On Sunday 12th, Gerry Butcher shared a word from the Lord. It was a picture of a barren place with oil wells on it which were capped.
Then the fire of the Holy Spirit came and started to ignite the wells that were uncapped, and they burned with a great intensity. This is a very significant message from the Lord.
I don't want to try to add to what was spoken that Sunday morning but I do want to share what the Lord has spoken to me about it.
I saw the picture as Gerry shared it. I saw a large, dry and barren land and the Lord told me that this is very significant. The oil wells were on this land and the Lord told me that just because we can't see something, doesn't mean it's not there.
God looks at the heart- He said so to Samuel:
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Sam 16 v7, NIV
God knows that oftentimes we look on the surface and we miss out on the potential of what's underneath. We see a barren land, God sees the oil field underneath. We see capped oil wells, God sees those oil wells burning with a fire that is only from Him.
When Gerry shared this picture, The Lord started speaking to me about Elijah, and He reminded me of the sacrifice on Mt. Carmel (you can read it in 1 Kings 18).
Elijah had been on top of the mountain with the prophets of baal, 450 of them and the people had been given the option of going with God or with baal.
Elijah knew his God. He had a confidence and a boldness in his God that meant he knew Jehovah Jireh would provide for him at his time of need. Elijah let the prophets of baal select which sacrifice they would offer up to their "god". This might seem bizarre, but Elijah knew what was going to happen, and that they would not be able to offer a sacrifice to baal.
You can read the story yourself, but the outcome was this: baal was not able to answer the requests of 450 prophets so Elijah taunted them, reminding them of all the things that baal wasn't and God is. God never sleeps, never goes away, is never deep in thought or busy.
These prophets spent hours, begging, cutting themselves, pleading but nothing happened.
Elijah started to build his altar. He placed 12 stones, one for each of the tribes of Israel and built his altar on it. He dug a large trench around the altar. He then stacked up wood and cut the bull into pieces, placing them on the altar. His sacrifice was almost ready. Under normal circumstances, he would now light it but Elijah knew God had a better plan. He also knew that God would send fire, so he raised the stakes. (God is always able, when we raise the stakes, it is no more difficult for God than when we don't).
Elijah drenched the altar, completely.
Then he did it a second time.
And then he did it a third time.
It was so wet that the trench was filled with water.
What looked to be a completely daft thing to do, on a human level, is but a Joy to the Lord.
Elijah prayed a simple prayer and the fire of the Lord consumed everything: The sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the water and even the dust.
The people knew who is the Lord when this happened and they fell prostrate and worshipped Him.
You see, The fire of God is the most powerful force there is. It doesn't matter what we've done, what excuses we've made, what impossibilities we've put in place, God can overcome and Elijah knew this.
He knew it because he knew his God. He knew his God because he spent time with Him.
At the beginning of 2012, The Lord gave us a word that we are moving from Grace and Favour into Power and Presence.
Elijah saw the Power of God because he was used to being in the Presence of God.
This year, God is longing to spread His Holy Spirit Fire like wildfire. He has a desire to pour it into us, to release us into the image of Him that we were created to be.
Elijah spent time in God's presence and God's victory was complete- even the dust was burned up. Elijah gave the altar to the Lord and God accepted it in a way that had never been seen before. A supernatural fire that consumed everything. No ashes, no bits of bone, no broken stone fragments. Elijah gave it to God and God said yes.
It's our choice. We can either decide to leave the cap on and refuse the fire that God is sending, or we can spend time with Him, sitting in His presence, allowing Him into our lives and getting to know Him so that we too, can see His power released.
Say yes. Go and spend more time with Jesus this week than you normally would. There is no better way to spend your time. Watch His power flow as we become more aware of His presence.
Roger C.
Monday, 20 February 2012
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Have you met John’s Jesus and God's Jesus?
John 1:29-34
29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30. This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'
31. I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32. Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.
33. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
34. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
This is a very interesting passage of scripture, the Gospel written by John is the only Gospel that expands on the introduction of Jesus to man at the start of his three years of ministry.
Just to back up, Jesus is now approximately 30 years old and we are told very little of those first 30 years. A very small few were told by God before Jesus birth what was about to happen. God spoke of Jesus as the Savior (save, make whole, heal, preserve, deliverer), Immanuel (God with us), Jesus (salvation), Christ (anointed one) and Son of God. Jesus Although born on earth in a humble stable, most of us don’t notice the fanfare from Heaven that accompanied his birth, the star illuminated the sky, the glory of the Lord shone around and music and song from Heaven broke out, creation noticed and joined with Heaven and celebrated this Life and praised God. That was pretty much it, we are also told Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and in favour with God in these early years. This last bit sounds a bit odd if you see Jesus as God (which he was and is), but we are told that he left all his divinity behind him (Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man).In this light I can understand Jesus growing in wisdom, but as God it would not be possible to grow in wisdom, where would the source of the wisdom be.
Now back to the day God publicly introduced Jesus. John the Baptist, a man (not just an ordinary man but an old school prophet) introduced Jesus in John 1:29 "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. John like you and me probably more familiar with worldly ways introduced Jesus as “a solution for our sinfulness” this he could understand (What’s in this for me so to speak). Probably aware of the guilt that we all wear as men and women because of our short comings and failures, John was acutely aware that we are incomplete and walked burdened with our sin. You might say John’s immediate need swayed the words he chose when he introduced Jesus. To be fair to John the Baptist it is most probable that his mind did not allow him comprehend what it meant to baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire. These are the words he used to tell the people in the desert about the one who was to come, but when that One stood in front of him he called out “The Lamb of God” which was a fitting and a beautiful introduction.
What I find amazing though is how God introduced Jesus to John. John 1:33 “I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit”. God’s plan is much more and therefore Gods introduction of Jesus is more revealing. Yes Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, but God did not call us to be washed clean, He called us to transform the very place we walk, to bring Heaven to earth, and to make a name for God on earth. (1 Chronicles 17:21 and who is like your people--the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself). We are unable to do this without being washed clean though and therefore I gladly come to the cross to be washed clean. Just because we are washed clean does not mean we can carry out our God given purpose.
Acts 10:37-38 offers insight into how we carry out our mission “You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him”. Jesus a mere man showed us how, He accomplished great things as a man because He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. When we are Baptized by the Spirit just like Jesus, abiding in Him we carry Gods presence everywhere we go and transform the very ground we walk upon.
The previous blog entitled “The God of the Increase” spoke of Elisha picking up Elijah’s mantle. Note he had to pick it up, note he asked for more and note as a result he received both. Jesus just like Elijah was taken into heaven. Just like Elijah’s mantle fell back to earth, so did Jesus' mantle fall back to earth. It took Jesus mantle 10 days to fall back to earth because it is alive and full of power and presence. Only one could pick up Elijah’s mantle, but do you know what?
