"JESUS and the 5,000: A Little Boy and LEFTOVERS!"

The miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is the only pre-cruxificion miracle recorded in all four gospels (Matt 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-14) and is chock full of revelation of who we are to be as Believers in the eyes of the Messiah.

John the Baptist had just been beheaded (fittingly, so as not to confuse the fact that ONLY Christ is the "head" of the church, and NOT man) and after hearing this, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee with His disciples to rest from all the ministry they had been doing. Upon hearing that Jesus was in the area, the multitudes flocked to Him bringing with them all their sick and Jesus, seeing the multitudes, was moved with compassion and healed them.

                                              "Jesus had compassion and healed them..."
Now the hour was late and the disciples starting getting nervous because they knew that they had to feed these folks and this wasn't your garden variety "church picnic!" They reasoned among themselves, "How are we gonna feed ALL of these people?" If you read closely, the Bible says that there were 5,000 MEN (that did not include women and children). The actual number of people was probably closer to 20-25,000! Keep in mind, the disciples had just witnessed Jesus healing hundreds of people of every manner of sickness and disease. How is it possible that they could be concerned about the Lord God's ability to feed the masses? They themselves had performed many miracles (preaching the gospel, casting out demons and healing the sick) among the people at that time!

The disciples had no food and had only 200 denarii (the #200 represents "insufficiency or expectancy") among them (about 2/3's of one year's wages) and concluded that that was not enough to feed this throng of people. Along comes a little boy and they secured his lunch which included two fish (The #2 represents "Christ") and "five loaves" of bread (the #5 represent the "grace kingdom of God"). Two fish and five loaves of bread equals seven articles of food. The #7 represents "perfection and completion of a finished work" in God's economy.

                                                "A little boy's lunch changed the world!"

The disciples wanted to send the multitude away because of "fear." How quickly they had forgotten who they were and what the Lord God had given to them. How quickly "fear" replace "faith!" They were in a deserted place and it was getting "dark." Desertion and darkness are two profound elements of fear! "But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." (Matt 14:16). Wow! Don't miss this! Jesus compelled them to feed the masses. "You" feed them. "You" give them something to eat. "You solve the problem!"

I must emphasize this point; Jesus NEVER fed the multitude directly!, He blessed the food (symbolizing His thankfulness to God for the provision) and then He broke the bread (symbolizing His "communion" with the Father and a forewarning of His body that was to be battered in order that the "lost" might be redeemed) and then He "gave" the food to the disciples who then gave the food to the multitude. The tense of the verb "gave" in the Greek suggests that the multiplication of the loaves and the fish took place in Jesus' hands as He continued or kept giving the bread and fish to His disciples.

Outside of the miracle of the multiplication of the food and the "excess" made available to the disciples, the most profound revelation in this message is that we, as Believers, have the power to do all things through Christ if we have faith. Faith is a verb. It is an action word! We are required to demonstrate our faith by "doing something" and are urged not to falter by "making excuses."

Notice, Jesus does not PRAY and ASK GOD for the two fish and loaves of bread to be multiplied, HE JUST GIVES THANKS! They even had "leftovers!" Selah...

"VALLEY of DRY BONES: Can These Dry Bones Live?"

The story has never changed throughout the ages and the question remains the same. In the face of adversity and daunting situations, our Savior asks us the the very same question He asked the Prophet Ezekiel, "When you find yourself in the Valley of Dry Bones, and you have just witnessed the devastation of your comrades laying in defeat and desolation, Son of Man, can these dry bones live?"

In the WOG, the Book of Ezekiel 37:1-14 outlines the challenges all men and women face who dare to be great in the Kingdom of God. The individual has to make a choice; am I able to do this thing under my own power or do I yield to the power of God and allow Him to direct my path?

                                         The Valley of Dry Bones: Is this What You See?

In the Hebrew language, the word "bones" is translated "garam" (#H1633) which means to be spare or skeleton-like, or to break bones, denude. The Holy Spirit taught me that the bones represent those Believers who are dry and dead; those who are despondent and dejected and those who are dispersed and disassembled.

