Luke 18:40
Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him. When he came closer, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
This is a story we all know and love, its the story of the blind man getting healed on the road to Jericho by Jesus, after the man cries out "Jesus , Son of David have mercy on me." He recognized that Jesus wasn't some preacher but the Messiah, although his physical site prevented him from seeing Jesus, and there are many applications in that alone, but I want to return to my education roots and examine two verbs found in the story and how they apply to us in the "real world".
Notice the first verb is brought, meaning someone got the man in the proximity of the Master. I want to focus on this a moment as many people are brought to Jesus or the presence of God and that is as far as it goes. The worship leader can bring us into the presence, we can BRING someone to church, we can bring people to a variety of places and that is as far as many will get. How many people do you think standing around Jesus that day had needs themselves. Healing, financial, spiritual or whatever, there was the ONE who had their answer yet they were there and watch another get what he needed from Christ. What was the difference? You may have guessed by now EXACTLY what the difference was, he came closer!!!
I can be brought into the presence of God, but I choose to enter in, I can be brought to Jesus, but I have to decide to come closer. Notice what the Psalmist says and the verbs he uses. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise." Ps. 100:4 CSB Notice what he says, Enter, not get dragged, forced, or cajoled but enter willingly. The blind man could have been brought and stopped there being satisfied meeting Jesus, but he came closer to hear the wonderful words, "What do you want me to do for you?" WOW!! did you see that, getting closer, Christ addressed his need, and the man got what he needed.
What about you? Have you been brought and stopped or have you made the choice to come closer. All of my life I have been brought and sometimes went deeper and others were content to just sit and watch others get blessed. Recently I have been learning to get as close as I can, just to see what Christ can and will do in my life. I long to get to the place where the miracles that the early church saw, are evidenced in the ministry and people around me. I know that as I get closer to Christ, people will see less of me and more of him, and my blinded eyes will be wide open and seeing what the Lord can do.
Prayer: Lord, bring me closer to you. Let me enter that place with you, and sit with you in heavenly places. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
The Jonah Principle: God has a place
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.
Wow, we have traveled all the way to the end of the first part of this series. We have looked at the Word God has for us, then the parts of the calling of God, the talents He has given you and the vision to see it through. Now we are looking at the final piece of this puzzle, where. If God has a calling, then it stands to reason He has a place for you to fulfill it. In Jonah's case it was Nineveh, in yours it may be more complex.
Judges 7:21 "They stood every man in his place." In this old testament story every man had a place to stand in the battle plan the Lord had given Gideon, in the same way in this warfare we are engaged in, we each have a place to be in God doing the job He has given us. Watchman Nee in his study on Ephesians gave us three places we are to be in our journey with God. We begin sitting in the presence of Christ, then learn to walk in His power, and finally learn to stand in faith, learning at each phase of growth the power Christ has over whatever we face. Why bring this up? Our place to complete the calling of God, may have seasons of sitting, standing, or walking, we have to learn obedience to His voice and by that we will complete His will.
Mark 3:34-37 talks about finding and losing ourselves dependent on our obedience to Him. As we lose ourselves (flesh) we find Him in a real way, when we find ourselves (flesh) we lose out with him. We may settle for a career and not a calling, we may settle in the wilderness, and not live in the promised land of abundance. It comes down to finding our place to do what we are called to do.
Your place may be your family, and friends, being the light to them and encouraging them to stay the course and make heaven their home. Your place may be a community ministry, feeding and clothing the homeless, or helping in a free medical clinic if you have that skill set. It may be behind a pulpit teaching and preaching God's word or even farther on the mission field to those who have never heard the Gospel. Regardless, He will empower you to do it and reach those who need reached.
Prayer: Lord, help me to find my place, and grow there bringing glory to Your name and souls into the Kingdom. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen
Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.
Wow, we have traveled all the way to the end of the first part of this series. We have looked at the Word God has for us, then the parts of the calling of God, the talents He has given you and the vision to see it through. Now we are looking at the final piece of this puzzle, where. If God has a calling, then it stands to reason He has a place for you to fulfill it. In Jonah's case it was Nineveh, in yours it may be more complex.
