We are making Yahweh boring. He wants to show his glory to the world, so people can know him and his love for them. He does that through us but when we limit him to our limitations and say that is all there is to Yahweh then the world yawns and turns the page. Somewhere along the way we decided to chase after respectability in the world and told people that they could not preach, teach or serve Jesus in any public ministry without letters behind their names. As we did this we seemed to have lost the ability to let God be God in us.
There is a reason Jesus called his disciples from common working people such as the fishermen. There wasn't a scholar among them because he needed people who were willing to allow the possibilities to become realities in their lives so the world could look in and be amazed. As much as the sermons have been great throughout the ages, it has been with a demonstration of Yahweh's power that much of the Kingdom has advanced.
Did you notice that when Paul was in Athens, the place of great intellectual pursuit, that he was limited to public debate. No miracles, no signs and wonders, simply an intellectual discussion, as Jesus was limited in some regions due to the unwillingness to believe beyond the flesh. And what was the result:
Some people joined him and came to believe, including Dionysius, a member of the council on Mars Hill, a woman named Damaris, and several others. (Acts 17:34)
Some. Few enough to name. At least a small harvest because Yahweh's word never returns empty, it always produces something, but very little compared to what was produced when Paul was free to demonstrate the gospel with power. Paul remarked that these people were very religious but it never went beyond an intellectual pursuit. Compare this to what happened in Corinth where Paul was able to establish the Church. The difference?
My message and my preaching weren’t presented with convincing wise words but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power. (1 Corinthians 2:4)
The Spirit is never going to take us outside of the Word of God and the Word is incredible but the Lord gave us the Spirit for a reason. Our relationship with Jesus is not an intellectual pursuit any more than is my relationship with my wife. We need to let God be God through us, revealing who he is to a bored world. Will we allow the Miracle Worker work through us for the benefit of the lost?
Showing posts with label 1 Corinthians 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Corinthians 2. Show all posts
Friday, January 30, 2015
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Would They Describe You As Powerful?
What is an authentic Christian? What do they look like? How do they act? How do they talk? What do they do? If you ask the same question about an American to various people of the world you will get some specific responses that reveal a generalization about Americans. Even though they are a diverse people they are thought of in a specific way, related to appearance, action, speech. This is also true about Canadians, and no, we don't all say "eh", live in igloos and ride polar bears to work. This generalization can be true of any nation as we attempt to define the distinctions of each country. But Christians need to be careful not to allow these generalizations to limit the Spirit's work in us.
Many people will tell you that Christians are suppose to be loving, kind, forgiving, merciful and generous. All great and very necessary things because they come from the character of Father but if we limit ourselves to these things we are missing out on our purpose. Many great leaders, teachers, prophets of the past have taught on these things. Mind you, they did not have the power to transforms hearts of their followers to enable them to have this character, but Jesus was even more than this. Look at one simple verse to understand that Jesus was more than a teacher or a simple prophet:
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. (Luke 6:19)
"Of course he is powerful, he is the Son of God." Yet he set the advantages of the divinity aside (Philippines 2) so that he could live like us. Power came on him at the baptism as the Spirit entered him. The same Spirit we have been given. Jesus' words:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. (John 7:37-39)
Part of the description of a Christian that is sadly missing is "powerful". Jesus describes the Spirit as living water that is suppose to flow from our heart. But we deny this in ourselves, limit ourselves to the expectation of others and often fall short of what Jesus intended. We even avoid Paul the apostle as he wrote:
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
Paul recognized the difference between his natural condition and that of his spiritual reality. Of his natural condition he wrote:
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. (v. 3)
It is quite the contrast but Paul did not rely on his flesh nor did he limit Jesus to it. He knew the power of the Spirit and he was determined to be submitted so the Spirit would have the freedom to do what was necessary to persuade people of the love and power of Jesus, so that they would be saved.
There is no doubt that love is the greatest of all things but it is not the only thing. In fact, love does not even come from us. Either does any of the character traits of Yahweh. We are incapable of faith or of his love, but he gives us these things to complete us and so we can walk the walk in this dark world. But we are not to limit his work in and through us to these things because he has also given us power through this same Spirit.
