came to you walking in the way of an upright man in right standing with God, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots did believe him; and you, even when you saw that, did not afterward change your minds and believe him [adhere to, trust in, and rely on what he told you]" (Matthew 21:32); "...neither will they be persuaded and convinced and believe [even] if someone should rise from the dead" Luke 16:31). Some (most?) Believers think that even living, supernatural, undeniable evidence of Jesus' power and resurrection would cause or bring about faith in Him in any human being. That is not the case, and Believers should be aware of this. The lack of trust/belief/surrender to Jesus despite the evidence of miracles should be met as Jesus met it: with continued forebearance and unconditional love, and more miracles. It should not be met with scorn, criticism, self-righteousness and/or judgment.
• when Peter began to focus on the wind/storm is when he began to sink
• Peter took his eyes off Jesus and put his eyes/focus on the storm instead. It was at this point his faith waivered, not only to the point of his being in trouble, but Peter thought he was actually going to die ("Save me from death!")
• what awesome/glorious thing(s) may have happened next if Peter's faith had not wavered? This is not the point of the story, just a neat "what if..." I wonder if they would have begun dancing on the water (kicking up water like the old "Singing In The Rain" movie). Maybe they would have started playing chase, or keep-away--in some way having a grand time on the water. Maybe the other disciples would have joined them! What incredible thing might have occurred among many believers if just one believer had kept their focus on Jesus? What a prime example of what incredible things could happen if just one keeps their faith and focus on the Savior. It might have led to so many more miraculous and awesome things happening.
• Jesus asked Peter "why did you doubt?" Peter had exhibited the faith to walk on water at Jesus' command, and did it! He took the bold steps on faith, and was living miraculously through--until he took his eyes off Jesus. How often do we begin a situation with faith, or grow into having faith, only to then take our eyes off Jesus? The result for us will be the same as Peter's sinking, unless we keep forging ahead in faith, despite the strength or length of the storm.
• was the doubt Jesus questioned Peter about internal or external doubt? Was it doubt about being able to defy natural laws through the power of God (to walk on water, in this case)? Was it doubt in Peter's mind of Jesus being the Messiah? (We know from Scripture Peter wavered back and forth in his belief in Jesus. Sometimes solid, sometimes not.) These are internal doubts which could have arisen in Peter's mind. Or was the doubt because of Peter's focus on the storm? This would be an external factor (not in Peter's mind) to bring about the doubt.
• Jesus knew what the nature of Peter's doubt was, but notice that He didn't tell it to Peter straight out. Jesus instead asked Peter, wanting Peter to think and examine the reason/cause. Sometimes God doesn't give us an answer straight out. Sometimes He has us ponder and reason things before Him within our minds. Prayer is a powerful and important element in a Believer's life, but pondering our hearts in front of the Lord can also be a rich experience leading to spiritual growth. Jesus asked Peter about his doubt, that Peter would ponder the reason for his doubt. Jesus wasn't asking about Peter's surface action of demonstrating doubt. Jesus wanted Peter to look at the why behind/beneath the action.
• the storm/wind ceased when Jesus and Peter got in the boat. It did not cease upon Jesus' command or word--Jesus didn't speak to the storm or rebuke it in this instance. Nor did the storm stop just because Jesus was present or performing a mircale. The storm stopped when He actually joined them where they were (in the boat).
2) storm in Luke 8:22-25
"22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out.
23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." (Amplified Bible)
Observations/Reflections:
• Jesus went with the disciples in the boat from shore (He didn't send them out in the boat without Him or ahead of Him)
• did Jesus know the storm was going to take place ahead of time? Was He so confident in God (and/or dead to the circumstances of the world) He went to sleep anyway? Even after the storm was in full force, Jesus was STILL asleep. The disciples went to wake him when the boat was "being swamped and they were in great danger". Jesus was snoozin'! What a testament and example of being dead to the storms of this world if ever there was one.
• the storm was so severe all the disciples (not just Peter) feared not only were they in trouble from the storm, but that they were going to die (drown).
• in this case Jesus did rebuke nature, and instantly everything calmed at His giving the word for it to cease.
• Jesus rebuked two things: He rebuked the wind, and He also rebuked the raging waters. Can't tell from the passage if he rebuked them individually or collectively ("He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm").
• after the storm was calmed, the boat remained where it was in the sea (as far as latitude and longitude). Jesus had calmed the situation, but they remained in the location where they were.
• Jesus asked the disciples "Where is your faith?". Was Jesus questioning their faith in terms of the storm? ( Jesus had already shown supernatural authority over things of the earth; diseases, demons, sickness, etc). Or did He question their lack of faith about their fate ("we're going to drown!")?
• even after Jesus calmed the storm, they were still in "fear and amazement", and asked each other "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." (Luke 8:25). Why were they still in amazement at Jesus? Up to this point, in the book of Luke, Jesus had: rebuked a demon (4:35), healed a fever (4:39), healed ALL who came to Him with a sickness (4:40), caused the miraculous catch of fish (5:4-9), healed a leper (5:13), healed great crowds (5:15), healed a parlaytic (5:17-26), healed a withered hand (6:6-10), healed more great crowds of sickness, unclean spirits and diseases (6:17-19), healed the centurion's son (7:2-10), raised a dead man (7:11-16), healed great numbers of sick, plagued, demon possessed and blind (7:21). These great miracles had been done before their eyes, in addition to His teaching (which likewise struck them with amazement). All these things had occurred in Jesus' life up to this miracle of calming the storm, and they still asked themselves "Who is this?"
• do we think ourselves any different than the disciples who walked the earth with Jesus? Do we think if we had been among the original disciples we would have believed (instead of wondered and doubted) upon witnessing His power, and followed and believed Him more than they?
