Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: Kingdom of God

• He Gave Gifts!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 14, 2020

  Ephesians 4:8 – Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” NKJV

  

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  At this time of the year, there are several holidays being celebrated: Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza. Within each of these celebrations is the practice of giving gifts. The giving and exchanging of gifts make the holidays even more special as we share tokens of our love and appreciation to friends, co-workers, and family members. It can become a little overwhelming at times, for some, but the point that I want to make is that the holiday season is a time of giving gifts.

  When Jesus was visited by the wise men, they brought him gifts!

  Matthew 2:11 – And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. NKJV

  It is believed that each of these gifts held spiritual significance for Jesus. The gold represented His kingship, the frankincense represented His priestly role, and the myrrh was used for embalming, to signify that He had come to die. Now, I read this in several articles, and have no real evidence of such, but it sounds legit! For surely He is King of kings, He is our High Priest, and He did die for our sins. How would the Magi know this? They were led to choose these particular gifts by the Holy Spirit, and presented them with great reverence and faith to little King Jesus.

  That same Jesus, who is no longer in a manger, and didn’t stay there for very long, is now giving gifts to mankind. As I continue to look at the Christmas season, in light of our risen Savior, and not the babe wrapped in swaddling clothing, I feel a need to briefly discuss these gifts.

  In Ephesians 4:8, the word for gift, in the Greek, is “doma” and literally means “to build”. The interesting thing about this word, is that the focus is more on the character of the gift, then it’s beneficial nature. This is easily understood when you read what these gifts are called, and their purpose.

  Typically, in the Church, we call these gifts the ministry gifts, because they are the names of the titles of those who do ministry in the church. In verse 11, Paul informs us of these “gifts” given to men: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Most denominations agree with having evangelists, pastors, and teachers, but only a few acknowledge the gifts of the apostles and prophets. Today’s blog is not to validate, or persuade you in either direction, just to point out the fact that He gave them as gifts to the Body.

  Why did Jesus give us these gifts? Paul tells us in this same chapter:

  Ephesians 4:12-13 – “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; NKJV

  The ministry gifts were given to equip the saints for ministry. Isn’t that something? The job of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. I thought they were given for ministry? They were! But in giving us these gifts, these individuals, they exist to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.

  This word for perfecting of the saints is used only once in the Greek Bible. What it denotes is “to render, to fit, sound, complete. In others words, their job is to help make us sound in the word of God, and to help us to be complete in our life as believers.

  We come into the “Church” from every walk of life. We know how to do some things well, and others things are a puzzle for us. We may be CEOs in a corporation, doctors, waitresses, nurses, or a person off the streets when we come to Christ. As we enter into this new relationship with Him, this new life, we need someone to help us to navigate through the kingdom of God. This is where the gifts come in. Jesus gave gifts to certain members of the Body to assist us in our journey.

  The apostle starts churches and ministries. As he goes about his work, he leads the way in what it looks like to build a ministry from the ground up, in other areas, just as Paul did during his missionary journey. He looks amongst the people of God and recognize leadership and gifts in others and help to place them in the place where God wants to use them. He walks in a lot of foresight and is often a person a great vision. Starting churches and new ministries take skill and faith. An apostle has the ability to “not to despise small beginnings” and to see the great possibilities of planting ministries and churches. We need them to teach us how to do these things, and to sometimes pull us along in the building of new churches and ministries.

  We have the prophets. We don’t understand everything God is doing and saying to us as a church and as individuals. The prophet is in the body to exhort, encourage, and comfort us. Again, we can come into the church, emotionally broken, and struggling to make it in this life. God’s prophetic voice is there to encourage us, to help us to understand that we’ve made the right choice in choosing Jesus, and we will make it. She may even be used to give a word of exhortation to push us to become our true self. Or God can use her to bring comfort after a trying and difficult time in our lives. The way may seem clearer after the prophet has done his/her job to equip us, build us, so that now God can use us for His glory!

  We all understand the roles of the evangelist, pastors, and teachers. The evangelist stirs us up for evangelism, often leading us in the call to win the lost at any cost. The teacher expounds on the word, explaining it, breaking it down, or pulling it up, to meet our spiritual hunger for the understanding of the word. And the pastor may have the hardest job of all, watching over the sheep!

  The point is, as we come into the family of God, gifts are waiting to open our eyes and our hearts to the King. As we grow in the family of God, the gifts are still there to train us, build us, and steer us in the kingdom. These gifts are available to us until we all come to the unity of the faith. He hasn’t removed them, He isn’t withholding them, because He has given them to us for our perfecting and for our equipping.

  As gifts, these individuals are not our lords. We have only one, Jesus! Although, I believe they are to be honored and respected as we would anyone who is placed in our lives to make them better. They are there to be a blessing, and when they are functioning according to the will of God, they are a tremendous blessing. This holiday season, remember, He gave you gifts! We call them our spiritual leadership, to help us in this walk of life. This holiday season, encourage them by letting them know they have been a real gift to your walk of faith! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Christmas, Gifts, Holiday Celebrations, Jesus | 7 Comments | Tagged apostles, encouragement, equipping the Body, evangelists, Gifts, God, Jesus, king, Kingdom of God, leaders, ministry, pastors, perfecting of saints, prophets, teachers

• See Jesus in You!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on December 2, 2020

  John 3:30 -He must increase, but I must decrease. NKJV

  

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  In my previous blog, I used this same scripture to share the context of how and why John the Baptist used this phrase. For him, it was the reality of his situation, the end of his ministry. But it has become a cliche, used in the body to express humility. And again, I think it is flawed.

