When we take an honest look at Christianity, as portrayed in the scriptures, we see that it is entirely supernatural. The incarnation was supernatural. The ministry of Jesus was supernatural. The church was supernaturally birthed. The early believers saw the supernatural as simply normal Christianity. Even becoming a new creation is supernatural. However, in many Christian circles, when the supernatural is mentioned in the church today, a shying
away tends to occur due to numerous doctrines that have held many
believers in bondage for centuries. Yet, the Bible clearly reveals that God and His Word do not change (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; Malachi 3:6; Mark 11:31; Hebrews 13:8) and that He and His Word are one. (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 5:7)
In order to see the supernatural living God at work through His church, we cannot get past this one truth, which is revealed through one of Jesus' apostles, Thomas. "Then Jesus said to Thomas, Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to Him, My Lord and my God! Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:27-29) Simply put, we must believe. Thomas did not believe that Jesus was risen and alive, though Jesus told all the apostles that He would be killed and on the third day rise again. (Matthew 17:22-23; Mark 9:31; Luke 18:31-33) In other words, Thomas did not believe the Lords Word.
The very things that happened with Thomas, is the very thing that goes on in many believers today. They do not believe God's Word, but have excused it away either in the same manner, as Thomas, “Unless I see...I will not believe.” (John 20:25) or have replaced God's Word by, "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down." (Mark 7:13) These are most likely the main reasons why healing in the church through the supernatural power of God in Jesus' Name is almost nonexistent in many areas. However, there is a biblical truth that is a foundation to
healing the sick and injured. This foundational truth is frequently expressed in various ways in the New Testament.
Many, who seem to generally accept the truth of divine healing, seem to fail in applying this foundational biblical truth to specific matters involving healing. Others will simply reject the implication behind this foundational truth based on doctrine that has become acceptable in the church, again, not believing God's Word. Therefore, healing for believers today in many areas of the church is generally unpredictable, unreliable, inconsistent, or not present at all. This has produced a weak theology that erodes faith for receiving and or ministering healing. This truth, which we will see, cannot be taken for granted or underestimated. It is the bedrock of receiving and ministering healing today in and through the church, believers. Let's begin with a conversation between Christ and His disciples in the Gospel of John.
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, Have
I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who
has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, show us the
Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." (John 14:1-11)
Jesus reveals, He is the way, the truth and the life. Although this has a larger application than just healing, Christ is also the way and the truth about healing. In other words, Christ's life produces healing, and to know Christ is to know the Father. He goes on and answers Philip. To see Jesus, His actions, is to see the Father in action. Therefore, studying the life of Jesus reveals the Father's will in all matters, which includes healing. If believers fail to believe that Jesus knows the Father's will and expresses it perfectly, many things that God's has provided for believers, such as healing, will remain an unattainable puzzle at best. Believers must understand without reservation, that the Lord Jesus Christ ultimately reveals the will of the Father in all matters!
The writer of Hebrews says, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person..." (Hebrews 1:1-3) Phillips version of this verse says that Jesus is the "radiance of the glory of God, flawless expression of the nature of God." The Amplified Bible says, "He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature." Let us also keep in mind, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) Again, in all matters, pertaining to God, Jesus ultimately reveals the will of the Father.
While the entire Bible declares God's will, nature, character, purpose and plan, many of these attributes were unclear and unrevealed until Jesus. Mysteries that were once hidden are now revealed in Jesus, particularly by His actions and words. Also notice, the special nature of the relationship between Jesus and the Father. Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. Jesus says that believers must believe in this special relationship to experience the Father's will which includes healing. We also see that Jesus gives credit to the Father for His works. The miracles and healings in the ministry of Jesus were expressions of the divine purpose of the Father.
Having faith in Jesus includes believing that He was and is in the Father. Jesus has been teaching the importance of believing that He has been revealing the Father. In fact, He commands His followers to believe that very thing. If believers fail to believe that Jesus reveals the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father perfectly, they will find that faith will be difficult for many of the things that the Father has freely given through Christ. (Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:32) Understanding that Jesus was expressing the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father can be discerned simply by observing the ministry of Jesus in His teaching, preaching and actions.
To believe and appropriate the blessings, the promises of God, which includes healing, we must believe, we must mix God's Word with faith. This was not only the apostle Thomas' failure but also the failure of many Jews which kept them from coming to Christ. "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." (Hebrews 4:2) God's Word must be mixed with faith or Christianity is reduced to nothing more than another world religion. So, as the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul states, let us cast away the, "persuasive words of human wisdom" and believe God for the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) Let us believe God for a continuous flow of His supernatural power in and through the church so that the Father is glorified, the Name of Jesus magnified and that the Word of God multiply and prevail mightily. The unsaved world is depending on us. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...