• Do we fully acknowledge Him today--or do we acknowledge Him in some areas in our life but doubt and deny Him in others? Do we believe in the forgiveness of our sins through His blood, but then choose not to be led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14)? Do we give Him parts of our life for Him to be Lord over, but refuse to trust and follow Him completely with every part of it? Jesus said "If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [ disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [ cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also]." (Luke 9:23) Do we talk a good Christian talk or show a good Christian exhibit to other Believers, but then in private shout in anger at our children, spouse or strangers? Do we give lip-service to the fruits of the Spirit (patience, gentleness, self-control, etc.), but in our daily lives live out the fruits of the flesh (fits of rage, selfishness, dissension, etc) (Galatians 5:16-26)? Have we reached the turning point in our walk with Jesus, where we do go to the cross every morning, die to ourself, take up our cross and follow Him--in all things?
3) storm in John 6:16-22
"16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. 22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone." (John 6:16-22, Amplified Bible)
Observations/Reflections:
• the disciples had been waiting for Jesus to join them before they left (He had gone up on a mountain to pray by Himself, after feeding the multitudes with bread and fish)
• again, as before, it does not say how long the disciples confronted or dealt with the storm before Jesus appeared
• again, the disciples were terrified when Jesus appeared, walking miraculously on the water
• again, Jesus did not calm the storm immediately upon his arriving
• again, Jesus had to tell them "It is I; don't be afraid"
• again, Jesus defied the laws of earth/nature when He appeared. Jesus does come to us in our storms of life...do we anticipate Him showing up with miraculous, supernatural power, or do we just say a two-bit prayer and not really expect our storms to be radically changed? Does religion/tradition affect the manner and impact witih which we see Him show up in our lives? Do we put Him in a box that limits His ability (for He is able) to do things for and with us? Even if we see (or talk to) Him about a situation, do we actually exercise the faith that He will act in power to change things at the Father's will?
• they were not even half way in their journey (3 to 3.5 miles into a 9-mile journey across the lake) when this all took place.
• when Jesus entered the boat they were taken immediately from where they were in the lake to the shore where they were going. They did not remain in the same location (as far as latitude and longitude).
• the passage doesn't say whether the storm stopped or continued. The storm very well could have kept raging on. It doesn't matter what the storm did--they were instantly away/removed supernaturally from the storm to another place.
• Jesus did not rebuke this storm, in this case He did something else--transported the boat five to six miles away (that's all, just a ho-hum and yawn for the Father and Jesus).
• what were the details of being in Capernaum? Was the boat simply run up on the sand in shallow water? Was it docked with the boat's ropes tied to a dock?
• imagine what the conversations were upon "arrival" in Capernaum. (There was no arrival...they were just simply there already!) Usually when you are arriving at a location, you see it in the distance, your mind starts to think about the place you're arriving, what has gone on before in your visit(s) there, what this time will be like, what you anticipate or expect will happen during your visit. There was no anticipation nor nostalgia in arriving at Capernaum...they arrived there suddenly.
• none of the things that casually go through peoples' minds on a trip happened on the way to Capernaum. Under normal circumstances the disciples probably would have talked about their "war stories" of making it through a rough storm ("Boy, you should have seen those waves", "you should have seen how the wind caused the waves to slam into and over the boat", etc, etc, etc.). Jesus' presence, impact and miracle changed what was talked about. The storm was still part of the story, but the real story is what happened when Jesus Christ showed up. How often does Jesus perform miraculously in our lives, and instead of witnessing and testifying to His working and His power, we instead choose to talk about our perspective of things, weave our own human spin into explaining what happened, or focus on telling our own war story--instead of making it ALL about His power, deliverance and awesomeness in our lives?
• How incredible it would have been to be there, to see the looks on their faces and see what they said upon this miracle taking place.
Thoughts on the Three Storms:
Variation of Circumstances
• in Matthew 14, Jesus told his disciples to go ahead without Him. In Luke 8, Jesus told his disciples "let's go" and they went together. In John 6, Jesus had not returned (from the mountain) so the disciples left on their own without Him after waiting for Him until dark.
Each of these situations began differently, leading up to the storm: (1) Jesus telling His Followers to go on without Him. (2) Jesus telling His Followers "Let's go together". (3) Jesus' Followers making a decision to leave though they'd been waiting for Him to show up before they left.
So it is with our lives. There is no predictability or pattern as to what will happen in our lives leading up to a storm. Like the disciples, we often don't perceive what problems/storms will come upon us. When they do come, do we focus on the human circumstances and become fearful? Or do we look to Jesus--to be our strength first, then either calm the storm at His command or take us out of the storm?
Length of Storm Undetermined, Jesus' Priorities
Jesus did deliver His Followers from all three storms, but it is not revealed how long the disciples battled or were in the storms before they were calmed or the disciples removed.
Jesus did not rebuke any of the storms immediately when He arrived. His first actions each time were to calm the disciples fears and put at ease their being terrified (of Him and/or the storm).
The first thing out of Jesus' mouth in the Matthew 14 storm was "Take courage! It is Me! Don't be afraid!" In Luke 8, Jesus awoke to "We're going to drown!" His first action was to get up and rebuke the wind and the waves. In John 6, the disciples were terrified as Jesus approached them. His first words: "It is I. Don't be afraid!"
When He saw the disciples in fear/terror of the circumstances (instead of glorifying His miracle/presence), Jesus demonstrated His first priority is the emotional well-being of those who belong to Him.
Things are still the same. Believers cry out to Jesus when storms arise, and He shows up. His first priority is calming any fears about the storm--assuring us of His presence, that He's aware of what we're facing, offering us His Peace (not as the world gives or understands peace) and caring for any trauma/fear/terror the storm has brought.
One thing that is different from back in Jesus' day that comes into play today, at least in the American Body. There is a cynicism and pride (brought on by the Prosperity and Dominion Gospels) that brings doubt/wonder why the storm was allowed to occur in the first place. "I'm a Follower of Jesus. Why is this storm happening in my life?", "I focus only on the good things of God in my walk with Him", etc.