All that come to Jesus can pick up his mantle. Remember you can be washed from sin and become a child of God but that does not mean you have picked up Jesus mantle, Luke 11:13 says how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Are you hungry enough to ask? Jesus appeared to 500 people between the resurrection and his ascension, taught them and gave them instruction. Did you ever wonder why only 120 turned up on Pentecost morning, that’s just 1 in 4.
I met John’s Jesus in 1985 and Gods Jesus two years ago. This time 2 years ago God asked me to dance with him at our Sunday service in Lucan and I did just that, Two nights later at a prayer meeting in town I was so desperate for the life that’s spoken of in the bible that I cried out in a loud voice “Spirit of Life I love you” and just at that moment Heaven opened an I encountered Jesus is a way not known to me. Since that day onward I have fallen in Love with Jesus my savior in a completely different way and seen Him move in ways natural to this world because He made it but described as supernatural because the minds of men can’t comprehend it.
Isaiah 55:1 says "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. To the world this makes no sense, how can you buy without money. To those of Christ you must participate in the buying process, Jesus has already paid the price so come buy without cost and remember your wallet never ever runs dry in Gods kingdom so keep shopping.
Declan D.
29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30. This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'
31. I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32. Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.
33. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
34. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
This is a very interesting passage of scripture, the Gospel written by John is the only Gospel that expands on the introduction of Jesus to man at the start of his three years of ministry.
Just to back up, Jesus is now approximately 30 years old and we are told very little of those first 30 years. A very small few were told by God before Jesus birth what was about to happen. God spoke of Jesus as the Savior (save, make whole, heal, preserve, deliverer), Immanuel (God with us), Jesus (salvation), Christ (anointed one) and Son of God. Jesus Although born on earth in a humble stable, most of us don’t notice the fanfare from Heaven that accompanied his birth, the star illuminated the sky, the glory of the Lord shone around and music and song from Heaven broke out, creation noticed and joined with Heaven and celebrated this Life and praised God. That was pretty much it, we are also told Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and in favour with God in these early years. This last bit sounds a bit odd if you see Jesus as God (which he was and is), but we are told that he left all his divinity behind him (Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man).In this light I can understand Jesus growing in wisdom, but as God it would not be possible to grow in wisdom, where would the source of the wisdom be.
Now back to the day God publicly introduced Jesus. John the Baptist, a man (not just an ordinary man but an old school prophet) introduced Jesus in John 1:29 "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. John like you and me probably more familiar with worldly ways introduced Jesus as “a solution for our sinfulness” this he could understand (What’s in this for me so to speak). Probably aware of the guilt that we all wear as men and women because of our short comings and failures, John was acutely aware that we are incomplete and walked burdened with our sin. You might say John’s immediate need swayed the words he chose when he introduced Jesus. To be fair to John the Baptist it is most probable that his mind did not allow him comprehend what it meant to baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire. These are the words he used to tell the people in the desert about the one who was to come, but when that One stood in front of him he called out “The Lamb of God” which was a fitting and a beautiful introduction.
What I find amazing though is how God introduced Jesus to John. John 1:33 “I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit”. God’s plan is much more and therefore Gods introduction of Jesus is more revealing. Yes Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, but God did not call us to be washed clean, He called us to transform the very place we walk, to bring Heaven to earth, and to make a name for God on earth. (1 Chronicles 17:21 and who is like your people--the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself). We are unable to do this without being washed clean though and therefore I gladly come to the cross to be washed clean. Just because we are washed clean does not mean we can carry out our God given purpose.
Acts 10:37-38 offers insight into how we carry out our mission “You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him”. Jesus a mere man showed us how, He accomplished great things as a man because He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. When we are Baptized by the Spirit just like Jesus, abiding in Him we carry Gods presence everywhere we go and transform the very ground we walk upon.
The previous blog entitled “The God of the Increase” spoke of Elisha picking up Elijah’s mantle. Note he had to pick it up, note he asked for more and note as a result he received both. Jesus just like Elijah was taken into heaven. Just like Elijah’s mantle fell back to earth, so did Jesus' mantle fall back to earth. It took Jesus mantle 10 days to fall back to earth because it is alive and full of power and presence. Only one could pick up Elijah’s mantle, but do you know what?
All that come to Jesus can pick up his mantle. Remember you can be washed from sin and become a child of God but that does not mean you have picked up Jesus mantle, Luke 11:13 says how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Are you hungry enough to ask? Jesus appeared to 500 people between the resurrection and his ascension, taught them and gave them instruction. Did you ever wonder why only 120 turned up on Pentecost morning, that’s just 1 in 4.
I met John’s Jesus in 1985 and Gods Jesus two years ago. This time 2 years ago God asked me to dance with him at our Sunday service in Lucan and I did just that, Two nights later at a prayer meeting in town I was so desperate for the life that’s spoken of in the bible that I cried out in a loud voice “Spirit of Life I love you” and just at that moment Heaven opened an I encountered Jesus is a way not known to me. Since that day onward I have fallen in Love with Jesus my savior in a completely different way and seen Him move in ways natural to this world because He made it but described as supernatural because the minds of men can’t comprehend it.
Isaiah 55:1 says "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. To the world this makes no sense, how can you buy without money. To those of Christ you must participate in the buying process, Jesus has already paid the price so come buy without cost and remember your wallet never ever runs dry in Gods kingdom so keep shopping.
Declan D.
Monday, 30 January 2012
The God of the Increase
Elisha is quite probably my favorite prophet in the old testament. He was different in many ways to his predecessor, Elijah. Elisha came from a wealthy family, when we are first introduced to him he was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen (1 Kings 19) and he himself was driving the twelfth pair.
Elisha had it made. He was doing well for himself and may have been expecting to continue as part of the family, his future may have been laid out before him by his parents. He would be a successful business man, working the land and providing for many. Elijah had a garment of hair (2 Kings 1v8), this may have referred to his clothing (Camel hair) or his appearance (hairy!)
This is speculation on my part, but we do know one thing. When Elijah came by, Elisha knew there was more to life. Elisha wanted to do something for God.
"Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah" (1 Kings 19v19-20 NIV)
This was no mean feat, Elijah had been known to out run a chariot so Elisha must have been serious!
Elijah didn't even need to speak. He had thrown his cloak over Elisha, he had declared that Elisha was going to be his successor, that Elisha was going to take on the mantle that Elijah had.
Elisha knew the significance of this. He killed his oxen and burned the yoke. He then gave it to the people and then they ate. Elisha was cutting off all his ties to his past. He gave his source of income to become food and fed those around them. This man of means, of a wealthy family had given it all up, to become an attendant to Elijah.
Elisha was leaving a wealthy life to become a servant. He had been called by the prophet and by God, so he knew that he had to go. He left a life of wealth to become a servant as he knew this was the true way to achieve greatness.
Elisha was a driven man. He didn't let Elijah out of his sight while they were together. He wanted to learn from the best and that meant spending every waking hour with him, watching him behave as he did and seeing how God was using him.
