The 5 am gathering of brethren in Christ learned that
seeing God, that is, reading His words, require starting from the end
(the goal and end result intended by God). That is how they were led in
the Spirit to read Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
When they read chapter one this way the eyes of their hearts opened, just as Paul had prayed (which prayer the brethren copied and prayed daily). The
key verses of the first prayer are: Ephesians 1:17-19. without the
opening of our spiritual eyes we cannot understand this letter at all.
What does God want to achieve as the end result for His
people? A glorious body of Christ, holy and without blemish, presented
to Him, be the praise of His glory, fulfilling the will of His good
pleasure! That makes sense of all the blessings He has given to those who believe just to make sure they make it to the end goal, all in Christ and filled with Christ to the full!
How can they make it? That is exactly what Paul’s letter is about.
Here are some of the findings received by us:
God created humans. He knows what we are made of and what we can and cannot in our natural capacity and capability.
He has a good plan for us so He has given us what we cannot have in
the natural so that we may make it to reaching His final goal for us in
Christ.
1. He has given us Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus has completed
everything He needs to complete (the whole salvation package which
encompasses all things, the entrance into the kingdom of God and the
power and authority to live as children of God).
2. In Christ He has given us all spiritual blessings, pertaining to living the victorious life of the children of God.
3. In Christ He has given us the power to do so, that is, the power
of the Holy Spirit. (This is the same power that He raised Jesus from
the dead).
“and [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable
and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who
believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He
exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at
His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places]. far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion and every name…not only in this age and
in this world, but also…to come.” (1:19-21)
4. God wants us to know this. Why? Because only by knowing we can
live accordingly, manifesting His power in and for us who believe.
5. God provided the Holy Spirit for us. The Holy Spirit leads us into
all truth. He gives us understanding and the mighty strength to live
out the title and entitlement of children of God.
6. Through the Holy Spirit we can access every spiritual blessing
(which in KJV is described as “all spiritual blessings in the heavenly
places” 1:3) giving by the Holy Spirit.
7. By faith we are joined to the Lord and be one spirit with the Lord
Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:17). By faith we become members of His body, of
His flesh and of His bone (6:30). By faith we reach into the spiritual
realm (heavenly places) and receive all blessings which God has given us
(Ephesians 1:3) to enable us to live for the praise of His glory,
according to the will of His good pleasure.
This means we will not subject our body and soul (body, mind, emotion
included) under the bondage of the evil power (all rule and authority
and power and dominion and every name…) which rule this world (physical
and spiritual). How do we do this? By the power of God in us and for us
and all the spiritual resources readily available for us to use (using
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and taking the authority of the Son of
God Himself, which has been given to us as children of God).
Watchman’s suggested readings: from KJV, NKJV, AMP; Ephesians 1; 1 Corinthians 2; 2 Corinthians 3.;
May 2, 2013
April 30, 2013
Journey to see God - Your Doctor (Healer)
God says, “For I am the LORD who heals you.” He spoke to His people as recorded in Exodus 15:26 (over
3400 years ago). He still speaks to His people today the same today.
This declaration of God is valid today as God has not revoked it. It is
most relevant and urgent in this generation as the needs for physical
and mental healing have escalated to an unprecedented level in frequency
and intensity.
This time I will quote passages (excerpts only) from some books that the Lord has led me and my brethren in Christ to re-read lately.
Vine’s complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
To Heal: rapa (7495), “to heal.” This word si common to both modern and ancient Hebrew. It occurs approximately 65 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, appearing first in Genesis 20:17: “ God healed Abimelech.”
“To heal” may be described as “restoring to normal,” an act which God typically performs. Thus, appeals to God for healing are common: “O Lord, heal me for my bones are vexed” (Ps. 6:2); “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed” (Jer. 17:14). not only are human diseases “healed”, but bad water is restored to normal or “healed” (2 Kings 2:22)…
False prophets are condemned because they deal only with the symptoms and not with the deep spiritual hurts of the people: “They have healed also the hurts of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14; also 8:11).
New Spirit Filled Life Bible – New King James Version
Kingdom Dynamics (topical articles on spiritual truth)
Exodus 15:26 The Old Testament Healing Covenant, DIVINE HEALING. This verse is widely referred to as the OT Divine Healing Covenant. It is called a “covenant”, because in it God promises He will keep His people free from diseases and conditions the promise upon their diligent obedience.
The words used here for “diseases” (Hebrew makhaleh) and “heals” (Hebrew rapha) are regularly used for physical sickness and bodily healing. This is not only a spiritual concept, but also an intensive physical one. The covenant is made absolutely certain by the fact that God joins His mighty name to the promise, calling Himself “Yahweh-Rapha”, meaning “the LORD who heals.”