Monday, January 8, 2018
Monday, January 1, 2018
Monday, December 25, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Greater Works
With the holiday season upon us which not only includes Christmas but also the closing of a year and the beginning of a new year, let us prepare ourselves now with high expectations of God manifesting His Kingdom, Power and Glory like never before. Let us remember that Jesus gave humanity a complete and eternal redemption which provides us with life and that more abundantly, now. Let us
"lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2) Let us move beyond churchianity into true Christianity by letting the Holy Spirit loose, bringing us to the place where the supernatural power of God is released through us in the Name of Jesus. (Mark 16:17-18) Let us exercise more faith in God and His wonderful Word and works than we every have. Of course we will have a fight on our hands. But not a fight against Satan, for he is a defeated foe.
The greatest battle that any child of God will ever fight is the battle of faith. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul reveals this very thing, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12) We often wonder why it is so hard for so many believers to truly believe God. There are several reasons. Some of these are; we are surrounded in an environment of an antagonistic world that is presided over by the enemy of all righteousness, Satan; we live in his unreal world; we are surrounded by the currents of unbelief so subtle that most seem unable to realize them, and rise above them.
To believe in God for most anything seems to be a continual struggle against the selfish, greedy, materialistic currents that buffet us. To believe in Christ for victory over sin is a battle during every hour of consciousness, with the spiritual hosts of darkness seemly and relentlessly opposing all that is good and righteous. To believe in God for healing the physical body when one is ill is to put up a battle against the centuries of trusting in medicine. So it is not at a1l strange that so many break down in their faith life. For those who press through these things we must caution ourselves to not be harsh or critical against our brothers or sisters in Christ who fail when scripture tells us, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2) So, let's take a moment and look at what the Bible reveals concerning faith.
To begin with faith is a noun whereas believe is a verb. Believing, being a verb, is an action word. To believe in a Biblical sense means "to take," or "to grasp." To believe Jesus means to take Jesus for all that the Scriptures declare Him to be. To clarify this, to believe on Christ as a Savior, is to take Him as the One who saves, delivers, redeems, sustains or preserves; the One who has opened the way to everlasting salvation, eternal life. It means to take Him and recognize Him as your healer, provider, protector, basically, our all in all. In other words, believing is an act of the will. When I believe, I have acted, having acted, I have reached what is called faith. Faith is a noun. I take a step. Having taken the step, I have arrived, therefore arriving in this sense is faith.
To believe then, is to act on the Word of God. So then, faith is action, that is, not believing only but acting on God's Word. The Apostle James says it this way, "...I will show you my faith by my works (corresponding actions)" (James 2:18) Doubt or unbelief is refusing to act on God's Word. This brings us to the next point. There are two kinds of unbelief: first, a refusing to act on the knowledge of the Word that we have. This can be called unpersuadableness. It is refusing to act on what we know to be true in the light of knowledge. The other kind of unbelief arises when one does not know, therefore he/she cannot act. In other words, if we do not understand or know something to be true, we are afraid to act or we do not know how to act. The cure for this is knowledge; the cure for the other is
obedience.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) For many, although this verse is describing or defining faith it seems to be somewhat obscure. So, to break this down to more understandable terms, it can be said; Faith is the title deed for things you have hoped for, the putting to proof of things unseen, that is, faith is the title deed to the property you know you possess, even though you have not yet seen it. Think about it from this perspective. You are given the deed to a property. You have never seen the property, however, the deed is the legal document and the only proof required, that guarantees and proves your ownership. In the same way, we apply faith in God's Word (the deed) which God Himself guarantees that what He says is true and that He is able and willing to perform. In other words, faith is expecting God to do what you know He has said in His Word that He will do, or, faith is believing that God speaks the truth, period, therefore, no matter what the circumstances may be, I am convinced that God is willing and able to do what He says.
When it comes to acting on God's Word, that is, releasing faith, always remember, God has never asked that we exercise faith for something that He has not first promised or that He will not do for us. In other words, first, He gives us a promise. Then as our faith grows it produces actions, then He fulfills His promise. The Apostle Paul tells us, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) Although Jesus paid the price for sin, a person must act in faith, confess and believe, before God fulfills His promise, "you will be saved." This same principle applies across the board. Faith is believing and acting on God's Word. So, always remember, God never asks us to believe He will do something for us unless He has promised to do it first. We also need to remember, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19)
Solomon tells us, "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) Let us do what we see in this Proverb concerning God's Word. In the natural, when a farmer puts seed into the ground, he does not dig it up to see how it is doing. He believes that the ground and seed have begun their work. Similarly, we are to, "Keep them (God's Word) in the midst of your heart" and believe that it is doing its work. So, let us have the same faith in the imperishable seed, God's Word. The Apostle Peter tells us, "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23)
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells us the seed that is sown is the Word of God. (Mark 4:14) He also tells us in the Parable of the Growing Seed, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how." (Mark 4:26-27) Therefore, after you plant seed, (God's Word) believe it is growing even before you see any results. As we see above, we may not understand how the Word grows (our faith), we simply believe. This again is faith, which is the evidence of things not seen. Any person can get rid of their doubts by looking steadfastly at the evidence which God has given for our faith, His Word. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) It is God's Word that produces and increases faith. So, do not doubt your faith, but simply doubt your doubts, for they are unreliable.
