He ran down the street yellowing, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!
He had a panic in his heart and an urgency that pulled at the ears of the hearers.
Many turned to look, was there something chasing him? was there a message to accompany this urgent command?
Their minds started to think of all the reasons he could be running and yelling in such a way.
The word "Pray" was not foreign to them but the actions were something of a small scale and hardly ever commanded an immediate response, so why in the world is he running and yellowing?
PRAY!PRAY!PRAY!
This is all he could get out, nothing else made sense fore he knew to explain would cause the listeners to lessen the need and make light the urgency so he just continued to run and yell.
He grabbed coats of men, looked at them with eyes of fear and panic begging them to PRAY!PRAY!PRAY! He grabbed the forearm of women and looked up with eyes of a persuasive child helpless, in need and tears of pain gliding down his cheek yelling PRAY!PRAY!PRAY!. He looked softly into the eyes of little boys and girls compelling and encouraging them that prayer from their hearts was needed as well and expressed PRAY!PRAY!PRAY!
Was he mad? Was he crazy?
He was a familiar face to the townspeople but it was his voice that pulled their attention. Soon nothing else would matter.
This story has TWO endings depending on ONE thing--their response.
One ending is that because their hearts were connected to the same source that caused him to run with urgency, they dropped to their knees and layed down on the streets-men, women, boys and girls-and began to pray to the Father God through the Son Jesus Christ via this unction of the Holy Spirit. You see they knew the same scripture that sent him running with panic that day--If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2Chronicles 7:14). They knew if they called on God, God would respond.
So prayer begot prayer...and repentance begot worship...and God responded with healing, restoration, miracles and revival. God healed every aspect of their "land."
The other ending is that they starred at him, told him to stop being ridiculous and causing a scene. They became angry in their hearts because they felt no urgency and pride took a front stance. They attempted to use their evil stares and words to discourage him and they refused to respond and pray. Men and women told their children to ignore him, and gossiped amongst themselves. There was no repentance, no response of healings, restoration, miracles nor revival from God...they did not humble themselves and pray....so God could not heal their land.
The urgent heart continued on time after time until one day the Lord spoke and said, "My son, I am grateful for your faithful heart to warn the people, they can never say my love was not extended to them nor can they ever say they did not know. This was your calling...to call them to me...and you did well my good and faithful servant, come home and rest."
The question to ponder is this, in your town today which ending to the story is most likely to occur...unfortunately just like my town, the second ending. May we respond differently tomorrow, it really could be the last day God sends an urgent, crying heart begging us to PRAY!PRAY!PRAY! By the way, this is not a hypothetical story. Selah.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
How Many Loaves Does It Take?
It is amazing how less then 10 minutes reading 2000 year old scripture you can realize something completely new....it really is the living word.
I was reading through the book of Mark chapters 6 and 8 and was reminded of those that touched Jesus were healed and then read further to the miracles of the multiplying of food. I first paused at the fact that those who touched Him....were healed....so since I believe in Jesus and the works that He did I will do also (John 14:12), people who reach out and touch their belief and/or faith with mine...will be healed. Wow. So I meditated on that for a bit and prayed it over my life, " Lord, I agree with your word and who you say that I am, may those who touch me be healed. In Jesus name, Amen."
Then as I read Mark 8:17-21, I saw something within the words that I never saw. In one miracle Jesus and the disciples used 5 loaves (2 fish) to feed 5,000 with 12 baskets remaining and then later used 7 loaves (few fish) to feed 4,000 with 7 baskets remaining. This math caught my interests.
Why in one situation did he use only 5 loaves for 5,000 and had 12 baskets extra but it took 7 loaves to feed 4,000 and they took home only 7 baskets? Could it be possible that the Lord needs more, in this case miracles, to convince a small amount of people because of their belief or level of criticism and then they were only able to retain 7 baskets?
