Blog 05-28-2010

Friday

PRaP 05-28-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 26 of 35

“A Crippled Woman Is Healed”

 

From:

Luke 13:10-17

 

¹⁰On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, ¹¹and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹²When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” ¹³Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

 ¹⁴Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”

 ¹⁵The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? ¹⁶Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

 ¹⁷When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

 

This is a good comparison of religion vs Christianity.  Religion is about law and following the law and Christianity is about a relationship.  As a matter of fact Christine, to whom you will all meet soon, has a t-shirt that says Christianity is NOT a religion and on the back goes on to describe Religion as humans trying to work their way to God and Christianity is God coming to men and women through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Jesus gives us a great comparison here when the men of law give Him a hard time about freeing this woman from the spirit that bound her.  Give up your religion and start that relationship, for your religion will not lead you anywhere but maybe to the White House.  Jesus is looking for you why haven’t you answered?  Oh you answered?  Then why are you still in your religion?  Something to think about this weekend!

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-27-2010

Thursday

PRaP 05-27-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 25 of 35

“A Widow’s Son Is Raised”

 

From:

Luke 7:11-16

 

¹¹Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹²As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

 ¹⁴Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

 ¹⁶They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”

 

“God has come to help his people.”  How true was that statement?  The thing is, that it is just as true today as it was when written in the Bible and guess what He is still here helping those who believe and love Him.  Tell me, do you believe?  If your answer is yes, then I have another question for you.  Do you believe?  And if you answered yes to that question I have another question for you.  Do you believe?  If you answered yes to that question, well I could go on and on but if you believe and love Him then there is nothing here on earth that you can’t overcome.  The powers of this nasty old world cannot hold us back from Him who saves and He that heals and Jesus who loves.  When you are sick, “believe”, and when your finances are a mess, “believe”, and when a loved one is lost, “believe”, because as long as you keep believing you will not lose faith and this faith is what helps, and heals, and finds, and protects, and gives life, and gives Salvation.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-26-2010

Wednesday

PRaP 05-26-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 24 of 35

“First Miraculous Catch of Fish”

 

From:

Luke 5:1-11

¹One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,^[a]with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, ²he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

 ⁴When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down^[b] the nets for a catch.”

 ⁵Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

 ⁶When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

 ⁸When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

   Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” ¹¹So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

 

They caught so many fish that the two boats began to sink.  How many fish can a net catch?  Jesus told Simon not to be afraid that he would now be a catcher of men.  The Lord had chosen these fishermen, who were not the most educated of men and they didn’t live their lives for God but once they had seen what the Lord had done for them they believed and became the first Disciples of Jesus.  Sometimes we have to cast our nets where it looks as though there is nothing to catch.  We should always listen to the Lord and cast our nets into the depths where He says cast the net.  His word never comes back empty there will always be a return on your investment in Christ.  Through faith alone shall you be saved.  Where do you cast your net?  Is it in a place where you see fish jumping around and you feel as though if you cast your net in that place there will be a bountiful harvest and yet when you cast it into the depth of the mass you come up empty because the Lord has told you to go over to the quiet still waters to cast thy net.  It could be the opposite you see the fish everywhere but you are tired and you have fished all night and caught nothing but the Lord is telling you to cast your net into the crowd that you may harvest abundance yet you choose to cast into the still waters and come up with nothing.  I think we all have those moments when you felt that it was the place and it ended up being wrong.  Or you baited the waters with stuff that the fish didn’t like the taste of so they moved on.  Be sure to take time to listen to where the Lord is telling you to cast so that you will have to call your friends over to help you bring in the abundant catch of the day.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-25-2010

Tuesday

PRaP 05-25-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 23 of 35

“A Blind Man Sees At Bethsaida”

 

From:

Mark 8:22-26

 

²²They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

 ²⁴He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

 ²⁵Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.”

