God’s Word is not separate from His nature. That is why we know Him through His Word in scripture. Prophecy is also God’s Word and should display not only knowledge, but God’s heart as well.
His Heart is unchanging. God still loves holiness and hates evil. He is still merciful and still judges. We can see it in His Word. Though we may prefer to think of Him one way, yet the scriptures are broad and we find that God’s nature is high above all our summations of His character.
If we hear God speaking and yet have not heard why He is speaking we miss portraying a part of Who He is. If we guess at why He is speaking then our prophecy will become polluted, for there are many reasons the Lord would share information with His people.
Some prophecies originate from the heart of men and not from the heart of God. They are carnal and fail to portray the nature of God. If the speaker is permissive, for instance, then the prophecy will be permissive with a heavy emphasis on mercy and a lessening of the impact of sin. The speaker will be unable to set the receiver free, and removes the opportunity for cleansing by his misrepresentation of the heart and character of God.
A man who is tutored under the correcting hand of the Holy Spirit learns not only to hear God’s words, but to hear His heart. In the mind, the Holy Spirit divides the man’s carnal nature from God’s holiness (Heb 4:12-13). By this process we are daily faced with choices. We can embrace the carnal and forget the nature of God we were shown, or we can embrace God’s nature and put our carnality to death.
One who continues to hear and embrace God’s nature will be sensitive to listening for the “why” God speaks what He speaks. This man will not prophesy information alone, neither will he add his own understanding. This man will listen and speak the full council of God so that others might know Him. Amen
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Frustration
Sometimes we feel frustrated. We look at all that we, and the Lord, have invested in our lives and do not find an expression for it. What we are sensing is a “groan” from our spirit (Rm 8:22-23). It is an inward song only God’s creation and His children can sing; groaning.
What makes us groan is frustration (Rm 8:19). We have this sense that there is something greater, and we are right. It is not boastful thinking, nor is it inappropriate desire. It is appropriate to groan inwardly when we sense there is more to life than what we are living and doing. It is God who exceeds our expectations with the Life we live.
“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, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus through-out all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21)
We cannot measure what we should expect by looking at what we’ve invested in our lives, and therefore, it is immeasurable what the Lord will do. We cannot imagine what path our lives should take, and therefore it is beyond our imagination. Our lives are contained in God, in His Son Jesus.
When we feel chastened by our own frustrations and kneel down to repent of wanting too much, perhaps we ought to stop, and praise God for His good aspirations for our lives instead. He said “I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11). The future is God’s to give.
We have been rubbing elbows with the divine, and are we to never notice there is more? With the power of God residing in us, should we ignore that a transformation is taking place that prepares us to become sons and daughters of God? (2 Cor 4:7) No, rather, it should excite us every day and whet our thirst for more.
Isaiah prophesied to the Jewish nation, inviting the thirsty to come eat and drink and be satisfied with the “richest of fare.” (Is 55:1-2) In this prophecy the Lord gives a glimpse into His own thought-life; “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways . . . As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9) God doesn’t measure our lives the ways we do. He doesn’t think the way we do about our accomplishments, nor does He wait to scold us for wanting more of Him in our lives, and more of His works for our hands to do.
When we find ourselves in frustration, let us praise God. He will bring us up, as a Father brings up his child, into our rightful place. While we wait, let us remember that He has good thoughts towards us, and good intentions which He carries out in the unseen realm He inhabits. Amen.
What makes us groan is frustration (Rm 8:19). We have this sense that there is something greater, and we are right. It is not boastful thinking, nor is it inappropriate desire. It is appropriate to groan inwardly when we sense there is more to life than what we are living and doing. It is God who exceeds our expectations with the Life we live.
“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, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus through-out all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21)
We cannot measure what we should expect by looking at what we’ve invested in our lives, and therefore, it is immeasurable what the Lord will do. We cannot imagine what path our lives should take, and therefore it is beyond our imagination. Our lives are contained in God, in His Son Jesus.
When we feel chastened by our own frustrations and kneel down to repent of wanting too much, perhaps we ought to stop, and praise God for His good aspirations for our lives instead. He said “I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11). The future is God’s to give.
