What a month December was.
Many visited churches for the first time this year for Christmas specials, others partipated in children programs and Christmas choirs.
Many then soon afterwards found themselves amongst friends and families, hopping from house to house attending parties and gatherings, and being wrapped up in the love and joy of the festive season.
Then finally on Christmas morning, many families gathered around their respective Christmas trees and opened gifts while spending time celebrating one of the many sides of the holiday season.
Many people quickly begun taking down their ornaments from their walls and from the tree and some dived into the disassembling of that artificial Christmas tree. Maybe some even began pulling out the boxes to store the outdoor Christmas lights and door wreath for yet another year, even as the last piece of wrapping paper was still falling to the floor.
As quickly as Christmas 2009 came, it is over and the Christmas season is behind us now. All the building up, all the Christmas songs played since Halloween day, all the lines in the stores and the must have presents and toys, the time has come and went.
We all can look at this season and confirm, it is now behind us and we now sit in a new year, a new decade and the question I want to present is a simple yet hopefully impacting question.
Where to from here?
Where to from here is the question that rattled thru my mind as I read the Christmas story particularly the part about the visitation of the magi to Bethlehem.
Where did they go after that memorable night?
What impact did a visit to a baby in a manger have on these advisors to a king?
In hindsight, you and I can see just WHO this baby is, we understand the importance of such a birth that had concluded that night.
Thru scripture, we can understand that the birth was not just another birth.
This birth was a special birth.
This birth was a miraculous birth.
This birth was a birth of a baby who would grow up to one day be hung on a tree, dying for the sins of you and I.
Had it not been for this birth of the Godhead wrapped in human flesh, This world would have no hope.
Humanity would have no chance.
You and I would not comprehend the taste of salvation.
And as it was that night, The Magi followed the Easterly star that lit their path to this newborn King. They came upon the child and they presented their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They honored the worlds chance of hope by showing up to that birth. They paid due respect to the moment.
The aspect of the story that caught my attention was not the obvious of the way they came or why they came or even what they presented to this newborn King. To me, the intriguing part was,
What did the men do afterwards?
What happened to these men after an encounter with the Christ Child?
Did they leave the same way they came or did they leave differently?
Did their encounter cause them to be changed?
What became of the moment?
Where did they go to from there?
Scripture indeed gives us some insight to the moment of that night.
Luke 2:20 tells us that these men returned to the fields glorifying and praising God for what they had seen and for what they had heard.
Matthew 2:12 tells us that they departed into their own country ANOTHER way.
Even back on that starry night many years ago, in a stable in Bethlehem, we find that when these men encountered Jesus, they did not leave the same way they came. When they encountered the savior, they left praising and glorifying Him for who HE was and more importantly what He would become for you and I.
Something tells me that somewhere throughout time and space,
Somewhere along the way,
Somewhere mixed into the passage of time,
The saints of the most high need to get back to that precious day.
They need to have an encounter with Jesus again.
They need to have a trek in which there is an eager pursuit.
They need to come to the king bearing our souls,
Opening their hearts,
Giving all they have without asking for anything back.
They need to have an encounter that causes a desire to praise and glorify God.
They need to have an encounter that causes them to be forever changed.
They need to have an encounter that causes them to leave differently than the way we came in.
Oh if one could just have an encounter that causes one to proclaim:
I have just been with Jesus…..!
I have just seen the King!
Where do you go from here?
Where does the world turn?
What will 2010 bring?
What will this next decade develop?
Where to from here?
The world will follow its shallow and empty hopes.
They will continue to follow the latest fads.
They will glue their eyes to the latest gossiping sagas.
And somewhere along the way, Jesus will be pushed back, and even left behind.
It was Mary and Joseph who had made their way to the temple in Jerusalem during the feast of the Passover.
They brought with them the 12 year old Jesus.
But somewhere during the hustle and bustle of the festivities,
Somewhere in the distractions of the events,
Mary and Joseph had taken their minds off of Jesus.
They packed up their belongings and began the trek back home.
The most important aspect of the journey was left behind.
He had been forgotten.
After a miraculous birthing of the Christ child,
After the encounter the magi had with the child,
After the 12 years of raising the savior of this world,
Mary and Joseph had left Jesus behind.
Where to from here Mary?
Where to from here Joseph?
You left the most important thing, the most important person behind.
It’s time to go back and get your Jesus!
It’s time to cling to Him like never before!
Just like that Christmas song,
Mary did you know? That your son is going to walk on water?
Did you know that He would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that He was going to give sight to the blind?
Did you know that by the raising of a hand the storm would cease?
Mary, you had to know that your encounter with God forever changed you.
You had to realize that you were walking amongst the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
You had to know that the miraculous birth would forever change the course of History.
I believe with all my heart that no man, no woman, no angel, nor demon
Can come into contact with Jesus and not be changed.
Whether you left him at the altar many years ago, or you have been holding him at bay,this is the moment for you to get back in touch!
Where to from here my friend?
You should already know the answer to that question.
This is not the time to be lax.
This is not the time to be indifferent
This is not the time to become confrontational.
It is time you let your front down that hides the very depth of your soul
And to let the Lord God Almighty go to work.
He wants to heal you.
He wants to lift you up.
He wants to save your soul from a burning hell.
He wants to teach you things you have never known.
Show you things, you have never seen.
Where to from here?
It is all up to you.
We do not serve a forceful God.
He stands at the door, but it is you that needs to open it.
