Feed: Treasures of the Kingdom - AggScore: 50.1

It's Still Happening

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"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^R)"> sick people, and they will get well."
Mark 16:17&18 


There continues to be a debate over whether the things that are written in this scripture are still valid, or if they were valid even when they were spoken. Jesus uttered this after his resurrection. Shortly thereafter, he ascended into heaven. Some translations omit these verses or note that they are not found in all manuscripts. But whether we choose to believe this particular scripture or not, there is plenty of scriptural support for the fact that God is still in the miracle and healing business. In addition, there is real life, current evidence that these things are happening. 
    I recently heard reports about the church in Cambodia. There are literally thousands of churches there that have emerged within the last ten years. One comment caught my attention. They said that everyone of those churches started because of a sign, wonder, or miracle. They went on to tell story after story of people who were healed instantly, demons being cast out of people who were gripped by the enemy, and miracles that are on par with the book of Acts. Not only does the Bible teach that these manifestations of God's presence are for us today, but practical experience around the world testifies to that truth. 
    In Cambodia, hundreds of thousands of people have come to know Christ because of these miraculous happenings. We simply must understand that this is the purpose for miracles. God wants to make himself known in powerful ways to those who have yet to believe. So you and I cannot give up. We cannot stop believing in the God we know. We do not love and serve a weak, lying God. We serve a Strong, truth-telling, loving God who wants everyone to know him. What is happening around the world can happen and is happening wherever you live. God loves us, wants us to be healthy and cared for, and blessed beyond measure. He is the same God now as he was in the time of the Bible. 
    I will never stop praying for people to be healed. I will never stop believing for miracles. This is the kind of God I believe in. There is nothing that can sway me, no setback that will derail me. I am convinced. Are you? God uses our belief and faith to bring forth his miracles on the earth. To see them, we must act on what we know. When was the last time you laid your hands on someone and cried out to God for them to be healed? When was the last time you prayed with an unbeliever? These are the moments when God shows up. First, we must believe, then we must allow the Holy Spirit to direct us to situations where God's Word will be confirmed. Believe me, IT'S STILL HAPPENING!

Witnesses

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"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:8 

Jesus did three world-changing things at the end of his earthly life. He died on the cross, bearing all the sins of the world. He became the sacrificial Lamb, taking the sins of the world and dying for them, once for all. On the third day, he was resurrected. He rose from the dead, defeating death and the grave. Forty days later, he ascended into heaven to reclaim his place at the right hand of the Father. God had placed everything under his feet and the place of power and victory was secured. Jesus had completed his work on the earth. 
    Jesus knew that after he ascended, he needed a body on the earth. What he had begun must be continued to completion. So his last words to us were those in the passage above. He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us and the purpose was clear. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ. Those who were present the day he said these things had witnessed the cross, the resurrection, and then the ascension. They were to tell the world exactly what they had seen. The message then was exactly the same as it is now. Although we weren't physically there for these world-changing events, everyone of us have experienced them. The cross, the resurrection, and the ascension are responsible for our lives in Christ. 
    So we are now the body of Christ. What he did, we now do. What he said, we now say. The authority he had, we now have. We have been empowered to take  the message of Christ to everyone we know and beyond. This is not a mission to simply bring in converts. It is a mission to make disciples. This goes far beyond taking five minutes to lead someone to Christ. Don't get me wrong, it is vitally important to bring people to Jesus. But we must also disciple them to be followers of Christ, not just recipients of grace who return to their old lifestyle. The Great Commission is clear, we are to make disciples in the same way Jesus did when he walked the earth. This is the purpose for the empowering of the Holy Spirit.l
    Sometimes we forget the real reason we have received so much from God. We have unlimited blessing. We have churches to belong to, brothers and sisters to fellowship with, and all of our needs are met. These are blessings, but they are not only for us. They are to be extended to others. Jesus gave of himself to everyone he touched. He sacrificed sleep, food, and shelter to do that. Do we have the same commitment? We need to renew the priority to be witnesses. It's not difficult, it's not strange. We simply give to others what we have already received. We start at home and then we go into all the world. This is God's heart for those who do not know him, and he uses us to accomplish it. We are his body, his hands and feet in the world. 

The Ninety Nine

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"Then Jesus told them this parable: ^'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.'"
Luke 15:3-7 


I've been thinking about foundations lately. What is the foundation of my faith? What is the foundation of the church? What is the foundation God wants to renew in my life? The more I ask these questions, the more I understand that there is one great truth about God that is absolutely foundational to us and our experience here in the world. God is concerned about the lost. He loves them and he has called us to be the ones who present his love and message of reconciliation to those who have yet to meet him. 
    In Luke 15, Jesus told three parables: The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Obviously the emphasis was on that which was lost. God is more than concerned for the lost. He is in fact, distracted by them. The parable of the lost sheep clearly illustrates God's willingness and desire to leave the ninety-nine who are already found, to seek the one who is lost. After all, Jesus did come to seek and save the lost. Those who are found are already in the fold. They are already destined for heaven and eternal life. But the lost one, he is in darkness, destined for hell and eternal separation from God. This is so critical to God that he longs to go get the lost one. Over the finding of the one, there is great rejoicing. God loves the lost enough to search for them and find them. 
    God has chosen to use us to find the lost ones, share the good news of Christ with them and see them join those who are destined for eternal life. This is the foundation of the church. We don't exist so we can receive only our own blessing, we are called to extend it to the lost. This is our mission. It is the entire reason that we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are to go into all the world, starting with our Jerusalem, our Judea, our Samaria. There, we will find the lost and gather them for the kingdom of heaven. This is the foundation of our lives as Christians, sons and daughters of God. 
    There are 4.9 billion people alive on the earth who do not have a relationship with Jesus. This means there are 4.9 billion people who, if the world ended today, would spend eternity in hell, separated from God. If we lined those people up, one in front of the other with their heels touching the toes of the one behind, the line would reach around the earth, not once, not twice, not five times, not ten or twenty or even thirty times. It would reach around the world 37.3 times. This many people are alive today and do not know Jesus. And they all have faces, they all have souls, they are all eternal beings just waiting to find a Savior. Can you see them? We can offer them the truth of the only true Savior of the world. If this is not our heart today, it should be. Look at the faces of the lost. They're all around us. See them as God does. Be distracted to the point that you must tell them the good news. This is our mission, our one ultimate goal. We are the ninety-nine. We are the safe ones, and God is calling us to go get the lost ones.

Confession is Good for the Soul

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"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9 (KJV) 


Maybe it's a good reminder, maybe it's for us to remember our spiritual roots, but having a clear understanding of this verse is vital to all of us. There are many Christians who have confessed their sins before God and received the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, all of us who bear the name of Christ have done this. But many do not make a practice of confessing sin before God. Some may think that because we have the forgiveness of sin that was given at salvation, there is no need for further action. But I believe that confession of sin should be a normal and consistent part of the Christian life. 
    I grew up in a church that believed in living a holy life. Unfortunately, there was a high degree of legalism required to live the way they wanted us all to live. So my relationship with God was defined by what I couldn't do rather than the freedom I have in Christ. I remember the question being asked, "If Jesus were to come back and you were in a theater watching a movie, do you think he would come in there and get you?" Of course the legalistic answer to this question is no. We wouldn't want to be doing something wrong when Jesus comes back. But the freedom we have in Christ reverses the answer. Because we have been saved from sin and given right-standing with God, he certainly would come into that theater and get us! So I do not preach a legalistic righteousness that comes from human effort, but there is a great need in our lives to remain as close to God as possible. 
    There is only one thing that separates us from God, sin. Nothing else has any power to do that. God is purely holy and he cannot have any fellowship with sin. So it is important for us to eliminate sin from our lives in favor of our relationship with God. When John the apostle wrote these words, he wrote them to Christians. He was emphasizing the importance of confession and forgiveness. Since we continue to sin, even though we are Christians, we must practice confession. Personally, I don't want to have anything between God and me. He has never changed his position or his love for me, but I have failed him many times. He hasn't changed his relationship to me, but I have separated myself from him because of sin. So I want to eliminate anything that may hinder my prayers. I want to remove anything that may separate me from God. So I practice confession regularly. And every time I confess sin, God faithfully forgives me and cleanses my life. 
    Confession and repentance should be regular parts of a growing relationship with God. We should practice it daily. Through this, we defeat sin with the help of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness offered by God. It is true that confession is good for the soul, for it leads us to a closer relationship with God and frees us from the entanglement of sin. Think about it. When was the last time you confessed sin to God? If it has been awhile, do it. If it is a regular part of your life, continue to walk in this important truth. We are to live as he lived and the only way to do that is to be righteous. The only way to be righteous is to take the righteousness of Christ. Every time we confess, he forgives, and another dark area of our lives is exposed to his light. Then there is more of Christ's righteousness and less of our weakness. Let's practice confession. It is good for our souls.

