THE CRISIS OF BIRTHSTOOLS

The Crisis of Birthstools

By Leonard Sweet www.leonardsweet.com


Recently I was asked by a business journal to nominate "the #1 change that would address a major social issue and make society incredibly better."

What would you say? For the Christian there's only one answer, of course. But what do you say to a corporate audience in a consumer culture where, as Rabbi Shmuley Boteach puts it, "Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed [have] been replaced by Andy Wilde, Deepak Chopra, [and] John Gray."

This is the challenge and crisis of preaching every Sunday. How do you lift up the Messiah's message of the cross in the midst of a Mars Hill culture where consumerism is the #1 religion? How do you present the cross as the most powerful metaphor for transforming lives? How do you hand people the Bible and tell them what they're getting--the essential text for solving every crisis out there?

Postmodern culture isn't the first crisis culture. Culture and crisis go together like A&W, A&P, and Abercrombie & Fitch. In Chinese characters, crisis is represented by danger and opportunity. In Hebrew, it's "mash-ber," a word also used for "birthstool," a seat upon which a woman sat as she gave birth.

If ever there was a movement for birthstool creativity, it's now. Of all the leadership arts, creativity and imagination are some of the most "in crisis" in the church. Unfortunately, the postmodern imagination is proving more creative at faking reality than at fixing reality. Compare what you can do with the SimCity cyber game with what we're doing in Harlem, Watts, and other similar cities. We consume in our real lives--even our church lives--and we create in our cyber life.

What if the church were to measure success not by budgets and buildings, but by creativity and imagination? What if society were to measure success, not by the size of bank accounts or biceps, but by the strength of brains and birthstools? A consumer culture is built on earnings, yearnings, and bottom lines. A conceiving culture is built on God's grace where the "top-of-the-lines" in life are given freely, tended conservatively, and distributed liberally. If conception doesn't replace consumption as the primary GNP in the church first, it never will in the wider culture.

The challenge for the church is to give postmodern culture a "witness" to become a place which measures success by its conceivings rather than consumings. Any gospel that says and does otherwise is a product of "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4).

LORD SUPPER?

John Fenn, Lord's Supper?

Hi all,
It was suggested a while back that I write on the subject of The Lord's Supper, and it seems good to share some thoughts along that line today.

Context, context, don't you love it!?
The original Lord's Supper was an intimate meal among Jesus' closest friends the night of his betrayal and arrest.

So the first element is that it was a small part of a meal, evidently towards the end. Sharing food with friends is the most intimate of times, especially in the Oriental culture of the mid-east. It wasn't a ceremony, it wasn't a ritual, it was a meal among friends.

Secondly, John 13 includes Jesus' last teaching on leadership, that of washing the disciples feet.
I don't care for foot washing ceremonies because it has little to do with our western culture today. But in Jesus' time their feet were their mode of transportation, walking everywhere in sandals, and having a pot of water near the door for washing, and with the wealthy, servants to wash a guests' feet, was customary.

I suppose today in the US it would be akin to the apostles driving up to the house in their Chevy's and Fords, and the Lord getting out the garden hose, rags and detergent to wash and detail their cars one by one. Then Peter's response would have been "Not only the mini-van Lord, but also my truck!" :)

But the point of serving one another is not lost. In the home setting of Jesus' day and the house churches today, I think a renewed pledge to serve one another should be made (at least) in the heart at this time, whether spoken or not.

After all, it was during this meal Jesus said "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another as I have loved you. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another." (13:34-35) This love is demonstrated by serving each other.

Thirdly, Paul brings out in I Corinthians 11:24-25 that Jesus said of the bread and wine, "Do this in remembrance of me". This meal and/or part of a meal is done in remembrance of Jesus. It causes us to focus in on that which unites us all, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

During this mealtime Jesus quoted a section right out of a Jewish wedding ceremony in John 14:2-3, which by its very use implies a joyous return one day. The groom would say to the young lady as she accepts his proposal by drinking his cup of wine offered her, usually in the presence of her father and any brothers: "In my Father's house are many places* to live, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, you may be also."

*KJV, 'mansions' instead of 'many places'. The word "mansions" is not in the Greek. Jesus used the Greek word 'abode' or 'dwelling place' used also in verse 23. The translators inserted 'mansion' so King James would not think he would get to heaven and have to live in merely a room in the Father's house, and it's been part of our tradition ever since.

The Last Supper is then also a betrothal ceremony, the establishing of the bride of Christ awaiting the groom's return, and holding a communal meal both in remembrance looking back to the betrothal, as well as looking forward to the wedding day. As such it is a renewal of purity of heart and mind in preparation for that day.

Fourth:
In verse 20-21 Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for not holding the gathering together with each other in someone's home in high enough esteem. He notices that some eat before, some even get drunk - and he says they have their own homes to do that in if they want, but when they come together they should not 'despise' (v22) the church by acting that way.

That's an amazing statement, that a bunch of Spirit filled believers' actions reveal they 'despise' the coming together with other believers and the intimate meal of the Lord's Supper. The Greek word 'despise', 'kataphroneo' (kata-down; pren-the mind) means to 'look down on' or 'think down upon or against'.

It tells us some of the Corinthian believers did not hold their meetings with other believers in each others homes as important, rather they looked down on them and did not esteem them properly. Did they not understand it's a matter of a healthy spiritual life, to re-connect with others on the same spiritual page in true and close friendship?

If I have time
A couple weeks ago while waiting in a car repair shop's lobby, some friends of the owners (who I know are solid Christians) came in and they visited with each other for several moments. As they concluded their visit and said goodbye, the friends said "Maybe we'll make it to church Sunday. We've been working in the garden, and some friends came by for a visit, we've been busy."

I asked Barb as we left, "I wonder why gardening was more important than meeting together with their brothers and sisters in the Lord?"

I think that's a whole other "Weekly Thoughts" subject: Is the problem with the people or what they are, or are not experiencing in their church?

But that will have to wait. Suffice to say that for Paul, in the homes where Christians gathered in and around Corinth, he expected them to hold their gatherings and the sharing of the Lord's Supper in high esteem and priority in their lives.

X-ray time
He also says in verses 27-30 that we therefore are accountable to the Lord concerning the condition of our hearts at this time: "Let a man examine himself".

Amazingly, he also teaches that it can be a moment of healing, for he says because some have not "discerned the Lord's body, for this reason many are weak and sickly among you, and many have died." (v29-30)

I have taught that from the pulpit of a traditional church and have seen people healed on the spot when they are taught this, and I've seen the same in home based churches. But I wonder how much we really grasp the healing power of God, though we acknowledge Jesus' body was broken for us, and by his stripes we were healed. (I Peter 2:24, Mt 8:17, Is 53:4-5)

I've also seen this clear teaching adapted to emotional issues too - Isaiah's words that 'the chastisement of our peace was upon him', can apply to the emotional as well as physical.

If we examine our hearts, and mentally prepare for receiving the Lord's Supper, we can receive emotional and physical healings, as well as healing in terms of reconciliation with others.

Modern practice
There are as many ways of celebrating the Lord's Supper as there are religious schisms in the body of Christ today: Real wine or juice; as a meal or as a separate event; no juice or wine at all but just a pot luck meal; local foods or embracing first century Passover customs; and on it goes.

To me, the Lord's Supper isn't something 'done', it's something experienced that first springs from a desire in one's heart to share intimacy in the Lord with others, something prepared for, yet something that can be prepared for in a matter of seconds by merely getting one's heart and priorities straight.

I don't believe Jesus expected every culture in the world through 2000 years of Christianity to adopt the Passover practices of the first century. He did I think expect us to include the elements he spoke of however, some of which I mentioned above: Part of a meal, a reminder of servant leadership and service to each other, remembrance, a time to be esteemed and respected, and a time of self-examination and healing.

Remember that in their time people were losing their lives regularly for their faith. Celebrating the Lord's Supper focused the seriousness of their faith in Christ and their dependence on each other, as well as reaffirmed the day not too far in the future for many when they would come face to face with the Lord.

Can we allow the Spirit of God to affirm that level of seriousness and commitment in our hearts? I believe so.
If all present will celebrate the Lord's Supper in the right spirit, the presence of the Spirit will celebrate with us.

Some thoughts,
Blessings,
John Fenn
www.iFaithhome.org

Who could hate Jesus?