He is ready to answer, but it is you that needs to make the call.
Where you going to go from here?
When you have an encounter with Jesus…you will be changed.
When you have an encounter with Jesus, you will be blessed.
Deuteronomy chapter 28 says:
That if you will listen obediently to the voice of God,
That God,
Your God,
Will place you on high,high above all the nations of the world.
All the blessings that will come upon you will be so much that they will spill over.
Your land will be blessed.
You will be blessed coming in.
And you will be blessed coming out.
Your enemies will be defeated.
When you have an encounter with Jesus, you will be changed.
When Jesus encountered the dead girl in Matthew, she arose from the dead
The sick that had encounters with Jesus, were healed.
The blind received their sight
The lepers were cleansed.
The crippled walked
All because of encounters with Jesus….
Many who had encounters with Him left with power.
In His name, they casted out demons.
In His name, they spoke in new tongues.
In His name, they laid their hands on the sick, and they were made whole.
Where to from here I ask of you?
As we start a new year, a new decade,
Do you just continue on the same content path?
Do you continue on in a backslidden state?
Do you continue on fighting against the calling on your life?
Do you continue on refusing to let it go and let God have His way?
Or do you quit asking yourself, where to from here? And start saying,
Why not here…why not now!
We live in a day and age in which time is short.
We live in a day and age in which Jesus is being pushed out of
Every workplace,
He’s being pushed out of every school house,
and He’s being pushed out of every home.
I say the time is nigh in which you make a decision.
You are either for Him, or you are against Him.
You are either living it, or you're not.
You are either going to be hot or you are going to be cold.
The magi left praising and Glorifying the Lord
They left differently than the way they came.
The challenge for you
Is to find that place, to find that secret place and not leave it until something changes.
Not leave it until you have gotten ahold of the horns of the altar and cried out unto the Lord.
I know where I want to go to from here dear Lord…
But I cannot do it without you!
Where to from here?
Something stirred in Abraham as he fell to the earth and begged for the Lord not to pass by his servant.
It was the Caananite woman who cried out “Have mercy on me dear Lord”
Bartimaeous and the other blind man found themselves crying out unto the Lord
It was the woman at the tomb who fell to the feet of Jesus, grabbed ahold of them and began to worship Him.
It was Paul who realized he had been in the wrong too long and fell down crying Who are you Lord!?
Where to from here?
When you encounter Jesus,
When you come into His throne,
Something has to give in your carnal nature.
Something inside of you should cause the very strength of a strong man to falter and bring him to his knees.
Something inside of you should stir saying, I do not want to leave until the blessing of the Lord is upon me.
It was Jacob in the Testament of Old who found himself face to face with an Angel of God.
It was Jacob who grabbed hold of that Angel and proclaimed, “I am not letting go.”
With tears of supplication, a deeply repented heart of his wrong doings, he pleaded for the promises of God.
All night long Jacob wrestled with this Angel.
Even with a touch from the Angel on his side, and the dislocation of his hip, Jacob continued on.
The pain of his body, did not deter him.
His faith grew more earnest as he persevered unto the break of day.
Even as the Angel argued with Jacob, Jacob responded “I will not let go unless you bless me!”
If you could just find a grasp onto your faith.
That you would get ahold of your promises
Get ahold of your blessings
And proclaim, I will not let go!
I will not give in,
I will not give up,
Until I am changed!
Until I am healed!
Until I am saved!
It was the Angel that spoke to Jacob during the wrestling match.
He reminded Jacob of his wrong doings.
He was tested.
He was tried.
And his faith was put on the line.
Whether you are a sinner or a saint.
Whether you are saved, or unsaved.
One thing is for sure…
There is an altar you can approach.
There is still a hope for you. You do not want to miss it.
Where to from here?
I have had an encounter with Jesus, now what?
That "what" is you grabbing ahold of him.
That "what" is you getting closer to Him than ever before.
That "what" is you wrestling with the angel until you are blessed.
That "what" is you not letting go even when your past is used as a test of your faith.
That "what" is you saying, I am tired of my old self.
Where to from here?
I think you know the answer. Straight ahead, straight up!
As you enter into this new year,this new decade, it is time to move forward and grasp that which awaits you. It is time to claim what is rightfully yours. It is time to go deeper in your relationship with God.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Friday, November 20, 2009
Communication
You would think that in today’s world, and the several methods of communication, that people would be able to communicate well. For some reason though, people are unable to hold meaningful conversation. One might ramble, the other snaps at something said, one might not be listening, or someone might be completely misinterpreting what is being said. It might be that one might just not want to know or they just hear only what they want to hear. Regardless, communication suffers.
The biggest problem is that everyone seems to be subjective. No matter how objective one might try to be, people still only want to see their point of view and never attempt to see the bigger picture. This results in minor misunderstandings to complete breakdown in communication. These breakdowns in communication result in many possible unresolved and unfortunate events ie: friendships ending, family feuds, introverted personalities, built up anger, disappointment, hurt, depression, etc. It also causes walls to be built that further complicate the communication methods even the more.
I believe the subjective, “All about me…”, “What’s in it for me…”, “Tell me what I want to hear…” type of listening, whether it be purposely done or unintentionally done, it is a very dangerous skill to possess. In fact, these things if done with a pretense, or in a meditated manner, while one portrays to be innocent of these motives, can be hypocritical of that person. They, like a person at a masquerade ball, have placed a mask on their meditated and subjective goal for the conversation and are hiding what they really are or what they really want the end result to be from that interaction.