Glory Revealed

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"This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."
John 2:11

According to the apostle John, the first miracle performed was when he turned the water into wine at the wedding feast. This miracle is not recorded in any of the other gospels. This was not a healing, no one was raised from the dead. It was a miracle, water was supernaturally made into wine. It seems that the entire purpose of this miracle was to reveal Jesus' glory to his disciples. They needed to know that he was fully God, not just a man. It would have been one thing to follow a great teacher, buy it was a greater thing to follow the only Son of God.
    Today, many Christians talk about the glory of God. People long to see his glory, but many have struggled to understand what it means. What is God's glory and how do we see it? I believe it's simple. It is exactly the same as when Jesus changed the water into wine. To see God's glory is to see a demonstration of his deity and power. This is the single thing that sets the true God apart from all other gods who are worshiped. There is no other God who claims to have risen, no other God who claims to have the power to perform miracles or heal. This is what sets our God apart. This is why he is the one true God. And this is why his glory is so important for the world to see.
    It is not simply for our pleasure that God wants to reveal his glory. He wants to reveal it so that everyone will know that he is the only God. Peter and John went with Jesus one time, to the top of a mountain. There Elijah and Moses appeared and Jesus was transfigured. This means that he no longer appeared as a man, he appeared as God, supernatural in power and appearance. Again, Jesus displayed himself as God. All people are drawn to the supernatural. We want to know that there is someone greater than us who is in control. God responds by revealing his glory, and we know he is who he says he is.
    Let's pray for God to reveal his glory more and more. When his glory is manifest, miraculous things happen: Needs are met, the sick are made well, people come to be saved, and our faith is built. Don't be afraid of God's glory. Don't be intimidated. It is for our good that his glory is revealed. Without it, the church misses out on the incredible supernatural power of God expressed through his love for us. So I pray, "God, show us your glory!"

Dwelling Together

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"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"
Psalm 133:1 (KJV)

I've been impressed lately, by the theme of unity. The more I look at the book of Acts church, the more I understand that it was built by the power of the Holy Spirit and the unity and single mind of all the believers. Over a thousand years before the birth of the church, King David wrote about unity. He understood the principle and he understood the importance. Without unity, there is little progress toward common goals.
    It is difficult to gather a large group around a central theme and goal. We don't see this kind of unity very often, but when we do, consider the results. In the early twentieth century, a group rose up under the banner of 'Women's Suffrage.' Thousands of women joined the movement proclaiming their right to vote. Massive changes were made as women were granted voting equality. In the 1960s, Martin Luther King headed the civil rights movement which unified thousands of African-Americans to stand for equal rights. Today, the unity of that group has brought incredible changes. These are just two examples of what people who are in unity can accomplish.
    If we the church, would gather under the kind of unity that these earlier groups had, great things would happen. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the unity of believers, the early church grew exponentially. We have the same possibilities today. We have the Holy Spirit guiding us, and we have a church filled with followers of Christ. If we really gather in unity, the results will be dramatic. These are the days of the harvest. These are the last days of the church. There is a mission that only we can accomplish. It is the call of God in our lives to fulfill the Great Commission and touch the entire world with the gospel. This will be accomplished through the relentless preaching of the kingdom. This is the call, this is the purpose. So the church must be unified to accomplish the goal.
    When there is unity, changes happen. When there is unity, the world changes. It has happened before and it should happen now. the other blessing of unity is the refreshing that each of us receive when we are together. In the New Testament, it is spoken of often. When the church got together, the people were refreshed by the unified spirit that was present. There is nothing more refreshing than to be in a group of people with the same heart, purpose, and goals. In fact, within human strength, there is nothing more powerful. When that power is joined with the power of the Holy Spirit, a force is created that is absolutely world-changing. Be refreshed. Accept the call. Let the church arise in unity. The world will never be the same!