Also quite possible for Prosperity and Dominion Believers is a prideful impatience if the storm occurs for longer than the Believer wants it to. Believers in this line of thought will rebuke the storm from the onset, claiming or "knowing" that it "can't be from God", and spend all their prayers and energy inside the coccoon of their own mind fighting the storm (in the name of Jesus).
In doing this, they don't wait on the Lord. They don't seek God to know if the storm was either allowed or purposed in order to prune them (John 15:2, "while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful"), develop their character (Romans 5:3-5, "we[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope") or teach them something spiritually.
Too many Believers start rebuking and speaking to calm storms immediately, and that's all they focus on. This is not what Jesus did. The storm was powerless to Him. That is why He slept during one of them. That is why His focus was on His disciples' hearts and well-being, and THEN He took care of the storm after what was truly important had been addressed.
If Believers solely focus on rebuking storms the moment they occur, how often is it missed that Jesus has come in miraculous power, and is present in the midst of what's going on? Is rebuking a storm more important than watching for Jesus, caring for others, or growing/learning through trials? There's definitely a percentage of Believers who are "missing the boat" on this.
How many people claiming to folllw Jesus walk around wielding His Name in every circumstance that isn't perfect, speaking in their own authority and opinion (though using the name of Jesus) as to how/when He should calm someone's storm? See it all the time. (example: "Satan, I command you to take your hand off Joe's life, in the name of Jesus! He's a child of God, and you have no right to be causing havoc in his circumstance. You're rebuked in the name of Jesus and must flee.")
Huh? Since when do we Christians know what God is doing or allowing (Job 1:9-12) in someone's life? Did the Lord give us a supernatural word of wisdom about someone's circumstance, so we start slinging His Name around to change their circumstance? Is the wielding of this authority actually from divine insight into others' lives that we would pray this way, or is it our own "authority" (in the name of Jesus, of course) that we think someone's circumstance just shouldn't be that way, so we're going to shake heaven and earth to change it to surely how God must want it?
There Will Be Storms
There is no such thing as the Prosperity Gospel, friend. To expect, hope or proclaim to others that life as a Christian is (or is supposed to be) only positive peaches-n-cream is unrealistic and unscriptural. The world does not see Jesus if Followers do not proclaim and bring His Light into situations of darkness.
"23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me. 24But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy)." (Acts 20:23-24)
If you were in pretty much most churches in America today, or in conversation with most American Christians today, and like Paul in this passage from Acts told a fellow Believer "The Holy Spirit has emphatically affirmed to me that suffering awaits me", they would more than likely grab your arm and say "Oh no! That's not God's will for you! God has a better plan for you!"
This happens with great frequency in the Body, every day. Where, instead, is the wisdom knowing our faith and character in Jesus is refined by trials?
"3Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." (Galatians 5:3-5, Amplified Bible)
Here's the same in the NIV translation: "3 we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Galatians 5:3-5, NIV)
"...He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." (John 15:2, Amplified Bible)
"47For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. 49 But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great." (Matthew 7:47-49, Amplified Bible)
Storms are going to take place. We may wander into them ourselves (following our own way), or we may be led into them (for the purpose of pruning and refinement).
Do we look to Jesus when storms come? No, really. Do we truly look to Him through the duration of what's going on, or do we give lip-service to Him (we tell others we are looking to Him, but in reality are dealing with the storm(s) in our own strength, wisdom and direction)?
Do we run out of patience between the time the storm hits us and the moment when Jesus calms the storm? In each of these examples Jesus DID calm the storm (or took His followers out of the storm). Every time. But before He did the storm was terrible and they seemed destined for doom.
How long was the time gap between the onslaught of the storms and their being calmed by Jesus? The Word doesn't say. May have been a few minutes, a few seconds. Longer? The Word doesn't say how long, but it was long enough in each case for the storm to be intense to the point of causing concern. Grave concern.
What is the timeline in our lives? How much time is there between the moment a storm hits and the time we look for Jesus? The Word mentions the disciples being fearful from the ferociousness of the storms. Jesus did not judge the disciples for being fearful. He simply admonished and encouraged them to not be afraid.
When storms hit us, do we cry out in fear too? Or, because we have built our house upon the Rock, does our foundation stand firm even as the first waves crash against us? It doesn't matter. If we stand firm on the Rock from the onset of a storm, great! If we prove human and are fearful at a storm, Jesus is there to tell us "Take courage! I AM! Be not afraid!"
Are we so continually rooted and in fellowship with Jesus that our relationship with Him remains tight and unchanged regardless of the situations that arise in our lives? Or do storms cause us to run to Him from where we were--indicating we weren't closely abiding in Him when the storm occurred?
We are not judged if we weren't abiding in Him. The storm will be calmed when He speaks the word. His love and compassion abound toward those who trust in, cling to and rely on Him whether we were standing firm or whether we weren't.
Dealing with Storms for Various People:
Are you reading this having never trusted your life, heart and soul to Jesus? Is there a storm currently in your life? Are you fighting storms of life in your own strength, in your own wisdom and your own way? Are you okay and confident in your own abilities to cope and deal with things? Have you turned to man's ways of dealing with trials as the solution, or have you been doing so for many years?
If so, I pray right now the true colors of whatever earthly or man-made thing(s) or habits you are leaning on to sustain you will show themselves for what they are. If they are "the" answer, may they continue to be. If our Creator will draw you to Him and to His Son, Jesus, I pray the things you have been looking to for strength and sustainment in life will begin to show their weakness and their inability to truly be The Answer for you. I pray that if/as man's ways and man's things begin to either falter or be unfulfilling in your life, that you will have the wisdom to see this--and realize God is behind the faltering and unfulfillment and is drawing you to Jesus, the Rock the world cannot compare to in helping you, calming your fears, calming your storms.
Are you already a Believer, but have been only looking to Jesus for the simplest things of the faith--salvation and forgiveness of sins? Are you holding back from letting Him be the Lord (master and ruler) of your life? Are you allowing Him only into certain places and not others?