  I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…

  Psalm 139:14

  David said to the Father in a time of worship that he recognized that he was fearfully and wonderfully made. In the Young’s Literal translation it reads like this:

  I confess Thee, because that [with] wonders I have been distinguished.

  God took care in putting us together. To Him, we are special. He made us as different from each other as we can be. Our fingerprints are ours alone. Even our teeth have their own signature. And while we may share DNA with other people, we are still different. And it’s a beautiful thing!

  So now, here’s my point: Why would God gift us to do different things in the kingdom, make us all different, and then not expect that individuality to shine through when He uses us? Again, I know the sentiment behind the phrase but it is scripturally misleading in how and why God chooses and uses us.

  Let’s look at Biblical examples:

  Galatians 2:8 – (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), NKJV

  In this verse, Paul makes it clear that Peter was sent to the Jews and he was sent to the Gentiles. Both of these men were Jewish, but Paul was a Jewish scholar. It would seem that Paul was more qualified to minister to the Jews, but it was Peter who was sent to them.

  We know from the scriptures that Peter was Jewish to the core. When God gave him the vision on the rooftop, and told him to eat of the unclean animals, even though it was God, Peter was still refusing to eat. His strict ways of Judaism made him the perfect candidate to go to the Jews. His life, upbringing, and biases, equipped him to deal with those of his fellow Jews. He didn’t decrease in who he was to increase in what God had for him. He just allowed God to use him, with all of his weaknesses and strengths, to fulfill the call on his life.

  Paul on the other hand, was perfect for the Gentiles. He was a Roman citizen from his birth. He was a Jew from his birth. He was scholarly and understood both cultures well. But he was passionate about the law. When Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, his life was forever changed. The same passion he used to persecute the church, he used to build it. He didn’t ask to decrease from being who he was. All of him, being used by all of the Holy Spirit, caused the gospel to spread, churches to be planted, and him writing most of the New Testament.

  Again, I know what is meant by using this phrase. We want people to see Jesus, and not us. Hopefully! But why can’t they see Jesus in us? What is so wrong with who we are, that we feel a need to say that we want to disappear while the Spirit take over? Or have we so much religious jargon in our churches, that we don’t bother thinking about what we are saying?

  Let’s talk plain! I have some friends who can sing! Had they met the same talent managers that Whitney Houston met, they’d be famous! I mean, they can sing. And when they get up and say this, (all of You God and none of me), it’s like, really? None of you? You were asked to sing because you have a beautiful voice. If it didn’t matter to God or the audience, we’d ask somebody who could “only make a joyful noise”! No! We ask the gifted and the talented to sing because we enjoy listening to them sing. And when they are anointed, they sound even better!

  When I tune into Jesse DuPlantiss, or Bill Winston, or any minister for that fact, I am listening to the individual as much as I am listening to the Spirit of God. There is no way Jesse is going to preach without telling a joke. No way! So when I listen to him I understand that’s the way God uses him to minister to people. He has a way of making an audience laugh. Sometimes after a hard day, or many trials, a good laugh goes a long way! There is no way Bill Winston is going to minister without sharing about kingdom living. It’s just what he does! He and Jesse are both powerful men of God (whether you like them or not) and yet they are so different. And so are their assignments. And yet they are both preachers, being used by the Holy Spirit, with their own distinct personalities and ways of doing it.

  This is true for every pastor, minister, singer, and person in the Body. When God uses us, He wants to use us. He’s not looking for cookie cutter ministers, singers, musicians, or teachers. He wants to use us in our own unique way.

  When my niece was ministering, I felt like we were just having one of our normal conversations. She was just as down to earth in her presentation: no airs, no pretentiousness. She got up and shared an encouraging word as a person who is comfortable in her own skin. And yet, she still felt like she didn’t want people to see her, but she wanted them to see Jesus! Glad to hear it! It’s admirable. But I saw both her and Jesus, and I heard them both! And it was all good! I still hear her saying, “Just keep swimming!” But I heard the Spirit of God saying, “Don’t ever give up!” God used her where she was at, as she was, and I know the people were blessed and encouraged!

  When you are asked to do something for God, just remember: God is saying that He is ready to use you! He’s not asking you to decrease, or stop being you, so that He can increase. You should not get up and rely on you, and your abilities alone, but in Him and His abilities alone! That’s the right attitude! But it’s still you, and He wants to operate through you! So step forward in faith and say, “Use me, Lord; and then believe that He wants to! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Attitude, Humility, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Christian, David, fearfully and wonderfully made, Galatians, God, Jesus, John the Baptist, Kingdom of God, Paul, Peter, psalm

• Increasing and Decreasing!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on November 30, 2020

  John 3:30 -He must increase, but I must decrease. NKJV

  

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  In the Church, John the Baptist’s words have become a mantra of humility. When a soloist gets up to sing, she may say this before she sing to give the impression of humility and that she isn’t really singing, it’s God! Or a minister may say it before he preaches, so everyone will know that he isn’t really preaching, it’s God. Whether they are being truthful or not, with their message of humility, I believe this theology is flawed. Although God is using both individuals, the important truth here is that He is using the individual. I want to explain!

  First of all, we need to understand what motivated John the Baptist to say these words. Let’s look in verses 25 and 26 to gain some insight:

  “Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified —behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!