We have been rubbing elbows with the divine, and are we to never notice there is more? With the power of God residing in us, should we ignore that a transformation is taking place that prepares us to become sons and daughters of God? (2 Cor 4:7) No, rather, it should excite us every day and whet our thirst for more.
Isaiah prophesied to the Jewish nation, inviting the thirsty to come eat and drink and be satisfied with the “richest of fare.” (Is 55:1-2) In this prophecy the Lord gives a glimpse into His own thought-life; “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways . . . As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9) God doesn’t measure our lives the ways we do. He doesn’t think the way we do about our accomplishments, nor does He wait to scold us for wanting more of Him in our lives, and more of His works for our hands to do.
When we find ourselves in frustration, let us praise God. He will bring us up, as a Father brings up his child, into our rightful place. While we wait, let us remember that He has good thoughts towards us, and good intentions which He carries out in the unseen realm He inhabits. Amen.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Theophanies
Theophanies, a time in which the Lord shares Himself with Man in a special way. How many times do we wish we could see God, and sometimes imagine what He might say to us. Though some say we cannot see God, they might agree that men could see angels. And so the yearning and the imaginations go on, wishing we might see and hear from heaven.
From what we read in the scriptures, heaven is a different place than earth . . . a place where God’s will is done. And we know that God Himself is quite a different person than we are, though we are made in His image. His thoughts are higher than ours and His ways cannot be comprehended in their entirety. Yet He chooses to reveal Himself to us through the Spirit of His Son Jesus, by the scriptures, through visitations of angels, and through theophanies. When God reveals Himself to Man, it is for a purpose.
I’d like to share an experience I had on March 24, 2006 wherein I saw and heard the “man who speaks from heaven.” (Heb 12:25). He appeared in a dream, wearing a white robe and standing in the clouds. The words he spoke were punctuated with claps of thunder until I had heard 7 thunders. He admonished “How long will you wait before you take possession of the inheritance?” (Josh 18:3) I awoke to the last of the 7 thunders, stunned.
The “man from heaven” reference in Hebrew is about the Lord speaking from heaven to remove that which can be shaken, so that that which cannot be shaken will remain. Clearly God is doing that right now. However, that which shall remain, the inheritance, does not come without our effort. In order for an inheritance to be gained from the promises of God, we must walk our lives out in faith. The battle the Hebrews fought for their Promised Land represents a type of the battles we fight for our own promises in our lives.
If God’s promises came to us solely through His own divine efforts, the Lord would not now challenge us about waiting too long to get them. Joshua admonished the Hebrews that, should they wait too long, God would stop fighting for them. He prophesied to them that, in their waiting, if they “ally yourselves the survivors of these nations that remain among you” . . . “they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.” (Josh 23:12-13).
The good fight of faith takes tremendous effort on our part, like fighting a war. And yet, passivity brings compromise with the world and concessions with our flesh. In the end, if we do not walk in faith to overcome the world and our flesh, we lose.
Joel prophesied that when the Lord poured out His Spirit on us, some would dream dreams from Him (Joel 2:28-29). These are important dreams and the significance of God’s message should not be lessened because one receives them while asleep. If that were so, God would not have told us long ago that this time of dreams, dreams from the Lord, was coming. Let us hear His message through this dream and seek to stand on His Word for the promises over our lives. He will fight with us, and we will receive a great inheritance. This is what His portion is for the saints of the Lord. Amen.
From what we read in the scriptures, heaven is a different place than earth . . . a place where God’s will is done. And we know that God Himself is quite a different person than we are, though we are made in His image. His thoughts are higher than ours and His ways cannot be comprehended in their entirety. Yet He chooses to reveal Himself to us through the Spirit of His Son Jesus, by the scriptures, through visitations of angels, and through theophanies. When God reveals Himself to Man, it is for a purpose.
I’d like to share an experience I had on March 24, 2006 wherein I saw and heard the “man who speaks from heaven.” (Heb 12:25). He appeared in a dream, wearing a white robe and standing in the clouds. The words he spoke were punctuated with claps of thunder until I had heard 7 thunders. He admonished “How long will you wait before you take possession of the inheritance?” (Josh 18:3) I awoke to the last of the 7 thunders, stunned.
