Month: September 2016

The Psalmist David wrote a song which is recorded for us in Psalm 18:20-27. He declared, “The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. {21} For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. {22} All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. {23} I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. {24} The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. {25} To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, {26} to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. {27} You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.”

In Shakespear’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet declares,
T’is but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

I point specifically to the comment, “What’s in a name? that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” Whether you call it The Law of The Harvest, or The Law of Attraction, you arrive at the same place. It is the same thing. Take a moment and reread what David included in this Psalm and notice the principles which are demonstrated here. They are part of the Word of God and identified as how God operated in David’s life. When you actually begin to look for this principle you will find it over and over throughout the Bible, because it is in operation all the time. It would be good for us to make the conscious decision to seek to implement it in a positive manner to create the outcomes we desire, rather than drift along and end up with consequences of our making we don’t want.

Living life to the full involves being aware of what is happening and making choices which move us in the direction of our God given destiny.

What do you want in your life? What do your really want? How important is it that you get or achieve it? Cavett Robert wrote the following in the book, “Speaking Secrets of the Masters.” ” Think about this. At this moment, you and I have everything in life that we really want, or at least we are acquiring it so fast that it will soon be ours. Now wait. Let me make my self clear. I didn’t say we have everything in life that we wish for, dream about, or stand by the revolving door of life hoping to go through on somebody else’s push. I said that we have everything in life we really want, because if we really want something, that compulsive desire will be powerful enough and strong enough to generate all other qualities necessary for accomplishment of our desires. In this regard, there can be no compromise with mediocrity. We must expend the effort.”

It has been said, “Successful people are willing to do what others are not willing to do.” If you are looking to grow, to expand, to achieve in any area of life, what are you willing to do to make it happen? The Apostle Paul had a desire and passion to introduce others to Jesus Christ. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:21-28, “What anyone else dares to boast about–I am speaking as a fool–I also dare to boast about. {22} Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. {23} Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. {24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. {25} Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, {26} I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. {27} I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. {28} Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

In the process of doing what it is you want, it is important to remember, to know and not to do is not to know. Cavett Robert says, “a person who does not read is no better off than a person who can’t read.” Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Paul identifies who is responsible for the action, “I can do everything.” He gives credit for the help and strength to do it to Christ, but without his commitment to act and do, nothing would happen.

The achievements that happen in our life must include our willingness to be full participants in the process of living out our destiny with a total commitment.

How do you start your day? What kind of thoughts do you bring into existence as you begin your day? What type of feelings do you use to ignite the passion of your daily new beginnings? Your answer to these questions provide a significant look into the type of day you will actually experience. People tend to find what the are looking for and expect out of life.

Brain Tracy says, Start every morning by saying, “I believe something wonderful will happen today.” When you do this, you have given yourself the opportunity to be aware and look for that which will be wonderful. How great is that? How many people would be benefited by living with an expectation and anticipation of something wonderful? From my perspective, it certainly beats looking for the negative things which can fill us with anger, bitterness, stress, and frustration.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” So, if you are looking for things which bring joy and gratitude, what do you think you are more liking to find and experience in your day? Knowing you have a choice as you start your day to influence how your day will look like, don’t you think it would be of greater benefit to make a choice which brings you a better outcome?

Those who really want to live their life to the full find this is a “no brainer.” Follow those who choose to have high expectations of a terrific day, no matter what happens along the way.

We have been looking at Matthew 13:31-32 where Jesus declared, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. {32} Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” I mentioned previously Jesus demonstrated there is a design, plan and purpose for the kingdom for the kingdom of heaven as shown in the man who planted the mustard seed in his field. Yesterday I suggested the potential for growth from a small seed to a tree birds could perch in reminds us not to despise small beginnings. There is also demonstrated in this parable the importance of the inclusiveness of the kingdom of heaven.

Today I would suggest to you it would be a good thing to consider the potentiality that is contained in the DNA structure of the mustard seed. Whether it is a mustard seed, an acorn or a human embryo the DNA is fully developed and knows exactly how to respond to bring the completed process into reality. I watched a video recently of a series of ultra sounds showing the development of a baby starting from three weeks after conception. In God’s design for all things the DNA contains the perfect blueprint of what will be formed.

