Sons in the Marketplace – Can Talk AND Walk!
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October 31, 2007"Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will (1) loose the armor of kings,(2) to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; (Isaiah 45:1-2) God promises Cyrus that He will open the gates of an otherwise impenetrable city for him. Most people would not know how to take a promise like that. They want to spiritualize it away. They want to delay it ‘til the future, preferably the after life. But Cyrus lived in the here and now and believed he was born for precisely that purpose... to subdue nations, not metaphorically, but in practical reality. This brings me to the second point I wanted to make in the previous blog on this topic... Don't tell me what you believe... Show me! Or more to the point; don't try to impress God with your ability to quote His word back to Him. He's not impressed. He expects us to meditate on His word. What He is impressed with is faith. (Heb 11:6) Faith talks, but it also walks. If your faith doesn't have legs, if it doesn't take action in sync with your words, it's dead. So here's my challenge to you: Meditate in God's Word. Press in. Let His Spirit impress upon your heart anything He chooses. Then act as if it applied to the here and now. One time in a parking lot of a state park, I was praying before work. A homeless mother and two children who lived in their car pulled in so she could sleep and the kids could play. I was concerned and approached the woman in her car, but she was already asleep in the back seat of her trashed out car. The Lord let me see she was suicidal, but I didn't know what to do. I walked away and prayed. The Lord took me to Matthew 6:13 in the Lord's Prayer where it says, "Deliver us from evil". I knew God wanted to deliver this woman from the evil oppression she was under, but I wanted to just pray for her from across the parking lot and go back to work. When I asked the Lord if He wanted me to deliver her from evil, (to be the vessel He used to deliver her), He asked me if I saw anyone else in the parking lot?!?! I knew He wanted me to act NOW on the Word. I did and within the hour she was born again, healed of an affliction and her friend who arrived on the scene also got born again on the spot! Moral of the story... Don't put off ‘til tomorrow what God intends for today!
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Comments (11) - Post a Comment
Thanks for the rebuke.
\"...don't try to impress God with your ability to quote His word back to Him. He's not impressed. \"
I needed that one my brother.
Paul Mancini at 8:15am EDT - October 31, 2007
Michael
Great illustration. I've also found that it's those times when you act on your faith, that's when you see the power of God in manifestation. And I can say that most times that I've acted on my faith, it was \"uncomfortable.\" Like the first time you jumped off the high dive at the pool. But just like then, you grit your teeth and GO! Don't wait till you feel good about, or feel anything, or else you'll wait forever. His Word is true, and He is committed to bringing it to pass for anyone who acts in faith based on what He has said!
Greg Mann at 8:47am EDT - October 31, 2007
Ever heard the song \"Faith Without Works\"? \"It's like a screen door on a submarine\"! Love that song! Great word today, Michael!
Lorisa at 9:15am EDT - October 31, 2007
Dear Michael,
I have just found your web site. I am really excited about it, because; as a couple people commented, that you have on your home page about being uncomfortable with some of the teachings that are given to sales reps, I can Ditto that too. Sales is what I\"ve chosen to do as my profession, because of my love of people and desiring to see as many come to the saving knowledge of God as can, I believe I can touch more for His Kingdom by helping meet their needs through products and services, but I have Not beem able to buy all they were telling us, since it was on positive thinking and dreaming and nor God.
Like you I thought I have been pursuing Him, but not to the degree He desires to pour out His blessings. I too have been looking to the blessings He promises in His Word---not Him---but that is going to change.
I am really looking forward to delving into your teaching and being able to have God be the blesser for what I apply my hands to do, instead of what I could make happen through my own efforts.
Thank you for presenting the pure unadulterated Word of God.
In His Service,
Sharon
Sharon at 2:03pm EDT - October 31, 2007
Hi Michael,
Why you are absolutely correct that \"faith without works is dead,\" some may read into your statement; \"don’t try to impress God with your ability to quote His word back to Him. He’s not impressed,\" as a blanket indictment against the importance of speaking forth His Word, which I'm confident is not your intent. Our quoting scriptural promises is not for the purpose of \"impressing\" Him, but rather \"imparting\" the light of the truth within those promises into the woven fabric of our hearts, in turn assisting those hearts of ours to believe it! Solomon was right, \" a man's heart shall be filled with the fruits of his mouth.\" Speaking the Word helps our hearts both receive and initially believe the Word. But again, your right on in pointing out that the highest level of believing is always revealed in the corresponding actions those beliefs produce. I enjoy your site my friend, keep up the good work.
Mitch at 9:40am EDT - November 1, 2007
Michael,
Great word. I read something the other day that said that our reading of the Word is not primarily to be able to dissect it but to feed on it and apply it to our lives and walk it out. I've got to admit I like the intellectual debate too much at times and miss the simplicity of devotion to Jesus and His Word - in fact living like that wears me out instead of His way, which is light and easy.
Blessings to you man!
Dennis
Dennis Preston at 10:10am EDT - November 1, 2007
Hi Mitch;
I am glad you weighed in. I certainly did not want to under value the importance of speaking God's Word. They are the words of life. I did however want to raise the bar from speaking the word to believing the word as demonstrated by action. Thanks brother. I appreciate your work and your website www.encounterlight.com
Blessings, Michael
Michael Pink at 9:13pm EDT - November 2, 2007
Very good exhortation!
We are (tentmakers, not literally) doing business and supporting ourselves in Jamaica... We believe we are to take the nations for The Lord wherever He calls us, at home or abroad. After our employment contract was dropped we still felt we were to stay in Jamaica so here we are. It is challenging and a very different business climate. It would seem the tropics has bred it's own style of business. We have seen and continue to see many signs and wonders in our business. The Holy Spirit's leading and protection is a daily necessity. Just to stay clear of corruption we must keep ourselves close to the Lord!
I've only recently found this site so I look forward to your continued encouragement.
For His Glory, Dixie
Dixie Tuplin at 6:38pm EST - November 5, 2007
I was very impressed, how you help this woman in need. For the Lord to reveal her situation to you, (suicidal). I can understand when he says, to be a hearer (in prayer and listening to him) and a doer of the word, in doing something about the situation, which you did. Thank you for allowing me to respond and share also. Not too many ministries allow this, which is a pity for them. To me it's a 2 way communication, and you allow this, for others to express and to give their comments too!
So keep on doing what God has led you to do. Thank you very much for your encouraging words. To whom Jesus receives all Honor, all Glory and all Praise.
God Bless
Clare B
Clare at 8:42pm EST - November 6, 2007
Amen!!!
Thank you for this wonderful message. So many time we, the children of God, walk around uplifting others in prayer and never actually put a shoulder to their need. God says is His word, that we are His body. His hands that will hold, His lips that will speak, His legs that will walk that extra mile, His ears that will simply listen to a need. We know that God is all knowing and all powerful, but we must also remember that He put His power within us to be the vessal of His touch on this earth for His purpose and His glory! Thank you for posting your story. May those of us that have read it always be reminded that \"to whom much has been given, much will be required!\" Thank you.
Betty Montoya at 11:34pm EST - November 6, 2007
May the Lord bless you and those that dare to step out on faith. I pray that this will encourage me as well as others that it is not by might nor power but by the Lord's spirit. Amen
Althea Gravesande at 10:49am EST - November 7, 2007