You need to get angry

1 Samuel 11:1,5,6 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”…Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, “What troubles the people, that they weep?” And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.

After Saul was anointed king by Samuel, the people were told the behaviour of royalty and some people followed Saul but some rebelled. Saul was gracious and held his peace, ignoring his detractors. However, Saul had not yet really earned his stripes in that he had not shown leadership during crisis. Not long after, the Ammonites encamped beside the men of Jabesh Gilead, who asked to make a covenant with them so that they would serve them and not be attacked. The Ammonites said they would do it on condition that they take out all their right eyes. The elders told them to wait seven days so that they could call for help, and if no one would save them, they would agree to that condition.

It is interesting that the people of Jabesh Gilead could consider making a covenant with the enemy simply because they were fearful. They thought that to serve the enemy was better than being attacked and destroyed by them. They thought they would limit their losses. But the enemy wanted to gouge out their right eye – this speaks to me of taking away vision. If they gave away their right eye, they would be giving away their ability see with perspective and with clarity. The enemy knew that their vision was central to their strength, so they wanted to weaken their vision. It is the same today – the devil is always encamped near us, wanting us to give in and give away our vision. We should not ever consider making any treaties with the enemy, even if the enemy is nearby.

When the news got to Saul, he was with the herd in the field, doing what he was doing before he was anointed king. Saul was faithful in his everyday affairs. He didn’t stop doing those things just because he had been proclaimed king. He waited patiently for God’s timing and knew that it would come. God was testing him and preparing him for the future. His calling was sure but his character needed forming. God has called us to great things but our destiny doesn’t happen overnight. We need to be patient and show our faithfulness in the little things.

This was in fact the opportunity for Saul to take leadership and show his valour. When Saul heard of the news, the Spirit of God came upon him and his anger was greatly aroused. He motivated the people and inspired them to go with him to fight the Ammonites. He used his anger to motivate people and take action against the enemy. His anger was aroused by the Spirit of God because His people were being threatened by the enemy.

The Spirit of God does get angry and can arouse His anger in us. It is a holy anger – an anger that causes us to take action against the enemy. It is an anger that is aroused because His people are threatened. Unlike the people of Jabesh Gilead, Saul was not fearful and would not just roll over and give in to the enemy. He would fight for his vision rather than serve the enemy.

There is a time for a Holy Spirit-inspired anger to arise in us. It is when the people of God are under threat from the enemy. We need to be aroused and get angry. We need to get others with us in attacking the enemy. We cannot simply give in because the enemy seems too strong. We cannot lose our vision or allow the people of God to lose theirs. Too much is at stake. We need to be strong, courageous and fight together.

Holy anger arouses us to action. It is an action that pulls us together to fight the common enemy of the forces of hell. This is not fleshly anger that arises because we feel threatened and our ego is bruised. It is not anger that simmers in resentment, then explodes. It is not an anger that is directed at people, lashing out in hurtful words. It is not an anger that serves simply to protect ourselves and our interests. It is not an unfruitful type of anger.

It is time that the people of God felt the anger of the Holy Spirit because there are people out there that need us to fight for them. Our fight is not against flesh or blood, but against principality and powers, against the forces of darkness. We need to rise up and take action to save others by the power of God. It is time we put away fleshly anger that hurts and put on righteous anger that saves.

Dear God, Thank You for the story of Saul. You have reminded me to rise up because the Spirit of God is within me. Let me feel what You feel and take action with courage and faith. There are people out there who are willing to just roll over and give in but they need us to fight for them. Give me the strength and vision to do that. Let the fire of God burn within me with righteous anger. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

You can pray for anything

Mark 11:24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.

This important and often-quoted passage of Scripture came about because Jesus had cursed a fig tree, saying, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again” and his disciples noticed that the fig tree had subsequently withered and died. Jesus then told them to have faith in God, telling them that they could say to a mountain to be lifted up and thrown into the sea and it would be done if they believed and did not harbour doubt. He then went on to say the words above.

Jesus often made remarkable statements. The statement above was a simple yet powerful claim – that one could pray about anything, and if one believed that it had been received, it would be there. As simple as that. Jesus never wasted his words. If He said that, it means that He really wanted His disciples to know it. He wanted to impart a simple truth that they had not yet grasped.

The key seems to be just to believe that it had been received. Don’t wait to see it or to receive it. Receive it in your spirit. Consider it done. That’s because that’s what faith is all about. It is about knowing that your Father in Heaven hears and does it, even if you can’t see it in the earthly realm. It is considering the spirit realm more real and important than the earthly realm. Things just don’t happen in the earthly, physical realm until it is accomplished in the spiritual realm. So if the Father has answered and if we have received it, it will be done. If we can’t believe it, or receive it, then how will it ever happen? If we can’t imagine it ever happening, it is unlikely to happen.