Power in the Name (Revealing the God Who Provides and Heals) by Derek Prince
Exodus 15:22-26 “…for I, the LORD [Jehovah], am your healer.” (NASB)
The second covenant name of God is given at the very end of the passage: “the LORD…you healer.”
The word that is translated “healer” is the basic Hebrew word for “physical healing”. In modern Hebrew, it is the word used for “doctor”. In face, it would be perfectly correct to translate this as “I am Jehovah, your doctor.” That is exactly what it would be in contemporary Hebrew, “the LORD (Jehovah, or Yahweh) is directly connected to the word for one who heals. Alternatively, we could say, “The Lord who heals.”
Requirement for healing -wholehearted faith in God
The basic requirement for healing is stated clearly: “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God…” (Exodus 15:26). In the original Hebrew, it is literally, “If listening you will listen to the voice of the LORD.” The word listen is repeated twice.
Remember that God is still the healer of His people. The blessings of the covenant are now available to both Jews and Gentiles-to all those who come in faith, through Jesus, to God the Father, on the basis of His covenantal name: The One Who Heals. (Exodus 15:26)
Healing The Sick – A living Classic, by T.L Osborn
Chapter 1 How Many Will God Heal?
I will take sicknesses away from you. The number of your days I will fulfill. (Exodus 23:25-26)
I am the Lord who heals you. (Exodus 15:26)
The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint you with what the Bible teaches: If you are sick, God wants to heal you.
Until you are fully convinced that God wants you to be well, there will always be a doubt in your mind as to whether or not you will be healed. As long as there is that doubt in your mind, perfect faith cannot exist, and until faith is exercised, without doubt or wavering, you may never be healed.
Without faith, it is impossible to please Him; for they that come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrew 11:6)
But let them ask in faith, nothing wavering. For they that waver are like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not those [who waver] think they shall receive any thing of the Lord. (James 1:6-7)
Once people are fully convinced that God wants to heal them and that it is not God’s will for them to be sick, they almost always receive healing when prayed for, if not before. Knowing God’s will concerning sickness provides the ground on which perfect faith can act.
God is honest
There has not failed one word of all His good promise. 1 Kings 8:56
For ever O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89
I will hasten My word to perform it. Jeremiah 1:12 That word hasten means: “to watch over”, “to look after”, “to protect”, or “to stand behind.” In all of His unlimited power, God is standing behind His word to accomplish it. Believe that.
There is no reason for doubting God.
Three Million Healed
God announced Himself to be the healer of His people (Ex. 15:26). He spoke those words to about three million people. (Ex. 12:37) Everyone of them believed god’s words were true. The result: Everyone of them who needed healing was made perfectly whole.
We are told: He brought them forth…and there was not one feeble person among their tribes (Ps. 105:37). Can you imagine three million people all well and strong? Not one feeble, not one weak, and not one sick?
If that was true in Israel, under the law, it is much more true for you, who have been redeemed by the blood of God’s Lamb and are living under grace, mercy and truth.
Let this be a settle truth that you know, as well as you know two plus two are four: Healing is for you -all may be healed.
The only reason disease takes such a toll among Christians today is that many do not believe what God has spoken. They know God said, I am the Lord who heals you. Somehow they have failed to believe He meant what He said, which is basically what Satan said to Adam and Eve: God did not mean what He said. Influenced by tradition (Mark 7:13), people have changed God’s I am to “I was.”
Chapter Two Healing is for All
There is no better way to know the will of God than by reading the Gospels, which record the teachings and the works of Christ. Jesus was the physical expression of the Father’s will. His life was both a revelation and a manifestation of the unchanging love and will of God. He acted out the will of God for us.
Uncertainty corrected
Healing is for all and should be preached to all
Philip preached Christ at Samaria (Acts 8:6-8). Jesus proved to be exactly the same when Philip told the people about Him.
Peter preached Christ to the cripple (Acts 3:6), to the multitudes (Acts 5:14-16), to Aeneas (Acts 9:34). All were healed. Jesus was the same for Peter.
Wherever and whenever Jesus Christ is proclaimed as our sacrifices for sin and sickness, physical healing as well as spiritual salvation will result.
Paul preached Christ (Acts 14:8-9). Paul must have preached the gospel of healing, because the lame man received faith to be healed while listening to Paul’s message.
Let it be a settle fact: It is God’s will to heal you. You have a right to healing as well as forgiveness when you believe.
Healing is part of the gospel and is to be preached throughout all the world and to every creature, to the end of the world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:20).
Being part of the gospel, the divine blessing of physical healing is for all.
This time I will quote passages (excerpts only) from some books that the Lord has led me and my brethren in Christ to re-read lately.
Vine’s complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
To Heal: rapa (7495), “to heal.” This word si common to both modern and ancient Hebrew. It occurs approximately 65 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, appearing first in Genesis 20:17: “ God healed Abimelech.”
