"A Quick Fix"

"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high".  Luke 24:49

Everybody wants a "quick fix".  A quick fix in their health, their relationships, their finances, etc.  This quick fix mentality has also come into the church.  We know nothing about "tarrying".  We know nothing about "waiting on God".  We know nothing about staying at the altars until we "pray through".  Do you ever wonder why the modern-day church seems to be powerless?  Do you ever wonder why we look so different from the church of our grandfathers or great grandparents, or the early church?  They knew you had to do some waiting-- waiting in prayer. 

They prayed until they had prayed.  They prayed without regard to a clock.  They prayed without regard to what others around them were doing.  They prayed until the answer came.  They stayed on their knees until they had touched heaven and the answer they needed came and peace flooded their souls. 

Many say we shouldn't go back to the past.  They say that it is a new day.  They say what our forefathers had is obsolete and irrelevant for today's generations and changing culture.  They are trying to "make a better mouse trap".  They are trying to "improve" what is already perfect and works best. 

The instruction to "wait/tarry/pray through" came from Jesus Himself.  He never was a proponent or taught that there was a "quick fix".  He said to His followers to tarry until they were endued with power-- even His modern-day followers.  He Himself tarried often all night in prayer.  Tarrying/waiting is not what we want to do but it is what we need to do.  If we would, we would see different results than the ones we are getting to our shallow prayers.  We would see a difference in our lives.  We would see a difference in our ministries.  We would see a difference in circumstances around us.  You can't "build a better mouse trap", and you can't improve on God's pattern of doing things.

Have a great day.  A "quick fix" is not the answer.   

"WDJS?"

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock".  Matthew 7:24

We have all heard the phrase- What Would Jesus Do?  We have also heard- What Did Jesus Do?  This morning I want to talk about another one-- What Did Jesus Say? 

Everything that Jesus said is of great importance-- a matter of life and death, and eternity.  Sadly, most people who sit in church week after week can't tell you what Jesus said.  They don't know.  They don't know for themselves.  They rarely pick up a Bible to read it.  For most, their Bible stays in the car from one Sunday to the next or in the same place they put it after church until time to go to church again-- unopened and unread.   For others it sits on a shelf collecting dust.  Most folks depend on the preacher or some other person to tell them what the Bible says.  They don't have a clue.  That is why so many are confused about the scriptures and don't know the difference between an "old wives tale" and a scripture verse.

So, just what did Jesus say?  He said to love your enemies.  Pray for those who use you.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Blessed are you when men shall persecute you for His sake.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Don't do your alms before men to be seen of them.  Forgive others so you can be forgiven.  Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Turn the other cheek, go the second mile.  Take no thought for tomorrow.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.  Get the log out of your own eye.  Do not lay up treasures on earth, but lay up treasures in heaven.  You can't serve two masters-- you can't serve God and money.  Give to God what is God's.  If you love only those who love you, you have no reward.  Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord" will enter into heaven. 

 

Of course, He said much, much more but this was a good place to start.  These words that I quoted to you were basics from His sermon on the Mount.  He ended that sermon by telling us how important it is that we hear what He says and do what He says.  He said that if you hear what He says and does what He says you will be like a wise man who builds his house upon a rock.  When the storms of life come, when you have to give an answer to others about your faith, when you stand before Him on Judgment Day, you will have something to stand upon and will not fall.  But if you don't hear and do them, you will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  You will have nothing to stand upon.  How will you have a firm foundation if you won't even read His word or find out for yourself what He said?

 

Have a great day.  What did Jesus say?  Do you even know?  Do you know for yourself?  Are you trying to find out?  You should! 

 

"Touch Him"

"And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole".  Matthew 14:36

In the story of the woman with the issue of blood and in the lives of many others who pressed in to touch the hem of Jesus' garment, they were all healed of their infirmities.  These were real, literal physical healings.  But there is something "symbolic" that we see from these accounts.  It is the "touching of Jesus".

When was the last time you "touched Jesus"?  We can't touch Him in a physical sense like they did, but we can touch Him, nevertheless.  When we go into our place of prayer, that is the best opportunity we have to touch Him.  But too often in prayer we are too rushed to wait for that "touch".  Or all we are interested in is presenting our "wish list" and having it fulfilled.  When this is all that the time of prayer is to us, we are robbing ourselves.  

When they physically touched Him, virtue flowed into their bodies.  That virtue was so powerful that it healed every disease they had-- regardless of how horrific it was, incurable it was or how long they had been plagued with it.  If we would spend time waiting in His presence to "touch" Him, His virtue would flow into us and bring that which we need.

It would give us the peace and joy we need.  It would give us wisdom and grace.  It would empower and strengthen us.  It would enlighten us and give us clarity.  It would bring healing to our minds and emotions. It would remove fear, worry, anxiety, confusion, depression and bring deliverance from the bondages that ensnare us.  And it can still bring healing to our bodies.  All that we need is still in His presence.  We just have to be willing to reach out and touch Him to get it.  

Have a great day.  When was the last time you touched Jesus?     

"The Place Of Rejoicing"

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it".  Psalm 118:24

There are many days when I get up that I don't know what the Lord would have me to do that day.  I don't know in which direction He might lead me to go or to where He might order my steps.  Even on the days that I know what I will be doing-- going to work, visiting at the nursing home, buying groceries, etc.-- I still don't know what "specific task" He might want to direct me to do. 

While I don't always know what I am to do each day, I do know one thing I am to do-- rejoice and be glad today.  When I don't know what else I should do to fulfill His plan for my life, I know I am to rejoice.  When I rejoice, I am in His will.

I can rejoice, and will rejoice, in spite of difficulties, in spite of heartache and in spite of trials.  I can rejoice for many reasons.  Where do I start?  I woke up this morning, for one.  I have my right mind.  I am sitting here at this computer.  But more than that, I can rejoice because my name is written in the Book of Life.  I have peace with God through Jesus Christ.  I know that He is with me and will never leave me.  I can enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Father.  His Spirit who guides me is dwelling in me.  I have His word to guide my steps.  I have His joy that is unexplainable.  I am living in His grace and He supplies all my needs.  I can spend time rejoicing because of His goodness toward me.  

Maybe you are wondering-- "What would You have me to do today, Lord?  Where would You have me to go?"  While you are waiting for Him to show you something specific, you already have some direction-- go in the direction of rejoicing.  Go to that wonderful place of rejoicing in Him and His goodness. 

Have a great day.  If you aren't sure what the Lord wants you to do today, one thing He wants you to do is rejoice. 

"It Will Speak"

This morning I felt impressed to share the 23rd Psalm with you, without any commentary or opinion.  I believe that there are times we need to just read the scriptures and let them speak to us.  We need to read them and then meditate on them.  We need to allow it to minister to us by itself.  

Read this Psalm and re-read it and let the Lord Himself speak to you in a personal way through it.

Have a great day.  When we read the scriptures, we need to let them speak to us.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.   He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.   Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever".