It was Jesus’ final night with the disciples and he knew his time was short. They had just finished supper and Christ wanted to impart to his friends one last teaching while on earth. He summoned them, “Rise, let us go from here” (John 14:31, ESV) and led them on a walk. Along the way he gave them this analogy:
I travel around the world for ministry, and when I’m in a Buddhist nation I pray for the people there to know Jesus. When I’m in the Muslim world, I pray for the people there to have a revelation of Christ. And when I’m in Israel, I pray for every Israelite to know Jesus. I want all the peoples of the world to know the reality of Jesus. Then when I return home, I pray every Christian would know Jesus too!
I don’t know if you believe in love at first sight, but Jacob did. When he first saw Rachel, he knew wanted to marry her. “Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said [to her father, Laban], ‘I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel’” (Genesis 29:17-18, ESV).
That’s how I felt when I first encountered Kelly, who became my wife. When we met as teenagers, I gladly would have worked seven years if it meant I could marry her. I know exactly how Jacob felt.
Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
Isaiah is speaking of a Savior, a wonderful Prince of Peace coming to rule over a kingdom. This kingdom would be made up of a people wholly submitted to the Prince’s supreme authority. And the Prince himself would provide loving counsel to those he ruled over, guiding and directing their lives.
When Israel had crossed the Red Sea they sang God's praises for his mighty deliverance. Think of the amazing miracle they had just experienced. Giant waves of water parted for them but swallowed their powerful enemy. As they beheld what happened they could only marvel. They must have said to each other:
I want to talk to you about three men whom God used mightily — and how he used failure to produce godliness in them.
Today we hear so much talk about success and how people obtain it. Success in biblical terms is vastly different. As we consider those whom God used to stir their generations, we discover that the elements he used to shape them were torment, pain, sorrow and failure.
“Christ…a son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years….
The whole world is trembling right now over the outbreak of terror and calamities happening throughout the earth. Every day we wake up to learn of another disaster. Some observers say we’re witnessing the beginnings of World War III.
First, terrorists blew up trains in Spain, and then masses died in train explosions in India. In Pakistan, a disastrous earthquake devastated entire towns, leaving thousands homeless, hungry and hurting. Multitudes in the Far East are still suffering in the aftermath of the tsunami.
When God birthed his church, he poured out his Holy Spirit on it. He baptized it in the Holy Spirit, filled it with the Spirit, and anointed it with the Spirit. And wherever the Spirit of God is present, there are clear proofs or evidences. Yet if these evidences aren’t seen, then the Holy Spirit isn’t present.
My question is, does the modern-day church show forth these evidences? Does your church? Is it moving in the power of the Holy Spirit? Moreover, does your life show these evidences? Are you living and walking in the fullness of the Spirit?
You've heard of the prayer of faith. I believe there is a mirror image of this prayer. It's a prayer that is based on flesh. I call it the prayer of unbelief.
The Lord knows we don't pray nearly enough. We don't weep before him as we ought. And, sadly, when many Christians do pray, their prayer is one of unbelief. Such prayer is totally unacceptable to God. In fact, Scripture says it's sinful in his eyes.
