JESUS SPEAKING

            “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.  And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14: 12-14.)

 INSPIRED THOUGHTS

            Jesus begins this scripture with a declarative statement, saying “most assuredly.”   Perhaps a more modern translation is, ‘without a doubt;’ whatever the translation, the underlying meaning is ‘what I am about to say to you is unquestionably true.’  This declaration is however dependent upon the next statement he makes; “he who believes in me.”  The focus of miraculous works does not come from human ability, but from a belief in Jesus Christ.  He states that the faithful believers will not only do the works he had been doing, but that their works would exceed those he performed while on the earth.

            Jesus was resurrected, and he ascended in to heaven, but his body remains upon the earth to this today.  The tomb was empty and it still is; there are those who are searching tombs in Jerusalem hoping to find the eroded remains of a man named Jesus.  They won’t find what they are looking for.  If they were to take their eyes off looking for the living among the dead, they would see ‘the body of Christ’ working all around them.  All those who call Jesus Christ their Lord are members of this body.  There is a portion of the resurrected Lord in South America running an orphanage, and another portion is planting a church in a Muslim Nation.  In Ghana, when a group of Christians dig a well and bring life giving water to a village that is dry, it is easy to see that Christ rose from the dead.  When those who do not believe in God see the church bringing food and relief to Haiti, then they see His Son, working today in this world; all so that “the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  When we pray to God, He uses His believers to accomplish His miracles; Jesus Christ gets the glory, and in turn, God is glorified.  All power, all direction, and all good works come from the Father, and Jesus Christ, the head of our body who is seated in heaven at the right hand of God.

            Trees are one of God’s most beautiful creations.  A tree is made up of two parts really.  The visible part, consisting of the trunk and the crown (with its tender leaves), and the roots which dig down deep in to the soil.  Only half of a tree is visible to the human eye; interestingly enough, trees are not securely fastened in place by their branches, leaves, or trunks, no matter how beautiful they appear to be.  They remain in place because of what exists beneath the earth.  Nearly all trees absorb life sustaining water only through their roots, deep down, in places that are hidden from the human eye.  Today, the body of Christ is made up of two parts just like the tree.  I cannot see Jesus Christ as he sits at the right hand of God, much like I don’t see the roots of a tree as they anchor it and bring it life; but no tree can spread its branches and thrive unless what is unseen exists.  Today, each person who has faith in the unseen, risen Lord, becomes a part of the visible, and very real body of Jesus Christ that wasn’t found in the tomb.  The Son of God is the head of the body, directing us, speaking to us, moving us in the directions he wants us to go, so that he can continue doing his miracles in this place.  Jesus says, “What ever you ask for in My name, that I will do.”  “That I will do.”  In another wonderful scripture Paul writes, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  We, as Christians no longer live, as we lay down our lives so he can use us to complete his works in this place, and more powerful works than even those accomplished by Jesus when he was walking the earth as one individual.  We today, are millions, and with so many believers there are so many more works that can be done, if we believe in him. 

            Today, if you have Faith in Jesus Christ you are a part of his body.  And as a part of his body, all the good works that you do, he does through you.  Jesus Christ, and God the Father, get the credit for the miracles and the healings; every orphanage built, every hospital constructed in his name, every life that is transformed, is a continuing work of Jesus Christ upon this earth.  One way that we can practice this is to pray to him daily, and lift up our requests, no matter how small they seem, and no matter how large they seem.  The God of the universe has made us a promise that if we ask we shall receive.  So ask in expectation of receiving, and be mindful to ask according to His will, and you’ll find this scripture fulfilled in your life.  Miracles will occur in you, and in the lives of those around you, as He uses you to do His work.

            “Lord heavenly Father, we ask now in faith that You will give us more of Your Holy Spirit.  Also, increase our faith, and bring us closer to You and Your Son.  Father, we want to see Your Glory; we want to believe as little children, and we want to be members of Your Body, here in this place.  Guide us, direct us, and use us, for Your Glory.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.

JESUS SPEAKING

            “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.  And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

            “So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’  And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.  I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me’” (Acts 26: 12-18.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

            Paul (formerly known as Saul) is before Herod Agrippa recounting the testimony of his conversion many years earlier.  His recounting of the event begins with ‘while thus occupied.’  Occupied with what one might ask.  Paul was a Jewish Zealot who was given the task of persecuting any Jews who professed to believe in the resurrected Jesus Christ.  He had been going from city to city putting down the Christian movement by any means necessary, having been given the authority of the Sanhedrin (The Jewish Counsel.)

            He tells about how Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and called him Saul, which was his name prior to being converted.  Jesus asked him why he was persecuting him, and then added the statement, ‘it is hard for you to kick against the goads.’  What is a goad?  A goad was a tool used to stop oxen from trying to kick themselves free of the heavy plows they pulled behind them.  The goads consisted of sharpened metal pieces attached to the plows that would stab the ox in the feet if it kicked at the plow with its hind legs.  The harder the ox kicked, the more pain it would feel.  Apparently Paul had been desperately trying to kick himself free from believing in the risen Lord, but it had been causing him pain, just like the oxen who desired to be freed from pulling their plows. 