“To heal” may be described as “restoring to normal,” an act which God typically performs. Thus, appeals to God for healing are common: “O Lord, heal me for my bones are vexed” (Ps. 6:2); “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed” (Jer. 17:14). not only are human diseases “healed”, but bad water is restored to normal or “healed” (2 Kings 2:22)…
False prophets are condemned because they deal only with the symptoms and not with the deep spiritual hurts of the people: “They have healed also the hurts of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14; also 8:11).
New Spirit Filled Life Bible – New King James Version
Kingdom Dynamics (topical articles on spiritual truth)
Exodus 15:26 The Old Testament Healing Covenant, DIVINE HEALING. This verse is widely referred to as the OT Divine Healing Covenant. It is called a “covenant”, because in it God promises He will keep His people free from diseases and conditions the promise upon their diligent obedience.
The words used here for “diseases” (Hebrew makhaleh) and “heals” (Hebrew rapha) are regularly used for physical sickness and bodily healing. This is not only a spiritual concept, but also an intensive physical one. The covenant is made absolutely certain by the fact that God joins His mighty name to the promise, calling Himself “Yahweh-Rapha”, meaning “the LORD who heals.”
Power in the Name (Revealing the God Who Provides and Heals) by Derek Prince
Exodus 15:22-26 “…for I, the LORD [Jehovah], am your healer.” (NASB)
The second covenant name of God is given at the very end of the passage: “the LORD…you healer.”
The word that is translated “healer” is the basic Hebrew word for “physical healing”. In modern Hebrew, it is the word used for “doctor”. In face, it would be perfectly correct to translate this as “I am Jehovah, your doctor.” That is exactly what it would be in contemporary Hebrew, “the LORD (Jehovah, or Yahweh) is directly connected to the word for one who heals. Alternatively, we could say, “The Lord who heals.”
Requirement for healing -wholehearted faith in God
The basic requirement for healing is stated clearly: “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God…” (Exodus 15:26). In the original Hebrew, it is literally, “If listening you will listen to the voice of the LORD.” The word listen is repeated twice.
Once, as I lay sick in a hospital, desperately needing healing and seeking God for it in the Scriptures, this verse came to me. I said, “What does it mean to ‘listen’, ‘listening’?” And it seemed God gave me this answer: “…To ‘listen’, ‘listening’ is to listen to Me with both ears. But if you listen to Me with one ear and to somebody else with the other ear, all you get is confusion and not faith.” So, I stopped up my ear to the sinister whisper of the devil and listened to God with both ears. Sure enough, I received my healing!Jesus was the final fulfillment of the healing covenant of God for His people. On the cross, Jesus not only bore our sin, but He also took our infirmities and carried away our diseases. He not only provided forgiveness, but He also provided healing.
Remember that God is still the healer of His people. The blessings of the covenant are now available to both Jews and Gentiles-to all those who come in faith, through Jesus, to God the Father, on the basis of His covenantal name: The One Who Heals. (Exodus 15:26)
Healing The Sick – A living Classic, by T.L Osborn
Chapter 1 How Many Will God Heal?
I will take sicknesses away from you. The number of your days I will fulfill. (Exodus 23:25-26)
I am the Lord who heals you. (Exodus 15:26)
The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint you with what the Bible teaches: If you are sick, God wants to heal you.
Until you are fully convinced that God wants you to be well, there will always be a doubt in your mind as to whether or not you will be healed. As long as there is that doubt in your mind, perfect faith cannot exist, and until faith is exercised, without doubt or wavering, you may never be healed.
Without faith, it is impossible to please Him; for they that come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrew 11:6)
But let them ask in faith, nothing wavering. For they that waver are like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not those [who waver] think they shall receive any thing of the Lord. (James 1:6-7)
Once people are fully convinced that God wants to heal them and that it is not God’s will for them to be sick, they almost always receive healing when prayed for, if not before. Knowing God’s will concerning sickness provides the ground on which perfect faith can act.
God is honest
There has not failed one word of all His good promise. 1 Kings 8:56
For ever O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89
I will hasten My word to perform it. Jeremiah 1:12 That word hasten means: “to watch over”, “to look after”, “to protect”, or “to stand behind.” In all of His unlimited power, God is standing behind His word to accomplish it. Believe that.
There is no reason for doubting God.
Three Million Healed
God announced Himself to be the healer of His people (Ex. 15:26). He spoke those words to about three million people. (Ex. 12:37) Everyone of them believed god’s words were true. The result: Everyone of them who needed healing was made perfectly whole.
We are told: He brought them forth…and there was not one feeble person among their tribes (Ps. 105:37). Can you imagine three million people all well and strong? Not one feeble, not one weak, and not one sick?