Knowing God's Love

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"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how long and high and wide and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:16b-19

We are so blessed to be loved by God. Many people in the world labor under the false belief that God, whether they know him or not, is either a tyrant or a disinterested deity who simply watches what happens. But God has demonstrated his love for us in practical and amazing ways. The one true God sent his only son into the world to live among us, sacrifice himself for us, and then be exalted to the right hand of God. This is an amazing truth that we believe by faith. The salvation of all mankind has been provided by God, but not all are willing to receive.
    The apostle Paul, prayed this prayer for all. It is a passionate plea. God wants us to know him and the fullness of his love. One thing Paul prayed seems to be a paradox. He said that he wants us to "Know this love that surpasses knowledge." How can one know something if it surpasses human knowledge? The truth is, we cannot understand the fullness of God's love. It truly is beyond any human understanding. If all people understood how much God loves them, everyone would run to him to receive it. But God has provided a way for us to know his love. It is not found in our own intellect, it is found in the Spirit.
    The heart of Paul's prayer is for us to "have power." This power only comes after we have been "rooted and established in love." Those who are able to know God's love are those who have received his Son and the forgiveness of sin he provided. All who are outside of real relationship with God through faith in Jesus, cannot fathom God's love. But we can because of the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. He is the source of power that gives us the knowledge of God's love for us. Paul prayed this over Christians, not unbelievers. So we must tap into the power of the Holy Spirit every moment in order to know what is impossible to know.
    We need a fresh understanding of how much God loves us. There are times when we feel alone, but we never are. There are times when we feel abandoned, but we have never been. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth regarding the love of God for us. When we are able to grasp it, our lives are changed. We stop attempting to please God through legalistic actions. We will know that he created us individually and loves each one uniquely. When we stop struggling to understand God's love and simply receive it as the Holy Spirit gives us the power to do so, we will experience true freedom in Christ. We won't be shackled to a set of rules or false righteousness. We will know that God loves us unconditionally and that in itself is everything we will ever need. God is love!

Fruit Bearing People

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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."
Galatians 5:22-25

I believe strongly in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I believe in his power. I believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, comfort and counsel the believer, and empower disciples to do the work of the ministry. Many Christians believe these same things and speak often of the power of the Holy Spirit resident in them. All this is good, but there is a measure of the Spirit-filled life. The measure is found in the producing of fruit.
    People love power. We love to see miracles, healing and other manifestations. These also are good, for they confirm the Word of God to us. But there is no substitute for a consistent Spirit-led life. The great major league baseball star, Ty Cobb was an outstanding, record-breaking athlete who performed incredible feats on the baseball field. He is remembered by his tremendous achievements, but his character did not match his athletic greatness. It has been said, "It is difficult to tell which is longer - the list of records Ty Cobb left shattered when he retired from baseball, or the stories of his nastiness."* You see, his character marred his achievements. The same is true of believers. If we have the Holy Spirit, if we are involved in great manifestations of his power but are not producing fruit that changes our character, we are not adequately representing God to the world.
    The way we grow spiritual fruit is to constantly live in relationship with the Holy Spirit. Those who are the closest to us, know us best. Our families can testify of our goodness, and they can tell of our weaknesses. The closest relationship any of us have as Christians is with the Holy Spirit. He lives in us and he knows everything about us. If we are willing to receive his counsel and conviction, we will produce fruit in keeping with a godly lifestyle. So our relationship with him is far more than a matter of power and manifestations. It is primarily a relationship intended to produce godly character in us. Jesus said, "Thus by their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:20). We will not be remembered by any acts of power. We will be remembered by the spiritual fruit we produce.
    The key to a Spirit-filled life is the daily act of keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. This can only happen in lives that are yielded to him. To produce fruit, we must listen to the Holy Spirit's voice and then do what he says. This obedience will produce virtues in us that will be seen and appreciated by all. It is through the fruit of the Spirit that God is glorified. If people see these things in us, they will understand that these are a reflection of God himself. Yes, God is powerful, but he is first, love. I don't believe the Bible ever says, "God is power." But it certainly does say, "God is love" (1 John 4:8b). His love poured out to us will result in great spiritual fruit that will change our character and declare to the world that God truly is love. This is the true manifestation of a Spirit-filled life.