The mustard seed contains the potential of the full grown plant that birds can perch in before it is even placed in the ground. Jesus wants us to understand the kingdom of heaven contains the perfect blueprint as well to develop its full potential as well. But not everything develops as it should. Why? Because outside influences can impact and influence the process even though the design is perfect. Just a simple example of how this can happen. A number of years ago the drug thalidomide was given to pregnant mothers. This drug interfered with the development of the perfect blueprint which caused birth defects in the children born.

In the previous parable of the sower Jesus illustrated the fact it was not the seed which determined the outcomes of the harvest, it was the outside influences. The hard packed ground, rocky surfaces, and weeds which choked out the true seed can impact the outcome. Outside influences can also influence the development of the kingdom of heaven on earth.

The perfect blueprint of what the kingdom of heaven on earth could look like is programmed into its potentiality by God from the beginning of time. There are many people who think and dream about a planet where there is peace, love, freedom and benefit for every person and living thing. Isaiah describes and prophesies about such a day in Isaiah 11:1-9, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. {2} The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him– the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD– {3} and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; {4} but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. {5} Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. {6} The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. {7} The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. {8} The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. {9} They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

The plan, the recipe, is already in place, the DNA structure is fully developed waiting for the outside influences to work towards that reality. That will be the time when God’s will IS done on earth as it is in heaven. Then the kingdom of heaven will be on earth. The recipe includes a willingness to choose to align with what God has outlined in relation to allegiance to His Son, Jesus Christ. Beyond the value of the blessings of living in the eternal elements of the kingdom of heaven, it would be important to ask yourself the question, “What is the value of knowing this knowledge and understanding the secrets right now on earth?

In Luke 17:6 it is recorded Jesus said to His disciples, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Knowing what you now know about the built in potentiality and automatic response of the mustard seed in fulfilling its divine purpose, can you picture faith in this new context? Think about the power of the unseen forces God has placed at work in that small mustard seed. You have been given, “in Christ,” the authority and power of the One who placed all that power and potentiality within the mustard seed. How much greater is the creative authority and power within you than exists within the seed?

Notice what Jesus said, John 14:12-14, “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. {13} And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. {14} You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Our power, authority, and potentiality is closely connected to our relationship to Jesus.

In John 15:5-7 we read the words of Jesus, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. {6} If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. {7} If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” It would be valuable for you to understand what a gift we have been given by Jesus as it relates to the kingdom of heaven for time and eternity.

Matthew 13:31-32, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. {32} Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” I challenge you to seek to live your life under the unfolding process of God’s DNA design for the kingdom of heaven by fully committing your life to Jesus Christ and being filled with the Holy Spirit anew and afresh right now!

The potentiality for success in living your life to its full potential is built in us by our Creator. The question we must answer are we willing to do what is takes to see it manifested in our lives?

Yesterday I shared how the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-31) demonstrated there is a design, plan and purpose for the kingdom for the kingdom of heaven. Matthew recorded the words of Jesus there in which He stated, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. {32} Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”

The mustard seed Jesus was referring to was likely the plant “brassica migra” known as black or white mustard. It is a very fast growing plant in the herb family. Wild versions of this plant grow along the Jordan River today reaching heights over 10 feet tall and are certainly big enough for birds to perch on them. This plant has stocky branches which are strong enough to hold many types of birds.

There are some things it would be good to note from what Jesus is saying here between the connection of the mustard seed and the kingdom of heaven. Do not judge things by their size. You cannot necessarily make a correct determination if you only look at something with your eyes. The mustard seed when given opportunity grows beyond what most people see as its potential.

There was only a small group of people following Jesus and truly committed to the kingdom of heaven the day He told this parable, but the potential for a world wide, powerful, influential, life transformational kingdom movement was already present. Growth of the mustard seed into a large plant that birds could perch on was incredibly fast as would be growth in the kingdom of heaven on earth. This is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is also why Jesus demonstrated this reality as His faced the Cross of Calvary praying, “not my will but yours be done.”

We should also note the inclusiveness in this parable of the kingdom of heaven. There were no limitation place on the number of kinds of birds which might choose to perch in the branches of the mustard plant. The kingdom of heaven does not set out limits of who is eligible to be part of it. The kingdom of heaven is open to whosoever is willing to choose to align with the principles of the kingdom. All peoples, all classes, all colours have the opportunity and are welcome if they are willing to choose to follow Jesus.

Tomorrow I want to share a secret “they” don’t want you to know about regarding the kingdom of heaven that is revealed in this parable by Jesus.