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Potential Sons John 1:11-13 (KJV) “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” If we ask ourselves, “How did the Lord come to me?” we may answer: as Savior, or as Redeemer, or as friend. But, how many more ways does He come to us after we have first encountered Him? And in how many ways have we refused to receive Him? Throughout the Old Testament we see that the Lord Jehovah, (which translated means “Jesus Saves”), visited His people many times, and in those visits He revealed Himself to them in many different ways. When He came as their victory He was Jehovah Nissi. When He came as their provision He was Shepard, and every time there was a name for Jehovah Jireh. He also came as healer, and the revealed purpose of His visit. Though we may already know Him in many ways, I believe that He is coming to us now to reveal the heart of the Father. The question is: Are we willing to receive Him that way? Though we may not completely understand all the reasons why we must endure what we are going through, we must still be willing to receive Him, to be taught of Him, to be disciplined by Him, to be empowered for His purposes, and to come into the responsibilities and maturity in the ways that only He can lead us. That entails more than just taking it to the Lord in prayer. It takes crying: (Crying out to God, “Not my will but Your Will, Father”). It takes dying: (Dying to the old natures of the mind the will and the emotions), and it takes trying: (Overcoming in the trials and distractions that can keep us from walking in sonship with the Father). (Phil 2:13-15 KJV) “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” Why do we give up so quickly? Why do we seek compromise to soften the siftings? Do we not yet understand that God is working all things together for good, for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose? If God is in it, and He is for us, why do we complain and murmur? Because we don’t yet believe! If we receive the move of God in the way He is trying to bring it, we will believe in the attribute being revealed by His Name in it. That is why we cry out, “Abba Father.” (Mark 14:36 KJV) “And he said, Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” In this hour, Jesus wants to do the will of the Father in revealing Him through the manifest sons of God. We must not focus on our failures, but rather grow ever more passionate to meet the expectation for which we have been called and given power to achieve “sonship.” It does not matter what the world, the devil, and the old nature says. We are not impotent! God is omnipotent! And if He is in us, then we have all the power we need to become what we are to be. We must not grow faint as the church of Christ is being purified from errors, divisions, and corruptions, in doctrine, discipline, worship, and practice. We must continue forward with a changed mind and the fruit of repentance, leaving room for the Holy Spirit to move in all that He would desire to do. (Rom 8:15-16 KJV) “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. {16} The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” Come on! Can you see more clearly now your God given potential? Be all that you can be in Christ! Don’t settle for anything less. Listen, all the earth is groaning awaiting the manifestation of the mature sons of God. The darkness is growing but cannot prevail if we determine to shine His light into this world, and we will shine when we determine to capitalize on our God given potential and become the sons of God. (Rom 8:18-19 KJV) “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {19} For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” -Kurt Thurston
August Newsletter 2003 | Pursuing Agape | Keeping This Generation | Potential Sons Pastor's Journal August 2002 | A Harlot's Torment part 2 | Meekness and Mercy part 2 of 3 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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