If that was true in Israel, under the law, it is much more true for you, who have been redeemed by the blood of God’s Lamb and are living under grace, mercy and truth.
Let this be a settle truth that you know, as well as you know two plus two are four: Healing is for you -all may be healed.
The only reason disease takes such a toll among Christians today is that many do not believe what God has spoken. They know God said, I am the Lord who heals you. Somehow they have failed to believe He meant what He said, which is basically what Satan said to Adam and Eve: God did not mean what He said. Influenced by tradition (Mark 7:13), people have changed God’s I am to “I was.”
Chapter Two Healing is for All
There is no better way to know the will of God than by reading the Gospels, which record the teachings and the works of Christ. Jesus was the physical expression of the Father’s will. His life was both a revelation and a manifestation of the unchanging love and will of God. He acted out the will of God for us.
Uncertainty corrected
The leper said: If You will, You can. Jesus answered, I will (Mark1:41).
Let that settle forever with you: God will heal the sick. If He wills to heal one, then He wills to heal all.
James asks: Is any sick among you? (James 5:14). Any included you if you are sick.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Matthew 12:15
As many as touched [Him] were made perfectly whole. Matthew 14:36
The whole multitude sought to touch Him: [and He] healed them all. Luke 6:19
When the evening came, they brought to
Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits
with His word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our
infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.
Christ is still healing the sick, in order to fulfill the prophet’s words: Himself took our infirmities [weaknesses], and bore our sicknesses [diseases].
Always remember: you are included in the our in Matthew 8:17, and God
is bound by His covenant to continue to heal all who are sick and weak,
in order to fulfill Isaiah’s words.Healing is for all and should be preached to all
Philip preached Christ at Samaria (Acts 8:6-8). Jesus proved to be exactly the same when Philip told the people about Him.
Peter preached Christ to the cripple (Acts 3:6), to the multitudes (Acts 5:14-16), to Aeneas (Acts 9:34). All were healed. Jesus was the same for Peter.
Wherever and whenever Jesus Christ is proclaimed as our sacrifices for sin and sickness, physical healing as well as spiritual salvation will result.
Paul preached Christ (Acts 14:8-9). Paul must have preached the gospel of healing, because the lame man received faith to be healed while listening to Paul’s message.
Let it be a settle fact: It is God’s will to heal you. You have a right to healing as well as forgiveness when you believe.
Healing is part of the gospel and is to be preached throughout all the world and to every creature, to the end of the world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:20).
Being part of the gospel, the divine blessing of physical healing is for all.
April 26, 2013
Journey to see God: See how a servant Baruch encountered God
The scribe (who chose to be a servant/messenger/recorder for the most unpopular prophet then) appeared suddenly in the Book of Prophet Jeremiah starting chapter 32 ending chapter 45. Chapter 45 (with only five verses)
was entirely about him. What an interesting and intriguing person of
record. He himself was a recorder of messages (including signs). He even
carried the messages he recorded to the audience as instructed. Was his role of any use in the spiritual realm? Definitely. He was even singled out by the unseen enemy as target. Here is his story in Biblical verses. (The notes of the watchman are in brackets after each sety of verses.)
Jeremiah 32:12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison. Jeremiah 32:13 “Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, Jeremiah 32:16 [ Jeremiah Prays for Understanding ] “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying:
(Baruch appeared suddenly and undertook very important prophet act on behalf of prophet Jeremiah who was imprisoned.)
Jeremiah 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote on a scroll of a book, at the instruction of Jeremiah, all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him.
(Baruch’s key job was to write down accurately what Jeremiah had received from the Lord.
Jeremiah could not have paid him or given him any physical or even
social emoluments and amenities compared to other prophet employers who
were in the king’s favor and enjoyed prestigious and materially better
off status and positions. Baruch could
not have worked for things that others valued. What drove him? What was
he looking for when he chose to follow Jeremiah who was being persecuted
by all the powerful and important leaders of the nation then? What did
he see in that time of national crisis, chaos, confusion, insecurity and
strife? Indeed Jeremiah had not much to offer except words
from God. This scribe Baruch heard the words and believed. He was a man
of words. He was drawn to God’s spoken words. He was a man of
discernment. He discerned that the words were from God and not from man.
He was a man who hungered for God’s
words and sought out God’s words even at the time of impending
nationwide shaking and collapse.)
Jeremiah 36:5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am confined, I cannot go into the house of the Lord. Jeremiah 36:8 And
Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet
commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lord in the
Lord’s house. Jeremiah 36:10 Then Baruch
read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in
the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper
court at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house, in the hearing of all the people.
(Baruch’s
second assignment: Represent faithfully the one who sent him -Jeremiah-
before the people, even before leaders and princes.He
was an educated man and knew the political and religious scenario then.