The “man from heaven” reference in Hebrew is about the Lord speaking from heaven to remove that which can be shaken, so that that which cannot be shaken will remain. Clearly God is doing that right now. However, that which shall remain, the inheritance, does not come without our effort. In order for an inheritance to be gained from the promises of God, we must walk our lives out in faith. The battle the Hebrews fought for their Promised Land represents a type of the battles we fight for our own promises in our lives.
If God’s promises came to us solely through His own divine efforts, the Lord would not now challenge us about waiting too long to get them. Joshua admonished the Hebrews that, should they wait too long, God would stop fighting for them. He prophesied to them that, in their waiting, if they “ally yourselves the survivors of these nations that remain among you” . . . “they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.” (Josh 23:12-13).
The good fight of faith takes tremendous effort on our part, like fighting a war. And yet, passivity brings compromise with the world and concessions with our flesh. In the end, if we do not walk in faith to overcome the world and our flesh, we lose.
Joel prophesied that when the Lord poured out His Spirit on us, some would dream dreams from Him (Joel 2:28-29). These are important dreams and the significance of God’s message should not be lessened because one receives them while asleep. If that were so, God would not have told us long ago that this time of dreams, dreams from the Lord, was coming. Let us hear His message through this dream and seek to stand on His Word for the promises over our lives. He will fight with us, and we will receive a great inheritance. This is what His portion is for the saints of the Lord. Amen.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Commission
Today’s lesson involves another conflict in the application of scriptures. In yesterday’s message I established that all scripture is God-breathed and full of the Life that works in us to bear good fruit. However, misapplication of scripture will bear bad fruit. Let’s look at our first scripture today, concerning the Great Commission;
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20)
Correct application of this scripture has brought about evangelization of much of the world, resulting in good fruit and a bountiful harvest of the Lord. What could go wrong? There is nothing wrong with evangelization, and essentially, as God’s ambassadors we are all called to evangelize. However, we are not necessarily all called to “go”.
Many Christian leaders have been concerned with the unsaved parts of the world, focusing on outreaches to those countries which have not yet received the gospel. If people cannot travel to those regions, leaders and churches provide outreach opportunities for them in their own town or city. This has been a noble venture and seemingly good application of the Great Commission. However, some “trees” have born the bad fruit of “bean-counting”; the publishing of numbers of souls saved, numbers of houses, schools and orphanages built . . . and boasting of all the good works they do for the Lord. Though they seem very rich spiritually, works alone do not serve the Lord well . . . not if they are only the works that make us look good to other men. Not if they are the works that bring fame and donations.
Jesus counseled the Church at Laodicea to buy from Him “gold refined in the fire.” (Rev 3:18). They had incomplete works, which left them feeling rich but in reality impoverished them spiritually. Our hearts are purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit during our trials. We cannot choose our works for their ease, comfort, or what greatness they will bring to us; they are appointed to us (Eph 2:10). Sometimes the Lord gives us big works to do, and sometimes they are little, hidden works. Only the humble will do what is little in their own eyes, sacrificing that which would bring them fame and fortune.
Let’s take a look at scripture that emphasizes one of the end-time priorities for God’s kingdom. “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Mal 4:5-6) The land was their inheritance, and if there was no evidence of reconciliation between the generations, there would be a lack of inheritance. This has spiritual application for us today. God is looking at appointing destinies, however, the hearts need to be turned first.
Jesus told the people that John the Baptist embodied the spirit of Elijah. The angel Gabriel that spoke before John’s birth said of him “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Lk 1:16-17) John’s ministry was one of calling people to repentance, and baptizing them to wash away their sins (Mt 3:1-6). This is how he prepared people for the coming of their Messiah. Though we see John dealing with people on their personal sin, there is no mention of him preaching reconciliation between the generations.
Jesus told His disciples that the spirit of Elijah ”does come first, and restores all things.” (Mk 9:12-13). And though “Elijah has come,” in the ministry of John the Baptist, the ministry of Elijah was not completed. There remains for our generation a turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. There remains an appointing of spiritual inheritances as we gain victory over the personal sin and strife in our families. This is an unpleasant work for many . . . one which is best avoided by the outward focus of missions, evangelism, and community out-reach. Yet it does far more than the personal purification of our souls, making them like gold. It establishes the kingdom of God, for that is the work appointed to us before the end.
