I first off challenge you to read John chapter 6. But not as you have read it before. Read it with the idea of promise, and see if anything stands out to you.
It is truly amazing how we can read the words that Jesus spoke and feel the power that it still has. I am no longer in favor of just reading the bible to read it. I want the power of Jesus to be revealed in every line!
So on that note, John chapter 6 is great. It's all about promises. I am starting to realize that in believing, there is a deep rooted foundation of promise. With believing, comes promise. Without promise, there is no power of belief. I don't mean to mention promises of good fortune and better circumstances. I don't believe Jesus ever promised anything close to that. His promises are much more meaningful.
When Jesus walks on water in verse 19 the reaction of the disciples was fear. Jesus' promise was this, do not be afraid for in me there is no fear. Verses 26-27 he promises food that will endure, which he will give. And then, most dominantly he promises us eternal life. But eternal life is knowing the Father and the one he sent, as said in chapter 17.
So let's quickly recap, (and I am assuming you read this because there's too much detail to lay it all out), the promises outlined in chapter 6 are rooted in one thing. They are rooted in him. That is interesting isn't it? That he can promise freedom from fear, food that fills the soul and eternal life that are all contained in him. So what he is really saying is this: I promise myself to you. I promise that I am trustworthy and will fulfill your hunger and thirst.
So prophesy and miracles will fill our hunger right? Or teachings and gatherings? Blessings and inheritances? I would beg to infer that maybe these things are an outcome of the belief in his true promise, the promise of eternal life in him. Maybe I should stop looking at these things as a fulfillment of a desire to experience him and rather as an inevitable response to the very essence of who he is.
So the challenge for myself is this: to set aside the 'glory' of gifts and blessings and turn my face to the person of Jesus because he promises himself to me if I believe. So I will believe in the promise of him, because in him all blessings/promises/gifts/inheritances come. That's the glory I want, Jesus.
Will you join me?
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
It is always about the Father
Do you ever wonder what the father would say to us if he could hear our conversations? If he could hear us talk about all the things we have to work on, all the ways we have fallen short, all the ways we have failed? Do you actually think he would agree with us? I don't believe so, and here is why.
Jesus says in John 14 that He is the way and the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father except through Him. If we really knew Him, we would know His Father as well. From now on, we do know the Father and have seen Him. I want to restate that. From now on... From this point forward, we know the Father. Point one.
John 14:15-21 is a great section to meditate on. If we love Him, we will obey Him. He will not leave us as orphans, instead He will come to us. Because He lives, we also live and the day we receive the Spirit of Truth we will realize that He is in the Father, and we are in Him, and He is in us. He, Jesus Christ, is in the Father as we are in Him. Point two.
Jesus goes on to say in verses 28-31 that we should be glad He is going to the Father because the Father is greater than He. He also says that the prince of this world is coming, but he has no hold on Him because He loves the Father and does exactly what the Father has commanded. The prince of this world has no hold on Jesus because He is in the Father. Point three.
So back to my first question. What would the Father say if he say in on our conversations of self-defeat? First off he would probably say, "Child, don't you remember that I am the Father?" Then as our conversation progresses into deeper troubles of our failings he would probably whisper "Child, don't you remember that you are in my Son, in which I am well pleased?" But we continue to throw ourselves down the pit of despair (Insert Princess Bride reference) where all the life gets sucked out of us and he simply says, "My dearest one, have you not been listening to me all along? If you are in my Son, who is in me, then what hold can the prince of darkness have in you? You are my child who has been called into light, to bear the image with my Son. Get up off your mat of self- destruction and walk in the lengths of my love."
When will we actually get up and walk in the image of Christ? When will we finally say, it's not about me? When will we finally recognize that we are in the Son as the Son is in the Father? Why is this so hard for us to accept?
I believe the words of Jesus. If we have found a place in Him and He has found a place in us, then the prince of darkness has NO hold on us... how many times must we say it? Get up, and walk!!
Try to tell me it's about you, and I will remind you of the Father, for in him all things were created for the fullness of his Son, who dwells within us.
Jesus says in John 14 that He is the way and the truth and the life. No one goes to the Father except through Him. If we really knew Him, we would know His Father as well. From now on, we do know the Father and have seen Him. I want to restate that. From now on... From this point forward, we know the Father. Point one.
John 14:15-21 is a great section to meditate on. If we love Him, we will obey Him. He will not leave us as orphans, instead He will come to us. Because He lives, we also live and the day we receive the Spirit of Truth we will realize that He is in the Father, and we are in Him, and He is in us. He, Jesus Christ, is in the Father as we are in Him. Point two.
Jesus goes on to say in verses 28-31 that we should be glad He is going to the Father because the Father is greater than He. He also says that the prince of this world is coming, but he has no hold on Him because He loves the Father and does exactly what the Father has commanded. The prince of this world has no hold on Jesus because He is in the Father. Point three.
So back to my first question. What would the Father say if he say in on our conversations of self-defeat? First off he would probably say, "Child, don't you remember that I am the Father?" Then as our conversation progresses into deeper troubles of our failings he would probably whisper "Child, don't you remember that you are in my Son, in which I am well pleased?" But we continue to throw ourselves down the pit of despair (Insert Princess Bride reference) where all the life gets sucked out of us and he simply says, "My dearest one, have you not been listening to me all along? If you are in my Son, who is in me, then what hold can the prince of darkness have in you? You are my child who has been called into light, to bear the image with my Son. Get up off your mat of self- destruction and walk in the lengths of my love."
When will we actually get up and walk in the image of Christ? When will we finally say, it's not about me? When will we finally recognize that we are in the Son as the Son is in the Father? Why is this so hard for us to accept?
I believe the words of Jesus. If we have found a place in Him and He has found a place in us, then the prince of darkness has NO hold on us... how many times must we say it? Get up, and walk!!
Try to tell me it's about you, and I will remind you of the Father, for in him all things were created for the fullness of his Son, who dwells within us.
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