  John 3:25-26

  John the Baptist had been the voice of spiritual renewal in Israel. As he went about with the message of repent and be baptized, he was actually paving the way for Jesus. This is why he was “the voice of one crying in the wilderness”. The ministry John had been given was given to him from birth, and it was simply to be a forerunner of the Messiah. On this particular day in John’s life, we see his followers upset that people are beginning to flock to Jesus. They see Jesus as the usurper of John’s ministry, not as the Messiah.

  John explains to his followers what they are seeing happening with Jesus is what is supposed to be happening:

  • A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven (v. 27). John is helping them to see that his followers are flocking to Jesus because it is what God has purposed to happen. Every single follower he had, God gave to him, and every single follower Jesus has, was given by God.
  • I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him (v. 28). John reminded his followers that he had already told them that he was not the Messiah, he was only sent before the Messiah. His disciples already knew the witness that John had given in regards to Jesus. John just reminds them of that truth.
  • Lastly, John calls himself the friend of the bridegroom. In Jewish tradition, the friend of the bridegroom, the shoshben, was the individual who was the mediator between the bride’s family and the bridegroom’s family. He negotiated the terms of the marriage and was said to be the one who watched the bridal tent. On the night the bridegroom comes, he recognizes the voice of the groom and opens the bridal tent to him only. Then he goes away rejoicing for his work is done.

  This is the point of John’s words in verse 30, “He must increase, and I must decrease!” John had fulfilled his part of the plan of God. His ministry was complete. Now it was time for Jesus to take front and center stage that His ministry, His time would be fulfilled.

  Was John showing humility in this declaration? Yes, he was! But he was not saying that to be humble. It really was his time to get off the scene of spiritual renewal, and Jesus’ time to usher in the kingdom. During the time of John’s crying in the wilderness, he cried aloud and spared not. He didn’t ask God to let him decrease at that time. No! He was the chosen vessel at that time to be used by God to get a specific task completed. It was his assignment and God had chosen to use him.

  John saw his assignment for the honor that it was. His birth was miraculous and his assignment was sure. He fulfilled that assignment with everything in him, in the way that God led him, but it was John that God was using.

  Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

  Matthew 3:4

  John was a simple man. The fact that Matthew described his clothes being made with camel’s hair, and his diet as locusts and wild honey is to help us to see that John was different from other Jewish men. But God used John to fulfill an important assignment, to set the stage for His son. It was an assignment that John was handpicked for, and he did it well!

  I thought of this when I was having a conversation with my niece. She preached her first sermon and her heart was that we would see “none of her and all of Jesus!” Great sentiment, but is it scriptural? More next time! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Attitude, Humility, Jesus, John the Baptist | 3 Comments | Tagged assignments, Attitude, decreasing, false humility, humble, Humility, increasing, John the Baptist, Kingdom of God, ministry

• So Much More!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 23, 2020

  Romans 14:17 – “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. NKJV

  

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  There is so much more to the Holy Spirit, that I can’t even begin to exhaust the subject of Him. As I have mentioned before, there are some really great books out there. One of my personal favorites was written by John Bevere. I encourage you to study the word, to find out His role in your life, but it wouldn’t hurt to read a book, either! Thanks for hanging in there with me, as I’ve tried to share a few truths I’ve learned about the Holy Spirit.

  I believe passionately in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. I’m sure I’ll come back to Him again and again! I also feel strongly about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But today, I want to talk about Him from this perspective: there is so much more!

  Our text for today states that the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. This is a perfect chapter to demonstrate an important aspect of the Holy Spirit, for in it, Paul is admonishing the body of Christ. He tells us that we are not to get carried away in what we eat or don’t eat because this is not what the kingdom of God is about. Understanding that at that time, they were coming together as a body of believers, made of Jews and Gentiles, and had concerns over the issue of what to eat and not to eat.

  They were also concerned over holy days and holidays. Again, Paul stressed the relative unimportance of these days, in relationship to the overall goal of being one in Christ. Much as many of us are still arguing over things like: to be immersed, or to sprinkle; to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or just in the Name of Jesus. Should we be allowed to wear pants, or in today’s fashion world-leggings- or jogging suits to church? So many little issues that clog up the overall goal of advancing the kingdom of God. Should sin be allowed to infect the Body? Certainly not! But those things that are irrelevant in the whole scheme of salvation, should not be allowed to separate us!

  The kingdom of God is God’s rule and way of doing things. Jesus came preaching the kingdom, and commissioned us to go and do likewise. There’s much in the kingdom, and it will be my topic, soon, but for today’s post, I’m more focused on the end of the verse. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost!

  The kingdom of God is righteousness. Righteousness is being in right standing with God. This is accomplished by coming into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ! In the Strong’s the rendition is “the state of him who is such as he ought to be; the condition of being acceptable to God.” That’s what Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made available to all who believe, that we would be acceptable to God. In a state of sin, we are unacceptable, but as believers, we are made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

  If we keep this verse in context, it also deals with our right relationship with others. It’s important to remember that God requires of us all to do the right thing in regards to others. Judging people on what they eat or don’t eat, the color of their skin, their economic state in life, isn’t right, and it isn’t godly. The Holy Spirit helps us to get this right in our relationships with others. Especially the household of faith!

  The kingdom of God is peace. Peace is a place of security, safety, prosperity; the state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ. In Ephesians, the Holy Spirit is mentioned as the guarantee of our redemption! Have you ever purchased a home and had to give a deposit to guarantee the seller that your interest was sincere? The Holy Spirit guarantees your salvation, He is your assurance policy. He also is there providing security, safety, and prosperity to those in the kingdom.

