Thursday 16 June 2016

Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life

John 11: 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus knew that his friend Lazarus had died and was buried. He had been buried for more than 3 days. The Jewish system of burial rights, includes anointing of the body but does not include draining of the blood or insides. This is gross but the point is - there is no possible way that the body hadn't started rotting. Jesus came late. His friends Mary and Martha greeted Him and both exclaimed - that if He had come sooner, Lazurus could have been healed. They were in grief for their brother (and bread winner) as well a horror of knowing Jesus could have prevented their brother`s death but didn`t. Their faith included Jesus healing and doing miracles because they followed His ministry and saw the miracles.

Jesus gave them the answer they needed but it was hard for them to receive.
He stood and proclaimed Ì AM the Resurrection and the life`. He was telling them He was eternal God. He could do all things. He could resurrect their brother. They could not understand.

Jesus asked them to lead him to the place Lazarus had been buried. He commanded that the stone be rolled away from the grave. A crowd of people followed to see what might occur. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave. His Word was so powerful that He spoke life into a rotting corpse.
His Word was so mighty that it healed the man of whatever disease he had before he died.
His Word was so strong that it cause the man wrapped in graves clothes like a mummy to come hopping to the front of the grave.

Jesus commanded that people unwrap Lazarus. The women, the crowd, all the disciples were in amazement at what they had witnessed. Could this be true? Did Jesus really bring a man back from the dead? The answer was live in their face - Lazarus resurrected from the dead - completely whole.

There are countries in Africa that have documented cases of Resurrection from the dead. Their are testimonies of people with near death experiences and who have physically died but came back to life.In those places, faith is all the people have. They do not have much money but they do have faith. They literally believe Jesus`Words true today as they were the day He spoke them to Mary and Martha.

Physical
I have a special friend and we actually have a pact. If I die, she is going to pray for my resurrection from the dead. If she dies, I am going to pray for her resurrection from the dead. We are not joking. We actually believe we are suppose to live as long as possible for the glory of God on this earth. We both believe literally that Jesus raises corpses - and gives them resurrection life.

Although I mention this hoping it will release in you some desire to believe for more of Christ and more in His resurrection manifestation of glory - in no way would I not also seek medical help. This is not a contradiction to faith. In fact those people would be key witnesses in the actual physical death and revival of human life. In no way would I not do everything earthly possible to get help. In no way would I not pray for a miracle.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ can raise the dead?

Most Christians would nod in agreement believing that I am talking about judgement day and the hope of our faith for eternal life.I am talking about literal resurrection. Someone died - someone was resurrected from the dead.

We are not only to believe for it in the future but to pray for it in the present. Should you be with someone and believe that person is dying prematurely, Speak in the name of Jesus Christ who is LORD - who was raised from the dead and is alive seated on the Throne in Heaven - speak Resurrection life over that person. Don`t trust your own human limit of faith. In fact I encourage you to even say - I do not pray in my own faith alone but in the faith of Christ who lives within me.
If this overwhelms you because it seems to be so much - start praying in the Holy Spit; pray in tongues and pray for the gift of faith to rise up strong.

To help build your faith - research a bit on the present day resurrections from the dead in China and Africa. They are well documented and proven. Study Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake and other pioneers of the Charismatic and Pentecostal gospel within the last century. They too have documented cases of resurrection from the dead. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life - Literally.

Saturday 4 June 2016

Do All You Do as Unto God

Colossians 3: 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25
 

You make a difference. You matter. What you do matters. Your words can be used to build up and encourage or they can be words that bring death. Do you really want to make a difference for God with your life? Do you want to impact the earth during your life span? Do whatever you do faithfully as unto the LORD.

You may not believe you are valuable but you are. Jesus Christ gave his life for you. You are worth much to God. He chose you, placed you in your mother's womb. God created you on purpose. He placed within you gfts and talents. He designed you your personality, the unique things about you are all bits of God's glory poured on you that you might make a difference with your life.

Psalm 139: 13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be

No two people are the same. If you give your best - it may not be the same as someone else. You may not have the same measure of talent or training in that area but you most certainly have your porion. Use your education and training. Use all opportunities to get as much skill and knowledge and education while you live. anything you acquire becomes a strength that God can use you in. If you will use what you have, God can give you more. If you will give your personal best, you will impact a sphere of influence around you - this includes the people taught you directly connect with but also those who observe you.

There are always observers. No matter how insignificant it seems to hold a door for someone as an act of kindness or to help someone carry groceries or whether or not you give a special effort to help someone at your job, there are people you may not even know about who observe. Most certainly in the realm of the supernatural, your actions, your words are noticed by angels.

1. Determine to get all the education and training you can in areas of your talents or interests.
2. Practice and improve. Make a commitment to yourself and to God that you will keep learning and self - improving for God's glory.
3. Give your best personal effort as much as possible. Aim for excellence.
4. Apologize for any wrong word or action immediately. Keep your heart pure.
5. Pray each day that God will help you develop your talents and gifts so He can use you in your job, in your school, in your interactions with people in society.
6. Use opportunities to show genuine love and compassion for others; you will impact them with your love. Jesus is our role model.
7. Even if the tasks you are given seem small - such as sorting papers or organizing things, do it so that is the best possible. Whatever you do, do it with all your effort so as to show excellence. 

