Revelation snippets: Heart matters…

 

I had to lead some prayers yesterday and the LORD led me to John 5. I can’t remember how many times i have read this passage, and yet, my eyes still managed to spot a few gems.

Jn 5:1-9, “… Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" 7 The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." 8 Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.”

There was a multitude of sick around the pool; but Jesus only healed one of them. Firstly, this explodes the myth according to which Jesus healed all the sick; delivered all the demon-possessed and raised all the dead that He encountered. Had He done this, there would have been no one for the apostles to heal in a long while. See the lame man in front of the temple (Ac 3). He had been begging there for years. Therefore, Jesus, who was a regular temple-goer, had passed in front of him countless times without ever doing anything. Think about this… This means that someone can find themselves in a place which is visited by Jesus on a daily or weekly basis, without ever being touched; without experiencing any miracle. Why? I will come back to it; but in the meantime, I pray that this will never be your portion in Jesus Name!

Secondly, this guy did not do anything special to cause Jesus to turn specifically to him. Verse 13 lets us understand that he did not even know who was talking to him. Indeed, if he had known who Jesus was, instead of answering a simple question with too much grammar, he would have simply shouted, like Bartimeus: « Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” So, it was not even because of his ‘great’ faith that he was healed; Jesus simply decided to show him mercy. It was the day of visitation and salvation for this man. May it be the same for you, in Jesus Name!

Lastly, the miraculous healing of this man had no impact whatsoever on the rest of the sick! I discovered this yesterday and I was shocked. There are people who can witness any manner of miracles; or hear any kind of testimonies, for nothing. It does not affect them. Remember, last week’s posting? Miracles are not enough. It’s unbelievable. When this man got up, carrying his mat/bed; immediately, the people across or beside him should have jumped on the opportunity to be healed right there, without having to wait for the angel and run for their lives; shouldn’t they have? They should have surrounded Jesus at once and begged Him to heal them as well. But none of this happened. They were more concerned about the fact that the guy was carrying his bed on a Sabbath day! Their hearts were so hardened that I understand why there was only one man who was healed in the midst of such a multitude of sick. Remember Nazareth; there as well, Jesus only performed a few miracles, because of the hardening of their hearts (i.e. incredulity, unbelief). I pray that this will never be your portion. I pray that you have a faith-filled and receptive heart. I pray that the LORD never passes you by, in Jesus Name!

Have a great week in CHRIST JESUS.

Choose the good part: Grow up!

Mk 7:27, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”

These were Jesus’words to a Cananite woman; a heathen; who is begin Him to cast the demon which has been tormenting her daughter out. In general, bread alludes to the Word of GOD (Mat 4:4, Jn 6); but in this context, the woman specifically asked for a miracle. Therefore, miracles are what Jesus refers to as the children’s bread. It is children, spiritual babies, who run after miracles and who can thence, be easily deceived (Mat. 24:24). Adults eat a different kind of bread; they eat solid food which is the word of righteousness (1Cor 3:2, Heb 5:12-14). Miracles are never enough to ne sont jamais assez root faith. In fact, Jesus had just multiplied the bread and the fish when the Pharisees asked for a sign from heaven – I don’t know where they thought the multiplication of bread came from! Later on, in front of the Cross, they said, mockingly that if “He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” (Mk 8:11, Mat 27:42). It was as though Jesus had never performed any miracle.

If miracles are the main reason why you go to church, then irrespective of what your title or position in church is, you are still but a child…

When Jesus left, his last words were: “Make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” He did not say: “Convert them with miracles”; but “Win the world through education. Change its way of thinking; renew its mentality and mind through the teaching of my Word / prescriptions.”

I don’t want to give a percentage, but miracles do not weigh much when faith is concerned. Mark 8:14-21, shows how the fact that the disciples witnessed the multiplication of the bread and fish directly did not help them to believe. In fact, Jesus even had to ask: “Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?”

Two days ago, I was in a prayer meeting; and a sister reminded us that when we read in John 14:12 that “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father”, we usually think of healing and resurrection miracles immediately. However, she said that Jesus spent most of his time not doing miracles, but loving people and showing compassion; and thus, we owed to do more. And she is right. I actually wrote an article on compassion as a tool for miracles some time ago. I would like to add to what she said that the other thing that Jesus did the most was sharing the word of GOD either through teaching or preaching. And, in this area as well, we must do more than He did. This is why Paul instructed Timothy to preach the Word in season and (even when it seems to be) out of season. Let’s be generous with the Word of GOD. And since we can only give what we have, let’s start by changing our diet. Let’s leave the bread of children for solid food. Let’s leave the bread of children for the Word of righteousness.

