Jesus, our elder brother laid out the pathway that we would walk if we desire our walk to emulate His. He said this in Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
This quote from Jesus is the essence of one who would be a follower of His. However, it is contrary to every other religion known to man. In religion, people worship to get. We appease the gods by our gifts and sacrifices. In turn, we expect the gods to provide for us. It is the heart of idolatry. In pagan cultures, there is a multiplicity of gods to meet a plethora of needs. I worship a particular god to get a particular need met. Denominations compete for attendees by offering a more appealing Jesus than the others. Modern “faith” healers use the promise of healing if financial gifts to their ministries are large enough. The larger the gift, the larger the amount of faith will be released.
Jesus defines the gospel in this; to follow Him will cost you everything, even your own life. The Apostle Paul stated this in Galatians 2:20 (ESV).
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
There is a very interesting dynamic of Jesus ministry that you will not find in many faith healers ministries today, anonymity. Matthew 8:4 (ESV)
“And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”
Jesus wasn’t interested in building a ministry, becoming wealthy or famous, His only desire was to do father’s will. I believe there is a day coming in which the “greater works” people will operate in great power and authority. Greater than we have ever witnessed. John 14:12 (ESV)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
I’m not a talking about taking dominion in the earth or conquering the “seven mountains” of culture as some NAR teachers teach but simply showing the glory of the Father. The glory will flow through the Romans 8:19 “sons of God” and will be used by the sons to redeem both individuals and regions from the curse. This generation will not care about fame and wealth but ,like Jesus only to see the Father glorified. They’ll operate simply out of love and obedience to their heavenly Father and then their love for there fellow man. As the Apostle Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 13, all ministries will pale in comparison to the perfect love that this generation carries. I am praying that I will see this generation come forth in my life. The essence of the gospel is death to self so that He might live through me. Thus, I am no longer alive, but Christ is alive in me.
I’m sorry to keep talking about this all the time but this hope is what keeps me going. I am perhaps more of a “revivalist” than pastor. Perhaps that quality is the essence of the true apostolic; “spiritual awakening”!
“Lord. may my life and testimony be pleasing to You. Would you bring spiritual awakening to this world? Do it in my life-time. We are in desperate need of You!!
I encourage all of you to come to the conference this weekend and hear Gina Phillips. This will be a time of learning and equipping as we ready Cornerstone for the future ‘awakening’. Some of the most broken in our culture will become the greatest testimonies of God’s redemption. This is my prayer for this weekend. Luke 10:2 (ESV)
“And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”