BUT THIS IS MY LEISURE TIME!

Have you ever been asked to attend something that the pastor, himself, would not be attending? Have you ever been asked to attend something that was miles away, would take some time driving from where you live to get there and take hours out of a Saturday that you rather enjoy as "the leisure time"? About seventeen years ago, the pastor of this church we were attending asked us, the entire church, to attend this seminar being led by John C. Maxwell. Anyone who was in leadership or serving in some department was asked to attend the event. It was to be held down at SeaTac and would require all day. Although Dr. Maxwell was not literally in "the house", he was being televised in by some special means that day! And if you remember those days of the latter 1990's, names like Dr. John C. Maxwell, Andrew Carnegie, or Virginia Arcastle were commonplace. Everyone was teaching about lifting people higher to be the great leader.
I thought of this scripture today when reflecting back to another time and place. And I thought how Jesus in verse ten of John 7 went secretly to the Feast of the Jews.


John 7:1-19................7:1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 2 But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

6 Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. 8 You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come." 9 Having said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10 However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the Feast the Jews were watching for him and asking, "Where is that man?" 

12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man."

Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.

14 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?" 

16 Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
NIV

Now from the scripture passage, all males were to attend the Feast of Tabernacles. It was man's wisdom thinking that Jesus should go while Jewish people came for the feast and thus gain popularity.

Now back to the day spent with Dr. John C. Maxwell! There were probably some 25 people who showed up. That was only about a 1/4 of the entire church!  Yes, it was that of an early morning arrival. We got there and wanted to see where seating was available. Then as we found seating, the pastor and his wife showed up as well. Some of us looked in awe. Was father duck, checking over the little ducklings? 
Yes, for certain, he came to see who would show up, even though all were told that he would not be attending this event on that Saturday. Well, he took note of how many came and evidently took down the names of those attending. He gave us a smile and off he went to his scheduled appointment with other pastors for that Saturday morning.

In the above scripture passage, Jesus' brothers wanted Jesus to go and draw on the popularity, of that influence He was gaining. But Jesus came to expose sin. He came to bring light to the evil in the world. The "talk" was evident with differing opinions. "Where is that man?" One testifying He was good and another that He was a deceiver.

Jesus moved in secret, not to flaunt Himself, but to remain a person without fanfare. Jesus only moved when His Father revealed it to Him by His Holy Spirit. And Jesus had the wisdom of God to teach and preach in light of the truth, even though He had not attended any rabbinic schools. 

Those who spoke evil, spoke loudly about Him, as they had the rulers on their side.But those who believed Him to be good, kept it more as a quiet speech as not to be heard by others in fear of getting into trouble with the rulers of the day!

What Jesus did was to make known of the doctrine His Father sent Him to preach. He was actually teaching from the Old Testament and gave it precisely as it was written. He did not change anything, but spoke as He was commissioned to teach it!

Jesus had the truest of hearts to obey His Father Who sent Him to do something specific. He did not come to gain the glory, but to bring glory to His Father.

When asked to do something as we were asked to do, are we willing to be obedient to do it? Are we willing to do it when others refuse to do one "simple thing" that may take a leisure day out of our week? Yes, the pastor did comment on those who did not attend. But he also had some great comments on those who did attend. He made it known that he was there for a short time to check the attendance of those who actually did "show up" what they were asked to do by him!

We came away with some great teaching of how to be a leader and be one of "influence". It was a good thing to invest the time to be taught on leadership.

Will the Lord find us doing what He has asked us to do for Him? Will we choose to obey or will we take "the leisure day" at our own expense? Do we just want to show up when the pastor is there so we can hear him say something like, "how great we are for taking a day to do his plan"? 

In any kind of ministry, we should always look at the side of it that Jesus reflected on. It was always about the purpose of fulfilling the Father's plan for salvation. And it had nothing to do with fanfare!
 If someone knows our name, may it always be known that we are one with the Lord and that it is about His glory always and not for ours.

Luke 12:51-58........51 "Do you think I have come to give peace to the earth? No! Rather, strife and division! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against-or perhaps the other way around. 53 A father will decide one way about me; his son, the other; mother and daughter will disagree; and the decision of an honored mother-in-law will be spurned by her daughter-in-law."

54 Then he turned to the crowd and said, "When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, 'Here comes a shower.' And you are right.

55 "When the south wind blows you say, 'Today will be a scorcher.' And it is. 56 Hypocrites! You interpret the sky well enough, but you refuse to notice the warnings all around you about the crisis ahead. 57 Why do you refuse to see for yourselves what is right?

58 "If you meet your accuser on the way to court, try to settle the matter before it reaches the judge, lest he sentence you to jail; 59 for if that happens, you won't be free again until the last penny is paid in full."     TLB

There will always be those who complain, and bring division. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace to the earth. The peace He brought was that who heeds the Word of God and obeys it. They are those who live their lives to obey instructions.  There were those who listened to Him and were in awe of the wisdom of which He spoke and still others were breathing out cruelty and lies as they looked to those religious leaders to circumvent Him and keep Him from doing those things He did. He only obeyed the Father and moved as the Holy Spirit caused Him to move. Jesus was the faithful servant who did what the Father asked Him to do. He went when He needed and He taught when He should. If we have someone over us in leadership, say the church, do we follow their instruction?
Do our lives reflect that in anyway?

Jesus had the wisdom of God to make the decisions He needed as He made His way to the Cross. He was going to walk, not in fear, but knowing all that He had to speak and do was that which was ordered by God His Father.  Whatever the controversy or debate, Jesus remained faithful to follow His Father's instruction! Jesus was always "ready" to do what the Father asked Him to do! When Jesus returns for His Bride, will He find us doing as much?

Father, it is in Jesus' name we pray today. We pray to be obedient like Jesus to obey without expecting all the fanfare. We desire to be the image of Jesus, and be that person who testifies of the Word of God and of His power in our lives. May we be commissioned like Jesus to deliver the message.

Father, today we pray to be delivered from our enemies, O God. Defend us from those who rise up to do us harm. (Psalm 59:1) Fight against those who fight against us (Psalm 35:1). In YOU, O’LORD, we put our trust. Let us never be put to shame (Psalm 71:1). If you are for us, then who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

We ask as the Word reveals to be preserved from the enemy, hide us from secret counsel of the wicked. Pull us out of any net which has been laid for us. Keep us safe from the evil of gossiping mouths. Where there has been ill spoken of us, touch the lips of those who speak it with YOUR refining fire. Let those involved be revealed. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion who seek to destroy our lives; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish us evil (Psalm 40:14). We commit our way today unto YOU, and we know that YOU will bring to pass what we believe for to pass.

Our desire is to have total trust in You and not be afraid of what man can do to us (Psalm 56:11) for YOU have said whoever believes in YOU will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11). Lead and guide us, and be our mighty fortress and hiding place. We choose today to delight ourselves in You and it is YOU Who will give us those righteous desires of our hearts. May our light so shine before men that they see our good works and glorify YOU Lord ( Matthew 5:16 ) Amen.

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV 

Is Not This the Day of MIRACLES?

John 7:14-31...... 14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this Man know letters, having never studied?" 16 Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" 20 The people answered and said, "You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?" 21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from." 28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me." 30 Then they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"   NKJV

IS not this the day of "miracles"? Even those of little faith spoke and was recorded for our benefit. "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?" With no courage in their hearts, they still regarded that the One sent from God, the Messiah would perform miracles and they would see many healed.
Take note this was done in the synagogue! So Jesus referred to them both, those of His disciples and those who believed Him to be the Messiah, AND those who attended the synagogue. They were both confronted when Jesus spoke in verse 28-verse 29.....YOU BOTH know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself; but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him but; for I am from Him and He sent Me.

Wow! bold in the face of those "church" folk, and Jesus knew those who attended the synagogue but did not know God.
Ever been in a service and someone is asked to speak for a few minutes. They speak in boldness and truth of God. They do not mince words, but speak boldly about what God has shown them in their time with Him. Jesus told them that God had sent Him to them. Certainly we know that when the "someone" gets up to minister a word about what God is doing and showing them, that many times those in the service will never recognize that one truth. They have not been with God, so they no not what it looks like.  And Jesus pointed it out, and had it written for our benefit!

Now the thing about those who have gotten up to speak, and seem to ramble on about nothing seem likely to have no fire. Although they mention a time they did something for God, even at the moment they speak, life does not seem evident.  They have an hour and say nothing that encourages or motivates us to move!
I had the T. V. on the other day on this one Christian program. It turned out to be a talk show hosted by one gentleman. Well, the one guest was speaking when I had turned it on. That one guy spoke volumes in his two minutes and spurred me on to write a blog for that day. I was motivated by the Presence of God to speak what the Lord was showing me, and it came from someone I knew who had been with God. Every word he spoke was fire. Everyone encouragement had the life of God in it!
I shut off the T.V. and I went to the office to write!


John 2:23-25.............23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.   NKJV

John 2:23-24..............23 Because of the miracles he did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people were convinced that he was indeed the Messiah. 24 But Jesus didn't trust them, for he knew mankind to the core. No one needed to tell him how changeable human nature is! 
TLB


Jesus knew what was in man. He was not going to put His trust in man for anything.