He knew Jeremiah was feared and hated by many and considered a national
threat. Yet he obeyed Jeremiah and went ahead and did exactly what
Jeremiah instructed him to do! Baruch was a courageous man. What gave
him the boldness? He knew whom he
believed. He knew the truth and the truth of God’s words had freed him
from the fear of men. The words of God set free the captive.)
Jeremiah 36:13 Then Michaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read the book in the hearing of the people.
Jeremiah 36:14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them.
Jeremiah 36:15 And they said to him, “Sit down now, and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing. Jeremiah 36:16 Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, that they looked in fear from one to another, and said to Baruch, “We will surely tell the king of all these words.”
Jeremiah 36:17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us now, how did you write all these words—at his instruction?” Jeremiah 36:18 So Baruch answered them, “He proclaimed with his mouth all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink in the book.”
Jeremiah 36:19 Then the princes said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah; and let no one know where you are.”
(Baruch’s next assignment: Witnessing the exact words of God. Tell the truth as he had received. Be the vessel as he was called. The messenger on behalf of the messenger. The faithful and obedient disciple. The servant. It was indeed a life and death mission and testimony. Even the princes advised him and his master to go and hide immediately.)
Jeremiah 36:26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.
(The enemy acted without hesitation. The Lord too.)
Jeremiah 36:27 [ Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll ] Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had written at the instruction of Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: Jeremiah 36:32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiah all
the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the
fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.
( Take note: the Lord God does not
stop what He had decreed. Burning of the original scroll in the physical
realm had no impact whatsoever in the spiritual realm. God’s plan
continued and more words were added! How awesome it must have appeared to Jeremiah the true prophet and Baruch the true servant of God!)
Jeremiah 43:3 But Baruch
the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand
of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive
to Babylon.”
Jeremiah 43:6
men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and every person whom
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah.
(The enemy wasted no time and continued with their false accusations and persecutions in the physical.)
Jeremiah 45:1 [ Assurance to Baruch ] The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch
the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the
instruction of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah, king of Judah, saying, Jeremiah 45:2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch
(The
words of the Lord continues in the spiritual. That counts. The words
have come to pass just as the Lord has spoken. It was worthwhile to
serve the Almighty and Living God! Both Jeremiah and Baruch knew and
indeed experienced. Today the same happens for all faithful servants of
God.)
April 19, 2013
Your Power in the Holy Spirit (miracles are for today!)
Excerpts from this book.
The Miraculous Mind of Christ
Jesus’ mental
processes were miraculous. Ourlibraries are full of books written by
great thinkerslike Thomas Edison and others who were incessantthinkers.
With Jesus there is something different. Hespoke out from the Spirit
that dominated Hisspiritual faculties. The Spirit of Christ ruled
Hisintellect. Gems of divine truth dripped from His lipsas honey from
the honeycomb. The Sermon on theMount and great portions in Luke and
John are asuntouched as when they dropped from the lips of Jesus. Men’s
writings grow old and out of date. God’struth is ever fresh. Yes,
Jesus’ words and life andcontact with men were miraculous; they are
still miraculous.His death on the cross, His three days in the tomb,His
dramatic and startling resurrection, were allmiracles. His presence
among the disciples ondifferent occasions and, finally, His ascension in
thepresence of five hundred witnesses were miracles.
They do not belong to
the reason realm; they belongto the miracle realm. Jesus was in the
realm of theSpirit, the realm of faith, the realm where God acts,the
realm where the real child of God lives. You see,Christians have been
translated out of the realm of human thought and reason into the kingdom
of theSon of His love, the realm of the Spirit.
It would be uncharitable if we were to criticize aman of reason who knows nothing about thespiritual realm.
Christianity is not the
product of human reasoning. Christianity is a divineintervention.
Christians are those who have beenborn from above. They have been
re-created. Thislife of God that comes into their spirit naturedominates
the reason so that they have “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
to think God’s thoughtsand live in God’s realm of miracles.
Friends, when a Christian tries to live by reason, he is moving out of God’s country into the enemy’s land.
We belong in the miraculous or supernatural realm.
Christ was a miracle. Every Christian is a miracle.
Every answer to prayer is a miracle.
Every divine illumination is a miracle.
The power of Christianityin the world is a miraculous power.
God, help us torealize that ours is a high and holy calling.
____________________________________
Miracles Are For Today
I want to talk to you
on the subject of miracles thisafternoon. From the year 400 until now,
by and large,the church has assumed the attitude that the days
of miracles are passed—without any scripturalevidence whatever. They
have taught that miracleswere to demonstrate the divinity of Jesus and
that, therefore, the divinity of Jesus having beendemonstrated, there
was no longer any need formiracles.
We had a local incident
that demonstrates the effectof this teaching. I think my conviction on
the matteris that it has done more damage to the Christian faiththan any
other teaching that has been promulgated.
