Speed the Return of the Lord, Release the Kingdom

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download To watch the video, click here.

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
Fact #1 Jesus is coming back.

Fact #2 He’ll be looking for some things when he returns.

Fact #3 We can speed his return

Final Point:  what is the Gospel of the Kingdom?

Jesus is Coming Back!

Acts 1:9-11
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

The coming of Christ will be instantaneous and worldwide. "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." —Matthew 24:27

The coming of Christ will be visible to all. "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." —Matthew 24:30

The resurrection of the righteous will occur. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first." —1 Thessalonians 4:16

The saved who are alive at Christ's coming will be caught up together with the resurrected to meet the Lord in the air. "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." —1 Thessalonians 4:17

Jesus will be looking for some things when he returns Jesus is Looking for… Faith…

Luke 18:8b
However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Faithful and wise people who will help and feed others the Word of God.

Matthew 24:45-51
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Speed the Return of Christ?

Speed His Coming

2 Peter 3:10-12
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. How do we speed the return of the Lord?

Matthew 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

We can’t predict the return of the Lord. No man knows the day nor the hour however we can speed the coming of the Lord by preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to every nation.

What is the Gospel of the Kingdom?

Obviously, central to the gospel of the KINGdom is an understanding that Jesus is the King of the kingdom. In the Bible Jesus, because of his position as king, had authority over sickness, demons, and even death. This was before the ascension. Now seated at the right hand of the father he is interceding for us to also exert the influence of the kingdom according to Romans 8:34.

What is the gospel of the Kingdom?

It’s inclusive of us being sinners, Jesus dying on the cross and me believing in that to be reconciled to God. But it’s really more than that! The Kingdom is within reach or it’s at hand. This is part of the message of the gospel of the Kingdom. The kingdom of God is a different reality than the kingdoms of this world.

The Kingdom has been available for 2000 years.

Everyone who bows to him is a citizen of that kingdom. The Lords prayer teaches us to pray the kingdom to increase from heaven to the Earth.

The terminology “Kingdom of Heaven” is in the gospel of Matthew. It’s used interchangeably in the same parables as Mark and Luke use Kingdom of God.  Matthew was written primarily to Jewish readers. Jews don’t like to use the name of G_d.

Our reconciliation is founded in the death of Jesus.

The Gospel of the Kingdom is founded in everything Jesus did. By virtue of the covenant we also are seated with him in heavenly places with authority, healing power, delivering power, Jesus is the King!

On Pentecost in Chapter 2 Peter preaches that Jesus is alive! V. 32 Because Jesus is alive he’s now seated with the father, raised from the dead and now pouring out the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel of the Kingdom puts an emphasis on a living King. Check out Romans 10:9,10. Our life has to come into alignment with the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The gospel of the Kingdom is focused on Jesus being raised from the dead.

There is more to the kingdom gospel than reconciliation. Reconciliation is very important however there is kingdom life available (at hand) to the citizen of Heaven.

There is a power flowing from heaven (The Holy Spirit) that prompts people to bow to King Jesus.

In the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Holy Spirit is an integral part of the message. The proof of the kingdom is God heals. You can’t separate it from healing and power.

1 Corinthians 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

The gospel of the Kingdom is intrinsically tied to obedience. If he’s our king we will obey him. The Holy Spirit is available to all flesh in the gospel of the Kingdom.

Acts 2:39 39 
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Jesus is Alive!!

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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We Have an Inheritance

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download To watch the video, click here.

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
We have an inheritance and it’s realized through faith and patience.

Inheritance: the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations.

In order to receive this inheritance we must see it with the eye of faith and wait for it with patience.

The inheritance I see is be being able to act like Jesus.

I believe our spiritual inheritance is not only eternal life. I believe it’s also kingdom life on the earth. I believe you and I, according to John 14:12, (Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.), can do amazing things in the name of Jesus according to his purposes and for his glory.

Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Laziness will prevent us from receiving our inheritance.

Laziness
I have been talking with several people in our Church lately (I’m in this boat also to one degree or another unfortunately) who are highly educated in a particular area but lack the self discipline to execute on the information. The desires of the heart are superseding the information in the mind.

2 Timothy 1:7
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.

So how do we do what we “hate” to get something we want? What we want has to be so real and so important that we’ll take the road of adversity and challenge to get there.

I know when I had a Lab in Boston give me a very negative health report, I began to make some serious changes I didn’t like very much. I did this because I had faith I would live and I trusted the information I was gleaning from my chiropractor friends, established nutritionists, and the internet. I also didn’t want to leave my children without me as their father. So I ate foods I didn’t particularly like in order to get something I wanted. More time on the Earth with you and my family. More time to rack up eternal treasure and harass the enemy.