Lets look at the 4,000 as members of a congregation--all came to see a miracle and hear a teaching by Jesus but not all believe in their heart--then Jesus says , " we need a level 7 miracle for this group for them to receive but they only will need 7 baskets to give to others because that is all they will share". A disciple responses and says, " Lord, the last group only needed a level 5 miracle, there were 5,000 of them and they took home 12 baskets....why wouldn't this group do the same?" Jesus responds and says, " The 5,000 wanted more and believed in All of who I am so once the miracle began, they allowed me to do more with just a little and they were built in their faith and I knew they would take the remaining 12 baskets and share and share with everyone they encountered after. The 4,000 were skeptical in their hearts and more desired to prove me wrong then to allow me to share the truth, a level 7 miracle was needed to silence the skeptic and at the same time allow the believer with the smallest amount of faith to believe for more and would desire to share the truth of who I am. The 4,000 would only share 7 baskets full, they would wast the remaining 5 had I given then 12."
After receiving this analogy, I paused and repented. Lord, I ask you to forgive me for not believing you and though there is much I am convinced of and believe, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24) which comes from fears from past disappointments and help me to no longer believe lies that stand against who you really are. In Jesus name Amen.
Miracles is what Jesus did most as well as tell people and direct them to the Father God, so today Lord help me to be more like you....a miracle and a way to God. We can only come to God through Jesus the son and the beautiful Holy Spirit is our leader, teacher, comforter and truth that keeps our hearts in God.
May He need less loaves to show Himself true to your heart, and may He be able to trust you with more then 7 loaves to share. Selah. God loves your heart towards Him.
I was reading through the book of Mark chapters 6 and 8 and was reminded of those that touched Jesus were healed and then read further to the miracles of the multiplying of food. I first paused at the fact that those who touched Him....were healed....so since I believe in Jesus and the works that He did I will do also (John 14:12), people who reach out and touch their belief and/or faith with mine...will be healed. Wow. So I meditated on that for a bit and prayed it over my life, " Lord, I agree with your word and who you say that I am, may those who touch me be healed. In Jesus name, Amen."
Then as I read Mark 8:17-21, I saw something within the words that I never saw. In one miracle Jesus and the disciples used 5 loaves (2 fish) to feed 5,000 with 12 baskets remaining and then later used 7 loaves (few fish) to feed 4,000 with 7 baskets remaining. This math caught my interests.
Why in one situation did he use only 5 loaves for 5,000 and had 12 baskets extra but it took 7 loaves to feed 4,000 and they took home only 7 baskets? Could it be possible that the Lord needs more, in this case miracles, to convince a small amount of people because of their belief or level of criticism and then they were only able to retain 7 baskets?
Lets look at the 4,000 as members of a congregation--all came to see a miracle and hear a teaching by Jesus but not all believe in their heart--then Jesus says , " we need a level 7 miracle for this group for them to receive but they only will need 7 baskets to give to others because that is all they will share". A disciple responses and says, " Lord, the last group only needed a level 5 miracle, there were 5,000 of them and they took home 12 baskets....why wouldn't this group do the same?" Jesus responds and says, " The 5,000 wanted more and believed in All of who I am so once the miracle began, they allowed me to do more with just a little and they were built in their faith and I knew they would take the remaining 12 baskets and share and share with everyone they encountered after. The 4,000 were skeptical in their hearts and more desired to prove me wrong then to allow me to share the truth, a level 7 miracle was needed to silence the skeptic and at the same time allow the believer with the smallest amount of faith to believe for more and would desire to share the truth of who I am. The 4,000 would only share 7 baskets full, they would wast the remaining 5 had I given then 12."
After receiving this analogy, I paused and repented. Lord, I ask you to forgive me for not believing you and though there is much I am convinced of and believe, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24) which comes from fears from past disappointments and help me to no longer believe lies that stand against who you really are. In Jesus name Amen.
Miracles is what Jesus did most as well as tell people and direct them to the Father God, so today Lord help me to be more like you....a miracle and a way to God. We can only come to God through Jesus the son and the beautiful Holy Spirit is our leader, teacher, comforter and truth that keeps our hearts in God.
May He need less loaves to show Himself true to your heart, and may He be able to trust you with more then 7 loaves to share. Selah. God loves your heart towards Him.
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