It is a real shame to see Christians limit the work of the Spirit in them simply because of the walls they erect from their own prejudices. What is worse, to make themselves feel good about these self inflicted limitations, they mock those who have made the decision not to limit the Spirit. We can try to excuse away the words of Jesus and Paul but it is harder to find excuses for what the Spirit did through them.
The world needs to hear the words because they are the foundation of our faith but they also need a "demonstration of the Spirit and power" so that their faith "should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God". This is important so that people will understand that Jesus has the power to cleanse us of our sins and to raise us at the resurrection. If we do not trust he has this power we will not put our faith in his words. A lot of teachers taught about love but none walked on water, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, feed the multitudes with a small lunch, or raised the dead. None of them sent demons packing or conquered the grave. But Jesus not only did all these, he also said you would too. The question then is: Will you?
Many people will tell you that Christians are suppose to be loving, kind, forgiving, merciful and generous. All great and very necessary things because they come from the character of Father but if we limit ourselves to these things we are missing out on our purpose. Many great leaders, teachers, prophets of the past have taught on these things. Mind you, they did not have the power to transforms hearts of their followers to enable them to have this character, but Jesus was even more than this. Look at one simple verse to understand that Jesus was more than a teacher or a simple prophet:
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. (Luke 6:19)
"Of course he is powerful, he is the Son of God." Yet he set the advantages of the divinity aside (Philippines 2) so that he could live like us. Power came on him at the baptism as the Spirit entered him. The same Spirit we have been given. Jesus' words:
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. (John 7:37-39)
Part of the description of a Christian that is sadly missing is "powerful". Jesus describes the Spirit as living water that is suppose to flow from our heart. But we deny this in ourselves, limit ourselves to the expectation of others and often fall short of what Jesus intended. We even avoid Paul the apostle as he wrote:
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
Paul recognized the difference between his natural condition and that of his spiritual reality. Of his natural condition he wrote:
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. (v. 3)
It is quite the contrast but Paul did not rely on his flesh nor did he limit Jesus to it. He knew the power of the Spirit and he was determined to be submitted so the Spirit would have the freedom to do what was necessary to persuade people of the love and power of Jesus, so that they would be saved.
There is no doubt that love is the greatest of all things but it is not the only thing. In fact, love does not even come from us. Either does any of the character traits of Yahweh. We are incapable of faith or of his love, but he gives us these things to complete us and so we can walk the walk in this dark world. But we are not to limit his work in and through us to these things because he has also given us power through this same Spirit.
It is a real shame to see Christians limit the work of the Spirit in them simply because of the walls they erect from their own prejudices. What is worse, to make themselves feel good about these self inflicted limitations, they mock those who have made the decision not to limit the Spirit. We can try to excuse away the words of Jesus and Paul but it is harder to find excuses for what the Spirit did through them.
The world needs to hear the words because they are the foundation of our faith but they also need a "demonstration of the Spirit and power" so that their faith "should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God". This is important so that people will understand that Jesus has the power to cleanse us of our sins and to raise us at the resurrection. If we do not trust he has this power we will not put our faith in his words. A lot of teachers taught about love but none walked on water, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, feed the multitudes with a small lunch, or raised the dead. None of them sent demons packing or conquered the grave. But Jesus not only did all these, he also said you would too. The question then is: Will you?
Saturday, January 11, 2014
People Don't Want To Listen About Jesus
Have you noticed it is harder for people to accept Jesus Christ these days? You can present them with the truth of their condition, share your testimony and even share parts of the gospel to them, but they persist in their disbelief. You are doing all you can but nothing seems to be happening. Well, glory to Yahweh, you are at least planting a seed that the Holy Spirit will continue to work on. But why is it getting harder to share the good news of Jesus?
I believe I found a hint during my recent read-through of Exodus. Moses had already presented himself to Pharaoh and listed the demands of the LORD. In turn Pharaoh rejected the demands and ordered that hard labour of the Hebrew slaves to be increased by removing the provision of the straw for the making of bricks. Pharaoh knew what he was doing. By making them suffer because of Moses the people would turn on Moses.