“Heaven and earth [and all manner of miracles] will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Mat 24:35

Have a great week in HIM!

Wisdom snippets: Monkey see, monkey do

 

Jn 5:19-21, So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.

Jesus could raise the dead and perform all sorts of signs because His Father, GOD, showed Him EVERYTHING He did. And He showed Him because He loved Him. Jesus promised that we could/would do everything He did, and more (Jn 14:12). But, just like Him, we should not do ANYTHING of our own accord and ANYTHING without Him (Jn 15:5). In other words, we should not go anywhere or do anything without Him, neither in thought nor in action. However, we can equally become miracle agents if we observe what He does and copy it. Indeed, if we imitate Jesus as He imitates GOD, we eventually imitate GOD as well. This implies intimacy and friendship; because one cannot copy from afar. You need to be as close as possible to hear, see and copy well. Besides, people only reveal their secrets to friends and not to strangers. People are only transparent with their friends and Jesus is willing to make known everything that He has learned from His Father to His friends. To enjoy the LORD’s intimacy and friendship, we need to remain in His presence. And, to desire His presence enough to wish to remain in it, we must love Him wholeheartedly; for love is like a drug which shifts all our thoughts and affections towards the loved one. And when you love, prayer, praise, worship, thanksgiving, service, obedience and the meditation of GOD’s Word – all the things that nurture GOD’s presence –, come naturally and effortlessly. In summary, we can do what Jesus did and even more. We just have to:

1. Believe that it is possible because He said so
2. Become His friends and intimates in order to see / understand what He does and reproduce it: that’s photocopying.

I pray that you discover something new to copy and reproduce in His Presence this week. GOD bless!

You actually have more than enough…

 

Jn 6:5-7, Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."

The Bible exhorts us to give thanks to GOD in all things. But to give thanks, one first needs to be conscious that they have something. The world is full of people who “never have enough”. Why don’t you try this business? «I don’t have enough capital. If only I had this much money, I would/could… I need sponsors. » Then, cut your coat according to your size! Start with something within the range of what you already have and see how GOD will multiply your income.

Why didn’t you go to…? « Oh, I would have gone but I didn’t have money to buy new clothes and shoes.” While waiting for something ‘better’, start by giving thanks for the clothes that you already have and be proud of them. When GOD will want to bless you with more, He will do it.

It’s been ages since these people came to your house and you still haven’t given them food or drinks; why? “Did I invite them? I only have one can of Coke left, two pieces of chicken and a bit of rice. I don’t even have enough for myself and you want me to share. In any case, it can’t even be enough for all of them; so, I’d better give nothing.”

Like Philip and many of us, the widow of a prophet also thought that she had nothing more than a little bit of oil at home. Nothing that could help pay her debts. But, just like the five bread, GOD used and multiplied that small bit of oil.

From the passage above, I understand that if we want to experience the miracle of multiplication and supernatural provision, two things are necessary:

1. A generous heart. He or she who does not have a heart large enough to be willing to share their ‘meagre’ resources with others is not about to see a great move of GOD in his or her life. As long as the hand is closed, you cannot put anything in it. We must learn to open our hand, and let go of what we have first, before we can open it to receive. This is why I wrote in the past that compassion is a master key for provision.

2. A profound gratitude. You cannot have more if you are not first completely grateful for the ‘little’ that GOD has graciously given to you for now. Many people are like the wicked servant of the parable of the talents (Mat 25). He despised and neglected what he had. Unlike him, the second servant did not say: « Only two talents? What am I supposed to do with just two talents? Why did he not give me five like the other one? At least, with five talents, I can do X, Y and Z.” No. Instead, he thought about what he could do with his ‘meagre’ two talents and very soon, the two became four; then eight, then… - i.e. far more than what the first servant initially received. GOD knows exactly what we REALLY need; and if He has not given us what we THINK we need yet, then ALL that we presently have is more than enough. If we truly give thanks for that and appreciate it wholeheartedly; and if we look for ways to multiply and share it, it will not take long before we see many miracles of provision in our life.

Have a great week in CHRIST JESUS!