  In relationship to the context in which it is written, being at peace with one another is important. Arguing and being in constant dispute over things that bring division and discord, like food and drink, and what days to worship, and how to worship, is pure foolishness and doesn’t lead to peace. In the kingdom of God, peace that flows from the Holy Spirit should be flowing through us to others. Not a facade of peace, but the real deal that demonstrates our connection with the Spirit of God. We are to be people who want safety, security, and prosperity in our lives, and in the lives of those around us.

  The kingdom of God is joy! Cheerful, calm delight, and gladness is the kingdom. Joy isn’t based on what is happening around us, it is based on what is happening in us. Joy goes deeper than happiness, for it is rooted in our inner being. Happiness is external and subject to change. When there is joy in our lives, we are better equipped to spread joy to others. The Holy Spirit causes that joy to stay fresh, enabling us to radiate it, even when we are not thinking about it, or we don’t appear to have a reason for it. Everyone loves being around a joy filled individual. They look at life and see hope, and all that is good around them.

  In light of this verse, we are to bring joy, not pain and chaos into the lives of others. Hurting others, because of our need to feel superior, is not radiating from the Holy Spirit. Joy is meant to be spread to others, just as love is. When we purpose to allow joy to shine from us, in the midst of troubling times, it’s magnetic. People are drawn to it! People are drawn to the kingdom.

  Paul is writing to believers, and He is letting us know that in the Holy Ghost, we have access to righteousness, peace, and joy. That’s the kingdom! And as kingdom citizens, we should display righteousness, peace, and joy to others! I leave you with this thought:

  Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 – NKJV

  He’s so much more than we ever thought, or could imagine! Taking time to get to know Him better, and allowing Him to have a place of importance in our lives will benefit us more than it will benefit Him. He’s just waiting for you, for us, to give Him a chance to show us so much more! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, joy, Kingdom of God, Peace, righteousness | 2 Comments | Tagged Holy Spirit, joy, Kingdom of God, Peace, relationships, righteousness, the Blood of Jesus, word of God

• The Acts of the Holy Spirit!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 21, 2020

  Acts 4:33 – And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. NKJV

  

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  Traditionally, the book of Acts has been called the Acts of the Apostles. I’m not trying to rewrite biblical theology, but I am suggesting that this book, is more than the Acts of the Apostles, but it reveals the Acts of the Holy Spirit!

  From His great entrance in Acts 2, throughout the remainder of Luke’s writing, we see many scriptures filled with examples about what the Holy Spirit came to the earth for. It’s not surprising that we feel the apostles were the ones with power, who went about doing these greats things, because they did. However, the Holy Spirit had filled them full of Himself, distributing His power through gifts, to accomplish His will in the earth!

  Peter explained to Cornelius and his family how Jesus was able to do the wonderful miracles He did:

  Acts 10:38 – “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” NKJV

  This is the same method that the Holy Spirit used in the book of Acts. He was with the the disciples, allowing the power of God to flow through them, that they may be used by God to expand the kingdom of God, and He is doing the same thing for us! Let’s look at some things the Holy Spirit enabled some of the people in Acts to accomplish:

  • Peter’s first message, after receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit resulted in a great conviction coming upon the people and three thousand souls were added to the church. (Acts 2:41)
  • Peter and John went to the temple and a man who was lame from birth was miraculously healed when He looked upon Peter. Yes, the glory goes to the power of the Name of Jesus, but it was the Spirit of God who did the healing through the disciples. (Acts 3)
  • Peter gives another powerful message (because he was filled with the Holy Spirit) and was noted as having great boldness. (Acts 4) Remember, this is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, and then went fishing after the resurrection. Now he’s boldly proclaiming His name, being that witness with power!
  • The disciples gather, after Peter and John’s arrest, and pray for boldness and that miracles will happen when He stretch out His hand. How? By the power of the Spirit through them. And He filled them again! (Acts 4:31)
  • Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter about how much they sold their property for, and Peter said that they had lied to Holy Ghost. They dropped dead at that proclamation! (Acts 5)
  • These disciples were walking in so much power of the Holy Spirit that people brought the sick into the streets that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them so they might be healed. (Acts 5)
  • Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, was full of faith and power and did great wonders and signs among the people! (Acts 6)
  • Philip was used by the Holy Spirit to do many miracles, including casting out demons and seeing the lame walk. (Acts 8)
  • The Holy Spirit told Philip to overtake the chariot that the eunuch of Ethiopia was in. After he completed his assignment, the Holy Spirit translated him to Azotus. (Acts 8). The commentators don’t agree on the distance, claiming it to be anywhere from 34 miles to 400, but however far apart they were, he was miraculously translated from one place to a different location.
  • Paul was miraculously converted and commissioned by Jesus to take the message to the Gentiles, but not before he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And Paul received a miraculous removal of the scales falling off his eyes.
  • Aeneas was healed of paralysis after being sick in bed for eight years. (Acts 9)
  • Peter was used to raise Dorcas from the dead. (Acts 9)
  • Handkerchiefs from Paul’s body were sent to others and they were healed, and evil spirits left them. (Acts 19:12)
  • Prison doors were opened, crippled people were able to walk, the dead was raised, demons were cast out, and a host of other things happened through the apostles, but by the work of the Holy Spirit!

  The point of the matter is this: that the disciples, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit became bolder in their life for Christ; and began to do the same things He did as the Holy Spirit moved upon them. This Holy Spirit is still alive and available to the Church today!

  I have personally seen the Holy Spirit do miraculous things. I have heard powerful testimonies of so much more. God is real! Jesus is real! The Holy Spirit is real!

  The whole reason for my blogs on the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to remind us that He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. What He required of the apostles and prophets in the Early Church, He is requiring of us in the last days Church. That we be filled with the power from on high! We can deny this is truth, but can we deny our continual inability to see a miracle because we don’t believe this? We can deny the tongue, but can we deny the supernatural testimonies of those who speak in tongues?What I suggest is this, let’s join Him in what He wants to do in these last days and believe for a great outpouring of His power upon all flesh! It’s time to see miracles! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Holy Spirit, miracle, speaking in tongues, supernatural | 2 Comments | Tagged God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Kingdom of God, miraculous, Salvation, speaking in tongues, supernatural, testimony

• But You Shall Receive Power!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on October 14, 2020

  Acts 1:8 – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. KJV

  

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  In Luke 24:49, Jesus told His disciples:

  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

  The Holy Spirit executes the power of God. Jesus knew this! He also knew that the assignment He had given to the disciples, to preach the kingdom of God, would require that they walk in power. Therefore, His last instructions to them were to remain in Jerusalem until they received power from on high!

  Many people, mistakenly believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is all about speaking in tongues. Well, it isn’t! Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of having received the Holy Spirit, but it is not the whole picture. The whole picture is that tongues is evidence of the presence of Holy Ghost power! My wedding ring is not my marriage, but it is the evidence of my marriage! (That may be too simplistic for something so amazing!)

  In the book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit was released, wasn’t His introduction to the world. The Holy Spirit has been present, since Genesis, where He hovered over the waters; to produce God’s will upon the creation of the earth. The Holy Spirit was at hand when the Red Sea was parted. The Holy Spirit was present at the conception and resurrection of our Lord. And the Holy Spirit was present on the day of Pentecost. The difference being that when He came on Pentecost, He remained on earth to assist Jesus’ Church in the work of the ministry!

  This time in which we are living is the appointed time, the chairos time, of the Holy Spirit. You can live a godly life in Christ and not be filled with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Your life will be blessed and you will meet Jesus in eternity. I’m not one who believes less of a person because they don’t speak in tongues or more of a person, because they do. I have, unfortunately, noticed in the Body of Christ, that there are many who believe that those of us who speak in tongues are of the devil. I think that is not only wrong, but it is shameful! That’s how the Pharisees acted towards Jesus!

  In order to be a Christian, we must accept the truth of the gospel. Simply stated, we must believe that through the blood of Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we are cleansed. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, come in the flesh and that He is God. And we must believe there is no other way by which we can be saved. That’s it! Whether we speak in tongues or not, when we meet that first criteria and give our heart to the Lord, we are born again. For any Christian to look upon another Blood bought individual, and to accuse them of belonging to the devil, is pure nonsense!

  As I mentioned already, Jesus felt it necessary that the disciples, who had walked with Him, be filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. If they weren’t of the devil, then neither are the people who are filled today! The disciples were told to tarry, or wait; but after that, there are no other mentions of tarrying for the Holy Spirit. Although, many have tarried and made it a requirement for receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, it is not; we just receive Him by faith!

  On the day of Pentecost, which was 50 days after the resurrection of our Lord, the disciples, 120 of them, were together in the Upper Room, praying, worshipping, and waiting for power from on high! As they sat in the meeting, the Holy Spirit came in the room, upon each of them. That’s for the next blog!

  Jesus told them that when they received this power from on high, they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

  When we think of being a witness, we think of the simplicity of sharing the gospel. It is typically how this verse is read and preached, and it isn’t necessarily incorrect. It just isn’t the whole picture! When Jesus was referring to us being His witnesses, He was also referring to us expanding the kingdom in the same way that He did it, by bringing heaven to earth in the lives of the people.

  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 – NKJV

  He was a witness that God was real, and that He is the Son of God. As He went about the villages teaching, preaching, healing, casting out demons, and raising the dead, He demonstrated His power over everything in the earth realm.

  Paul said that he didn’t operate in just great preaching and being able to persuade people to his point of view, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)!

  So what witness was Jesus referring to?

  And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33 – NKJV

  Jesus knew that His disciples would have to operate just as He did, in order to witness to the truth that He is alive. Jesus had received the Holy Ghost on the day of His water baptism and the Holy Ghost never left Him. He was man, operating as God, by the power of the Holy Ghost! And so must we!

  The apostles couldn’t get a young man free from demons when Jesus was alive, without His authority. After the Holy Spirit came upon them, they operated in great power.

  And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people…And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women… Acts 5:12-16 – NKJV

  Now that’s some power! Throughout the New Testament, tongues was understood as evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but it was the power that gave greater proof and great witness about Jesus!

  Since I have been baptized in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues, it has been a great pleasure, and an honor to experience God’s power. It has been an ever greater blessing to realize that the Holy Spirit is alive and well, and is still moving through countless believers, in countless situations, to bring witness to the resurrected Savior and the kingdom of God. Next time, I’ll talk more about the actual baptism of the Holy Spirit! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Baptism, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 2 Comments | Tagged Believer, God, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Kingdom of God, resurrection, Salvation, Sin, the Blood of Jesus, the devil, trust in God

• Jesus, Son of David!

  Posted at 2:40 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on June 27, 2020

  Matthew 1:1 – “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” NKJV

  

  jesus_-the-son-of-david_.mp3

  prayer-for-salvation-1-1.m4a

  Whenever I read the word of God I am amazed at how God sets things in order. Nothing happened, just because. It was all part of His plan for redeeming mankind, displaying His love, developing us as His own peculiar treasure, revealing Himself. Just amazing!

  Such was the case of each leader in the Old Testament. They not only were a part of the grand scheme of God, but they point us to Jesus! Abraham was a prophetic demonstration of God’s love for us as the one who would offer up His only Son for us, Jesus, the Seed of Abraham. Moses was a prophetic picture of Jesus, the deliverer. And King David revealed Jesus as King of kings. Let’s look at King David.

  Although, Abraham was before David, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is mentioned first as the Son of David, and then as the son of Abraham. That’s because the Jewish nation understood that the Son of David, was their title for the Messiah to come, and Matthew purposefully declares Jesus to be, the Son of David, and then gives His genealogy to prove it.

  This was intentional on Matthew’s part because he understood that Jewish people placed a high value on a person’s ancestry. We know this to be true because of the long records in the Pentateuch, which give us great details of who fathered whom. When Ezra reorganized the temple worship, the Jews had to prove their family tree with records and those who could not, of the tribe of Levi, were not allowed to serve as priests. So lineage was extremely important and this is why Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus in this manner.

  In 2 Samuel 7:13, God said to David, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” God established the Davidic covenant with these verses. He promised David that his seed would be the one that would have a forever kingdom. Several of the promises made to David at this time were in fact related to Solomon, heir to the throne. But verse 13, was in reference to the Messiah, Jesus, who was yet to come! The forever King!

  Luke confirms that Jesus, the Son of David, was indeed the one who would have a forever kingdom. In chapter 1, verses 32-33, we read- “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Many prophecies in the Old Testament foretold of a kingdom that would have no end. We know that to be true today, and we know it to be fulfilled in Jesus!

  There are two important ways that David and Jesus are mirrored. David was a shepherd. As a shepherd he cared for the sheep and protected them when necessary. Jesus, Himself, declared that He was, and is, the Good Shepherd and He refers to His people as His sheep. He takes care of us, protects us, and provides for us, just as David did with his sheep. They are both kings. David’s kingship ended with his death, but he is known to be Israel’s greatest king. His kingdom was taken by force, and he ruled as one who loved the Lord. Jesus’ kingdom is taken by force. He rules as one who is God. He has established a forever kingdom and it is still in operation. He is Jesus, King of kings. From His birth, when the wise men came looking for the King who was born, to His death on the cross, where they nailed a sign King of the Jews, to today, He has been king! And guess what, He will still be King when we leave here, and when we meet Him in heaven.

  The Old Testament tells us some very important things concerning the Messiah, the Son of David:

  • He would reign forever
  • He would rule over all the people of the earth
  • He would be both King and Priest
  • He would bring a new covenant
  • He would provide forgiveness of sins

  Jesus fulfilled all of this and so much more!

  In the New Testament, Jesus was referred to as the Son of David on several occasions:

  • Matthew 12:23- It was written, “Could this be the Son of David?” – After Jesus healed the man who was demon-possessed, and was both blind and mute
  • Matthew 15: 22- Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! – The Syro-Phoenician woman who wanted the crumbs from the under the table for her daughter’s healing cried to Jesus.
  • Matthew 20:30- “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David”- two blind men cried for their sight!
  • Matthew 21-15- “Hosanna to the Son of David!” – the children cried in the temple when they saw Jesus during His triumphant entry!
  • Matthew 22:42- Jesus asks the Pharisees how could David call his descendant, his Lord? They responded that he was the Son of David, basically the Messiah!

  Why did they call Jesus the Son of David after these miracles? Because the Old Testament references to the Messiah declared that the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.” Isaiah 35:5 NKJV

  There are so many wonderful truths about Jesus, the Son of David, and how their lives were mirror images, but can I share some that are dropped in my heart?

  David, was the first Old Testament person who had the Spirit of God with him always. Jesus also had the Spirit of God with Him always, although, without sin. David also brought in the realization of a personal relationship with God, and Jesus was and is the fulfillment of that personal relationship with God. David was a man who sought the face of God, and Jesus was always praying. David was a great servant-leader, and Jesus was a greater servant-leader. David cared deeply for his people, and Jesus demonstrated great compassion for His people. And the list can go on!

  I will return to my first observation in this post. God is so intentional. Every detail has been well thought out! As I have been working on this post and thinking about these things, it has caused me to realize that He didn’t stop being intentional after Jesus. He is still just as intentional in our lives. I can’t explain delays, or disappointments, or how they fit in the whole tapestry of life; but I am confident that He misses nothing, and He is working out His own plan; for my life, for your life, for the sake of the kingdom, for the return of Jesus! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, King David, Messiah | 0 Comments | Tagged David, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, king, Kingdom of God, Prayer, provision, Salvation, shepherd

• How Is That Even Fair?

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on June 16, 2020

  Matthew 20:1-7 – “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ ESV

  

  This is another popular parable. If you recall, in the 19th chapter of Matthew, Peter has just been told that it will be difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. Peter then replies, that they have left all to follow Jesus and wants to know, “Therefore, what shall we have?” In the Message Bible his question is rendered, “What do we get out of it?”

  The Lord tells the disciples of the rewards that they will receive: they will rule with Him, everything given up will be restored 100 fold, and of course, eternal life. Then He shares that the last will be first, and the first will be last. But He doesn’t stop there. He then shares with them what the kingdom will be like, using the parable of the workers in the vineyard.

  The master goes out to find workers for his vineyard. He hires workers at 6 am, goes again and hires more at 9 am, then noon, and finally at the 11th hour, which is 5 pm. The work day ends at 6 pm. He agrees to pay the first workers a denarius for a full day’s work. Then, subsequently, he offers the same pay to the others, even those who work for only an hour.

  When the day ends, the master has the foreman call over the workers, and since they start with the last one hired and gives him a denarius, those who worked all day, thought they would received more. When they also receive a denarius, they become angry with the owner. He replies that he can do what he wants with that which is his; and that they received the payment that was agreed upon. Basically, they were asking, “How is this even fair? We worked all day long in your vineyard, even at its hottest point; and you make them equal to us. That just isn’t fair!” Well, whether it was fair or not, it was right; because it was his money, and therefore his decision.

  I have heard the phrase, “That isn’t fair,” more times than I can remember. As a matter of fact, I wish I could’ve placed a jar in my classroom to collect a dollar every time it was said! I got to the place where I stopped defending if something was fair or not, and started saying, “It may not seem fair to you, but it’s the right thing to do!” Then I’d keep it moving!

  The situation in the vineyard is exactly like the kingdom, some people will get saved as kids, others as teens, and still others as young adults, and they will serve God faithfully all of their lives. They’ll start churches, go on mission fields, feed the poor, teach Sunday School, and a host of other things before they die. Then there will be those who get saved and not serve Him for any real length of time, or not at all. Well, when they get to heaven, all of them will receive the gift of eternal life. There are no degrees of eternal life. It’s the same for us all! Your works may determine your rewards in heaven, but we all get the same pay, eternal life!

  Then there is the attitudes of the first workers, like some in the kingdom. Instead of them realizing the good heart of the one who hired them, they were complaining because they felt cheated. Most of us probably feel that it really wasn’t fair! None of us would “really” be happy to find out that we worked all day long and got the same pay that someone, who only worked an hour, received. Let’s keep it real! I can understand where they were at. However, they were more interested in how it wasn’t fair to them, and they couldn’t see the blessing that the master was to the last workers. In a very real sense, those families could have gone hungry that night had the master not shown compassion on them. If the first workers would’ve have been the last hired, it would have been the favor of God, and we all know that favor ain’t fair. But because they watched it happen to the other workers, the thought the master had treated them unfairly!

  Can you relate? How many times have you complained to God because of something He did for someone else? Especially a new believer? Your marriage is going through and you’ve been praying for years. Someone gets saved, their marriage is a disaster, but within a few months, their marriage is restored. How is that even fair? Well, since I don’t know all of the details, I just have to say, God knows what He is doing. His compassion knows no limit! Maybe less complaining will get you the same results.

  Another point is the character of the master. He had a heart of compassion for those workers who wanted to work but couldn’t find a means to provide for their families. They had been overlooked, maybe rejected, but the master of the vineyard hired them. Just like in the kingdom. All of us are important to God. It doesn’t matter when we cry out to and make ourselves available to Him, He accepts us! So how is that even fair? It is if you are the recipient! God says your heart is evil if you feel this way about how He runs the kingdom. I don’t know about you, but I want my heart to be right before the Master.

  Lastly, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. The kingdom message was given first to the Jews and lastly to the Gentiles. But today, the Gentiles carry the message of the kingdom and the Jews are catching on. In which case, they are last! How’s that even fair? They did reject Him as a nation, and the Gentiles accepted Him. Now they have to get in line to receive their Messiah! There may be more to that, but that’s all I have for now. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God’s Blessings, Kingdom of God, Parable of Jesus | 1 Comment | Tagged Attitude, complaining, favor, Jesus, Kingdom of God, parable, provision, vineyard, workers in vineyard

• Bearing the Mark!

  Posted at 1:00 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on January 21, 2020

  Galatians 6:17 -From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

  It’s amazing to me how I can read the Bible and after so many years, and so many times reading it, can find something interesting, something that stands out or speak to me, as if I have never read it before. Such was the case with this scripture.

  I wrote a blog on the thorn in Paul’s flesh during my first year of blogging. I’ve often wondered how people read that and feel that Paul was referring to some sickness that would not go away. And when I read this chapter, I often wondered why Paul said that the Galatians would have plucked out their eyes to give to him (4:16). But as I read it a couple nights ago, I had a different thought that I wanted to share with you.

  For some reason when I read this scripture I thought of the famous picture of the slave that was flogged, and how they had photographed his back to show the marks of his beatings. It resembles vines to me. And I don’t even want to think about the pain he obviously endured.

  

  As I read the above verse, and I thought of this picture, it was if I understood these words and what Paul was trying to convey. Let me explain:

  In 2 Corinthians 11:23, Paul shares a long list of many of the things he suffered. Things that are not talked about in detail in the Bible. But Paul mentions that he was beaten by the Jews five times with 39 lashes, three times he was beaten with rods, and he was even stoned. Look at this man’s back. We are clueless as to how many times he was whipped, but the scars are there, evidence of what he had to bear.

