Neither Hot nor Cold Revelation 3:16

When we think of hot or cold, one thing is certain, they are both relative to our environment. When walking inside our home from a 41 degree Celsius day into a room that was 28 degrees Celsius felt cool to my skin. In fact it stayed cool on my skin for some time, at least till it was time to sleep and it was still 32 degrees outside and 28 degrees inside. Scientist tell us that the most comfortable temperature for the human body is around 22 degrees Celsius. Hence we know by study where about we should adjust our climate controls.

In the same way the environment effects our temperature in the natural it can also be said that it effects us in the spiritual. We know the story of the frog that boiled to death simply because it stayed in water that was slowly increased in temperature, apparently unawares that the increase in temperature can kill it. Jesus speaking to the Church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:16 says "..you are neither hot nor cold..". Jesus speaking of their faith says because of this they had become ineffectual to those around them. I believe we too can become like this if we don't have a spiritual barometer to measure where we are at in our faith. As a result, the church believed they were rich when in fact Jesus said they were poor.

What then is our spiritual barometer? When I was young, my parents had a sauna built not too far from our backyard swimming pool. Especially in winter, we would spend the evenings heating the sauna and finish by throwing ourselves into the cold water of the swimming pool. When we were in the sauna, we would sometimes pour cold water onto the hot rocks of the sauna's heating elements. As a result the water would be changed into steam and produce an intense heat in the small room.

When we use the above analogy, we see that when water is applied to something hot it is transformed into gas or steam. In the same way, when we apply the water of the word of God to our lives, if we are "hot" or have a fire caught up in our bones as Jeremiah spoke of in chapter 20:9, then that water should be transformed. The water of the word of God should become the revelation of God's Spirit in our hearts.

Any person can read the bible and pray, but it is God's Spirit that brings the change. It is this revelation that I believe is our spiritual barometer for our lives and when we are burning with God's Spirit in our hearts and lives it will not be the environment that effects us but we who effect our environment.

God Bless

Engaging the Harvest - Matthew 9:37

As we look around us today, with the threat of Isis and the like, peering down a barrel at our western civilisation, it is easy to think the end is near and indeed as believers we are living in the end of the end times, with many signs pointing to Christ’s imminent return.

And depending upon our eschatology or end times view point, we can have predominantly two different thoughts, that is one Jesus’ return is on us and everything that could be done for humanity has been done and now it is simply a waiting game. Or two, that now like never before has there been an opportunity for the church to arise and reap the great harvest of souls that lies before us.

As politicians argue whether to allow Muslims or not to enter their borders for fear of reprisals, one thing is certain, the great commission of our Lord Jesus continue to ring in our ears and what could be the greatest harvest of souls we have ever seen.

As Jesus said in the Matt 9:37, “The harvest is white but the labourers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that he may send out labourers.” The harvest is as white today as it was in Jesus’ time, if not more so with more and more choosing to follow the gods of this world rather than the Lord of creation. And with the church busy filling their fancy buildings and thrusting less and less into the harvest, it is no wonder the church seems powerless to many.

Many people ask, why has the church become so weak, where is the power of the Spirit that we once saw and knew of in all of our gatherings? Church has focused on the gathering of the faithful but forgotten that we are called to “go into all the world”. We have become experts at creating comfortable conferences but forgotten that it was to a lost and dying world that we were called in the first place. We have relied on our own abilities and strength to make us look good and forgotten that it is the Holy Spirit’s power that draws all men unto Christ.

What then must we do in these last days? We must return to the source of our strength and to the mandate that Christ left us and then we shall once again see the power of the Spirit return to the Church of Jesus Christ on this earth.

Luke 10:2 - The Harvest is White but Labourers Few

As I was in prayer this morning, I started to meditate on this verse "the harvest is white but the labourers are few". A verse that many would be familiar with and I am sure would accept as true. Especially in recent times, the concept of evangelism has become something seen as the activity of a few and in that those whom we might call professionals or paid workers. Yet this I believe was never God's initial intention. But rather that all those belonging to His Kingdom would be actively engaging in the harvesting of the world.

What is it though that harvesting is all about, is it something that only those few who have been trained and set apart for such work can carry out or is something more that every believer is both able and capable of doing? The short answer to this is in the latter and the example we have in scripture is of cause that of Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 who after being filled with the Spirit stepped forward to speak the word to those he encountered on the street. Four amazing words in this chapter continue to amaze me today, "then Peter stepped forward". Though unremarkable to read, these four words describe the incredible change that Peter had experienced by the power of God's Holy Spirit coming upon him. As a result of this power, Peter stepped forward and over 3,000 souls were added to the Kingdom on that day.

In light of this, it begs the question why more of us don't rely on the power of God's Spirit to do the work of the harvest He has called everyone to. When we examine the concept of harvest from days gone by, it is easy to understand why the disciples who were fully aware of the work involved in harvesting and what would be expected of them. Today those concepts and understandings are somewhat lost as todays generations hop down to the supermarket to collect their foods which are bagged up and ready to consume. Yet in Jesus' time this was not the case, to eat bread required that one would pick or buy the wheat in it's raw and unprocessed form, grind and mill it to flour and spend the time preparing it for baking. In the same way harvesting the fish of the sea came with similar toil. Yet in our generation we have lost the concept of toil and hard work to gain the result of the harvest that we so eagerly desire.

I believe it is often expected that the harvest comes to us, packaged and clean and ready for consumption, so to speak... Yet if we have ever been involved in harvesting souls from the earth for the Kingdom of God this is often not the case. Coming often very unclean and dirty and needing lots of support and help to grasp God's ways and Kingdom principals. This really is what the harvest is all about. Taking us out of our comfort zones and from being focussed on ourselves and our own needs to focusing on those around us and fulfilling the great commission as set before us by our Lord in Matthew 28.

The harvest continues to be white or ready for harvesting, the question is will we of this generation being willing to sacrifice our comforts and time for the lost and dying world around us. This includes the multitudes of unbelievers who are coming to our shores every day as immigrants. Understanding that it does not require learning but rather a willingness and open heart to receive power from the Holy Spirit to accomplish the task set before us.

Seven Nights of Fire - Flyer

The Temptation of Jesus - 1John 2:15-17

This morning in prayer the Lord reminded me of how Jesus was tempted, this was pertinent as I am speaking on this subject tonight at bible college and wanted to receive some insight.
When we look at Matthew 4 or any of the gospel accounts to Jesus' temptation, there are obvious things that we know Jesus went through when he had completed his fast. Three things in particular are mention, that is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. We also know that our King conquered all three of these areas.

As it is, each of the above mentioned areas represent the three aspects of man's life, that is the physical, soul or mental and the spiritual aspects. As a result of Jesus being tempted in these three areas, over every area of man's life, he has made it also possible through His death on the cross and resurrection possible for you and I to be conquerors in these areas.

Lets therefore take a closer look at these areas...

The Lust of the flesh, is obviously things of the flesh or physical man which cause us to sin. Whilst the word for lust in the Greek is in itself not a negative word but is neutral, when it is used in conjunction to those things which overtake us, sexual immorality and fornication for example, it is consider negative and the cause to sin. In Romans 13:14 Paul commends us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh. In other words not to be in a state that our flesh chooses for our lives or our outcomes. In fact Galatians 5:16 tells us to "walk in the spirit" as opposed to fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.

The Lust of the Eyes, in my understanding refers to the soul or mental state of man. Matthew 6:22 tells us the eyes are the window or lamp to the soul. That can therefore mean that what we set our eyes on or gaze upon has an effect upon our soul. In turn our eyes are a reflection of our souls and their state. Job declared that he would look not lustfully upon any woman. In this particular example we see lusts of the eyes referring to coveting that which is not ours. Giving therefore to God which is God's and not desiring things that do not belong to us. In a similar fashion, one of the Ten Commandments was to have no "graven images before me" as seen in Exodus 20:4.