In today's society, millions keep their focus on man and woman rather than on God. The world wants heroes and they name them throughout every sport possible. They declare some to be the "best the world can have or see", yet with all that publicity, one or all of them noted as the "greatest player" of a specific sport, they come full circle in being exposed of using some kind of drug, to have beaten their wife or children, and  to be one revealed in cheating in the sport itself.
Jesus knew what was in man. He knew how weak one is and how man can be persuaded.....1 John 2:15-17..............15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  NKJV

Men and women make mistakes and those without Jesus do it very often. We need to keep the focus that there is One Lord. The Lord over all...........! We must remember that lust of anything is not of God.

Yes, how changeable is human nature? Today we like that show, and tomorrow we do not like it. Today I want short hair and tomorrow I want long hair. It is hot today and I need air conditioning, and tomorrow it is back around 55 degrees and I need the heater going to warm the house. Yikes!

Today I have people who like me and tomorrow they will not remember my name. Today I am called to serve in the meeting and tomorrow the meeting is canceled. Am asked to serve by giving a testimony for a conference and then in two weeks later it is listed with another' name!
When we meet together, is it in knowing the Holy Spirit is with us and hearing all that is said and done by Him and through us? Do we actually know when someone has the Holy Spirit in them and is guided by HIM?
Who makes the decisions of what is right or wrong? Who decides what will be presented and what will not be presented? We must be very "careful" when speaking,

 "Well, God told me to change it", especially when God never said that at all! We have to be cautious in throwing around our own thoughts and doings and saying ,"they are God's thoughts and doings" .......AND....in reality it is just us wanting our own way to do our own thing! Not good, and it shows up in many ways, when someone is out of the will of God.
Many things change including the people who surround them. Just take a look sometime and watch. YOU might be surprised what the Lord will show you when someone is wanting their own way!  If you think not, take a look at what happened to Jerusalem some seventy years after Jesus died on the Cross. He told them to repent and to hear God. They liked the "old way" and the "things of the past". They wanted the "preeminence", they wanted to retain their importance, their prestige with the people, and they wanted and loved the celebrity status! They wanted to be NUMBER ONE!

Those kind of things will surely bring someone down.
Sure glad God did not change His mind when sending Jesus. And I AM really thankful Jesus did not change His mind at the last minute. Wow! Just try to imagine US WITH  NO  REDEEMER EVER! ( and everyone doing their "own" thing!)

Prayer and the teachings is what kept Jesus on His course. All that Word from Isaiah and all which He taught in the synagogues, surely found its place in His heart. And prayer........all that time with the Father and hearing Him speak did not deter Him. He surely had His moments in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and have we all not had our moments there as well?  But those who truly want God's will for their lives will find whatever needs to be nailed to the Cross, to find it nailed there forever.

The scripture in Hebrews comes to mind......

Hebrews 4:12-16.......12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. NIV


I like what the same scripture says in the Living Bible:

Hebrews 4:12-16.......12 For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are. 13 He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.

14 But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. 16 So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need. TLB

No where can I find that Jesus told Judas Iscariot that He had made a mistake by choosing him for one of the twelve disciples. Jesus found out what was in him and no doubt knew he was the one who would mount military men to come to take Him and be the catalyst to begin Jesus' being arrested to seeing Him sentenced to death.
No, Jesus, heard what the Pharisees spoke, and He knew what others whispered about Him, but His trust was in God and in Him alone!

We desire God to do miracles in our lives, and it had been almost 500 years since any miracles had been done until Jesus came on the scene. Those of small faith saw the ones that He had performed, but were still questioning themselves who might be the Messiah and "Is He still coming"? Because they thought that even the Coming One would or could still do more miracles than what this Man had done!

Even John the Baptist and those who followed him, asked the same.....
Luke 7:19-23.....19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 20 When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?' " 21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
NKJV

Jesus told John and those who followed John...."And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

Are we looking for the outside appearance of the man or woman? Are we looking to how they draw the crowd or do we think we can do better than possibly the one that God has appointed to that place to either preach, teach, or even minister in a song or a testimony of healing? Is it possible that we fall on our faces, fall short of following Him and end up in a mess, because we did not follow His plan for any set thing before us. Do we ask God to search our hearts?
In the recent blog of "Who Then is the Faithful and Wise Servant?", I got the person' name that God wanted the testimony to be written about. I sent this woman a copy of it before being published. It is important to know they are willing to participate, but even more than that, she had the heart of love for others, and God wanted it printed with her testimony about autism. It all came down to love in the heart for others. For God looks on the heart and not on the man or woman's appearance!

