Hey everybody, I pulled this from another blog because it had to do with the kingdom of/from the heavens, and I heard this message at church. There's a lot more to it with good comments too...I do recommend going to http://www.bloginthenow.blogspot.com/ to read more. I'm not saying I agree with all the comments but there is a lot of good thought there and I think you will be blessed. Here is some of that from Bishop Jim Swilley.
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...Yesterday was a good day at CITN...I gave kind of an unusual word, connecting the Matthew 10 account of Jesus giving His disiples the power to heal diseases and expel rebel spirits with the John 20 account of His giving them the power to forgive sins......
Such an important truth: The Kingdom is "at hand"...it's handy...it's accessible...it is found in the thing to which you put your hand...ex: Moses, what do you have in your hand?"...I used the New King James version yesterday...here's the same passage from Matthew In The Now...
1. And in direct answer to the prayer for harvest hands, Jesus summoned to Himself His twelve disciples, and gave them power and authority over rebel spirits, to evict and expel them, and to cure all manner of disease, weakness and infirmity.
2. Now these are the names of the original twelve apostles: first, Simon, who is called Peter or “Rock”, and Andrew, his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother;
3. Philip and Bartholomew (A.K.A. Nathaniel); Thomas and Matthew, known as “The Tax Man”; James, son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus (A.K.A. Judas…not Judas Iscariot);
4. Simon, the Canaanite, who was a Zealot, and perhaps Jesus’ most controversial pick because of his radical political connections and agenda, and Judas (Iscariot), who eventually betrayed Him, even though he had been given the same anointing and authority that the other eleven had received.
5. Jesus sent out this very diverse and eclectic group, charging them with these words: “This Gospel is ultimately for the entire world…that’s the big picture…but it has to begin somewhere. So, for the time being, go nowhere among the Gentiles, and do not go into any town of the Samaritans;
6. Go, instead, to the lost, confused people right here in the house of Israel...the people who speak your language and have your world-view.
7. And tell them, plainly, that the kingdom of/from the heavens is here! Say to them, “The kingdom is ‘at hand’, or as close to you as is the hand at the end of your arm!”
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Hope you enjoyed a bit of that...
So...what is in your hand?...what is readily available to you that you know how to do really well?
The kingdom is there...you have Kingdom hands, and people can be made well through you.
Ex 4:2-4 (NLT) The Lord asked Moses, "What is that in your hand?" "A shepherd's staff," Moses replied. "Throw it down on the ground," the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Then the Lord told him, "Reach out and grab its tail." So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd's staff in his hand.”
ReplyDeleteMoses’ staff was nothing but a common shepherd’s rod. Staffs as well as other personal belongings were used by people back then as items that identified them. In a similar way, today we can be identified by our car, or our house or clothes that other people recognize as ours. It is a funny thing how we become attached to our little things. A cook may have a favorite cutting knife, a physician may have a special stethoscope, a carpenter has a favorite hammer, a mechanic has a special tool box, and maybe you have a special possession like a laptop or a Bible. This story illustrates that whatever possession that we hold dearly in our hand, we have the opportunity to throw it down and give it to God. After Moses threw his rod on the ground – the rod of Moses became the rod of God. With the rod of God back in Moses’ hand Moses preformed supernatural signs and miracles. With the rod of God Moses called down plagues in Egypt, he divided the Red Sea, he struck the rock and water flowed out.
As Christians we are told to “seek first the Kingdom of God.” If we are doing this, then one of our most prized possessions should be the Kingdom of God, a possession we should be most notably identified with. Jesus told his disciples to “go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Matt 10:6-8 (KJV)
When you are seeking the Kingdom does your relationship with God flow both ways, in as well as out? Too many times we only allow the Kingdom to flow into us and not necessarily out to others. If this is your experience then, throw it down. Give it back to God, who gave it to you, and throw it down! When you give it back to God, the dry dead wood of our spiritual life will become like a living hissing snake, a living hissing relationship with God is a dangerous thing to the world around us. But we can do as Moses did and grab it by the tail and share it with those around us to show them that our relationship with God is real.
Wow, what a good word in that Dan, excellent things, insight and revelation...I pray others come and read that.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of copying this, of course giving your name for the credit due, to the blog I was mentioning because I think it will really bless quite a few people there...hope you don't mind. That is at: www.bloginthenow.blogspot.com
This also made me think of how Moses "cast/threw" it down, it wasn't gently placed, but thrown.
We may have something for a dream in our hands but may see it as not being very much. We toss it to God who infuses it with such life and power that it startles us and we think it might turn around and bite us!...but God says 'stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail'... (take dominion and authority) so that all may believe that the Lord God is with you, and that which is in your hand.
oh yeah...and "CAST/THROW" your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you.
ReplyDeleteWow!...guess what just happened?!
ReplyDeleteRight after I wrote here and the same on the other blog, I went to the jobs page of the 2010 Census and right there on the top of the page, in blue, are the words...get this...
...2010 Census:
IT'S IN OUR HANDS
Someone from the Atlanta office called me today and told me to go to the site and get a couple forms and send them in. So, as I cast this upon the Lord, maybe this could be one of those "Moses rod" instances that turns out to bring some freedom and deliverance with signs and wonders...I put it out there, as well as casting to him the other dreams/things in my hand.
WOW DAM what an explanation! I am short in words. One thing though, like you said if we are not taking the Gospel out there to the world around us, we will never truly know or understand what we have in our hands.I remembered a few months ago when the Spirit of God send to read Exodus
ReplyDeleteWOW DAM what an explanation! I am short in words. One thing though, like you said if we are not taking the Gospel out there to the world around us, we will never truly know or understand what we have in our hands. I remembered a few months ago when the Spirit of God send to read Exodus chapter 14:15, 16; when the Lord said to Moses why is he crying to Me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. 16- As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hands over the sea, and divided it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. And I remembered this is exactly what He (LORD) had asked me concerning something I was asking Him to do for me, just to make it happen. He asked what did I have in my hand, used it. When I asked Him what is it did I have in hand? He told me to look deep very deep inside myself and see what I have. When I did, I realized all along I have the Holy Spirit has my “ROD& STAFF” close at hand, the only thing I really needed to do was just call Him and He will be there like He always does.
Thank Holy Spirit for always been there and never leave or forsake me.
On a personal notes: Karl your blog Rocks!!!!
Kettly
Amen, and thank you Kettly.
ReplyDeleteThank you Holy Spirit for never leaving us or forsaking us.
My beloved cat Tommy passed away yesterday of a strange cancer, we'll be burying him, (but I guess you could say "planting") him today near the edge of the woods.
Goodbye Tommy, and as I used to say to you when going to bed, "restie, restie".
Tommy: 1998-2009
Hey I just want to let you know that I did come by to check it out. And also thank you so much again for the bread and all the goody's. You are a good cook. Man, if I keep going to your house I know I will gain the 5 pounds I lost while my parents were away. It was delicious. The rolls are much better and I mean WAY much better than the store rolls. Thank you. I love the design of the blog. You are gettting better and better. Thanks! Hasta luego!!!!
ReplyDelete