The other key is to remove the major blockage of receiving answers to prayer – unforgiveness. There is nothing that stops our prayer life more. Jesus was very direct and instructive in this. He said to forgive anyone that we are holding a grudge against. There is no other way of clearing the “pipe” between heaven and earth. Unforgiveness blocks us more than anything else because the Father has forgiven us through Christ and unforgiveness is just so diametrically opposite to everything He is. To live in unforgiveness is incompatible with sharing God’s nature, and unless we walk with Him, our prayers are not effective. We cannot connect closely with God and commune with Him while we bear grudges.

Today’s reading is unbelievably simple and yet incredibly powerful in its ability to set us free as we pray and receive anwers to prayer.

Dear God, What an incredible truth! Help me to always remember that it is not You who hinders prayers – it is my ability to receive from You. When I pray, help me to receive it and consider it done. You know the things in my heart that I am praying for. And more than ever, help me to never harbour unforgiveness. Show me when I do, and help me to forgive every offence like You have through Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Keys to overcoming rejection and abuse

Mark 9:2,3 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them.

Mark 9:12,13 Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”

Jesus had been busy doing life with the disciples, training them as He went about teaching the Kingdom of God, delivering from demonic possession, healing the many sick and doing miracles while meeting the pressing needs of the desperate crowds. Jesus did not hide Himself from His disciples or the crowds, who He has happy to mingle with. They saw the Son of God and Son of Man at work, busy yet calm, brimming with authority yet humble, powerful in His ability to work miracles yet compassionate with the little ones. He was rejected by the leaders of society, but affirmed by God as the Chosen One, the awaited Messiah.

I am amazed at the way Jesus could conduct Himself – always in control, but dependent on the Father. He was constantly under attack by the Pharisees, but He never lost it. He knew He was rejected by them, but He wasn’t too fazed by it. He didn’t fear them or need their approval. His secret was His closeness to His heavenly Father. He cherished His time alone with the Father. On this occasion, He took Peter, James and John with Him and what they saw left them in awe. Jesus was transfigured on the mountain and His clothes became dazzlingly white. As He communed with the Father, His divine nature shone through His earthly one. Even though Jesus was fully man and subject to the natural limitations of a human being, His time of fellowship with His Father was so intense that it brought out His divine nature.

Later, Jesus referred frankly to the treatment He had suffered and would continue to suffer at the hands of the religious elite and those in power. He wasn’t afraid to face the facts. He knew that they would torture Him and treat Him with great contempt. He also acknowledged that they had abused his cousin, John the Baptist. It must have been extremely hurtful to God to suffer such treatment. To abuse another human being is seen as a ghastly, unacceptable offence. Child abusers face the wrath reserved for the most despicable of criminals. But the abuse of God goes to another almost unthinkable level. People who treat others with contempt are incapable of honouring others or lifting their worth. Such people are not uncommon but they justify their actions, usually by referring to the behaviour of others. But how do we justify treating the Son of God with contempt?

Jesus lived with unacceptable treatment, being abused even though He deserved the utmost respect and worship of the human race. He came to deliver mankind from sin, and He was scorned and spat upon. He showed great compassion but He was often ignored, defamed, wrongly accused or laughed at. Yet none of these things moved Jesus. He faced the facts and He was able to live a victorious life in spite of those factors.  I think that verses 2-3 tell us why. He was closely connected with His Father, who filled Him with life, energy, love and vibrant relationship. He loved to get alone with His Father and get invigorated. He was in love with His Father and lived for Him. How others treated Him would batter Him but He had a great buffer – the love and life of His Father.

What held true for Jesus holds true for us today. Many times it is hard to face rejection. The pain of abuse, in whatever form, can be so deep and traumatic that people can literally get neurotic. Suicides, addictions and dysfunctional behaviour can be traced to efforts to medicate or numb the pain of rejection. Yet no one who ever lived on the face of this earth would have had to suffer contempt or rejection to the level of Jesus. He deserved so much more and got much worse than anyone of us.

Jesus gives us a key for growing and overcoming in life in spite of the treatment of others. He had a relationship that was foundational to His life. It would be so central that no matter what happened to Him, He would be unmoved. He was completely secure in the love of His Father. During His private times with His Father, He would commune with Him and receive affirmation from the One He adored and loved. That would be enough to keep Him going. The more people reject us, the more likely we are to react but not many of us turn and run to God. Instead we lean on our own resources and thinking, choosing instead to either get aggressive back to our perpetrators, or react passively as victims, surrendering our responsibility to get close to God and overcome.