The Pride of Life, refers to man thinking more highly of himself than he should. We also know that "pride comes before the fall" (Proverbs 16:18). Pride therefore is a precursor to sin and the fall of man. Adam and Eve rebelled before God as they perceived they could be "like God" as Satan told them. Proverbs 8:13 tells us that the "fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance". The book of Philippians tells us that our Lord stepped down from his rightful position to become man, he humbled himself for you and I and became one of us.

Christ has conquered every area of life, including sin, death, sickness, disease and all the powers and authorities and right now sits at the right hand of the Father making his enemies and ours his footstool. As believers we must revel in this knowledge of what He has done for us!

The Armour of God Diagram - Ephesians 6

Please see below a diagram which I find useful in prayer...

Job - Justification

Once again I return to the amazing book of Job and search for the greater meaning and understanding of these texts  for todays believers. As I continued reading this morning, it is not hard to see even todays arguments and thoughts as a repeat of those of Job's so called friends. As they sit and debate with Job, it is obvious that they are not looking for the true cause of Job's affliction but seeking to justify it with their own experiences.

We do this in society today, as I sit and listen to people as they debate the ongoing and escalating problems of the world and by far not the least being the rise of attacks from Islamist extremists. It is easy to hear how people justify the reasons behind this uprising with their own understanding and experience. Often seeing the problem merely associated with allowing people of different races or religion to mix with one another. But taking this as a classical example, allowing different religious ideology mix is not the problem but the basis or grounding of the ideology which is the real issue.

In society and during Job's experience we compare our circumstances with what we know and understand and this is often the case when it comes to justification. Justification is something that many simply cannot grasp, that is that Christ would grant mankind a pardon for the their sins. In our own minds this kind of grace, being unmerited, doesn't make any sense. But for Jesus, the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin it makes perfect sense.

God being all knowing, but also completely full of love towards His creation always had a plan of salvation for mankind, in fact bible scholars who interpret the Pentateuch tell us that hidden in the symbolism of the text, even in the first few verses of Genesis is found God's plan of salvation.



This verse found in Genesis is a good example

When we are able to compare our circumstances and experiences to this sort of wisdom and understanding, then we also might be able to comment effectively with today's problems, but until then, we are more or less just blowing in the wind. It is therefore imperative that we rely on our heavenly Father and His precious Holy Spirit to reveal such things to us.

The Book of Job

 

When I read the book of Job, I can't believe how many different emotions are stirred in my own life as I explore Job's responses to his circumstances. Just this morning as I read the first eight chapters of this amazing account of the testing of this man's faith, once again I am overwhelmed of the reactions I feel in my own heart to this man and his response to these trying times, wondering all along how I might react to such times.

The first thing I notice as I read these chapters is Job's initial response, that is to tear his clothes and covers himself with dust. Whilst many of us know this  to be a typical Judaic response to dilemma it still is fascinating to see and understand the motivation behind it. We all know that from the dust we came and to the dust we shall return from Genesis 3:19 and understandably the Jewish people by this action of throwing dust over them reminds them, or at least the physical part of them, shall one day return to the dust and that what is now happening is in the hands of the Father. In addition, most of us would understand the term "Keriah" which is the jewish act of tearing one's clothes as a sign of remorse for the loss of a loved one. Hence Job in these first few chapters is responding typically of how someone would react to the death of a loved one, and in this case Job not only lost the source of all his income but all of his offspring that would continue his name. Hence Job saw these circumstances literally as the beginning of the end. Yet he refused to curse God and as a result die!

This obviously annoyed his wife who instructed him to do such a thing and finish it all. Yet Job in his ability to see God's hand at work throughout his life refused and responded by simply saying in chapter 2:10 "But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips."

Job saw his circumstances as part and parcel of life, not accepting that life will always be a bed of roses but will at times throw us some amazing curve balls. Yet as Christians of the 21st Century we often think this to be true and that in the midst of these curve balls God has forsaken us. This of cause is not true and the illustration as seen in the poem "footsteps in the sand" is a stark reminder of this as quoted below:-



Yet I cannot finish without shedding some disappointment with Job's first response to his friends that had come to comfort him, for in his words he is happy to simply go down to the grave or even worse as he describes, wishes that he had never been born. How many of us have said the same thing when confronted with a great travesty. Yet as scripture indicates "it is God who give and God who takes away". Making Him the author not only of our entry but also our exit in this life.

I am yet to finish reading this account of Job's life, only starting yesterday but I am sure will have other thoughts as I progress.

Greater Works than These - John 14:12-13

Recently I read this article by Bob DeWaay and thought it ring so true that was inspired to share it with you...

Greater Works than These

by Bob DeWaay  
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:12,13).
A popular “revival movement” claims that latter day apostles and prophets will fulfill this promise in John by doing greater miracles than Jesus did, both in quantity and quality. Their claim is that a new wave of apostolic power will transform everything from church to society and Christianize the world before the return of Christ. Some suppose that this has not happened in the past because of unbelief and neglect on the part of the professing church. Others claim that this apostolic revival is already underway,¹ reasoning that if the world saw even greater miracles than Jesus performed, the masses would repent and turn to God. These “greater miracles” will supposedly prove that restored apostles and prophets have come to set the church straight and thus transform the world.
In this article I will examine the passages in John in their context and show that, properly interpreted, they do not substantiate the claims being made by this modern apostolic movement. Christ  is unique in authority and power, being God incarnate. His chosen apostles who were used by the Holy Spirit to write the New Testament have no successors, not now, not ever.

The Context of John 14

The setting for John 14 is Christ’s soon departure from the world. Jesus had just washed the disciples feet, Judas had headed out to betray him, Peter’s denial of Christ had been predicted, and Jesus had told them He was going where they could not follow until later (all in John 13). Jesus was preparing them for the imminent horrific events that would temporarily dash their Messianic hopes. Though told repeatedly that the Son of Man must die, they still did not comprehend. Jesus was about to be “glorified” (John 13:31,32 which in John meant “crucified”). The multitudes that had eagerly followed Him would soon call for His crucifixion.
When Jesus said to them, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1a), He was describing their present state of mind and calling for a change. Leon Morris literally translates this as, “stop being troubled,”² which agrees with the Greek. The entire discourse recorded in John chapters 14-16 is to prepare the disciples for the radically changed situation they would soon experience after His death, resurrection, and ascension. They were being comforted and admonished. As hard as it was for them to comprehend, it was good for them that Jesus was departing: “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:6,7). God’s purposes required that Jesus depart, then send His Holy Spirit to accomplish His purposes through the disciples.
The first two promises given for their hope and comfort were a place in heaven (John 14:2) and Christ’s return (John 14:3). In this same chapter He promised: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). Obviously, what weighed heavily on their minds was that the comfort of the physical presence of Jesus was going to be taken away from them.
Jesus emphasized throughout this section His ongoing relationship with them: the vine and the branches (John 15:1-8), the promised coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell them (John 14:16,17),  and the promise that they could ask in His name (John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23,24; 16:26). We should ask, “why the repetition and why in this context?” The answer is the comfort of Jesus’ physical presence and their ability to ask Him for help. They were concerned that when He departed they would no longer have His help. Jesus was allaying these fears by telling them that not only would they still have access to Him and His intervention, but to the Father’s as well. As we shall see, the promise of answered prayer is not a carte blanche power to get what they wanted, but an opportunity to continue their relationship of dependence upon Him. People did not get everything they wanted when they asked Jesus in person (like the request for Him to be king, the request to sit on the right and the left, etc.).
The disciples had these promises: a place in heaven, an ongoing spiritual relationship with Christ, access to Him in prayer, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the continuance of His mighty works, that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13), and His future return. All of these were offered as comfort to their troubled hearts. Things were going to radically change for them, but it would be for the better. God was going to accomplish His Messianic purposes not just in spite of the fact that Jesus would be rejected and crucified, but because of and through His death, resurrection and ascension. This they could not yet grasp. They would be even more troubled in the near future: “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy” (John 16:20). Their sorrow would be temporary and God had a redemptive purpose for it.
The passages under consideration in this article (John 14:12,13) must be understood in this context. Jesus is preparing His disciples for the radical change they will encounter when He departs. He is showing them that God’s purposes of bringing glory to His own name through the glorification of His Son are at work in all of this. Let us now consider greater works and asking in His name.