Elisha refused to leave his master's side as he knew that it was the best place to be. This is where we, as people who follow Jesus need to get to in our lives. We need to learn to watch everything He does, listen to what He says and most importantly, spend every waking hour we have in His presence, aware of Him and conscious of Him.
When the time came for Elijah to go to Heaven, Elisha refused to leave him and specifically requested that he would get a double anointing of his spirit. Elisha had seen what was possible and wanted more. God places desires in our hearts to go after Him and want more of Him and the seed had been planted in Elisha.
The last miracle performed by Elijah was to cross the Jordan on dry ground (2 Kings 2v8) and when he was taken up into Heaven, Elisha picked up his cloak, went over to the water and proclaimed:
"Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" (2 Kings 2v14, NIV)
He struck the water and it separated. The first thing Elisha did was to step into his anointing and use it. The other prophets saw this and knew that the mantle had been passed on.
God is in the business of increase. He doesn't do subtraction. Elisha received a double portion of the Spirit that was on Elijah. The man in hair garments was succeeded by a bald man from a wealthy family.
Jesus always wore seamless garments and went to partys where He created wine. The mantle of the prophet was passed on to Him by His cousin, John the Baptist. John had lived in the desert and eaten locusts and wild honey and he never touched alcohol. He wore camel hair garments and his ministry was to get people to repent.
Jesus left the glory of Heaven to become the Servant King. Jesus took on the mantle from John the moment He was baptised. There was a dove and a voice that proclaimed:
"This is my Son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased." (Mt 3v17 NIV)
God was declaring that Jesus was now His representative on earth. He now had the authority to do in his Father's name, His Father's business.
And when Jesus went to be with the Father, He handed that authority over to us.
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Mt 28 v18-20 NKJV)
We were upgraded before we were even created. That's God for you. Go, and live in the authority of Jesus, constantly aware of His presence and let's see how great a difference we can make.
Roger C.
Elisha had it made. He was doing well for himself and may have been expecting to continue as part of the family, his future may have been laid out before him by his parents. He would be a successful business man, working the land and providing for many. Elijah had a garment of hair (2 Kings 1v8), this may have referred to his clothing (Camel hair) or his appearance (hairy!)
This is speculation on my part, but we do know one thing. When Elijah came by, Elisha knew there was more to life. Elisha wanted to do something for God.
"Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah" (1 Kings 19v19-20 NIV)
This was no mean feat, Elijah had been known to out run a chariot so Elisha must have been serious!
Elijah didn't even need to speak. He had thrown his cloak over Elisha, he had declared that Elisha was going to be his successor, that Elisha was going to take on the mantle that Elijah had.
Elisha knew the significance of this. He killed his oxen and burned the yoke. He then gave it to the people and then they ate. Elisha was cutting off all his ties to his past. He gave his source of income to become food and fed those around them. This man of means, of a wealthy family had given it all up, to become an attendant to Elijah.
Elisha was leaving a wealthy life to become a servant. He had been called by the prophet and by God, so he knew that he had to go. He left a life of wealth to become a servant as he knew this was the true way to achieve greatness.
Elisha was a driven man. He didn't let Elijah out of his sight while they were together. He wanted to learn from the best and that meant spending every waking hour with him, watching him behave as he did and seeing how God was using him.
Elisha refused to leave his master's side as he knew that it was the best place to be. This is where we, as people who follow Jesus need to get to in our lives. We need to learn to watch everything He does, listen to what He says and most importantly, spend every waking hour we have in His presence, aware of Him and conscious of Him.
When the time came for Elijah to go to Heaven, Elisha refused to leave him and specifically requested that he would get a double anointing of his spirit. Elisha had seen what was possible and wanted more. God places desires in our hearts to go after Him and want more of Him and the seed had been planted in Elisha.
The last miracle performed by Elijah was to cross the Jordan on dry ground (2 Kings 2v8) and when he was taken up into Heaven, Elisha picked up his cloak, went over to the water and proclaimed:
"Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" (2 Kings 2v14, NIV)
He struck the water and it separated. The first thing Elisha did was to step into his anointing and use it. The other prophets saw this and knew that the mantle had been passed on.
God is in the business of increase. He doesn't do subtraction. Elisha received a double portion of the Spirit that was on Elijah. The man in hair garments was succeeded by a bald man from a wealthy family.
Jesus always wore seamless garments and went to partys where He created wine. The mantle of the prophet was passed on to Him by His cousin, John the Baptist. John had lived in the desert and eaten locusts and wild honey and he never touched alcohol. He wore camel hair garments and his ministry was to get people to repent.
Jesus left the glory of Heaven to become the Servant King. Jesus took on the mantle from John the moment He was baptised. There was a dove and a voice that proclaimed:
"This is my Son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased." (Mt 3v17 NIV)
God was declaring that Jesus was now His representative on earth. He now had the authority to do in his Father's name, His Father's business.
And when Jesus went to be with the Father, He handed that authority over to us.
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Mt 28 v18-20 NKJV)
We were upgraded before we were even created. That's God for you. Go, and live in the authority of Jesus, constantly aware of His presence and let's see how great a difference we can make.
Roger C.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Acts: Part 3 of 3
This is the final part of the Acts series that has been written by Declan Doran.
Now that Paul has spoken a new word of life, look at the turn around. In v27 in the night at the darkest point, the crew sensed they were approaching land (at the darkest hour Christ’s victory is only round the corner-if we press in for encounter with God at that point. Yet this seems to be the very point at which most abandon their faith and say "I’ve had enough and can’t take anymore"). They put down anchor and next thing, this crew of 275 were praying with Paul.
Look at the transformation; they are now engaging with God and a mass prayer meeting breaks out. At daylight some of the soldiers tried to abandon the ship but Paul warned them that they must stay or they would perish. In difficult times, although every word you hear from the enemy is to abandon ship, remember these words of Paul and indeed many other words, the kingdom of God is all about community, family and unity.
Remember you are not your own, you were bought at a price, Jesus paid with his blood for you. Don’t cheat me out of what God has for me (yes me) by allowing what God has for you fall to the ground. I may be an arm in this body of Christ and you may be a leg, if you bail out who will be my leg, so remember you owe me and the body your very being. After eating for the first time in 14 days they were encouraged and they then threw off the remainder of the grain and cut loose the anchors, they lightened the load on the ship. In times of trouble and when storms prevail God brings about a purging and pruning of that, which is man made. God rips it away and the process is painful but it is surplus to Gods requirement.
In v42 the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners and this would have included Paul and therefore given victory to the enemy as this was the very desire of the Jewish Leaders. But man’s ways are not Gods and now God used v43 (the centurion) that the enemy was using but God used him to spare Paul’s life. The centurion noted Paul’s words and life and this in the midst of disaster was speaking to the centurion and everyone reached land safely. Note nothing man made came through the testing, only that which was of God survived the storm. Don’t forget it’s the exact same for us today. Remember if your storm persists, it more than likely means God has more refining to do in you. Don’t fight God as I have done, don’t look and blame the rest, the problem is mostly yourself and I took over 20 years to learn this one lesson.
Now you think it’s over, but it’s not look at chapter 28. The enemy tries yet again to take Paul out. In v3 a viper fastened itself to Paul’s hand and the islanders said to each other, "he must be a murderer and justice has not allowed him to live". As the heat increased the viper was driven out. This is exactly what the presence of God with His people does; as the fire of God burns in our midst the enemy (serpent) flees as it says in Psalm 68:1. There is an amazing prophetic picture in v5 that Paul performed and played out for all eyes to see, Paul shakes the viper off his hand into the fire, (this was a declaration to the enemy that his future is sealed, his end is in the great fire).
The enemy must have thought he finally had Paul eliminated just like when Satan rejoiced when Jesus hung on the cross, but the violent earthquake proved that Jesus was risen and death defeated. Paul (v6) suffers no ill effects and God turned the minds of the people favourably to Paul. Paul now has moved into a position where he heals (v8) the chief official’s father and this in turn open the whole island to Paul and every sick person was brought to Paul and they were all cured (the Kingdom of God breaks out on the island). It did not stop here. Now the islanders honoured the men and furnished them with all their provision for the journey to Rome.
It gets better.
Paul arrives in Rome and asked to speak with the Jewish leaders, and to Paul’s amazement (v21) the Jewish leaders had not received any letter from Jerusalem and all was fine for Paul. (V24) many came to listen to Paul speak and some believed and some did not. For two years Paul spoke about the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ without hindrance. Note the enemy’s attack on Paul ended when Paul demonstrated (in v5) prophetically the victory that Christ won on the cross over the enemy. That same victory is yours today and it’s not just for you but for your household, all you need do is what it says in Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household”. Notice there was no trial before Caesar. The real trail played out over the journey during the ship-wreck. The process built character and this is true for you also, the storms build character, the trial is just the passing of judgement.
Now earlier I said that the Kingdom of God was “voice activated” and now I want to add to this and say it’s also “movement activated”, together they are powerful tools. In Exodus 17:11 it says as long as Moses hands were held up his people had victory in battle. In 2 Kings 5:10 Naaman was told to wash in the water 7 times and his leprosy would be healed. In John 9:11 Jesus put mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash, as soon as he washed he was healed. In Acts 3:7 Peter took hold of the crippled man and helped him up, immediately he was healed and the woman who was bleeding for years in Luke 8:44 touched Jesus and was healed. Lastly in Luke 7:30 the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected their destiny in God because they refused to get in the water and be baptised. Both voice and movement are both acts of faith and Hebrews 11 says without faith it is impossible to please God. As one that who kept his hands in his pockets or kept his arms folded in church for nearly 20 years it amazes me now when I see these things how I stubbornly rejected God all these years yet believed in my mind that I was walking with Him. Though a Christian, yet not walking in him.
So let the violent wind blow, the Holy Spirit is moving in our midst and “whosoever will” can move with the wind. Paul moved with the wind not because he was saved, but because he died, he died daily as 1 Corinthians 15:31 says. In Galations 2:20 Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
And lastly in Philippians 3:8 Paul says “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Today the Kingdom of God, my kingdom is not stuck in the clouds. For the first time ever I now realize “I am the Kingdom come” yes you and me once we are “in Christ” we are the “kingdom come”. In the past I allowed my head rule, today I know it’s in my heart that Jesus lives and it’s from here that He will reign in me and I will reign in him. I’m going to choose to live from my heart and not my head.
Declan.
Now that Paul has spoken a new word of life, look at the turn around. In v27 in the night at the darkest point, the crew sensed they were approaching land (at the darkest hour Christ’s victory is only round the corner-if we press in for encounter with God at that point. Yet this seems to be the very point at which most abandon their faith and say "I’ve had enough and can’t take anymore"). They put down anchor and next thing, this crew of 275 were praying with Paul.
Look at the transformation; they are now engaging with God and a mass prayer meeting breaks out. At daylight some of the soldiers tried to abandon the ship but Paul warned them that they must stay or they would perish. In difficult times, although every word you hear from the enemy is to abandon ship, remember these words of Paul and indeed many other words, the kingdom of God is all about community, family and unity.
Remember you are not your own, you were bought at a price, Jesus paid with his blood for you. Don’t cheat me out of what God has for me (yes me) by allowing what God has for you fall to the ground. I may be an arm in this body of Christ and you may be a leg, if you bail out who will be my leg, so remember you owe me and the body your very being. After eating for the first time in 14 days they were encouraged and they then threw off the remainder of the grain and cut loose the anchors, they lightened the load on the ship. In times of trouble and when storms prevail God brings about a purging and pruning of that, which is man made. God rips it away and the process is painful but it is surplus to Gods requirement.
In v42 the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners and this would have included Paul and therefore given victory to the enemy as this was the very desire of the Jewish Leaders. But man’s ways are not Gods and now God used v43 (the centurion) that the enemy was using but God used him to spare Paul’s life. The centurion noted Paul’s words and life and this in the midst of disaster was speaking to the centurion and everyone reached land safely. Note nothing man made came through the testing, only that which was of God survived the storm. Don’t forget it’s the exact same for us today. Remember if your storm persists, it more than likely means God has more refining to do in you. Don’t fight God as I have done, don’t look and blame the rest, the problem is mostly yourself and I took over 20 years to learn this one lesson.
Now you think it’s over, but it’s not look at chapter 28. The enemy tries yet again to take Paul out. In v3 a viper fastened itself to Paul’s hand and the islanders said to each other, "he must be a murderer and justice has not allowed him to live". As the heat increased the viper was driven out. This is exactly what the presence of God with His people does; as the fire of God burns in our midst the enemy (serpent) flees as it says in Psalm 68:1. There is an amazing prophetic picture in v5 that Paul performed and played out for all eyes to see, Paul shakes the viper off his hand into the fire, (this was a declaration to the enemy that his future is sealed, his end is in the great fire).
The enemy must have thought he finally had Paul eliminated just like when Satan rejoiced when Jesus hung on the cross, but the violent earthquake proved that Jesus was risen and death defeated. Paul (v6) suffers no ill effects and God turned the minds of the people favourably to Paul. Paul now has moved into a position where he heals (v8) the chief official’s father and this in turn open the whole island to Paul and every sick person was brought to Paul and they were all cured (the Kingdom of God breaks out on the island). It did not stop here. Now the islanders honoured the men and furnished them with all their provision for the journey to Rome.
It gets better.
Paul arrives in Rome and asked to speak with the Jewish leaders, and to Paul’s amazement (v21) the Jewish leaders had not received any letter from Jerusalem and all was fine for Paul. (V24) many came to listen to Paul speak and some believed and some did not. For two years Paul spoke about the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ without hindrance. Note the enemy’s attack on Paul ended when Paul demonstrated (in v5) prophetically the victory that Christ won on the cross over the enemy. That same victory is yours today and it’s not just for you but for your household, all you need do is what it says in Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household”. Notice there was no trial before Caesar. The real trail played out over the journey during the ship-wreck. The process built character and this is true for you also, the storms build character, the trial is just the passing of judgement.