Dear God, Thank You for the life and example of Jesus. He was so incredible in His ability to do life. Abused and treated with contempt, He remained righteous and loving. Help me to turn to God like He did. Help me to cherish the time alone with God like He did. Let me experience some of what He experienced as He communed with the Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Jesus feeds the four thousand

Mark 8:4 His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?” Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

Crowds gathered again to hear Jesus and they ran out of food as usual. Jesus told His disciples that He felt compassion for them because they were without food and would have been exhausted, having been with Him for three days. He knew that they would faint on their way home, especially those who had come from a long distance. His disciples were not as compassionate, seeing that they had nothing to feed them with, out there in the wilderness. Jesus then asked them how much bread they had. They had seven loaves, and a few fish. Jesus took what they had, gave thanks to God, broke them and distributed them. They fed four thousand people, with seven baskets of leftovers.

Jesus had already performed the miracle of feeding five thousand, with twelve baskets to spare. This time, there were four thousand people. Jesus repeated the miracle. Amazingly, when Jesus mentioned feeding the crowd, the disciples didn’t remember that He had fed five thousand before and a lack of food wasn’t a problem when Jesus was around. There would always be enough, and lots to spare as well.

The firs thing to note is that they were in the wilderness. There were no grocery stores, supermarkets or supplies of food lying around. Their supplies had run out. The wilderness is a dry place. There are no resources. But when Jesus is with us, we have all we need. We have Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider. We have the One who can multiply and perform miracles.

Secondly, Jesus had compassion. He saw their need. He addressed not only their spiritual need, but also their physical one. He was concerned for their hunger and lack of strength. Jesus always wants to meet our needs, even our physical ones. It bothers Him when we are hungry or tired. He wants to supply that need.

Thirdly, Jesus asked one simple question. “How much bread do you have?” That is all He wants to know. He just wants to know what we have. What He wants to know is what we have. He will use what we have. He doesn’t want to know what we do not have. We just need to give Him what we have. It may be a lot or a little. That doesn’t matter. Just give it to Him and watch Him multiply it. He doesn’t perform miracles without our contribution. We need to use our initiative and give Him everything we have. When we give God something to work with, He multiplies it.

Fourthly, Jesus took what they gave Him, gave thanks to God and distributed the bread. Jesus acted as a man of God would. We need to be thankful for what we have as we offer it to God and ask for His miracle in supplying our need. It  is no good being complaining and grumbling, like the Israelites were in the wilderness. In this wilderness, there was no complaining. Just thankfulness. We need to be grateful and give thanks to God before a miracle can happen. God works miracles when we stop complaining and start giving thanks.

Lastly, there were leftovers. God is an abundant God. He is more than enough – El Shaddai, the God Almighty who is More than Sufficient. When God gets involved, there is an abundance. He doesn’t just give what we need, He gives way more. The people would have been very hungry and not held back, yet there were leftovers. Seven baskets of leftovers speak of God’s heart of abundance.

Dear God, Thank You for this account of Jesus’ feeding of four thousand. Help me to remember that You are always willing to supply our every need. You have great compassion and don’t want to see us faint on our way. You take what we have and multiply it. All I need to do is to give You what little I have. It doesn’t matter that I am in the wilderness – I simply have to offer what I have. You will multiply it. I give thanks to You for what I have. I pray for Your miracle-working power to multiply what I give You so that You can show Your abundance and Your Name will be glorified. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

De-toxify your heart

Mark 7:18 So he said to them,”Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”

Jesus was teaching the  Pharisees, lawyers and the religious elite a very important principle. They were once again missing the mark, not able to see past their precious Mosaic Law and see Jesus, the very fulfilment of the law. They took offence that Jesus and his followers did not walk according to the tradition of the elders, eating bread without washing their hands in a special way according to the law. The Pharisees couldn’t see how they could be good Jewish people without following the law. They thought that if they followed the law, they were justified in God’s eyes. They didn’t perceive the heart of God, that He was a God who was interested in connecting with their hearts.

Jesus pointed out that their hearts were far from God even though they religiously followed and obeyed the traditions of Judaism. He called to the multitudes and proclaimed loudly that there in in fact nothing that enters a man from outside that can defline him, but the things which come out of a man – they defile him. This is because what enters a person is eliminated after being in the stomach. What goes in through the mouth does not enter the heart. But what comes out of the heart of a man – the evil thoughts, covetousness, pride, etc – these things defile a person.

What Jesus was saying is that what touches the heart is important. That is why we are instructed in the book of Proverbs to carefully watch and guard what goes into the heart. Out of the heart flows the issues of life. It is more important to be diligent about what enters the heart than what enters the stomach. It is what enters the heart that impacts a person and defiles him. The things that proceed from the heart cannot even come out unless it was first planted there. And if those things come out, they defile a person. And a vicious cycle occurs. So the essential thing is to prevent these things from entering the heart by guarding the doors of our heart jealously, and digging up and getting rid of what should not belong there. It means taking a careful, brutal look and not tolerating what should not be there. Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” We should be aware of what is going into our hearts and get rid of what will defile us – pride, self-centredness, bitterness, resentment, unkindness, lack of grace, etc.