As we approach 2018, let us commit to doing the following three things on a daily bases. First, saturate ourselves with and in the Word of God. Let it prevail over fear, doubt and unbelief like never before. Simply put, let's believe and act on God's Word. Second, let our confession be the Word of God. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Remember, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Thirdly, spend time conversing (praying) with the Father in the Name of Jesus. Not only offering up our petitions and requests, but also given thanks in all thing, keeping in mind, that to converse is to have a conversation, a two way conversation with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. "truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3)
Finally, let us not make vain New Years resolutions, where according to statistics, approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February. Instead let us truly commit ourselves to the Lord, His Word and His way's, in doing so, the church will once again takes its place in every society turning the world upside down, glorifying the Father and magnifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) My prayer for us all for 2018 was spoken by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." (3 John 2)
"lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2) Let us move beyond churchianity into true Christianity by letting the Holy Spirit loose, bringing us to the place where the supernatural power of God is released through us in the Name of Jesus. (Mark 16:17-18) Let us exercise more faith in God and His wonderful Word and works than we every have. Of course we will have a fight on our hands. But not a fight against Satan, for he is a defeated foe.
The greatest battle that any child of God will ever fight is the battle of faith. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul reveals this very thing, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12) We often wonder why it is so hard for so many believers to truly believe God. There are several reasons. Some of these are; we are surrounded in an environment of an antagonistic world that is presided over by the enemy of all righteousness, Satan; we live in his unreal world; we are surrounded by the currents of unbelief so subtle that most seem unable to realize them, and rise above them.
To believe in God for most anything seems to be a continual struggle against the selfish, greedy, materialistic currents that buffet us. To believe in Christ for victory over sin is a battle during every hour of consciousness, with the spiritual hosts of darkness seemly and relentlessly opposing all that is good and righteous. To believe in God for healing the physical body when one is ill is to put up a battle against the centuries of trusting in medicine. So it is not at a1l strange that so many break down in their faith life. For those who press through these things we must caution ourselves to not be harsh or critical against our brothers or sisters in Christ who fail when scripture tells us, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-2) So, let's take a moment and look at what the Bible reveals concerning faith.
To begin with faith is a noun whereas believe is a verb. Believing, being a verb, is an action word. To believe in a Biblical sense means "to take," or "to grasp." To believe Jesus means to take Jesus for all that the Scriptures declare Him to be. To clarify this, to believe on Christ as a Savior, is to take Him as the One who saves, delivers, redeems, sustains or preserves; the One who has opened the way to everlasting salvation, eternal life. It means to take Him and recognize Him as your healer, provider, protector, basically, our all in all. In other words, believing is an act of the will. When I believe, I have acted, having acted, I have reached what is called faith. Faith is a noun. I take a step. Having taken the step, I have arrived, therefore arriving in this sense is faith.
To believe then, is to act on the Word of God. So then, faith is action, that is, not believing only but acting on God's Word. The Apostle James says it this way, "...I will show you my faith by my works (corresponding actions)" (James 2:18) Doubt or unbelief is refusing to act on God's Word. This brings us to the next point. There are two kinds of unbelief: first, a refusing to act on the knowledge of the Word that we have. This can be called unpersuadableness. It is refusing to act on what we know to be true in the light of knowledge. The other kind of unbelief arises when one does not know, therefore he/she cannot act. In other words, if we do not understand or know something to be true, we are afraid to act or we do not know how to act. The cure for this is knowledge; the cure for the other is
obedience.
The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) For many, although this verse is describing or defining faith it seems to be somewhat obscure. So, to break this down to more understandable terms, it can be said; Faith is the title deed for things you have hoped for, the putting to proof of things unseen, that is, faith is the title deed to the property you know you possess, even though you have not yet seen it. Think about it from this perspective. You are given the deed to a property. You have never seen the property, however, the deed is the legal document and the only proof required, that guarantees and proves your ownership. In the same way, we apply faith in God's Word (the deed) which God Himself guarantees that what He says is true and that He is able and willing to perform. In other words, faith is expecting God to do what you know He has said in His Word that He will do, or, faith is believing that God speaks the truth, period, therefore, no matter what the circumstances may be, I am convinced that God is willing and able to do what He says.