When one steps back from their agendas, hang-ups, or erroneous communication skills, and begin to hear and see things in a more objective manner, then the communication level begins to develop into more meaningful content. It allows the walls to come down, it removes any false pretenses and it gives the ability for two or more people to not only have a meaningful conversation but also the ability to resolve any conflict or mend any issues that are unresolved.
Phillipians 4:8 says “Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper…”
I believe that scripture, compiled with John13:34, helps people keep an objective mindset and reduces much misunderstandings, miscommunications and breakdowns in the communicative effort. I further believe that if a vertical communication is constant with God, then a horizontal human communication will be constant and objective and done all in Christ like manner.
When one has done their best to be forthright and honest with their communication efforts, yet it seems it was all for naught and their words falls on subjective ears and in turn their good might of been evil spoken of, then we can remind ourselves with what 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 says: “We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.”
I leave you with this thought....
Lines of communication might break down, but that does not mean they have to forever remain broken.
The biggest problem is that everyone seems to be subjective. No matter how objective one might try to be, people still only want to see their point of view and never attempt to see the bigger picture. This results in minor misunderstandings to complete breakdown in communication. These breakdowns in communication result in many possible unresolved and unfortunate events ie: friendships ending, family feuds, introverted personalities, built up anger, disappointment, hurt, depression, etc. It also causes walls to be built that further complicate the communication methods even the more.
I believe the subjective, “All about me…”, “What’s in it for me…”, “Tell me what I want to hear…” type of listening, whether it be purposely done or unintentionally done, it is a very dangerous skill to possess. In fact, these things if done with a pretense, or in a meditated manner, while one portrays to be innocent of these motives, can be hypocritical of that person. They, like a person at a masquerade ball, have placed a mask on their meditated and subjective goal for the conversation and are hiding what they really are or what they really want the end result to be from that interaction.
When one steps back from their agendas, hang-ups, or erroneous communication skills, and begin to hear and see things in a more objective manner, then the communication level begins to develop into more meaningful content. It allows the walls to come down, it removes any false pretenses and it gives the ability for two or more people to not only have a meaningful conversation but also the ability to resolve any conflict or mend any issues that are unresolved.
Phillipians 4:8 says “Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper…”
I believe that scripture, compiled with John13:34, helps people keep an objective mindset and reduces much misunderstandings, miscommunications and breakdowns in the communicative effort. I further believe that if a vertical communication is constant with God, then a horizontal human communication will be constant and objective and done all in Christ like manner.
When one has done their best to be forthright and honest with their communication efforts, yet it seems it was all for naught and their words falls on subjective ears and in turn their good might of been evil spoken of, then we can remind ourselves with what 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 says: “We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.”
I leave you with this thought....
Lines of communication might break down, but that does not mean they have to forever remain broken.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Show me Thy Glory!
Sunday Evening, I spoke, with the help from God, about the moment in Moses' life in which he cries out unto God, "Lord, show me thy glory!"
He looked around him and the children of Israel had let him down.
All the work he had down seemed to have unraveled due to the lack of wisdom by Arron.
Moses cries unto the Lord, "Show me thy Glory."
He was in a sense, at a moment of desperation in his life.
He was depressed, down trodden, hurt, disappointed, all at the same time.
Moses was called back up to Mt Sinai. It was here, that not only does the Lord respond, but he places Moses in the cleft of the rock.
In I Corinthians 10:4 we see a passage of scripture that tells us what that rock is.
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."
Now in Moses' situation, the cleft of the rock could be a typecast of the rock we have grown to know today as the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.
Moses was placed in the ever loving, ever protecting hands of the rock.
I believe we can glean a few things from this today...
1. There is a rock, that we need to plant ourselves firmly within the cleft of. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other is sinking sand!
2. If you are to ever see the Glory of the Lord, you have to be aligned with Jesus.
3. You cannot have a visitation from God and leave unchanged. Moses glowed after his visitation. You too will be different.
Moses found himself in a discouraging moment.
How many of you are finding this time in your life troubling?
So many things that are troubling in this world and Christian are not immune to some events. The rain falls on the just and unjust. The only difference is, you have a rock for protection. You can rest in the ever loving hands of the Lord. You can make known your request today, "Lord, show me thy glory!" When He passes by...I promise you, something is going to happen.
He looked around him and the children of Israel had let him down.
All the work he had down seemed to have unraveled due to the lack of wisdom by Arron.
Moses cries unto the Lord, "Show me thy Glory."
He was in a sense, at a moment of desperation in his life.
He was depressed, down trodden, hurt, disappointed, all at the same time.
Moses was called back up to Mt Sinai. It was here, that not only does the Lord respond, but he places Moses in the cleft of the rock.
In I Corinthians 10:4 we see a passage of scripture that tells us what that rock is.
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."
Now in Moses' situation, the cleft of the rock could be a typecast of the rock we have grown to know today as the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.
Moses was placed in the ever loving, ever protecting hands of the rock.
I believe we can glean a few things from this today...
1. There is a rock, that we need to plant ourselves firmly within the cleft of. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other is sinking sand!
2. If you are to ever see the Glory of the Lord, you have to be aligned with Jesus.
3. You cannot have a visitation from God and leave unchanged. Moses glowed after his visitation. You too will be different.
Moses found himself in a discouraging moment.
How many of you are finding this time in your life troubling?
So many things that are troubling in this world and Christian are not immune to some events. The rain falls on the just and unjust. The only difference is, you have a rock for protection. You can rest in the ever loving hands of the Lord. You can make known your request today, "Lord, show me thy glory!" When He passes by...I promise you, something is going to happen.
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Clarion Call of the Liberal Mind
In a conversation the other day, my wife was talking about some ridiculous things people have been posting on Facebook lately. Someone spoke up and stated, "We are Christian, so we are not supposed to Judge anyways."
This got me to thinking. On the surface, this person was right; we shouldn't be running around judging others or delving out their punishments. But on the other hand, the comment they made rang clearly as the clarion call of the backsliders and the liberal movement. "Who are you to judge!" "I thought you were Christian? You are no better than ______"
It seems that the farther away from Christ one gets, the louder the cry becomes. The walls of paranoid defense go up when the hedge of Holiness goes down.
When I look at scripture, I do not see the defined rule on Christians not judging. Sure, I see Judge not lest ye be judged. That in and of itself would seem proper, however, when placed in context with the rest of the scriptures, I see that it is telling the hypocrites not to judge someone when they were doing the same things them self. So if you do not have that plank in your eye and can see clearly, it should be proper for you to approach a falling soul and talk to them.
Today's world has desensitized people and this desensitization has crept into the churches. It has people believing that we should accept diversity or that we should accept the wrong doings of others. It has them believing that nobody has a right to speak out against sin nor do they have a right to respond to it.
So we find the wavering saint in places like Facebook, waving their supposed new found liberties( in reality they are waving chains of bondage once again) and bragging with their statuses or their photos on how 'free' they can be. They know they are connected to you, they know that they will offend and they know that many times, their actions will prove to be controversial....yet they do it anyways.
They stand by, ready for action, ready for response, ready to attack with the out of context scripture, "Judge not!"
This is not your normal un-churched person. These are those who were once walking the path but have began to waver. Handling a person who is not even drinking the milk of the gospel, understandably, you would not approach the same way as you would a person who has chewed on the meat of the gospel. These people have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. They have sat on the pew. They have heard the message. They have stained the altar with their tears. Now though, they find themselves in a different position, a posture of defense. "Don't you dare comment about me!"
Christians need to be postured at the altar. They should be looking to live above reproach. They should not be in a defensive mode but in a loving mode. In fact, defense is one of the 'fight or flight' conditions of the human psych. It raises it's head during a moment in which fear is introduced. It raises it's head when the person begins to feel threatened.
Fear is result of our attempting to stand in our own strength and not Gods. It is, in this case, an uneasiness of mind upon the thought of what others might say or think about us. It is produced in anticipation of the impending events due to a persons decisions or stance. It is a product of the mind. Phil 2:5 tells us "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." If our minds our set to be like Christ’s, then why would one be in fear or in defense of their decisions?
Facebook is just one of many facets in which people are choosing to wave their views. They show an insignia of fear upon their banner. The preparation for defense of self is well under way. The scripture "Judge not!" is in hand. They are ready to find another reason to justify their decisions.
As Christians I can say, we need to be careful on how we approach one in need, not with a watered down warning, but also without a condemning tone either. We do need to warn the unruly. We do need to help a fallen soul. We do need to be there when they come home. We don't need to be rude nor feel the need to be their executioner. If we follow the steps of Christ, we will be fine. In the end though, our message might not be well received. Looking back though, the message and warnings from Jesus were not well received either.
This got me to thinking. On the surface, this person was right; we shouldn't be running around judging others or delving out their punishments. But on the other hand, the comment they made rang clearly as the clarion call of the backsliders and the liberal movement. "Who are you to judge!" "I thought you were Christian? You are no better than ______"
It seems that the farther away from Christ one gets, the louder the cry becomes. The walls of paranoid defense go up when the hedge of Holiness goes down.
When I look at scripture, I do not see the defined rule on Christians not judging. Sure, I see Judge not lest ye be judged. That in and of itself would seem proper, however, when placed in context with the rest of the scriptures, I see that it is telling the hypocrites not to judge someone when they were doing the same things them self. So if you do not have that plank in your eye and can see clearly, it should be proper for you to approach a falling soul and talk to them.
Today's world has desensitized people and this desensitization has crept into the churches. It has people believing that we should accept diversity or that we should accept the wrong doings of others. It has them believing that nobody has a right to speak out against sin nor do they have a right to respond to it.
So we find the wavering saint in places like Facebook, waving their supposed new found liberties( in reality they are waving chains of bondage once again) and bragging with their statuses or their photos on how 'free' they can be. They know they are connected to you, they know that they will offend and they know that many times, their actions will prove to be controversial....yet they do it anyways.
They stand by, ready for action, ready for response, ready to attack with the out of context scripture, "Judge not!"
This is not your normal un-churched person. These are those who were once walking the path but have began to waver. Handling a person who is not even drinking the milk of the gospel, understandably, you would not approach the same way as you would a person who has chewed on the meat of the gospel. These people have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. They have sat on the pew. They have heard the message. They have stained the altar with their tears. Now though, they find themselves in a different position, a posture of defense. "Don't you dare comment about me!"
Christians need to be postured at the altar. They should be looking to live above reproach. They should not be in a defensive mode but in a loving mode. In fact, defense is one of the 'fight or flight' conditions of the human psych. It raises it's head during a moment in which fear is introduced. It raises it's head when the person begins to feel threatened.