Friend, remember this: Jesus said "Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it." (Luke 9:25) If as a Believer you are looking to hold onto or maintain control over things you have not surrendered to Him, you will not have His Peace about them, and those areas will remain the "spur under the saddle" of your life. You don't have His Peace about them. He is not guiding you in them. They are what worry you throughout the day. They are what cause you frustration, emotional strain, worry and misery. They are the storms of your life.
Surrender those areas to Him, my brother or sister. Let these things die, by giving them to Him, so you can go about living. Let Him have the worry, the frustration, the cares, the worry about these things! He wants to give you an easy yoke and a light burden in exchange for you giving Him these things that are weighing you down (Matthew 11:28-30).
Are you already a Believer, but have been infiltrated by the Prosperity or Dominion Gospels, and realize that you have missed what God intends to either teach you or grow you through in your storms?
Have you spent all your efforts in a storm fighting the storm (in and with the Name of Jesus) that you have missed His pruning, His intended lesson learned or His intended growth of your character in your storms of life?
Are you so busy wielding the Name of Jesus at every imperfect circumstance in life that you are missing the growth and refinement God wants for you? Are you invoking Jesus' name over other people's circumstances, using Jesus' name to invoke calm in their life (when God may be wanting to have them endure, learn, grow from what they're facing)?
The Word says "the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in" (Proverbs 3:12) Are you so busy claiming His Name over everything that you can't "be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)? Do you spend so much time asking for and seeking His blessings that there is nothing reciprocal on your part--to spend time fearing Him (Psalm 67:7), pausing to listen to Him, seeing what He has to say about the things in your life, understanding what He wants to accomplish by the storms you're going through?
I say the following in absolute grace, love and humility, as a reminder of His Truth. Remember Jesus' words in Matthew 7, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you..." (Matthew 7:22-23)
I have repented of trying to be/play God in knowing what He's doing in others' lives. If we're not getting prophetic words from Him for specific circumstances, it's not our job to call the shots as to what is to happen. We absolutely should be constant in prayer, but seeking God's hand in something is different from putting our own spin on what should happen in the spiritual realm.
You may share with others about having a relationship with God, but is your relationship with Him a one sided "Bless me, give me, here's what I want You to do" endeavor, where He is not given neither an ear nor a chance to respond? That's not a relationship, folks.
Is God given the chance (each time you talk to Him) to tell you what He is thinking? Is He given time to teach you? Is He allowed to share where He's wanting to take you--spiritually or otherwise?
The disciples didn't even see Jesus in their midst during the storms because they were focusing on the storm or focusing on their fears. Because of this, their perception of Jesus' presence and God's perfect will were distorted. Jesus showed His compassion by foregoing the intended glory in the moment and gave attention to calming fears, reassuring and restoring.
Wouldn't it logically seem that God's perfect will in each of those storms was: the disciples would recognize Jesus when He appeared, they would not have been fearful [either of Him or the storm], and God/Jesus would be glorified even in the middle of turmoil.
We can see from each of these storms that God's perfect will during storms did not come about. It should have been pure glory: Jesus walking on the water amidst the storm, the disciples recognizing Him, glorifying Him, and all of them demonstrating the faith to walk with Him miraculously themselves.
This didn't happen. So quit beating ourselves up when we aren't flawlessly perfect in our lives. Jesus showed His compassion toward His disciple's hearts and minds when they weren't strong. He's the same with us. Does He want us to be strong and have faith, and not begin to sink like Peter? Absolutely. And we should strive for spiritual maturity to walk strongly and boldly in Him. If we are not at that level in our walk with Him yet, we are strengthened knowing He meets us where we are, comforts fears, and encourages us to take courage in Him.
Get your eyes off being storm-free in life, my brother and sister. Storms are going to come. They are allowed or purposed number one so that He might be glorified through our actions and witness through them. If He is not being glorified, we need to examine our hearts as to why not. If others are not undeniably seeing Jesus in us as we go through things, we need to examine if our house is built upon sand or upon the Rock. May we all grow to be Rockin' amidst our storms.
After breaking down this storm in John 6, I was inspired to look at other storms in the New Testament as well. It was interesting to see the differences and similarities among three different storms in Matthew 14, Luke 8 and John 6.
The following is semi-unfiltered. I have gone through it several times to try and make the sentences read more clearly (though I don't know how well that was done compared to the intent of doing so). I say unfiltered because the thoughts that these passages made me think of have also been written down. I call it "thinking out loud". As thoughts were written about these storms, it sparked other thoughts and ponderings about the path of following Jesus.
Knowing then these storm passages led to thoughts, and those thoughts led to other ponderings, it is hoped the following is not too badly in disorganized disarray. Anything fruitful, encouraging or sound in the following is from the Holy Spirit. Any chaff is from me. I am continually being pruned by God, and welcome further spiritual maturity where thoughts and writings will contain less and less chaff. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30)
1) storm in Matthew 14:22-34
"Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.
And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone. But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright. But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid! And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God! And when they had crossed over to the other side, they went ashore at Gennesaret." (Amplified Bible)
Observations/Reflections:
• Jesus told his disciples to leave in the boat without Him
• a storm rose up on the disciples as they journeyed in the boat
• it does not say how long the storm had been taking place, or how long the disciples had been weathering it, when Jesus appeared during the fourth watch (somewhere between 3am-6am)
• even as Jesus performed a miracle (walking on water), His Followers "screamed with fright". Can you imagine His thoughts as He approached them? "I purposed to send them on ahead of Me, knowing this miracle might take place. This miracle will glorify the Father, yet another testimony that I am of Him." Did Jesus know they would be terrified? Was He hoping when they saw Him it would be a glorious moment, they would be celebrating and praising God the moment they saw Him on the water? Did He already know He'd instead have to be calming their fears in thinking He was a ghost?
