Thursday, August 31, 2006
When we as the church obey GOD we call it a miracle, when the church helps the poor inside there own congregation or outside there congregation we call that a miracle.
When we part with any resources we call that a miracle. When a person in need receives an unexpected blessing to them it may seem like a miracle and it very well might be.
I believe instead its obedience. I think that obeying GOD should be so commonplace in the church it shouldn’t be a surprise or classified as a miracle when it occurs. That there might be the issue, we don’t recognize obedience to His word and most certainly don’t always walk in an obedient manner. The real miracle is that GOD allows us to be a part of blessing others.
Webster dictionary has more then one definition of miracle, but I think when we are talking about miracle the following definition is the one we have in mind.
Webster… 1: an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs.
I don’t believe the early church sought after the miracles instead they recognized that GOD’s love was the extraordinary supernatural event they have longed for and it was manifested in the person of Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:7-9
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
NKJV
Matt 16:3-4
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.
NKJV
1 Sam 15:22
…to obey is better than sacrifice,
NKJV
Monday, August 28, 2006
Do you find yourself constantly trying to interpret the bible based on your experiences? In your heart you might say the bible does not mean what it says because you have not experienced the reality of what is written in the scriptures. Maybe the words only applied 2000 years ago and are not for today.
I know that the bible is 100% correct and is not irrelevant anywhere in its text and that the bible is the only reliable authoritative words that I can rely on it regardless of my experiences or feelings.
Prov 30:5-6
5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
NKJV
Finally friend be careful to correctly render and apply the words of GOD correctly to avoid His rebuke.
Friday, August 25, 2006
We are not defined by our failures or successes. The apostles were not defined by their apostleship or great humanitarian efforts. Moses was not defined by the exodus or receiving the ten commandments, King David was not defined by His lineage, the Apostle Paul was not defined by his past life as Saul any more then you or I are defined by our moral failures. I have probably never met a person that I have not failed at some level. This one thing I am confident in though; I am defined and living because of the grace and love of Jesus Christ. Anything I do outside of Christ no matter how great they may seem is but filthy rags.
Isa 64:6
6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
NKJV
Phil 3:8-10
8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, (even) that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death;
ASV
Thanks, Rory D. Bennett
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Everything the Apostles did was for the Glory of GOD. Yes, that includes miracles and the likes! When we as the modern Christians talk and pray, we do so form the stand point as if all things where possible to us who believe. What am I saying? We pray about all of the things we want to occur such as our wealth, health in spite of our lifestyles and we do pray for the sick and hurting. The intent of many of the modern prayers is blessing and wealth orientated. They are positional prayed from a Kings Kid point of view, which means that we believe that Heavens blessing are some of the Fringe benefits that should occur here on earth. We proclaim that all of the powers of Christ and the Apostles exhibited are at work in our life’s today; now call me a skeptic but those who are making the proclamations are not raising the dead, healing the sick and dividing one fish into portions that feed thousands. Yet they claim the power is there if only we have the faith, are we all that faithless that we see none of these things are manifesting? I don’t believe we have a faith issue, we do have some poor rendering of God’s word though. Here is the secret of miracles and moving mountains; well we where still sinners Christ loved us and died for us. Wait there is more; he wants us to proclaim this, wow. You know what else; he wants His love proclaimed to the world through you and me. He does want us to pray and intercede for people; He does want His children to feed the hungry to love the unlovely. The miracle is He wants to use the church for this. He wants to use the power of His love versus mighty acts and wonders. We need to be a generous people whose churches store rooms and money is full and fully being used to share GOD’s generosity with those whom he calls us to proclaim His love and mercy to. Finally brethren, this is all for His glory. I want to proclaim His love for others; that needs to be all of our hearts. You have seen all of the miracles you need to see and that is He loves you.
(Rom 5:8-11 NKJV)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