 

Wonder why when Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and laid hands on him that the man wasn’t instantaneously healed like everyone else?  Let’s review the past healings; Jesus said over and over again that your faith has healed you.  Do you think that maybe this man’s faith was lacking?  Then when he saw a little bit he began to believe that Jesus really could heal him and he was healed when Jesus did it the second time.  You see sometimes a person believes but he doesn’t believe until he gets a taste of the miracle.  Doubting Thomas’s if you will.  What did it take for you to become a believer?  Did you have to taste the fruit before it became Fruit to you?  I tell you it is human nature to want to believe yet not have the ability to completely believe because of that small speck of doubt.  Unfortunately that keeps many from their healing and the release of bondage.  That tiny speck of dust in your eye can keep you from receiving your full blessings in life.  There is one other piece here you need to see as well.  When you have been touched by Him who touches, He will not give up on you and will help you with your doubt.  Just like this blind man who didn’t quite have enough faith to be healed on the first touch.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-24-2010

Monday

PRaP 05-24-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 22 of 35

“A Deaf And Mute Man Is Healed”

 

From:

Mark 7:31-37

 

³¹Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.^{[a] 32}There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.

 ³³After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!” ). ³⁵At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

 ³⁶Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

 

In the name of Jesus Christ I say to your heart “Ephphataha!”  Be opened to receive Him as your Lord and Savior that you have life.  Take in The Blood of Jesus Christ and allow it to flow through your heart that you will be healed and repent of your sins that His blood will flow freely within you that your sin be forgiven and you be released from your past that you may walk in His ways the rest of your life.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  If you find yourself in a situation today that you have tried everything that you can think of to try I say to you to release that burden upon Jesus Christ and allow Him to carry it for you.  The burden will be so light that you will not even feel it there.  Here’s the catch DON’T TAKE IT BACK!  Once Christ takes your burden don’t ask for it back.  Allow Jesus to take the burden totally without return because He will give it back to you if you ask for it and it will return to you just as heavy as it was when it was given to Him.  “Ephphataha!” in Jesus Name to your heart that you be free from that burden.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-21-2010

Friday

PRaP 05-21-2010 

 

There will be no live shows for the next two weekends please tune in to Fuel on RockPool TV.  I will be out of town.

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 21 of 35

“A Coin In A Fish’s Mouth”

 

From:

Matthew 17:24-27

 

The Temple Tax

 ²⁴After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax^[a]?”

 ²⁵“Yes, he does,” he replied.
      When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?”

 ²⁶“From others,” Peter answered.

   “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷“But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

 

Can you imagine what had to take place before hand for that fish to have that coin in its mouth?  WOW is all that comes to mind.  Many say oh that was a random act.  Well if it was a random act how did Jesus know that the first fish Simon caught would be the one with the coin?

This passage says so much more to me then just a fish with a coin.  Read it again!  I’ll wait for ya. [dramatic pause].  Now Jesus says that the sons of the King are exempt from taxes but not to offend them He paid the temple tax.  Now who are the sons of the Most High King?  Well the Bible says that those of us who believe and follow Jesus Christ are sons and daughter of the King.  Even though that exempts us from the taxes of the earthly kings we MUST still pay those taxes as not to offend these kings.  That is a good, big chewy bite for you for your weekend.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-20-2010

Thursday

PRaP 05-20-2010 

 

There will be no live shows for the next two weekends please tune in to Fuel on RockPool TV.  I will be out of town.

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 20 of 35

“Jesus Heals The Mute Man”

 

From:

Matthew 9:32-33

 

³²While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. ³³And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

 

Jesus said that we would do even greater things than these:

John 14:12
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
John 14:11-13 (in Context) John 14 (Whole Chapter)

 

It is hard for our minds to grasp that we will do even greater things than what Christ showed us here on earth.  Casting demons, healing, making fig trees wither, all these things we can do.  ANYONE who has faith in Christ can do what He does and MORE,,,

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-19-2010

Wednesday

PRaP 05-19-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 19 of 35

“Two Blind Men Find Sight”

                                   

From:

Matthew 9:27-31

 

 ²⁷As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

 ²⁸When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
      ”Yes, Lord,” they replied.