• Jesus defied the laws of physics and all natural laws of earth when He appeared
• Jesus had to identify Himself. Was it because the disciples couldn't see Him clearly through the storm? Was it too dark? Was it because of their fear and fright (their perception was distorted by their fear, and they couldn't see or think clearly)? Human fear can cause perceptions of reality and truth to be skewed, whether Believer or not.
• Do we not see or recognize Jesus in our lives sometimes, even if He's right in front of us, because of circumstances, etc.?
• Jesus admonished them to stop being afraid of Him. It doesn't say they were afraid of the storm/wind.
• even after identifying Himself, Peter still said "if it is You, command me to come to You on the water". How often does Jesus appear in our lives and we don't recognize Him, or we ask Him for further confirmation that it's actually Him, even after He identifies Himself? This happens often, and it's okay--the Trinity has lots of practice reaffirming and assuring Followers of their presence and their guidance.
• Peter likewise began to walk on water. The storm continued, even as Peter (and Jesus) performed the miracle of walking on water. The storm did not cease when faith was exercised. How often do we expect our own storms to be gone the instant we start exercising our faith in Jesus in a situation?
• it doesn't say how long Peter walked on the water before his faith wavered. I've always thought it was only a few seconds, but it doesn't say it was only a few seconds. When Peter got out of the boat, did he stand by the boat for 10-15 seconds, marveling, taking in the miracle brought on by his belief, before he began walking toward Jesus? I have always figured it was very short time, for surely if it had been more than very briefly other disciples would have then joined them on the water too...or would they? Some folks would logically conclude "yes", but the reality is some people still do not put their faith in Jesus, turn from sin (repent), etc. even though they undeniably see His power working in others. People see Him, unequivocally, in others, yet they themselves will not come to Him despite this:
"Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time). But [as] I told you, although you have seen Me, still you do not believe and trust and have faith." (John 6:35-36); "For John came to you walking in the way of an upright man in right standing with God, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots did believe him; and you, even when you saw that, did not afterward change your minds and believe him [adhere to, trust in, and rely on what he told you]" (Matthew 21:32); "...neither will they be persuaded and convinced and believe [even] if someone should rise from the dead" Luke 16:31). Some (most?) Believers think that even living, supernatural, undeniable evidence of Jesus' power and resurrection would cause or bring about faith in Him in any human being. That is not the case, and Believers should be aware of this. The lack of trust/belief/surrender to Jesus despite the evidence of miracles should be met as Jesus met it: with continued forebearance and unconditional love, and more miracles. It should not be met with scorn, criticism, self-righteousness and/or judgment.
• when Peter began to focus on the wind/storm is when he began to sink
• Peter took his eyes off Jesus and put his eyes/focus on the storm instead. It was at this point his faith waivered, not only to the point of his being in trouble, but Peter thought he was actually going to die ("Save me from death!")
• what awesome/glorious thing(s) may have happened next if Peter's faith had not wavered? This is not the point of the story, just a neat "what if..." I wonder if they would have begun dancing on the water (kicking up water like the old "Singing In The Rain" movie). Maybe they would have started playing chase, or keep-away--in some way having a grand time on the water. Maybe the other disciples would have joined them! What incredible thing might have occurred among many believers if just one believer had kept their focus on Jesus? What a prime example of what incredible things could happen if just one keeps their faith and focus on the Savior. It might have led to so many more miraculous and awesome things happening.
• Jesus asked Peter "why did you doubt?" Peter had exhibited the faith to walk on water at Jesus' command, and did it! He took the bold steps on faith, and was living miraculously through--until he took his eyes off Jesus. How often do we begin a situation with faith, or grow into having faith, only to then take our eyes off Jesus? The result for us will be the same as Peter's sinking, unless we keep forging ahead in faith, despite the strength or length of the storm.
• was the doubt Jesus questioned Peter about internal or external doubt? Was it doubt about being able to defy natural laws through the power of God (to walk on water, in this case)? Was it doubt in Peter's mind of Jesus being the Messiah? (We know from Scripture Peter wavered back and forth in his belief in Jesus. Sometimes solid, sometimes not.) These are internal doubts which could have arisen in Peter's mind. Or was the doubt because of Peter's focus on the storm? This would be an external factor (not in Peter's mind) to bring about the doubt.
• Jesus knew what the nature of Peter's doubt was, but notice that He didn't tell it to Peter straight out. Jesus instead asked Peter, wanting Peter to think and examine the reason/cause. Sometimes God doesn't give us an answer straight out. Sometimes He has us ponder and reason things before Him within our minds. Prayer is a powerful and important element in a Believer's life, but pondering our hearts in front of the Lord can also be a rich experience leading to spiritual growth. Jesus asked Peter about his doubt, that Peter would ponder the reason for his doubt. Jesus wasn't asking about Peter's surface action of demonstrating doubt. Jesus wanted Peter to look at the why behind/beneath the action.
• the storm/wind ceased when Jesus and Peter got in the boat. It did not cease upon Jesus' command or word--Jesus didn't speak to the storm or rebuke it in this instance. Nor did the storm stop just because Jesus was present or performing a mircale. The storm stopped when He actually joined them where they were (in the boat).
2) storm in Luke 8:22-25
"22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out.
23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." (Amplified Bible)
Observations/Reflections:
• Jesus went with the disciples in the boat from shore (He didn't send them out in the boat without Him or ahead of Him)
• did Jesus know the storm was going to take place ahead of time? Was He so confident in God (and/or dead to the circumstances of the world) He went to sleep anyway? Even after the storm was in full force, Jesus was STILL asleep. The disciples went to wake him when the boat was "being swamped and they were in great danger". Jesus was snoozin'! What a testament and example of being dead to the storms of this world if ever there was one.
• the storm was so severe all the disciples (not just Peter) feared not only were they in trouble from the storm, but that they were going to die (drown).
• in this case Jesus did rebuke nature, and instantly everything calmed at His giving the word for it to cease.
• Jesus rebuked two things: He rebuked the wind, and He also rebuked the raging waters. Can't tell from the passage if he rebuked them individually or collectively ("He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm").
• after the storm was calmed, the boat remained where it was in the sea (as far as latitude and longitude). Jesus had calmed the situation, but they remained in the location where they were.
• Jesus asked the disciples "Where is your faith?". Was Jesus questioning their faith in terms of the storm? ( Jesus had already shown supernatural authority over things of the earth; diseases, demons, sickness, etc). Or did He question their lack of faith about their fate ("we're going to drown!")?
• even after Jesus calmed the storm, they were still in "fear and amazement", and asked each other "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." (Luke 8:25). Why were they still in amazement at Jesus? Up to this point, in the book of Luke, Jesus had: rebuked a demon (4:35), healed a fever (4:39), healed ALL who came to Him with a sickness (4:40), caused the miraculous catch of fish (5:4-9), healed a leper (5:13), healed great crowds (5:15), healed a parlaytic (5:17-26), healed a withered hand (6:6-10), healed more great crowds of sickness, unclean spirits and diseases (6:17-19), healed the centurion's son (7:2-10), raised a dead man (7:11-16), healed great numbers of sick, plagued, demon possessed and blind (7:21). These great miracles had been done before their eyes, in addition to His teaching (which likewise struck them with amazement). All these things had occurred in Jesus' life up to this miracle of calming the storm, and they still asked themselves "Who is this?"
• do we think ourselves any different than the disciples who walked the earth with Jesus? Do we think if we had been among the original disciples we would have believed (instead of wondered and doubted) upon witnessing His power, and followed and believed Him more than they?
• Do we fully acknowledge Him today--or do we acknowledge Him in some areas in our life but doubt and deny Him in others? Do we believe in the forgiveness of our sins through His blood, but then choose not to be led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14)? Do we give Him parts of our life for Him to be Lord over, but refuse to trust and follow Him completely with every part of it? Jesus said "If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [ disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [ cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also]." (Luke 9:23) Do we talk a good Christian talk or show a good Christian exhibit to other Believers, but then in private shout in anger at our children, spouse or strangers? Do we give lip-service to the fruits of the Spirit (patience, gentleness, self-control, etc.), but in our daily lives live out the fruits of the flesh (fits of rage, selfishness, dissension, etc) (Galatians 5:16-26)? Have we reached the turning point in our walk with Jesus, where we do go to the cross every morning, die to ourself, take up our cross and follow Him--in all things?
3) storm in John 6:16-22
"16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. 22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone." (John 6:16-22, Amplified Bible)
Observations/Reflections:
• the disciples had been waiting for Jesus to join them before they left (He had gone up on a mountain to pray by Himself, after feeding the multitudes with bread and fish)
• again, as before, it does not say how long the disciples confronted or dealt with the storm before Jesus appeared
• again, the disciples were terrified when Jesus appeared, walking miraculously on the water
• again, Jesus did not calm the storm immediately upon his arriving
• again, Jesus had to tell them "It is I; don't be afraid"
• again, Jesus defied the laws of earth/nature when He appeared. Jesus does come to us in our storms of life...do we anticipate Him showing up with miraculous, supernatural power, or do we just say a two-bit prayer and not really expect our storms to be radically changed? Does religion/tradition affect the manner and impact witih which we see Him show up in our lives? Do we put Him in a box that limits His ability (for He is able) to do things for and with us? Even if we see (or talk to) Him about a situation, do we actually exercise the faith that He will act in power to change things at the Father's will?
• they were not even half way in their journey (3 to 3.5 miles into a 9-mile journey across the lake) when this all took place.
• when Jesus entered the boat they were taken immediately from where they were in the lake to the shore where they were going. They did not remain in the same location (as far as latitude and longitude).
• the passage doesn't say whether the storm stopped or continued. The storm very well could have kept raging on. It doesn't matter what the storm did--they were instantly away/removed supernaturally from the storm to another place.
• Jesus did not rebuke this storm, in this case He did something else--transported the boat five to six miles away (that's all, just a ho-hum and yawn for the Father and Jesus).
• what were the details of being in Capernaum? Was the boat simply run up on the sand in shallow water? Was it docked with the boat's ropes tied to a dock?
• imagine what the conversations were upon "arrival" in Capernaum. (There was no arrival...they were just simply there already!) Usually when you are arriving at a location, you see it in the distance, your mind starts to think about the place you're arriving, what has gone on before in your visit(s) there, what this time will be like, what you anticipate or expect will happen during your visit. There was no anticipation nor nostalgia in arriving at Capernaum...they arrived there suddenly.
• none of the things that casually go through peoples' minds on a trip happened on the way to Capernaum. Under normal circumstances the disciples probably would have talked about their "war stories" of making it through a rough storm ("Boy, you should have seen those waves", "you should have seen how the wind caused the waves to slam into and over the boat", etc, etc, etc.). Jesus' presence, impact and miracle changed what was talked about. The storm was still part of the story, but the real story is what happened when Jesus Christ showed up. How often does Jesus perform miraculously in our lives, and instead of witnessing and testifying to His working and His power, we instead choose to talk about our perspective of things, weave our own human spin into explaining what happened, or focus on telling our own war story--instead of making it ALL about His power, deliverance and awesomeness in our lives?
• How incredible it would have been to be there, to see the looks on their faces and see what they said upon this miracle taking place.
Thoughts on the Three Storms:
Variation of Circumstances
• in Matthew 14, Jesus told his disciples to go ahead without Him. In Luke 8, Jesus told his disciples "let's go" and they went together. In John 6, Jesus had not returned (from the mountain) so the disciples left on their own without Him after waiting for Him until dark.
Each of these situations began differently, leading up to the storm: (1) Jesus telling His Followers to go on without Him. (2) Jesus telling His Followers "Let's go together". (3) Jesus' Followers making a decision to leave though they'd been waiting for Him to show up before they left.
So it is with our lives. There is no predictability or pattern as to what will happen in our lives leading up to a storm. Like the disciples, we often don't perceive what problems/storms will come upon us. When they do come, do we focus on the human circumstances and become fearful? Or do we look to Jesus--to be our strength first, then either calm the storm at His command or take us out of the storm?
Length of Storm Undetermined, Jesus' Priorities
Jesus did deliver His Followers from all three storms, but it is not revealed how long the disciples battled or were in the storms before they were calmed or the disciples removed.
Jesus did not rebuke any of the storms immediately when He arrived. His first actions each time were to calm the disciples fears and put at ease their being terrified (of Him and/or the storm).
The first thing out of Jesus' mouth in the Matthew 14 storm was "Take courage! It is Me! Don't be afraid!" In Luke 8, Jesus awoke to "We're going to drown!" His first action was to get up and rebuke the wind and the waves. In John 6, the disciples were terrified as Jesus approached them. His first words: "It is I. Don't be afraid!"
When He saw the disciples in fear/terror of the circumstances (instead of glorifying His miracle/presence), Jesus demonstrated His first priority is the emotional well-being of those who belong to Him.
Things are still the same. Believers cry out to Jesus when storms arise, and He shows up. His first priority is calming any fears about the storm--assuring us of His presence, that He's aware of what we're facing, offering us His Peace (not as the world gives or understands peace) and caring for any trauma/fear/terror the storm has brought.
One thing that is different from back in Jesus' day that comes into play today, at least in the American Body. There is a cynicism and pride (brought on by the Prosperity and Dominion Gospels) that brings doubt/wonder why the storm was allowed to occur in the first place. "I'm a Follower of Jesus. Why is this storm happening in my life?", "I focus only on the good things of God in my walk with Him", etc.
Also quite possible for Prosperity and Dominion Believers is a prideful impatience if the storm occurs for longer than the Believer wants it to. Believers in this line of thought will rebuke the storm from the onset, claiming or "knowing" that it "can't be from God", and spend all their prayers and energy inside the coccoon of their own mind fighting the storm (in the name of Jesus).
In doing this, they don't wait on the Lord. They don't seek God to know if the storm was either allowed or purposed in order to prune them (John 15:2, "while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful"), develop their character (Romans 5:3-5, "we[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope") or teach them something spiritually.
Too many Believers start rebuking and speaking to calm storms immediately, and that's all they focus on. This is not what Jesus did. The storm was powerless to Him. That is why He slept during one of them. That is why His focus was on His disciples' hearts and well-being, and THEN He took care of the storm after what was truly important had been addressed.
If Believers solely focus on rebuking storms the moment they occur, how often is it missed that Jesus has come in miraculous power, and is present in the midst of what's going on? Is rebuking a storm more important than watching for Jesus, caring for others, or growing/learning through trials? There's definitely a percentage of Believers who are "missing the boat" on this.
How many people claiming to folllw Jesus walk around wielding His Name in every circumstance that isn't perfect, speaking in their own authority and opinion (though using the name of Jesus) as to how/when He should calm someone's storm? See it all the time. (example: "Satan, I command you to take your hand off Joe's life, in the name of Jesus! He's a child of God, and you have no right to be causing havoc in his circumstance. You're rebuked in the name of Jesus and must flee.")
Huh? Since when do we Christians know what God is doing or allowing (Job 1:9-12) in someone's life? Did the Lord give us a supernatural word of wisdom about someone's circumstance, so we start slinging His Name around to change their circumstance? Is the wielding of this authority actually from divine insight into others' lives that we would pray this way, or is it our own "authority" (in the name of Jesus, of course) that we think someone's circumstance just shouldn't be that way, so we're going to shake heaven and earth to change it to surely how God must want it?
There Will Be Storms
There is no such thing as the Prosperity Gospel, friend. To expect, hope or proclaim to others that life as a Christian is (or is supposed to be) only positive peaches-n-cream is unrealistic and unscriptural. The world does not see Jesus if Followers do not proclaim and bring His Light into situations of darkness.
"23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me. 24But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy)." (Acts 20:23-24)
If you were in pretty much most churches in America today, or in conversation with most American Christians today, and like Paul in this passage from Acts told a fellow Believer "The Holy Spirit has emphatically affirmed to me that suffering awaits me", they would more than likely grab your arm and say "Oh no! That's not God's will for you! God has a better plan for you!"
This happens with great frequency in the Body, every day. Where, instead, is the wisdom knowing our faith and character in Jesus is refined by trials?
"3Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." (Galatians 5:3-5, Amplified Bible)
Here's the same in the NIV translation: "3 we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Galatians 5:3-5, NIV)
"...He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." (John 15:2, Amplified Bible)
"47For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words [in order to heed their teaching] and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. 49 But he who merely hears and does not practice doing My words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation, against which the torrent burst, and immediately it collapsed and fell, and the breaking and ruin of that house was great." (Matthew 7:47-49, Amplified Bible)
Storms are going to take place. We may wander into them ourselves (following our own way), or we may be led into them (for the purpose of pruning and refinement).
Do we look to Jesus when storms come? No, really. Do we truly look to Him through the duration of what's going on, or do we give lip-service to Him (we tell others we are looking to Him, but in reality are dealing with the storm(s) in our own strength, wisdom and direction)?
Do we run out of patience between the time the storm hits us and the moment when Jesus calms the storm? In each of these examples Jesus DID calm the storm (or took His followers out of the storm). Every time. But before He did the storm was terrible and they seemed destined for doom.
How long was the time gap between the onslaught of the storms and their being calmed by Jesus? The Word doesn't say. May have been a few minutes, a few seconds. Longer? The Word doesn't say how long, but it was long enough in each case for the storm to be intense to the point of causing concern. Grave concern.
What is the timeline in our lives? How much time is there between the moment a storm hits and the time we look for Jesus? The Word mentions the disciples being fearful from the ferociousness of the storms. Jesus did not judge the disciples for being fearful. He simply admonished and encouraged them to not be afraid.
