February 28, 2010

 Matthew 12: 15-37

  Don't Twist or Shout...Stand Firm...Be Fruit  

Matthew

Jesus knew what the Pharisees were planning.  He left that area, and many followed him.  He healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to say who he was.  This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:

"Look at my servant, whom I have chosen.  He is my Beloved, and I am very pleased with him.  I will put my Spirit upon him and he will proclaim justice to the nations.  He will not fight or shout, he will not raise his voice in public.  He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with a final victory.  And his name will be the hope of all the world."

Then a demon-possessed man, who was both blind and unable to talk, was brought to Jesus.   He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.  The crowd was amazed.  Could it be that Jesus is the son of David, the Messiah?"  they wondered out loud.

But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle they said, "No wonder he can cast out demons.  He gets his power from Satan, the pince of demons."

Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed.  A city or home divided against itself is doomed. And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is fighting against himself.  His own kingdom will not survive.  And if I am empowered by the prince of demons, what about your own followers?  They cast out demons, too, so they will judge you for what you have said.  But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.   Let me illustrate this.  You can't enter a strong man's house and rob him without first tying him up.  Only then can his house be robbed!  Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.

"Every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven--except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which can never be forgiven.  Anyone who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. 

A tree is identified by its fruit.  Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good.  Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad.  You brood of snakes!  How could evil men like you speak what is good and right?  For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.  A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.  And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgement day of every idle word you speak.  The words you say now reflect your fate then, either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."  

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Thoughts...

Lots here today, folks.  It is said that all scripture can apply to any life situation.  So let's take a little at a time and I'll give you some thoughts where this could apply in everyday life.

Who are the Pharisees in your life?  Who are the Pharisees period?  The Pharisees were a group of religious Jews who advocated minute obedience to their Jewish law and tradition.  They were very influential people in the synagogues.  They were respected for the law, believed in the resurrection of the dead, and were committed to obeying God's will.  BUT they rejected Jesus' claim to be THE Messiah because he did not follow all their traditions and believed he associated with notoriously wicked people.  That's like the pot calling the kettle black at times.  Interesting that the Pharisees purported to be God fearing people and yet set out to attack God...Jesus.

Paragraph 2 in scripture....if we are to be like Jesus, do we act like Jesus?  Do we do as was prophesied he would do and what he ultimately did?  Have we been chosen?  Are we God's beloved?  Is God well pleased with us?  Is God's Spirit upon us...in us?  Are we proclaiming justice to all?  Are we fighting or shouting...we should not be.  Are we raising our voice in public...in our homes...to be heard?  If so, why?  Do you feel like you have to twist and shout to make your point?  STOP!  How will others ever see Christ in you?  However, to be too meek, could be perceived as weak....so speak with conviction with love and peace, gently, but proclaim with the boldness of Holy Spirit.     

Are we crushing those who are weak, quenching the smallest hope?  Full justice will not come until he...Jesus...brings final victory.  JESUS BRINGS FINAL VICTORY, not us.

HIS name will be the hope of all the world, for us.  But how we live our lives today...showing others who HE is in us, and listening to HIS will for our lives, and stepping in to all HE has called us to do, will help us see the promise fulfilled in HIS hope...and ours. 

Next paragraph...3.  If we believe that if we are not of God, we are of Satan,  if we are not working with him, but against him, and we are demon possessed.  Have you been blinded...not able to see the truth in what you are looking at?  Are you unable to talk the talk with conviction, and know that you know that you know that you are making a difference by the fruits supplied by your efforts?  No change, no fruit in evidence?  Dust off those shoes and keep walking.  Jesus is the most successful multi-level marketer in the world.  He tells us to make the offer and then move on.  Period.  No fight, no bark, no cramming it down their throats.  Just here it is or here I am not.  Are you providing evidence that you are the son or daughter of the Messiah by your actions?  Remember, offer the opportunity to receive Christ, and move on if they choose not to.  Simple plan. Trying to make someone into something they are not, or can never become, is not the way of God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  Many are called, but few are chosen, and, more to the point, the Father knew who he would send and who he would not.  He knew many were slated for Satan, and Satan could have them.  No way, no how, can you force someone to see the wizard (God) if the wizard (God) is not supposed to be seen by that person.  Forgive me for using the term wizard, but I sometimes liken in phraseology as God being the all powerful Wizard of Oz.  Are people amazed at your GOD LIKE actions?  Could people wonder who you are as the child of Messiah by your actions?

Miracles...paragraph 4.  Are  miracles evident in your life?  Why not?  Have you not got Holy Spirit in you?  Why not?  It is time to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and step forth boldly proclaiming and healing!  Let Holy Spirit perform the miracles through you.  Will others think you are of Satan....?  Possibly.  Should you care?  ONLY about what God thinks.  Or are you of Satan?  Are you listening to God and following what he tells you to do, or are you running around doing what YOU think is the right thing to do?  Have you even asked God what he wants you to do with your life, in your life situation?  Are you doing it?  Is it in line with Christ's laws or your own man made ones?  If it is not in line with Christ, then you are fooling yourself and hurting God, yourself, and others. 

Paragraph 5.  If you are not doing what God calls you to do, if you are not in a Christ aligned situation, then you are not IN or OF God.  You are in Satan's turf and fighting him...yourself.  Until you rise up and reposition yourself as a child of God, and realign yourself with him (ask forgiveness, change your situation to make it right with Christ), nothing will change and all things will get worse.  Will you have to let go of your present situation?  Absolutely.  Why would you even consider being in a situation that is not of God, if you are a child of God?  Shake shake shake....this is me shaking you to get some sense in you, but in a gentle way.  Think!  What is God REALLY calling you to do?  Can you be someone else's Holy Spirit?  NO.  Can you be a vessel for Holy Spirit if you are not in alignment with the ever loving ever living God Almighty? Is Jesus REALLY Lord of your life?  Have you bothered to ask Holy Spirit ANYTHING, or are you just winging what YOU think you should do in your life situation?  If you are not with God Jesus and Holy Spirit, or do not have them fully in you, then you are just fighting yourself in a mirror...one in which you are not truly seeing yourself or anyone else for that matter.  You are being judged by your words...saying you are a child of God when indeed you are not, and your spirit is being robbed.  And you cannot receive all of the blessings God wants to give you.  As Jesus said,  "Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me."  Don't even associate with the others who are not of God.  And if you are in a work situation and cannot help it, start looking for something else in life.  Prayer will keep you focused and out of the fray in the meantime.  Don't try and 'fix' others anyway.  Let the Spirit of God speak to them...they can't hear you.  Pray for them....at a distance, to protect yourself and stay in alignment with God.  Stand firm.

Paragraph 6.  Are you, or is your life situation a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?  Ouch.  Pray hard to make sure it is not, and if it is, pray for your soul....that God might change his heart.  He wants to love you and like you.  He wants to bless you and give you a full life in and with him.  Don't spit him out by what you are doing.  Or you will be cast in the fires of hell at your end time and he will say as in scripture," it does not matter that you were perfoming miracles in my name....I did not authorize it....I know you not."  Make a better choice. 

I hope this last paragraph applies to others around you and not you.  But the truth is, it could very well apply to you....and me, if I am not careful and God centered either.  Satan is the author of deception.  It is said in scriptures that he knows the scriptures.  Are you using scriptures to speak of what God wants others to hear, or to affect a change in what you want to have happen?  The inference here is that even tho' you may be speaking scripture, it may not be for it's intended use.  You may appear to be good fruit, but if you are speaking only to change someone for your own purpose or under the possibly mistaken thought that is is good for another's soul just so you can be happy with that other person or make things right for you, then your motives are wrong.  If you just want someone to receive Jesus for their salvation, that is great.  But make sure it is not to suit your own purpose.  What happens if they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior?  Will there be some other excuse you will have to be critical towards them  or to make them comply so you can be the Lord, instead of THE Lord being their Lord?  Hmmmm.  And the words of the others?  Will they be justified or condemned?  Why are you even fighting?  Is this not God's fight you are trying to battle? 

It is said that our bodies are the Temple of the Lord, the dwelling place of the Almighty.  I'd like you to read the following from 2 Chronicles 7: 1-3.  Image, if you will, the moment when Jesus went to John the Baptist and was filled with the Holy Spirit upon baptism.  Then reread 1-3, picture it is you....in the water for baptism for cleansing for forgiveness of your sins and coming out of the water, Jesus then baptises you with his Holy Spirit, filling your Temple with himself:

When Solomon fininshed praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple.  The priests could not even enter the Temple of the LORD because the glorious presence of the LORD filled it.  When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the LORD filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshipped and praised the LORD, saying. "He is so good!  His faithful love endures forever!"  Don't you want THE Lord being Lord of your life?  Pray like Solomon that the glorious presence of the Lord will fill your Temple.  Fall down and worship and praise the Lord, so that his faithful love will endure forever in your life.  

Now read 2 Chronicles 7: 11-22.  So Solomon finished builiding the Temple of the LORD, as well as the royal palace.  He completed everything he had planned to do.  Then one night the LORD appeared to Solomon and said, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.  At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among you.  Then, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I wil hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.  I will listen to every prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to  be my home forever.  My eyes and my heart will always be here.

As for you, if you follow me as your father, David, did and obey all my commands, laws and regulations, then I will not let anyone take away your throne.  This is the same promise I gave your father David, when I  said, "You will never fail to have a successor who rules over Israel.'