Works and Greater Works

Jesus made the following promise as He prepared his disciples for His departure: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father” (John 14:12). Before we discuss the meaning of “works” and “greater works” in this verse, we should consider the significance of works in the Gospel of John. The previous verse tells us the key purpose of works: “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves” (John 14:11). The works that Jesus performed were to lead us to faith in Him as being God incarnate. We are to believe that He is one in essence with the Father. Jesus states this elsewhere in John: “But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me” (John 5:36). The works bear witness to the person and mission of Christ. This must be kept in mind as we contemplate the “works and greater works” of John 14:12.
The ones who do the works are believers in general: “he who believes in Me.” This promise is not restricted to a special class of elite Christians or latter day apostles. This is an important consideration. The purpose of the works is to lead people to faith in Christ. Many mistakenly think that their purpose is to validate the person doing them. We are called to go to a special meeting to hear a great “miracle worker” and find relief from various afflictions. Testimonies of those who have been healed are used to promote the healer. This is not at all the purpose of signs and works of God in the Bible. The contention being made by Christ and His apostles was that He was God Incarnate, the promised Jewish Messiah, and that only He could bring us to the Father (John 14:6). John was called the greatest prophet (Matthew 11:9-11) yet he did no miraculous works (John 10:41). John bore witness to Christ through his preaching and fulfilled God’s purposes. It was John the Baptist who said: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The purpose of the works was not to make great the fame and fortune of the prophet, but to bear witness to the person and work of Christ.
The “works” mentioned in the first half of John 14:12 are supernatural works such as healings. The disciples had already been sent out to heal the sick (Matthew 10:1). So the promise is that following Christ’s ascension these works would continue, not only through the disciples, but through believers in general. The book of Acts shows that this happened. The purpose of such works is to lead people to saving faith in Christ. For example, on the occasion of the healing of the man at the gate Beautiful (Acts 3), Peter preached the death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 3:15). When persecution came because of this incident the Jewish authorities forbade preaching Christ, not doing healing! (Acts 4:18). They realized that the message of the cross was the real threat. The healing merely created an opportunity for preaching it. Any valid works that are done through believers must point to the truth of the gospel, or they are not the type of works which Christ promised in John 14:12.
It should also be kept in mind that the purposes of God, not the will of man, determines when and if such works happen. For example earlier in John we read this: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’ They said therefore to Him, ‘What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?’” (John 6:29,30). Jesus had already multiplied the bread and walked on water in John 6. He called for faith in Himself, but now the people ask for another work. Jesus went on to tell them of His flesh and blood for the life of the world. They rejected Him. God will not do signs on demand. In Matthew 12:38,39 some Jewish leaders demanded a sign and Jesus refused, saying only the sign of Jonah (signifying Christ’s death and resurrection) would be given them. Therefore God is always the one who determines when and in what context to do His mighty works. That He would continue to do them through believers, even after Christ’s ascension, is the meaning of John 14:12a.
If the “works” were supernatural signs such as had already been performed, what are the “greater works” of John 14:12? The modern claim is that they are greater miracles than Christ ever performed and that they will be done by apostles and prophets at the end of the church age. One problem with this interpretation is that it fails to consider the fact that the promise was given to all believers, not just supposed latter day apostles. Another problem is that not even the Biblical apostles (the ones chosen by Christ) did greater miracles than He performed. Those who witnessed Christ’s miracles said that they were greater than ever had been. For example in John 9 the healing of the blind man was considered a unique miracle: “Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind” (John 9:32). After this, Jesus told the healed man to come to faith in Himself which he did. According to the prophet Isaiah, when God would come, the blind would see: “Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped’” (Isaiah 35:4,5). The point of John 9 is that God did come in the person of Christ and opened the eyes of the blind, and more importantly brought Messianic salvation. If latter day apostles were to do even greater miracles (if it can even be imagined what they might be) then they could claim to be messiahs (anointed ones). So the idea of “greater works” being “greater miracles” has little Biblical merit. If Messiah is not the greatest, then He is not Messiah.
In this regard the text of John 14:12 gives us an important clue to the meaning. It says “greater works than these shall he do: because I go to the Father.” The word “because” is causal in the Greek.³ This means that the cross and the ascension is the reason that believers would do greater works. The fact of the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ would make the greater works possible. So what exactly happened because of the entire event of the cross that would precipitate greater works than those performed by Christ Himself? I believe that it is the conversion of peoples, Jews first and also Gentiles, through the preaching of the Gospel. However, if this interpretation is correct, there should be evidence in the Gospel of John that supports it. Let us examine the evidence.
The connection between works and coming to faith is strong in John. Consider John 5:19-21:  “Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you may marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.” This saying was a response to criticism about Jesus healing on the Sabbath. Jesus claimed the right to work on the Sabbath (the Jews recognized that God did His work of sustaining all things, even on Sabbath) because of Jesus’ unique relationship to God (John 5:17,18). Because of this they wanted to kill Him. Notice that the work of healing a lame man (see Isaiah 35:6, this too is a predicted Messianic sign), serves as a background for “greater works.” The greater works are spelled out for us: “the Son also gives life to whom He wishes” (verse 18).
The “greater works” of John 5 concern the giving of life. The context shows that this does not mean raising the physical dead, like Lazarus, but rather giving spiritual life to the spiritually dead. Here is what Jesus went on to say: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live” (John 5:24,25). This is the meaning of the phrase “greater works” in John 5:18.
There is more evidence in John that believing upon Christ for salvation is a greater work. In John 6, as I previously mentioned, Jesus had done mighty miracles. In that context He was asked about the work of God: “They said therefore to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent’” (John 6:28,29). If the miracles (which did not cause these people to come to faith, they would soon leave Him - John 6:66) were works of God, the greater work would be to come to faith, which they subsequently refused to do.
Some might object and say that conversions are the work of God, and that therefore they cannot be the “greater works” that believers would do because Jesus went to the Father. In that regard, it is just as true that miracles are the work of God, so the objection weighs just as heavily against their own position. Also, there is further evidence that Jesus was thinking of people coming to faith after His ascension. It is found in Jesus’ high priestly prayer:  “I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word” (John 17:20). They would testify about Christ and many would believe. Interestingly, in John 6 after Jesus did the miracles, all but the 12 left Him. Compare that to the Day of Pentecost when Peter preached and 3,000 were saved on that day alone. Jesus did greater miracles; but fewer people came to saving faith during His public ministry than did in the first days of the early church when Jesus went to the Father.
Leon Morris comments on conversions as the “greater works”: “What Jesus means we may see in the narratives of the Acts. There there are a few miracles of healing, but the emphasis is on the mighty works of conversion. On the day of Pentecost alone more believers were added to the little band of believers than throughout Christ’s entire earthly life. There we see a literal fulfillment of ‘greater works than these shall he do.’”⁴ Likewise, Lenski writes: “Can there be greater? Indeed, far greater: convert sinners by God’s grace, carry the gospel to the ends of the earth, save souls for life eternal . . . These are great because in miracles only omnipotence and goodness are revealed but in saving souls all the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The great works deal with the material, the greater with the spiritual (5:20,21).”⁵ William Hendricksen says that the greater works are “the conversion of the Gentiles.”⁶
The context in the Book of John and the larger Biblical context show that “greater works” are works of conversion by God’s grace. I submit that since the purpose of Christ was to die a substitutionary death to bring about God’s gracious purposes of salvation,  the fulfillment of that purpose through the ministry of the church after Christ’s ascension is the greatest work that could possibly be done. Since miracles and signs point to Christ as the true Messiah, they stand in a lesser relationship to the actual bringing of sinners to the Christ to whom they point.