When it comes to acting on God's Word, that is, releasing faith, always remember, God has never asked that we exercise faith for something that He has not first promised or that He will not do for us. In other words, first, He gives us a promise. Then as our faith grows it produces actions, then He fulfills His promise. The Apostle Paul tells us, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) Although Jesus paid the price for sin, a person must act in faith, confess and believe, before God fulfills His promise, "you will be saved." This same principle applies across the board. Faith is believing and acting on God's Word. So, always remember, God never asks us to believe He will do something for us unless He has promised to do it first. We also need to remember, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19)
Solomon tells us, "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) Let us do what we see in this Proverb concerning God's Word. In the natural, when a farmer puts seed into the ground, he does not dig it up to see how it is doing. He believes that the ground and seed have begun their work. Similarly, we are to, "Keep them (God's Word) in the midst of your heart" and believe that it is doing its work. So, let us have the same faith in the imperishable seed, God's Word. The Apostle Peter tells us, "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23)
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus tells us the seed that is sown is the Word of God. (Mark 4:14) He also tells us in the Parable of the Growing Seed, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how." (Mark 4:26-27) Therefore, after you plant seed, (God's Word) believe it is growing even before you see any results. As we see above, we may not understand how the Word grows (our faith), we simply believe. This again is faith, which is the evidence of things not seen. Any person can get rid of their doubts by looking steadfastly at the evidence which God has given for our faith, His Word. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) It is God's Word that produces and increases faith. So, do not doubt your faith, but simply doubt your doubts, for they are unreliable.
As we approach 2018, let us commit to doing the following three things on a daily bases. First, saturate ourselves with and in the Word of God. Let it prevail over fear, doubt and unbelief like never before. Simply put, let's believe and act on God's Word. Second, let our confession be the Word of God. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Remember, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Thirdly, spend time conversing (praying) with the Father in the Name of Jesus. Not only offering up our petitions and requests, but also given thanks in all thing, keeping in mind, that to converse is to have a conversation, a two way conversation with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit. "truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3)
Finally, let us not make vain New Years resolutions, where according to statistics, approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February. Instead let us truly commit ourselves to the Lord, His Word and His way's, in doing so, the church will once again takes its place in every society turning the world upside down, glorifying the Father and magnifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) My prayer for us all for 2018 was spoken by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." (3 John 2)
Monday, December 11, 2017
The Best Advertisement Ever
Advertisements are everywhere in our culture. Whether traveling on a highway, listening to radio, watching television, the internet, direct mail, or telephone we are exposed to advertisements. An advertisement is defined as; "a notice or announcement calling to the attention of the public a product, service, or an event that is being promoted." According to researchers, the average person is exposed to, yes, 4000 to 5000 advertisements daily. You may be thinking that these numbers are quite high, but look at it from this perspective. A study done in 2015 by researchers say that the sum of media asked for and delivered to consumers daily is about 6.9 gigabytes (6.9 billion) of information, or a daily consumption of nine DVDs worth of data per person per day. Researchers also say that the average brain receives approximately 34 gigabytes (34 billion) of information daily.
As far as the best advertisement ever, many would have different opinions as to which advertisement it may be, so I will use only one example to show this point, Super Bowl XLIX, (49). According to statistics the cost of advertising during Super Bowl 49, surpassed every previous Super Bowl. The base price of a thirty second advertisement was $4.5 million. Media executives projected that the cost of a 30-second commercial could exceed $5 million at Super Bowl 50. I use this example because Super Bowl 49 drew an average audience of 114.4 million viewers, which makes Super Bowl 49 the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history, plus many boast that these advertisements are the best.
Looking back at the definition of the word advertisement as, "a notice or announcement calling to the attention of the public a product, service, or an event that is being promoted" we will find that nothing in this world can compare to the absolute best advertisement ever. Interestingly enough, this advertisement has been repeated over and over from creation and though some may ignore it or chalk it up to phenomena, fantasy, or even non-existent, it will continue until the end of time. What is this advertisement? It is the power of God breaking into time and space, manifesting in the lives of man through miracles, signs and wonders. When I use the term "God advertising Himself" it simply means that He is revealing Himself. He is calling to the attention of the public, that is, man, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan.
Looking in the Bible from cover to cover we see over and over Gods divine intervention, the release of His supernatural power, in the affairs of man bringing man to the knowledge of Who He is. We see this in the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt; the Red Sea Crossing; Israel's conquest of the Promised Land; throughout the Judges of Israel; the defeat of the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. We even see God advertise Himself before the heathen rulers of kingdoms who worshiped false gods. They too came to recognize the one and only true God when God advertised Himself by manifesting His power. (Daniel 2:46-47, 3:19-29, 6:16-28)
The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1, 14) "Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus...The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:30-31, 35)
As we look at the ministry of Jesus in the gospels, once again God advertises Himself through miracles, signs and wonders (Hebrews 2:4) causing people to be amazed and marvel. (Matthew 15:31; Mark 1:27, 6:2) The apostle John says, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25) Yet, God did not stop there. He continued to advertise Himself in the same manner in the early church. (Acts 3:12, 5:12-16, 6:8, 8:5-8, 9:32-43, 14:1-10, 15:12,19:11-12, 20:6-12, 28:8-9) Once again we see God advertising Himself, this time through the early church.