 ²⁹Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; ³⁰and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” ³¹But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

 

Jesus healed these two men and told them not to tell anyone about it and what was it they did?  They told the entire region about it.  Did Jesus know human nature or what?  He knew that these two men wouldn’t be able to contain themselves once Jesus had healed their eyes.  I mean come on, would you be able to keep that a secret?  Now, knowing what we know about Jesus and wanting to be obedient we would likely not tell anyone but in those times not knowing Jesus I bet you would tell too.  Jesus knew those men would tell everyone they saw about Him, He was there to heal the sick not the well.  He wanted the sick and hurting people to come to Him so that He could give them life abundant through His Salvation.  Do you have His Salvation, because He says that all you need to do is ask and He will give it to you?  Where do you stand?  Do you know enough to not go and tell in obedience to what Jesus told you?  For the love of Jesus is eternal and His burden is light.  What are you waiting on an engraved invitation?  Well consider this that invitation.  Tell Jesus that you are sorry for your sin and you want to never do it again.  This is called repentance.  Then tell Him you know He died on the cross and rose again on the third day.  This is the price He paid for your sin.  Tell Him that you will worship Him alone for the rest of your life.  Now that shows Him that you are truly dedicated to following His plan for your life.  Now you have Salvation!  If you followed this plan then there is a party going on in heaven in your honor and let me be first to welcome you to the family and a new life.  Tell a trusted Christian friend that you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior so that they can help you find the path that the Lord is leading you down.  Be obedient and find a place to be baptized and then dedicate fully your life to Him and open up your heart to receive His blessing and life abundant.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-18-2010

Tuesday

PRaP 05-18-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 18 of 35

“A Mute Demonic I Healed”

                                   

From:

Matthew 12:22

Luke 11:14

 

Matthew 12:22 (New International Version)

 ²²Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.

 

Luke 11:14 (New International Version)

 ¹⁴Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.

 

Jesus was driving out demons by His presence alone.  The Demons couldn’t be contained in their human hosts anymore when Jesus walked into a room.  The Lord told us that we would be able to do all these things He does and more.  So why is it that there aren’t more healings going on?  Why are demonic forces roaming freely?  Simple answer is lack of faith amongst the people of the world.  I know there are miracles all around us and that God touches whom He touches but we have been given the power of healing and the power of casting demonic forces and God has given us His Word to teach us these things all it takes is some faith and knowledge of God.  Speak of Christ and Christ will speak of you.  Do not be one of the many that fail to tap this under tapped resource of power that has been freely given to those who ask.  God knows who you are and He knows what you can do ad He said to seek Him FIRST and the desires of your heart will be given you.  Just the mere mention of Jesus Christ sends shutters of fear through the demonic realm and if we would all just believe with our hearts and start saying His name to cast out the evil spirits, they would have to leave.  Want to raise hell?  Start praying in Jesus name and the ground will tremble as all the demons are fleeing.  Quit playing it S.A.F.E. and start living S.E.C.U.R.E.

Safe means “Shallow Attempts For Eternity” and secure means “Showing Everybody Christ Using Real Experiences”.  I heard those from a man with no limbs as he was preaching about how God has blessed him.  A man with no arms and no legs, sharing about Jesus Christ blessings in his own life?  Chew on it!

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve

Blog 05-17-2010

Monday

PRaP 05-17-2010 

 

The Miracles of Jesus Part 17 of 35

“An Evil Spirit Is Sent Out Of A Man”

                                   

From:

Mark 1:23-27

Luke 4:33-36

 

Mark 1:23-27 (New International Version)

²³Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil^[a] spirit cried out, ²⁴“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

 ²⁵“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

 ²⁷The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.”

 

Luke 4:33-36 (New International Version)

 ³³In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil^[a]spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ³⁴“Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

 ³⁵“Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

 ³⁶All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”

 

The evil spirit knew who Jesus was immediately.  The evil spirit proclaimed Christ as the Holy One of God!  EVERY KNEE WILL BOW and proclaim Jesus as Lord.  Those of you who walk that fence are in danger of losing your eternity.  Come on a stinky unclean spirit proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord and was afraid of the destruction that He was about to receive because only Him who is One can destroy the spirit of a person.  Don not the one who can take your life,  But fear the One who can destroy both body AND spirit.  There’s ya a nice big juicy piece of meat to chew on for today.  Take small bites and douse with BBQ sauce.

 

Peace and Agape Love,

Pastor Steve