Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Chilluns

This morning I was talking to my wife (who happens to be the famed "5th Element" spoken of in Hollywood lore) about the profound aspect of how our children are such amazing human beings. And, at the very worst, they are the strongest motivation to prosper!

Because the very worst case scenario - blinding poverty (one that modern society has turned into a religious reason NOT to have children - or at least not to have many children) - leaves her and I with the grandest inspiration and challenge to provide materially for their needs with our whole soul and strength!

And that's from the perspective of an atheist!!! The God of the Bible actually gives specific challenges and blessings for the "fruitful of womb!"

This society is so sick that we generally don't bat an eye over the 80+ MILLION children that are sacrificed to economic and social convenience.

And yet, children are SUCH AMAZING LITTLE PEOPLE!!! We can fill them with our dreams and visions... and then watch them grow those seeds into something completely unique, but somehow, myseriously, a hybrid of our own ideals and desires for a better world.

Sunday, April 18, 2004

Praise

Praise the God of all creativity.. the Breather... the Giver of all good and perfect gifts... the Lamb who looks as if He had been slaughtered (Rev. 5:6)... the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation - He created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether they are kings... everthing has been created through Him and for Him. (Halelujah!) He existed before everything and holds everything together! (Col. 1:15-17)

And He wants to use me to move mountains!

"For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you'. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the Lord, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold I have made you a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; you will thresh the mountains and pulverize them, and will make the hills like chaff. You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the storm will scatter them; but you will rejoice in the Lord, you will glory in the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 41:13-16

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

A Man Under Authority


City of David... the future seat of the Lamb who was slain from the foundations of the earth... The Teacher who shall reign in Zion... Yeshua, the ServantKing!

I, too, and a man under authority...

We, the Church of Yeshua, our Messiah, are in a critical time of transition. We are facing the One with whom we have to do and He is calling us upward and inward to His secret desires - secrets being revealed even now to His loved ones.... to His precious children.

I humbly submit the following verse plainly contains one of those secrets:

Matthew 8:5-13 -

5 - Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented."

7- And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8 - The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 - For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, "Go,' and he goes; and to another, "Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, "Do this,' and he does it."

10 - When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 - And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 - But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 - Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.

It strikes me (powerfully) that this centurion was singled out as the man with the greatest faith He had ever seen! Wow! That Yeshua would say that of anyone... but a gentile??? And what was the one bit of information that flowed out of that life of faith?

"Just say the word, Master. I too am under authority. It will be done as You say."

And so I pray, may our lives speak and believe like his. "Just say the word, Lord. It will be done."

The lives of our loved ones will be transformed.

Jerusalem will be saved from her enemies within and without.

Our acquaintances will be revealed the glory of Him who suffered for their affections.

Following are some more thoughts from the word about authority. Soak it up. Be transformed.

Mark 2:10-12 Jesus said, "I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." Then He said to the paralyzed man, "I'm telling you to get up, pick up your cot, and go home!" The man got up, immediately picked up his cot, and walked away while everyone watched. Everyone was amazed and praised God, saying "We have never seen anything like this!"

Mark 3:14-15 He appointed twelve whom He called apostles. They were to accompany Him and to be sent out by Him to spread the Good News. They also had the authority to force demons out of people.

Mark 7:9 & 13 (To so-called Teachers of the Law) He added, "You have no trouble rejecting the commandments of God in order to keep your own traditions!... Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God's word."

Mark 10:35-45 (SACRIFICE = AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN!) 35 And there come near to him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying, ‘Teacher, we wish that whatever we may ask for ourselves, thou mayest do for us;’ 36 and he said to them, ‘What do ye wish me to do for you?’ 37 and they said to him, ‘Grant to us that, one on thy right hand and one on thy left, we may sit in thy glory;’ 38 and Jesus said to them, ‘Ye have not known what ye ask; are ye able to drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized with — to be baptized?’ 39 And they said to him, ‘We are able;’ and Jesus said to them, ‘Of the cup indeed that I drink of, ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with, ye shall be baptized; 40 but to sit on my right and on my left, is not mine to give, but — to those for whom it hath been prepared.’ 41 And the ten having heard, began to be much displeased at James and John, 42 but Jesus having called them near, saith to them, ‘Ye have known that they who are considered to rule the nations do exercise lordship over them, and their great ones do exercise authority upon them; 43 but not so shall it be among you; but whoever may will to become great among you, he shall be your minister, 44 and whoever of you may will to become first, he shall be servant of all; 45 for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

Matthew 28:18-20 When Jesus came near, He spoke to them. He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. And remember that I am with you until the full end of the age."

Luke 10:17-21 17 And the seventy turned back with joy, saying, ‘Sir, even the demons are being subjected to us in Your name;’ 18 and He said to them, ‘I was beholding the Adversary, as lightning from the heaven having fallen; 19 lo, I give to you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you; 20 but, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice rather that your names were written in the heavens.’ 21 In that hour was Jesus glad in the Spirit, and said, ‘I do confess to You, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth, that You hide these things from wise men and understanding, and did reveal them to babes; yes, Father, because so it became good pleasure before You.

It is God's great pleasure to see child-like believers speak in the transforming power of His word - His name, the name of Yeshua (or "Jesus", or "Haysoos", or "Yesu," etc.), stands for all the power of heaven here on earth!

And why does the authority not take precedence here in the natural realm?

Mark 6:5-6 He couldn't work any miracles there except to lay his hands on a few sick people and cure them. Their unbelief amazed Him. The Jesus went around to the villages and taught.

At least He taught... what MERCY! And teaching changes people's belief structures... like what's happening right now in your own brain as you ponder the possibility of SPEAKING and TOUCHING to change lives!

For the Truth to reign in one, it's gotta be brain first, heart second, I believe. So what do you THINK??? Challenge the thought structures that keep you locked in your mediocrity! You alone can c - h - a - l - l - e - n - g - e that thinking! Let the Word of God burst into its authority and POWER in your life - read it as if your life depended on it!

And when she understands this truth, even a child can transform culture from darkness to light.... standing in the authority of Jesus!