Fear is result of our attempting to stand in our own strength and not Gods. It is, in this case, an uneasiness of mind upon the thought of what others might say or think about us. It is produced in anticipation of the impending events due to a persons decisions or stance. It is a product of the mind. Phil 2:5 tells us "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." If our minds our set to be like Christ’s, then why would one be in fear or in defense of their decisions?
Facebook is just one of many facets in which people are choosing to wave their views. They show an insignia of fear upon their banner. The preparation for defense of self is well under way. The scripture "Judge not!" is in hand. They are ready to find another reason to justify their decisions.
As Christians I can say, we need to be careful on how we approach one in need, not with a watered down warning, but also without a condemning tone either. We do need to warn the unruly. We do need to help a fallen soul. We do need to be there when they come home. We don't need to be rude nor feel the need to be their executioner. If we follow the steps of Christ, we will be fine. In the end though, our message might not be well received. Looking back though, the message and warnings from Jesus were not well received either.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
When God Speaks
Ecclesiastes 8:4
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
WHEN GOD SPEAKS
“God said” appears 46 times in 46 verses of the Bible
The Lord said... 233 times
This does not include the several instances in scripture that contain:
God spoke
The Lord spoke
The Word of the Lord
Declares the Lord
Says the Lord
But thru my studies, every time I noticed God speak…..it was done.
He spoke in creation and power went with his word to call all things out of nothing.
Nothing.
He created everything out of nothing by simply speaking into it.
God spoke any many ways in the Old Testament.
1. God spoke through angels when he spoke to Hagar in Genesis 16
2. God spoke through dreams to Jacob in Genesis 28:10
3. God spoke through visions to Abram in Genesis 15
4. God spoke through symbolic actions of a potter in Jeremiah 18
5. The Silence of God spoke in 1 Kings 19
6. God spoke through miraculous signs of flies of all things in Exodus 8
7. And of coarse, God spoke directly Himself in Genesis 3:9
Hebrews 1
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son
Side by Side, Old Testament, New Testament, God speaks, at sundry times and in diverse manners…and as we are about to see….He still speaks in the New Testament and even speaks today!
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
We now see that same God of the Old testament, manifested in the flesh, walking amongst mankind.
Some called him John the Baptist
Others Elijah
Others called him Jeremiah
A Prophet
Some say he was just a good man
Some say he was a philosopher
But Jesus is…..
IMMANUEL
He is Wonderful
He is Counselor
He IS the Mighty God
He is Eternal Father
He is also the Prince of Peace
Before Abraham was born, Jesus said He is the I AM
Thomas got it right when he said, “My Lord AND my God”
When you see Jesus work miracles,
when you hear Jesus speak…you ARE hearing God speak.
John 10:27 says My sheep listen to my voice.
Proverbs 8:34 tells us:
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favour from the Lord.
The sheep knew to list and watch for Jesus.
We see the miraculous Word of Jesus working throughout the new Testament.
Matthew chapter 9, Jesus speaks and heals the two blind men
Mark chapter 7 he simply speaks “Be opened” and the deaf man was able to hear again and at the same time spoke normal.
In Luke 17, he speaks healing unto the lepers
In John 4, Jesus speaks life into son of the father he was with.
In John 8, Jesus speaks unto the sinner lady and saves her from a certain death….telling her to GO and sin no more.
Mark chapter 8, he cleansed the leper.
He verbally rebuked the fever from Peter’s Mother in Law in Luke chapter 4
In Luke chapter 5 he spoke unto the paralyzed man healing.
In Luke chapter 8 he spoke life into the ruler’s daughter
In Luke chapter 7, he spoke life into the widow’s son
John chapter 11 he cries out “Lazarus come forth” and rose him from the dead.
In Mark chapter 5, he spoke against the demons
And on and on it went…
Jesus spoke…and miracles happened.
Jesus spoke…and it was so.
In Mark 4:35 We find Jesus telling his disciples to get into a boat
A Storm of hurricane proportions begins to ravage the boat after while.
But after a long day at work, we find that Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat.
Some things to note about this particular boat trip…
This was a boat trip ordered by Jesus, not the disciples.
The focus was from point A to point B but the focus was no longer on point B, but survival of the storm.
There Faith, or lack thereof, was now facing uncertainty
And the whole time…….Jesus was asleep
How many has ever been in this situation…
Here you are, in a storm, struggling to survive, and Jesus was asleep!
How could he sleep during such a storm?
The Word might produce emotion in us, but the Word itself does not get emotional because a circumstance is present. The Word does not shift with circumstance, circumstance shifts with the Word!
So here we are….in a storm we did not ask to be in…
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of sickness
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of disease
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of a broken or failing marriage
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of that addiction
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of anxiety or panic attacks
I didn’t ask to be in a storm and now JESUS, the person who ordered me IN this boat is sleeping????
I know you had to hear that thunder Jesus!
I know you had to feel the rain!
I know you had to feel the tossing of the boat to and fro!
Don’t you care? Don’t you understand?
I want to reiterate that……Jesus was on the boat!
I would rather be in a boat with Jesus, than to be on a boat without Him.
So the disciples go down and nudge Jesus awake.
Verse 39 say And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still! And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
That’s enough Wind….Stop!
Make a note right here though….
If you do not get anything else out of today’s sermon, get this….
Jesus walked right past the disciples and spoke to the storm!
