Many times we find ourselves attempting to solve today's problems with yesterday's remedies. Have you ever noticed that grandmom's remedy for the diagnosed upper respiratory infection only suppresses the flu like symptoms we have for that first night. Until we go to the doctor and he gives us a prescription that actually destroys the developed infection, mucous, and phlegm. I believe this is because viruses are not the same types of viruses that our fore-parents experienced in the past; in other words, there is a new virus out there that only drugs and prayer can cure.
Well, in John 6, when Jesus feeds five thousand people five loaves of bread and two pieces of fish, Jesus makes the claim that this bread, that He gives, is directly from heaven; and the manna in which the Israelites ate in the desert did not sustain their lives. Jesus' claim is powerful and it causes a major disruption with the Jewish custom and tradition of reaping the grace of God. The Pharisaic attitude against Jesus feeding those people bread would not have been so bad if Jesus did not say that, "I AM the bread of life, and the bread that I give will not cause death." Jesus' statement went against the Mosaic dispensation of law, tradition, and understanding of God's grace. Jesus' statement was an infringement against the old belief system and a new form of reaping eternal. The Pharisees held, that act of grace, sending manna to the Israelites, as a monumental and pivotal interaction with God during the time of Israel's need. Therefore, for Jesus to say that only His bread is able to give life, and the old manna given to their forefathers caused death was a direct insult to how God delivered the Israelites from the hand of Pharaoh and the Egyptian rule.
However, what Jesus said meant a lot more than denouncing what God had done for the Israelites. Jesus was, on another level, telling the Pharisees and disciples that their traditional way of reaping favor, grace, truth, power, and peace would not sustain them. In fact, their traditional way of reaping favor, salvation, atonement, and reconciliation would not work any longer, and nor does it sustain life. Boldly, Jesus stated that the only way anyone can have life is if they feed off of the flesh of the Bread of Life. In addition, Jesus was also teaching the disciples and Pharisees that the traditions of their forefathers would not sustain their salvation. This did not mean that there was a new salvation, but there was a better way of receiving salvation; that way is only Jesus Christ.
The Pharisees show us how we perceive reality when it is time for changes to become manifest in our lives. You and I cannot be under the false impression that our old ways of doing things, or traditional ways of receiving results will sustain us; it just will not happen. I prophetically announce to you that there is a better way of accomplishing this task that the Lord has led you into experiencing. The better way is the Kingdom way, and this Kingdom way will preserve and sustain you in a manner in which the traditional ways could not sustain and promote life. You cannot continue to look to old songs to deliver you from this new bondage-like experience. You must sing unto the Lord new songs, you must learn new Scriptures on top of the old Scriptures. You must seek the Lord for a new way of accomplishing the goals that He has set before you. You cannot put old wine into new wine skins!
Case in point: let us look at Psalm 84.10; "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents wickedness." This Psalm has much to do with the time we can spend in the presence of God, and everyone is singing this song that D. Hobbs sung so well; depending on who you ask. However, Psalm is not only based on spending a day in the presence of Jehovah versus a thousand, but it also has everything to do with accepting duties and responsibilities God gave the sons of Korah; Korah is a clan within the Levitical tribe. What happened was Korah, Dathan, and Abiram became jealous of Aaron and Moses because of their power and position. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram decided to rebel against Moses and Aaron and usurp their power and authority. Since their behavior was ungodly, God decided to kill them in their tents where they dwelled. Aaron and Moses had a major responsibility to fulfill a task for God and the Israelite kingdom, and Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were only doorkeepers. Like any human being that does not have power, but observes the actions of people toward people of power, humans get jealous and seek to gain power. Most of the time, people go about obtaining this power through deception, dissension, and rebellion. When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were struck down by the wrath of God, the sons of Korah decided to rebel against the rebellion of their fathers. In other words, the sons of Korah decided to be secure in their simple, but important position that God appointed them and anointed them to accomplish for the Israelite kingdom. Although there are many lessons we can learn from this situation, whomever wrote this particular song in the 84th chapter of Psalms, they decided to expose their attitude by saying that I rather serve in the Lord's house as a doorkeeper, as opposed to seek high positions and repeat the fruitless deeds of their fore-parents that God judged as wickedness.
The Lord is saying, "You must be secure with where I place you, what I give you to use, and how I command you to use it. It is not your anointing, says the Spirit of Truth. The anointing that I have given to you belongs to Me and it is only a loan. Do not fall into the traditional way of utilizing the anointing that I have given you, says the Lord, as your fore-parents have attempted to do." The Lord says, that I am giving myself to you in a different way and a better way than the way I have given to your fore-parents for this is a different dispensation for you. This is still the year of the Lord's favor, and my favor is requiring you to not repeat the same methodologies, ideologies, and philosophies to accomplish tomorrow's window of abundance and prosperity.
I pray that this blog excels you forward in the direction that the Lord is taking you, and I also pray that all generational curses of fruitlessness be broken in the name of Jesus. I pray that you find hope and encouragement to move on and not to become stagnant. For the world is eagerly awaiting in eager expectation for the sons and daughters of God. Remember you are a son and daughter of God with a rich inheritance! God bless you!
In Christ,
Servant of the Lord,
Donald W. Williams II
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
You Can Have Whatever You Like
Wow, I have not submitted an entry in quite some time now, but I am honored and excited to share this revelation with you this day. Last night as I was reading the book of John, chapters 14, 15, and 16, and I noticed that when Jesus explicated his betrayal, death, and resurrection, Jesus made many promises. I was not amazed that Jesus made so many promises, but I was more so amazed because one promise Jesus made occurred a total of six times. When analyzing the text, readers can identify the amount of times Jesus makes this particular promise, and readers can also observe how often Jesus made this promise within and between other eschatological signs in which the disciples should anticipate. The promise that occurred six times within these three chapters state, "Whatever you ask of me, in my Name, I will give it to you."
My issue with this promise is not necessarily how often it was declared, but my interest is intrigued with the reason why Jesus had to say this so many times within one overall textual and eschatological thought. In a sense, this eschatological discourse of Jesus' physical time spent with the disciples before Jesus would be examined, can possibly be similar to the departing words of a father on his death bed departing from his sons and daughters; or the departing words of a husband that has to go off to a war that has a high death/risk alert; or a mother that has to sell her children for her children's longevity of life. Imagine yourself in a situation where someone that is the most important, most loved, most honored, and most revered person in your life encountering the arduous task of telling you that they will depart from you; and your faith and trust in this person is does not strongly and willingly yield to their promise that is nearly impossible to accomplish. It is hearing the promise says, "Although I am away from you, you can ask me for anything and I will give it you; and I am also going to come back for you."
The reality is that humanity does not have a confidence in humanity to believe that once one is gone then they will come back. Secondly, humanity can not give anyone anything that they would ever want or need. The reality is that humans are not capable of fulfilling these two promises because anything could happen. However, this is what separates Jesus from humanity; Jesus can fulfill promises as if promises did not have a possibility to fail. This dynamism of Jesus' promise is so incredible and impeccable because Jesus had to repeat his promise many times in order for the disciples to truly believe that Jesus would grant whatever they needed. There are a few dimensions to the dynamism of Jesus' promise: 1) Because humanity flawlessly, consistently, and victoriously fails humanity with unachievable promises, empty philosophies, and endless assurances, humanity is immune to reneged promises; therefore causing disbelief; 2) Because Jesus understood that humanity has been flawlessly, consistently, and victoriously failed by neglected and failed promises, and in addition, Jesus also understands this phenomena, Jesus must repeat His assurances to us because we do not understand Christ's reality of time; and 3) Because of the many events that can occur in a span of time, human's attention is often diverted to other areas of life that may detract the attention away from Christ; therefore, we must constantly listen to what Christ is constantly attempting to tell us.
This dynamism can pose a challenge to making adjustments to our lifestyles and daily prayer lives. One challenge that Jesus' statement presents is the misunderstanding of believing that Christ's children can have anything that they have ever desired to obtain. This is not what Christ is saying! Christ is stating that as long as His children remain in Him and He remains in His children, then His children can ask for anything and it will be accomplished for them. Our requests, petitions, and desires that are asked of Christ must be what Christ wants; and not what we want. Sometimes Christians ask God to do things in their lives that are totally in disagreement with what Christ wants for them. In other words, when our desires are Christ's desires, when our wants are Christ's wants, when our ways are Christ's ways, then we can ask for anything and Jesus will supply those things that are requested. We are only able to accurately request and petition our desires to God when we confidently know what Christ wants for us; sometimes Christ is just waiting to give us what we need, but only when we ask for the right thing at the right time.
When Christ's wants are our wants and our wants are Christ's wants we are able to freely ask Christ for whatever we like and want. Yes, it is possible to have whatever you like. The rapper, T.I. poetically versed, what I call a dirge for humanity, when he lied and said that, "you could have whatever you like." This is not true and because T.I. spoke an untruth that is what makes it a dirge; it is the beginning of death one's life of dreams and fantasy. The world cannot give you whatever you like especially if Christ's wants, desires, needs, and agenda is your agenda, needs, wants, and desires.
The next adjustment that must be made with understanding the dynamism of Christ's promise is the adjustment in your prayer life. In this text, John 14, 15, and 16, Jesus is speaking, and very rarely do a couple of the disciples say anything. My point is that Jesus spoke in John 14, 15, and 16, but Jesus is still speaking, and you are not listening to some of his repetitive promises He is making. Sometimes, your prayer life is as such that you approach the throne and bow before the Lord just rambling at the mouth. The question that I pose is this: Since when have you seen a servant approach the throne of a king and the king is doing the listening to the servant? In order for the servant to know what chores need to be accomplished, that servant must approach the kings throne with open ears and a good level of comprehension. We must listen to the promises of Christ so that we are able to confidently function in this world that is managed by the prince of darkness and evil rulers/spirits in high places. You cannot have whatever you like if you are constantly talking. Notice, pimps do not like their women to talk too much because it would be an indictment of the pimp's power over his women. Most managers do not like for their employees to talk too much because it is a direct offense against their power.
When you want what Christ wants for you, and you ask, Jesus will give whatever you ask! Yes, this is a promise that the world cannot achieve. This is a promise that your husband, wife, brother, best friend, cousin, grand mom, baby father, baby mother, ant, grand dad, or anyone in this world can achieve. Only Christ can accomplish His promise! I love this beautiful poetic prophetic utterance of Isaiah,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
My issue with this promise is not necessarily how often it was declared, but my interest is intrigued with the reason why Jesus had to say this so many times within one overall textual and eschatological thought. In a sense, this eschatological discourse of Jesus' physical time spent with the disciples before Jesus would be examined, can possibly be similar to the departing words of a father on his death bed departing from his sons and daughters; or the departing words of a husband that has to go off to a war that has a high death/risk alert; or a mother that has to sell her children for her children's longevity of life. Imagine yourself in a situation where someone that is the most important, most loved, most honored, and most revered person in your life encountering the arduous task of telling you that they will depart from you; and your faith and trust in this person is does not strongly and willingly yield to their promise that is nearly impossible to accomplish. It is hearing the promise says, "Although I am away from you, you can ask me for anything and I will give it you; and I am also going to come back for you."
The reality is that humanity does not have a confidence in humanity to believe that once one is gone then they will come back. Secondly, humanity can not give anyone anything that they would ever want or need. The reality is that humans are not capable of fulfilling these two promises because anything could happen. However, this is what separates Jesus from humanity; Jesus can fulfill promises as if promises did not have a possibility to fail. This dynamism of Jesus' promise is so incredible and impeccable because Jesus had to repeat his promise many times in order for the disciples to truly believe that Jesus would grant whatever they needed. There are a few dimensions to the dynamism of Jesus' promise: 1) Because humanity flawlessly, consistently, and victoriously fails humanity with unachievable promises, empty philosophies, and endless assurances, humanity is immune to reneged promises; therefore causing disbelief; 2) Because Jesus understood that humanity has been flawlessly, consistently, and victoriously failed by neglected and failed promises, and in addition, Jesus also understands this phenomena, Jesus must repeat His assurances to us because we do not understand Christ's reality of time; and 3) Because of the many events that can occur in a span of time, human's attention is often diverted to other areas of life that may detract the attention away from Christ; therefore, we must constantly listen to what Christ is constantly attempting to tell us.
This dynamism can pose a challenge to making adjustments to our lifestyles and daily prayer lives. One challenge that Jesus' statement presents is the misunderstanding of believing that Christ's children can have anything that they have ever desired to obtain. This is not what Christ is saying! Christ is stating that as long as His children remain in Him and He remains in His children, then His children can ask for anything and it will be accomplished for them. Our requests, petitions, and desires that are asked of Christ must be what Christ wants; and not what we want. Sometimes Christians ask God to do things in their lives that are totally in disagreement with what Christ wants for them. In other words, when our desires are Christ's desires, when our wants are Christ's wants, when our ways are Christ's ways, then we can ask for anything and Jesus will supply those things that are requested. We are only able to accurately request and petition our desires to God when we confidently know what Christ wants for us; sometimes Christ is just waiting to give us what we need, but only when we ask for the right thing at the right time.
When Christ's wants are our wants and our wants are Christ's wants we are able to freely ask Christ for whatever we like and want. Yes, it is possible to have whatever you like. The rapper, T.I. poetically versed, what I call a dirge for humanity, when he lied and said that, "you could have whatever you like." This is not true and because T.I. spoke an untruth that is what makes it a dirge; it is the beginning of death one's life of dreams and fantasy. The world cannot give you whatever you like especially if Christ's wants, desires, needs, and agenda is your agenda, needs, wants, and desires.
The next adjustment that must be made with understanding the dynamism of Christ's promise is the adjustment in your prayer life. In this text, John 14, 15, and 16, Jesus is speaking, and very rarely do a couple of the disciples say anything. My point is that Jesus spoke in John 14, 15, and 16, but Jesus is still speaking, and you are not listening to some of his repetitive promises He is making. Sometimes, your prayer life is as such that you approach the throne and bow before the Lord just rambling at the mouth. The question that I pose is this: Since when have you seen a servant approach the throne of a king and the king is doing the listening to the servant? In order for the servant to know what chores need to be accomplished, that servant must approach the kings throne with open ears and a good level of comprehension. We must listen to the promises of Christ so that we are able to confidently function in this world that is managed by the prince of darkness and evil rulers/spirits in high places. You cannot have whatever you like if you are constantly talking. Notice, pimps do not like their women to talk too much because it would be an indictment of the pimp's power over his women. Most managers do not like for their employees to talk too much because it is a direct offense against their power.
When you want what Christ wants for you, and you ask, Jesus will give whatever you ask! Yes, this is a promise that the world cannot achieve. This is a promise that your husband, wife, brother, best friend, cousin, grand mom, baby father, baby mother, ant, grand dad, or anyone in this world can achieve. Only Christ can accomplish His promise! I love this beautiful poetic prophetic utterance of Isaiah,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
Christ sits at the throne, waiting for you to approach the throne, to worship Him, but to listen to His voice; for the purpose of you asking for anything and whatever you want so that He can achieve it for you! Go in peace. I pray this blesses you!
In Christ,
Servant of the Lord,
DWWII
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