When I was an athlete I was very disciplined in what I ate and how I lived due to the fact that I had a goal I would do almost anything to achieve.

1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Keep our eyes on the prize!

Matthew 14:28-31
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

So our example from Hebrews 6 is Abraham

• 13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Abraham had a 25 year wait from Promise to Manifestation.

From Genesis 12:4 where Abraham receives the promise and is 75 years old to Genesis 17:15-17 Abraham ages another 25 years.

Does the fact that God waited until this couple was "as good as dead" to give them the promised child help explain the wait? (This is a recurring pattern in God's dealings with humans. He waits until it is impossible, and then He does the impossible - so that no one is confused about God's role in the matter.)

What has God promised you? Perhaps you’ve had big vision but you’ve grown weary in patience.

Maybe you are cynical and aren’t believing for anything thinking people who do this are fools.

Maybe you have a word from God or several words from God that you are standing on and are waiting patiently for the fulfillment.

Today I want to pray for you for new vision and patience to wait for the fulfillment of that vision.

2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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Be Filled to Pour Out

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download To watch the video, click here.

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
The obvious purpose of being filled up is to be poured out.

We tend to focus a lot on the being filled part but not so much on the being poured out part. Today we’re going to look at both ideas with an emphasis on being obediently and joyfully poured out for Jesus.

Poured out like a drink offering.

Philippians 2:17 & 2 Timothy 4:6

A Drink offering is an offering that pre-dates the law and is to be accompanied by other offerings. It was to be strong wine (pure drink) and represents a type of joy at the finished work of Christ. I believe Paul is saying, in reference to being poured out like a drink offering, that his life is being poured out in obedience to God and it’s bringing God, Paul, and the people joy.

I just want to remind everyone, there are no hearses with trailer hitches. We have one life to live and it soon will pass. Only what’s done for Christ will last.

He is no fool who gives up what he can never keep to gain what he’ll never loose.

James 4:14 (Amplified)
Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].

Being poured out includes the idea of willing sacrifice. We see in 2 Timothy 4 that Paul has willingly laid down his life and the joy this gives God is now imparted to Paul. Willful and obedient sacrifice brings great joy to the individual carrying out this mission when God’s revealed the outcome of the sacrifice to the individual.

Hebrews 12:2
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Bible tells us to be filled five times in the New Testament. Ephesians 3:19 is the passage we’re going to focus in on. This filling just isn’t for our benefit, it’s for the benefit of others.

In the context of Paul praying for the Ephesian Church, we see this verse as part of his prayer. He prays that they would know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. All the fullness of God is pretty full!!

There is also a relational positioning before God that could be described as “getting under the spout where the glory comes out”. Staying in that place until God touches you and does a work in you. This work in you is vital. It’s been my observation that hurt people hurt people, healed people heal people. We must receive what we need from the Lord in order to be effective for Him in the long term.

To get filled we must ask for the Holy Spirit to fill us. Implied in any infilling is also a pouring out. As we pray to be filled we should also pray for God to direct us as to where we are to pour out.

God is able to refill the poured out vessel but sin separates.

Isaiah 59:1,2
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened at all, that it cannot save, nor His ear dull with deafness, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Luke 11:9-13
9 So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!

Another way to understand this concept is, “you can’t give what you don’t have”.

Acts 3:6-10
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

I want you to know that the messages I share on Sunday morning with you are generally the messages the Holy Spirit shares with me in my quiet time. So the Lord is calling me to a higher level of joyful sacrifice.  I want to challenge you to pray about how and where the Lord can pour you out. We must first be filled but then it’s time to pour out!

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

You know, if you are weary in well doing, today is a great day to get filled. Get your spiritual battery recharged.

Other people today may be like the red sea. A flow coming in but nothing going out (except through evaporation) raising the salinity level in your soul so high that nothing can grow. You’re critical, grouchy, and very unhappy.

Other people may have a creek flowing out of their lives but they want a river. Others may praise you but you know God is calling you higher so you’re not satisfied.

Today is a day of increase. God will increase what he’s doing in and through you if you’ll ask Him to.
   

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music. 

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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Whatever Happened to the Polarizing Jesus?

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
To watch the video, click here.

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
Matthew 10:34-39
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father,     a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c] 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Polarizing - to break up into opposing factions or groupings.