There are those appointed to “go” and those appointed to preach. However, let us not be found making our choices in order to please men, nor to make ourselves look good. Let us keep God’s priorities for our lives at the top of the list of our works and be satisfied to be found of Him rich, clothed, and seeing clearly the inheritance. Amen.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20)
Correct application of this scripture has brought about evangelization of much of the world, resulting in good fruit and a bountiful harvest of the Lord. What could go wrong? There is nothing wrong with evangelization, and essentially, as God’s ambassadors we are all called to evangelize. However, we are not necessarily all called to “go”.
Many Christian leaders have been concerned with the unsaved parts of the world, focusing on outreaches to those countries which have not yet received the gospel. If people cannot travel to those regions, leaders and churches provide outreach opportunities for them in their own town or city. This has been a noble venture and seemingly good application of the Great Commission. However, some “trees” have born the bad fruit of “bean-counting”; the publishing of numbers of souls saved, numbers of houses, schools and orphanages built . . . and boasting of all the good works they do for the Lord. Though they seem very rich spiritually, works alone do not serve the Lord well . . . not if they are only the works that make us look good to other men. Not if they are the works that bring fame and donations.
Jesus counseled the Church at Laodicea to buy from Him “gold refined in the fire.” (Rev 3:18). They had incomplete works, which left them feeling rich but in reality impoverished them spiritually. Our hearts are purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit during our trials. We cannot choose our works for their ease, comfort, or what greatness they will bring to us; they are appointed to us (Eph 2:10). Sometimes the Lord gives us big works to do, and sometimes they are little, hidden works. Only the humble will do what is little in their own eyes, sacrificing that which would bring them fame and fortune.
Let’s take a look at scripture that emphasizes one of the end-time priorities for God’s kingdom. “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Mal 4:5-6) The land was their inheritance, and if there was no evidence of reconciliation between the generations, there would be a lack of inheritance. This has spiritual application for us today. God is looking at appointing destinies, however, the hearts need to be turned first.
Jesus told the people that John the Baptist embodied the spirit of Elijah. The angel Gabriel that spoke before John’s birth said of him “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Lk 1:16-17) John’s ministry was one of calling people to repentance, and baptizing them to wash away their sins (Mt 3:1-6). This is how he prepared people for the coming of their Messiah. Though we see John dealing with people on their personal sin, there is no mention of him preaching reconciliation between the generations.
Jesus told His disciples that the spirit of Elijah ”does come first, and restores all things.” (Mk 9:12-13). And though “Elijah has come,” in the ministry of John the Baptist, the ministry of Elijah was not completed. There remains for our generation a turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. There remains an appointing of spiritual inheritances as we gain victory over the personal sin and strife in our families. This is an unpleasant work for many . . . one which is best avoided by the outward focus of missions, evangelism, and community out-reach. Yet it does far more than the personal purification of our souls, making them like gold. It establishes the kingdom of God, for that is the work appointed to us before the end.
There are those appointed to “go” and those appointed to preach. However, let us not be found making our choices in order to please men, nor to make ourselves look good. Let us keep God’s priorities for our lives at the top of the list of our works and be satisfied to be found of Him rich, clothed, and seeing clearly the inheritance. Amen.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Trees and fruit
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree hear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.” (Lk 6:43-44)
We have all seen evidence of things that seem to be good, and yet over time, they bear bad fruit. In Jesus’ own words, if the fruit is bad, so is the tree. In some cases the tree is an idea that seemed good. When tried out, our ideas can bring good fruit if they have been directed by the Lord. In other cases, the idea can bring bad fruit, evidence that they were not directed by the Lord.
This happens with the interpretation of scriptures and their application to our lives. We need to have the eyes to see whether or not our interpretation and application of scriptures is bearing good fruit, or bad. If our application of a scripture into daily practice causes us to disobey another scripture, we should ask God for wisdom. The Holy Spirit is ready to help us with discernment. But if we continue to practice our faith in a way that causes disobedience to other scriptures, then we will bear bad fruit.