Judges 7:21 "They stood every man in his place." In this old testament story every man had a place to stand in the battle plan the Lord had given Gideon, in the same way in this warfare we are engaged in, we each have a place to be in God doing the job He has given us. Watchman Nee in his study on Ephesians gave us three places we are to be in our journey with God. We begin sitting in the presence of Christ, then learn to walk in His power, and finally learn to stand in faith, learning at each phase of growth the power Christ has over whatever we face. Why bring this up? Our place to complete the calling of God, may have seasons of sitting, standing, or walking, we have to learn obedience to His voice and by that we will complete His will.
Mark 3:34-37 talks about finding and losing ourselves dependent on our obedience to Him. As we lose ourselves (flesh) we find Him in a real way, when we find ourselves (flesh) we lose out with him. We may settle for a career and not a calling, we may settle in the wilderness, and not live in the promised land of abundance. It comes down to finding our place to do what we are called to do.
Your place may be your family, and friends, being the light to them and encouraging them to stay the course and make heaven their home. Your place may be a community ministry, feeding and clothing the homeless, or helping in a free medical clinic if you have that skill set. It may be behind a pulpit teaching and preaching God's word or even farther on the mission field to those who have never heard the Gospel. Regardless, He will empower you to do it and reach those who need reached.
Prayer: Lord, help me to find my place, and grow there bringing glory to Your name and souls into the Kingdom. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen
Grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
Monday, September 11, 2017
The Jonah Principle: Catch the Vision
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
As we continue on the first of the Jonah Principle we have looked at the Word the Lord has given each of us showing how it impacts each of our lives. We have also looked at the Calling that He placed in our lives and last time we looked at the talents and gifts He placed in our lives to complete the calling. Today I want to look at the final piece of this puzzle. What is your vision or desire for God, and His calling? Habakkuk was told to "Write the vision and engrave it plainly." This would enable the people to read it and respond to it. In the same way I want to encourage you to write out your vision so you have an idea of what God is birthing in you.
When a couple find out they are going to be parents they make preparations, they make a place for the child, prepare for the eventual growth of that child, and they even make allowances of the child taking a life of its very own. So to it must be for the vision, or the dream God has placed in you. It may be a dream of your own, or the joining of another's but God has placed it in you and has a way for you to fulfill it.
What has God placed in your spirit to accomplish for His Kingdom? He has given you talents and a calling for a reason, what is it? Prayerfully ask Him today to give you a vision and WRITE IT DOWN!! Keep it before you until it becomes reality, and you see all that God has for you.
Prayer: Father, birth in me a vision of what you want. Bring me before the Throne and touch me and give me a desire and vision to build up your kingdom. In Jesus' Name Amen
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
As we continue on the first of the Jonah Principle we have looked at the Word the Lord has given each of us showing how it impacts each of our lives. We have also looked at the Calling that He placed in our lives and last time we looked at the talents and gifts He placed in our lives to complete the calling. Today I want to look at the final piece of this puzzle. What is your vision or desire for God, and His calling? Habakkuk was told to "Write the vision and engrave it plainly." This would enable the people to read it and respond to it. In the same way I want to encourage you to write out your vision so you have an idea of what God is birthing in you.
When a couple find out they are going to be parents they make preparations, they make a place for the child, prepare for the eventual growth of that child, and they even make allowances of the child taking a life of its very own. So to it must be for the vision, or the dream God has placed in you. It may be a dream of your own, or the joining of another's but God has placed it in you and has a way for you to fulfill it.
What has God placed in your spirit to accomplish for His Kingdom? He has given you talents and a calling for a reason, what is it? Prayerfully ask Him today to give you a vision and WRITE IT DOWN!! Keep it before you until it becomes reality, and you see all that God has for you.