There is a gentleman
who works at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, O. A. Risdon, who is one of
theengineers there. He had a son with a deformed head.The top of the
head raised up like the ridge of a roof; the forehead and back of the
head also were forcedout in similar manner, giving the head the
appearance of the hull of an upside-down yacht. He was born with what
the physicians call a closed head. The boy was always slobbering. The
pressure on the brain caused the right side to become paralyzed, and the
boy was dumb. He was five yearsold at this time.
The physicians said
there was nothing they could do.Then, in desperation, he appealed to his
pastor. The pastor told him that the days of miracles were past, that
the Lord did not heal now, and that miracles were given to demonstrate
the divinity of Jesus. The father replied, “If Jesus would heal my son, I
would be convinced that He is divine now. If He is divine,He could lift
this damnation from our house.
“Finally, he came to us
seeking help. We began tominister to the child. In a few days, we
observed that the paralysis began to depart. Instead of walking onone
side of his ankles, he began to walk on the foot, and that indicated
that the pressure was relieved onthe brain. In seven weeks, the child
was perfectly well. The bones of the head softened and came downto
normal. The paralysis disappeared, and the child began to talk. In three
months, he was in the publicschool. He is a young married man now.
Dear friends, if we had
continued to believe that the days of miracles were past, that boy
would be in the insane asylum. But we believed that Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever, and the boy was healed.
It is a delight to
believe the words of Jesus. I have used this rule in my study of the
Scriptures. If there is any question on any Scripture, I settle it with
the words of Jesus. I consider all the Scriptures are a common court of
the gospel, but the words of Jesus are the Supreme Court of the gospel.
When I want a Supreme Court decision, I appeal to the words of Jesus.
You can read all the
words of Jesus in two hours or less in a red-letter New Testament. Make a
practice of reading the words of Jesus on any subject that troubles
you, and make a compilation of what He says.
He ought to be
sufficient authority on any question, for the heavenly Father called
attention to the fact that He is the Son of God and that we are to hear
Him. God declared:
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am wellpleased; hear ye him. (Matthew 17:5)
April 13, 2013
5 am lesson: Key to walking in courage and power
Jesus
the Son of God had demonstrated to His disciples (and all believers
who want to be His disciples) how to walk in the mighty power of God.
Jesus told us plainly that no one had seen God except Him. When one
sees Jesus one sees God. So His mission on earth was to show us how
God is like. God is Almighty. He walks in supreme power. Jesus also
walked in supreme majesty and power. Power came out of Him when
patients touched Him (His clothes) by faith and they became healed
immediately. Demons submitted themselves to Jesus voluntarily.
Jesus told
His disciples that all who believe will do the same things that He
did and even greater things. To Jesus being like Him (in word and
deed) is a natural thing. Those born of God's Spirit are spirit and
have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness. All that
God has given to Jesus He has given to those who believe in Jesus.
Like Father like Son (and sons). So why are we not seeing this
supernatural and transformational change in many of us? The distinct
manifestation of the Son of God in us?
Today's
message for the 5am class is: the key to living and walking in His
power. The key is in Jesus. Thus we are on the right track when we
continue to read the word of God revealing Jesus to us.
Jesus has
revealed two of His secrets to success:
Success
Key one: Walking in the Light.
He
announced that He was the true Light that gives light to every man in
the world. (John 1:9) He commanded His disciples to take heed that
the light which is in them is not darkness. (Luke
11:33-36) He warned them of the dark forces behind the hypocrites
-namely Pharisees, scribes and lawyers (symbol of religiosity in
appearances and not in truth and motives; in flesh and not in spirit)
of that generation which He called evil and perverse. (Luke 11:37-54;
Matt.15:1-20; 16:1-6)
What is the
spirit behind the hypocrites? The spirit of the world. They were
blinded and dull and hardened with worldly philosophy (which runs on
natural laws). They just could not see or understand the supernatural
laws that Jesus had demonstrated in reality. God is supernatural. No
man can possibly understand the matters of God without Jesus. But
their jealousies and covetousness (which is idolatry) had hardened
them further, even to the point they were willing to perish forever.
Jesus summed up
their depraved condition: “Men loved darkness rather than light
because their deeds were evil. But everyone practicing evil hates the
light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be
exposed.” (John 3:19-20)
Jesus Himself
was undeterred by such dark hatred and opposition. He continued to
walk and operate in the Light of God. He manifested God's Light.
“But
he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be
clearly seen, that they have been done in Go.” (John 3:21) Only
those who do the truth can come in the Light of God and the deeds are
done in God! Nothing can be more powerful than deeds done in God!
This is the success key of Jesus -doing everything in God's Light,
that is, in God. God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.