Asking in His Name

Jesus then said to them, “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). Many claim that by invoking the phrase “in the name of Jesus” and having sufficient faith, one can have anything for which one asks. Some modify the idea by saying it means “by my authority” and link this to the previous verse. The idea then becomes that those truly authorized by Jesus to be apostles and prophets will be able to ask and thereby do greater works to show they are indeed apostles and prophets. That is that the doing of “greater works” (in their scheme of things — miracles) would show them to be true apostles and prophets.
Both of these interpretations are problematic. The formula idea is pagan. The pagans believed that if they knew the secret name of their gods, and “jumped through the right hoops” they could get what they wanted from such gods by invoking their names. Secret utterances were reserved for the elite who earned the privilege of knowing the mysteries of the religion. The sons of Sceva in Acts 19 held this sort of belief. Observing people being delivered from demons under Paul’s preaching, they thought they discovered the secret: “But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches’” (Acts 19:13). This backfired on them when the demonized man overpowered them (Acts 19:14-16). The name of Jesus was not a formula.
Furthermore, this section of Scripture helps us understand the Biblical significance of the “name”: “And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified” (Acts 19:17). How was it that an attempt to use the name of Jesus that ended in failure cause “the name of the Lord Jesus” to be magnified in Ephesus? The answer is that the name here signifies His person and nature, His self-revelation through the Gospel. What was being magnified was God’s plan of salvation through Christ and His cross. People were learning about the person of Christ, not some formula for success or doing miracles. Paul preached the cross, and that is where the power of God is manifested (1Corinthians 1:18).
Problems also accompany the idea that miracles done in Jesus’ name prove true apostolic authority. For example, consider this passage: “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:22,23). Here are people who invoked His name and did miracles, but rather than being commended as true apostles and prophets, they are refused entrance to the eternal kingdom (Matthew 7:21) because they were not doing the Father’s will. The ones who are commended as building on the rock are those who hear Christ’s words and act upon them. His words are His teachings that are written in the New Testament by His apostles.
The name, as used in John 14:13, finds its meaning in the Hebrew concept that the name of God is His self-revelation in holiness and truth. The name signifies His nature and character. Therefore asking in His name is by definition asking according to His purposes. And Christ’s purpose is revealed in the passage itself: “that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13b). The purpose of answered prayer is to advance the Father’s Messianic purposes. Leon Morris comments on this passage: “It means that prayer is to be in accordance with all that the name stands for. It is prayer proceeding from faith in Christ, prayer that gives expression to a unity with all that Christ stands for, prayer which seeks to set forward Christ Himself. And the purpose of it all is the glory of God.”⁷ William Hendricksen comments: “His name is his self-revelation in his works; here particularly, his self-revelation in the sphere of redemption. It is not difficult to see that such a prayer will always and most certainly be answered, for the one who utters it does not ever want anything that Christ does not want!”⁸
The purpose of prayer in His name is to glorify the Father in the Son, and the Father is glorified in the Son through His plan of redemption. This glorification is accomplished, according to John, through the cross. The sending of the Holy Spirit to empower the church to preach the gospel to all nations will bring about this glorification. The prayers of the redeemed are to this end, since God has put His purposes in our hearts and minds.

Conclusion

Jesus’ discourse in John 14 - 15 prepares His disciples for His departure. The teachings in these chapters give comfort and hope by assuring the disciples that Jesus is not leaving them helpless and hopeless. He has a place for them prepared in heaven, He will send the Holy Spirit, and they shall have continual access to the Father in His name. Jesus emphasizes that it is necessary for Him to go to the Father so that His purposes would be accomplished. Far from the horrible tragedy that they would imagine it to be, it will be the best thing that could happen for them and all believers. God’s Messianic purposes would be fulfilled because Jesus goes to the Father by way of the cross.
It is a damaging misuse of the text to suggest that Jesus is actually saying that most of church history would be a long colossal failure until a couple of thousand years later when a special group of latter day apostles and prophets come on the scene and do greater miracles than Jesus. Neither does the text give any believers of any period of history carte blanc power to invoke the name of Jesus and get whatever they want. Latter day apostles will not fulfill the promises of John 14:12,13 by doing more and greater miracles than Jesus did. God will fulfill these promises by using believers throughout the church age and throughout the world to depend on Him and preach the gospel, bringing all of God’s elect to faith before Christ returns.



Issue 65 - July / August 2001

The Sermon That Shocked Everyone. UNFORGETTABLE ENDING!

Weeds Again - James 1

I have in recent months been meditating on the purpose of weeds, after being told by a friend that weeds have an important role in nature, wondering the kind of role they have in our lives as believers and followers of Jesus. This time I would like to think about what happens when we disturb soil in the natural and compare this to our lives.

When a few years ago I decided to build a house on some property we had purchased earlier, the first thing I did was to remove the noxious weeds which were in the vicinity of where we would build. I was pleased to see that most of these weeds never came back. Yet on the borders of this area there were places where the soil was disturbed and wherever there was a disturbance weeds tended to sprout. At the time I was rather perplexed over this as the weeds were the only things that grew, none of the native flora grew in these areas. As a result I consulted a weeds expert who informed me that this was typical, wherever there is soil disturbance and the native environment changed, weeds tend to grow in place of the native vegetation.



This started me thinking and comparing this to our lives as Christians, whenever our own environment is disturbed, that is our normal rhythms and flows in life, whether it be losing our job, moving home, losing a loved one or otherwise, these things give room for weeds to appear in our lives. And whilst we would automatically says "how terrible this is", I am starting to believe that this is in fact a way in which we are tested in our faith and able to see areas of life that need change.

James tells us, "consider it pure joy, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James here makes it clear that trials have a purpose in life and we could even say that without them we might never become mature as James goes on to clarify. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, according to weeds experts, weeds enable the native flora to strengthen. It would appear therefore that weeds enable us to grow in our faith and develop maturity in the Lord.

This then brings me to the parable of the man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24) compared to the one who built upon the sand. In this parable we see the comparison between that which is strong and stable to that which is fleeting and soft. This parable is very much about the environment in which we grow our lives. When we choose to position ourselves in Christ, The Rock, and all that He has for us from His Kingdom then we are stable. However when we choose to put our faith in our own hands or resources and strength, our environment can be disturbed at any time. And whilst I said that weeds can strengthen our lives, it is better from the beginning that we establish our selves firstly in Christ.

Matthew 6:33 commends us to "seek first the Kingdom of God and all it's righteousness..." If and then storms do arise which cause our environment to be shaken, we can know and trust that all we need is in Christ and it is He who will uphold us.