Prayer: Father, birth in me a vision of what you want. Bring me before the Throne and touch me and give me a desire and vision to build up your kingdom. In Jesus' Name Amen
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
Friday, September 8, 2017
The Jonah Principle:God has equipped you.
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
I have been playing piano since the 4th grade and people naturally assume that I can play organ. They seemed shocked that I cannot, and its because I don't have that skill set or gift. In the same if God has called you to something, then He will equip you to meet the call. Jonah was equipped with a message of repentance to give to the people of Nineveh. In the same way you are equipped with the tools needed to be successful in your calling. 2 Timothy 1:9 tells us that we have been called into a "vocation of holiness" and He did it because of His Grace which was given by Christ Jesus." Each of us have a calling and with that comes the necessary gifts.
Romans 12:6-8 says this "According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy,use it according to the proportion of one’s[a] faith; 7 if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness." Look at this list, prophecy, service, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading and mercy, sounds like anyone could one or more operating in their lives. So whatever your calling, their is a gift that matches up to that particular calling.
We have to be willing to serve and use our gifts for the kingdom. We all know the story of the talents, the 2 made profit while the third servant buried his, and I remember growing up in so many small churches that didn't have piano players, that I always wanted to be available to help them when we would visit. To be honest I still love to walk into a church who asks if anyone can play piano, tickles me to death to share. When we are engaged in our calling, it should make us the most content people in the world, even though circumstances may not always be the best.
So today, why not ask God to help you use your talents to help someone, and build up the kingdom of God, and make someone smile in the process.
Prayer: Heavenly Father help me to use my talents to expand the kingdom, and reach others who need to hear your good news. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
I have been playing piano since the 4th grade and people naturally assume that I can play organ. They seemed shocked that I cannot, and its because I don't have that skill set or gift. In the same if God has called you to something, then He will equip you to meet the call. Jonah was equipped with a message of repentance to give to the people of Nineveh. In the same way you are equipped with the tools needed to be successful in your calling. 2 Timothy 1:9 tells us that we have been called into a "vocation of holiness" and He did it because of His Grace which was given by Christ Jesus." Each of us have a calling and with that comes the necessary gifts.
Romans 12:6-8 says this "According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy,use it according to the proportion of one’s[a] faith; 7 if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness." Look at this list, prophecy, service, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading and mercy, sounds like anyone could one or more operating in their lives. So whatever your calling, their is a gift that matches up to that particular calling.
We have to be willing to serve and use our gifts for the kingdom. We all know the story of the talents, the 2 made profit while the third servant buried his, and I remember growing up in so many small churches that didn't have piano players, that I always wanted to be available to help them when we would visit. To be honest I still love to walk into a church who asks if anyone can play piano, tickles me to death to share. When we are engaged in our calling, it should make us the most content people in the world, even though circumstances may not always be the best.
So today, why not ask God to help you use your talents to help someone, and build up the kingdom of God, and make someone smile in the process.
Prayer: Heavenly Father help me to use my talents to expand the kingdom, and reach others who need to hear your good news. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you.
Eric
Thursday, September 7, 2017
The Jonah Principle: God has a calling for your life
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
Now to dig into the meat of the Jonah principle, we have looked at the words the lord has spoken to the prophet and us, let us go forward into the principle to see what the Lord is trying to teach us. Jonah is told to Get up, go to, and preach against. Basically God is telling him I have a plan for your life, and by extension he tells us the same. Ephesians 4:1 says "Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received," (CSB) When we become believers God has a plan for our lives a calling that we and only we can fulfill. It may not be glamorous, or huge it may be as simple as being a parent or a friend to those in need.
The call is for everyone.
Isaiah 45:22 tells us to "Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other." Did you see that he didn't say hey one group or the other but everyone. Jesus in Matthew's gospel said that "many are called, but few are chosen." Before you say see, Eric I haven't been chosen for anything. The call of the Gospel is to all but only a few respond and become adopted into the family. Adopted children are chosen by their adoptive family, so dear one if you answered the call of Christ you are chosen.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that "But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God." (AMP) God does not distinguish between our races, genders, or nationalities, He only sees us in the Righteousness of Christ, and He empowers us to complete our callings.