            There was a purpose for the meeting between Jesus and Paul.  Jesus gave him a command.  He told him to witness and testify about their meeting to the gentiles (a gentile is anyone who is not Jewish.)  Paul saw the gentiles as being inferior.  He now had the authority of God, and his new task was to bring the gospel message to them.  God’s desire was to reconcile all people to Himself; not just the Jews.  God’s decision to choose Paul for this important mission reveals to us something about God.  He chose a murderer, full of hatred toward His son to be one of the greatest witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  A man killing Christians becomes one of their leaders.   Paul then changes his name from Saul to Paul to symbolize his conversion from a murderer to a messenger of life; he went on to write the majority of the letters in the New Testament.  God used Paul to bring his message of reconciliation to much of the ancient world.  When God does something he makes sure to use people in a way that defies human understanding; He completes His work often with ‘no-bodies;’ with ‘throw-a-ways;’ with ‘cast-offs,’ so that there is never any confusion as to who gets the credit for the miracles.

            Many of you remember a little boy named David.  In the Old Testament, the philistines and Israelites had come into formation and were getting ready to do battle.  A giant named Goliath stood taunting the Israelites, asking them to send warriors to fight him in the open plain that separated the two armies.  David, a little boy, having faith in God, went out to meet him with nothing more than a sling and some rocks.  Goliath laughed and then came at David, and with one shot from the sling he struck Goliath in the head, and killed him.  Why did God use a boy to defeat a giant?  So that everyone would know that it wasn’t a boy that killed Goliath, and it wasn’t a Rock that killed him.  Goliath didn’t make a mistake and trip and fall, and it wasn’t luck either.  He used a boy so everyone would see it was God who killed the giant.  God used Paul because outside of God’s divine intervention there is no way a man who was killing Christians would suddenly become one of them.

            Today, you may be a person who says, “How can God use me?” or perhaps, “Why would God use me?”  A better question is, “when will God use me?”  Humans don’t do miracles; they have to be willing to let God use them to perform His miracles.  Has God performed a miracle in your life, like he did in Paul’s life?  If He hasn’t, you have that chance right now.  If you are willing to stop ‘kicking against the goads’ God is reaching out to you; if you are willing to receive His call and carry His message to those he sends you too.  Asking God to be the Lord of your life is very easy.  Go in to a quiet place and say, “Father, I want you to be the Lord of my life.  I believe that you died for me.  I believe that you rose from the dead, and I believe that you are coming again.  I want eternal life, and I want to be a part of your kingdom.  I ask you give me your Holy Spirit now.  Come in to my heart, and come in to my life; in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.”  If you prayed this prayer, the angels are rejoicing in heaven for the decision you made.  You now have a future and a hope, and the miracle has only just begun.

JESUS SPEAKING

            Jesus had just finished speaking to a rich man who had come to him to ask him a question; “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  The rich man claimed he had been faithful in keeping all of the commandments, but Jesus told him he lacked one thing; he needed to sell all that he had and give it to the poor and then come and follow him.  This was too much for the rich man to concede and he left very sad.  The scripture below is what followed.

 

            Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed  you.”

            So he said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom  of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life” (Luke 18: 29.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

            Peter draws attention to the fact that he and his fellow believers had left everything to follow Jesus.  Jesus replied to this declaration with a promise.  He promised not just to replace what they had sacrificed, but to return it in abundance (more than what was laid down.)  There was a stipulation placed on the rewards; just giving things up wasn’t sufficient; the sacrifices had to be made for the sake of the kingdom of God.  There were also two kinds of rewards; the rewards provided for them in the present time (their lives upon the earth; not necessarily material in nature) and the rewards coming to them after their deaths (eternal life with God.)

            Jesus runs down a list of things that many people placed before God.  Many people refused to sell their homes and go out in to the ministry field with Jesus because they made their homes the most important thing in their lives; for some it was their parents, for some, their brothers, for some, their wives, and for still others, it was their children.  There are priorities in life, and everyone has something in the top spot, and whatever is in that top spot set’s the limitations on all of the other priorities.  In one portion of scripture a disciple said to Jesus when faced with leaving everything to follow him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father;” to which Jesus replied, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”  Another example was the rich young man who refused to sell all of his possessions and follow Jesus; he had placed his wealth first, and because of this, he walked away sad, choosing to keep his wealth.  The man was a servant to his wealth.  Those who put God first find that their wealth actually begins to serve God.  Everyone serves the number one priority in their lives.  There are very basic needs that most people think of as essential priorities.  For instance, food, water, and clothing seem to be of utmost importance; yet let’s examine what type of priority Jesus places on these things; “Therefore do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the gentiles seek.  For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mathew 6: 31-33.)  For those who are following Jesus, the number one priority must be God.

            I asked a man ounce who claimed to believe in Jesus, how much time he spent brushing his teeth in the morning and at night.  Apparently his daily tooth care composed about 4-5 minutes.  Then I asked him how much time he spent reading the bible, and he replied, “0.”  I said, “Then it is safe to say, that in your life, your teeth are more important than God?”  He conceded this to be the case.  A person who spends a lifetime putting God off will, in the end, be put off by God.

            Today, in our lives, God must come first.  He has to be the number one thing and everything else has to come in second.  Yes, sacrifices are necessary to make this happen.  Selling all your possessions is not necessarily what he is asking, but he is asking to come before those possessions.  If a man has wealth in the place where God should be, he has to sacrifice his love for wealth and replace it with his love for God.  Yet, not everyone has placed wealth above God.  Many have placed family, loved ones, children, time, possessions, freedom, recreation, sleep, drugs or alcohol, a job, a car, a house, land, education, and the list goes on and on.  We can place God first if we are willing to let go of whatever it is we are serving and turn to serve him.

            “Lord Heavenly Father, help us to sacrifice those things that are getting in the way of our service to You.  Help us to place You first and to not be afraid to make changes in our lives.  Please be the number one priority in our lives; be the thing we love most in our hearts.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we look forward to Your Coming Kingdom.  We praise You, we thank You, and we love You, and we ask all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.