King Ahaz 2Chronicles 28

Over and over again throughout the Old Testament we read of how mostly the Kings of Judah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But occasionally we read how they also sinned according to the ways of their brothers the Israelites, that is those who separated themselves from the house of Judah. In this chapter of 2Chronicles 28 we have such a king, his name was Ahaz and scripture tells us in verse V1 "....Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. V2 He walked in the way of the Kings of Israel and also made cast idols for worshipping the Baals."

Whilst it is wonderful to think that mostly the Kings of Judah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, it is also fair to say that occasionally they were led astray by their brothers the Israelites. This I believe is an example of how those we call brothers can cause us to stray from what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Today we might simply see this as peer pressure, but what was true in the Old Testament is true today, for just as the Israelites were led astray by their worship of other gods and therefore influenced by these gods, we too can be influenced by various spirits that are at work in our brothers lives. John speaks also about this in the book of Revelation where he refers the Nicolations in chapter 2:6.

Who were the Nicolations and what can we learn from their wickedness? Got Answers gives this response. The exact origin of the Nicolaitans is unclear. Some Bible commentators believe they were a heretical sect who followed the teachings of Nicolas—whose name means “one who conquers the people”—who was possibly one of the deacons of the early church mentioned in Acts 6:5. It is possible that Nicolas became an apostate, denying the true faith and became part of a group holding "the doctrine of Balaam," who taught Israel "to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality." Clement of Alexandria says, “They abandoned themselves to pleasure like goats, leading a life of self-indulgence.” Their teaching perverted grace and replaced liberty with license.

Other commentators believe that these Nicolaitans were not so called from any man, but from the Greek word Nicolah, meaning "let us eat," as they often encouraged each other to eat things offered to idols. Whichever theory is true, it is certain that the deeds of the Nicolaitans were an abomination to Christ. They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place (2 Peter 2:15, 19; Jude 1:4).

Yet this is not the end of this story, for just as one man does what is evil in the eyes of the Lord, God raises up others to counter act this wickedness. In 2 Chronicles 29 reveals it would be the son of Ahaz, namely King Hezekiah, who would do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and not only did he did what was right but also ordered the cleansing of the Temple and re-instated the priesthood that had been abandoned.


This is of cause a picture of the very thing that King Jesus does when he arrives in Jerusalem and begins to make whips and throw the money changers from the Temple, see Matthew 21:12.

Today it is you and I who are the Temple of God and where God's Spirit truly dwells. This then begs of us, what are we allowing to infiltrate or influence our thinking and our lives. How do we keep ourselves sanctified in the eyes of our God?

The real question is what generation do we want to be, the one that does what is evil or the one that does what is right in the eyes of our God?

Types & Shadows - King David & Solomon

When we talk about types and shadows in scripture, we usually refer to Old Testament pictures that represent a New Testament principle. It is the similarities between King David & his son King Solomon that I would like to observe.

Recently I have been reading my Swedish bible through from Genesis to Revelation mainly to keep my understanding of Swedish refined but also to gain some other revelation of scripture that I have missed when reading in English. It is so easy to assume certain things when we feel we know things to a particular level.

King David was the warrior King, in fact besides Joshua, he did more to establish Israel's territory than any other King. It was through King David's exploits that King Solomon reigned so powerfully. Of cause it should be noted that as a result of the wisdom that God had given King Solomon there was no king before or after him that was able to rule so wisely and increase the wealth and prosperity of the nation as he did.

Each had their defining roles in bringing about the will of God in regards to the nation of Israel, it can also be said that every king after them and even many others contributed to out working God's will whether their actions were positive or negative. Even the likes of King Nebuchadnezzar was said to be a servant of God because God had used him to bring the people of Israel into captivity and hence provide an opportunity for the people to see the result of their wicked ways.

Back to King David & Solomon! As said King David was a man of war, it was through bloodshed that he established the nation. However, King Solomon was a man of peace and it was this that defined his kingship. 1 & 2 Chronicles will testify to this as well as 1 & 2 Kings!

Similarly, when we look at the reign and rule of King Jesus we can see both the aspects of King David and King Solomon at work. There is no doubt that Revelation 19 gives and speaks of Jesus being this warrior king as does Isaiah 11 and many other scriptures when we look. In fact one of His titles in scripture is the Lord God of Hosts referring to the heavenly hosts that wage war.


In a similar way Jesus is also seen as the Prince of Peace, the one who comforts and mourns with us and who came as salvation for the world as we read throughout scripture. Returning again to King David and Solomon, we see in 1 & 2 Chronicles that king David was not permitted to build the temple because he had spilt blood in taking the land. Instead it would be King Solomon that would build the temple being a man of peace.

Today it is King Jesus, He who was slain but also rose again from conquering death, who now builds the church as He indicated to Peter in Matthew 16 when He said "upon this rock I will build my church". Just as the Man of Peace (King Jesus) today builds the church, it was the man of peace King Solomon who built the shadow of the church in the Old Testament. Hence the pattern of "first the physical and then the spiritual" can be seen in this picture of King Solomon and our Lord Jesus.

It is interesting to note, that it is King Jesus that builds His Church and will continue to do so in the future, not man nor will it be any man that will destroy it either.

The Commission to make disciples Matthew 28

Once again I feel led to share some thoughts on the commissioning of believers to "go into all the world and make disciples" as we are commanded in Matthew 28. As one famous pastor once said, "Jesus' last command should be our first priority" and whilst many wonderful things are being done around the world to share the good news through various programs, there is still a great need on a personal level to make disciples.

Jesus exemplified this calling in his own life and the disciples that he made and who we now know as the apostles. Many of us today are happy to bring people to meetings or even share our faith on the streets and in other ways, yet there is still a great need for those who would give and share their lives with those around them in the way that Christ exemplified. This is echoed in many books written by 3DM and Mike Breen who are now based in the U.S.

All over the world today, thousand and millions of dollars are being spent in getting people into programs or on church seats. All good if all we want is to fill our buildings and grow larger church membership roles. Yet this is not what Christ called us to do, and whilst all of these things are good, obedience to our Lord is far more important and pertinent than sacrifice. He has called us to make disciples.

What then is a disciple, well a disciple in Jesus' time was someone you invited into your life that you could share all things you have with. Everything from the clothes on your back to the wisdom and knowledge you had. The result being that the disciples would finally be in a place of maturity that they in turn would leave the person who they were being discipled by to go off to disciple others just as they had been discipled. This makes the patterns we see in the early church understood as we see why they sold all they had to ensure everyone had enough.

Today's society is very ego-centric, meaning they often just look out for themselves. As a result, our ability to share our lives with others has diminished or taken a back seat. As the church of the 21st century we must once again be willing to give all to follow Christ's example to make disciples. We must deny ourselves once again so that his last command is our first priority.

Home is Where the Heart Is - 1Peter 2:11

In Australia, we have saying which says, Home is the heart is. I believe this is true in many ways, just as Peter says 1 Peter 2:11 that we are foreigners in this world then where our heart is, in heaven, that's also where our treasure will be or visa versa just as Matthew 6:29 says.

Yet on occasions we are called to places where perhaps our heart is not or at least to places where we would rather NOT be. How do we as Christians deal with such scenarios? Joseph. on a number of occasions found himself in scenarios just like this. Whether it be thrown into a well, enslaved and later sold as a slave into Potifers house and eventually imprisoned for crimes he never committed. His future seemed doomed and most certainly he would have questioned the dreams of greatness he had as a young boy.

Colossians 3 speaks of one of the many keys that scripture give us in dealing with these let downs in life. Verse two and through to verse 10 speaks of looking not upon the circumstances and situations that surround us in life but to look up to our heavenly abode or destination. Remembering that we indeed are "not of this world" but represent another Kingdom and another King. We are always to remember the King who we represent, that is King Jesus and our heavenly Father.