*Larry Schwartz for ESPN.com

In One Accord

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"All the believers were together and had everything in common."
Acts 2:44

Recently as I was reading the book of Acts, I noticed something in the second chapter that I really had never put together before. I suppose I knew it, but I had never paid enough attention to really notice that this one thing was absolutely key to the birth and growth of the church. Without it, we might never have had the writings of the rest of the New Testament or the church as we know it today. The theme of Acts 2 is unity.
    When the 120 came together in Jerusalem to wait for the promised Holy Spirit, they were all together in one place. When the Holy Spirit came, everyone was filled, not one person was missed. When Peter stood up to preach his first sermon, all the apostles stood up with him. And they continued this unity through the explosive growth of the Jerusalem church. Whether it was 120 or thousands, they lived together in unity.
    I believe this is a theme that we must pay attention to. The church today has become fragmented. Denominations have developed, each with their own 'brand' of the gospel. Doctrinal differences have separated the church to the point that there has been disdain for other believers. Unity seems to be far away. The things that separate are trivial in comparison to our great need for unity in the Spirit. If we center our lives around the theme of Christ our Savior who was crucified and resurrected for us, the rest of the issues pale in comparison. The power and infilling of the Holy Spirit is available to all who have received Jesus as their Lord. It is not weird or blasphemous. It is real and vital to every disciple's life. Unity in the Spirit is vital to the continued, growing success of the church.
    We live in days when the great harvest is nearly ready. It is a harvest of souls. I believe that unprecedented numbers of people will come to know Jesus in these days. In order for this harvest to be completed, the church is going to have to rise up in unity to do the harvesting. We are not called to create factions in the church, we are called to make disciples. In that call there is great responsibility to speak a pure gospel without prejudice toward our own set of beliefs. We proclaim the gospel of Christ and him crucified. This is essential. It's time for the church to unify around this theme. Then we can truly say that we live in one accord.

Let There be Joy

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"What has happened to all your joy?"
Galatians 4:15a

It's an interesting question isn't it? Paul asked this question of the Galatians. They had lost the joy they had experienced when Paul first delivered the good news to them. There was a time of excitement and breakthrough at first, but it faded. They had gone back to some of the old ways of life and it robbed them of their joy. So Paul confronted them with this simple but pointed question. It is a question that all of us should ask ourselves.
    I think one of the things that should set Christians apart from others is joy. It is noticeable when someone is filled with joy. You can see it all over their countenance. Joy is not a momentary happy feeling, it is a deep seeded virtue that is expressed all the time by those who have it. Even if they do not speak, joy speaks through their lives and their actions. It is difficult to be happy all the time. Sometimes life gets in the way and we are sad or angry. But joy permeates our souls. It is so foundational to us that everything we do and say should be built on it.
    It is a worthy question to ask ourselves: What has happened to our joy? I know that it's difficult because of the trials we face. But if we are really experiencing a connected relationship with Jesus, we should have this inner joy. I find myself getting so caught up in the struggles of everyday life that I forget what it really means to be joyful. But when I think of all that God has done for me, all his mercies, all his grace, all his amazing love, I can't help but smile. This is an everlasting joy that cannot be taken away by any trial or crisis.
    Today, let's examine ourselves. Let's find the joy that we may have lost. David said, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation" (Psalm 51:12). Perhaps it's time to pray that same prayer. His salvation is a wonderful, joyous thing. The days when we first came to know Christ were filled with the joy of a new life. The outlook brightened. We literally passed from death to life and the joy of that blessing filled us up. Let's return to the joy of our salvation that all the world may see. Let there be joy!

