Do Or Be....Which Is It?

John 14:12-14
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also:  and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

You know, you read the words of John 14 and it is easy to say, "I believe it!"
But it is another thing to "Believe it!"
I mean to actually let those words become the reality of your heart.
The power behind your prayers.
These words spoken by Jesus offend the mind.
We believe but at the same time, doubt creeps in.
I ask the guys in the program at Rapha, "How many of you believe the words we read in Genesis 1 where it says God created everything?" Without fail, every man in the room will raise their hands. I then ask, "Who believes that God created everything by speaking it into existence?" Again, everyone will raise there hands. If that is true, then why do we have such a hard time believing that this same God who spoke everything into being, can speak into our lives and bring healing and order? I believe that He can. More than that, I believe it is His desire to do so.
God is in the communcations business. He wants to hear the prayers of His people, as well as talk back to them. "Ask! Ask! Ask! Do so in the name of Jesus, and He will answer. This isn't a magic spell to repeat like "Bibbity Bobbity Boo!" The heart of asking comes from the relationship we have with Jesus, plus a desire to particiapte in His Kingdom work....you know...praying for the sick and seeing them healed, casting off and out of demonic spirits....and so on and so on. Everything you usually see and find in a life trapped in addiction.

I can't help but believe that God created us for more than having a comfortable life. Nothing wrong with comfort...I'm all about some comfort in the proper time and way. Bad thing about trying to use God for personal comfort...it reveals a heart that is selfish and I do not believe that such a thing prospers in the Kingdom of God.

Found in the verses of John 14 is the thought that everything in this relationship between those who are saved and Jesus is bound in love. We are called to love Him....We are called to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Such love cannot be self centered. It has to be expressed and demonstrated. This is the great connection between heaven and earth as the Holy Spirit of God begins to birth in the hearts of His children, the desire to look beyond self and see the needs of others. To see those  who do not yet know Jesus. I like to refer to them as pre-believers. So when I ask of Jesus, in my prayers, I am only breathing back to Him what He has placed on my heart. That is the essence of prayer. Why do some of my prayers not get answered? Because I am praying outside the will of God. Yet in the verses from John 14, I am told that coupled with my praying the will of God, I will do the works of Christ. This is the Kingdom in action. I get to leave home every morning with the potential and possibility of "Doing The Works Of Jesus!" How could you not want to be a part of such? To pray for someone and see God move on them.

My heart is to have a place where those who truly desire to learn....can do so.
Learn how to hear God...
Learn how to pray.....
Learn how to make more disciples.
Learn how to worship.
This place I'm talking about isn't a school or class room....
It requires only one thing.
A heart given to God that burns with a desire to please Him.
To please Him by BEING....not doing.
If we will BE the people God desires us to be....
The DOING will be second nature.

Over the past 15 years, i have seen God do some incredible things in the lives of those who were trapped in addiction.
Salvation to the lost....
Healing to those who needed it....physically, emotionally and spiritually.
But from such freedom given...
God is wanting a people who will "Do the Stuff!"
A people who are not content to sit on the sidelines watching...but want to have an active part in the Kingdom of God.
I believe that such a thing is now being put in place.
Pray and see if God would lead you to be part of such a thing.
Please hear me...
I'm not talking about joining a church or having membership in some organization.
I'm talking about simply being who God created us to be....doing what He created us to do.
"Your Kingdom Come......Your Will Be Done....Here on Earth as it is being carried out in Heaven."

God on you...
mb