2 Corinthians tells us that we are Ambassadors for Christ and as a result where ever we find ourselves we are representing our Lord, whether it be in speech, in actions or in deeds we come from another world and are called to bring the gospel (good news) from that world to those we encounter in life.

In view of this, we can understand how important it is that each of us play our part in transforming the world we live into a better place one person at a time. But in addition, we must also remember the valuable lessons we are able to learn along the way. Not only did Joseph get insights into how terrible prisoners where treated in Egypt, but he also learnt that he could reign as a Son of the King in those dark and dreary places.

We need to learn to reign also as Sons of God (Rom 8) in the dark world in which we find ourselves to bring light and salt. Consider the thousands of refugees coming to our shores each year who have never heard the Gospel of the Kingdom. What an opportunity we have in this country where it is still legal to preach Christ!

Taming The Tongue - James 3:1-12

Yesterday I wrote about Absalom's betrayal of his father King David and how he sat at the city gates looking out for those seeking council with the king. It was at these moments that Absalom planted seeds of betrayal and doubt of the king in his listeners.

As I pondered and prayed this morning, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about James chapter three and how we are to tame our tongues. That from the tongue comes both life and death and from our tongues we can speak both blessings and curses.

As we examine the scriptures in James, we notice there should be no difference in how we are to speak to any person. In fact scripture tells us there is equality in God. All men are equal in God's eyes! And yes though we might hold different positions of power and influence, our tongues are called to speak life.

At one of our School of the Spirit meetings last week, one of the ladies whilst praying for her family heard from the Holy Spirit to begin to proclaim life over one of her daughters and without realises what was happening began to do just that. A few hours later she received a phone call from a doctor explaining that her daughter was gravely ill and could possibly die. Immediately this lady proclaimed to the doctor that she would not die but surely live from Psalm 118:17. After getting off the phone she began making her way to the hospital, the whole way she proclaimed this verse over her daughter and upon arriving at the hospital was told by the doctors that she had recovered and would be fine.

What an amazing testimony from this lady of both how the tongue has ability to build up, especially when we obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, and breath new life and hope where all has been lost.

I am just as guilty as the next person, as I explained in my previous blog, how  easy it is to speak negative and defamatory words upon others. To fall into the pit of speaking curses, which are usually out of our own hurt and pain, upon others. Yet it is the opposite that God calls each of us to as followers of Christ.

At a time as needy as ours, when there seems to be so much hatred being spoken about one another, imagine the impact we as believers may have in building up each other, especially those within the church, as a witness to all those around us.

I challenge you today to do just that, to speak life and hope and liberty to those you know who especially need to hear it today and see the change it can bring to peoples lives.

God Bless

Absalom's Betrayal - 2 Samuel

After reading of King David's incredible honour towards his predecessor King Saul, it is almost shameful to see how King David was betrayed by his own flesh and blood. Yet anyone who has been in leadership for any length of time knows how this feels.

There are always two sides to the story and there is no doubt in my mind Absalom felt justified in his actions in seeking revenge for his sister after she was raped by her half brother. No doubt Absalom knew the laws relating to this crime and felt his father, King David, should have done what was right. Yet when we look at David's response to his son Amnon and the shameful act of raping his half sister Tamar, we see David do what most probably all of us would do and try to maintain the status quo for the sake of the family.

It is at this moment that I believe Absalom felt betrayed by his father King David and it was at this point Absalom takes things into his own hands. As time tells, Absalom's act of vengeance upon his half brother began the down fall and eventually death to him and his household, but not before he was able to reach havoc on the King.



Absalom's betrayal of King David at the City Gates

Absalom's betrayal and undermining of his father's name I find very interesting at this point. When we look at 2 Samuel 15 and how Absalom would position himself at the city gates and show compassion to those who came to seek the King's council. Claiming "if he were judge in Israel" and though these words sound so innocent they in effect were undermining the judgement  and therefore authority of the king.


How easy it is when our leaders seem to disappoint that we speak words which undermine their authority, I know how easy it is to question a leaders authority as I have done this myself. By chance in Australia right now this has been done to our prime minister who has as a result been replaced by Malcolm Turnbull. Whilst this new prime minister might make a great leader, in my opinion how he came to this position will forever mark him and his authority.

In light of Psalm 75:7 and 1Peter 5:6-7 we see it is God who judges and it is God who promotes in His time! Yet so many of us, like Absalom, take things into our hands by some selfish act & try to promote themselves. I have been guilty of this and I am only by the grace of God am here today to see how wrong this is.

As discussed in my previous blog, it is our honour for God's anointed leaders and trust in our heavenly Father who knows the beginning from the end that allows us to see the increase and God's hand upon our lives. And whilst there is great injustice in the world and I believe it is our responsibility to be a voice against injustice we must also honour those whom God has appointed and believe that God also has an answer.

Let us always judge ourselves less we be judged and pray for those in authority that God is graciously at work in their lives as much as He is in ours.

Honour & Respect - 1Samuel 26:9-10

I have been reading the books of Samuel in recent days and am amazed by the incredible honour and respect that David (King) had for his predecessor King Saul. On at least two occasions, one when Saul was sleeping in the same cave as David and two when Saul was sleeping around the camp fire with his soldiers encircling him, David had opportunity to take the life of the King but decided to spare it.

On both these occasions David says to "touch not God's anointed" showing the shear honour he felt for the person whom God had chosen as King even though he had fallen from grace. This is a real lesson for all those in ministry today.

David had already been anointed as the coming King of Israel by Samuel, he had known how because of sin, Saul had been rejected by the Lord, yet David in his wisdom chooses to honour and respect the man God had anointed. I believe it is because of this respect that God honours David by vowing to forever have a King on David's throne.

Yes, I know what you are thinking, the King to eternally sit on David's throne is none other than the King of Glory himself, our Lord Jesus! And yes, when you have the foresight as the great I Am has it is easy to promise such things. But David himself was a type of the Messiah and therefore foreshadowed things to come. Yet it was still "a man after my own heart" as the Lord described David, that the Lord was honouring because of the respect he held for those in office.

This then begs a question for us today, how far should we go in honouring men and women of God that have gone before us? I recently heard a fellow speak on the "Y" generation and how they wish to pull down all the structures and organisations that their parents and grandparents before them have created. Whilst it is easy to see this as a negative thing, which I think most of us who have children in the Y generation do, I choose to see the creative and ownership aspects of this.

I believe the Y generation have these desires as they themselves wish to do good things like their parents and grandparents before them. Whilst we who are in transition would simply prefer they carry on doing what we did, I believe they wish to do even greater things than what we ever did. Which sounds similar to the expectations Christ had for us. See John 14:12

But David reveals in 1Samuel 26:9-10 8Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time." 9But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?" 10David also said, "As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.…

Though David knew of his own future was established by the Lord he also knew that Saul's downfall would also come from the Lord's hand. David was able to honour Saul because he was secure in his own relationship with the Lord. Whether we are the Y generation or the previous ones it is imperative we understand who we are in Christ! When we understand who we are in Christ then man can do us no harm and it gives us the liberty to be a blessing to those around us, as was David in honouring Saul.

1 Samuel 10:6 - The anointing

Often when we think about the anointing we see it in turn speaks of a symbolic act that is to represent our choosing of a servant for a specific role. Yet when we read 1 Samuel 10 we soon realise even when we anoint servants in the natural there is also a spiritual change that takes place in the person.

When we read the story of Saul's anointing in it's entirety we soon learn that Saul himself shied away from the ceremony when Samuel called the tribes of Israel to Mizpah to select and anoint him as King. When they went to anoint Saul he was nowhere to be found and Samuel had to enquire of the Lord if there was another who was to be anointed in his stead. The Lord later revealing that Saul was hiding...

