WHERE THE POWER OF GOD LIES

Mark 4v26-28 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

The seed spoken of in the above parable is the Word of God. The one who sows it is not only the Son of God, but his servants (for God sows into peoples' live through using us as His servants). When we as Christians put forth the Word of God, the Lord and the Spirit go about to make that seed fruitful; both to grow it and make life come from it. This seed does not consist of certain parts of the Word, but of any and all parts of it; for it is all Spirit, and all life, for it is all of Jesus:

John 1v1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

We as Christians can often mistake where the power of God comes from. The scripture from Mark, at the top of this post, shows that the power of God does not come from our powers of persuasion, and it doesn't come from what we believe is good about God. The power of God lies in neither of those things, for it is its own power, which does not originate in us. We often do not understand this, and do not understand the fact that we will not understand how this seed sprouts and grows, because it is He who does both these workings (Mark 4v27).

When we evangelise, our task is to share the gospel of God and also to share anything and everything the Word teaches us. That is the power of the seed, for the seed reveals all the characteristics of God and of our Lord Jesus, and all these things are good. The power of God does not lie in our ability to share the gospel and the Word, or in any parable we may make up, for parables test whether men are being moved by the Spirit of God, or by natural means (means related only to feelings and to the feeding of the flesh i.e when many deserted Jesus due to Him not providing physical bread for them anymore). This is clear from the fact that, straight after Jesus shared the parable in Mark 4 v26-29 and then another parable in the same Chapter from v30-32, He then explained the parable He had spoken to the disciples:

Mark 4v33-34:
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Parables actually came as a test for the unsaved; for in their natural understanding, people would have thought Christ was actually talking about a literal seed. But, if they were truly being moved by the Spirit of God, then they would have realised that the seed was speaking about the Word, and the Kingdom of God in spiritual terms, not a literal Kingdom for the present time. Jesus showed the disciples that the power of God lay in the Spirit, not in the flesh and in human ways of understanding or in powers of persuasion. Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus didn't use parables to make the Word easier for the unsaved to understand. And that is where the Church has run in to much trouble, for we have often diluted the Word of God in only giving likenesses to the Kingdom, which actually giving the truth as it really is, and in full. When this happens preaching and evangelism becomes a useless, fleshly thing.

The only way Christians will ever know if they are having an effect on this world, and are seeing true conversions, will be to preach the Gospel and the Word as it truly is- not by compromise or by half measure, but by any and every part of the Bible. The test must be given by showing the truth as it is, and not fearing that we may lose because of it, for that is not trusting God, but trusting in ourselves and in our own strength, and showing that, at least in part, we have selfish motives for preaching and evangelising. That is a preaching out of fear and the flesh, and there will come bad fruit from it.

Jesus taught us that the power of God lies in the Spirit and in His work to grow the seed and to make it fruitful. We will often not understand how this works, for the world says that it will only love God if God has something good for them, according to their understanding of what good is. The world says that they will love God if He suits their desires and does what they want Him to do. But that is contrary to truth, for God is the only God there is, and we are only His creation. We must serve Him and we must follow and obey Him, not the other way around. We serve His desires and His truth, and not our own desires and understanding. Whereas the Word often offers up hard truths and things difficult for us to understand and accept. The Word says that those that follow Jesus will have to suffer and will face many hardships. The Word says that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross, and it says that in this world we will have tribulation.

We must trust that God knows what is best for people and the unsaved, whereas we don't. If we do this, and preach the Word and Christ as He truly is, then we will be sure to see the power of God. God will take care of us, and He will also take care of those that rightly respond to that preaching. He will take care of His work and grow it and make it fruitful in a way that passes our understanding. God will build His Church, and the gates of Hell, and all powers of men will not prevail to hinder this, or to destroy it in any way.

PROPHECY COMING TO PASS & WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE

On my blog last year I posted a dream that showed that America was secretly preparing itself for a possibly imminent war. In the dream I saw a large white van (that appeared in such a way as to show that this was being done in secret) and a large collection of missiles, both large and small (although even the smaller ones looked formidable) that were about to be loaded onto it. I knew that they were about to be taken to a military base. In the dream I felt as though America was readying itself for a possible war that could take place. War SEEMED imminent. When I woke from the dream the song 'Radioactive' went through my head and the lyrics 'Welcome to the new age, to the new age' (the other lyrics to that song are quite interesting too if you do a quick google search). The imagery and link between the dream and the song should be quite self-explanatory.

The point being is that what looked extremely unlikely a year ago, now is a possibility and it is highly likely that it has already been fulfilled. America is, or already has, prepared itself for what may eventuate in Russia's part of the world. If one of the NATO countries is attacked by Russia, under the NATO Treaty and as a signatory to it, America is obligated to defend its Allies, and so to go to war against Russia. Putin has reminded and warned the world that Russia is a nuclear power and to not mess with it. Dark storm clouds are rolling in, and the day of the storm draws closer. On more than a few occasions in the past I've written about this and tried to warn people that a storm is coming. Jesus is in control, and He is sovereign! He will protect His people.