Jesus walked PAST the disciples…did not speak to them.
Jesus spoke to the storm directly.
Sometimes the Word will not come to you!
Sometimes it is spoken directly to your storm!
40 He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)?
If God says something then it means that it is unquestionable….and totally believable and it is assurance that you are already provided for!
2 Corinthians says tell us
For all the promises of God in him is yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
God’s Word is either yes or no….but regardless, God still speaks today!
So my friend…it’s time..
Time to run to the stern and get in His presence…
Time to quit trying to solve it, fix it, change it…It’s all on Jesus now.
Time to stop crying and start praying
Time to stop being frustrated and start getting into His presence
It is time to give the Word a nudge!
When God speaks...there is power,
There is power in the word of the King!
Friend, you carry the presence of that King....your Lord, your God!
You carry the Word!
That same Word that spoke the Heavens into existence
The same Word that told the water where to start and where to stop
The same Word that spoke to Noah
The same Word that spoke to Moses
The same Word that made the waters split for the children of Israel
Than made Manna to rain down from Heaven
That made Fire to light the way
That made Enemies to fall by the wayside
The same Word that healed the sick and raised the dead
The same Word that was hung on a cross for your salvation…
You carry that Word!
That Word is inside you if you are a child of God today!
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
God wants to speak to you
He wants to speak into your sickness
He wants to speak into your marriage
He wants to speak into your circumstance
We need to open our hearts today…
Open your eyes
Our your ears
Prepare ourselves to receive the Word that He has for us today!
You said….it can’t happen
God said, it’s already happening
It’s already coming
BY your faith….it is done.
God still speaks today!
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
WHEN GOD SPEAKS
“God said” appears 46 times in 46 verses of the Bible
The Lord said... 233 times
This does not include the several instances in scripture that contain:
God spoke
The Lord spoke
The Word of the Lord
Declares the Lord
Says the Lord
But thru my studies, every time I noticed God speak…..it was done.
He spoke in creation and power went with his word to call all things out of nothing.
Nothing.
He created everything out of nothing by simply speaking into it.
God spoke any many ways in the Old Testament.
1. God spoke through angels when he spoke to Hagar in Genesis 16
2. God spoke through dreams to Jacob in Genesis 28:10
3. God spoke through visions to Abram in Genesis 15
4. God spoke through symbolic actions of a potter in Jeremiah 18
5. The Silence of God spoke in 1 Kings 19
6. God spoke through miraculous signs of flies of all things in Exodus 8
7. And of coarse, God spoke directly Himself in Genesis 3:9
Hebrews 1
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son
Side by Side, Old Testament, New Testament, God speaks, at sundry times and in diverse manners…and as we are about to see….He still speaks in the New Testament and even speaks today!
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
We now see that same God of the Old testament, manifested in the flesh, walking amongst mankind.
Some called him John the Baptist
Others Elijah
Others called him Jeremiah
A Prophet
Some say he was just a good man
Some say he was a philosopher
But Jesus is…..
IMMANUEL
He is Wonderful
He is Counselor
He IS the Mighty God
He is Eternal Father
He is also the Prince of Peace
Before Abraham was born, Jesus said He is the I AM
Thomas got it right when he said, “My Lord AND my God”
When you see Jesus work miracles,
when you hear Jesus speak…you ARE hearing God speak.
John 10:27 says My sheep listen to my voice.
Proverbs 8:34 tells us:
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favour from the Lord.
The sheep knew to list and watch for Jesus.
We see the miraculous Word of Jesus working throughout the new Testament.
Matthew chapter 9, Jesus speaks and heals the two blind men
Mark chapter 7 he simply speaks “Be opened” and the deaf man was able to hear again and at the same time spoke normal.
In Luke 17, he speaks healing unto the lepers
In John 4, Jesus speaks life into son of the father he was with.
In John 8, Jesus speaks unto the sinner lady and saves her from a certain death….telling her to GO and sin no more.
Mark chapter 8, he cleansed the leper.
He verbally rebuked the fever from Peter’s Mother in Law in Luke chapter 4
In Luke chapter 5 he spoke unto the paralyzed man healing.
In Luke chapter 8 he spoke life into the ruler’s daughter
In Luke chapter 7, he spoke life into the widow’s son
John chapter 11 he cries out “Lazarus come forth” and rose him from the dead.
In Mark chapter 5, he spoke against the demons
And on and on it went…
Jesus spoke…and miracles happened.
Jesus spoke…and it was so.
In Mark 4:35 We find Jesus telling his disciples to get into a boat
A Storm of hurricane proportions begins to ravage the boat after while.
But after a long day at work, we find that Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat.
Some things to note about this particular boat trip…
This was a boat trip ordered by Jesus, not the disciples.
The focus was from point A to point B but the focus was no longer on point B, but survival of the storm.
There Faith, or lack thereof, was now facing uncertainty
And the whole time…….Jesus was asleep
How many has ever been in this situation…
Here you are, in a storm, struggling to survive, and Jesus was asleep!
How could he sleep during such a storm?
The Word might produce emotion in us, but the Word itself does not get emotional because a circumstance is present. The Word does not shift with circumstance, circumstance shifts with the Word!
So here we are….in a storm we did not ask to be in…
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of sickness
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of disease
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of a broken or failing marriage
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of that addiction
I didn’t ask to be in a storm of anxiety or panic attacks
I didn’t ask to be in a storm and now JESUS, the person who ordered me IN this boat is sleeping????