Though Saul stood a head taller than his rivals on the inside he was just as insecure and timid as the next person. Yet when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him scripture says that he was into a different person. It was this different man that went on to prophecy with the other prophets having those that knew him asked whether he too was a prophet. Again in his defeat of the Philistines it was a different Saul that was at work in his early days as King.

And yet even though we see this change was temporal, when he operated in the anointing it was obvious that God was with him and gave him great success in defeating the enemy. In the same way, we can operate out of the anointing at times and other times out of our flesh or weakness. Yet it is obvious with Saul and should therefore be obvious with all that when we operate out of our own strength rather than the strength of the Spirit then there is no guarantee of success.

Indeed it was Saul sin, namely initiating the burnt offering himself rather than through the prophet that we see Saul's weakness and sin at work. It was following his times of weakness that he failed to achieve the things that he was initially anointed to do.

We in the same way, when in the weakness of our sin neglect to be obedient and therefore miss out on the success of operating in the power of the Spirit as we should.

 

The Book of Ruth - Our Spiritual Inheritance

Recently I read the book of Ruth and afterwards started to ponder what it was in this story that meant the most to me. Whilst everyone will have their own revelation, this is mine and therefore part of the journey I am on with the Lord.

At first glance we can see the book a little like the story of Job, who after losing everything cherished to him has everything restored in double and this famous quote "the latter part of Job's life was greater than the former". It is also true to say that Naomi lost everything or at least was willing to lose everything including the only two people that might sustain her in her latter days. Yet as we see, one of those whom she was willing to let go of became a great blessing by staying with her in her darkest hour.

As a result, the story quickly turns to Ruth and her faithfulness to Naomi in these difficult days. But both of these woman became a blessing to each other as they committed to one another. On one hand without Ruth's dedication to stay with her mother in law it would have been extremely difficult for Naomi to survive in a world were there was no "social security". And on the other hand Ruth as a foreigner would have found it exceptionally hard to be excepted and survive in this harsh climate.

But through their commitment to one another, they in turn became the blessing to each other and brought not only survival but what would appear a great ending to this story. Yet in my eyes this is only the beginning, as this book reveals a deeper truth for all to see.

The story I refer to is the story of the inheritance we have both as seen here in the natural and secondly in the spiritual. As a result of Naomi's natural inheritance, being an Israelite and having a place in which she truly belongs and where the rule of the land was to ensure the survival of widows and the names of their lost husbands. Because of this natural inheritance, Naomi knew it better for her to return to where she belonged and as a result of this longing to be with her fellow Israelites God's hand was at work.

In a similar way, when we find ourselves lost in a foreign place, irrespective of how it looks and how we came to be there, there is always the hope of our spiritual inheritance. Our home is in heaven, the ways of this world and the circumstances of it's ways and culture are all temporal and according to God's word will one day pass away like "chaff". But knowing of the inheritance we have in Christ and our heavenly destination we have the ability to call on "Abba Father" who leads us by His Spirit to our spiritual destination.

In addition, I see Naomi as a helper to Ruth, just as the Holy Spirit or paraclete is a "helper" to you and I as stated in John 14, to lead and guide us on this journey to our spiritual destination. Who is Boaz in this story, well he can only be symbolised by the "bridegroom" himself. Our Lord Jesus who not only prepares the room for us but makes the way possible becoming the very gate to this heavenly realm. Boaz made legal right to have Ruth his wife just as the Lord bought you and I with the price of His blood shed on the cross of Calvary.

As a result of His love for us, we now belong to Him and that he has and owns has becomes ours!

God Bless

Phillipians 3:13 - Press On

Sermon from January 2015 whilst speaking at Telopea Christian Centre near Sydney
Please follow the link....

http://www.telopea.org.au/media.php?pageID=45&

The Book of Judges - Weeds & Enemies

Recently I finished reading through the book of Joshua and how the Lord God gave the promised land into the hands of the Israelites. Yet as we come to the end of this amazing book and how God worked for the people, when arriving at Judges we still find the enemy scattered throughout the land and as we read on discover how Israel must continue to fight to secure their inheritance.

As we read the first few chapters of Judges, we discover that though it was the Israelites who neglected to rout out the enemy that it was fact God who allowed them to be there. And as we see in chapter two, the enemy was there as a reminder to the Israelites of what they needed to do and why they needed to do it.

Below is picture displaying Gideon & his 300 men who rout out the enemy!



Paul the apostles speaks about his "thorn in the flesh" as seen in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, yet God's response to Paul when asked to have this removed was "my grace is sufficient for you". I see in this scripture a parallel to Israel needing to continually fight to rout out the enemy. In this verse God is saying to Paul, my favour is enough for you meaning simply that despite what you are experiencing or feeling about your circumstances, what I have done for you and given you is fully enough so that you may overcome. The Lord also states that in Paul's weakness God is strong!

In the same way, the Israelites need to continually rout out their enemies caused them to remember their need to rely on God and not in their own strength or abilities. Paul's thorn in his flesh and therefore the enemies in the land of Israel reminds God's people to rely on him.

Paul's Thorn in the flesh?


A friend of my recently came by and told me of a book he had been reading about weeds and how important weeds are to the greater environment. When first hearing this I was a little shocked, as for two years after purchasing land in the Blue Mountains where we lived we had spent pulling and eradicating weeds. He explained how weeds keep the native trees and plants in check causing them to grow stronger to defeat the weeds.

See below the type of plant that I removed from our land, 10 tonne in total...considered to be a pest here in the Blue Mountains.


Weeds therefore can be seen as a blessing to the land as it keeps the native flora strong! In the same way, obstacles or hindrances can be a way in which we stay sharp in our faith and not complacent. Which I believe is what James 1:2 says Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

So our heavenly Father as scripture says "knows the beginning from the end" and even when it seems the heavens are as brass, God is at work producing the kind of faith and perseverance we need to be the overcomers he originally made us to be.

God Bless

Joshua Chapter 7&8 & The Israelites

Been reading from Joshua and how the Lord God gave him Jericho and all the cities. Time and time again we read how the Israelites were defeated when they fled or had their backs to the enemy. This is an interesting point that all should take note of.

When we read Joshua, the main reason for Israel to flee from their enemies and hence have their backs to them was due to sin or disobedience to the Lord. Due to Aichan’s sin Israel lost the battle of Ai as they had undealt with sin in their midst. As a result of their sin they were not obedient to the Lord's voice. This not only affected those with the sin but the whole camp or Israel. Metaphorically speaking, sin not only affects us but all those who are connected to us, whether it be our families at home, church or even at work.

 

Ephesians 6 speaks of the armour of God, the helmet of salvation, shield of faith, belt of truth, breast plate of righteousness and of cause the sword of the Spirit. All of these items, though truly effective and powerful in either protecting a person or attacking the enemy are only used at the front of a person. This was also a tactic used by the Roman's with their own soldiers, all soldiers were equipped for defence when moving forward but had none to the rear, as a result, their shields could be locked into place forming a wall of shields which assuming all held their positions was very successful in protecting the group as a whole. coincidently that had nothing to defend the rear. There is not defence to the rear and as we read from scripture it appears in God there is no retreat. Retreat ultimately comes when either one we have been defeated or two due to our lack of faith and trust that God is with us.

The Roman armies in formation with all their armour

It must be this feeling of lack of faith that we have when sin is in the camp causing us to have a defeated mentality. God's attitude to defeating the enemy is as the writer of Hebrews 2:14-15 says indicates is a defeated foe and “if God is for me, then who can be against me”. If therefore we know the enemy of our souls, that is the devil or Egypt still remains in our lives, then it is also expected that we will confidently advance knowing that God has already won the victory on the cross.

