Immediately after I made my presentation of “Perceiving the Gospel,” something rather interesting happened. As is customary at the Chesapeake Vineyard, one of the leaders of the church will come up and respond to what was just shared. In this instance, Joel Andre offered some “application” thoughts and then shared about some jolting news he had just received: his brother had just found out he had cancer… again.
As Joel asked us to join with him in praying for his brother, he took this opportunity to apply the lesson on perceiving. One week later, Joel shared that the doctor was shocked to discover that his brother was cancer free. I put together a short audio that combines Joel’s prayer from 4/20/07 and his report from 4/27/07.
There’s nothing secret or even new in the Power of Perceiving. However, I do believe that a profound truth about the nature of God, HIs kingdom, and how we interact in HIs kingdom can be uncovered in understanding what it means to “perceive.” There is a distinction between believing and knowing (perceiving). Jesus didn’t “believe” in the Father, He knew the Father. Jesus didn’t “beleive” for miracles, He simply did what he saw (perceived) HIs father doing. Believing in Jesus is the door into God’s kingdom. But once we’re in, “believing” doesn’t make the reality of the kingdom more “real.”
Just as NIcodemus approached Jesus looking for the key to unlock the secret of how Jesus did miracles, many Chrisitans have searched in vain for the faith secrets to unlock God’s working in their lives. As I shared in the lesson, Jesus really did show Nicodemus the key to unlocking the power of miracles, but it wasn’t the answer Nicodemus was looking for…
Noone has the power (dunamis) to see/perceive (eido) the kingdom unless he is born again.
It’s not about doing miracles; it’s about seeing the kingdom in operation. And in order to really see (perceive) the kingdom, we must first be born again. We must be born into the kingdom. As I explain…
Nicodemus wanted to understand Jesus’ power to do miracles…
Jesus told him that it was really about having the power to see/perceive the kingdom
Again, Jesus didn’t “beleive” for miracles; He simply did what he saw (perceived) the Father doing. Joel’s prayer in response to my teaching and then the amazing report one week later was like a case study of the lesson. Go God!
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