You will impact your generation by doing your daily tasks with zeal and passion. You will show forth the glory of God by giving your personal best in your words and actions. Your life is a witness of God's light in your life. You can choose to do whatever you can do with all your being or to do nothing. You determine the effect by your effort.

Do you want to impact your generation? Live wholly unto God and do all you do as though you are personally serving God. 



Sunday 29 May 2016

Different types of Pastors

Ephesians 4: 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Those of us in North american Church may know the ministry gifts but we may not have had opportunity to see them functioning together. Seeing the ministry gifts operating together is a beautiful, magnificent glorious pleasure. Most churches that I have been to do not have all of the ministry gifts in leadership. O it would be awesome if they were altogether!

Mostly we know Pastors who teach us and who lead us in the sacraments (water baptism, communion, marriage, baby dedication, burial etc) and care for us personally. The truth is most pastors have a teaching ministry. Some Pastors have a strong prophetic anointing.
I have been privileged to receive much from a Pastor who was a Prophet. He would be teaching and preaching a sermon and be moved on by God with a word of wisdom, or word of knowledge and he would call out people and pray over them. These pastors preach sermons that reach into the depths of your being - not just you but all the congregation. 

An Apostolic Pastor is a mighty miracle working dynamite of faith. This type of Pastor teaches with an authority rarely discerned. The person is a Pastor of Pastors. He or she has an anointing to gather people, organize efforts, care for churches - plural - churches. In denominations they are sometimes called Leaders or Overseers but the truth is they care for all the churches in their sphere of influence and can effectively rally people for the purposes of Christ. Signs and wonders are evident when an Apostle is preaching. Demonstrations of God's glory follow the preached word. also, many people decide to commit themselves to ministry because of them. They are so excited about God - other people are inspired and ignited for service.

An Evangelistic Pastor will always be leading his or her sheep into Missionary endeavors. This person will often give salvation calls at church and also be able to gather people for missionary trips. I had one pastor who used to take the youth group on missionary trips regularly during March break or during summer. During their youth service - often he would assign the teenagers places throughout the city to pray. He would sometimes take the youth group to preach downtown on Friday nights -witnessing to people lined up going to bars or the movies. This pastor's heart was to share Christ and train and equip others to share Christ with as many people as possible.

Each pastor has a heart for the sheep. He or she cares for the people in the congregation and as the scripture teaches would lay down his or her life for the sheep. This person prays for the church; gives spiritual nourishment to the church; builds it; cares about all different kinds of people and knows he or she answers only to God. This compels him or her to live an excellent life of service. All pastors are servants of Jehovah. They are people oriented - they care about people.

Knowing your Pastors giftings may be something you didn't realize before. pray for your pastor. pray for his or her giftings to be developed. pray for his or her influence and that he or she will train, equip and build up the Body of Christ. In this way, not only will you be knowing the gifting - this is a key to receiving the blessings of the giftings, but you will also be praying blessing, protection and encouragement on someone who has given his or her life to serve God.


Saturday 21 May 2016

Praying Spiritual Prayers for loved ones

Ephesians 1: 18 that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, 20 which He performed in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

The Apostle Paul is expressing his deepest spiritual prayers for the Church at Ephesus. He doesn't pray about things natural but things of spiritual substance. He cares that they have understanding of the Word of God and the glorious hope of the callings of God for their lives. He gets them to focus on spiritual things, not the natural things or present day concerns.

First he points them in the direction of knowing there is much more of Christ to know. He encourages them that they might build themselves up spiritually. To meditate on the glory of Christ - the riches of the glory of Christ - higher, wider, deeper, above and beyond what can be imagined, he successfully gets them focussed on the Omnipotent God who can do all things. This raises their faith level. 

Next he gets them to pray for more revelation on the greatness of God. He prays "according to the might of God" not according to their own imaginations only. It is important that we pray according to the measure of Christ who lives in us. If we only pray to receive according to our faith, we may not receive much. But if we pray to receive according to Jesus Christ who lives in us, we exponentially multiply what is possible for us to believe.

Finally, he gets them to focus on Jesus - seated on the throne in heaven - ruling and reigning above all earthly and heavenly powers. The final scene is Jesus Christ in triumphant glory.This is not in the future only but in the present. Jesus finished it all by His resurrection from the dead and ascension into Heaven. Jesus paid the price by shedding his blood that we might have eternal life and be blessed on the earth with all spiritual and natural blessings.

He encourages the Church through his actual prayers but also in sharing them with them; his prayers are that they would know the limitless glory of God. His prayers show his concern for them spiritually as a spiritual mentor would do. His telling them what he is praying for them, would release faith in their hearts to believe for it in their lives.

Some of the most profound things we can pray for others are found in the prayers of the Apostle Paul for the churches. We should pray these things for ourselves but also for others. Those we are closest to - we should care that they grown in the knowledge of Christ so that they might teach others also.