As Paul quotes in 1Cor 15:55 regarding Christ, “death where is your sting”, we who are in Christ can confidently proclaim the victory of whatever might come against us. this does not mean we can go on sinning either. Every believer remains confident in what God has done for him or her when he has a clear conscience and mind. As Revelation time and time again says, “they washed their robes” indicating we have a responsibility as believers to lay on the altar our flesh and sinful desires daily and as James says “confessing our sins one to another” so that we might be the “Holy” people God is looking for us to be in our walk with him.

Called to be a blessing - Jeremiah 29

This morning I had the honour to speak to the listeners of FM107 Vanuatu, Vanuatu's first privately owned radio station that extends to all the Islands of this beautiful nation. After speaking on the power and authority of the church I finished by praying the nation of Vanuatu and the people. As I prayed I proclaimed blessing upon the people and the Lord reminded me how he had instructed Israel that not only would He (God) bless them, but that they in turn would be a blessing to the nations around them.

Often today we hear a lot of talk about being blessed by the Lord, and rightly so, as we read in Jeremiah 29 the Lord loves to bless His people and as God's children and the children of our natural fathers we can expect to be blessed. But just as our heavenly Father commanded Israel to be a blessing, so too are we commanded to be a blessing and not keep it for ourselves.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:5 that no one lights a candle and then puts it under a bushel, but sets in on a candle stand where it can give light to the whole household. In the same way, when we find a treasure we want to share that with those around us. Recently I read a survey that said people who have won the lottery, around 90 percent of them after only fives years have squandered all their money and are basically back where they started financially. This sounds like bad financial handling, but the reality is, often people who win money have a desire to share it with those they love.

Jesus in John 17 said that it was our love for one another that would cause others to want to know Him. It is through the giving of ourselves and the laying down of our lives for others that I believe Christ shines the brightest in our world. I invite you today to give thanks for what the Father has done for your life but also challenge you to ask the Father how you might be used to bless those around you.

Vanuatu Update - Romans 12:2

I am presently in Vanuatu, assisting the Church here with the re-building of church buildings destroyed in the recent cyclone. Vanuatu a number of years ago was voted the happiest people in the world and it's not hard to see why as you travel around this beautiful nation. The people here, though exceptionally poor and often seen as second class citizens by the many foreigners who have bought into this island nation, are continually smiling and enjoying the simple life they have. In fact the only grumpy or unhappy people I have ever met in Vanuatu in the 6 trips I have made here are the foreigners who have invested here.

This started to get me thinking about who we are as believers and the perception we leave on people though the bible also sees us as foreigners in the world. Jesus said in John 17:16 that we are not of this world just as He was not of this world. And yet Paul encourages the Corinthian church that they are all "ambassadors" and that they and therefore you and I represent another kingdom, the Kingdom of our God.

As therefore foreigners in this world and ambassadors for Christ I wonder how much of God's Kingdom we portray in our everyday life. Though living in the world are we displaying all that His Kingdom is or are we being conformed as Romans says to the world around us.

The Ni-Vans, or natives to Vanuatu are living happy and joyful lives despite their poverty and environment, do we do the same???

The Ideal Church

Ever wondered what the ideal church looked like? I imagine it is not what we see today, that is a programmed based service with the goal is to see more and more income to support more and more programs. Nor is it merely a place to be blessed and to grow in knowledge, but more a place that is a launching pad & activation of God’s people into the calling and purposes of God.

The ideal church is a church that is alive with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. A church where every believer understands who they are and their function in the body of Christ. Where there is both freedom to be and order in what may appear chaos at times, though there is no chaos.

The ideal church is being built up by Jesus as He works in and through the lives of every believer. Where the elders and bishops understand their roles are to equip saints with the tools to be the Body of Christ and not themselves assume all roles. Where function and functionality override position and title.

The ideal church is every believer as a lover and worshipper of Jesus and His Spirit, where worshipping in spirit and in truth is the norm rather than the odd occurrence. Where each day is a new day of opportunity to be light and salt to all those around us despite how we feel.

The ideal church is when every believer desires nothing more than to share the love and gifts they have received with all and that looks not to selfish gain or ambition but to how each can add to the benefit of others.

The ideal church is where every believer is in agreement, where every word and song is in sync to each other and where those things asked of the Father are happily granted. Where faith overrides fear or failure. Where the future is in Him the giver of all life and for our heavenly destination.

The ideal church is knowing that we are representatives of another kingdom other than the one we see each day. And that this world in which we now live is very different even the opposite of the Kingdom of our God.

The ideal church is where love abounds but also where truth and righteousness prevails. A place of mercy & grace yet full of justice and the rule of God. Where Jesus is Lord, King of Kings, The Prince of Peace, our Mighty God, The Rose of Sharon, The Bright Morning Star, Immanuel and who reigns over all.

Be Blessed

James Kenny

The River of God - Ezekiel 47

As we begin the first week of term two of our school of the Spirit, I announced that term two was all about seeing the release of the prophetic, yet in announcing this, I did not really know where the Lord by His Spirit was leading us. However, after a time in prayer the answer was revealed.

In Ezekiel 47, we have the story of the prophet being shown a river that was flowing from the temple, from the entrance or the threshold of the Temple. This river continues to flow eastward and again another river flows from the south side of the Temple. Later we hear the waters trickling to the east flow into the sea where they make the water fresh.

The prophet is then returned to the Temple and shown the trees that are growing along side the river flowing east and the life they bring to all around them.

A similar picture is given to John in Revelation 22, in this case John is told the trees which are growing along side the river are the tree of life which bear fruit each month and that the leaves of the trees are healing for the nations.

In both of these pictures we see the key element is the water which is flowing from the Temple, it is this living water which brings life and healing to those it touches. As we continue to think on scripture relating to water, it is impossible to forget Jesus' teaching of living water which He refers to being the Spirit in John 7:38 and onwards. Again in John 4 when speaking to the Samaritan women makes reference to this water which will cause those who drink to never thirst again.

Yet when we read on in John 7 we find that those who thirst after this water are the ones who will receive it. Jesus therefore says that those who are thirsty for the Spirit are those who will receive it. Thirsting after the Spirit is therefore a pre-requisite for receiving the Spirit. Jesus also speaks of hunger and thirst in the be-attitudes of Matthew 5:6 saying that it is those who will be filled.

So if we wish to be filled (present tense) then it is vital that we are thirsty and hungry for this living water which is the Spirit. Yet it is not just the inflow of God's Spirit that we are designed for but also the outflow. That is to see a constant flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as the water from the Temple continued to flow to become a blessing to the nations and those in whom it touched, so too are we designed to see God's Spirit in our (the temples of His Spirit and living stones) lives flow out of us to touch and bless others.

In Australia, when a river is in flood during the rainy season, often it will over flow and create what we call "Billabongs" or small pockets of water which have been left alongside the original flow of the river after the flood waters have receded.  These billabongs though initially can be cosy and somewhat beautiful areas of a river after a time can become stale and stagnant and all that is trapped in them slowly but surely begins to die. The moral of the story is simple, to remain alive, fresh in God's Spirit we must remain in tact with the source of the river of God. I often explain it like this, consider yourself a vessel that has both an in flow and out flow, as you are poured out to be a blessing to those around you, it is imperative that you are replenished and re-filled with the source of your blessing being the Holy Spirit.

God would have His temples of His Spirit to be a blessing to the nations, it is therefore vital for our continued use within the Kingdom of God to keep returning to the Holy Spirit to be filled up with His presence and power.