Moses spoke to the people with the great news from the LORD, that he was rescuing them from their oppressors, taking them to a new land "flowing with milk and honey", and was claiming them as his children. This should have been absolutely fantastic news to them. In fact, they had never known the name of their God and here he revealed it as Yahweh, translated in our Bibles as "the LORD". This was an indication of the intimacy into which he wanted to bring them. But the people didn't want to listen. Life was hard enough. They could not lift their eyes beyond what they knew:
So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:9)
Circumstances are a bit different today but it comes down to the same thing. People are lost in their "anguish of spirit" and their "cruel bondage". We know that bondage today to be the bondage of sin and how it keeps their spirit from the one who created them. I find it interesting that Jesus came with the same good news that Yahweh gave to Moses:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
Jesus read these words of Isaiah as he proclaimed the beginning of his mission. He brought to us the good news. He came to proclaim freedom for the prisoner, sight for the blind, freedom from oppression and to announce the LORD's favor. We, like Moses, take these words to a people who are in "anguish of spirit" and lost in "cruel bondage", only they don't even realize it, just as the people around Jesus did not know.
How did Yahweh get through to the people? With a demonstration of his mighty power. He gave them signs and wonders to encourage them in their belief. How did Jesus wake the people up? With signs and wonders, a demonstration of his might, both to heal the body and the soul. How did Paul present the message of Jesus? By a demonstration of power:
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
What the captives of our age need are messengers who are not afraid to allow the LORD to work through us however he sees fit. Sometimes our testimony is enough to open a person's heart to the freedom of Jesus but other times that heart is so hard it takes a "demonstration of the Spirit's power". Don't be afraid to offer yourself fully to Jesus, to be used by him however he needs you, even if it is to work miracles. This generation is desperate for the Good News because they can't see beyond what they know.
I believe I found a hint during my recent read-through of Exodus. Moses had already presented himself to Pharaoh and listed the demands of the LORD. In turn Pharaoh rejected the demands and ordered that hard labour of the Hebrew slaves to be increased by removing the provision of the straw for the making of bricks. Pharaoh knew what he was doing. By making them suffer because of Moses the people would turn on Moses.
Moses spoke to the people with the great news from the LORD, that he was rescuing them from their oppressors, taking them to a new land "flowing with milk and honey", and was claiming them as his children. This should have been absolutely fantastic news to them. In fact, they had never known the name of their God and here he revealed it as Yahweh, translated in our Bibles as "the LORD". This was an indication of the intimacy into which he wanted to bring them. But the people didn't want to listen. Life was hard enough. They could not lift their eyes beyond what they knew:
So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:9)
Circumstances are a bit different today but it comes down to the same thing. People are lost in their "anguish of spirit" and their "cruel bondage". We know that bondage today to be the bondage of sin and how it keeps their spirit from the one who created them. I find it interesting that Jesus came with the same good news that Yahweh gave to Moses:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
Jesus read these words of Isaiah as he proclaimed the beginning of his mission. He brought to us the good news. He came to proclaim freedom for the prisoner, sight for the blind, freedom from oppression and to announce the LORD's favor. We, like Moses, take these words to a people who are in "anguish of spirit" and lost in "cruel bondage", only they don't even realize it, just as the people around Jesus did not know.
How did Yahweh get through to the people? With a demonstration of his mighty power. He gave them signs and wonders to encourage them in their belief. How did Jesus wake the people up? With signs and wonders, a demonstration of his might, both to heal the body and the soul. How did Paul present the message of Jesus? By a demonstration of power:
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
What the captives of our age need are messengers who are not afraid to allow the LORD to work through us however he sees fit. Sometimes our testimony is enough to open a person's heart to the freedom of Jesus but other times that heart is so hard it takes a "demonstration of the Spirit's power". Don't be afraid to offer yourself fully to Jesus, to be used by him however he needs you, even if it is to work miracles. This generation is desperate for the Good News because they can't see beyond what they know.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Do Angels Still Speak?
If you ask me how God does something my response will be, however he wants to do it. If the Bible teaches us anything it is that our God responds in a diverse manner that suits the person and situation. So, would God use angels to convey something to us? It wouldn't be beyond him so I wouldn't rule it out, by why would he put a mediator between us and him?
In ancient times God had to communicate to us through prophets and angels. There are a few examples of God speaking directly to people but they were exceptions. However all of that changed with Jesus Christ:
In the past, God spoke through the prophets to our ancestors in many times and many ways. In these final days, though, he spoke to us through a Son. God made his Son the heir of everything and created the world through him. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
God revealed his heart, his plan, his great mysteries through the Son, and then something really amazing happened. Jesus returned to the Father so that he could send us the great Comforter, the Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit of God who now dwells in us, making us one with Jesus; Jesus in us and us in him. Here is the truly amazing thing:
Spiritual people comprehend everything, but they themselves aren’t understood by anyone. Who has known the mind of the Lord, who will advise him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)
We do not have the Holy Spirit on us like the prophets did in ancient times. The Spirit would come on them as they needed to act or speak God's will. Instead we have the Spirit of God in us, living in us, giving us the mind of Christ, that we would know and do the will of God.
There was a time when God could only speak to his people through angels and prophets but we are now one with God so that he speaks to us directly. The question is, are we listening?
We have to be careful because there is one who wants to drive us into confusion and cause blindness to God's people. He has done it to the world and of late he has been effective in the Body of Christ:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Don't allow the lies of the enemy to cut you off from communication with our Father. Don't listen to those who have lifted humanism, morality above the truth of our relationship with the Christ. The Father is still speaking and he is speaking with you. Set aside thoughts of angels and open your ears to the Spirit's voice. Allow him to direct your days according to the will of the Father.
In ancient times God had to communicate to us through prophets and angels. There are a few examples of God speaking directly to people but they were exceptions. However all of that changed with Jesus Christ:
In the past, God spoke through the prophets to our ancestors in many times and many ways. In these final days, though, he spoke to us through a Son. God made his Son the heir of everything and created the world through him. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
God revealed his heart, his plan, his great mysteries through the Son, and then something really amazing happened. Jesus returned to the Father so that he could send us the great Comforter, the Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit of God who now dwells in us, making us one with Jesus; Jesus in us and us in him. Here is the truly amazing thing:
Spiritual people comprehend everything, but they themselves aren’t understood by anyone. Who has known the mind of the Lord, who will advise him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)
We do not have the Holy Spirit on us like the prophets did in ancient times. The Spirit would come on them as they needed to act or speak God's will. Instead we have the Spirit of God in us, living in us, giving us the mind of Christ, that we would know and do the will of God.
There was a time when God could only speak to his people through angels and prophets but we are now one with God so that he speaks to us directly. The question is, are we listening?
We have to be careful because there is one who wants to drive us into confusion and cause blindness to God's people. He has done it to the world and of late he has been effective in the Body of Christ:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Don't allow the lies of the enemy to cut you off from communication with our Father. Don't listen to those who have lifted humanism, morality above the truth of our relationship with the Christ. The Father is still speaking and he is speaking with you. Set aside thoughts of angels and open your ears to the Spirit's voice. Allow him to direct your days according to the will of the Father.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
What Are You Without The Spirit?
We are crazy you know. Imagine trying to follow Jesus Christ while ignoring the Spirit. Are we kidding? We can't do anything of any eternal worth without the Spirit. We can't hear from God. We can't have kingdom eyes. We can't serve with anointing. There is no power. No sustainability. No conviction. No direction. No communion. No wisdom. And there is no need for us to try it without the Spirit.
Honestly, do you feel you are where you are meant to be with Jesus; in the relationship I mean? Are you always aware of his presence? Are you receiving direction throughout your day? Do you sense God's power to do anything you are asked to do? Do you feel you are living in obedience? Do you know him as you should, in the deep personal places of your life? Do you love him with all your passion, your very being? Be frightfully honest because you aren't fooling him.
Do you know that Jesus did nothing without the Spirit? At the moment he had John baptize him, Jesus also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This was a foreshadowing of what was to come for his followers. Jesus did not need either baptism but he told John that everything had to be done correctly. He was following a script that had been written in the ancient of days. In the letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote that Jesus did not consider equally with God something to be grasped but, found in the appearance of a man, he became a servant. A servant baptized by the Holy Spirit to carry out the Father's will as an example of how we would serve.
