Thoughts and Theories

Further thoughts on Miracles...

 

Here is an excerpt by Derek Prince Ministries on the same passage written in my previous post. 

     Has the Lord ever asked you to take a step of faith that you are reluctant to take? Maybe you are facing one of those challenges right now in your life. If so, I hope this letter will be especially encouraging to you. In fact, I pray it will open up an experience of God’s miraculous provision in your life.

“Not My Will, But Yours”

     It may surprise you to know that our Lord Jesus Himself was an example for us in this issue of reluctance. We see it in the very first miracle He performed at the wedding in Cana. Mary, the mother of Jesus, informed Him that all the wine had run out at the wedding reception. The response Jesus gave her in John 2:4 (NASB) shows that He wasn’t particularly eager to get involved: “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.”

     In spite of His initial reticence, Jesus went on to direct the servants to fill six huge waterpots. The result, as we know, was an abundance of the best wine these people had ever tasted.

     Probably the most moving example of Jesus’ reluctance took place in the Garden of Gethsemane where He agonized before the Father over the crucifixion that loomed ahead. Jesus settled the issue of His reluctance with these profound words: “Yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). As a result of Jesus saying yes to the cross, the way was opened for you and me to come into the abundant outpouring of His mercy and grace.

“We’ve Worked Hard All Night”

     Another encouraging incident of overcoming reluctance is the story of Peter in Luke 5. Jesus had been teaching the multitude gathered to hear Him along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, when He decided to get into a boat to continue His lesson. It just so happened that the boat belonged to Peter, an astonished fisherman who became a “captive audience” to Jesus’ teaching simply because the Lord selected his boat. After Jesus finished His teaching session, He said, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4).

     Did something begin to stir deep in Peter’s heart at Jesus’ requests? Did he know that his next step could change the course of his life forever?

     First, the Lord asked him to launch out into deeper waters. Second, Jesus instructed him to let down the nets, with the implicit promise that a catch was on the way. But first, there was an obstacle of reluctance that Peter had to overcome.

     “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and we haven’t caught anything.” Peter found himself at the critical moment of decision that you and I regularly face: “Do I say ‘yes’ or do I say ‘no’?” Can you identify with Peter? Have you faced that same decision?

“But Because You Say So”

     At this critical moment, Peter decided to overcome his reluctance with the wonderful words recorded in Luke 5:5 (NIV): “But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” Peter had no idea what would result from the step of faith he was about to take. However, the next verse tells us that when he let down those nets, “…they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” In fact, the catch was so huge, Peter had to call for his partners in another boat to come and help. In the end, both boats were so filled with fish that they almost sank from the abundance.

     So many encouraging points are contained in this one simple story. But here is the bottom line: Peter overcame his reluctance (which was entirely justified) to take a step of faith. And he did it just because Jesus said so. The result was a miraculous outpouring of abundance.

     The huge catch wasn’t Peter’s motivation for obeying. But this outpouring came because of his response to Jesus: “Because You say so, I will let down the nets.” Peter’s motivation was simple, trusting obedience to Jesus’ prompting.

     But look what resulted!

All Progress Is by Faith

     Derek Prince regularly used the following phrase in his teaching: “All progress in the Christian life is by faith.” It is a main premise in his landmark book, Faith to Live By, which was one of Derek’s first major books.

     In fact, Derek emphasizes this essential step of faith and trusting obedience in so many of his teachings. Here is just one example where he mentions it, taken from one of Derek’s personal Updates that he regularly sent out:

     From my understanding, the Christian life is on a series of plateaus or levels, and progress consists in moving from one level to the next. But every time you move to a higher level, you have to step up—and that step up is always a step of faith. There is no other way to move to a higher level.

     Now, if you don’t take the step of faith, God doesn’t reject you. He doesn’t cast you away. But you remain on the level that you have been on. The only way up to the higher level is the step of faith. So it is this step of faith principle that I want to illustrate and talk about.

     I have seen some Christians who refused the step of faith that God asked them to take, and they just continued on the same level. They felt secure. They knew the conditions. There was no risk involved. But they missed something that God had for them.

     I would like to help you in this talk not to miss what God has for you. So I’m going to give you some examples through the course of my Christian walk of the way in which this principle of the step of faith has applied.

Time to Take a Step

     Is something stirring in you as you read Derek’s words in the section above, and as you consider the examples of overcoming reluctance in the life of Jesus and Peter? Is there a step of faith you sense the Lord asking you to take at this moment?