Below is the post I posted on my blog last year. Praise the Lord that He knows the future and He is in control of what happens next.



'Monday, 5 August 2013

DREAM: AMERICA READIES ITSELF FOR POSSIBLE WAR


1 Cor 12v7: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all...

Acts 2:17: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams...

On the 20th of last month I had a dream. I dreamt I was in America and saw many missiles being loaded onto what I just knew was a military truck (one that tried to disguise itself as such). Some of the missiles were extremely large, and even the smaller ones still looked pretty formidable. I instinctively knew that these missiles were being taken to a US military base in readiness for what felt like a possible imminent war. It felt as though an enemy was threatening the US, and the US was taking it very seriously indeed, so seriously that they were arming themselves in readiness for what could take place. Another person came onto the scene and said something to the effect of even though war seemed imminent, that Christ never instructs man to go to war, but desires that men treat each other with love and kindness.

I think the interpretation of this dream is pretty straight forward. Although we 'know in part,' and 'see in part.' I don't pretend to know exactly what it means, but from my perspective, and definitely not a 'thus saith the Lord,' I think it means that it is very likely that the US will be on the BRINK of a POSSIBLE war/battle sometime in the future. The key words though I think are POSSIBLE WAR/BATTLE. It seems as though an enemy will threaten the US, and the US will take it very seriously indeed, so seriously that they will ready their armoury just in case they need to fight. I think it is also very POSSIBLE that the US may actually have to go to war with an adversary. There was an indication in the dream (something I haven't mentioned), that MAY speak about the US being successful in the battle/war (if they end up fighting/going to war), but that is only me interpreting something, and I could have got that wrong.

So why share this? One, the Lord gives dreams of the future for a reason, mainly, to strengthen and encourage our walk with Him in the present by warning, encouraging, instructing and directing. Jesus said to watch, and so we need to be obedient to watch for the signs of our times- Matt 16v2 He replied, "You know the saying, 'Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow, 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.' You are good at reading the weather signs in the sky, but you can't read the obvious signs of the times! When we watch, we show the Lord that we are being attentive to what He is doing in the earth, and then we can respond accordingly, in our lives and in our testimony for Him, and be most effective for Him in His service. If the disciples had never read the prophecy within the Old Testament, they would've never recognised the Saviour when He came, and if we never understand the prophecy of the Word, and the prophecy given by the Spirit, we'll never recognise His hand in world events, and not be able to guard our spiritual lives in the way we should. The Word says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, so if we are interested in being a testimony for Him, we'll be interested in prophetic things. Such things are for our good, and were given for a purpose, He desires that we should benefit by them!

God bless!'



Below is a part of another dream I had a few years ago, and that is yet to come to pass concerning America and Russia:


'Then we were all watching the news and something major had happened that they were covering on the news. We were all watching, and Russia apparently had just ‘acted against’/ attacked the US. Then one of the people said we were going down stairs now because CNN was just about to do a major broadcast/ news report on what was happening.'

At first I hadn’t being paying that much attention to the news, but then I realised that we were all watching a current report of what had just started between Russia and the US, Russia being the ones to start it (it seemed like preliminary actions had just begun, as the CNN report was just about to come out).'

THE SILENT TRAGEDY

What a tragedy it is that, even though so many of us are rich in the Word of God and in knowing Christ, that so few share what w'eve been given to help benefit and refresh others. So often our first concern is, "How will this benefit us?" instead of focusing on the fact that even the smallest morsel of spiritual truth can nourish our brothers and sisters in Christ in extremely valuable ways:

Mark 7v28: 'She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children's plates."

Christ gives the truth as a living seed, and as such he requires the sower to scatter that seed in order to give it a chance to fall on the soil of open hearts, and then grow from there thanks to the Holy Spirit. He also gives the truth as light, and as such He requires that we shine forth that truth by crying out and speaking publicly those words He's given us:

Prov 1v20 'Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. 21 At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks…'

Matt 10v27 What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.

Is 45v19: 'I have not spoken in secret…'

If we reject this, we really just consult with human reasonings as to why we should wait to reveal and speak about the truth. The truth is always healthy and beneficial for people, because it is the Holy Spirit that we are sharing with others. We have all been given many talents because we have been given His Word, and to hide this is an awful thing, and it is to be disobedient to the Lord and to His will for us.

However, as we follow His will for us here, by faithful serving others by feeding the His Word, He makes sure to feed us richly ourselves as well:

John 4v31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

WISDOM CRIES OUT (Matthew Henry Commentary)

Prov 1v20 'Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. 21 At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks…'

Matt 10v27 What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.

Is 45v19: 'I have not spoken in secret…'

MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY (on Prov 1v20):

'He calls himself Wisdom, Lu. 7:35 .II. How he calls to us, and in what manner. 1. Very publicly, that whosoever hath ears to hear may hear, since all are welcome to take the benefit of what is said and all are concerned to heed it. The rules of wisdom are published without in the streets, not in the schools only, or in the palaces of princes, but in the chief places of concourse, among the common people that pass and repass in the opening of the gates and in the city. It is comfortable casting the net of the gospel where there is a multitude of fish, in hopes that then some will be enclosed. This was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus, who taught openly in the temple, in crowds of people, and in secret said nothing (Jn. 18:20 ), and charged his ministers to proclaim his gospel on the housetop, Mt. 10:27 . God says (Isa. 45:19 ), I have not spoken in secret. There is no speech or language where Wisdom’s voice is not heard. Truth seeks not corners, nor is virtue ashamed of itself. 2. Very pathetically; she cries, and again she cries, as one in earnest. Jesus stood and cried. She utters her voice, she utters her words with all possible clearness and affection. God is desirous to be heard and heeded.'

SHINING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE ON THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY OF OUR WORLD

Acts 17v16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. 18 Then[a] certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler want to say?”

Acts 17v19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” 21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

One way the enemy loves to try and desensitise Christians to the truth, and to curb their desire to continue to grow in it, is to flood the society where we live with as many ideas, ideologies and perspectives on life and living as he possibly can. If the enemy can cause an avalanche of these things to continually rain down on Christians, he can wear us down and cause us to put up a shield, not only to the world's ways, but also to Christian ways and Christian truths, because we simply are tired and scared of learning the wrong thing.

This is also how the enemy can silence Christians, as they no longer think that shining the 'light' of truth is important or beneficial in any way. Whereas Christ said to shine our light on a hill, we hide it in a bushel and become ineffective with the talents He's given us. The Christian has been given many hills in today's society; these come in many forms, including the hills (opportunities and platforms) we get in our work places, in times with our friends and families, and yes, even Facebook. Shining the truth is always beneficial, because we are, in effect, sharing the Holy Spirit with others, for '...the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.' (Heb 4v12). We have been given so much, and yet to not share it is to not believe in its power, and to not believe in the purpose it has because of the one who first gave it:

Is 55v10: 'As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.'

The enemy also wants to set up as many hills and as much communication as he can to try and block and frustrate the communication of the Lord. And he has done all he can to make this happen through nearly every form of technology and media and voices that our world has and speaks with today. However, the simple fact is that, when the Word is shared, the Lord's purpose for that word will not be frustrated, but it will always be effectual, whether we see it or not. That is why, not only is this walk a walk of faith, but also actions that come from that walk are faith based. That is why it is always an act of faith to share the Word, for you will not often see its effect, but you must still believe it has one. If our sharing of the truth is done only according to the effect that we see it has, we'll rarely share it, because the truth often comes to people as a seed, which is obviously something so small and seemingly insignificant. But like Jesus said, even though that seed may be so small, and even though it may be hidden, when the Lord grows it and makes it fruitful, it will end up being the biggest tree in the garden of men's hearts and lives. Never underestimate the effect truth has, and never become discouraged at our lack of ability to make anything happen in the natural. God wanted to teach Paul that in himself, he was weak and only a vessel, and so it is with us. Though, from what we know, it is likely that Paul was martyred by wicked men, God has shown us since then what the result of Paul's shining forth of the truth was, and no doubt the full extent of it will not be known till we all as Christians reach Heaven one day.

Our society is now an information super-highway, and it looks so busy and seems so much larger than life, and yet, in reality, people are starving for Words of life that nourish and give life, and only Jesus has those Words. And we, as His people, have been entrusted with them, not so that we can hoard them away and hide them, but that so we can be generous with what we've been given. As we have been freely given the truth, so must we freely give that truth, without shame or thought for ourselves, for the light of life is not just for us, but for all men. Shine your light on a hill! Let people know the truth, and shine the light of the Word for your fellow Christians so that we can continue to learn and grow in it! We all need each other in this, we all need each other to share, for Christ made us a body for a reason, and this is one of the main reasons for it.

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FREEDOM IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER

 Often as Christians we love grace and go on and on about how God isn't good to us (or our relationship to Him doesn't change) based off what we give him and how much time we spend with Him (He loves us freely), and then we are still people who hold strict accounts with our friends. Whereas He loves us freely and unconditionally, we sometimes act with others as if they're in our debt and they must work in order earn our love or maintain it. While giving of ourselves to others in friendship is important, we are all imperfect friends, and cannot have friendship with others based off of whether they are seeing us or imputing to us as much as we'd want, because then the friendship isn't one of grace, love and freedom, but one of debt, burden and guilt. 