Dear God, Let me not be as blind as the Pharisees, who were so careful to keep the law and missed You altogether. They honoured You with their lips, but their hearts were far from You. Help me to be close to Your heart. Show me what is in my heart and let me dig up, examine those things and get rid of what should not be there. Help me to carefully guard my heart so that evil things will not come out of it and not only defile me, but also those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Jesus – God in flesh among humanity

Mark 6:32,34,44,46  So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone…Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things…A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!… After telling everyone goodbye, he went up to the hills by himself to pray.

I continue to see the remarkable life that God in human flesh lived when he walked among humanity in this planet he created. In Chapter 5, we see accounts of his victory over demons, sickness and death. In Mark 6, Jesus began to work along side His young charges, sending them out to do ministry in His Name, showing them firsthand what to do when the needs of people got overwhelming, and giving them a glimpse of God’s miraculous power over the elements of nature.

Verse 34 above refers to the time after the disciples came back from their ministry tour. Jesus suggested that they get away to be alone. They would  have been hyped up and excited but physically and emotionally drained. Jesus knew that they needed to get away just to rest. Jesus understood their human needs. There is a balance between ministering to people and being alone to recharge our batteries. Jesus lived among bustling humanity and never sought to live an isolated life. Yet He Himself suggested that they get away and be alone for a while. Evidently, He thought it was important to be alone sometimes. This was not a selfish thing – it was something that was helpful, even for ministry. You cannot be effective without sometimes getting away to be alone with God. Jesus was not so addicted to ministry, miracles or human adulation that He could not get away. When He had been so succesful in healing and raising from the dead, He could have just lived on that adrenaline and loved being so sought after and needed by crowds. But He knew that sometimes, particularly after being busy in ministry, He and His disciples had to get away to be by themselves.

At the same time, Jesus was always concerned about the needs of others. He saw the crowds and had compassion on them. He didn’t consider His time so precious that nothing could intrude on it. He was readily interrupted by human need. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them. His compassion drove Him. In Chapter 5, people sought Him and those who were desperate to touch Him got healed. Here, Jesus Himself sought to touch the people. It’s not just that humans seek Him and if you are luck enough to get Him, you get a touch from God. Jesus Himself sought the crowds. We may think we are seeking God, but in fact, God is constantly wanting to touch us. God the Father sent Jesus on His own initiative, not because we asked for it. We needed His forgiveness and salvation, but we didn’t know it. If God hadn’t sent Jesus, we would have been in big trouble.

Jesus’ compassion drove Him. John the Baptist had died and Jesus could have been extremely discouraged. But His compassion for the people drove Him, not only to teach them His Kingdom but also to feed them after He had finished teaching. John the Baptist taught the people repentance and showed the holiness of God. After he died, Jesus showed the heart of God, not just the principles and laws of God. If I am to represent Jesus, then I need to be driven by compassion. The crowds are needy and hungry. But to feed and meet their need, I need the miraculous touch of God because there is never enough. I simply have to give God what I have – all my resources and see Him multiply it.

Then Jesus sent His disciples on to the other side of the lake by boat. He Himself went up to pray. Again, we see the balance. Jesus had just performed a wonderful miracle of feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish. There were even leftovers. (God’s provision is always more than enough. He doesn’t just give what is enough. He is an abundant God and He supplies more than what I need.) Jesus knew after feeding the multitudes that He needed to get away to pray. He needed to talk to His Father and get connected again. If Jesus needed to pray to be effective in His ministry, then how much more do I. How can I see the same results in ministry if I do not employ the same methods?

Dear God, Thank You for the wonderful glimpses into the life of Jesus. He had the perfect balance. He met the needs of the people, being driven by compassion for them, but He also knew how to get away to be alone and to pray by Himself. He loved His private time with His Father, but He didn’t guard it so much as to ignore the needs of the people. Unlike those who just like to live in the mountains and live the ascetic life, Jesus was found among needy humans. He relied on His Father to perform miracles and expected to touch and heal people wherever He went. Let His compassion rise up within me so I can feel for the crowds what Jesus felt. Then miracles will happen. Show me that You always want to meet the needs of people, whether spiritual or physical. Let me also know how to prioritise my prayer time so that I can get away and pray by myself. In Jesus’ Name.

Jesus’ power over demons, sickness and death

Mark 5:18,19 And when he got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged him that he might be with him. However, Jesus did not permit, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has had compassion on you.”

Mark 5:28 for she said, “If only I may touch his clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

Mark 5:36 As sson as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Mark chapter five is brimming with accounts of the Son of God in action among humanity. He walks and mingles in the human race, touching those who seek Him with His dynamic power. Healing and miracles take place where heaven meets a desperate need. Man reaches out in faith; God in Jesus responds in compassion and touches them.

