Kingdom Response

Luke 5:17-26 gives us a good picture of how people react or respond to God doing a new thing.

In Isaiah, God told us that he would do new things and that his thoughts are higher than ours. But somehow when we see something new happening, our first reaction can be to judge it. That's what the Pharisees did in this story. Yes they were trained, and yes they knew the Scriptures. But they were not in touch with the God of the Scriptures.

It's His power that was present with Jesus that enabled Him to heal and even to forgive sin.

At the end of this chapter we see the correct response to God's work and to the miracles of God. "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God."

Friends, God is continually doing new and more wonderful things. Let's stay in touch with Him. But never lose the sense of awe and amazement at what God does. And He will do more and more because we cannot put God in a box much less keep Him there. And let's give praise to God.

Through praise we can command a blessing from God. And praise is the pathway of breakthrough in our lives.

Blessings!

Pastor Arlen

The Old vs. The New

The gospels mark a major shift in God's work in the world.  The Old Testament looked forward to a day when the Messiah would come.  The turning point of the gospels is that the Messiah has come and he is changing everything. 

Read Luke 5:12-14.

In thte Old Testament, if you were to touch a leper like the one in the story, you would become "unclean". But from here on, when someone touches an unclean person, they become clean.  People have refered to this as the power of holiness. 

The kingdom of God is here and it's changing all the rules.  Are you willing to "touch" someone who is unclean or unacceptable in the name of Christ? That's what Jesus would do.  He would eat with sinners, cheaters, and prostitutes in order to communicate the life and love of God. 

Blessings,

Pastor Arlen

If the Kingdom has come...

Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God has come. So why don't we act like it?

I'm not sure where this is going for me personally or for our church, but there's something about Jesus' ministry that I can't shake.

Read about how he called Peter: Luke 5:1-11.

Jesus, operating under a powerful word of knowledge told Simon to go into the deep water and put their nets down. There they should not have caught anything. That isn't the place to get fish. but they catch more fish than ever before and it spawns a reaction from Simon. "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

Jesus doesn't care about his sin. He calls him to follow and immediately he leaves all and follows Jesus.

Are we supposed to be doing this kind of stuff? Wouldn't it be easier to call people to follow operating under the same annointing as Jesus? Does this take more faith to live in the supernatural rather than rely on "worldly principles" of evangelism?

Just a thought,

Pastor Arlen

What is "Normal Christian Life?"

Here's the question I've been thinking about for the last couple of days... Is Jesus our example of the "Normal Christian Life?" We have bumper stickers that say, "What would Jesus do?" But we don't really believe we're supposed to do what Jesus did. In terms of moral choices, yes. But in terms of miracles and listening to the Father's instructions, no. My old Sunday School teacher used to joke about this too. He would say, "What would Jesus do?... walk on water." And in some way, he was implying that we are not to do as Jesus did. But is that correct Kingdom thinking?

Pray about it and consider it. What really did Jesus do?

In Luke 4:23-44 Jesus tells his listeners...

There are lots of needs around. Some people God specifically calls to meet other people's needs in supernatural ways like Elijah did.

Jesus models casting out demons.

Jesus "rebuked fever" and released service from Simon's mother. (This is a powerful point if you can receive it.)

And in prayer, Jesus receives direction and guidance from God that contradicts what is happening. Miracles are happening here and God tells Jesus to go elsewhere.

This is more to think about in considering the Kingdom.

Blessings!

Pastor Arlen

The Correct Use of Kingdom Authority

As I started on this journey of thinking about the kingdom, it occurs to me that Jesus was our best example of what it means to live in the Kingdom. He lived out "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." And as such, everywhere He went lives were changed. People received healing because there's no sickness in heaven. Demons were cast out because demons don't dwell in heaven.

And shouldn't we have the same authority? We'll get to some of my favorite stories later, but as we move through Luke, I noticed something I hadn't noticed before.... The correct use the kingdom authority.

Read Luke 4:1-22.

While this seems like two separate stories: Jesus' temptation and Jesus teaching at the temple. I submit to you that perhaps they are connected by the kingdom.

Notice that when Satan tempts Jesus he says, "If you are the Son of God..." Indeed, Satan is saying that because Jesus is the Son of God and his realm and reign is in heaven and has kingdom authority... turn the stones into bread; trade worship for the kingdoms of this world; jump off the temple to test God.