(1 John 1:5)
What does this
mean to those who want to have this success key? The answer is in 1
John 1:6-10. (Read the whole passage and meditate and pray)
1 John 1:7 “But
if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us
from all sin.”
Success
Key two: Walking in understanding of the matters of God.
One thing
that Jesus repeatedly
told off His disciples
was their
not understanding what He told them about the matters of God, that
is, the Kingdom of God.
He
demonstrated how the Son of God has the power over natural matters:
walking on water, calming the wind and sea, multiplying (without
limit) food stuff out of the unseen resources in heaven, making
demons (evil spirits) tremble and submit to Him, commanding (by mere
words) physical things to happen (healing, deliverance, giving life
back to the dead etc.). Power was evident in Him. Even King Harod
admitted. Sick people touched the hem of His garment and were made
well.
Why did
the disciples not use this power when they were alone? They just
could not understand the supernatural matters, the matters of God's
Kingdom then. The key word is 'understanding'.
That is
why Jesus spent a lot of time teaching them and all who followed Him
at that time about the Kingdom of God and how it operates. Jesus was
very clear about the way it functions. He is from above and He has
seen how it operates in the supernatural realm. He knows it is real.
When
Jesus sent out his disciples two by two to preach the Gospel, calling
for repentance, healing the sick, casting out demons, saying the
Kingdom of God was near, He gave them the power of God through His
word. He instructed them by word and His word came to pass. They
merely obeyed and witnessed that indeed what Jesus had spoken came
true.
After
Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples continued to obey and waited
for the power from above, the Holy Spirit. Indeed the power came as
told. After they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit their
spiritual eyes were opened and they had spiritual understanding of
the whole Kingdom of God message. They were transformed from a bunch
of fearful humans to overcomers (as in Revelation 12:11).
Today,
how do believers receive such supernatural understanding of the
kingdom of God?
GUIDE ONE:
ASK! (Luke
11:9-13)
11:9 Ask,
seek, knock
11:13 how
much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who
ask Him!
GUIDE
TWO: PRAY! (Ephesians
1:17-23)
17 pray
for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God
18 the
eyes of your understanding being enlightened
19 know
the greatness of His power toward those who believe
20-23
know the power in Christ. He is our head. We are His body! We can be
filled with His fullness!
5 am lesson: How to live God’s will?
The supernatural God has placed eternity
in the heart of man ever since creation. Man was not created for death.
Adam’s fall was not meant to be. Death entered because of his fall.
However, since then man has continued a lifelong quest to seek the
everlasting design to be restored. The utmost wish is how to live a long
and healthy life. Sicknesses is the number one enemy to mankind.
Why do most people prefer to linger as long as possible on earth? one main reason is fear. The fear of eternity. An average man does not know or concern with spiritual matters because spiritual matters cannot be seen and it is hard to ascertain. Oftentimes faith is required. Living in the eternal realm means living in the spiritual realm.
Faith is a key word in accessing the unseen and yet real realm of existence.
Can faith be acquired? How? Faith is a title deed given to those who want to believe in the unseen God. It is given freely to those who seek. God awards those who come to Him by faith. Eternity is not frightening. It merely means knowing God and the One Whom He sent (Jesus). It means even while on earth the believer can live and walk in eternity. There is a change of citizenship to that of a heavenly kingdom. He lives under God’s rulership and abides by God’s laws. He enjoys the rights and privileges of a citizen in this special kingdom (royal priesthood, holy nation and special people of God).
How does one enter this kingdom? By faith believing in God, and the ‘Entrance’ He has provided. The ‘Entrance’ is Jesus. Believe in Jesus having died and redeemed you on the cross, paid for your sins and suffered all the penalty for you. Believe that He is the Son of God, Who came to the world to save sinners and heal the sick. His death on the cross had paid for all sins, and the stripes He bore on His back prior being nailed on the cross had absorbed all diseases and pain. The hanging on the cross had broken all the curses on mankind.
Believe that Jesus not only died He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He now sits at the right hand of God in heaven. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Believe that there is a heaven and a hell. No one can avoid going to either one after death.
How does one enter the kingdom of God? Believe in the salvation of Jesus. By faith just believe in God’s word telling you this Good News.
What happens at the moment you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Savior and Lord? Something happens supernaturally and spiritually in heaven.
Why do most people prefer to linger as long as possible on earth? one main reason is fear. The fear of eternity. An average man does not know or concern with spiritual matters because spiritual matters cannot be seen and it is hard to ascertain. Oftentimes faith is required. Living in the eternal realm means living in the spiritual realm.
Faith is a key word in accessing the unseen and yet real realm of existence.
Can faith be acquired? How? Faith is a title deed given to those who want to believe in the unseen God. It is given freely to those who seek. God awards those who come to Him by faith. Eternity is not frightening. It merely means knowing God and the One Whom He sent (Jesus). It means even while on earth the believer can live and walk in eternity. There is a change of citizenship to that of a heavenly kingdom. He lives under God’s rulership and abides by God’s laws. He enjoys the rights and privileges of a citizen in this special kingdom (royal priesthood, holy nation and special people of God).
How does one enter this kingdom? By faith believing in God, and the ‘Entrance’ He has provided. The ‘Entrance’ is Jesus. Believe in Jesus having died and redeemed you on the cross, paid for your sins and suffered all the penalty for you. Believe that He is the Son of God, Who came to the world to save sinners and heal the sick. His death on the cross had paid for all sins, and the stripes He bore on His back prior being nailed on the cross had absorbed all diseases and pain. The hanging on the cross had broken all the curses on mankind.
Believe that Jesus not only died He was buried and on the third day He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He now sits at the right hand of God in heaven. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Believe that there is a heaven and a hell. No one can avoid going to either one after death.
How does one enter the kingdom of God? Believe in the salvation of Jesus. By faith just believe in God’s word telling you this Good News.
What happens at the moment you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Savior and Lord? Something happens supernaturally and spiritually in heaven.
- The Holy Spirit (Spirit of Jesus Christ) gives birth to you.
- The word of God becomes the incorruptible seed planted in you.
- Your name is recorded in the Book of life in heaven.
- You are given the citizenship in the Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Light).
- You are given the Holy Spirit as a deposit/guarantee for your final salvation when Jesus comes again to give you the new heavenly body.
- You are given the privilege of the citizen in the kingdom of God: the status of the son of God, the authority of the name of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of the truth and the life).
- You can receive and enjoy all the blessings given to Abraham the father of faith.
- You can enjoy all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and bear fruits of the Holy Spirit, living the divine nature of God.
- You can put on the whole armor of God, overcome the devil and You can live under the supernatural divine protection of God. All the promises of divine protection in the Bible are yours to claim and receive.
- You can live the super-abundant life that Jesus has promised to all who believe.
April 12, 2013
5 am lesson: How to carry out your divine appointment?
Every
follower of Jesus has been given a divine appointment.
Jesus demonstrated how this can be carried out when He was walking on
earth. Just as He had promised, His yoke is easy and His burden is
light. It is an easy job as far as Jesus is concerned. The disciples
too carried out the same just as Jesus had commanded.
The
appointment: And Jesus came to them saying,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
edge.” (Matt.28:18-20)
Mark 16:15-18
And He said to them, “Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be
condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name
they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they
will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by
no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will
recover.” 20 “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying
signs. Amen.”
How were
the ordinary disciples sent out? Jesus showed how this was done.
Luke 10:1 “After
these things the
Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by
two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was
about to go.”
2 Then He said
to them, “...pray the Lord of
the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
3 “Go your
way; behold, I send you out...”
4 “”Carry
neither money bag...and greet no
one along the road.”
5 “But
whatever house you enter...”
6 “And if a
son of peace is there, your
peace will rest on it...”
7 “And remain
in the same house eating and drinking such things as they
give...”
8 “Whatever
city you enter and they receive you, eat such things as
are set before you.”
9 “And
heal the sick there and say to them, 'the kingdom of God has come
near to you.'”
It is clear that
the only mission Jesus gave the disciples was in verse 9: heal
the sick and preach the kingdom of God Good News in
the city that received them who went in
Jesus' name.
What was
the purpose of Jesus asking the disciples to do these two things?
Jesus gave the
answer: Luke 10:17-20, 22
17 The disciples
returned and reported that demons were subject to them in Jesus'
name.
18 Satan's
authority and power had been superseded when the disciples took up
the authority of Jesus and moved in the power of the Holy Spirit.
19 It proved
that the authority Jesus gave to the disciples was indeed superior:
they can trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of
the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt them.
20 But the more
significant issue is: the disciples have proved their worth by
demonstrating their citizenship in the Kingdom of God, their sons of
God status, both in authority and power over Satan's subjects.
22 The display
of the superior authority and power of Jesus confirmed to the
disciples that Jesus is the Son of God as He had claimed to be. His
supremacy in the spiritual realm is evident to those whom He chose to
reveal Himself.
And this is the
message of the gospel: the
Kingdom of God is what Jesus has brought to the world. All who
believe Him and follow Him as the disciples did could enter through
His gate. He is the Gate. Citizenship in the Kingdom of God is far
more superior than that of all the other kingdoms on earth.
The
disciples tasted this Kingdom and continued even after Jesus ascended
to heaven. They moved in the supreme authority and power of Jesus,
the Son of God. They lived out their divine appointment.
The
Kingdom of God has continued to advance since then. Are you part of
this Kingdom? Have you received your divine appointment?
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