Jesus has given us a good example of how to relate to each other in family and friendship and it is based off of grace, love and freedom, so we should be inspired to mirror the same thing, otherwise we'll always be disappointed with others (and get frustrated and angry) and relate to them out of manipulation for what we want. This is no way to relate to others. We should let God be sovereign in friendships and family (let Him make the connections He sees as good and beneficial, and also allow Him to close doors that aren't), and be free with each other, realising our own shortcomings, and in that way we'll guard against being hurt, and let His love be that which sustains us, and blesses others. 

Sometimes God establishes strong connections with others in our lives, and at other times ones that aren't so strong. Sometimes there are seasons for certain friends, and sometimes those seasons come around again or never happen again, but each have their purpose and place, and times. What is great though is that no matter what happens, each Christian friendship, no matter how it is experienced in this life, will be reunited one day in heaven and so is not experienced in vain! The Bible tells us that all else in this life will fade, but love never fails! Love doesn't pass away, so He will ensure that all relationships to do with friendship and family last in the way that He sees as good! An encouraging thought!

COMPLETELY FORGIVEN, ONCE AND FOR ALL

One of, it not my favourite chapter in scripture is found in Hebrews 10. This scripture is the single greatest comfort for the Christian and it is found in the fact that all our sins have been forgiven, once and for all. In the cross of Christ, not only were our past sins forgiven, but also our present and all our future sins as well. There is nothing now left for the Christian to be forgiven. While we may at times need to turn from a willing practice of sin, and while we still may feel regret and sorrow at what we have done (as we are human and the Spirit within us can still be grieved), this being called 'repentance' in the Word, we never again need to have our sins forgiven by Christ.

If you doubt this, think this way. If we still need our sins to be forgiven, at what point do we ask for forgiveness? We would have to ask for forgiveness, not only at the smallest act of sin, but continually ask for forgiveness because WE ARE SINNERS (our actual state is sinful, not just the acts we perform). After all, we all still have a sin nature and the fallen nature with us (the flesh), even though we are to consider ourselves dead to sin (the flesh) and alive to Christ. If, at the smallest act of sin, our relationship with Christ was damaged, then we would have to live in a constant state of having to ask for forgiveness in order to maintain our relationship and closeness with Christ. This would make us live in a constant state of fear and this would give us a constant burden. This is completely against what the book of Galatians tells us about our salvation, as the writer tells us that it is by faith alone that we have been saved and even that faith is a gift of God:

Gal 3v15:

We who are Jews by both and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.'

v17: "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!

For further proof of this truth, lets look at Hebrews 10. In this chapter, the writer compares the sacrifices of the Old Testament, to the New Testament Covenant, to see the difference in our relationship with God. The writer reveals that no matter how many sacrifices were made, the worshippers in the Old Testament that gave them could never be made perfect, once and for all, so they had to keep on giving them:

Heb 10v1-3 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

Notice that the writer here says that if the sacrifices that had been given could have made the offerer PERFECT, they would have stopped being given. But because they weren't made perfect and because they weren't PURIFIED ONCE AND FOR ALL, they had to keep being given. As such, they were REMINDED of their sins each year. But notice one of the most crucial aspects of this passage is found at the end of it. The writer says that if the sacrifices they had made purified them once and for all, THEY WOULD NO LONGER HAVE BEEN CONSCIOUS OF THEIR SINS. This is crucial. While we still can recognise sin and when we sin at times, we should never, from that, believe that we need to be purified from those sins again. In Christ, THEY HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, ONCE AND FOR ALL:

Heb 10v10: 'And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.'

It is extremely clear what the writer is saying here. We have BEEN MADE HOLY (past tense), and this is ONCE AND FOR ALL (for all time and for all of our lives). So because this has already happened, and we have already been forgiven, we do not need to be forgiven again. The Old Testament sacrifices had to be made again and again, but Christ doesn't need to be offered again and again; once was enough. And verse 14 reinforces this again. One offering has perfected us (made us completely Holy in His sight through Christ), and has sanctified us (past tense). There is no more perfecting that needs to be done in our salvation, it has been completed. Yes, our practical reflection of that life that has been placed in us may change from time to time, but that doesn't alter our salvation in any way.

This new covenant means that Christ will no longer remember or hold our sins against us:

Heb 10v16: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after that time, says the Lord.' '…"Their sins and their lawless acts I will remember no more." And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.'

If we have accepted Christ and accepted the gift of faith, and received the one sacrifice of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, then all our sins, for our whole life, have been forgiven at that one point in time. That one sacrifice was enough, and all our sins were placed on Him, punished, and then forgiven.

This is the greatness of the sacrifice Jesus made for us! How great is His love for us and how great is His name! Thank you Jesus!