Tag: God’s Spirit

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John John 14

Powerful promises

John

Jesus made some pretty amazing promises here. The type that make you say, “Really? Are you serious?”

Jesus said,

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)

Jesus did some amazing things. He healed the sick. Raised the dead. Taught thousands, bringing the good news to those without hope.

And anyone who has faith in him will do these things too? And even greater?

I suppose you could look at the church in the book of Acts, and say that Jesus was specifically talking about them.

And certainly, they did all that Jesus did and more. Not only that, they did it on a larger scale, not only taking the gospel to Israel, but beyond Israel to the world.

But Jesus said, “anyone who has faith in me.” Anyone. Not just the disciples. Not just the people in the New Testament. Anyone who has faith in Jesus will do what he did and even greater things.

How could Jesus say that? Because he was going to the Father, and he would send his Holy Spirit to live in each one of us. And through his power working in us, we can change the world around us.

Does that mean we’ll heal the sick and raise the dead like Jesus did? I wonder sometimes how much we limit God by our lack of faith.

I have heard of cases in third world countries where such things actually happened because people were too “ignorant” of the realities of life, and simply took Jesus at his word, and God worked miracles as a result.

My former pastor in Kobe was dying of cancer, and to the shock of his doctor, refused to give up at his diagnosis of 6 months to live. Now he is healthier than ever, and his doctor can only say, “Keep doing whatever you’re doing.”

Another woman in our church had a grandmother who received Christ recently, and though she had once been almost deaf, now she can hear clearly.

A part of me is skeptical. How long will these things last? Can it last? I don’t know. All I know is that God is working. And he is working today.

Maybe we should take him more at his word when he says,

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

This is not to say that Jesus will give us a sports car if we ask him for it in his name.

But if we ask things, seeking not our own glory but God’s, seeking that his will be done, and not ours, then we will see answers to prayer. Answers beyond what we can even ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

God wants to shape the world around us. And he wants to use us to do it.

The only question is, do we believe that he can use us? And will we surrender our prejudices, our skepticism, and our lack of faith to him, and simply say, “Your will be done. Use me as you will.”

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Psalms

The God who saves us and fills us

Psalms

It’s hard to tell in what situation Psalm 65 was written.  It’s possible it was written after a time of famine or drought as a result of God’s judgment, followed by a time of repentance and blessing.

The psalmist starts with praise to God for his mercies.  He sings,

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.

You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.

When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.

Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.  (Psalm 65:1-4)

Here the psalmist looks back on their sin and God’s judgment.  I love verse 3.  “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.”

We were overwhelmed and overpowered by our sins.  There was no escape for us from the judgment to come.  But “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)

Now he draws us near to himself and he brings blessing in our lives.  We no longer live in fear of him.  Rather we look upon him in love for his mercy and grace.

And the psalmist looks forward to the day when all will come before God in heaven and rejoice over his great mercy (verse 1).

He then says,

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas  (5).

The rest of the psalm looks at God’s power in creation and his sustenance of it through the water he pours down to bless the earth.

But as I read this, I see something else.

I see the most awesome of deeds that our Savior did for us.  His death on the cross for our sins.  And because he has done so, he truly has become our hope in this dying world.

Now, just as he pours out water from the heavens to bless the earth, he pours out the living water of his Holy Spirit upon us and fills us with Himself each and every day.

Through his Spirit, he brings forth abundant fruit through us as he pours out his grace upon us and all those whom we touch.

Lord, I thank you for your grace that you poured upon me to save me from my sins.  That when I was powerless to save myself, you saved me.  

Lord, fill me with your Spirit.  Let your Spirit overflow in my life that I might bear your fruit and touch those around me.  

Thank you for the joy that you pour into my life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Categories
Zechariah

Filled to do His work, in his power

Menorah

The more I’m reading Zechariah, the more I’m starting to love it. This is another great passage that’s rich in meaning.

The temple was still under construction at this time, and the people were still facing opposition.

It was uncertain whether Darius would continue to allow the rebuilding project, and perhaps Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah at that time, was growing discouraged.

But at that time, God gave Zechariah a vision of a golden lampstand, like that of those found in the temple.

But while the lampstands in the temple constantly needed to be refilled by the high priest, these lampstands were filled by two olive branches.

And then the angel gave Zechariah this message:

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

“What are you, mighty mountain?

Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.” (Zechariah 4:6–9)

In other words, God was saying, “Don’t worry. You’re not going to complete this project because of your own strength or by the power of those who support you. Instead this project will be done by my Spirit working in you.

And though you may face giant obstacles, they will become level before you. Thus, when you bring out the capstone to this temple, you will know that it was by my grace that it happened.”

The NASB puts verse 7 this way,

He will bring forth the top stone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ (Zechariah 4:7)

To those who were discouraged by the slow start, and by how pale this temple seemed in comparison to the one built by Solomon, God said,

Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel? (Zechariah 4:10)

In other words, “What you have done, and what you are doing may seem small and insignificant. But don’t despise small beginnings.

And don’t despise the things that I have called you to do, no matter how small they may seem. For I rejoice when my people do my work, and you will be rewarded.”

Zechariah then closes with an explanation of the lamp and the two olive trees at the beginning of the vision.

When he asked about them, and particularly the two olive branches beside the two gold pipes pouring out golden oil, the angel replied,

These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth. (Zechariah 4:14)

This is in reference to Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel, two men that God had chosen to serve him and to complete the project of the temple he had given them.

But to me, the most significant thing is this: Oil is often used as a symbol of God’s Spirit. And here we see two men of God whom the Spirit filled and from whom his Spirit poured out to do his work.

In the same way, God fills us up with his Spirit by his grace. And through us, his Spirit pours out to do his work: to touch the lives of the people around us and to make a difference in this world.

As we do, God’s will will be accomplished not by our own might and power, but by his Spirit flowing through us.

So let us do his work, not despising the day of small things. And through his Spirit constantly pouring in us and through us, we will make a difference in this world.