Who Could Hate Jesus?

By Dudley Hall www.sclm.org


Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their law must be fulfilled: "They hated me without a cause." John 15:23-25 (ESV)
In a politically correct culture, no one admits to hating. It is just not cool to own that kind of negative energy. After all, we are tolerant of everyone and are unwilling to hint that there is a wrong or right. On the other hand, Jesus is not bound by the stifling cords of artificial tolerance. He defines hatred in terms of the choice to reject what is obvious. Those who were impressed with his kindness and wisdom, and enjoyed seeing him perform unusual miracles, yet neglected his claim to be the only way to the Father, HATED him.
They hated him, not because there was no flaw in him, but because there was a fatal flaw in them. They had to pay false witnesses at his trial. There has never been any evidence that he was anything except what he claimed.
Some want to appease him by admitting that he is one of the great religion leaders of all time. That is insulting to the One who is the only fully righteous man who ever lived, and the only one whose death paid the eternal penalty of mankind's sin. He will not be patronized. He cannot be grouped with any other figures of history. He stands alone as the God-Man. You cannot take his teachings and neglect his death and resurrection. He is not one of many viable options. He is the only option if one is to be reconciled to God.
It is popular to believe that one can have an acceptable relationship with God without having to relate to Jesus at all. "God can be found in nature, in art, in science, and in self," they contend. Jesus said that all would have to approach God through him. If one does encounter the revelation of God in creation he or she will fall on his face being aware of his or her need of a mediator. There is no relating to God without a mediator. Someone was required to make atonement for sin. The Father and the Son are one. If you reject one, you reject the other.
The problem is that mankind is infected with what the Bible calls sin. It is the power that energizes independence from God. It operates in fear of God the Father. Afraid that he would impose his order, mankind runs away from the only person who can satisfy the longings of our heart. Fatherless and fearful, we try to define ourselves apart from God. We know he is right in our conscience. We see it in creation. We have heard about it in the Bible, but when all the clues are brought to fruition in the perfect person, and we reject it, that is the sin that dooms.
Jesus told the disciples about this dynamic so that when they were persecuted without a real cause, they would understand. If we are to stand in this culture as witnesses of Christ, we will need to know this. Those who reject his word will reject us as witnesses of his word. But those who hear him will hear us. Our focus is on identifying these people and joining them in the great chorus of praise and obedience.

"Don't Miss the Kingdom! Seize and Take Hold of It!"

"Don't Miss the Kingdom! Seize and Take Hold of It!"
By John Eckhardt www.impactnetwork.net