When storms hit us, do we cry out in fear too? Or, because we have built our house upon the Rock, does our foundation stand firm even as the first waves crash against us? It doesn't matter. If we stand firm on the Rock from the onset of a storm, great! If we prove human and are fearful at a storm, Jesus is there to tell us "Take courage! I AM! Be not afraid!"
Are we so continually rooted and in fellowship with Jesus that our relationship with Him remains tight and unchanged regardless of the situations that arise in our lives? Or do storms cause us to run to Him from where we were--indicating we weren't closely abiding in Him when the storm occurred?
We are not judged if we weren't abiding in Him. The storm will be calmed when He speaks the word. His love and compassion abound toward those who trust in, cling to and rely on Him whether we were standing firm or whether we weren't.
Dealing with Storms for Various People:
Are you reading this having never trusted your life, heart and soul to Jesus? Is there a storm currently in your life? Are you fighting storms of life in your own strength, in your own wisdom and your own way? Are you okay and confident in your own abilities to cope and deal with things? Have you turned to man's ways of dealing with trials as the solution, or have you been doing so for many years?
If so, I pray right now the true colors of whatever earthly or man-made thing(s) or habits you are leaning on to sustain you will show themselves for what they are. If they are "the" answer, may they continue to be. If our Creator will draw you to Him and to His Son, Jesus, I pray the things you have been looking to for strength and sustainment in life will begin to show their weakness and their inability to truly be The Answer for you. I pray that if/as man's ways and man's things begin to either falter or be unfulfilling in your life, that you will have the wisdom to see this--and realize God is behind the faltering and unfulfillment and is drawing you to Jesus, the Rock the world cannot compare to in helping you, calming your fears, calming your storms.
Are you already a Believer, but have been only looking to Jesus for the simplest things of the faith--salvation and forgiveness of sins? Are you holding back from letting Him be the Lord (master and ruler) of your life? Are you allowing Him only into certain places and not others?
Friend, remember this: Jesus said "Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it." (Luke 9:25) If as a Believer you are looking to hold onto or maintain control over things you have not surrendered to Him, you will not have His Peace about them, and those areas will remain the "spur under the saddle" of your life. You don't have His Peace about them. He is not guiding you in them. They are what worry you throughout the day. They are what cause you frustration, emotional strain, worry and misery. They are the storms of your life.
Surrender those areas to Him, my brother or sister. Let these things die, by giving them to Him, so you can go about living. Let Him have the worry, the frustration, the cares, the worry about these things! He wants to give you an easy yoke and a light burden in exchange for you giving Him these things that are weighing you down (Matthew 11:28-30).
Are you already a Believer, but have been infiltrated by the Prosperity or Dominion Gospels, and realize that you have missed what God intends to either teach you or grow you through in your storms?
Have you spent all your efforts in a storm fighting the storm (in and with the Name of Jesus) that you have missed His pruning, His intended lesson learned or His intended growth of your character in your storms of life?
Are you so busy wielding the Name of Jesus at every imperfect circumstance in life that you are missing the growth and refinement God wants for you? Are you invoking Jesus' name over other people's circumstances, using Jesus' name to invoke calm in their life (when God may be wanting to have them endure, learn, grow from what they're facing)?
The Word says "the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in" (Proverbs 3:12) Are you so busy claiming His Name over everything that you can't "be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)? Do you spend so much time asking for and seeking His blessings that there is nothing reciprocal on your part--to spend time fearing Him (Psalm 67:7), pausing to listen to Him, seeing what He has to say about the things in your life, understanding what He wants to accomplish by the storms you're going through?
I say the following in absolute grace, love and humility, as a reminder of His Truth. Remember Jesus' words in Matthew 7, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you..." (Matthew 7:22-23)
I have repented of trying to be/play God in knowing what He's doing in others' lives. If we're not getting prophetic words from Him for specific circumstances, it's not our job to call the shots as to what is to happen. We absolutely should be constant in prayer, but seeking God's hand in something is different from putting our own spin on what should happen in the spiritual realm.
You may share with others about having a relationship with God, but is your relationship with Him a one sided "Bless me, give me, here's what I want You to do" endeavor, where He is not given neither an ear nor a chance to respond? That's not a relationship, folks.
Is God given the chance (each time you talk to Him) to tell you what He is thinking? Is He given time to teach you? Is He allowed to share where He's wanting to take you--spiritually or otherwise?
The disciples didn't even see Jesus in their midst during the storms because they were focusing on the storm or focusing on their fears. Because of this, their perception of Jesus' presence and God's perfect will were distorted. Jesus showed His compassion by foregoing the intended glory in the moment and gave attention to calming fears, reassuring and restoring.
Wouldn't it logically seem that God's perfect will in each of those storms was: the disciples would recognize Jesus when He appeared, they would not have been fearful [either of Him or the storm], and God/Jesus would be glorified even in the middle of turmoil.
We can see from each of these storms that God's perfect will during storms did not come about. It should have been pure glory: Jesus walking on the water amidst the storm, the disciples recognizing Him, glorifying Him, and all of them demonstrating the faith to walk with Him miraculously themselves.
This didn't happen. So quit beating ourselves up when we aren't flawlessly perfect in our lives. Jesus showed His compassion toward His disciple's hearts and minds when they weren't strong. He's the same with us. Does He want us to be strong and have faith, and not begin to sink like Peter? Absolutely. And we should strive for spiritual maturity to walk strongly and boldly in Him. If we are not at that level in our walk with Him yet, we are strengthened knowing He meets us where we are, comforts fears, and encourages us to take courage in Him.
Get your eyes off being storm-free in life, my brother and sister. Storms are going to come. They are allowed or purposed number one so that He might be glorified through our actions and witness through them. If He is not being glorified, we need to examine our hearts as to why not. If others are not undeniably seeing Jesus in us as we go through things, we need to examine if our house is built upon sand or upon the Rock. May we all grow to be Rockin' amidst our storms.
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