  After Jesus was beaten, before His crucifixion, it is said of Him that there was no beauty in Him that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53). What do you suppose that Paul looked like after 5 beatings with cords, three beatings with rods, and a stoning? I would say, that he was scarred pretty badly. Especially immediately following one of these beatings when he was probably bloody, swollen, and barely able to move. I can well imagine if you had seen him after one of these beatings, you would have turned away from looking at him, as would most people. As they did to Jesus! And if you knew him, you would have wanted to offer him whatever you could, even you eyes, if you thought it would ease the pain that he was carrying.

  When he was stoned, dragged out of the city, and thrown outside the gates, because they thought he was dead; he had to be pretty bad off. But the disciples gathered around him, and probably prayed, and God raised him up!

  Even in that, he was probably pretty scarred up. And in his thinking, I am sure, for him, they were the marks of Christ that he bore in his body. Marks, that in some ways, caused others to be offended by his presence, but marks that were a testament of the sufferings he endured for the Lord, sufferings Jesus warned him about. (See Acts 9:13).

  I believe Paul’s body was healed multiple times by the Lord, but that doesn’t mean that He removed the scars from His body. Could He have done that? Yes, of course He could! But did He do that? I’m not so sure.

  If you read Galatians from beginning to end, this book’s theme could easily be about circumcision as we know it was the mark of Judaism. But in this verse, Paul is basically stating that he doesn’t want to keep answering to circumcision when he carries the marks of Jesus in his body.

  Someone once said to me that they wanted to have a scripture tattooed on their body so that people would know that they loved Jesus. But the word says that God will write them in our hearts. (Hebrews 8:10) We don’t need to intentionally mark up our bodies to show that we love and honor God. But sometimes, scars are left after the battle!

  You see, I got to thinking about the scars, or marks of the Lord Jesus that we as Christians can bear. I would venture to say that those who are persecuted for their faith in Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Tanzania, India and many other countries, could easily identify with Paul. They too have suffered greatly for the faith in the Lord. They have hidden in secret meetings to have fellowship. They have been dragged out of their homes, thrown into prison, beaten, killed, stoned, and all sorts of heartrending experiences for the cause of Christ. But I have no such story, no such pain. So I won’t belittle what they experience and try to glorify what I have experienced to say that I too bear marks in my body for the gospel! I salute their courage in the face of adversity and their stand for the Lord! May God send protecting and ministering spirits to assist them in their walk!

  But the scars in my soul I can talk about! And maybe, just maybe you can identify with them both! It is for you, my fellow believers around the world, who know firsthand what Paul went through, because you are living it every day, that I write this blog. I am thinking of you, praying for you this day! And I just wanted to take some time and let you know that you are not forgotten! You are on the Father’s heart, and He has placed you on the hearts of so many others! Be encouraged and stand in the faith! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Believers, Christian, encouragement, Galatians 6:17, persecution, Victorious Living | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, Christian, encouragement, encouragemnt, Galatians 6:17, hard times, Jesus, Kingdom of God, protection, Victorious Living

• My Determination!

  Posted at 3:46 am by wonderfuljesus8, on April 26, 2018

  Tonight my heart is filled with joy! I am not starting with a scripture verse, although I am sure before I finish writing one will come to mind.

  I have served the Lord most of my life. As a matter of fact, I gave my heart to Jesus when I was a child of about nine years old. I attended a Baptist church at that time with my family and I enjoyed going to church.

  My mom had recently passed and I grieved as any child would grieve for her mother. One thing I distinctly remember about that time in my life: I was willing to do anything for God. 

  Mother’s Day came and I was still grieving. I was in the church choir and they asked me to lead a song. Now I can hold a tune, but I am no soloist. The song they asked me to sing had the following words:

  In a lonely graveyard, many miles away,

  Lies your dear ole mother, neath the cold, cold clay.

  Memories oft returning of her tears and sigh

  If you love your mother meet her in the sky.

  Looking back, all I can think is, that was a horrible song to ask a grieving child to sing. Absolutely horrible!  I would be livid if I was around someone trying to do this to a child today. I cried during that song, and so did everyone who knew me, and everyone who had lost a mother. That was the goal: draw emotion. I cried the first time I shared this story with someone, and I was an old! Brrrrr! But I am still determined to meet her in heaven!

  The other thing that is marked in my heart is, we used to tell “our determination”. And every single Sunday, I would go up to the front of the church and tell my determination, which was “to make heaven my home”. Now although I don’t necessarily feel that was a great thing to do, I am just as determined to make heaven my home.

  I bring this up to say that both of these incidents influenced me as I lived my life. My heart has always been turned towards heaven. I can assure you I have no wish to leave this earth a single second before the Lord calls me home; however, I have realized that I don’t have to wait to go to heaven to experience heaven.

  Recently we have begun studying the kingdom of God in Bible Study and I for one have a profound assurance that I am a part of the Kingdom of God. When I think about the wonderful things God has done and is doing in my life, my family, and my church, I know we are experiencing a touch of heaven.

  I still desire to make heaven my home, but right now my determination is to bring heaven to earth and to expand His kingdom. I pray for a stronger anointing, I pray for power, I pray for wisdom, and I pray to be effective in all that He asks of me to do. That’s my determination and I hope every post I share will shout that message out: We’re bringing heaven to earth and we’re expanding His kingdom. Yes, my mother will be in heaven when I get there, but it is Him I will be looking for!

  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.-Acts 10:38 

  I want to be just like Him! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in heaven, Kingdom of God, testimony, Victorious Living | 2 Comments | Tagged Christian, heaven, Jesus, Kingdom of God, testimony

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