But if you abandon me and disobey the laws and commands I have given you, and if you go and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people of Israel from this land of mine that I have given them.  I will reject this Temple that I have set apart to honor my name.  I will make it a spectacle of contempt among the nations.  And though this Temple is impressive now, it will become an appalling sight to all who pass by.  They will ask, 'Why has the LORD done such terrible things to his land and to his Temple?'  And the answer will be, "Because his people abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshipped other gods instead.  That is why he brought all these disasters upon them.'

Choose this day whom you will serve.  

***

Let Us Pray  

Dear God, Jesus, Holy Spirit....I pray to you now.  God have mercy, Christ have mercy, God have mercy.  Forgive me of my sins and make me whole.  Make me a new person in you desiring and acting upon doing your will, not mine.  Help me realize that I cannot be anyone else's Holy Spirit.  You are the author and authority of life, not me.  Use me, but don't let me think I am an doing it for you, if I am really doing it to serve my own needs.  And increase my discernment so I can see in myself why I do the things I do and only do what you want me to do, Lord.  Heal me in all the ways that only you can, mind, body, and spirit to the depths of my soul.  Lift me to a new awareness of who you are, all that you are, and how wonderful you are.  Remove from me, or help me to remove myself from anything or anyone that is not of you.  No pain, no gain, huh, Lord?  The gain I want is you fully in my life.  I want to be surrounded with other believers that have you fully in their heart, so I may know your love to the fullest and being filled up, may then go forth sharing that love with all I meet.  Rightfully and righteously for you, Lord, not for myself or my own benefit.  I realize now that if you have not called someone, they will not change.  But you have called me and I must change and make decisions based on what YOU think is best for my life.  Send others to surround me with prayer to give me the strength and love I need to move forward for and with you.  I am so grateful to you, God, Jesus and Holy Spirit for loving me so much.  Thank you.  I love you, too, and now I am going to show how much I love you by listening more to YOU, and moving forward only for you, and IN ALIGNMENT with you, and YOUR will for my life.  What is it that is said, prayers go up and blessings come down?  Well, let my prayers to you go up and let the blessings that come down, be your love for me always.  Thank you.  I love you.  God, Jesus, Holy Spirit....are you still there?  Just checking.   : )  Love you.             

Our Father, you are in heaven.

I hallow, revere and adore you and your name.

May your kingdom come...and surround me, uplift me, embrace me.

May I only do your will, not mine.

On this earth, while I live, like when I will live in heaven.

Give me today my daily bread....who is Jesus.

And God, please, I beg of you, forgive me of all my sins, all those awful things in your eyes that I've done wrong to you, others, and myself.  Some intentional, others not intentional.  I have been wrong.

I do emphatically and forevermore forgive those who have sinned against me, hurt me, defiled me, and who have attempted to abuse and destroy me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. 

And do not let me be led, nor follow those who choose to make evil choices and temptations on any level, and deliver me from such as may be my past or my present.

For yours is the kingdom I want to be a part of, unto your power I want to submit, unto you is who I choose to give glory, and to you should all honor and praise be given.

Forever and ever.

Thank you, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit for loving me and offering me forgiveness of my sins and eternal life.  May I prove worthy of your offering and your love.  I love you.  Please help me to know how to best show you how much I love you and how grateful I am.

Amen.

  ***

Sing this song with love and praise, adoration and humility:

JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL  *

It's all about you, Jesus

And all this is for You

For you glory and Your fame

It's not about me

As if You should do things my way

You alone are God

And I surrender to Your ways

Jesus, lover of my soul

All consuming fire is in Your gaze

Jesus, I want You to know

I will follow You all my days

For no one else in history is like You

And history itself belongs to You

Alpha and Omega, You have loved me

And I will share eternity with You

  Benediction...Blessing

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resouces he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

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If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regulary to us or gifting us, so that we can further the work and carry out the will of the Father as proclaimed in Matthew 28:16 NLT

 to

 "Go and make disciples out of all the nations

baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

***

  Our Current Cause

I am very excited to share that The Gathering will be 'on the ground' soon in Tucson!  I would sincerely appreciate all prayers focused for this cause and for those involved in the greater picture.  As I attempt a new church plant here in the desert, may streams of prayers, love and financial support flow to achieve this cause.  This is a mountain that I am going to climb, and, I expect all believers everywhere to rise up with me to support this endeavor and do the same.  As I endeavor on this journey, I will be better prepared to help you on yours...to raise up a sanctuary for the ever living ever loving Lord God Almighty, Lord and Savior for the world Jesus Christ, and Comforter, Teacher, Indwelling Fire, Spirit Wind, the Holy Spirit.  I pray you will join with me to provide prayer and financial support for this humbling and annointed journey.  To God goes all the honor and glory!   Alleluia!  Amen.          

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and may God bless you!

***

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  ***

    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

   "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

   Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

* JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL

Music and lyrics by Paul Oakely c  1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (PRS)  All rights in the Western Hemisphere administered by EMI Christian Music Publishing p 1998 Worship Together

From the Worship Together CD

 *