     Don Basham, dear friend and colleague of Derek Prince, had a great teaching called “Guidance and the Life of Faith.” At the end of that message, he always challenged his audience to take a step of faith in obedience to the Lord’s prompting, saying, “If you’re wondering what that step is, it’s probably the one that causes you to say, ‘Oh no, Lord. Anything but that!’”

     If you sense the Lord prompting you to take that step, you may want to respond by declaring the following prayer and proclamation:

Dear Lord Jesus,

     I sense Your prompting right now to take a step of faith in regard to the situation I am facing. By Your grace, Lord, I will push out into deeper water with You, and I will “let down my nets” in response to Your command.

     Lord Jesus, as my first act of faith, I deliberately put my reluctance and my reticence behind me, and I say, “Because You say so, Lord, I will take a step of obedience in response to Your command.”

     I give You thanks and praise in advance for all You are going to accomplish in my life as a result of the step of faith I am taking right now.

Hoping for a Miracle

 

Luke 5

¹ One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,^[a] great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. ² He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the 
fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. ³ Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon,^[b] its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

 ⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

 ⁵ “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” ⁶ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! ⁷ A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

 ⁸ When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” ⁹ For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. ¹⁰ His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

   Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” ¹¹ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

I've been listening to a sermon from Rick Warren about this passage.  He mentioned 4 steps to take when you're hoping for a miracle to happen in your life. 

1) Let Jesus into your boat (vs.3)

2) Admit that your way has not been working (vs. 5)

3) Do exactly as Jesus tells you to do (vs. 6)

4) Expect a miracle to happen! 

 This is a gross simplification of his sermon.  Here's a link to the full sermon.  http://saddleback.com/mc/m/63E9.  If you have time, please listen to it.  It will encourage you!

What really stands out here and the essential message of hope is that no matter how empty, barren, hopeless your situation is, when Jesus enters your "boat" there will always be abundance beyond what you expected or imagined. 

Not only was the boat of Simon Peter's boat filled beyond capacity but the other person's boat who came to help was also filled and on the verge of sinking.   Isn't that a profound truth?  When a miracle happens in your life, it not only benefits you but other people as well!  That's abundance beyond what we even dared to imagine or even hope for.  We will not only be "sinking" under the weight of blessings, but other people will be equally overwhelmed with blessings. 

Reader, if you're hoping for a miracle and you're in a situation that seems hopeless, can you pray this prayer with me? 

"Lord, I too have been fishing all night with no success.  I admit that my way has not been working.  Lord, please come into my boat, into my situation and tell me what it is that you want me to do and because you say so, I will do it.  I will wait in full expectation that you will change my hopeless, barren situation into one that is fruitful and abundant beyond my imagination.  I trust you, Lord.  In Your name I pray, Amen"

Congratulations, you're about to experience a miracle.

majesty

 

Worshipped tonight with my husband. Just our naked voices and my old guitar. This song never ceases to bring me to tears. "His love has found me just as I am, empty handed but alive in your hands".   Beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNjH8QDpBFY

Majesty (Here I Am)

Here I am humbled by your Majesty

Covered by your grace so free

Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man

Covered by the blood of the Lamb

Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine

Since you laid down your life

The greatest sacrifice

Majesty, Majesty

Your grace has found me just as I am

Empty handed, but alive in your hands

Majesty, Majesty

Forever I am changed by your love

In the presence of your Majesty

Here I am humbled by the love that you give

Forgiven so that I can forgive

Here I stand, knowing that I'm your desire

Sanctified by glory and fire

Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine

Since you laid down your life

The greatest sacrifice

Written by Stu Garrard/Martin Smith �2003 Curious?

Delayed

Delayed

"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners a land that is not theirs; . . . they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" (Gen. 15:12-14).

An assured part of God's pledged blessing to us is delay and suffering. A delay in Abram's own lifetime that seemed to put God's pledge beyond fulfillment was followed by seemingly unendurable delay of Abram's descendants. But it was only a delay: they "came out with great substance." The pledge was redeemed.

God is going to test me with delays; and with the delays will come suffering, but through it all stands God's pledge: His new covenant with me in Christ, and His inviolable promise of every lesser blessing that I need. The delay and the suffering are part of the promised blessing; let me praise Him for them today; and let me wait on the Lord and be of good courage and He will strengthen my heart. --C. G. Trumbull

Unanswered yet the prayer your lips have pleaded
In agony of heart these many years?
Does faith begin to fail? Is hope departing?
And think you all in vain those falling tears?
Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer;
You shall have your desire sometime, somewhere.

Unanswered yet? Nay do not say ungranted;
Perhaps your work is not yet wholly done.
The work began when first your prayer was uttered,
And God will finish what He has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there,
His glory you shall see sometime, somewhere.

Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered,
Her feet are firmly planted on the Rock;
Amid the wildest storms she stands undaunted,
Nor quails before the loudest thunder shock.
She knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer,
And cries, "It shall be done" -- sometime, somewhere.
--Miss Ophelia G. Browning
 

beautiful brokenness

O break my heart;

but break it as a field

Is by the plough up-broken for the corn;

O break it as the buds, by green leaf seated,

Are, to unloose the golden blossom, torn;

Love would I offer unto Love's great Master,

Set free the odor, break the alabaster.

O break my heart; break it victorious God,

That life's eternal well may flash abroad;

O let it break as when the captive trees,

Breaking cold bonds, regain their liberties;

And as thought's sacred grove to life is springing,

Be joys, like birds, their hope,

Thy victory singing.

--Thomas Toke Bunch

Watcher of men

 

Just a quick thought today.  Something that I don't want to forget or let go of, so what better way than to write it down. 

Sometimes when we're going through a really difficult time, we're tempted to think that He just doesn't care.  Sometimes I imagine him sitting on his throne in heaven just too busy to think about me and maybe at a passing glance He sees me and then remembers me.  Sometimes I think that God has sticky notes posted everywhere saying, "remember to do something about Anna's problem".   Like He has to constantly remind Himself of me.  My prayers just drip with this belief -begging Him to have compassion on me and to help me during this trial.   

How incredibly and profoundly wrong this is.  It is unbelief at it's core.  The following verses have made me realize more and more that He is a God who watches my every move, sees my every tear and nothing is happening to me that He didn't already know about even before I was born. 

^{Job  7}

¹⁷ "What is man that you make so much of him,
       that you give him so much attention,

 ¹⁸ that you examine him every morning
       and test him every moment?

 ¹⁹ Will you never look away from me,
       or let me alone even for an instant?

Psalm 56

 ⁸ You keep track of all my sorrows.^[a]
      You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
      You have recorded each one in your book. 

 Psalm 139

¹ O LORD, you have searched me
       and you know me.

 ² You know when I sit and when I rise;
       you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 ³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
       you are familiar with all my ways.

 ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD.

 ⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon me.

 ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
       too lofty for me to attain.

Everything has been sifted through His hands.  He is in control.  He is sovereign, He loves us so much more than we can possibly even imagine.   He never takes His gaze away from us!  He's there in the morning when we wake and there at night when we go to bed.   I bet you sometimes He even watches us sleep - looking on like a loving parent with an adoring gaze.  He has good thoughts about us.  He has loving thoughts.  He thinks of ways that He can bless us.  

Thank-you Lord.  You are good to me.

 

Prayer for a sad day

Lord, help me to hang on today.  I know that if i can just get through today, tomorrow will be ok.  Let your grace and mercy come over me.  Help me to just to put one foot in front of the other.  Help me not to let go - of your love, your promises, my hope, my faith, my knowledge that no matter what you are good; the truth that you are working all things for good; the fact that you have a beautiful plan.  Help me not to lean on my own understanding but to trust in You with all my heart.  Even though I can't see the end, can you reassure me today that there will indeed be an end?  That even though sorrow may last for the night, you promised that joy will come with the morning.  

Despite my sadness, thank-you Lord for this journey.  Thank-you Lord that you are infinitely bigger than my sadness and  what I can comprehend.   Thank-you that that you have stored up blessings for me and that your goodness will follow me all the days of my life.   Thank-you that I will see your goodness in the land of the living.  Thank-you most of all for the cross.  Let not my pain ever overshadow my wonderment and awe of the cross and the inheritance that I have because of it.   

In your name I pray,

Amen.  

no longer downcast

1 Samuel 1

 15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief."

 17 Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."

 18 She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

 

I’ve been meditating on this passage for a while – specifically the last line.  After Hannah prayed and ate something, she was “no longer downcast”. 