I want you today to ask God, really ask Him what is your calling, what has he empowered you to do to build up the kingdom, and be open to what He says. Don't think if he hasn't called you to be a TV minister, or Christian Recording Artist, or someone that gets world recognition, that your calling isn't important, instead serve where you are planted and grow there. If you lead one person to Christ, you cause rejoicing in Heaven and that is worth more than all the awards and accolades this world can heap on you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Speak to my heart today and help me to find and focus on my calling for you. Help me to win souls and build up the Kingdom of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tomorrow we will look at the gifts and talents He has given you to complete your calling.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you
Eric
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
Now to dig into the meat of the Jonah principle, we have looked at the words the lord has spoken to the prophet and us, let us go forward into the principle to see what the Lord is trying to teach us. Jonah is told to Get up, go to, and preach against. Basically God is telling him I have a plan for your life, and by extension he tells us the same. Ephesians 4:1 says "Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received," (CSB) When we become believers God has a plan for our lives a calling that we and only we can fulfill. It may not be glamorous, or huge it may be as simple as being a parent or a friend to those in need.
The call is for everyone.
Isaiah 45:22 tells us to "Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other." Did you see that he didn't say hey one group or the other but everyone. Jesus in Matthew's gospel said that "many are called, but few are chosen." Before you say see, Eric I haven't been chosen for anything. The call of the Gospel is to all but only a few respond and become adopted into the family. Adopted children are chosen by their adoptive family, so dear one if you answered the call of Christ you are chosen.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that "But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God." (AMP) God does not distinguish between our races, genders, or nationalities, He only sees us in the Righteousness of Christ, and He empowers us to complete our callings.
I want you today to ask God, really ask Him what is your calling, what has he empowered you to do to build up the kingdom, and be open to what He says. Don't think if he hasn't called you to be a TV minister, or Christian Recording Artist, or someone that gets world recognition, that your calling isn't important, instead serve where you are planted and grow there. If you lead one person to Christ, you cause rejoicing in Heaven and that is worth more than all the awards and accolades this world can heap on you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Speak to my heart today and help me to find and focus on my calling for you. Help me to win souls and build up the Kingdom of God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tomorrow we will look at the gifts and talents He has given you to complete your calling.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you
Eric
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
The Jonah Principle 1 D
Jonah 1:2-3
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
Once again focusing on the word of lord that has been given to all believers. The first word was grace, and it looked at the grace that has been extended to all of us regardless of where we came from. The second word we looked at was a word of love, unconditional given to each of us as an aspect of all that God is. The third word was a word of mercy, I was singing the song "Mercy Came Running" this morning by Gold City and it really made my day start off in a better light.
The last word I want to look at before really divining into the principle is a word of power. We as believers are not called to just get saved and get ready for Heaven, but we are to live an empowered Christian life. Didn't Jesus say in Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Power to witness, power to pray, power to live the life, power to make demons flee, and power to speak with new tongues. You can that last part two ways, my Pentecostal family believe in speaking in a language not known to the speaker, and I believe that it is part, but secondly it should mean that we change the way we talk. Our talk should be uplifting, and wholesome, and I'll leave that right there for you to decide what all that means.
Taken together these words should form the basis of who we are as believers. The early church turned their world upside down, yet today the church has almost blended in to the society as a whole. The distinctive lifestyle of the Christian has become so non-distinctive that its hard to see it any more. This word of power should change us and draw people to Christ.
We will next move into the main principle of Chapter 1, God has a plan for your life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to live in the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Make me unique for your glory. Amen
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you my friends.
Eric
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
Once again focusing on the word of lord that has been given to all believers. The first word was grace, and it looked at the grace that has been extended to all of us regardless of where we came from. The second word we looked at was a word of love, unconditional given to each of us as an aspect of all that God is. The third word was a word of mercy, I was singing the song "Mercy Came Running" this morning by Gold City and it really made my day start off in a better light.