I know you had to hear that thunder Jesus!
I know you had to feel the rain!
I know you had to feel the tossing of the boat to and fro!
Don’t you care? Don’t you understand?
I want to reiterate that……Jesus was on the boat!
I would rather be in a boat with Jesus, than to be on a boat without Him.
So the disciples go down and nudge Jesus awake.
Verse 39 say And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still! And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
That’s enough Wind….Stop!
Make a note right here though….
If you do not get anything else out of today’s sermon, get this….
Jesus walked right past the disciples and spoke to the storm!
Jesus walked PAST the disciples…did not speak to them.
Jesus spoke to the storm directly.
Sometimes the Word will not come to you!
Sometimes it is spoken directly to your storm!
40 He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)?
If God says something then it means that it is unquestionable….and totally believable and it is assurance that you are already provided for!
2 Corinthians says tell us
For all the promises of God in him is yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
God’s Word is either yes or no….but regardless, God still speaks today!
So my friend…it’s time..
Time to run to the stern and get in His presence…
Time to quit trying to solve it, fix it, change it…It’s all on Jesus now.
Time to stop crying and start praying
Time to stop being frustrated and start getting into His presence
It is time to give the Word a nudge!
When God speaks...there is power,
There is power in the word of the King!
Friend, you carry the presence of that King....your Lord, your God!
You carry the Word!
That same Word that spoke the Heavens into existence
The same Word that told the water where to start and where to stop
The same Word that spoke to Noah
The same Word that spoke to Moses
The same Word that made the waters split for the children of Israel
Than made Manna to rain down from Heaven
That made Fire to light the way
That made Enemies to fall by the wayside
The same Word that healed the sick and raised the dead
The same Word that was hung on a cross for your salvation…
You carry that Word!
That Word is inside you if you are a child of God today!
Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
God wants to speak to you
He wants to speak into your sickness
He wants to speak into your marriage
He wants to speak into your circumstance
We need to open our hearts today…
Open your eyes
Our your ears
Prepare ourselves to receive the Word that He has for us today!
You said….it can’t happen
God said, it’s already happening
It’s already coming
BY your faith….it is done.
God still speaks today!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Rearview Mirror
On my drivers license I have a 'B' in the restriction column. When I flip the license over, the explanation given for this restriction is that I am required to have a outside rearview mirror. The restriction is probably due to me being legally blind in my right eye. I laugh about this particular restriction though because for the most part, the majority of vehicles made today have that required mirror.
When I get into my car in the morning, my first thought is not "I better check for an outside rearview mirror!" For that matter, I rarely even notice anything about the car except if it started or not when I turn the key in the ignition. When I drive down the road, my main focus is normally on what is going on in front of me and rarely what is behind me.
Do not get me wrong though, I do use the rearview mirror! It is just that I never really give the mirror that much of a second thought....that is...until today. Four months into the year 2009 and I finally sat down to think about the past year. The events that unfolded. There was moments of excitement, moments of tears, times of pain, yet many positives.
I sat down to look into life's rearview mirror to glance at what was behind me. In a nutshell, 2008 was a year of awakening. It was the year I felt I had finally arrived at a new horizon in my ministry. It was a year of drawing closer to my wife and kids. It was a year of many exciting journeys. It was also sadly a year in which I felt like a knife had been driven in my back by people I placed much trust in. It was a time in which people I called friend for so many years, were in reality, not friends at all. I was tossed carelessly to the side of the road to die, or so I felt.
To say today that it did not hurt would be a lie. It hurt and it hurt badly. I felt like the very thing that God had given to me, man was trying to destroy. I was to the point of almost being convinced that they were right. I wanted to just give up though I knew that giving up was exactly what the enemy wanted me to do.
Thru it all I had friends that were real and genuine, come to my aid. I had a wife and kids, who were also hurt by the same people, hold me up in the time of need. I was being ministered to by God thru people who probably did not even realize they were being used in such a way.
I looked in the rearview mirror today and saw the happiness, joy, pride, yet even the anger, disappointment, hurt and pain of 2008. I learned that the people who tried to destroy me are all behind me now. Even the many fun moments, and bright spots of life in 2008 are behind me. I learned that while the objects in the mirror might be closer than they appear, they are still behind me. I can learn from them, I can build on the experiences and I can even steer away from them if necessary, yet, those things which occured in 2008 will always be behind me.
The rearview mirror of life is there for a reason. It lets you reflect on the things behind you but all the while knowing that your focus should be on that which is in front of you. If one was to drive with just using the rearview mirror as a guide, they will soon wreck. The mirror might help you drive backwards but driving backwards on a road is not only dangerous but illegal. Driving backwards also brings you back to areas that you might otherwise not want to be at again. Those roads have already been traveled. The accidents have been avoided or have occured, the potholes missed, the lesson learned...put the car in drive, look out the windshield and proceed forward!
Take the lesson from the roads you traveled and use those lessons as you proceed down the road of life in front of you. Sometimes those lessons teach you that you were on the wrong road to begin with. Maybe it reaffirms that you are indeed on the right road. Other times it alerts you to adjust your course. Even then, those lessons also help mold you and shape you to become a better driver. They help you to be more alert to the signs in front of you.
I looked in the rearview mirror of 2008 today and reflected. I also looked to that which is in front of me and smiled. God has great things in store as long as I follow the law of His road. He has many great things in store for you as well, if you follow the signs. Those potholes, speed traps, potential accidents that the enemy placed in your way, were meant for harm, but God allows you to reflect on them in your mirror and use them for good.