As I read this again, I thought, is what the devil wants the correct use of kingdom authority? Use your kingdom authority for personal needs? Use your kingdom authority to gain worldly authority? Use your kingdom authority to test God's presence with you?

Then in the next scene, Jesus teaches in the temple and reads the passage of Isaiah where it says,

"18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To vset at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

The New King James Version. 1982 (Lk 4:18-19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

It's as if Jesus was making the point that the reason he had kingdom authority and the reason for the Spirit's presence with him was to bless others. That is the correct use of kingdom authority.

Something to ponder and pray about. Does this apply to us as Christians? I believe it does. But we have to change our whole understanding of what it means to live the Christian life and how much power and authority we have through the Holy Spirit dwelling in our lives.

=)

Pastor Arlen

-----------------------------------------------

The message Jesus' preached when He was on the earth was the Kingdom.

Have you thought about the Kingdom lately?

John & The Kingdom

Luke 3

John the Baptist received the word of the Lord and then began preaching.

Are we so quick to obey the word of the Lord too?

More on the Kingdom

Recently, I've been impressed that we need to live our lives in the Kingdom of God. You can think of it as flowing with God's presence and power.

I was so blind to this earlier, but Jesus is our perfect example of this. And from His life, we can pick up principles on how to live in God's presence and power.

I feel so strongly about this that if this is all I ever preach or teach about from now for the rest of my life, I believe it will be well worth it.

Would you join me in studying the Life of Jesus and prayerfully gleaning lessons about living in the King's power and presence? Please leave me comments and posts on your insights.

I'm starting in the Book of Luke.

Names of God: God My Shepherd

Today, we wrap up our study on the Names of God. This is a name that most of us are familiar with. We've all heard messages either at memorial services or in church about how God is our shepherd. Take a moment to review what you've heard about God being our shepherd and then read our chapter today for additional insights.

Click here to listen and read Ezekiel 34.

Consider how God relates with us, His sheep...

• I will search for them.
• I will look after them.
• I will rescue them.
• I will gather them.
• I will bring them into their own land.
• I will pasture them and tend them.
• I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.
• I will bind up the injured.
• I will strengthen the weak.
• I will destroy the sleek and the strong. (Self-reliant vs. God reliant)
• I will shepherd with justice.
• I will judge.
• I will make a covenant of peace.
• I will bless them.
• I will provide for them.

Did you see yourself in that list? God desires to minister to you and build His relationship with you. Will you continue to seek God for everything you need? Will you refuse to be self-reliant, and instead rely on God. Don't even rely on what you see, but walk by faith?

Do you know God? If you know Him and His character, can you trust Him?

If you are just beginning to realize who God is, pause for a moment and pray something like this:

Dear God,
You are amazing. I never really understood who you are or how much you care about me until now. Please help me to develop my understanding about you and my relationship with you. Forgive me for wandering and straying from your perfect standard and plan for my life. Help me to walk with you and to walk by faith. I trust you with my whole life, every part, every decision, and when this life is over, I trust that you will welcome me into your everlasting kingdom. Thank you for you incredible love for me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!!!

Now, don't stop. Continue to walk with God. Continue to learn more about Him.
At Christ's Church at Kapolei, we encourage you to take steps of faith like these...
1. Connect with God at a church worship service.
2. Begin to serve each other on a ministry team.
3. Love each other in a small group setting.
4. Touch the world through reaching out and world missions.

Take the next step of faith and see where God will lead you!

Blessings!
Pastor Arlen

Names of God: Living God

When I was in High School just learning about the Christian faith, I was a fact guy. I loved to hear facts about why Christianity was different from other religions. One fact that separates Christianity from other religions is the resurrection.

Jesus' resurrection from the grave is a fact that can be proven by historical documents and eye witness accounts.

Jesus' resurrection is also the prime example that God is a living God. Read today's chapter and consider what a difference it makes to follow a living God.

Click here to listen and read Jeremiah 10.

God is alive. He defied and continues to defy the idols and gods of this world (which are really just objects or deities made by man). You may feel like God doesn't hear your prayers sometimes, but He's alive and He's listening. Sometimes we have to be persistent in praying and seeking because if we will be persistent, God will show up. He just might show up in a way we weren't expecting.

