Category Archives: Receiving Revelation

Beware of “A Total Eclispe of the Heart”

28 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?   Mark 4:10-13

      Hey, did you catch this last question of Jesus to His closest followers?  He is basically asking them if they understand what He is talking about in the parable.  Do they know the meaning of His words?  Well, if they are supposed to know the meaning, we too are supposed to know the meaning.  The caveat is if we fail to understand the meaning of this particular parable, we will fail to understand the rest of Jesus’ parables.  Wow!  Therefore, if we understand Jesus’ meaning here, we will have the “key” to the rest of His parables.  I am ready to pay close attention! 

      Do you understand the meaning of this parable… without Jesus’ help?  Being honest here, for years I only understood the superficial meaning of this parable.  One day the Lord told me to take a closer look at verse 13.  Once I began to apply the whole parable to myself personally, the whole meaning of Jesus’ words changed in my life.  So walk with me for the next few blogs and discover the deeper meaning to this parable.  You may just develop a deeper love and appreciation for all the parables.  I did. 

Are You an Insider or Outsider?

      There were two groups of people witnessing Jesus share the word in Mark 4.  The general crowd of people was present to hear Him.  Evidently it was so crowded, Jesus could not operate as easily as He desired.  He instructed His disciples to rig up a boat so that He could teach from the water.  This group heard only the parable.  They were not privy to its interpretation.  The Lord purposefully worked it out this way.  Why?  They were not ready for the full meaning and explanation.  These were the outsiders. Ouch!  We commonly think to ourselves that we are ready for anything the Lord will say.  Not so fast my friend!  For certain groups of people, God’s mysteries will always be a mystery.  Jesus will not “cast His pearls before swine.”  If you find yourself in this category, listen up.  I will help you to find your way out. 

      The other group of folks noted in this story were the insiders.  They were privy to Jesus’ interpretation and given “the mystery of the Kingdom.”  Yeah, I want to be in this group.  Listen…. we can’t just say, “I’m in this group.”  This would be committing the sin of presumption.  Don’t assume anything.  You can absolutely know  the “mysteries of the Kingdom of God.”  How can we know? 

It Is a Matter of the Heart!

     I feel like I’m divulging insider information.  Jesus spoke of these issues often.  The condition of your heart always determines what you can or cannot receive from heaven.  Your heart condition determines everything.  It reveals your spiritual status on a daily basis.  When your heart condition is right, it allows the Lord to give you many other good things.  Likewise, a hard heart stymies revelation and keeps the “mysteries of the Kingdom” from your grasp.  Many start out with a soft heart, but their heart is eclipsed by other loves.  Yikes! 

      NOTE: It is not a matter of being religious, keeping all the rules or knowing specific information about God.  If going to church made you a spiritual person, then the world would be full of them.  Being rightfully aligned to the Lord means the heart needs to be:

  1. Repentant – Always a great place to start.
  2. Given fully to the Lord.
  3. Continuously in the process of being cleansed.
  4. Pure – Empty of other loves.
  5. Treasuring God and the things of God.
  6. In love with the Lord!   

      Now all these thing do not have to accomplished at once, but the heart must in the process of Godly change.  When we are in our process, the Word, the Seed and Revelations of God, can have its best effect.  Are you ready?  The next few blogs we will examine how God’s revelatory word is planted in our lives.  Take a few moments today and give your heart fully to the Lord.  It will change your life! 

Blessings! 

Use It, Or Lose It

23 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”  Matthew 13:11-12

      I hate to see people lose anything.  Whether it is an athletic ability, musical talent, or mental capacity.  There is a phrase we hear bantered around quite often.  It is, “use it or lose it.”  It means if you stop using your ability, talent, or gift atrophy will set in and the gift you once possessed will fade.  It is a slow fade, but a costly one. 

      What is true in the physical world is equally true in the spiritual world as well.  Jesus is seeking to communicate this principle to His disciples.  Except Jesus is not necessarily talking about a talent or ability, but spiritual revelation, wisdom and truth. 

      Maybe you have seen this principle of the Kingdom at work in your life.  A truth you once possessed with great conviction is now a thing of the past.  You used to believe that truth.  You once tried to help others in that area where you had victory, but now you wonder it was ever true. 

      Listen, the mysteries of the Kingdom do not have to be mysteries.  They can once again be self-evident revelations you actually believe and possess.  If you would go back and pick up those precious revelations and allow the Lord to breath new life in them, they will become alive to you just like the day you first discovered them.  You may have lost them because you failed to treat them as holy.  The worse sin is to not repent and correct the issues that now confront you.  The Lord desperately wants to give you fresh revelations of Himself right now so that you will have an abundance of His Kingdom.

Hurdles in Hearing God

14 Sunday Aug 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

      “When one of those who was reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”  Luke 14:15

       There are two main hurdles we must overcome to hear God speak to us.  One is understanding that God constantly speaks.  If you already spend quality time with the Lord every day, then you have jumped this hurdle. 

       The second hurdle is knowing God continually speaks from one reality to a greater reality.  While we do not find meaning in our ordinary circumstances and situations, God does!  He relishes the opportunity to speak from our ordinary, mundane circumstances about greater realities of the Kingdom.  In fact, He does this so often we miss hearing the Lord speak.  While we are waiting for God to move and speak from some mountain top experience, He has spoken a hundred times in the valley of our everyday hardship. 

      Jesus did this constantly.   When Jesus sat down to eat a meal with His disciples or religious leaders, it became more than just a simple meal.  Mealtimes reminded Him of greater Kingdom realities.  In the case of this passage in Luke, it reminded Jesus of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  This is not just “God Speak.”  God is not some parent telling their child to put on a coat before going out in the cold.  When God speaks to you it is the most important event in your life at the moment. 

      Just as Jesus spoke to His followers that day around the table at supper time ,He speaks to us today in the same fashion.  Remember, the Lord is not going to speak to you any differently.  Yesterday’s opportunities are past.  Today is a new day.  Train your ear to hear the Lord’s voice in your everyday experience.  Look for the Lord in the ordinary rather than the extraordinary.

“Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See”

24 Sunday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

“The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness.”      Luke 11:33-35

       No one would purposefully want to be blind.  It usually comes with disease or injury.  You don’t have to convince people they are blind.  They know it.  Spiritual blindness is another issue.  Jesus constantly told people they were blind and needed light in their life. 

      Jesus stated that people do not usually light lamps only to cover them with baskets.  Yet in our spiritual walk we do this activity all the time.  We see truth and shortly thereafter cover-up our revelation.  Suffice it to say, most of the light you have received has been buried or ignored.  God has had to give us the same revelations time and time again. 

     To combat this issue, Jesus informs us that our eyes must be “clear.” This means being singularly devoted in purpose and intent.  Our eyes reflect what’s in our heart.  In addition, if our eyes are dark it is because we view too much evil.  Evil covers or clouds what revelation and truth we do possess.  The more immorality and wickedness we choose to view, the more pervasive our blindness becomes.  Our eyes have appetites like our stomachs.  Whatever we choose to feed our eyes, they crave all the more. 

       Do you want illumination?  Do you want your whole body filled with fresh revelation?  It is possible.  First choose to let the light of God’s revelation in, treasure it, and ask the Lord for more.

The Source of All Revelation

20 Wednesday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”   Matthew 16:15-17

      I am sure at this point in time in his life, Peter had been pondering in his mind and heart the ‘Jesus question’.  Was Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God or not?  Now we find out exactly what Peter believed.  What he did not know was that God the Father had already been at work in his life giving him this revelation.  I am sure it was a shock to Peter to know that God was responsible for giving him this major revelation about Jesus.  In fact, this passage gives us the idea that Peter came to this conclusion on his own, without anyone’s help.  But according to Jesus, “flesh and blood” did not reveal this to him.  

      This is the point of all revelation.  All revelation and spiritual information comes from the Father.  He is the source of it all. 

      Have you ever questioned whether something was of God or man?  Have you ever had a spiritual matter before you which you were trying to discern?  Take Jesus’ words to heart in your own life.  “Flesh and blood” will not help you, but the Creator of the universe will. It is a great comfort to know that God wants to deliver to all His children the knowledge of the truth.  God doesn’t want you groping around for second handed truth.  He wants you to seek Him and He will bless you with first handed spiritual knowledge.  God doesn’t want you to believe what I believe.  He wants you to believe because you discovered it yourself from His very hand.  

       How many of us as siblings liked being told what to do by our brother or sister?  In fact, many siblings simply will not do anything their brother or sister tells them to do.  They will say things like, “I’m not going to do it unless mom or dad tells me.”  Now, can you imagine living in a spiritual world where you never receive any spiritual directions from your Father, only your older bothers and sisters?  Does this sound ridiculous?  Yet, this is true for most Christians.  They only follow flesh and blood. 

      Your Heavenly Father is not trying to keep revelation away from you.  He is trying to speak directly into your heart through your spirit.  Spend some time receiving first hand information from Him today… Revelation Awaits You!

Lord, Speak Plainly

18 Monday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, ,

 His disciples said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.”  John 12:29

      We think it would be a great thing if the Lord spoke plainly to us without pictures, parables, or stories.  But the Lord purposefully injects these types of enhancements so that we might not see or hear so quickly.  The Father wants us to dig a little deeper and search a little longer, so His revelations might mean more to us when we finally discern their full interpretation. 

      The Lord spoke to me one day in this same fashion about the church.  He said, “There is no safety in numbers.”  I knew this was not a biblical quote and it bothered me somewhat that the Lord said it.  All this made me dig outside the scripture with reflection and prayer.  A few days later the Lord added, “The church as a whole huddles together in packs placing their faith and trust in their numbers instead of Me.  Since they believe alike, they believe there is safety in numbers.  They do not want to be judged separately.  This is a false peace.”  

      I knew this type of activity displeased the Lord.  Our comfort and inward peace should not come from the knowledge that we believe as our neighbor believes.  The Lord does not want His children holding a “pack mentality.”  Real comfort, peace, and contentment only comes from personally knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord.  Regardless of the numbers, the Lord wants His children to be able to stand alone. 

      I would not have known these truths had not the Lord spoken, “There is no safety in numbers.”  Ask the Lord today to speak to you any way He chooses.  Revelation awaits!

Revelation: Real Time Spiritual Insight

14 Thursday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

 13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?  Mark 4:13

      The disciple’s didn’t understand Jesus’ parables.  They desperately needed insight and revelation as to what certain key words meant in the simple stories Jesus used.  They needed heaven’s perspective.  Isn’t this what most of us need? 

      Revelation is real-time spiritual insight and knowledge about God, the Bible, yourself, others in the past, present, and future.  In short, revelation is God speaking relevent information we need.  If we are obedient to God’s revelation, it changes everything about us. 

      We search for principles, commandments, and statues in the Scriptures in order to obey them.  We should do this.  But these only tell us where God has been and what He has done in the past.  Revelation tells us where God is going and where we will personally fit into His will.  You need revelation today.  This is why Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” 

      Ask yourself, “Am I receiving relevent, fresh revelation from heaven each day?”  If the answer is “no” – then revelation awaits you.

Walk with Revelation

13 Wednesday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”  John 11:9-10

      “Walk in the light” is spoken numerous times by Jesus. Jesus employs it here to settle His disciples’ nerves.  They are concerned about traveling back into Judea because of the death threats they have already received from Jewish leadership there.  Would the Lord’s words “walk in the light” settle your nerves if you were following Jesus into hostile territory? 

      “Walking in the light” is another way of saying, “Operate within the Father’s known will and work.  It also means you should operate with the revelatory words and knowledge He has already given you.”  Jesus assures His disciples they will not stumble as long as it is day and that daylight is within them.  What have you done with the revelational knowledge the Lord has already given you?  Light is God’s word for revelation and Jesus is the “light of the world.”  He is your first revelation and the source of many others thereafter.  The Lord’s will should never be like “night-time“.  We should never feel like we are groping around in the dark trying to find the blessings of God.  If  you do not have enough revelational knowledge, then by all means seek the Lord so you have all the revelational light you need.   God is not trying to keep revelational knowledge from you.  He is desperately trying to get His word into you.   Spend some time today getting God’s light into your life. 

 A full moon looms in the sky at sunset while a watchman of the lighthouse looks out to sea in this stock photo.

Have You Heard the Father’s Phone?

12 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

      You should be familiar with heaven’s phone by now.  Four different times in John 10 Jesus said, “My sheep know my ‘phone’“.  Phone is the Greek word for “sound” or “voice“.  Have you become familiar with heaven’s sound?  I believe the Lord has a distinct sound and voice.  Genesis 3:11 relates that Adam and Eve knew this to be true.  ” They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” 

      The impressions and words I have received from the Lord all have a very familiar sound.  Jesus said certain sheep do not follow Him because they “do not hear His phone.”  I believe the Lord attempts to speak to all, but many have yet to turn into His frequency.  How about you?  Are you listening for His “still small voice“?

Be Blind, Stay Blind

08 Friday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”

41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.  John 9:39 & 41 (NASB)

      I have a confession.  I have more Bible knowledge than I will ever use.  In fact it is a deterrent for me hearing God.  Why?  Because I already think I see, hear, and know what God thinks.  Maybe you battle with becoming too familiar with the things of God? 

      This is exactly what Jesus is eluding to here.  The key to really hearing God’s voice and seeing His will is found in admitting you are “blind and deaf.” 

      Practice this right now.  Take five or ten minuets and sincerely tell the Lord how blind and deaf you are without Him.  You will notice a change in your approach to the Lord, and so will He!  Make it your goal to “be blind and stay blind.”  I know it sounds crazy but this is Jesus’ invitation.  The Lord knows it is only when we become blind that we truly see; and it is only in deafness do we truly hear.  You will find in your new-found blindness a fresh revelation from the Father.  He is waiting to give you “eyes that see and perceive and ears that hear and understand.”  Why?  Now you are admitting that “you can do nothing apart from Him.”  

If you need a place to attend church this Sunday, please visit us at 10 am (CST) – http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-church-of-providence#