The Bible records, "For I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi 3:6) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) We see that in both Old and New Testament that God does not change. Although many have been told that God does not need to advertise Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, any longer, there is absolutely no evidence of this in the Bible. On the contrary, throughout the centuries of the church on earth, God has always advertised Himself to be the one and only true God by manifesting Himself through miracles, signs, and wonders. We see this evidenced in the lives of many believers, especially in every awakening and revival. It is God manifesting His power in the affairs of man through the church that proves the resurrection and it also separates Christianity from every other religion on the planet. The church is the one and only vehicle that God works through on earth revealing Jesus Christ.
This is how the gospel message is to be presented to the world. Jesus tells us, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18) Next, we find the reality of this in action, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." (Mark 16:19-20) The church began with God advertising Himself with miracles and He will continue to do the same until Jesus returns.
The Apostle Paul also tells us how the gospel message is to be presented, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:18-19) Paul tells us that "the full gospel" is revealed "in word and deed." Beleivers are to preach Christ in word, and as Jesus said He would do when the gospel, God's Word was preached, He would confirm it with accompanying signs, which Paul also reveals to us in his preaching of Christ.
Every believer today must become miracle minded. This is not to say that we are to focus on miracles and not God, but that we must come to the place once again where we allow God, through faith, to advertise Himself, that is, call the attention of the public to Himself. Once a person or a people becomes miracle minded, we will see things happen that were common to the early church. This means the nearer we come to Him, the more clearly we see Him with the eyes of faith. It is the dogma and doctrines of men which have eroded faith and promoted fear, doubt and unbelief in the church that has caused many sectors of the church not to believe that the unchanging Lord God Almighty still reveals Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, to anyone who has faith in Christ and His Word. Jesus tells us, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23)
As the Lord makes us one with one another and with Himself, His strength, His life, His wisdom, His love, His power becomes ours. He becomes a part of everything we do, and our response becomes, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). He takes us out of the realm of weakness , fear, doubt, unbelief and inability, and moves us into the realm of His ability and strength. (Ephesians 3:20) We actually become supermen and superwomen fearlessly undertaking the impossible letting the best advertisement ever to manifest through us, that is, the power of Almighty God. So, if you struggle with and doubt the fact that God still advertises Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, then may I suggest, simply asking the Lord to help you to so live in the realm of the His Word, growing your faith in Him, that in turn, you may become miracle minded so God can advertise Himself to the public through you.
As far as the best advertisement ever, many would have different opinions as to which advertisement it may be, so I will use only one example to show this point, Super Bowl XLIX, (49). According to statistics the cost of advertising during Super Bowl 49, surpassed every previous Super Bowl. The base price of a thirty second advertisement was $4.5 million. Media executives projected that the cost of a 30-second commercial could exceed $5 million at Super Bowl 50. I use this example because Super Bowl 49 drew an average audience of 114.4 million viewers, which makes Super Bowl 49 the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history, plus many boast that these advertisements are the best.
Looking back at the definition of the word advertisement as, "a notice or announcement calling to the attention of the public a product, service, or an event that is being promoted" we will find that nothing in this world can compare to the absolute best advertisement ever. Interestingly enough, this advertisement has been repeated over and over from creation and though some may ignore it or chalk it up to phenomena, fantasy, or even non-existent, it will continue until the end of time. What is this advertisement? It is the power of God breaking into time and space, manifesting in the lives of man through miracles, signs and wonders. When I use the term "God advertising Himself" it simply means that He is revealing Himself. He is calling to the attention of the public, that is, man, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan.
Looking in the Bible from cover to cover we see over and over Gods divine intervention, the release of His supernatural power, in the affairs of man bringing man to the knowledge of Who He is. We see this in the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt; the Red Sea Crossing; Israel's conquest of the Promised Land; throughout the Judges of Israel; the defeat of the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. We even see God advertise Himself before the heathen rulers of kingdoms who worshiped false gods. They too came to recognize the one and only true God when God advertised Himself by manifesting His power. (Daniel 2:46-47, 3:19-29, 6:16-28)
The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1, 14) "Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus...The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:30-31, 35)
As we look at the ministry of Jesus in the gospels, once again God advertises Himself through miracles, signs and wonders (Hebrews 2:4) causing people to be amazed and marvel. (Matthew 15:31; Mark 1:27, 6:2) The apostle John says, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25) Yet, God did not stop there. He continued to advertise Himself in the same manner in the early church. (Acts 3:12, 5:12-16, 6:8, 8:5-8, 9:32-43, 14:1-10, 15:12,19:11-12, 20:6-12, 28:8-9) Once again we see God advertising Himself, this time through the early church.
The Bible records, "For I am the Lord, I do not change." (Malachi 3:6) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) We see that in both Old and New Testament that God does not change. Although many have been told that God does not need to advertise Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, any longer, there is absolutely no evidence of this in the Bible. On the contrary, throughout the centuries of the church on earth, God has always advertised Himself to be the one and only true God by manifesting Himself through miracles, signs, and wonders. We see this evidenced in the lives of many believers, especially in every awakening and revival. It is God manifesting His power in the affairs of man through the church that proves the resurrection and it also separates Christianity from every other religion on the planet. The church is the one and only vehicle that God works through on earth revealing Jesus Christ.
This is how the gospel message is to be presented to the world. Jesus tells us, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18) Next, we find the reality of this in action, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." (Mark 16:19-20) The church began with God advertising Himself with miracles and He will continue to do the same until Jesus returns.
The Apostle Paul also tells us how the gospel message is to be presented, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:18-19) Paul tells us that "the full gospel" is revealed "in word and deed." Beleivers are to preach Christ in word, and as Jesus said He would do when the gospel, God's Word was preached, He would confirm it with accompanying signs, which Paul also reveals to us in his preaching of Christ.
Every believer today must become miracle minded. This is not to say that we are to focus on miracles and not God, but that we must come to the place once again where we allow God, through faith, to advertise Himself, that is, call the attention of the public to Himself. Once a person or a people becomes miracle minded, we will see things happen that were common to the early church. This means the nearer we come to Him, the more clearly we see Him with the eyes of faith. It is the dogma and doctrines of men which have eroded faith and promoted fear, doubt and unbelief in the church that has caused many sectors of the church not to believe that the unchanging Lord God Almighty still reveals Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, to anyone who has faith in Christ and His Word. Jesus tells us, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23)
As the Lord makes us one with one another and with Himself, His strength, His life, His wisdom, His love, His power becomes ours. He becomes a part of everything we do, and our response becomes, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). He takes us out of the realm of weakness , fear, doubt, unbelief and inability, and moves us into the realm of His ability and strength. (Ephesians 3:20) We actually become supermen and superwomen fearlessly undertaking the impossible letting the best advertisement ever to manifest through us, that is, the power of Almighty God. So, if you struggle with and doubt the fact that God still advertises Himself through miracles, signs and wonders, then may I suggest, simply asking the Lord to help you to so live in the realm of the His Word, growing your faith in Him, that in turn, you may become miracle minded so God can advertise Himself to the public through you.
Monday, December 4, 2017
Not Natural, But Supernatural
It has been said, "Our attitude toward the Word determines the place that God holds in our daily life." In other words, it is not simply making statements like, "I believe that the Word of God is infallible" or "I believe God's Word is true" or "I believe in the inerrancy of God's Word" which statements are true concerning God's Word, but moreover, are we settled in our thinking to the place where by faith we act on God's Word? What is meant here is, are we going to allow dogma and doctrine, to continue to hold the church in bondage or are we willing to let every Word of God loose? Jesus, in speaking to the devil said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4)
What we need to see here, is Jesus, God the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14) does not say that man lives on dogma, doctrines or creeds developed by man concerning the Words that God speaks, but man is to live by every word that God has spoken. The entire Word of God should always be received as though the Father is speaking directly to us. It should never be like the message from an ordinary book. It should be as real to us as though Jesus Himself is in the room and speaking to us personally. We must see the Bible as a supernatural book containing the supernatural, life changing, powerful, Word of God that does not change! (Malachi 3:6; Mark 13:31; Hebrews 13:8)
We must see that although Jesus is at the right hand of the Majesty on High, that God's Word, the Bible, is taking Jesus' place in His physical absence because He and His Word are One. To have God's Word, the Bible, is to have Jesus presence with us. Jesus tells two things that need to take hold in our hearts and minds concerning God and the Word, "God is Spirit..." (John 4:24) and "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John also tells us the same, "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." (1 John 5:7) In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we see, "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13) Do we see the connection that God and His Word are One?
The Word of God is Christ (God the Word) revealing Himself. It is God Himself present with us, speaking the living message that transforms lives. (Hebrews 4:12) Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Revelation 22:13) This means that Jesus is not bound by time or space, He is ever-present. It also means that as Jesus is, so is the Word. The Word is not bound by time or space, it is always now, ever-present, to the world today and every day. It is the very voice of God speaking His message to us. It is living, powerful and limitless. It is God's mind and will spoken to humanity.
I believe that revival, even a third awakening, would break out if God's Word was as real to us today as it was to the early church. The book of Acts reveals this over and over, "But the word of God grew and multiplied." (Acts 12:24) and "So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed." (Acts 19:20) Look what happens when the Word of God is spoken from the mouths of faith, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." (Mark 16:19-20) Unfortunately, in many sectors of what we refer to as Christianity, the word of man has gained more influence and authority than God's Word.
Because there is a failure to acknowledge this, then it is obvious that one or all of the following conclusions exist; God's Word has changed with time; His Word is not being preached; We lack faith in His Word or He is no longer I AM but I was. However, the truth is, the Word is alive and talks to us. God is I AM. He and His Word are now. It has the same authority that it would have if Jesus Himself stood in the room and spoke it. If we say we have faith in God then we are saying we have faith in His Word. Jesus said, "According to your faith let it be to you.” (Matthew 9:29) As we consider the Word and act upon it, it will become real to us. It is the very Bread of Heaven to those hungry in spirit. (John 6:35-40)
Food for thought. If believers want to build the highest type of faith, then they must become a faithful person by believing and acting on every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In doing so, God's Word will transform our lives "from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18) and "from faith to faith." (Romans 1:17) Do not be a hearer of the Word only, but a doer of the Word. (James 1:22) What one does with the Word of God will determine what God's Word will do in and through that one. By letting God's Word go to work in us, it will build the life of Jesus in us. God's Word will build life, faith, love, grace, strength and on and on into us as we continue in and abide in it. God's Word will reveal the very riches of our inheritance. (Romans 8:16-17) It will build the very character of Christ us. It has the power to save the lost; it has the power to heal the sick. So, let us let the Word of Christ then dwell us richly (Colossians 3:16), because His Word is not natural but supernatural.
What we need to see here, is Jesus, God the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14) does not say that man lives on dogma, doctrines or creeds developed by man concerning the Words that God speaks, but man is to live by every word that God has spoken. The entire Word of God should always be received as though the Father is speaking directly to us. It should never be like the message from an ordinary book. It should be as real to us as though Jesus Himself is in the room and speaking to us personally. We must see the Bible as a supernatural book containing the supernatural, life changing, powerful, Word of God that does not change! (Malachi 3:6; Mark 13:31; Hebrews 13:8)
We must see that although Jesus is at the right hand of the Majesty on High, that God's Word, the Bible, is taking Jesus' place in His physical absence because He and His Word are One. To have God's Word, the Bible, is to have Jesus presence with us. Jesus tells two things that need to take hold in our hearts and minds concerning God and the Word, "God is Spirit..." (John 4:24) and "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John also tells us the same, "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." (1 John 5:7) In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we see, "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13) Do we see the connection that God and His Word are One?
The Word of God is Christ (God the Word) revealing Himself. It is God Himself present with us, speaking the living message that transforms lives. (Hebrews 4:12) Jesus said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Revelation 22:13) This means that Jesus is not bound by time or space, He is ever-present. It also means that as Jesus is, so is the Word. The Word is not bound by time or space, it is always now, ever-present, to the world today and every day. It is the very voice of God speaking His message to us. It is living, powerful and limitless. It is God's mind and will spoken to humanity.
I believe that revival, even a third awakening, would break out if God's Word was as real to us today as it was to the early church. The book of Acts reveals this over and over, "But the word of God grew and multiplied." (Acts 12:24) and "So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed." (Acts 19:20) Look what happens when the Word of God is spoken from the mouths of faith, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." (Mark 16:19-20) Unfortunately, in many sectors of what we refer to as Christianity, the word of man has gained more influence and authority than God's Word.
Because there is a failure to acknowledge this, then it is obvious that one or all of the following conclusions exist; God's Word has changed with time; His Word is not being preached; We lack faith in His Word or He is no longer I AM but I was. However, the truth is, the Word is alive and talks to us. God is I AM. He and His Word are now. It has the same authority that it would have if Jesus Himself stood in the room and spoke it. If we say we have faith in God then we are saying we have faith in His Word. Jesus said, "According to your faith let it be to you.” (Matthew 9:29) As we consider the Word and act upon it, it will become real to us. It is the very Bread of Heaven to those hungry in spirit. (John 6:35-40)
Food for thought. If believers want to build the highest type of faith, then they must become a faithful person by believing and acting on every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In doing so, God's Word will transform our lives "from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18) and "from faith to faith." (Romans 1:17) Do not be a hearer of the Word only, but a doer of the Word. (James 1:22) What one does with the Word of God will determine what God's Word will do in and through that one. By letting God's Word go to work in us, it will build the life of Jesus in us. God's Word will build life, faith, love, grace, strength and on and on into us as we continue in and abide in it. God's Word will reveal the very riches of our inheritance. (Romans 8:16-17) It will build the very character of Christ us. It has the power to save the lost; it has the power to heal the sick. So, let us let the Word of Christ then dwell us richly (Colossians 3:16), because His Word is not natural but supernatural.