Acts 13:22.......22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'   NKJV

God always looks on the heart!

My husband and I are still experiencing miracles in our lives today. I have seen many in our daughter and her family' s lives as well! I can name probably five right now that God has done just for us all in recent weeks. The medical bill I had accumulated in just a few days with a severe anemia, was paid in full and God did it. Our daughter and family have a beautiful new home, living in a new area, and God did it!

Jesus spoke and He showed by example that many were cured of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. And the poor have the gospel preached to them!

Jesus evidently was not the package the Pharisees were seeking. Why, is He not the carpenter's son? Is He not from Galilee?

John 7:45-52..............45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?" 46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!" 47 Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed." 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" 52 They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."     NKJV

Sometimes we are looking for the miracle in the daytime, with sun shining, and everything at peace. And I tell you that the "miracle" comes in the middle of chaos. The miracle shows up in the middle of a dark night! Ask anyone who has had a report of death to their person, and the miracle comes when they are believing for it in the midst of the most horrific time in their life!

Is not this the day of Miracles? Has not Jesus risen from the dead and lives in us through His Holy Spirit? Are we not equipped to operate just like Jesus did and see the same Miracles as He did?

Or are we looking at the world for the latest and the greatest singer, the latest and the greatest dancer, the one with an I.Q. of 200 or are we recognizing those God has placed around us to minister life, and healing to us all?  Are we really seeing who the most powerful men or women who are in this world at this moment? Those most powerful are those who follow Jesus, fill up on the Word of God and spend time in prayer to Hear God SPEAK! Today is the day for the miraculous. WE who have the heart that sees it will receive it! Embrace those God has sent to surround you. Embrace them, for they have been sent to surround you and speak life to you when ""all hell is bent on destroying you".

Our search in the Word reveals His plan. The more we spend in study and prayer the more our faith grows.

It is that "faith" word!

Colossians 2:4-10.....4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 

NKJV

We are not to be deceived by those who philosophize life. We are not be deceived by empty deceit. What is empty deceit? Any untruth or fallacy that leads no where. It is an error in thinking, or a misleading. Empty deceit is flawed, and is not real!

Jesus is our Head. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily and we are complete in Him in the authority and the power He has given to each of us who believe. Nothing in this world can add any holiness or redemption to our lives as Jesus did for us!  We are to remain steadfast in our faith in Christ Jesus, as our Lord, rooted and established in every Word He spoke and gave to us to adhere to always. It is not in the traditions of men or according to the basic principles of the world that we seek to be the example for our lives. That package sent to us was in the Man who came to live as we live and to die a terrible death taking on all sin of mankind. He was known for His wisdom and boldness to look sin in the face of unrighteousness and rebuke it loudly. Remember the  "money changers"?     ( see John 2: 13-17) He took a whip of cords and drove them out of His Father's house, the House of Prayer!

Faith is seen, and is evident when we believe and know truth. When our trust is in God and not in man, we move in power to see the "unseen".

Father, today we pray against that being self-focused and our own right to be first, the chosen for something, when ultimately Your vote is the only one we need. Father, in Jesus' name we pray to be focused on what Jesus did when He shed His Blood to provide for us what we needed. Praise the Lord we have a Redeemer!  Father, today we understand that we are not righteous without Jesus and we are to seek His righteousness. We are never righteous due to our performance or even in religious works. Our righteousness comes from Christ's righteousness! Help us to understand our faith is not just centered around a specific day, or even a sunny day, but healing comes when we need it, for healing was taken care of at the Cross for us.
Today, I plead the Blood of Jesus over every one who reads this. I plead the Blood over the portals of their minds, their wills and their emotions and their bodies. I pray they will know Jesus intimately and know those the Lord has sent to surround them to give them encouragement, to give them a teaching, or even speak healing over their lives and families.
Father, that power which works in us is for the impossible in our lives. That power is being exerted in our lives even now. We co-operate with You and Your kingdom. We are established in YOU before any world storms are driven toward us. Whatever walk we are in, whatever decisions, we will not be carried around by any wave of adversity or wave of doubt. Today we believe we receive that which Jesus conquered at the Cross. We are those are WHO receive our Miracles today and every day. Our faith is growing stronger and we know IN whom we have believed and are persuaded that He is able to keep what we have committed to Him until that DAY!(2 Timothy 1:12)

Today, God our Father is our witness, whom we choose to serve with our spirit in the gospel of His Son that His will is done in our lives. Amen.

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV