Acts 1:6-8
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” NKJV
May 21,2012 is coming! So is May 22nd, so what? Harold Camping and his Family Radio disciples apparently are unaware of this passage of scripture. People all over are witnesses of Camping's prediction, instead of being witnesses of Messiah and His authority and power.
#1 No one knows the times and seasons. For years, there have been those "know-it-alls" who set a date for Messiah's return, all of them have been wrong. I wish they would stop trying to date his return and focus on Messiah Himself. Makes you wonder why Harold Camping is up to this again.
#2 The second thing Yeshua (Jesus) says is about receiving the power of Holy Spirit. We could use a whole lot more of the Spirit's power in our world and a lot less silliness. Predicting Messiah's return is vanity.
#3 We are commanded to be witnesses of the Messiah after being filled with the Holy Spirit. This means we are to speak under His control and anointing, not out of the flesh. Someone has said, to be filled with the Spirit isn't like a cup being filled with water; that doesn't accomplish anything. To be filled with the Spirit is like a sail on a sail boat being filled with wind; it is moved in a direction.
Let us focus on Messiah and ask to be filled anew with His Spirit so that we can be His witnesses in power, wherever He directs us.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Joseph - His Dreams and Inspired Vision
You can read about Joseph's dreams and the fulfilment of those dreams in Genesis 37, 39-45.
Joseph had several prophetic dreams about his future. The dreams were specific to him and his family. His dreams about the sheaves of wheat (Genesis 37: 7) and about the sun, moon and stars bowing down to his star (Genesis 37:9) spoke of him having authority and leadership over the family. Joseph in his youthful excitement, shares this good news with his family, but his family didn't share his enthusiasm. He didn't understand that sharing that dream wasn't going to make it happen. He felt like he had to anounce it.
I once had someone with a prophetic gift give me a word that I was to be a shepherd to the outcast and downtrodden. I immediately put my mind to work to have that word direct what I was to do with my life. It didn't work that way; I went nowhere with it. Years later I found myself as the leader of a singles ministry, where I had the heart of a shepherd to care for those who attended our activities. Then the prophetic word came back to mind; I was walking in that anointing without even recognizing it.
When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:28) his dreams did not die; they matured. Joseph never spoke again of taking authority, he just began taking responsibility. His leadership skills and his responsible behavior gained him favor. More responsibility and authority were given to him as a result. He flourished in the middle of slavery and imprisonment. His circumstances, though cruel and unfair had no impact on his dreams.
Joseph's dreams were at last fulfilled after 13 years of faithfulness. When Joseph was called out of prison to interpret the Pharoah's dream (Genesis 41) Joseph trusted in G-d's provision of wisdom and answers to dreams. He had interpreted the dreams of others and he had seen them come true, but his own dreams had not yet been fulfilled. When he revealed the interpretation to Pharoah, he included his assessment of what needed to be done. He demonstrated to Pharoah his wisdom, understanding and ability to handle responsibility. He had spoken with authority to the King of Egypt, where he was only a slave. So impressed was Pharoah that he was freed from prison and slavery, on that very day he was placed in authority over all of Egypt.
Joseph had dreams of authority and leadership, but in the beginning he only thought of leading his family. Later Joseph learned that G-d had a bigger plan. When the famine spread to Canaan, his family came as strangers to Egypt and bowed before their brother, fulfilling the dream. By this time Joseph had learned that authority was really about power, it was about responsibility.
Joseph had several prophetic dreams about his future. The dreams were specific to him and his family. His dreams about the sheaves of wheat (Genesis 37: 7) and about the sun, moon and stars bowing down to his star (Genesis 37:9) spoke of him having authority and leadership over the family. Joseph in his youthful excitement, shares this good news with his family, but his family didn't share his enthusiasm. He didn't understand that sharing that dream wasn't going to make it happen. He felt like he had to anounce it.
I once had someone with a prophetic gift give me a word that I was to be a shepherd to the outcast and downtrodden. I immediately put my mind to work to have that word direct what I was to do with my life. It didn't work that way; I went nowhere with it. Years later I found myself as the leader of a singles ministry, where I had the heart of a shepherd to care for those who attended our activities. Then the prophetic word came back to mind; I was walking in that anointing without even recognizing it.
When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:28) his dreams did not die; they matured. Joseph never spoke again of taking authority, he just began taking responsibility. His leadership skills and his responsible behavior gained him favor. More responsibility and authority were given to him as a result. He flourished in the middle of slavery and imprisonment. His circumstances, though cruel and unfair had no impact on his dreams.
Joseph's dreams were at last fulfilled after 13 years of faithfulness. When Joseph was called out of prison to interpret the Pharoah's dream (Genesis 41) Joseph trusted in G-d's provision of wisdom and answers to dreams. He had interpreted the dreams of others and he had seen them come true, but his own dreams had not yet been fulfilled. When he revealed the interpretation to Pharoah, he included his assessment of what needed to be done. He demonstrated to Pharoah his wisdom, understanding and ability to handle responsibility. He had spoken with authority to the King of Egypt, where he was only a slave. So impressed was Pharoah that he was freed from prison and slavery, on that very day he was placed in authority over all of Egypt.
Joseph had dreams of authority and leadership, but in the beginning he only thought of leading his family. Later Joseph learned that G-d had a bigger plan. When the famine spread to Canaan, his family came as strangers to Egypt and bowed before their brother, fulfilling the dream. By this time Joseph had learned that authority was really about power, it was about responsibility.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Timing is EVERYTHING! - Mordecai's story
The book of Esther is filled with tales of courage, treachery and good timing. When Mordecai hears of Haman's plot to annihilate the Jewish people, he tells his cousin Haddassah (Esther) that she must take action for "who knows whether you have come into the kingdom for such a TIME as this." Esther's rise to the throne coincided with the rise of Haman and his hatred of the Jews.
Esther asks for a TIME of fasting (and prayer) and she would go to the king unrequested. Esther waits for the right TIME to tell the king of the danger she is in. Meanwhile, G-D is at work.
In the middle of this story Mordecai plays an important role in saving the life of the king from an assassination plot against him. Nothing happens good or bad to Mordecai, so life goes on. Later on between Esther's two banquets, when Haman has made plans to hang Mordecai on gallows he has built, the king discovers that Mordecai has never been honored for his service and now is the TIME to do it. Haman is chosen to honor Mordecai, which is the beginning of a very long day for Haman.
If Mordecai had been honored at the TIME of his service to the king, the impact of Esther's plea would not have been as convincing. Sometimes we have to wait a long TIME to receive the honor, benefits or fruits of our labors. We may see others rise while things appear static for us. Joseph saw many come and go from his prison for thirteen years until he was called out of prison and became second in command over Egypt.
We must trust our TIME to G-D, and continue to serve. Blessings, deliverance, healings and all kinds of answers to prayer come in TIME.
Esther asks for a TIME of fasting (and prayer) and she would go to the king unrequested. Esther waits for the right TIME to tell the king of the danger she is in. Meanwhile, G-D is at work.
In the middle of this story Mordecai plays an important role in saving the life of the king from an assassination plot against him. Nothing happens good or bad to Mordecai, so life goes on. Later on between Esther's two banquets, when Haman has made plans to hang Mordecai on gallows he has built, the king discovers that Mordecai has never been honored for his service and now is the TIME to do it. Haman is chosen to honor Mordecai, which is the beginning of a very long day for Haman.
If Mordecai had been honored at the TIME of his service to the king, the impact of Esther's plea would not have been as convincing. Sometimes we have to wait a long TIME to receive the honor, benefits or fruits of our labors. We may see others rise while things appear static for us. Joseph saw many come and go from his prison for thirteen years until he was called out of prison and became second in command over Egypt.
We must trust our TIME to G-D, and continue to serve. Blessings, deliverance, healings and all kinds of answers to prayer come in TIME.
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