The last word I want to look at before really divining into the principle is a word of power. We as believers are not called to just get saved and get ready for Heaven, but we are to live an empowered Christian life. Didn't Jesus say in Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Power to witness, power to pray, power to live the life, power to make demons flee, and power to speak with new tongues. You can that last part two ways, my Pentecostal family believe in speaking in a language not known to the speaker, and I believe that it is part, but secondly it should mean that we change the way we talk. Our talk should be uplifting, and wholesome, and I'll leave that right there for you to decide what all that means.
Taken together these words should form the basis of who we are as believers. The early church turned their world upside down, yet today the church has almost blended in to the society as a whole. The distinctive lifestyle of the Christian has become so non-distinctive that its hard to see it any more. This word of power should change us and draw people to Christ.
We will next move into the main principle of Chapter 1, God has a plan for your life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to live in the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Make me unique for your glory. Amen
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you my friends.
Eric
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
The Jonah Principle 1C
Jonah 1:1-2
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
We are continuing on in the Jonah Principle looking at the various words the Lord has for each of us as believers. The first was a word of grace, the second was a word of love, today's word is a word of mercy. Something that each of us need on a daily basis is the idea of mercy. The dictionary defines mercy as "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.." God has all power and when we are compared to his righteousness, we don't measure up and He has every right to allow us to go to eternal punishment, BUT he gives us mercy. Titus 3:5 tells us "he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Notice the pattern not of our works but His.
You may be saying, "you don't know my past and things that I have done." I get that but may I tell you at 47 I have had more misses than hits in the spiritual realm. My last defeat was epic, the enemy had much to rejoice over, BUT I found mercy when I called out to Him. Hebrews tells us that we need to "approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need." I can tell you that is exactly what I received and if he will take me back, and touch my life, then my friend you find mercy when you ask.
1 Peter 1:3 tells us "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" If you are looking for a reason to shout there it is. New birth, living hope, all paid for by mercy, and its yours today for the asking. The reason Jonah didn't really want to preach to Nineveh was he knew God's mercy and he really hated the people of that area. But God had a word of mercy for them, and even a word of mercy for a stubborn prophet, and even us today.
I ask you to not only accept the mercy of God, but to extend mercy to those who you encounter that may need it today. You may not know what they are going through and a word of mercy may help them overcome whatever it is.
Prayer: Lord, I accept the mercy you offer me today, I pray that you will help me extend mercy to those in need. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you my friends.
Eric
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.”
We are continuing on in the Jonah Principle looking at the various words the Lord has for each of us as believers. The first was a word of grace, the second was a word of love, today's word is a word of mercy. Something that each of us need on a daily basis is the idea of mercy. The dictionary defines mercy as "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.." God has all power and when we are compared to his righteousness, we don't measure up and He has every right to allow us to go to eternal punishment, BUT he gives us mercy. Titus 3:5 tells us "he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit." Notice the pattern not of our works but His.
You may be saying, "you don't know my past and things that I have done." I get that but may I tell you at 47 I have had more misses than hits in the spiritual realm. My last defeat was epic, the enemy had much to rejoice over, BUT I found mercy when I called out to Him. Hebrews tells us that we need to "approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need." I can tell you that is exactly what I received and if he will take me back, and touch my life, then my friend you find mercy when you ask.
1 Peter 1:3 tells us "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" If you are looking for a reason to shout there it is. New birth, living hope, all paid for by mercy, and its yours today for the asking. The reason Jonah didn't really want to preach to Nineveh was he knew God's mercy and he really hated the people of that area. But God had a word of mercy for them, and even a word of mercy for a stubborn prophet, and even us today.
I ask you to not only accept the mercy of God, but to extend mercy to those who you encounter that may need it today. You may not know what they are going through and a word of mercy may help them overcome whatever it is.
Prayer: Lord, I accept the mercy you offer me today, I pray that you will help me extend mercy to those in need. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you my friends.
Eric
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