Sure and More Sure Words Part 2

Problems manifest when believers begin doing "works of faith"  out of their human desire or initiated by their own thinking.  One of the missing norms is following God's leading.  Jesus stated in John Chapter 10 that the sheep know the voice of the shepherd and follow it.  We understand that the servant does the bidding of the master.  These are important concepts regarding how Christians minister.

Jesus Himself was under authority and not initiating actions from His own will.  He said that the great ones in the Kingdom will not wield authority but be servants (Mark 10:42-45).  Christ stated that He did nothing of His own initiative but was shown by the Father what to do.

John 5:19-20  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.  For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

John 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 8:26-27  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him.

 Passages like these create a caution that I was not taught during the Faith Movement.  They clearly show that Jesus was working in concert with the Father and that He was not using His glory to accomplish miracles.  [Remember that Philippians Chapter Two states that Christ emptied Himself of the glory which made Him equal with the Father and being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to death, including the death of the cross (Phil 2:6-8).]  Christ operated under the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant while fulfilling the requirements of the Laws of Moses (see Galatians 3:16). If He did nothing of His own self but sought the Father's will, then it was as if Jesus, the second Adam, was allowing Holy Spirit to use Him to do the works of God. To confirm this statement, consider the man healed by Peter and John in Acts 3:2. He was lame from his mother's womb and was carried by others into the city, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful.  Acts 3:22 states that the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was over forty years old.   That means Jesus passed him but did not minister to his need.  Why?  Because God did not direct Christ to do anything miraculous concerning that invalid.  As hard as that might seem, we must be armed with the same resolve; being ready to minister, but awaiting confirmation that it is God’s will and not my own compassion.

Through this submission Christ demonstrated how one follows the Lord.  As children of the Father, we are still under His sovereignty.  We have privilege as believers but HE is king.  Jesus learned that.  We must never forget it. The journey of the believer involves servanthood, sonship, and friendliness.  Servants only do what they are bid by another.  Sons carry out the wishes of the Father who has trained them.  Friends share in the intimate details that the rest of the world knows nothing about.  For our journey to parallel, we must be trained to listen and to obey.  We have authority to represent the Father, however, our works are not for our glory or pleasure.  They are commissioned by the Lord at His time and His direction. 

The Lord sees everything; often we see only the natural. He has given us a written word that He illuminates in us as truth.  He has sent Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us as He completes the work He began through the "salvation" or "rebirth" process. God has already worked out the end from the beginning. We must trust His leading and be willing to do the works that Jesus did, then even greater works are possible.  AMEN

 

Comments

[Michael]

“The works Christ should be done by believers when they have learned how to operate like Jesus did while He was in the flesh body.”Richard Belcher"

I personally believe, brother, that herein lies the problem. We have not been taught to die to our will as Jesus died to His will for the Father. We use God's word to say what we want it to say, our flesh struggles to maintain control of our emotions so our will is not Father's.
With this huge revelation of truth one must go back to the example of the life Jesus exemplified to us. We must learn how to see what the Father is doing and saying, to enter the flow of the Holy Spirit, and to stop asking the Holy Spirit to bless what we are saying and doing and asking him to be our servant. The greater works are to hear and do what the Father is saying and doing. What a fresh look at the truth!

[JL Zini]

Richard: Remarkable truths spelled out in simple understanding. Thank you for helping me to see my God in new light. I will be listening more closely to the Word and act on what I hear rather than what I read. Thank you, Brother for the enlightment. These Words need to get out there, how do we accomplish this????

[Judith wilkinson]

A great word of correction and understanding. Thank you