In the first story, a demon-possessed man in Gadarenes, living in mountains and tombs, unabled even to be shackled, cutting himself in despair, approaches Jesus and worships him. The demons recognise Jesus and voice their fear of being cast out, begging to be sent into the swine. Once Jesus gave them permission, they went out of the man and entered the heard of swine. The man was so thankful he pleaded to go with Jesus into the boat, but Jesus did not permint him, saying instead that he should go home to his friends and tell them what great theing the Lord had done for him, and how the Lord had great compassion on him.

Interesting that even demons know they need the permission of Jesus before they can do anything. Jesus has the ultimate position of authority in heaven and on earth. Humans think they have authority over their lives and that God can’t tell them what to do. This poor cave man didn’t even have authority over the demons who tormented him against his will. If he did, he would have commanded the demons to leave. Jesus had the authority to cast them out. He also had the authority to tell them where to go. While demons recognise the authority of Jesus, many human beings don’t. People disregard God, dismissing Him in their lives. The sad part is that God has created us with a free will and He will not force anyone to acknowledge or honour Him. But those who do stand to gain a lot – eternity and wholeness in this life.

While the demons got permission from Jesus to do what they desired, the healed demoniac didn’t. Jesus knows what He is doing in what He permits and doesn’t permit. There is no equal to Him. The devil is not simply the enemy or opposite of God. He and his demons are created beings and subject to the power of the Almighty God. If demons know the power of God and recognise His authority, it is not right that humans don’t. We ruin our lives by trying to live outside the authority of God. This healed man listened to Jesus and proclaimed his testimony to his region, and all marvelled. Sometimes we just want to go with God but God wants us to go to where the people are.  He wants us to proclaim His goodness in our lives. It is the desire of God that we do this, and if God wants me to do it, then I should not feel ashamed to do it.

In the second story, a woman with a severe bleeding condition, one that she had suffered for twelve years without getting any relief from doctors, came close to Jesus so she could touch his garment. She did so and got her healing. Jesus perceived that power had gone out from Him and asked who it was. She fell down before Him and told HIm the whole truth. Jesus then told her that her faith had made her well. This is an amazing story. This woman had spent her life savings on doctors – there was no relief in sight. All she did was apply her faith and bang, she was immediately healed. Jesus commended her for her faith. He said that it was her faith that made her well. Jesus’  healing virtue and power was available to all but only this sick woman appropriated it, by faith. In that sense it wasn’t Jesus who healed her, since He was there among many but only she was touched powerfully. So many times, we are in church and the presence of God is there, but only some appropriate the power of God for their needs. The rest touch Him, in that they press against Him like the crowds did, but only some are desperate enough to do it in faith for a need.

In the last account, Jesus was asked by a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus, to go and heal his daughter who was at the point of death. Jesus was held up by the woman with the flow of blood. By the time she was healed, someone came to Jesus to say that the ruler’s daughter was already dead. When He heard these words, He immediately turned to Jairus and told him not to be afraid, but only believe. He took Peter, James and John in and put everyone out of the house. He took the dead child by the hand and commanded the girl to arise. She did so, and everyone was amazed. Jesus was not put off by events or circumstances. When others had given up, having seen the physical signs of death, Jesus told the man not to be afraid but believe. What Jesus was saying that fear would get in the way of faith. Jesus wasn’t put off by the reaction of the crowds either. They were mocking Him for trying to raise her. All Jesus did was take in His closest disciples and did what He went to do.

In this chapter, we see Jesus deliver a hopeless demon-possessed man, heal an incurably sick lady, and raise a girl from the dead. Man or woman, young or old, it doesn’t matter. When Jesus is around and allowed to work, healing happens. Spiritual bondage, physiological disease or death – Jesus conquered them all. There was nothing outside His specialty. He specialises in making us whole, whether the dysfunction is in the spirit, soul or body. He showed authority over demons, over sicknesses and over death. The order is also significant. Because we have deliverance from the power of Satan, we can have victory over our sicknesses and eventually, over death as well.

Lastly, I need to remember that this authority that Jesus had and displayed is one that He has passed down to us who are here to advance His Kingdom. He said that all authority had been given to Him on earth and He wants us to use that authority.

Dear God, Thank You for the amazing accounts of Jesus’ life, touching and healing as He moved among the people. He showed so much compassion for people and touched whoever needed His healing power. Let that sink into my spirit and let that compassion be developed in me. Let me have the faith that He wants me to, the kind of faith that dispels fear and sees the healing of God take place. Help me to overcome fear and have faith instead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Keys to spiritual growth

Mark 4:20 24 “And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”…Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given – and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Mark 4:26,27 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.  Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.”