Friday 13 May 2016

The Depths of the Glory of God

Ezekiel 47: 3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

The above passage in Ezekiel is of special significance to me as God has used it to speak to my life throughout my Christian life. A Born again - spirit Filled Christian knows that there is more of God than we can possibly measure. The more you pray, the more you worship, the more you read your Bible, the more you learn about God, the more there is to learn. 

Somewhat early in my Christian life I heard preaching on this topic and it jumped out at me as though God Himself were speaking to me directly - that is the RHEMA Word - for those who have not experienced the joyful pleasure of God speaking to you through the Bible. I knew the preacher was talking about how we could have as much of God as we wanted.

Some will be content to be Christians at the ankle level. They fit God into their lives and they are Christians - I do not doubt their salvation but life is much more than God to them. God is some part of their lives - not the main part always. I would compare this relationship with God as an acquaintance. You know who they are but don't really get any further then that.

Some will press in further to God and become knee deep Christians. They will go to more Church services, pray more, give more. They may act more like a Christian by what they do and say. They may be known as Christians by those around them who are not. Their major decisions will be made with prayer and consulting \god. They will want to know what the Bible says about various topics.I would compare this to a friend rather than an acquaintance.  

Those who go further are at the waist level of the River of God. They have made more of a commitment to God. They have surrendered all parts of their life to God. God is important in all decisions concerning life on earth - they pray; they read their Bible; they attend services. They are not only known as Christians by the people who don't know God, but they are known as sincere Christians by other Christians. People may gather around them because their is a spark of God in them that is charismatic. They use their gifts and talents for God.These are serious, devout people who worship the Lord Jesus Christ with their lives.I would compare this relationship as an intimate commitment as in a marriage or covenant friendship.

Those who enter into the waters that are so deep they can swim in them are a special treasure to God. These people live their lives in abandonment to God. I mean they want God more than anything or anybody. They want to share Christ. They want to share God's heart and pray as He wills for the people of the earth. Usually, they are intercessors who pray and worship and spend much of their time with God. They delight in praying for others as though it were for themselves. 

They rejoice when God answers prayer and others are blessed because of it. They plan their lives around their relationship with God. As the Apostle Paul encouraged us to pray without ceasing,, these people go about their jobs praying and communing with God. They ask God to help them with ordinary things such as secular jobs or chores around the house. They commune with God while they do ordinary things but they always set apart special time to pray, praise, read the word of God, and pursue God passionately. 

They are lovers of God. There are depths to God that no human can ever measure. God is higher, wider, deeper, above and beyond what we could ever conceive of - God is eternal - unending. Their relationship with God is as the most intimate sort of relationship but is more than all human relationships. It is an extraordinary, supernatural passionate, intimate - the only comparison I can make to this type of plunging into the depths of the River of Life is the analogy that God Himself gives in Revelation as the Bride, the Church preparing herself  to marry Jesus. 

It is not a natural preparing - there are spiritual explosions of glory that manifest in the lives of those who plunge into the depths of God. They will view things from the point of view of Christ seated on the throne in heaven rather than from the earth. They will be transformed from glory to glory as they constantly pursue the LORD Jesus Christ.











Friday 6 May 2016

Sharing Christ with Jesus as our Role Model

John 4: 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

That woman at that well believed that what she was there for was to get natural drinking water. Jesus met her there though to help her in ways she didn't even know about. She had private secrets that now no one but God could possibly know about. Something in her yearned to know the true and living God. Do you know it is a gift to thirst for truth?  Not everyone cares about God or spiritual things. In this instance, Jesus uses the ordinary substance of clean water to share the truths of eternity with her.

She misunderstood that he was referring to some kind of magical water - that quenches thirst. Jesus uses this point to bring her to the realization that alone is Messiah - the Christ - the Saviour. Their discussion deepens as Jesus tells her to go get her husband. She says " I have none." but the truth is she does not want to reveal her situation.

Jesus uses a word of knowledge about her situation to tell her the secrets of her heart. She really has had 5 husbands and this one she isn't even married to. She realizes his words are direct and accurate. she confesses that he is a prophet. Now the secret matters of her heart are revealed - her true longings for God. She asks where she should worship, here or on the other mountain. She believes perhaps region is the answer - she appeals to him for a religious answer. Jesus answers her most directly with these words.

24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

She exclaims she wants this - to truly worship God in spirit and truth. she realizes it isn't about place or religious tradition but about knowing God. Jesus reveals to her His identity as Messiah and she suddenly becomes so overcome with joy that she runs into town evangelizing saying she has met the Christ. 

The deepest yearnings of someone's heart are not often revealed to anyone. The yearning for God and to know eternal life are often hidden away because people know they are unworthy of true fellowship with God because He is Holy. Only by using the prompting of the Holy Spirit, can we know what to use as prompts to get people talking about Christ. Most people want to know the true and living God but they either believe they know Him and worship a false God or serve God on their terms or they don't believe they are worthy.

Only we who know that Jesus is Christ and that are lead by the Holy Spirit can make a difference in these people's lives. It is not by might or by power. It is not with mere words of man's wisdom that we can bring them to Christ. Pray before you speak with people. You may have God reveal keys to you of how to win that person to Christ.