The Redeemed

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"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
Galatians 3:13

Have you ever wished you could go back in time and redeem one moment, one mistake, one poor choice? After some of these things happen, we yearn to go back and correct them, but there is no way to do that. The damage is done and we cannot take it back. The curse has already been applied to our lives. No hope for redemption is available.
    The good news of the Gospel is based in the truth that Jesus has redeemed us. Since we cannot redeem ourselves, a way has been made to do it for us. This is the most selfless act ever performed. Jesus literally did what we cannot do. He covered over every one of the past mistakes. Not one was forgotten, not one was missed. All the curses that have plagued us as a result of sin were taken that day at the cross. We must understand that he became a curse for us to take our curses away. It is an amazing and complete redemption.
    We don't often think of ourselves as being under curses, but we are. The curse of sin has affected everyone. Since sin was birthed into the world, it contaminated every person who has lived. So our only choice, our only chance for redemption is to receive what the Son of God did for us on the cross. I know that many have already made that decision, but there remain many who have not. For those who have received the redemption of Christ, there may remain regrets that we cannot change the past. But the redemption we have received is far greater than any that we could achieve on our own. Our redemption has eternal value. So we must trust in the full redemption of God.
    If you have not made a decision to receive redemption, the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, I encourage you to to do so. It is simply a matter of believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth. Those who already have received redemption, be released from the curse of sin. Sin no longer reigns in you and what you cannot redeem yourself has already been redeemed, forgiven, and forgotten. This is the joy of the redeemed and it has been freely given to all of us.

Great Expectations

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"So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them."
Acts 3:5

The story of the blind man who was healed at the temple gate called Beautiful, is the first recorded healing after the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell on the early church. It is interesting that this man had laid in the same spot for years. Jesus would have passed by him on his way to the temple. The disciples no doubt, had walked by him many times as well. Yet no healing had come to the blind man. What was different? Why was this the appointed time?
    I'm not sure that anyone, any scholar can answer the questions surrounding this man's healing. But there is one thing that strikes me. The man was expecting something. Clearly, he was not expecting to be healed. Likely, he was expecting money. He was a beggar and this was his only way to earn money to live. Still the idea of expectation is vital in the process of people receiving blessing, healing, and supernatural intervention in their lives.
    I wonder if we have become so numb that we no longer expect much from God. If we are content to live a "normal" Christian life, maybe we fall short of the great things that God has for us. God used the healing of the blind man to confirm his Word. There were rumblings in the city about the birth of the early church. There had been a commotion and a great number of people began to follow. When the man was healed, he walked, jumped, and praised God. Clearly the people who were going into the temple that day were impacted by the miracle that had taken place. I am convinced that when Peter and John spoke to the man, they fully expected him to be healed, and he was.
    Let's make a new commitment to expect great things from God. Expectation is a central ingredient of faith. If we truly have faith, believing in God's ability to do anything, then we must expect him to do great things. These are the ingredients of mountain moving faith. Today, there seems to be more faith in doctors and the medical profession than there is in the Great Physician. It's time to change. It's time to expect. It's time to receive from God. When these things are in place, God's Word will be confirmed and many will believe. This is God's blessing. This is the time of the harvest. We have great expectations because we have a great God.

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"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
2 Corinthians 10:4&5 


We live in times when the world is putting up as many arguments as possible to the reality of our God. Although a great percentage of people today believe in God, many refuse to believe the one true God, who is the Father of us all. And so they argue. It is interesting that when God is mentioned, few are threatened. When Jesus is mentioned, the vast majority are offended. When the Holy Spirit is spoken of, very few remain to believe in the one true God manifest in the three persons of the trinity. 
    If we are not careful, we will fall into the trap of watering down the message of Jesus. Since the word 'God' is more palatable, we stop short of speaking the name of Jesus. However, Jesus offended some. He was not willing to compromise who he was and what he came to do. At the end of his ministry on earth, only a hundred and twenty followers remained. All the others fell away. But there was a divine power, one that would only become greater after Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father. And that divine power is now ours. So we are the ones who demolish strongholds, arguments and pretensions. But we must choose to do so.
    We never use the same weapons the world does, for if we do, we are forsaking divine power for worldly strength. Our weapons are spiritual. They are forged in the light of heaven and distributed by God himself. No weapon of the world can stand against the divinely powerful weapons of God. The weapons of the kingdom of Heaven are virtues like humility, love, patience, esteem for others, peace, and servanthood. The world does not understand these things because they are polar opposites of the principles of this world. When we use the weapons of heaven, we are conspicuous, noticeably different. 
    We are called to be ones who wield the weapons of the Spirit. We are called to be different than those around us. We are called to live in the Spirit, not the flesh. If ever the ideas of the world creep into our minds, we take those thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. In this way, we remain the victors, and we never submit to the basic principles of the world. As Christians, we are set apart. We have been called for a purpose. To fulfill the call, we must use the weapons that are divinely powerful, not worldly and weak. Take up the spiritual weapons and put away all arguments.

Full Bloom

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"The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God."
Isaiah 35:1&2 


Sometimes it feels like we are living in a desert. Our spirits may feel dry to the point that it seems like God is so far away, we cannot get to him. This dry place often invades our everyday lives as well. When we find ourselves here, the struggles seem greater, the issues bigger, and the loneliness intense. But there is a time coming when all of that will change. We have great hope in God. He will never forsake us, in fact, he intends for our desert to bloom with new revelation, new blessing, and joy unspeakable. 
    A few years ago, the Death Valley desert in southeastern California experienced an unusual amount of rainfall. The average annual rainfall is virtually nil in that region. But this particular year, nearly 6" of rain fell on the desert. The result of this was a springtime desert bloom that had not been seen for a hundred years. Botanists came from every corner of the world to study the phenomenon. They discovered species of plants that had been assumed extinct because they had not been seen in so long. Botanists discovered that these seeds lay dormant in the desert ground until there was enough moisture for them to grow and reproduce. It was an amazing year in one of the driest places on earth. 
    I believe there are seeds of greatness, blessing, and success in every life. All it takes is one outpouring of God's spirit to bring these things to life. While scientists lost hope that plant species still existed, we have great hope that the seeds God has planted in us not only exist, but that he intends to water them and bring new life to the desert places of our lives. We cannot lose hope, we cannot lose courage. God's promise is to make the desert bloom, and it will bloom with more glorious results than we can possibly imagine. 
    If you feel like you are firmly camping in the desert, take hope today. God's promise to you is clear. He will bring spiritual rain to your life. The blessings, gifts, and promises he put in your life before you were born, will come to full bloom. Some of these seeds, you may already see. Others may be so far beyond your comprehension that you have no idea what God's plans are. But you can be assured of this; it will be spectacular. God has never created anyone to be 'average.' All are unique, all are his handiwork, and all have the seeds of the Spirit within. The day is coming and it will be soon. Your desert will be in full bloom.

Just One Touch

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"As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 
She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 'Who touched me?' Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.'
  But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me, I know that power has gone out from me.'"
Luke 8:42-46 

I find many interesting and eye opening things in the story above. The Bible records that the woman had been dealing with severe issue for so long that she had spent all her money on doctors. In other words, she had sought every other possible answer to her problem. But one day, she found Jesus. But this is not the end of the story. Not only did she find him, but she made a decision to touch him. Her goal was much deeper than that of the rest of the crowd.
    In some translations, this same scripture says that the crowds were pressing in around Jesus. It is this theme that I would like to talk about. You see, we need to learn to press in. But we need to understand and be willing to follow through. The rest of the crowd in the story, was willing to press in, but they were content to be near Jesus. They wanted to see him and hear him. These are great things and I'm sure they benefited from it. But the woman was not content with this. She had to touch him. I believe this is the mentality we need to have. We need to be willing to press into the things of God so much that we touch him, and he touches us. This is not another legalistic thing we have to obey. It comes through a desire and passion to be with Him. Practically, this means that we create more time to be with Jesus. We are so driven by our schedules that we don't allow enough room to just sit in the presence of God. But this is exactly what is needed. When we do that, we eliminate the impact of the time constraints and external pressures. This is truly pressing in. 
    It is important to recognize the result of the woman's action. When she touched him, her issue was healed immediately. All the years, all the money, all the time she had spent pursuing other options were redeemed in an instant. One touch and it was completed. When it happened, power went out from Jesus. He knew it and she knew it. There was a connection between the supernatural and the natural. Her faith resulted in a great healing that would not come any other way.  
    I know there are many who need to touch Jesus and have his power flow into their lives. Some are sick, others are burdened. The answer to these things will not be found in any other place or course of action. The only true answer will be a connection with God. Only he can do what is necessary to provide for your temporary and eternal needs. I encourage you to press into God. Take time to be with him. Sometimes we need to just be quiet and allow him to minister to us. When you touch him and he touches you, you will never be the same. It is an experience that will change the rest of your life. You can spend a lot of time and money looking in other directions, or you can see the true answer. It only takes one touch and your situation changes forever.