...I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed...And the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.—Daniel 7:13-14 and 27
Daniel's prophecy refers to an individual called "the Son of man" coming to receive a Kingdom. In verse 13 we lay the foundation concerning the Kingdom of God. Remember, Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Everywhere He went He preached the same message, "Repent for the Kingdom of God," or "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (see Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15). All throughout the Gospels, we find that Jesus' emphasis was on the Kingdom.
Jesus chose twelve men, ordained them as Apostles, and sent them out with that very same message. Preach the Kingdom of God! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out devils. He commanded not only to preach it, but to demonstrate the Kingdom of God. In Luke 10, Jesus appointed 70 others and sent them out two-by-two, telling them the same thing. He told them to go preach and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand and He healed the sick.
The primary reason Jesus came to earth was to inaugurate the Kingdom of God. Often, we hear that the reason Jesus came to the earth was to die on the Cross. Jesus did come to die on the Cross, but that death on the Cross was for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of God.
When the Kingdom Comes to You—
Grab Hold of it!
There were multitudes of people when Jesus preached the message of the Kingdom. Some missed it—others did not. Jesus said, "...the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12). That word "violent" does not refer to a natural violence, but rather refers to a person who has a revelation of the Kingdom and seizes it! They take it by force.
To take by force means to "seize it." When the police come, they seize someone, they take them by force. When the Kingdom comes to you, you need to seize it! You need to take it by force, don't let it go by. If you do, you can miss it. Don't take all the time you want to ponder and decide if you want it. When the Kingdom comes, you have to grab it!
The message of the Kingdom comes to some people and they think about it. They think about it, they examine it, and then it passes them by. Others who have had the Kingdom come to them grasped it. They grasped it because they were desperate. The Gospel was preached primarily to the poor because they were desperate. Jesus said, "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor..." (Luke 4:18). The reason the poor enter the Kingdom of God faster than the rich is because they are desperate. The rich man has to come to the end of himself. The poor are dependent, they are broken, and they need help.
When the good news of the Kingdom of God comes to the poor, they are ready for good news. The poor and sick, the blind, the withered, the lame and demonized all rush into the Kingdom of God. Those were the ones that followed the ministry of Christ. The Bible says that in the days of John the Baptist, the law and the prophets were until John. But since the time of John, the Kingdom of Heaven is preached and every man presses into it (see Luke 16:16). The word "press" represented a crowd pressing to seize the Kingdom.
Jesus went about all the towns and villages preaching the Gospel—the good news. There were crowds of poor, sick, and demonized people. They were considered to be the lowest of society. Yet, they were pressing in, crowding to seize the best news they had ever heard. Even in their state of being—sick, poor, and demonized, they knew they had a revelation that this man Jesus did not come to condemn them. He didn't come to judge them. But He came to bring hope, to bring a Kingdom that is not like the kingdom of the world. It's the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is Greater than the Kingdom of Man
In the book of Daniel, you will discover that Daniel describes the kingdom of men as that of a beast. The nature of man is likened to that of a beast. The number 666 is the number of man; it is the number of the beast. Often, man can behave like beasts. They have the capacity to be cruel, domineering and abusive. Often in lower classes of society, the kingdom of man consists of those who have been rejected, looked down upon and talked about. They are mistreated as if they had no rights, they are despised and taken advantage of.
In the kingdom of man, value is placed by position, power, fame and how much money someone has. The Kingdom of God is the opposite. In God's Kingdom, a person's status, power and name mean nothing. And how much money you have does not impress God. Jesus said, "...it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24).
Jesus was not saying that it is impossible for the rich to enter His Kingdom. But often, when they have power, money, prestige and influence, they also tend to have pride and are not humble. They don't need or depend on anyone, so when the Kingdom comes to them, oftentimes they reason, they ponder and examine, and say within themselves, "I don't need that, I have everything. I have money and houses. I have a nice car, position, fame and power. I'm number one in my own kingdom, in my society." They don't have the revelation or understanding of their need for the Kingdom of God.
The poor who have been oppressed, who are in need of deliverance, those who have been run down are the ones that Jesus came to preach to. These are the ones who pressed into the Kingdom and seized it because they had understanding of their own need. They understood that there is a Kingdom which is higher than the kingdoms that have held them down. A Kingdom that is higher than any political kingdom, religious kingdom, higher than the kingdoms of witchcraft, or even the kingdoms of sickness. Every one of these people who have come to Jesus, they pressed, they believed and SEIZED the Kingdom of God, and they were healed, delivered and set free.
You need to seize His Kingdom—grab it—because if you don't, it will pass right by you! It's amazing how a miracle can be right at your door, and if you don't grab it, it will go right by you. Healing can be right at your door, and if you don't grab it, it will go right by you. We can't sit and look religious—when God shows up, grab Him! Bring Him into your situation. This is not the time to be cool or worry about what your friends and family will say. Recognize your need for healing and deliverance, and your need for the Kingdom of God. Thank God for His Kingdom!
The Kingdom of God is Now—It is Here!
When Jesus came and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, it was not a foreign concept to the people of God—the Jews. They were expecting the Messiah to come with the Kingdom of Heaven. They had the prophecies of "...One coming..." (see Daniel 4:13, 23 and 7:13) spoken by Daniel. So, the Pharisees were looking for the Son of man to come in the clouds of glory to deliver them out of the hands of the Romans. They were looking for the King of Israel.
The Pharisees did not believe that Jesus was The One, but yet they asked Him when the Kingdom would come! Jesus had been preaching that the Kingdom of God had come—that it was here. He preached it then, and preaches it now. The Kingdom of God is now—it is here!
Some may like position, but the Kingdom is not about position. It's not about how anointed you are, how great you are, or what your name is, or whether you are on television or radio. God says to humble yourself and He will exalt you. If you make yourself of no reputation He will promote you. When God promotes you, there is nothing man can do about it. He is the Judge. He puts one down and raises another one up. He is the King in His Kingdom!
Thank God for the Kingdom! Renew your mind; Jesus came to bring a different order. He came to bring a different Kingdom, unlike anything you have ever known. Remove from your mind those things that you are familiar with. Remove from your mind what you see on television, what's on "Entertainment Tonight" or "Hollywood Minute." It doesn't matter who leads or who follows. Take all that out of your mind. That is not the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom is about being humble; it's about serving and loving. It's about being merciful.
We may be so busy in ministry that we miss the Kingdom of God. Jesus did not come to bring ministry—He came to bring the Kingdom! We sing, dance, preach and prophesy, we cast out devils, we travel and have big ministries, we have big churches and still don't know about the Kingdom of God! We know about faith, we know about healing, we know about miracles, about the apostolic and prophetic. We know all about intercession and demons and casting them out. But we don't know about the Kingdom.
Jesus did not come preaching faith or healing. He didn't preach miracles. He preached about the Kingdom of God! Healing, deliverance and faith came to those who seized the Kingdom of God. The foremost thing on God's mind is His Kingdom. Before Jesus Christ returns we're going to get this right. He's not coming back for a messed up Church. He's coming back for a Church without spot or blemish or wrinkle. He is coming back for Kingdom people! He is going to show us what the Kingdom is.
"Heavenly Father, show us, show me Your Kingdom." Do not miss the Kingdom of God.
How to Operate in the Kingdom of God
If you want to operate in this Kingdom you will have to humble yourselves. If you want to operate in this Kingdom you will have to lay some things aside. Lay aside ambition, desire to be seen, position, or lust for power. These are not the Kingdom. Jesus told the Pharisees (remember, the religious people) that the problem is you're looking for some grand event, for the heavens to open up; the Kingdom does not come like that. The Kingdom of God is here and now, because I AM THE KING and you don't see it.
In Luke 17, Jesus says that they would look to the heavens to what Daniel spoke of and they will say, "When are you coming back?" Your eyes have been focused up in the heavens, but right here in front of you is the Kingdom of God.
It's the same today. People look up to Heaven looking for something to happen, when God is saying, "My Kingdom is right here, right now." When you hear the Gospel of the Kingdom of God—seize it! Grab hold of it and press toward it. Don't miss it!

He Could Not Be Hidden

He Could Not Be Hidden
by Chip Brogden
“And [Jesus] entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden” (Mark 7:24b).
The ultimate purpose and intention of God is to increase Christ and decrease everything else so that Christ may be ALL IN ALL. John the Baptist stated this quite succinctly when he summed up God’s Eternal Purpose with those seven simple words: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
We must see that everything God has done, everything God is doing, and everything God will do is for the purpose of INCREASING Jesus and DECREASING everything that is not of Him.
This principle is so powerful that it makes no difference if you agree with it, understand it, believe it, or like it. He MUST increase; therefore, He WILL increase and HE IS increasing. At the same time, I MUST decrease, therefore I WILL decrease, and I AM decreasing.
This is a spiritual law, and it is working as we speak. For the Christian who is seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness this is wonderful news. For selfish, carnal Christians it is a frightening thing, this talk of losing your life and taking up your Cross and denying yourself. That is why you hear so much about spiritual power and so little about spiritual brokenness.
“He must increase.” When we look at the earthly ministry of Jesus we see that He did not seek to increase Himself. He actually humbled Himself and tried to be inconspicuous. Even so, when He tried to hide Himself, He could not be hidden. I want you to think about that. When God was ready to reveal Him then He could not be hidden. He could not even hide Himself.
I tell you, this idea of Christ increasing is the most powerful reality in this universe! Nothing can stand before it, nothing can resist it, nothing can stop it.
Here is an amazing fact: the Bible says that we carry this Treasure (Jesus) within earthen vessels. In other words, the Living Christ indwells us now. We are His House, His Temple, His Dwelling Place, His Body. I doubt if we really comprehend that. Do we really know that we are in Him, and He is in us?
And this Jesus, Who lives in us, Who is ever increasing, cannot be hidden. Think about what that means.
Friend, I don’t know how you first came to the Lord. It may have been a very solemn and peaceful event. It may have been a quiet, personal thing. A lot of preachers will say, “With every head bowed and every eye closed, if you want to give your heart to Jesus, quickly slip your hand up and put it right back down. Praise God, I see your hand! Yes! Yes! Way in the back, I see your hand. Anyone else? Let’s all pray this prayer out loud together.” It may have happened to you like that, and if it did, I am not demeaning or minimizing that at all.
Here is my point: you might have invited Jesus in through the back door of your house while everyone had their eyes closed, and He certainly accepted your invitation to come in. But dear brother, dear sister! He cannot be hidden! He must increase! He is increasing, He is expanding, He is enlarging Himself and stretching you, pushing you, making you more and more uncomfortable. What do I mean? I mean that His Kingdom has established itself within you, and the borders of that Kingdom are ever increasing. He cannot be hidden!
The subtitle of a book I read once is called, “The Illusion of A Manageable Deity.” It comes against the idea of being able to control God, to manipulate Him with a certain way of praying or singing. It challenges the notion that God is an all-powerful good luck charm that we can put in our back pocket. It is an illusion, yes, and more than an illusion - it is a deception and a fantasy. He cannot be managed, He cannot be controlled, He cannot be contained, He cannot be hidden!
I am thinking of pastors who see the truth but are afraid to speak out because it will upset their congregation and cost them a paycheck.
I am thinking of those in leadership positions who see the truth but are afraid to speak out because it will cost them their place on the worship team, the youth group, the Sunday school, or the deacon board.
I am thinking of precious brothers and sisters sitting in church who see the truth but are afraid to speak out because they might be asked to leave and they think they have nowhere else to go.
I am thinking of apostles, prophets, and evangelists who see the truth but are afraid to speak out because no one will ask them to come minister anymore and no one will send them their offerings.
How long are you going to deny the truth and be in bondage to the fear of man? How long are you going to resist the Lord and His inevitable increasing? Deny the truth long enough and you start losing your ability to tell the truth.
There is only one thing to do: stop wrestling with God like Jacob and start cooperating with God like Daniel. If it means the lion’s den then so be it. If it means the fiery furnace then so be it. “Our God is able to deliver us… but even if He does not, we will never bow down to your idol. Never! Never! Never!”
Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night. He probably thought that would be the wisest, safest thing to do. What if his colleagues back in the Sanhedrin found out? No need to risk being seen with Jesus during the day! Well Jesus, I know you’re from God, and I know you’re speaking the truth, but can we please keep our meeting a secret?
And then there was Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but “secretly, for fear of the Jews”. He and Nicodemus (that other secret disciple we just talked about) came to get the Lord’s body after He was crucified. Later we find all the disciples assembled behind closed doors “for fear of the Jews”. Midnight meetings with secret disciples behind locked doors! That is how the Church started out. It doesn’t sound very promising, does it?
I want you to know that Jesus just appeared right there in the midst of them. Had He knocked on the door they would have been too afraid to open it. So He just walked right through the wall. He cannot be stopped, He cannot be killed, He cannot be hidden!
“Peace be with you! Stop being afraid. Stop doubting. Believe! Do you understand that I cannot be hidden? I have not called you to be secret disciples. I did not give you Light to see you try and hide it under a basket. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. My Father’s Kingdom is expanding, and I need you to go disciple the nations and prepare them for Heaven on Earth, a world where Righteousness dwells. Now go into all the world and bring them this message: I am coming soon!”
And so, a few weeks later, when Peter and John were told not to speak anymore in this Wonderful Name, they said, “We cannot HELP but speak the things we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Isn’t that a miracle? What a powerful testimony. He cannot be hidden!
If God can find a man or a woman who will give Him the preeminence and will give Him the freedom to increase then there is no limit to what God can do through that yielded vessel. And if He can find a handful of people like that then He will use them to turn the world upside down. It has happened once before and I am positive that it can happen again.
The Father is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH. Has He found what He is looking for in you? Will you be the one? Will you be the chosen?
Jesus is Truth, and Truth is living, breathing, expanding, and growing. Once you open the door and Jesus enters your house it is only a matter of time before He is discovered. He could not be hidden then, and He cannot be hidden now.