Now earlier I said that the Kingdom of God was “voice activated” and now I want to add to this and say it’s also “movement activated”, together they are powerful tools. In Exodus 17:11 it says as long as Moses hands were held up his people had victory in battle. In 2 Kings 5:10 Naaman was told to wash in the water 7 times and his leprosy would be healed. In John 9:11 Jesus put mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash, as soon as he washed he was healed. In Acts 3:7 Peter took hold of the crippled man and helped him up, immediately he was healed and the woman who was bleeding for years in Luke 8:44 touched Jesus and was healed. Lastly in Luke 7:30 the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected their destiny in God because they refused to get in the water and be baptised. Both voice and movement are both acts of faith and Hebrews 11 says without faith it is impossible to please God. As one that who kept his hands in his pockets or kept his arms folded in church for nearly 20 years it amazes me now when I see these things how I stubbornly rejected God all these years yet believed in my mind that I was walking with Him. Though a Christian, yet not walking in him.
So let the violent wind blow, the Holy Spirit is moving in our midst and “whosoever will” can move with the wind. Paul moved with the wind not because he was saved, but because he died, he died daily as 1 Corinthians 15:31 says. In Galations 2:20 Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
And lastly in Philippians 3:8 Paul says “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Today the Kingdom of God, my kingdom is not stuck in the clouds. For the first time ever I now realize “I am the Kingdom come” yes you and me once we are “in Christ” we are the “kingdom come”. In the past I allowed my head rule, today I know it’s in my heart that Jesus lives and it’s from here that He will reign in me and I will reign in him. I’m going to choose to live from my heart and not my head.
Declan.
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Acts: Part 2 of 3
This is part 2 of the 3 part series by Declan Doran. Enjoy.
Acts 27 – Paul on a death list of the Jewish Leaders, persecuted and imprisoned for up to 3 years since he returned to Jerusalem boarded a ship for Rome as prisoner to stand trial. Paul had just been told through the Spirit by his fellow believers not to go to Jerusalem Acts 21:4 and then a while later was told by Agabus the prophet in Acts 21:11 that he was going to be bound hand and foot in Jerusalem.
The disciples (believing community) tried to stop him but Paul said in Acts 21:13 “not only am I ready to be bound, but I am ready to die for the name of the Lord”. As they sailed, the seas grew dangerous and much time had been lost. They landed in a town and Paul prophesied v10 “Men I see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo and to our own lives also”. Neither the centurion, pilot nor owner of the ship listened to Paul. The next day a gentle south wind began to blow bringing warmer weather and better conditions and the pilot thinking he obtained what he needed set sail again. Before very long (v14) a hurricane force wind caught them. The ship could not head into the wind so they gave way to it and were driven along.
Remember, Paul was wanted dead; the enemy had enough of him and stirred the Jewish leaders to kill him. In one sense Paul though a prisoner got away from the Jewish leaders grasp but now the enemy took command of the wind and seas to continue the harassment and pursuit of Paul. Notice the pilot gave way to the storm and lost his control and drifted along. The consequences of us giving way in the storm will cause us to drift and lose control of our destiny. The next day they threw their cargo overboard (their wealth), the following day their tackle (their means to provide for themselves) and then the sun and stars disappeared for many days and they lost all hope.
When we give in and allow ourselves drift in the spiritual storms, we let our light drift also (Jesus is the light of the world). You know the sun and stars are still above just like God is, but the oppression of the enemy becomes so intense that we let go of our hope in God and therefore take upon us the standing of one who does not believe. (Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world).
In other words we lose our saltiness and without God we are just like non-believers. Paul’s yesterday’s blessings or yesterdays “manna” did not help him, now he like the rest “had given up hope” (reminds me of me). This guy needs a fresh encounter (can you believe it).
I just love Paul’s response and this should encourage each one of us. Paul gets up on his high horse and says in v 21 “You should have listened to me, I was right, then you would have been spared” – now what does this add to their current predicament, nothing, absolutely nothing, Paul let us have a solution rather than a brag about how right you were, or something positive besides a moan. How many times have you responded like Paul, I know I respond like this often and it achieves nothing? Now we see in v22 Paul become the man of God he was. Paul realizing he was doomed because of the storm, wet, hunger, cold and the atmosphere of hopelessness about him, spoke out to a foreign unbelieving, God-ignorant crew on board the ship and started telling them about angels and dreams and the like. (They must have thought he was hallucinating in the extreme conditions).
Question - Why if he was so spiritual did he not step in to help as soon as he awoke? why did he wait? did he not believe what the angel spoke in the night? had he forgotten? did his earlier rant cause on reflection a change within him? Did actually being face to face with death cause him to stand up? in Acts 21 he said he was ready to die (It did not take long for God to allow the enemy test him on this one). I believe when push came to shove, face to face with death with few options to hand, he realized and activated the authority he carried being “in Christ”. Remember he did not need a visitation of an angel during the night because in Acts 23:11 we know he had already received a word from the Lord in the night that he was going to stand trial in Rome. But I suspect because of the Lords great mercy, seeing Paul take on hopelessness, forget (in the light of probable death) this “great promise” he received of “standing trial in Rome”, that Paul had let this word and promise fall to the ground, the Lord in His grace appeared to Paul again and reminded him of this promise and told him he would indeed be spared (the Lord gave him a second chance so to speak).
Why did Paul allow himself lose hope (v20)? (remember this is Paul I’m speaking about), maybe when surrounded with a spirit of hopelessness and fear it grips us without our notice and takes hold of us. During the night the visit from the angel told him in v24 God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you. Now that’s a call and a half for anyone and it reminds me of Jeremiah 5:1 where the Lord said if you can find one honest and righteous man in the city, he would spare the city. (Forget your brothers and sisters for one second and ask yourself – are you that one righteous and honest person that can bring Gods covering and save a city?). This whole crew of 276 including Paul were in Paul’s hands. Now Paul was just a few days ago in v10 after saying that “there would be great loss to the ship, cargo and crew”. I suggest Paul was seized with the realization that his very own mouth had uttered words of death and condemnation over this very same company of 276 people that the angel of God had now said were in Paul’s hands. (Remember Satan took dominion from Adam when he sinned but Jesus won back dominion on the earth at the cross and gives it to the redeemed of God).
Realizing who he was in Christ, Paul as a son of God took dominion on earth as God intended it in the beginning as we see in Genesis 1:26 “rule over all the earth”. Paul had this dominion as we have if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and accept his redemption work on the cross as the only means by which me must be saved (Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”). Realizing who he was and the authority he carried Paul spoke out those words in v22 “not one of you will be lost” and it came to be. Paul knew the Kingdom of God is voice activated just like it says in Genesis as God spoke his kingdom was created, David said in Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession”, Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37 spoke life into an army of dead bones, Jesus over and over again spoke healing and deliverance and it was so and even the “food distributors” of Acts 6, mere men like you and me, appointed so that the apostles could concentrate on the “spiritual things” transformed cities with their words and power.
I believe Paul may have died had he not spoken these words of life in his situation and certainly many of the crew would have died. V10 “Men I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous, and bring great loss to ship and cargo and to our lives also”, now a good question to ask yourself, did Paul speak a lie here .. the answer is no, was Paul deceived by a false spirit .. again the answer is no, did God change his mind then .. again the answer is no. Paul spoke a prophetic word and most of it came to be. But the real amazing bit that’s hidden here is in v22, he speaks “not one of you will be lost”. In v 24 the angel of the Lord said to Paul “God has given you all that sail with you”. This did not necessarily mean that “not one will be lost”. I suggest Paul realizing he carried God given responsibility for the crew, chose life for the whole crew and spoke it into the heavenly realm over the ship as the storm raged. You could argue that I’m incorrect here, if you are of this belief just consider my suggestion and think for a few moments – what if I’m right, what if God is waiting for us to just stand and be who he made us to stand for the city about us, speak and declare life into it and its people. I suggest as Paul took his responsibility and spoke the words “not one of you will be lost”, those exact words created Paul’s break-through.
Declan D.
Acts 27 – Paul on a death list of the Jewish Leaders, persecuted and imprisoned for up to 3 years since he returned to Jerusalem boarded a ship for Rome as prisoner to stand trial. Paul had just been told through the Spirit by his fellow believers not to go to Jerusalem Acts 21:4 and then a while later was told by Agabus the prophet in Acts 21:11 that he was going to be bound hand and foot in Jerusalem.
The disciples (believing community) tried to stop him but Paul said in Acts 21:13 “not only am I ready to be bound, but I am ready to die for the name of the Lord”. As they sailed, the seas grew dangerous and much time had been lost. They landed in a town and Paul prophesied v10 “Men I see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo and to our own lives also”. Neither the centurion, pilot nor owner of the ship listened to Paul. The next day a gentle south wind began to blow bringing warmer weather and better conditions and the pilot thinking he obtained what he needed set sail again. Before very long (v14) a hurricane force wind caught them. The ship could not head into the wind so they gave way to it and were driven along.
Remember, Paul was wanted dead; the enemy had enough of him and stirred the Jewish leaders to kill him. In one sense Paul though a prisoner got away from the Jewish leaders grasp but now the enemy took command of the wind and seas to continue the harassment and pursuit of Paul. Notice the pilot gave way to the storm and lost his control and drifted along. The consequences of us giving way in the storm will cause us to drift and lose control of our destiny. The next day they threw their cargo overboard (their wealth), the following day their tackle (their means to provide for themselves) and then the sun and stars disappeared for many days and they lost all hope.
When we give in and allow ourselves drift in the spiritual storms, we let our light drift also (Jesus is the light of the world). You know the sun and stars are still above just like God is, but the oppression of the enemy becomes so intense that we let go of our hope in God and therefore take upon us the standing of one who does not believe. (Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world).
In other words we lose our saltiness and without God we are just like non-believers. Paul’s yesterday’s blessings or yesterdays “manna” did not help him, now he like the rest “had given up hope” (reminds me of me). This guy needs a fresh encounter (can you believe it).
I just love Paul’s response and this should encourage each one of us. Paul gets up on his high horse and says in v 21 “You should have listened to me, I was right, then you would have been spared” – now what does this add to their current predicament, nothing, absolutely nothing, Paul let us have a solution rather than a brag about how right you were, or something positive besides a moan. How many times have you responded like Paul, I know I respond like this often and it achieves nothing? Now we see in v22 Paul become the man of God he was. Paul realizing he was doomed because of the storm, wet, hunger, cold and the atmosphere of hopelessness about him, spoke out to a foreign unbelieving, God-ignorant crew on board the ship and started telling them about angels and dreams and the like. (They must have thought he was hallucinating in the extreme conditions).
Question - Why if he was so spiritual did he not step in to help as soon as he awoke? why did he wait? did he not believe what the angel spoke in the night? had he forgotten? did his earlier rant cause on reflection a change within him? Did actually being face to face with death cause him to stand up? in Acts 21 he said he was ready to die (It did not take long for God to allow the enemy test him on this one). I believe when push came to shove, face to face with death with few options to hand, he realized and activated the authority he carried being “in Christ”. Remember he did not need a visitation of an angel during the night because in Acts 23:11 we know he had already received a word from the Lord in the night that he was going to stand trial in Rome. But I suspect because of the Lords great mercy, seeing Paul take on hopelessness, forget (in the light of probable death) this “great promise” he received of “standing trial in Rome”, that Paul had let this word and promise fall to the ground, the Lord in His grace appeared to Paul again and reminded him of this promise and told him he would indeed be spared (the Lord gave him a second chance so to speak).
Why did Paul allow himself lose hope (v20)? (remember this is Paul I’m speaking about), maybe when surrounded with a spirit of hopelessness and fear it grips us without our notice and takes hold of us. During the night the visit from the angel told him in v24 God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you. Now that’s a call and a half for anyone and it reminds me of Jeremiah 5:1 where the Lord said if you can find one honest and righteous man in the city, he would spare the city. (Forget your brothers and sisters for one second and ask yourself – are you that one righteous and honest person that can bring Gods covering and save a city?). This whole crew of 276 including Paul were in Paul’s hands. Now Paul was just a few days ago in v10 after saying that “there would be great loss to the ship, cargo and crew”. I suggest Paul was seized with the realization that his very own mouth had uttered words of death and condemnation over this very same company of 276 people that the angel of God had now said were in Paul’s hands. (Remember Satan took dominion from Adam when he sinned but Jesus won back dominion on the earth at the cross and gives it to the redeemed of God).
Realizing who he was in Christ, Paul as a son of God took dominion on earth as God intended it in the beginning as we see in Genesis 1:26 “rule over all the earth”. Paul had this dominion as we have if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and accept his redemption work on the cross as the only means by which me must be saved (Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”). Realizing who he was and the authority he carried Paul spoke out those words in v22 “not one of you will be lost” and it came to be. Paul knew the Kingdom of God is voice activated just like it says in Genesis as God spoke his kingdom was created, David said in Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession”, Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37 spoke life into an army of dead bones, Jesus over and over again spoke healing and deliverance and it was so and even the “food distributors” of Acts 6, mere men like you and me, appointed so that the apostles could concentrate on the “spiritual things” transformed cities with their words and power.