Jesus was telling parables to the crowds who came to hear him. Jesus never wasted His words, so everything he said was important and something He wanted them to know. The parable of the sower and the seed is one of the best known of Jesus’ parables. Jesus was trying to illustrate His Kingdom in ways that people could understand and grasp. He wanted to take the mystery out of it so that they could have a greater revelation of who God was and how His Kingdom worked. Although not everyone in the crowd would have been a farmer, most people understood the principles of farming because most people did some growing of vegetables. In fact, God probably created seed and plants with this parable in mind, because sowing and reaping physical seed so beautifully and aptly mirrors what happens in the spiritual world.

Jesus’ words reminds me that His Kingdom multiplies.  His words, when sown, produce a harvest. It has the potential to multiply as much as a hundred times what it was. The key is that it has to be sown, and it has to be sown in the right type of soil. Any farmer would  understand that because seed in the farmer’s hand is of no use until it is sown, and sown in the right conditions. The farmer does not have to tamper with the seed – the potential is in it. He just has to act on his faith by sowing the seed and sowing in the right place.

The types of soil that will not produce fruit, according to Jesus, are hard footpaths, soil full of weeds and rocky soil that doesn’t allow roots that grow deep. It should be no surprise that a few people can hear the word, but not react in the same way. Some are completely transformed and others are unmoved. It all depends on the soil of their hearts. Some people are receptive to God and some are not. Sometimes, God’s presence is strongly manifested in a place and miracles happen. Elsewhere, nothing happens if the Word is preached.

At the moment I am trying to prepare my veggie patch so I am doing what I can to make the soil the best it can be before I plant. I have added Blood and Bone to give it nutrients, then I will add animal manure, then compost and organic fertiliser, and finally mulch. The soil needs to be rich in nutrients and raked up so  it is not hard or rocky. It needs good drainage as well. And I have got rid of the weeds. All this makes sense to any gardener. In the same way, the soil of our hearts have to be prepared to receive the word and nurtured it so it can grow to its full potential.

Jesus went on to say that we had to pay close attention to what we hear. That is how the word takes effect and multiplies in our lives. Why do some people seem to “take off” spiritually and increase in their maturity while others just seem to go round and round in circles? Jesus says it is because those who hear closely and carefully will get understanding and those who have understanding will gain more. Those who have no understanding will lose what they have. Jesus’ Kingdom is one of increase. Those who increase keep on increasing. This is an important key to growing in the Kingdom. Some people don’t pay close attention because they don’t honour or fear the Lord enough to seek Him desperately and they are not “all ears”. So they don’t hear from the Lord and what they do hear doesn’t stick or bear fruit.

Jesus re-affirms the thought later that the Kingdom of God is like a seed that is sown by a farmer. The seed sprouts and grows, day and night, whether the farmer is awake or asleep. He doesn’t know how it happens but it does. God’s power is constantly at work and the laws and principles of seed growth takes place, no matter who the farmer is or the type of seed that is sown. It only matters that the seed is sown and the type of soil it is sown in. As long as the seed is sown, and as long as the soil is of the right type, the seed will sprout and grow. The farmer does not have to understand it. It just happens. Similarly, we don’t have to understand how His Word works in our lives and the lives of the people who hear us. We just have to sow the seed. The more I sow His Word, the more it will grow and increase. The more I prepare the soil in prayer, making sure that the soil is rained upon and turned over by the Spirit of God, the better the chances of a good plant with lots of fruit. I also need to add animal manure or compost, which may smell and be considered yukky dung by all but the plant who appreciates it. The yukky things that happen in our lives can be considered poo that is added to break down and become nutrients for our inner person.

Dear God, Thank You for this wonderful parable. Help me to remember that I just need to sow the Word. I don’t have to understand how the seed grows and sprouts – it just does, day and night. I just need to till and feed the soil, looking after the soil so that the weeds do not choke out the plant. Thank You that the seed multiplies many times and brings forth fruit to give You glory. Let that be the case in my  life. Let my ears hear closely and pay attention so that more understanding will be given to me. Let that apply also to my family members. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Jesus hates religion

Mark 3:5 He looked them in the eye, one after another, angry now, furious at their hard-nosed religion. He said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” He held itout – it was as good as new! The Pharisees got out as fast as they could, sputtering about how they would join forces with Herod’s followers and ruin him.

The backdrop to the verse above – Jesus went in the meeting place where he found a man with a crippled hand. The Pharisees were there, watching to see if Jesus would heal him, hoping to catch Him breaking the Sabbath law. Jesus, as usual, knew what they were thinking and did not back off. He told the man to stand where he could be seen. Then He spoke to the people and questioned them as to what kind of action would suit the Sabbath the best – good or evil? Was it better to help of leave people helpless? In other words, was the intention of God to help people or to harm them?