Have we forgotten Pentecost? Have we forgotten the need for the baptism of the Spirit. The baptism by water is a "John's" baptism, a thing of repentance. It is the baptism of fire, that of the Spirit, that brings life and power. Power to live our life to the glory of the Father. Power to obey. Power to overcome. Power to be victorious in all things. Power to love. Power for compassion. Power to forgive. Power to heal the sick. The power to stand in his presence, to serve him all our days, to breathe our last breath to his glory.
You cannot see God, the Kingdom, nor understand his will for you and your days without the Spirit:
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
In fact, if you do not have the Spirit of God you do not belong to Jesus. We live by the rules of the Kingdom even though we live in a fallen world. We are not governed by the rules here because the rules we follow are much higher. The Word puts it clearly that we do not belong to this realm:
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9)
Again, if you do not have the Spirit of God you do not belong to Jesus.
The Spirit is not dormant in you. If you cannot sense him, if you do not hear him, if he is not speaking to you, directing you, then you have no part with him. The Holy Spirit is active in us, reminding us daily who we belong to, what his promises are, providing the power we live by and telling us what we are to do. The Word is very clear on the Spirit and yet we ignore him at our peril.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. (Romans 8:14)
Notice the word "led". A very important word. Can you say you are led by the Spirit?
Are you living by the Spirit or by your flesh? It is a question I am asking myself every day now because it is easy to give in to this flesh and let it lead for a while. It is easy to live by my own wisdom and experience. It is easy, but it is without Christ. It is without power. It is without conviction. It is without hope. It is without peace. It is without joy.
I don't want that!
I want Jesus. I want to be in him and I want him in me. I don't know anything and he knows everything. Rise up in me Spirit of God and lead me in the path of righteousness, the path of my King, the path of my Saviour. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us!
Honestly, do you feel you are where you are meant to be with Jesus; in the relationship I mean? Are you always aware of his presence? Are you receiving direction throughout your day? Do you sense God's power to do anything you are asked to do? Do you feel you are living in obedience? Do you know him as you should, in the deep personal places of your life? Do you love him with all your passion, your very being? Be frightfully honest because you aren't fooling him.
Do you know that Jesus did nothing without the Spirit? At the moment he had John baptize him, Jesus also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This was a foreshadowing of what was to come for his followers. Jesus did not need either baptism but he told John that everything had to be done correctly. He was following a script that had been written in the ancient of days. In the letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote that Jesus did not consider equally with God something to be grasped but, found in the appearance of a man, he became a servant. A servant baptized by the Holy Spirit to carry out the Father's will as an example of how we would serve.
Have we forgotten Pentecost? Have we forgotten the need for the baptism of the Spirit. The baptism by water is a "John's" baptism, a thing of repentance. It is the baptism of fire, that of the Spirit, that brings life and power. Power to live our life to the glory of the Father. Power to obey. Power to overcome. Power to be victorious in all things. Power to love. Power for compassion. Power to forgive. Power to heal the sick. The power to stand in his presence, to serve him all our days, to breathe our last breath to his glory.
You cannot see God, the Kingdom, nor understand his will for you and your days without the Spirit:
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
In fact, if you do not have the Spirit of God you do not belong to Jesus. We live by the rules of the Kingdom even though we live in a fallen world. We are not governed by the rules here because the rules we follow are much higher. The Word puts it clearly that we do not belong to this realm:
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9)
Again, if you do not have the Spirit of God you do not belong to Jesus.
The Spirit is not dormant in you. If you cannot sense him, if you do not hear him, if he is not speaking to you, directing you, then you have no part with him. The Holy Spirit is active in us, reminding us daily who we belong to, what his promises are, providing the power we live by and telling us what we are to do. The Word is very clear on the Spirit and yet we ignore him at our peril.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. (Romans 8:14)
Notice the word "led". A very important word. Can you say you are led by the Spirit?
Are you living by the Spirit or by your flesh? It is a question I am asking myself every day now because it is easy to give in to this flesh and let it lead for a while. It is easy to live by my own wisdom and experience. It is easy, but it is without Christ. It is without power. It is without conviction. It is without hope. It is without peace. It is without joy.
I don't want that!
I want Jesus. I want to be in him and I want him in me. I don't know anything and he knows everything. Rise up in me Spirit of God and lead me in the path of righteousness, the path of my King, the path of my Saviour. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)