Relationship in the Word

"You search the scriptures for you believe that they give you eternal life.  And the scriptures point to me.  Yet you won't come to me so I can give you this life eternal." Jn 5 39-40

I have always wondered how it is possible that so many different religions have the bible but believe vastly different doctrines, even erring to the cultish.  It has been said that the bible is open to personal interpretation and this is true until.....!

I looked at the apostle Paul who ended up writing most of the epistles, yet he was the great persecutor of the church.  He was a Pharisee with a huge jealous zeal for God.  How could he have such a zeal for the Living God that was so misplaced that he got it so wrong.  He studied the scriptures and most likely could quote verbatim the Torah, yet he like many others "missed the day of visitation" not recognising Jesus the Messiah.  With a presupposition of what Messiah would do when He came, Paul missed that Christ ushered in a kingdom of salvation in men's hearts.

Throughout Jewish history, the pendulum swung from the worship of God to the worship of idols and going astray doing their own thing. A heart change was needed as foretold by the prophet Ezekiel (36:26):-

"And I will give you a new heart - I will give you new and right desires and put a new spirit within you.  I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love.  And I will put my spirit within you so that you will obey my laws and do whatever I command."

So what changed Paul from persecutor of the church to persecuted for the church?  Purely relationship.  He finally met the Author of the Book, Jesus Christ, on his way to Damascus.  Jesus was no longer words on a page, but the word became flesh to Paul as the eyes of his heart were enlightened by the presence of the One he persecuted.

When we really know someone, we are able to discern the spirit behind their words.  If someone reported to you that your wife/husband said a certain thing, you would know in your heart if they would say something like what been reported, or you would know if it had been interpreted wrongly.  It is the same with Jesus.  The closer our relationship becomes, the more we know His heart the easier we find the interpretation of the spirit of the message in the word.

Studying the word without the relationship only leads to "puffed up knowledge" and can give misplaced zeal and wrong interpretation of the message.  The life in the Word is found in relationship with Him and leads us to desire more truth and an even closer more intimate walk.  This us why He beckons us to come to Him and learn of Him.

Come today.  Call on His name and ask Him to teach you His word in the book.

The Antidote to Discouragement

 "The Lord is near the broken hearted; He delivers those who are discouraged"

We can all get discouraged at times, especially as we live in an "instant-take-away" world and one of the tactics of the enemy is to bring discouragement during waiting times.  I have experienced this quite a few times, especially recently, in my calling out to God to change me and open my eyes to the supernatural realm.  I know that there is more, an abundant life that Jesus wants us to walk in, and for those who believe, He promised we would see the glory of God.  

Honestly, I see more of my faults then the glory and wonder sometimes if I'll ever be "good enough" to carry His Glory.  But it is not depended upon my "goodness" but on my belief.  Those of us who believe that the same great and excellent power that God exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him in Heavenly places far above;  that same creative power, abides in us.  God's Holy Spirit dwells in us and it is through His Spirit that God wants us to bring a heavenly taste of glory to those who need it the most.

Look around!  So many people, hurt, bruised, sick and broken and who need to know the Saviour, Jesus Christ, the anointed One.  And God wants us to show them His Love, Glory and Power.  We are overcomers, that is what His word says, but are we overcoming and allowing His Word to be effective in us, and through us, or ineffective because of our unbelief, doubt, discouragement or low self worth.  

We are the sons and daughters of the Most High God.  OH WHEN WE WILL GRASP A HOLD OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US AND RUN WITH HIS PRESENCE, POWER  AND GLORY, to see the captives set free, healed and delivered. I don't know about you but I want this and I want it bad.  What joy to be able to bring those captives into the Kingdom where they will have a touch of the Saviour and Healer through the powerful anointing that dwells in us who have already tasted freedom and seen that He is good.

Jesus, Himself, was reliant on the Holy Spirit to do all His works.  He only began His powerful, anointed ministry after being baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit.  He Himself testified:-

'I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on His own initiative, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise." Jn 5:11

Jesus listened and obeyed the Father exclusively.  Listened and obeyed!  I seem to have a hard time listening to His voice but I am encouraged as Jesus said, "my sheep hear my voice", so I will keep on practising, believing....that I do indeed hear His voice. (Maybe God knows that I still need to learn obedience!). I am mindful of the scripture that says, "be not weary in doing well, for in due time, we will reap, if we do not give up." Gal 6:9

There it is, back to "due time".  There is always time involved.  A seed must first be planted and after time comes the harvest.  The encouragement is to keep on keeping on.  When discouragement comes, be mindful of the character of God who is faithful and on the power of the Holy Spirit who can comfort and encourage.

"For this is what the High and Exalted One says:  the One who rules forever, whose Name is Holy:  I dwell in an exalted and Holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order tocheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged." Is 57:15

Maybe the waiting game helps us to become more reliant and dependant on Him. God has a "due season" and He brings it to pass in His time and not ours.  We can be assured harvest will always come if we do not faint and give up and this is why discouragement is such a powerful weapon against us.  It causes us to give up, drop the dream, have a self-pity party, lose our identity of who we are in Christ and how powerful He is in us.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." 1 Pet 2:9

We are ambassadors for Christ, with a heavenly calling and anointing to do the works which God has planned for us to do before the foundation of the world, and.....there is a reward for those who "do not grow weary".

"I am also aware that you have persisted steadfastly, endured much for the sake of my Name, and have not grown weary."  Rev 2:3

God is aware! God sees!

"I am coming soon.  Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away your crown." Rev 3:11

God promises!

"The Sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be His spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; He makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do."  Is 50:4

"But as for you, be strong and don't get discouraged for your work will be rewarded," 2 Chr 15:7