Then it says that Jesus deliberately eyed them, one after another, showing His anger at their hard-nosed religion. He then went to the man and healed him. The Pharisees, far from repenting (that is, changing their mind), got out as fast as they could and determined that they would ruin Jesus, even if they had to make allies with the Roman authorities.

Firstly, it says that Jesus found a man with a crippled hand. Jesus looks out for the needy and sick. Those who are hurting catch His eye. He is not an impersonal God – He sees the individual in the crowd. When Christ is active in  us, we should be the same. If we are His representative on earth, then the hurting should be our priority. We should seek them out. They are everywhere, hoping that someone would notice them and help them.

Next, I note that the Pharisees were there again. It is not they were not where Jesus was or didn’t know who the Son of God was. It is that they were in the presence of Jesus and despised Him. They only honoured their religion and lifted it above the Son of God. Their religious law was their God. The very law that God had handed down through Moses, the one with so many strict regulations that they could hardly keep, would be the stumbling block for the Jews. By trying to keep the law, they broke the law by missing the Person behind the law. The law is a deathtrap in that death is built into its system. One cannot be righteous unless one abides by every jot and tittle and yet keeping it that way makes one proud and legalistic, thus no longer loving toward God or man, and therefore, unrighteous.

Jesus exposed their flaw by asking the obvious question – is the Sabbath for good or evil? Did God intend for people to be hurt or healed? When there was a person to be healed, was God more interested in his welfare or keeping the Sabbath? In saying that, Jesus was re-affirming the truth that people matter to God more than any philosophy or law. That was what He came for – to rescue hurting people, that is, to save and deliver the human race.

Jesus did not back away from the Pharisees. He wasn’t interested in being lauded or favoured by important, high-ranking religious teachers. Status meant little to Jesus. He didn’t do things to gain their approval. He could live without the approval of people. He did the right thing by His Father because He was secure in the approval of His Father, who had cried out publicly during His baptism that He was happy with Jesus and loved Him dearly. Jesus was secure enough to challenge the Pharises with the truth.

There are times we need to challenge people with the truth. So often we get angry because our buttons are pushed. We get defensive and challenge people because we have been personally offended. Our identity has been challenged and we feel a need to establish our identity by attacking others. Jesus got angry, but only because the truth of His Father was at stake. He did not care about His own identity. In fact, when His identity was questioned and under challenge during His trial for crucifixion, He did not bother defending Himself. But when the Word of God or character of the Father was being challenged, Jesus did not back away. He spoke out for the truth, clearly, non-offensively but assertively.

Verse 5 says that Jesus looked them in the eye and was furious at their hard-nosed religion. Hard-nosed, stubborn religion makes Jesus furious. The disciples knew Jesus was angry or they would not have noticed and recorded it. Jesus did not hide His anger. Anger itself is not sin – it is simply an emotion. Feelings cannot be right or wrong. They can be acted upon in sin, when we hurt others because of our feelings. But feelings themselves are only emotions – symptoms of something else that is going on. Anger is like a warning light in the car – it indicates that something needs attention. If we ignore the warning, we are being foolish and not fixing what needs attention. It doesn’t get better. Anger signals that we have been threatened (or perceive threat) or we feel violated. It could also signal frustration that things are not going our way and we cannot tolerate not being in control. Whatever else it indicates, it definitely indicates that we need to look at our thinking patterns and discover why we feel that way. We need to explore what is being triggered and why.

In Jesus’ case, He was furious that religious thinking could hinder people so greatly. Not only were the Pharisees’ being hindered, they were stumbling others because of the position they took. Being of authority and influential, their thinking would affect many others and hinder them from touching or receiving from God. Instead of spreading the gospel, they were hindering it. It made Jesus furious, and rightly so. When the lives of others are at stake, we should get angry. It should stir us up. Instead of getting angry because we don’t get our own way, we should get angry over things that matter – other’s welfare.

The right type of anger causes us to take action. Wrongful anger may cause a person to strike out, lash out verbally or take underhanded mean revenge. Righteous anger, though, causes us to take action that heals and benefits. Jesus was even more determined to show God’s heart after He got angry at the Pharisees. He healed the man.

The Pharisees, on the other hand, got angry and began plotting Jesus’ downfall, conspiring to join forces with Herod, their political enemy. They would be hypocritical and work against their beliefs/passion just to ruin Jesus. People accuse Christians of being hypocritical but hypocrisy is really the arena of the religious. Jesus and His followers were never hypocritical – they stood up for the truth, even if it cost them their lives. It was the religious people who were showed hypocrisy time and time again – by the way they used the law selectively for their own benefit and by the way their treated people.