I believe Paul may have died had he not spoken these words of life in his situation and certainly many of the crew would have died. V10 “Men I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous, and bring great loss to ship and cargo and to our lives also”, now a good question to ask yourself, did Paul speak a lie here .. the answer is no, was Paul deceived by a false spirit .. again the answer is no, did God change his mind then .. again the answer is no. Paul spoke a prophetic word and most of it came to be. But the real amazing bit that’s hidden here is in v22, he speaks “not one of you will be lost”. In v 24 the angel of the Lord said to Paul “God has given you all that sail with you”. This did not necessarily mean that “not one will be lost”. I suggest Paul realizing he carried God given responsibility for the crew, chose life for the whole crew and spoke it into the heavenly realm over the ship as the storm raged. You could argue that I’m incorrect here, if you are of this belief just consider my suggestion and think for a few moments – what if I’m right, what if God is waiting for us to just stand and be who he made us to stand for the city about us, speak and declare life into it and its people. I suggest as Paul took his responsibility and spoke the words “not one of you will be lost”, those exact words created Paul’s break-through.
Declan D.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
Acts: Part 1 of 3
This is the first of 3 blogs that have been written by Declan Doran. All 3 are based around the book of Acts. Parts 2 and 3 will be posted over the next few days. Enjoy!
The Book of Acts in the bible starts with a storm and ends with a storm, and all in between it speaks of how the Kingdom of God “violently” took root across the face of the world at that time. Now that I have just finished reading this amazing book of the bible it reminds me of the verse in Zechariah 2:5 “and I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within”. This a book full of the fire of the spirit and glory within.
The book starts with a violent wind at Pentecost in Acts 2:2. It introduces as Paul himself says in 1 Timothy 1:13 “a violent blasphemer and persecutor” in Acts 8-9. It tells us of a violent earthquake in Acts16:26. It is followed by violent disputes one recorded in Acts 23:10 and then ends with a violent storm in Acts 27:18. Just a tiny background on violent men in Matthews’s gospel adds to the picture of immense excitement and hope that the gospel spells out for mankind. In Matthew 8:28 there was a violent man in the hands of the evil one and all were afraid of this man, Jesus encountered this man in the countryside and the man’s life was changed forever, it’s interesting that it was then Jesus that the people feared. In Matthew 11:12 we are told that from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been violently advancing, and violent men lay hold of it, the word violent in this verse is also translated as “forceful” and therefore could read the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it. And lastly as way of an introduction the one violent act that displayed hope for you and me is spelled out in Matthew 28:2 “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it”. There for the world to see the tomb where Jesus was buried lay open and empty, the Christ had risen as Jesus Christ himself said he would and death itself was defeated.
Have you ever wondered where the violence above that the scriptures speak of has gone? Has our Christian culture lost sight somewhat of the “violence” spoken of above and run with a line “meek and mild”. Grace and love are two words that describe correctly attributes of our faith but “violence” and “power” were also attributes of the first Christians. Early believers gave their all, today so many of the western church give so little of themselves. I include myself in the “so many”. When I point my finger at others the funny thing is my finger turns back and points at me. I have a sense that today like back then God is looking for men and women who will stand like in Ezekiel 22:30 “I looked for one who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap, on behalf of the land so that I would not have to destroy it, but I found none”. I wish I could write differently and say that I can stand in the gap, but I can’t. In recent years I’m growing tired of playing “church” of playing “Christianity”, I’m not saying I’m tired of what I experience in my church, I’m saying within the wall of my being I’m tired of not “being in Christ”
Most of the years since I came to believe Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour, I have not managed to lay hold of the Kingdom of God, in fact for me the Kingdom of God has been stuck in the clouds, up there and not down here. In the past three years I’ve been battling in my mind accepting what God has been saying to me about who I am and the authority he has given me in his Kingdom here on earth. I’m not saying I’m special or anything at all, who I am and the authority he has given me is no different than that which you are and the authority you hold in this same Kingdom of God on earth if you are “in Christ”. My God is a gracious God and he answers the cry of a broken heart (Psalm 3:4) and reveals himself to those who fully seek him (2 Chronicles 16:9). Over these last three years I have been engaging in a painful process of moving my beliefs down that small journey from my head to my heart. As my world (my intellect / my need to have everything figured out in my mind) is being torn apart by Gods and His Word, I have noticed the kingdom of God is also being lowered from the clouds to the earth. I would like to ask “could there be a connection” but I’m unable to ask it like that, I can only say it as follows “there is a connection”.
Now back to the book of Acts and this book of the bible more than any other has been speaking to me powerfully this past few years. The word “violent” has been prominent as I read along and the last two chapters of this book has excited me much more than the two first chapters and this probably surprises you as the first two chapters are noted as major landmark chapters throughout the church down the years. Acts 1 & 2 tells you what’s available to you and me once you have accepted Jesus work on the cross. Acts 27 & 28 tells you how to engage this Kingdom of God. Put another way the cross of Christ opens the door, Acts 1 & 2 tells us what’s on the other side when we step through the cross, Acts 27 & 28 tells us how to grasp hold of it. All this is held together through the Holy Spirit who enables. I want to share with you what God has spoken to me as I read these last two chapters and it has encouraged me greatly to press on into our amazing God and to journey in Him and pull heaven down onto earth. Yes I mean pull it because it’s not Gods plan to force it on us on the earth, we have to want it and contend for it. Then and only then is God pleased to give his Kingdom to us here on earth as it is in Heaven.
Declan D
The Book of Acts in the bible starts with a storm and ends with a storm, and all in between it speaks of how the Kingdom of God “violently” took root across the face of the world at that time. Now that I have just finished reading this amazing book of the bible it reminds me of the verse in Zechariah 2:5 “and I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within”. This a book full of the fire of the spirit and glory within.
The book starts with a violent wind at Pentecost in Acts 2:2. It introduces as Paul himself says in 1 Timothy 1:13 “a violent blasphemer and persecutor” in Acts 8-9. It tells us of a violent earthquake in Acts16:26. It is followed by violent disputes one recorded in Acts 23:10 and then ends with a violent storm in Acts 27:18. Just a tiny background on violent men in Matthews’s gospel adds to the picture of immense excitement and hope that the gospel spells out for mankind. In Matthew 8:28 there was a violent man in the hands of the evil one and all were afraid of this man, Jesus encountered this man in the countryside and the man’s life was changed forever, it’s interesting that it was then Jesus that the people feared. In Matthew 11:12 we are told that from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been violently advancing, and violent men lay hold of it, the word violent in this verse is also translated as “forceful” and therefore could read the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it. And lastly as way of an introduction the one violent act that displayed hope for you and me is spelled out in Matthew 28:2 “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it”. There for the world to see the tomb where Jesus was buried lay open and empty, the Christ had risen as Jesus Christ himself said he would and death itself was defeated.
Have you ever wondered where the violence above that the scriptures speak of has gone? Has our Christian culture lost sight somewhat of the “violence” spoken of above and run with a line “meek and mild”. Grace and love are two words that describe correctly attributes of our faith but “violence” and “power” were also attributes of the first Christians. Early believers gave their all, today so many of the western church give so little of themselves. I include myself in the “so many”. When I point my finger at others the funny thing is my finger turns back and points at me. I have a sense that today like back then God is looking for men and women who will stand like in Ezekiel 22:30 “I looked for one who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap, on behalf of the land so that I would not have to destroy it, but I found none”. I wish I could write differently and say that I can stand in the gap, but I can’t. In recent years I’m growing tired of playing “church” of playing “Christianity”, I’m not saying I’m tired of what I experience in my church, I’m saying within the wall of my being I’m tired of not “being in Christ”
Most of the years since I came to believe Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour, I have not managed to lay hold of the Kingdom of God, in fact for me the Kingdom of God has been stuck in the clouds, up there and not down here. In the past three years I’ve been battling in my mind accepting what God has been saying to me about who I am and the authority he has given me in his Kingdom here on earth. I’m not saying I’m special or anything at all, who I am and the authority he has given me is no different than that which you are and the authority you hold in this same Kingdom of God on earth if you are “in Christ”. My God is a gracious God and he answers the cry of a broken heart (Psalm 3:4) and reveals himself to those who fully seek him (2 Chronicles 16:9). Over these last three years I have been engaging in a painful process of moving my beliefs down that small journey from my head to my heart. As my world (my intellect / my need to have everything figured out in my mind) is being torn apart by Gods and His Word, I have noticed the kingdom of God is also being lowered from the clouds to the earth. I would like to ask “could there be a connection” but I’m unable to ask it like that, I can only say it as follows “there is a connection”.
Now back to the book of Acts and this book of the bible more than any other has been speaking to me powerfully this past few years. The word “violent” has been prominent as I read along and the last two chapters of this book has excited me much more than the two first chapters and this probably surprises you as the first two chapters are noted as major landmark chapters throughout the church down the years. Acts 1 & 2 tells you what’s available to you and me once you have accepted Jesus work on the cross. Acts 27 & 28 tells you how to engage this Kingdom of God. Put another way the cross of Christ opens the door, Acts 1 & 2 tells us what’s on the other side when we step through the cross, Acts 27 & 28 tells us how to grasp hold of it. All this is held together through the Holy Spirit who enables. I want to share with you what God has spoken to me as I read these last two chapters and it has encouraged me greatly to press on into our amazing God and to journey in Him and pull heaven down onto earth. Yes I mean pull it because it’s not Gods plan to force it on us on the earth, we have to want it and contend for it. Then and only then is God pleased to give his Kingdom to us here on earth as it is in Heaven.
Declan D
Monday, 12 December 2011
My Parable- Reinhard Bonnke.
Reinhard Bonnke posted this on Facebook over the weekend and I wanted to share it with those who haven't read it yet.
This is how my parable begins. Let me call him John. John had a double story house, five plus five rooms. One day there was a gentle knock on the front door. When John opened it, there was the Lord Jesus. “Please come in”, John pleaded, “I will give you the best room in my house – it is upstairs. Well, Jesus is a gentleman and said “thank you”.
The next morning someone hammered against the front door. When John opened it who was there? The devil. “No” shouted John, “I don’t want you here” But the devil said “I’m already in” – and a big fight started. Satan poured filthy temptation on him, it was horrible. By the evening John somehow got the victory and threw the devil out. Then he said “wait a minute”. I gave Jesus the best room in the house, why didn’t he come to my rescue?” Jesus said to John “Look, you gave me one of the ten rooms…” John was on his knees and said “I can see my mistake. Sorry, Lord. Let’s make 50/50.” Jesus is a gentleman and accepted.
The next day was a repeat of the day before. Somehow the devil got in and out and John was totally exhausted. “Why didn’t Jesus come to my rescue today? I need to go and ask.” The Lord said “My son, why don’t you give me all 10 rooms and then, instead of me staying with you, you stay with me?” John broke down. He pulled the key of the front-door from his pocket and handed it to Jesus. Now, he had given it all.
The next morning, it was still dark, when someone was knocking at the front door so hard that the whole building shook. John jumped frightened and shaken out of bed crying “O, it’s the devil again”, when suddenly he heard footsteps – but this time inside the house. Jesus was marching in majesty and power towards the front door. He had the key. It now was His duty to answer the door. John was wondering what would happen and stood right behind Jesus when the Lord opened the door wide. Who was it? The devil of course. But when the devil saw Jesus standing in the door he bowed low, very low indeed, and said “Sorry Sir, I knocked on the wrong door!”
Some have given 9 rooms to Jesus and on the door of room number 10 they have written “Strictly Private”. It is there where they have their secret sins and live their double life. But Jesus cannot be cheated. C’mon. Let’s sing it together from the bottom of our hearts “Unto Jesus I surrender, unto Him I freely give….I surrender ALL, unto thee my God and Savior, I surrender all.” With all my love, REINHARD BONNKE.
Posted by Roger C.
This is how my parable begins. Let me call him John. John had a double story house, five plus five rooms. One day there was a gentle knock on the front door. When John opened it, there was the Lord Jesus. “Please come in”, John pleaded, “I will give you the best room in my house – it is upstairs. Well, Jesus is a gentleman and said “thank you”.
The next morning someone hammered against the front door. When John opened it who was there? The devil. “No” shouted John, “I don’t want you here” But the devil said “I’m already in” – and a big fight started. Satan poured filthy temptation on him, it was horrible. By the evening John somehow got the victory and threw the devil out. Then he said “wait a minute”. I gave Jesus the best room in the house, why didn’t he come to my rescue?” Jesus said to John “Look, you gave me one of the ten rooms…” John was on his knees and said “I can see my mistake. Sorry, Lord. Let’s make 50/50.” Jesus is a gentleman and accepted.
The next day was a repeat of the day before. Somehow the devil got in and out and John was totally exhausted. “Why didn’t Jesus come to my rescue today? I need to go and ask.” The Lord said “My son, why don’t you give me all 10 rooms and then, instead of me staying with you, you stay with me?” John broke down. He pulled the key of the front-door from his pocket and handed it to Jesus. Now, he had given it all.
The next morning, it was still dark, when someone was knocking at the front door so hard that the whole building shook. John jumped frightened and shaken out of bed crying “O, it’s the devil again”, when suddenly he heard footsteps – but this time inside the house. Jesus was marching in majesty and power towards the front door. He had the key. It now was His duty to answer the door. John was wondering what would happen and stood right behind Jesus when the Lord opened the door wide. Who was it? The devil of course. But when the devil saw Jesus standing in the door he bowed low, very low indeed, and said “Sorry Sir, I knocked on the wrong door!”
Some have given 9 rooms to Jesus and on the door of room number 10 they have written “Strictly Private”. It is there where they have their secret sins and live their double life. But Jesus cannot be cheated. C’mon. Let’s sing it together from the bottom of our hearts “Unto Jesus I surrender, unto Him I freely give….I surrender ALL, unto thee my God and Savior, I surrender all.” With all my love, REINHARD BONNKE.
Posted by Roger C.
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