No more embarrassing the LORD

 

Mat 17:15-16, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him."

The mountain had brought forth a mouse. What a shame! Jesus said that the fully-trained-disciple would be like his teacher (Lk 6.40). In other words, before he is fully trained, a disciple is already expected to do a bit of what his teacher does. This is the reason why this father went to the disciples. He did not doubt for one second that they could help. So, you can imagine his disarray when they couldn’t. He could as well have asked: “What on earth are you actually teaching to your guys?” Jesus, who also expected His disciples to solve this kind of problem, was not very pleased and said to them: "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me."

Later on, the disciples came to find out why they were not able to cast the demon out, and Jesus replied that it was because of their unbelief. He added that if they had faith like a grain of mustard seed, they would move mountains and nothing would be impossible to them (Mat 17:17-20). Next week, I will write on the different faces of this unbelief. Stay tuned!

There are people, overburdened and tormented by the enemy, who come to us because we say we are Christians and go to church. Contrary to the child’s father, these people do not have a plan B. They cannot say, “Never mind; we’ll wait until your boss comes back,” because Jesus is physically no longer there. He is gone, but has left us here, us, His limbs, eyes, and mouth; us, the Body of Christ. Let us stop embarrassing the LORD. My pastor often says that the Church is chiefly responsible for the state of the world; and he is right. The Church is immature, does not play its role and does not really believe that it can do everything Jesus did, and even more (Jn 14:12).

Let us stop embarrassing the LORD. Let us take the decision to become powerful agents of change in people’s life. After this exhortation, let us just tell HIM: “I have heard you LORD. I am your arm. I m your eye and I am your mouth. Use me.”

Have a ‘wonderblessed’ week in HIM.

Hearing well…

 

Jesus is talking about the parable of the sower who has gone out to sow seed. As he sows, the seed (or the word) falls into four types of grounds, with different results.

• Along the path – because of distraction or hardened hearts, this word is immediately taken away by the devil and doesn’t bear fruits.
• On rocky ground with little soil – the seed cannot take root and after the initial excitement from hearing the word has faded, the people cannot face up their challenges. The ground is shallow.
• Among thorns which grow up and choke it – the image of the cares of the world; the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things that can easily choke the word, and prove it unfruitful.
• The good soil – those who hear the word receive it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.

Jesus concludes with a warning: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.

Later on, while He is alone with His disciples, He insists saying: "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." Mk 4:24-25

Jesus will repeat this warning on another occasion. He is talking about the wicked servant in the parable of the talents (Mat 25:26-29) and says to the disciples: “His master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant!… You ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

When we put the two events together, we understand that the LORD expects multiplication and productivity. Talents should not be buried and the seed – the word – should not be wasted. The LORD speaks to be heard, listened to, and obeyed. When His Word comes out, when it is sown, by whichever medium, it must be executed. Woe onto who comes in between. This is why we are exhorted to take heed to what we hear. In other words, ‘Do not be distracted. Pay attention to what GOD says. Keep it in the good ground of your hearts and fructify it.’

The sower is already out there sowing. The mystery of the kingdom of GOD, the secrets of 2014, will be revealed to us through words. Let’s not be like those outside for whom everything is in parables – i.e. unintelligible. Let’s not be like those who hear without understanding and thus cannot convert – cannot change their ways; their old and wrong way of doing things (Mk 4:11-12). If we put all the words that we have already received to good use, He will reveal even more mysteries and secrets to us. But if we neglect them, we will loose even what we believe to be in our possession already. A word to the wise is enough.

Once again, Happy New Year.

The right attitude

 

Mk 6:4-6, And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

I was reading this passage a few days ago when I noted something. We usually tend to blame unbelief for the fact that Jesus could not perform miracles in Nazareth. However, the LORD mentioned the lack of honour first, before marvelling at the Nazarenes’ unbelief. These people could see nothing other than a carpenter and would not open themselves up; they would not make room in their hearts to welcome things which were obviously beyond the competence of a carpenter. Jesus said that whoever receives a prophet as such, would receive the reward of a prophet. In other words, if you receive a prophet as if he is a plumber, you cannot receive the reward of the prophet because your eyes are looking in another direction. It will be done to you according to your faith…

In verses 6 to 13, we read that the LORD sent the disciples in the villages, two by two, and empowered them to cast demons and heal the sick – which they did with great success. But these towns had to welcome them in order to experience the miracles. Indeed, Jesus had warned the disciples saying: if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.

Your attitude when you go to church is important. What do you really expect from GOD? Do you go to church by routine or to meet with the King of kings, LORD of lords and GOD Almighty? Are you 100% there during the songs, the message, or any other aspect of the service? Are you truly in the presence of GOD – i.e. are you totally absorbed by HIM?

To all who did receive him, He gave the right and power to become… something; to become whatever they have wished to become in 2014 (see Jn 1:12).

To all who did receive him... There is no way you can become something else if you do not first receive. The LORD will sent you words/messages which are spirit and life to help you become what you have aspired to be in 2014; but you must receive them. This reception goes far beyond the ‘Amen’ that we may shout in church. It goes beyond rising when the pastor or the bishop walks in. It is an attitude of the heart which even precedes our arrival to church. It is running, in your heart and mind, towards GOD. It is anticipating the meeting highly. It is being certain that this encounter will change you and it is being determined to do whatever will be required of you there. And it is doing this every time we go to church, every time we pray, every time we read our Bible, every time we listen to a godly advice, read a Christian material or watch a Christian TV broadcast. The best analogy to this is that of two lovers as they prepare for their first dates. This will be the only thing in their minds for hours (or even days) before the actual event. Besides, you don’t argue with your maths teacher. You listen, you receive and then, you apply. Why should it be any different with GOD? Whoever draws near to HIM must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek him (Heb 11:6).

Depth calls for depth. If you earnestly wait for GOD, you will certainly witness miracles. If your thirst for the Word, which can deliver what you hope for in 2014 into your hands, is great; and if you prepare a large place into your heart to receive it, you shall be satisfied. Indeed, He fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty (Lk 1:53).

Beware of routine in 2014. Have the 2014 attitude. Go to church differently. Listen to the Word differently and receive it, receive Jesus, welcome GOD differently. Do this and 2014 will bring you your heart’s desires.

Have a great week and GOD bless!
PS : Even though it is written that Jesus did not do any miracle in Nazareth, it is also written that he laid His hands on a few people and healed them (vs. 5). This will eventually be, GOD willing, the topic for another day…

Forgetting the past to succeed

 

In the email that I recently sent my contacts to wish them a happy New Year, I encouraged them to stop looking at past events because GOD is doing a new thing this year (Is 43:18-19). I wrote that the fact that 2013 had been good or bad no longer mattered: it will never come back. On the contrary, with 2014, the LORD is giving us a blank cheque and it is up to us to write any amount on it. I concluded saying that, ultimately, 2014 will be the product of our actions – the actions taken in order to see what we have wished for, come to pass.

All this is to say that I was pleasantly surprised yesterday in church. The message was about the four core resolutions that we need to take this year - foundational resolutions without which any other had very little chance to come to pass.

Indeed, reading from Phil 3:12-14 – Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own... But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize... – my pastor said that the very first thing to do is to decide to forget the past!

He told us that the past – good or bad – can easily hold us prisoners. It can cripple us to the point that the devil no longer needs to bother. Lot’s wife remained prisoner of her past because she wanted to keep on looking at what she had left behind.

Some are hostages of past errors/tragedies and cannot move forward. Like my pastor says, some failures may not be on national TV, but on the TV of the soul and mind. ‘Why have I done this? If only I had not…’ Or instead, ‘If I had only done this…’ It is too late; the damage is done. Going on and on about it will not erase it. Just repent, turn the page – like GOD – and start a new chapter.

Some are prisoners of past glories: ‘Oh, I remember when I had… I remember when I did…. Donkey-years ago I could…’ Listen, we will not erect tents over your past successes: life goes on. As Jesus said to the three disciples, “Arise!” (Mat 17:7) Let’s move on; the journey ahead is still pretty long.

I say it again: Do not remember the former things; the things of old. GOD is doing a new thing. Regardless of what the five or ten years have been, they are now in the past. 2014 is a blank cheque onto which you are free to write an amount. You will certainly cash it in full if you apply yourself to doing what is required for that to happen. GOD is ready to help you succeed; but are you willing to get up and try? The kingdom of heaven – the blank cheque – will be forced and it is only the violent who will seize/possess it. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of 2014 (Mat 11:12, Is 1:19).

Once again, Happy New Year!