It would seem that many in the Church today, in an effort to keep or attract large crowds, would avoid polarizing truth due to it’s nature. However, Jesus, the one we’re all following embraced and dove head first into speaking and living a life that polarized people.

Do we polarize just for the sake of being polarizing? No, we have to be people of truth and honestly share the concepts of life from God’s word in love.

Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Relevance
An Example to Us

• Gaderene Demoniac
• Lazarus
• The Old Testament Prophets
• The Cross

I believe God’s called me to be a pastor but in the midst of this calling is maybe a higher calling to identify things in the Church that will keep her from stepping into her destiny.

Fullness in Christ.
I’m called to identify these issues and challenge individuals and leaders to become more Bible centric and Holy Spirit centric in a church that’s seemingly becoming more and more people centric and thus more and more ineffective at reaching multiple generations for Christ.

Reformation is my goal. If you’ve ever read the book of Acts and thought, “Wow, I don’t see that going on at my Church, but I’d sure love to!” Then you and I are in the same vein of thought. Unfortunately for the Church, it seems that many are content to develop systems that attract people at the expense of experiencing God’s power.

Why polarization? Well, if you want to see a stark contrast between something in the life of Jesus and the lives of many in Christian leadership today it’s this subject. Perhaps if we address this issue it will move the Church of Jesus Christ more closely to the original, Jesus himself, and thus bring about a portion of this reformation.

Many leaders today seem to fear polarizing subjects. Why? Well, by their very nature they divide people. When the goal is to attract as many people as possible to the Church speaking about polarizing truth tends to push against this modern Goal.

Did Jesus want a big Church? YES, YES, YES!!!!! However his methodology was radically different from most anything you and I have ever experienced. Jesus, in our modern Church systems would be considered revolutionary, however we must make every effort to follow his example.

Luke 9:23-26
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Who polarizes people?

People who are principled. These people operate by a rule or code of conduct that governs their behavior.

People who are cameleon tend to not polarize. Politicians do not want to polarize the electorate because it will cost them votes. Leaders, who want to attract large crowds at the expense of polarizing truth, take on a political flavor that I find unChristlike.

Why would a leader in a Church not address polarizing issues?

• The crowd validates them as a leader
• How many are in your church?
• The money from the crowd is attractive
• The world and many in the Church judge a crowd as successful and with success comes influence / power.

Warning to the Teachers of the Law

Mark 12:38-40
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

So, in the Church, if we’re not principled but more driven by a motivation to be politically correct lest we offend the crowd will we ever be able to have integrity within ourselves? Will we ever be able to address difficult issues? Will we ever be able to say, this is the direction we’re going to go? We’d love you to come with us but if not we bless you to go a different direction?

Will you also go? Peter and the other disciples couldn’t go because they were on board with Jesus due to the revelation that He was “the Holy one of God”. John 6:53-69

There is no Church in our country that I’ve ever visited and thought, man they’ve got it! There are some very cool things in the Body of Christ in the U.S.A. yet one thing I’ve noticed we seem to be sweeping under the rug are the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, built his ministry around manifestations of the Holy Spirit!

John 4:48
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

Jesus Christ the Great Polarizer

The Gaderene Demoniac-
Luke 8:26-40

• For most of us we see this story and see a man who needed help and Jesus helped him and set him free.
• Jesus in this story, because of the supremacy of his Kingdom overturns the kingdoms of darkness.
• People attached to that kingdom will become angry with Jesus when he does this! The demoniac is free but the pigs are dead!!

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.
What we see is a great miracle but amazingly not everyone is excited about it.

The Pharisees have turned their hearts against Jesus and consequently the miracle only serves to further harden them against him.

They conclude that now they not only have to kill Jesus but they’ll have to kill Lazarus also because he represents the authority of the kingdom of God over their religious systems. John 12:10

The forefathers of the Pharisees also were guilty of killing the prophets. (Luke 11:47-48) Why would they kill them? Their message was true and polarizing so some people didn’t want to hear it. One way to silence a voice is by killing them.

The Cross

The Cross of Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of what happens to polarizing leaders. Everywhere Jesus went he pushed people into the worship column or the “I hate him” column. I can’t see many people seeing Jesus’ ministry and saying, “ho hum”.

In Conclusion: If any man would come after me, he must take up his cross, deny himself and follow me. What good would it be to gain the whole world and forfeit one’s soul or what can a man give in exchange for his soul.

Take up his cross… stand on principled truth that will polarize.

How about you? How about me? Does our life polarize people like Jesus did or have we conformed to a modern religious system where our main goal is fun and the comfort of people?

Jesus, help our generation get back to the roots of our founder.
   

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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The Importance of Miracles

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
	Podcast: Play in New Window | Download To watch the video, click here.

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.

What is a miracle?
A miracle is when perceived reality gets altered by God in order to demonstrate His supremacy over all things on the Earth. The outcome is repentance and the re-prioritization of people’s lives.

There are many miracles described in the Bible but I’d like to focus on the ministry of Jesus and the miracles he and his disciples were used to operate in. I believe that the same Holy Spirit that filled them is the same Holy Spirit that is promised to us today.

Many in the Body of Christ have re-defined miracles in order to make them a bigger part of their lives. I’m not trying to minimize some of these things just point out that when Jesus walked on the Earth he left us a pattern to follow.
*The miracle of Child Birth, yes this is amazing.
*All the lights turning green when you’re driving down the street.
*Getting the best parking place at Wal-Mart.

Jesus heals an official’s son.

John 4:48
“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

In reading this passage one has to interpret the attitude in Jesus' heart.

• Is he saying this is a bad thing?
• Is he saying this is just how it is?
• Is he saying this is a good thing?
• Is it wrong to Believe for Miracles?

Matthew 12:38
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The context here is different because the Pharisees were testing Jesus. They were not moved by compassion or love.

If this passage means exactly what it says in any and every situation, every person who asked Jesus to heal their child, servant, or loved one would be wrong and Jesus would be violating his own word here if he went and healed these people. So it’s obviously not an indictment against asking God to perform a miracle in all situations. It is an indictment to ask God to perform a miracle like some kind of show with love and compassion not at the heart of the asking.

Matthew 14:14
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Galatians 5:6b
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Is this passage literally referring to Miracles?

John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Well, if you want to make it refer to miracles, by implication perhaps, one could make that connection but I believe it’s literally speaking about seeing the physical Jesus which is a miracle because Jesus was raised from the dead. However, the point isn’t, “Seeing a miracle or wanting to see a miracle makes you less of a Christian.” The point is, there is a blessing for all who believe in the risen Christ but have not seen him in bodily form.

Can one believe in Jesus if they’ve never had any kind of experience? Can a person have no feelings whatsoever about something and still dedicate their lives to this cause? That truly would be strange. I’d have to argue that everyone who calls Jesus Lord has had some kind of experience with God, or they have little to no zeal for the Lord.

Miracles are really under attack in many ideological camps. It’s unfortunate that our circumstances can at times speak louder than our Bibles however this is a large component of the “Fight of Faith” we’re called to engage in.

God using people today to believe for and see miracles is under attack because of unbelief which can sometimes be rooted in trusting other natural solutions to our problems in life.

I thank God for the skills of people who can solve health, financial, family, or whatever problems with natural understanding! Sometimes we need to turn our trust to the Lord, especially if there is no natural solution. It’s unfortunate that people, me included, have an inclination to reach for a natural solution to our problems before we turn to God but this has been the nature of man for a long time. (Woman with the issue of blood Mark 5:26)

A Word on Cessationism

1 Cor. 13:8-12
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

People are afraid of miracles but the testing ground for the miraculous is found in Deuteronomy 13:1-3

Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Another testing ground for a miracle is in the fruit of the miracle. If someone says they have seen a miracle and then they turn away from God there is a possibility that the miracle was a false wonder. However, a house divided against itself can not stand. (Mark 3:25)
If a miracle is manifested and it causes people to look for Christ, it causes an increased hunger for the Word, it illuminates the importance of the Kingdom of God and thus causes people to re-arrange their priorities putting God first. You want to say the devil did that? That’s pushing foolishness!!

Matthew 12:25
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Miracles can be a fore runner for repentance!

Luke 10:13
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Now let’s talk about America. If miracles bring about repentance for some nations, don’t you think there’s a high likelihood God wants to manifest his miracles in our day and time?

We as God’s people have to embrace this reality and begin to hear from the Lord; pray, decree, and declare the will of God for our nation and over the lives of people we come into contact with.

Miracles can also harden hearts when the miracles push for an agenda other than the one in the individual who’s hardening their heart. You see this with Pharoah in Exodus 8:32 and you also see it with the Pharisees in many places in the New Testament.

John 20:30, 31
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Our belief is in Jesus but it’s in Jesus because of the signs that God performed through him, culminating in the resurrection. People are the same today as they were then, they want to see a sign in order to believe. God wants to use you and I to be vessels of honor to release his glory into the lives of people we come into contact with.

   

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
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