Monday, November 27, 2017
Who Are You Serving
One of many remarkable stories in the Gospels is the story of the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. As it goes, "Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)
When it is said that Mary sat at Jesus' feet, it does not insinuate that she was better than her sister Martha, but it simply means that she took a position of humility and listened attentively to His instructions, and was anxious to learn from Him. What we see that sticks out concerning Martha is, she "was distracted with much serving." She was involved with the cares of the family. This does not insinuate that in doing so, Martha had a worldly or covetous disposition. The only fault that could possible be placed on her was she had an earnest desire to make everything perfect for the family and especially Jesus. However, we do see that she developed an attitude towards her sister Mary, as she interrupts Jesus in saying "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
It is obvious that Martha overstepped her bounds by her improper reproof of Jesus, as if He had encouraged Mary to neglect her duty. Martha also make a demand of Jesus that Mary should stop what she is doing, or from Martha's perspective, not doing and help her serve. Jesus reveals what was going on when He lovingly says to Martha, "you are worried and troubled about many things." Jesus was telling her that she was improperly anxious about those things, and that she should, with Mary, should have chosen to hear what He taught. Jesus was not devaluing what Martha was doing, but simply giving her some loving advice. Jesus also said to Martha, "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Jesus' advice can be seen in this way...
The cares of this life can be dangerous, especially if our sight is off Jesus and on ourselves as to what we consider to be proper and fitting. Nothing of a worldly nature could have been more proper than to provide for the family and the Lord Jesus. Yet, because Martha was too engrossed in her mind, Jesus gently reproved her. So caring for our family and friends may be important, but we cannot allow what we think is right in our eyes override what the Lord is trying to do in, through and for us. We can make specific plans, but if they do not go the way we planned, we can become like Martha, complain and even feel dishonored, devalued or taken advantage of. However, what we must consider, is it of more important to listen to what the Lord is speaking, or is it more important to be engaged in the affairs of the world no matter how noble they may seem to be in our eyes. The one will abide forever; the other will be but for a little time.
There are times when believers should suspend worldly affairs and attend to the affairs of the soul, which Mary chose. There is certainly nothing wrong in serving, every believer is to serve. The questions we must ask ourselves if we find ourselves in Martha's position are, "Who am I serving?" "Is it out of love?" Will I be offended if someone does not do it my way?" "Am I looking for an at-a-boy?" "Do I feel as though I am I being taken advantage of?" The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us concerning gifts for the believers, "...or ministry, let us use it in our ministering..." (Romans 12:7) The word ministry is described as, one who renders to others, Christian affection especially to those who help meet needs by either collecting or distributing the things that meet or exceed the needs of others.
So, let us not forget that service to one another is a good thing, but also let us remember that we serve one another as we serve the Lord. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10) But let us do it with a joyful heart...
When it is said that Mary sat at Jesus' feet, it does not insinuate that she was better than her sister Martha, but it simply means that she took a position of humility and listened attentively to His instructions, and was anxious to learn from Him. What we see that sticks out concerning Martha is, she "was distracted with much serving." She was involved with the cares of the family. This does not insinuate that in doing so, Martha had a worldly or covetous disposition. The only fault that could possible be placed on her was she had an earnest desire to make everything perfect for the family and especially Jesus. However, we do see that she developed an attitude towards her sister Mary, as she interrupts Jesus in saying "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
It is obvious that Martha overstepped her bounds by her improper reproof of Jesus, as if He had encouraged Mary to neglect her duty. Martha also make a demand of Jesus that Mary should stop what she is doing, or from Martha's perspective, not doing and help her serve. Jesus reveals what was going on when He lovingly says to Martha, "you are worried and troubled about many things." Jesus was telling her that she was improperly anxious about those things, and that she should, with Mary, should have chosen to hear what He taught. Jesus was not devaluing what Martha was doing, but simply giving her some loving advice. Jesus also said to Martha, "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Jesus' advice can be seen in this way...
The cares of this life can be dangerous, especially if our sight is off Jesus and on ourselves as to what we consider to be proper and fitting. Nothing of a worldly nature could have been more proper than to provide for the family and the Lord Jesus. Yet, because Martha was too engrossed in her mind, Jesus gently reproved her. So caring for our family and friends may be important, but we cannot allow what we think is right in our eyes override what the Lord is trying to do in, through and for us. We can make specific plans, but if they do not go the way we planned, we can become like Martha, complain and even feel dishonored, devalued or taken advantage of. However, what we must consider, is it of more important to listen to what the Lord is speaking, or is it more important to be engaged in the affairs of the world no matter how noble they may seem to be in our eyes. The one will abide forever; the other will be but for a little time.
There are times when believers should suspend worldly affairs and attend to the affairs of the soul, which Mary chose. There is certainly nothing wrong in serving, every believer is to serve. The questions we must ask ourselves if we find ourselves in Martha's position are, "Who am I serving?" "Is it out of love?" Will I be offended if someone does not do it my way?" "Am I looking for an at-a-boy?" "Do I feel as though I am I being taken advantage of?" The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us concerning gifts for the believers, "...or ministry, let us use it in our ministering..." (Romans 12:7) The word ministry is described as, one who renders to others, Christian affection especially to those who help meet needs by either collecting or distributing the things that meet or exceed the needs of others.
So, let us not forget that service to one another is a good thing, but also let us remember that we serve one another as we serve the Lord. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10) But let us do it with a joyful heart...
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