 This fact, this one line describing the state of her being after she prayed implies so much.  It implies that she trusted God to answer her prayer – so much so that she was no longer downcast.  We’re talking about a woman who at one point couldn’t eat because of her grief; a woman who “in bitterness of soul” wept and prayed to the Lord; a woman who described herself as being “deeply troubled”.  But after she poured out her request to God peace enveloped her.  Hannah was confident that her prayer would be answered because she knew to whom she was praying. 

 She believed that she was praying to a God of compassion, a God who saw her pain and sorrow, and someone who would deliver her.  She knew her God would come through for her.  She was confident of that.  Not because she deserved it or because she did something to deserve it - she was no longer downcast because she knew who her God was.  Knowing who He was, she had nothing to worry about. 

 In the midst of our trial, do we know the kind of God we’re praying to?  Be no longer downcast my fellow reader because He is a God full of compassion and someone who is waiting and willing to intervene in your circumstances.  Let’s do as Hannah did – know your God.  Then in your knowing of Him, trust Him.  

 1 Samuel 2

 ¹ Then Hannah prayed and said:
       "My heart rejoices in the LORD;
       in the LORD my horn [a] is lifted high.
       My mouth boasts over my enemies,
       for I delight in your deliverance.

In the blazing furnace

A few months have passed since I've written anything.  Perhaps it's because lately I've been on "survival mode".  No revelations seems to have been illuminating my path.  I've been walking this journey day by day and and eating the manna of God's word to survive and to keep on going. 

And then the other day I got one - a revelation, that is.   He has been telling me over and over that He's here with me.  Isaiah 43 states, "Even when you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned...do not be afraid for I am with you"  A truth that should comfort me, but I can sense my spirit quip back, "If you're here with me then why am I hurting so much?" 

Then, the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego quickly came to mind.  I wondered why God didn't choose to just quench the fire of the blazing furnace they were thrown into. The Spirit led me to realize that it was because God wanted them to experience Him in the fire.  I realized that only walking with Him in the fire will give you a deeper, more profound revelation and experience of Him.

Then I thought of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and how transformed they must have been after that experience.  When they were pulled out of the furnace they didn't even smell of smoke!  They experienced Him profoundly in that blazing furnace - they experienced Him as the most awesome, incredible, glorious, loving God!  Not only that but even the most stubborn of hearts who witnessed this miracle were changed!

He's here with me!  He's here!  He's here with me in the fire.  I have and am experiencing Him in ways that I never would have if he had quenched this blazing furnace. I know that one day when I get out of here that there will be no smell of smoke on me.  All you'll detect is a changed heart and love and trust for Him that is unshakeable.  It's been His love and mercy that has chosen not to quench this fire.  He's here with me...His presence, His unfailing love, His promises are all I need in this place. 

Thank-you Father that you are burning in my heart a deep dependence on you.  You're all I need. 

 

Daniel 3:

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ¹⁸ But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

 

Isaiah 43:

 ¹⁰ See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
       I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

 

rough roads and god's glory

“The Lord our God hath shewed us his glory.”

Deuteronomy 5:24

God’s great design in all his works is the manifestation of his own glory. Any aim less than this were unworthy of himself. But how shall the glory of God be manifested to such fallen creatures as we are? Man’s eye is not single, he has ever a side glance towards his own honour, has too high an estimate of his own powers, and so is not qualified to behold the glory of the Lord. It is clear, then, that self must stand out of the way, that there may be room for God to be exalted; and this is the reason why he bringeth his people ofttimes into straits and difficulties, that, being made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God when he comes forth to work their deliverance. He whose life is one even and smooth path, will see but little of the glory of the Lord, for he has few occasions of self-emptying, and hence, but little fitness for being filled with the revelation of God. They who navigate little streams and shallow creeks, know but little of the God of tempests; but they who “do business in great waters,” these see his “wonders in the deep.” Among the huge Atlantic-waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of Jehovah, because we feel the littleness of man. Thank God, then, if you have been led by a rough road: it is this which has given you your experience of God’s greatness and lovingkindness. Your troubles have enriched you with a wealth of knowledge to be gained by no other means: your trials have been the cleft of the rock in which Jehovah has set you, as he did his servant Moses, that you might behold his glory as it passed by. Praise God that you have not been left to the darkness and ignorance which continued prosperity might have involved, but that in the great fight of affliction, you have been capacitated for the outshinings of his glory in his wonderful dealings with you.

-charles spurgeon-