How else will this truth about the Living God affect your prayer, worship, & devotion?

Take some time to pause and pray today.

Blessings to you that you might be a blessing to others!
=)
pastor arlen

Names of God: Holy One

Holy... Holy is an often misunderstood word in the Bible. What does it really mean? We'll learn a bit in today's name.

God's holiness refers to a couple of themes.

First, His holiness refers to His character of purity and hatred of evil and immorality. We often hear about God's love and his grace, but love and grace area always balanced by God's holiness. Yes, God loves, but he also desires his people to be pure and undivided in their devotion to Him.

The second meaning for holiness is something that is separate and different in a sacred way. God is different than anyone and anything we can see in the world. He acts differently than any of the idols and gods of other nations. The idols and gods of the other nations are just selfish or angry or jealous personalities.

As you read today's chapter, consider how our God is different from what you might expect or different from other religions. Be sure to also note the moral standard that God calls us to.

Click here to listen and read Isaiah 43.

Take a moment now, if you haven't already, to pause and thank and praise God for being so different than other gods.

God truly deserves our worship and he has done so much for us that He deserves us to live holy lives for His glory. Take a moment to consider how you might live a more holy life in all you do today and tomorrow. Write yourself a note in your Bible to remind you.

Blessings!
Pastor Arlen

Names of God: God of Israel

Today's name for God occurs 195 times in the Bible. And although, we may not be Jewish people from the nation of Israel, we follow the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and today's description about God is still very applicable to our lives as Christians.

Click here to listen and read 1 Kings 8:1-30.

If you have ever doubted that our God is a personal God, today's name should put those thoughts to rest. The fact that God chose a group of people to call His own is incredible and gives us hope that He is personally interested in us.

In this passage, King Solomon is dedicating the newly built temple in Israel and God's presence fills the temple and indicates his presence with His people. Let that truth fill your heart, that God loves you and desires to be ever present with you as you worship Him. Some things have changed since the time of King Solomon. We no longer have a temple in Jerusalem to go to. But with Jesus' death, the Most Holy place where God's presence dwelt has been opened and we have all been given a backstage pass to meet with God as we worship, pray, and listen to His voice.

Throughout the Old Testament, God's people continued to recount the Exodus from Egypt. That event was a picture of the Lord's salvation for his people. Here again the people remember that it was the God of Israel who delivered them. God proved in the Exodus that He was greater than the gods of Egypt, even greater than any other god or idol. Gain confidence in God and comfort that He is your God. Nothing is too difficult from Him and He is to be worshiped because He is greater than any other god.

One final direction for our prayers needs to be for the nations. Solomon's prayer is worth quoting and praying ourselves...
41 "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name- 42 for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.

Blessings!
Pastor Arlen

Names of God: Jehovah Rophe

Today we're going to talk about a name for God that everyone loves. Even non-believer's love this name for God because when they're sick, they don't mind us praying for God to help them and heal them.

Read or listen to Exodus 15 to get the background on the God who heals us.

If you read that chapter looking attentively for today's name for God, you probably realize that it occurs at the end of the chapter. So why read the whole chapter? Why not skip to the last section? Well, this chapter details God's deliverance for His people in the "Exodus". And that story is vital to our understanding of God's healing.

The Exodus story tells of the mighty miracles God performed through Moses and Aaron to deliver his people. It tells of the sickness and plagues that God sent upon the people of Egypt. And it provides us with the contrast we need to understand God's healing. This is God's charge for us, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you."

Once again, God challenges us to develop our relationship with Him, living our lives according to His word and His laws. And if we will do that, He will be for us the God who sustains us and heals us. Sometimes, as in this story, we will be afflicted with an ailment so that God can test us and develop our character. Will we continue to be faithful and follow God even in the midst of affliction or will we grumble and complain?

I don't know about you, but I'm sort of a wimp when it comes to these kinds of tests. I just can't handle the pain, discomfort, and general yuckyness.

God's promise is for those who love Him and are following Him. He will work in our lives.
Does that mean God will always heal Christians? And we should never expect to get sick? Of course not. Some would say that the ultimate healing is dying in this life and rising in the next life where there is no more pain, suffering, or death.

My challenge to you is that when you do go through an affliction or need God's healing, draw nearer to God. His promise to you is that if you and I would draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

Blessings!
Pastor Arlen