Today I will address a scripture that has born much bad fruit in the churches. Now, no scripture is bad. All scripture is God-breathed and should pass along the Life that causes us to bear good fruit. One scripture that is leading to bad fruit through mis-interpretation is as follows;
“We beseech you brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;” (1 Thess 5:12). In many Christian circles this is interpreted as “If we don’t know you, you cannot serve God here.” Therefore a custom of “knowing” has evolved whereby letters of reference are sent to precede ministers and lay people who serve the Lord. In the end, some ministry will only take place because of who knew who. The person seeking to minister must build himself a reputation, or know someone who has a reputation and will commend him to others. This is bad fruit. In some circles we see boasting about what great things a person has done, or what a perfect life a person has lived. Of greater importance, though, is that the practice of refusing ministry by people who are new or unknown is unscriptural, and in fact, is a disobedience to scripture.
Let’s see what Jesus had to say about receiving one another; “I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts Me; and whoever accepts Me accepts the One who sent Me.” (Jn 13:20) or as Matthew writes; “Whoever receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.” (Mt 10:40-41)
By receiving one another in the Lord we side-step the temptation to build an exclusive club of men and women who are allowed to speak in the churches and on the air waves. The rewards of the unknown prophets and righteous servants of the Lord are missing in many of our churches, leaving us hungry for something we cannot get from the “club”. God designed the Church so that it is He alone that supplies what it needs by putting those gifts in the people He chooses (1 Cor 12:18). If we refuse one of His servants, we essentially are saying that we don’t need them, and that is like the eye saying to the hand “I don’t need you.” (1 Cor 12:21). This is why some of our churches are bearing bad fruit. Today, let us examine the fruit we bear so that we find commendation in following the scriptures and not in the traditions of men. Amen
We have all seen evidence of things that seem to be good, and yet over time, they bear bad fruit. In Jesus’ own words, if the fruit is bad, so is the tree. In some cases the tree is an idea that seemed good. When tried out, our ideas can bring good fruit if they have been directed by the Lord. In other cases, the idea can bring bad fruit, evidence that they were not directed by the Lord.
This happens with the interpretation of scriptures and their application to our lives. We need to have the eyes to see whether or not our interpretation and application of scriptures is bearing good fruit, or bad. If our application of a scripture into daily practice causes us to disobey another scripture, we should ask God for wisdom. The Holy Spirit is ready to help us with discernment. But if we continue to practice our faith in a way that causes disobedience to other scriptures, then we will bear bad fruit.
Today I will address a scripture that has born much bad fruit in the churches. Now, no scripture is bad. All scripture is God-breathed and should pass along the Life that causes us to bear good fruit. One scripture that is leading to bad fruit through mis-interpretation is as follows;
“We beseech you brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;” (1 Thess 5:12). In many Christian circles this is interpreted as “If we don’t know you, you cannot serve God here.” Therefore a custom of “knowing” has evolved whereby letters of reference are sent to precede ministers and lay people who serve the Lord. In the end, some ministry will only take place because of who knew who. The person seeking to minister must build himself a reputation, or know someone who has a reputation and will commend him to others. This is bad fruit. In some circles we see boasting about what great things a person has done, or what a perfect life a person has lived. Of greater importance, though, is that the practice of refusing ministry by people who are new or unknown is unscriptural, and in fact, is a disobedience to scripture.
Let’s see what Jesus had to say about receiving one another; “I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts Me; and whoever accepts Me accepts the One who sent Me.” (Jn 13:20) or as Matthew writes; “Whoever receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.” (Mt 10:40-41)
By receiving one another in the Lord we side-step the temptation to build an exclusive club of men and women who are allowed to speak in the churches and on the air waves. The rewards of the unknown prophets and righteous servants of the Lord are missing in many of our churches, leaving us hungry for something we cannot get from the “club”. God designed the Church so that it is He alone that supplies what it needs by putting those gifts in the people He chooses (1 Cor 12:18). If we refuse one of His servants, we essentially are saying that we don’t need them, and that is like the eye saying to the hand “I don’t need you.” (1 Cor 12:21). This is why some of our churches are bearing bad fruit. Today, let us examine the fruit we bear so that we find commendation in following the scriptures and not in the traditions of men. Amen
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