John 5:19-21 – “Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.  20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”  NKJV

Throughout the biblical record we find case after case of a person of God doing exploits and each time we find a linking thread in those cases of SEEING then DOING.  The idea presented by Jesus had been demonstrated in the Old Testament on numerous occasions and the emphasis of “spiritual sight” cannot be overlooked.  Jesus SAW what the Father was doing and DID what He saw.  If Jesus is our example and through Him we can do all things then we need to develop SPIRITUAL SIGHT and learn obedience in our doing.

We would do well to recall the words of our LORD in John 14:12, “…he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to My Father.”   If we are to follow the pattern of our LORD then we will ONLY do what we SEE Him doing and ONLY say what we HEAR Him saying.  I won’t attempt to take the time to delve into a full discourse on either of those but suffice it to say that we must learn how to SEE with our spirits not just our natural eyes.  We must learn to LOOK THROUGH circumstances rather than at them.  We must learn to view life through the eyes of the Spirit of God not the eyes of flesh.  It is as we learn to SEE spiritually can we DO the exploits that God has designed and desired of us.

When I think back to the 12 spies or scouts Joshua sent into the Canaan and the Ten coming back having seen the bounty and beauty of the land could only see the problem through the eyes of flesh.  Joshua and Caleb saw the same bounty and beauty but saw the problem as potential through the eyes of the Spirit or Faith.  Ten saw GIANTS and the two saw GRASSHOPPERS.  They all saw the milk and honey but 10 saw the PROBLEM and the 2 saw the PROVISION.  Joshua and Israel chose to believe the 2 not the 10.  Another indication that just because a majority wants something does not mean it is right or even desirable it just means they are a majority.  We either see with Spiritual Sight or Natural Sight and that is determined by the condition of our heart and relationship with God.  It is determined by our learned confidence in the Promises and Provisions of God and His Word.

Another situation was with Elisha, one of the most, if not the most powerful prophets of the Old Testament.  He was a thorn in the side of opposing kings and armies and would hear in his spirit what they planned then report it to his king and thwart their efforts.  This so disturbed the enemy kings they developed a plan to capture and eliminate Elisha.  As the enemy armies surrounded Elisha’s position his servant was terrified and ran to Elisha with the report, “Alas, my master!  What shall we do?”  Elisha was unmoved by the situation and said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  The servant no doubt thought, “He has totally lost it now.  Can’t he see this massive host arrayed against us?”  Then Elisha prayed a unique prayer saying, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.”  God removed the spiritual blindness of the servant and he looked around and the mountain was filled with horses and chariots of fire.  It did not become full it was full.  They did not just show up as a result of Elisha’s prayer they were already there.  Elisha could see them and had calm confidence because of what he could see.

If we can learn to SEE what God sees we will be able to DO what God does and become the instruments He desires to use in this present world!  Remember the words of 1 John 4:17, “…as He is, so are we in this world…”  How is he and where are we as He is?  He is Victor and we are to be as He is HERE AND NOW not in the sweet bye and bye.

So, I pray that God would open our eyes that we can begin to see what He sees and then do what He does, say what He says and be what He is in this present world.  God bless you as you go through this day!

John 4:23-24 – “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  NKJV

Going through the motions even emotions in a corporate gathering does not necessarily mean you have truly worshipped.  You may have gotten goosebumps and been overcome with emotions but that does not necessarily mean you truly worshipped.  You may have conducted an elaborate service with all the pomp and ceremony with beauty and pageantry but that does not necessarily mean you truly worshipped.  You may physically go without food in the name of worship but that does not necessarily mean you truly worshipped.  It may have only been form and ritual producing no real life spiritually.

This woman was expressing her confusion and concern over the differing methods and manners of worship between her people and the Jews and Jesus addressed True Worship.  If we understand His words in verse 24, “God is Spirit…”  we will be better able to grasp what He is saying in verse 23, “…true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth…”

In Matthew 15:9 Jesus addressed ceremonial attempts at worship declaring, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.”  He quoted the prophet Isaiah in Matthew 15:8 saying, “These people draw near Me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”

God is Spirit.  He is not confined to a body as we and is everywhere present all the time.  It is in our spirit that we relate to God and as Romans 8:16 declared it is the Holy Spirit that bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.  In John 3:5 we find the declaration of our LORD that in order to enter the Kingdom we must be “born of water and the Spirit.”  Remember the words of Jesus in John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'” 

It is out of the innermost being (spirit) that we truly connect with God.  As God permeates our hearts (spirits) we find that our souls (mind, will and emotions) are deeply affected and our bodies are brought into alignment with the desire of the heart.  No wonder David the man God identified as a man after His own heart would pray in Psalm 51:10-11, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast (right) spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”  He goes on to cry out for the Joy of God’s Salvation to be rekindled in his heart.  He understood that he connected to God at the deepest level in his spirit and therefore sought to Worship God in Spirit and Truth.

Jesus’ statement to this woman dispels the idea that worship can only take place in a House of Worship (Church Building).  It is from the heart (spirit) that true worship flows and that flow should be continual, consistent and even constant.  We are told to pray without ceasing and the message of the Bible is also to Worship God without ceasing.

It is not external stimuli that enables you to worship but the condition of your heart.  It is the life within your spirit that comes from connection with the Spirit of God that produces worship.  Wherever you are, whenever you are and in whatever circumstances you find yourself seek to Truly Worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Giver of Life.

May God be with you as you go through this day and teach you to truly worship!  Blessings abundant is my prayer and desire for you!

Jude 14-15 – “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”  NKJV

I have found that when a word is repeated it is usually for emphasis and if it is repeated four times in on short passage the emphasis cannot be missed.  It is interesting that Jude would identify this Enoch as the 7th from Adam in contrast to the son of Cain who was the 3rd from Adam.  Although that is important it is not the most important, the message is.

Enoch prophesied about the condition of man.  His saying, “Behold the Lord comes with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment…” should cause us to take note.  He is speaking of a condition of man’s heart that has progressively grown darker through the ages and of a time when God’s patience will be exhausted.  Judgment is coming.  I realize that some do not like to hear about judgment and I’ve even been told that judgment is such a negative it should be left to individuals in the privacy of their own thoughts not for public consumption.

Notice what Enoch prophesied was about judgment and that judgment is the direct result of something worthy of note.  He says that God is coming to convict of all who are UNGODLY for their UNGODLY deeds, committed in an UNGODLY manner and for the things the UNGODLY have railed against God.  It would go without saying that their attitude, words and deeds are also directed toward those who follow God.  I believe it is descriptive of a condition that becomes so prevalent in society nationally and internationally that God says ENOUGH. 

In the next verses he identifies them as grumblers and complainers who walk according to their own lusts.  They are sensually driven and causing division and discord.  He then urges those listening to build themselves up in their most holy faith praying in the Holy Spirit and keep their hearts in the love of God always looking to Jesus.  He also identified the warning of our LORD that in the Last Times (Days) there would be mockers who would walk after their own UNGODLY lusts.  Is that not a picture of our day?

From the political podium into the classroom via the pulpit we have people either promoting this attitude, excusing or ignoring it.  Ungodliness cannot stand in the presence of God.  When ungodliness is allowed to occupy the house God will move out.  He will move back in if we will turn from ungodliness but righteousness cannot cohabit with ungodliness.  When we allow good to be called evil and evil good we place ourselves in direct opposition to God and invite judgment.

If I read a passage and four times the Holy Spirit emphasizes the word UNGODLY I am arrested and my spiritual antenna rises to examine what the message is.  It is time that we, the Body of Christ, diligently and earnestly seek the face of God and turn from all ungodliness.  It is time that we consciously resist the devil and shun the very appearance of evil in our lives.  It is time that we seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.  It is time that we return unto Him and He will return unto us.

            God be with you as you go through this day!

Philippians 3:10-11 – “…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”  NKJV

There are two great truths presented in this passage and I focus on the second.  However we cannot have the second without first knowing Him.  Many Christians want the Power of God in their lives but few actually pray for the fellowship of His sufferings or to be conformed to His death.  I know the protests came out immediately but do we really seek to enter the fellowship of His sufferings or the conformity to His death?  I have visited and spoken in many churches that are crying out for the Power of God but almost none that are praying to enter into that relationship that is the foundation for that power.

Fellowship in the Greek is the word ‘koinonia’ and means partnership, participation and literally becoming one with.  Many churches call themselves ‘The Fellowship’ and are anything but a fellowship in the sense of sharing, partnership, participation and becoming one with the other members of that body.  If we are The Body of Christ then each member is connected to the other members in some way but if we are to become an effective local body we must develop ‘koinonia’ rather than being a group of people who identify with a particular brand, gather for a time of celebration and then go our separate ways.  There must become a joining and sharing if we are to present Christ to our communities with the effectiveness God desires.

But the ‘koinonia’ of His sufferings, do we really seek that?  Do we even understand that?  I would never suggest nor does the Bible that we are to engage in some type of self-flagellation spiritually or physically.  Suffering comes but it should always come as a result of righteousness not some misguided view that the more we can cause self to suffer the more spiritual we are.  Our objective should be Christ and as a result we will be hated by the world for the world hates and hated Him.  If we seek to know Him to the level and degree that we can identify with and through righteousness participate in His sufferings we will see the Power of God come dynamically.

Yes Jesus did suffer physically on the Cross but since the Bible declares in Hebrews 4:15 that Jesus was tempted in all points as we without sin we know that He died to the world and that I believe is the heart of this prayer of Paul.  When we receive Christ as our Savior the Bible identifies that as the New Birth and clearly indicates that we become New Creations.  We have a New Self and in a real sense our Spiritual DNA changes.  In that experience OLD THINGS pass away and NEWNESS OF LIFE comes into our person.  If we do not allow the Holy Spirit to identify the baggage we are bringing over from the old we will not ‘die to self’ or ‘die to the flesh’ and will find it raising its ugly head time and again.  If we are to be conformed to His death we must allow God to do the spiritual work that is involved in bringing us into “koinonia” with His sufferings and His death to sin.

Every time I talk to God about Power He always talks to me about Purity.  Preparation ALWAYS precedes blessing for if God were to give us His Power while our hearts were less than pure it would destroy us and do great damage in the Body of Christ.  We have seen people receive Power but fail to keep their hearts Pure and watched the destruction that followed.  It is no wonder that Paul spoke of a thorn in the flesh and the Bible continually instructs us to Guard our Hearts.  The disciples came back to Jesus raving about the Power that had been demonstrated in their ministries and He said, “Do not rejoice in this but that your names are in the Book of Life.”  The Heart is by far the most important part of your Christian walk, work or warfare.

Yes we want the Power but let us also desire the Purity that comes with learning the fellowship of His sufferings and allow the Holy Spirit to bring us in conformity with His death.

            God bless you as you go through this day!