Enjoy your drive but remember, the focus is on the road in front of you!
When I get into my car in the morning, my first thought is not "I better check for an outside rearview mirror!" For that matter, I rarely even notice anything about the car except if it started or not when I turn the key in the ignition. When I drive down the road, my main focus is normally on what is going on in front of me and rarely what is behind me.
Do not get me wrong though, I do use the rearview mirror! It is just that I never really give the mirror that much of a second thought....that is...until today. Four months into the year 2009 and I finally sat down to think about the past year. The events that unfolded. There was moments of excitement, moments of tears, times of pain, yet many positives.
I sat down to look into life's rearview mirror to glance at what was behind me. In a nutshell, 2008 was a year of awakening. It was the year I felt I had finally arrived at a new horizon in my ministry. It was a year of drawing closer to my wife and kids. It was a year of many exciting journeys. It was also sadly a year in which I felt like a knife had been driven in my back by people I placed much trust in. It was a time in which people I called friend for so many years, were in reality, not friends at all. I was tossed carelessly to the side of the road to die, or so I felt.
To say today that it did not hurt would be a lie. It hurt and it hurt badly. I felt like the very thing that God had given to me, man was trying to destroy. I was to the point of almost being convinced that they were right. I wanted to just give up though I knew that giving up was exactly what the enemy wanted me to do.
Thru it all I had friends that were real and genuine, come to my aid. I had a wife and kids, who were also hurt by the same people, hold me up in the time of need. I was being ministered to by God thru people who probably did not even realize they were being used in such a way.
I looked in the rearview mirror today and saw the happiness, joy, pride, yet even the anger, disappointment, hurt and pain of 2008. I learned that the people who tried to destroy me are all behind me now. Even the many fun moments, and bright spots of life in 2008 are behind me. I learned that while the objects in the mirror might be closer than they appear, they are still behind me. I can learn from them, I can build on the experiences and I can even steer away from them if necessary, yet, those things which occured in 2008 will always be behind me.
The rearview mirror of life is there for a reason. It lets you reflect on the things behind you but all the while knowing that your focus should be on that which is in front of you. If one was to drive with just using the rearview mirror as a guide, they will soon wreck. The mirror might help you drive backwards but driving backwards on a road is not only dangerous but illegal. Driving backwards also brings you back to areas that you might otherwise not want to be at again. Those roads have already been traveled. The accidents have been avoided or have occured, the potholes missed, the lesson learned...put the car in drive, look out the windshield and proceed forward!
Take the lesson from the roads you traveled and use those lessons as you proceed down the road of life in front of you. Sometimes those lessons teach you that you were on the wrong road to begin with. Maybe it reaffirms that you are indeed on the right road. Other times it alerts you to adjust your course. Even then, those lessons also help mold you and shape you to become a better driver. They help you to be more alert to the signs in front of you.
I looked in the rearview mirror of 2008 today and reflected. I also looked to that which is in front of me and smiled. God has great things in store as long as I follow the law of His road. He has many great things in store for you as well, if you follow the signs. Those potholes, speed traps, potential accidents that the enemy placed in your way, were meant for harm, but God allows you to reflect on them in your mirror and use them for good.
Enjoy your drive but remember, the focus is on the road in front of you!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Broad Brush of an Alarmist
The broad brush, which I mention in my blog Abstract Painting of a Twisted Agenda, seems to be the trend in Pentecost when one does not like something. Don't like that the guy down the road because he does not wear a tie? Broad brush. Don't like the new music they are playing in other churches? Broad brush. Pulpit moved so the Pastor is viewed as more down to earth? Broad brush.
On and on one can go and find different areas that people disagree with. The problem with the disagreement is that when one does, instead of noting it as just a personal dislike, they tie it to a faulty doctrine and then broad brush that person or church as dangerous. While it is agreed upon that false doctrine or erronious translations of scripture is indeed a very dangerous thing and for one to avoid, to paint someone into that mural just because they do not fit the cookie cutter that you have created, is as dangerous the movement you painted them into.
Emergent churches from the surface seem to be tied to universalism but along the way they also have a flair of relevancy. Relevance today, while some use it as a four letter word, is not a bad thing by itself. The problem is that many Charismatics have used relevance in their services and so the painting goes, if you are relevant, then you are charismatic. If you are relevant, then you are part of the emergent church. If you are part of the emergant church, then you are young. If you are young, then you are ignorant. The youth of today will destroy what the forefathers have worked so hard on! The youth of today are removing the landmarks! The youth of today are horrible! They are part of a emerging relevant church! Detest them in everyway! Label them now! Broad brush them into a false doctrine movement!
Be careful with that paint brush. Just because something does not fit your personal taste does not automatically make it a false doctrine or sin. Just because you cannot find a scripture to attack that personal style also does not mean you should attach that person or group to a movement just because that movement happens to have that style.
I for one agree, if a person is in false doctrine, then talk to that person. See if you can correct their ways. If not, mark them. False doctrine is and always will be dangerous and in no way should be part of the church. Person playing country twang music while you play modern worship songs? Let it be as just a personal taste. Are they teaching from a plexiglass podium while you have an old wooden pulpit? Let it be. Don't take your personal view and make it into an agenda , painting with a broad brush, labeling anything you disagree with as heretical.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)