The bottom line is that God hates religion – it stops people from seeing Him. God loves people and seeks out those who are hurting. Religion makes Him furious. And there is nothing wrong about being furious enough to act and destroy the things that destroy people’s lives.

Dear God, Thank You for the works of Jesus, healing and touching people wherever He went. If there was one thing that made Him furious, it was religious attitudes. Remind me that people mean more to You than anything else. You wanted them to know You and Your love. Help me to reach people the way You do. Help me to be angry about the things that matter. Help me not to back away from those things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

The authority of Jesus

Mark 2:10 “So I will prove to you that the Son ogf Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus said to the paralysed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

Mark 2:15, 17 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples into his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.)…When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Jesus had returned to Capernaum, where news about his ability to heal sicknesses had spread. So many people crowded to hear and see him that there even the entrance to the house where he was was blocked with people. A paralysed man was carried there on a stretcher by four friends, who famously brought him down to the feet of Jesus through a hole they made in the roof. Seeing their faith and determination, Jesus spoke to the man and said, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

The first point to note is that nothing would stop these four friends of the paralysed man. They would not make excuses for not getting to Jesus. People make one hundred and one excuses as to why they cannot get close to God. Mainly, they are aimed at putting the blame elsewhere, while excusing themselves as victims. These four men did not see the crowds as forming an impossible obstacle. They did not mind the difficulties of manouvering with a stretcher. They would find a way to get to Jesus. That is what Jesus called faith.

Jesus saw their determination. When He sees our determination, He sees faith. Faith is determined. We cannot say we have faith but not show any determination. Faith will show itself in determined action – action that will not take “no” for an answer. Jesus responds to this type of faith. It was when Jesus saw their actions that He turned His attention to them and gave them what they were seeking for.

When Jesus spoke words of forgiveness to the man, the teachers of the law were indignant that a man would claim to forgive sins. It was against their law and they could not see pass it. The law was a hindrance to them. Legalism always stumbles. We have to look past the law and see Jesus, who is the fulfilment of the law. Jesus knew their thinking and challenged them. Even without the Pharisees verbalising their objection, He knew. Jesus knows what we think – we cannot hide our dissatisfaction. But He will challenge it. He then said He would prove that He could forgive sins by telling the paralysed man to pick up his mat and walk.

It is interesting that Jesus forgave the sins of the man before He addressed the physical healing. The priority of God is to forgive our sins. Our sins are at the core of our problem. Physical illnesses are simply the symptoms of what is wrong with us. We need forgiveness, and we need it desperately. The human race needs to be forgiven before she needs to be healed. People were seeking healing from Jesus because they were suffering and wanted deliverance from pain. They were not seeking Him for forgiveness but they needed it more than anything else. The trouble is, humans don’t know what they need. They only know what they want. Our deepest need is to be forgiven. Our sins separate us from God, who created us to live in fellowship with Him. We live in dysfunction without the life of God within us. But without forgiveness, we cannot have unity with God – we are repelling to Him. We are desperate for life, for vitality, for destiny, for love, for purpose, but we cannot have it without being plugged in to God, our Creator. Only forgiveness by God can relieve us of eternal guilt and bring us back to oneness and relationship with Him.

While religions and philosophies offer many paths to happiness and divinity, only one offers forgiveness and assurance of relationship with God. Others offer what are human guesses (albeit brilliant ones) at what could be wrong with the human race and what we need to do to repair it. Only Christianity has a Saviour-God who had the authority to forgive and proved this divine authority many times. In this case, He proved it by immediately and miraculously healing the paralysed person. Without this forgiveness, man is still separated and estranged from His creator God and cannot quench his guilt.

After his incident, Jesus called Levi (Matthew) to follow Him. Levi then invited Jesus and his disciples to His home as dinner guests, dining with his friends who were tax collectors and what the Pharisees called “scum”. Again, the Pharisees found Jesus’ actions objectionable. According to their law, they were not allowed to mix with such company. Jesus was above the law – He was interested in being with people, reaching them and saving people. Jesus responded by saying that He was where He was needed – with sick and needy people, not people who thought they were righteous, like the religious teachers.

Jesus will be where people know they need Him. We are all need Him, but only some people know it and are willling to acknowledge it. Others think that they can live without Him. The Pharisees thought that by knowing, studying and enforcing the law, they could be righteous. They were just as lost as the “scum” but they could not be reached or touched because they were not inviting the Physician in. Pharisees exist in many forms today. They object to Jesus in objecting to the church and the way the church goes about reaching people. The church doesn’t fit their thinking of righteousness and they are stumbled.

Dear God, Thank You for the life of Jesus. He was willing to mingle and touch people. He had the authority to forgive sins and heal diseases. Thank You for offering that forgiveness and opening the way for us to be reconciled to the Father. Thank You for the faith of the four men. Show me how to have that sort of faith an determination. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.