Our ability to answer the question correctly is primarily an act of FAITH. Then, through our "demonstration" (which is our faith activated by actually doing something), we can manifest glory for the Lord God in the marketplace. This intimate interaction with the Lord God is a mirror reflection of the "Body-Breath" sequence which occurred in the garden between the Lord God and Adam. in short, the Spirit of God overtakes our mortal bodies and transforms us into mighty "spiritual warriors" in the KOG.

The Spirit of God will realign, rebuild and revive; He will reconnect, reconstitute and restore; and He will reaffirm, reconcile and redeem the willing servant to Himself. He is intentional in His obsession with His people. When the believer answers, "Yes! These dry bones live, " he is immediately transported into the "God Realm" called "'atsam" in Hebrew, which means to be vast and mighty; to be numerous, to make strong and to shut and or close the eyes (as in the action of what a "visionary" does). The Believer further declares, "I see a mighty army prepared to utterly destroy the enemy of the Lord God!"

A Mighty Army of Men

The significance of closing the eyes immediately changes the perspective of the Believer from a "present reality" into a "perceived reality". Once you close your eyes, YOU SEE WHAT GOD SEES! Sometimes our "sight" (physical gift) gets in the way of our "vision" (spiritual gift) and it not only impedes our ability to see what God sees, but it also impedes our ability to see ourselves as God sees us!

In other words, you are to blind your eyes so as not to be deceived by the enemy and thereby obtain the ability to return boldly to the throne of grace from spiritual exile. Selah... 

"JESUS as the BELLIGERENT CHRIST!"

Jesus as the Belligerent Christ
            Can you imagine someone so bold and brash to declare that He is the Savior of the entire world?  That this same person had the ability to forgive every sin known and unknown to man and heal every manner of sickness and disease?  That the One proclaiming His sovereignty in the earth as the ONLY way to eternal life!  How can One have the ability to grant access to eternity from time to a limited organism through an unknown protocol that He established as “faith.”
            So much of our lives are consumed with the challenges of that particular day, place or time we find ourselves.  In light of our mounting social, political, financial and spiritual problems, mankind has been thrust into a cavern of pain, fear and death.  I always say, “There is no limit to the depths of human selfishness!”  This is the place where Christ excels.  The place of low thinking.  Some call it Lodi bar.  I call it slothfulness.

            Given the sacrifice God has made for us through the premeditated murder of Jesus, we have no excuse not to get better as a species.  Everything we do is so out of order it is ridiculous. We have been given over to a reprobate mind as was told to us by God through his apostle Paul in (Rom. 1:18-32) when He warned us of His wrath that would fall upon the head and shoulders of the unrighteous.
            Our world is moving much too fast; at a speed that exceeds the pace of God. It is this insistence on keeping God is our “rear view” mirrors that has created a global prophesy that reads, ‘the item in your rear view mirror is closer than you think.’ We are in a dispensation of time where Christ has once again identified and selected a group of ‘misfits’ to challenge the wreckless and selfless paradigms of lawlessness, wickedness and greed.  He will once again be with those chosen to lead and guide them into all truth and righteousness.  Their destiny is godliness and holiness.  Their protector is truth and their weapon is the Word of God.

"The Image in your Rear View Mirror is closer than it appears!"

            The Spirit of the Belligerent Christ has invaded the marketplace seeking out the lost, broken and defeated with the expectation that they will submit to the wonder working power of God who can and will deliver and set them free from the bondage of sin and death.  The revelation of His belligerence has created a new spirit of enthusiasm for teaching the gospel to both Believers and Gentiles.  As we rise from discipleship to apostleship, we have been given a license to utterly destroy the works of the enemy.

"The ECONOMICS of HEALING!"

The Economics of Healing     

          There is perhaps no greater dichotomy in the Kingdom of Heaven (KOH) than that of hope vs. faith. In fact, inside the confines of the spiritual arena of “healing” is where we see this contrast the most. I am a firm believer in divine healing.  I believe that God can and will heal His folks.  I also subscribe to the theory that even if He doesn’t heal a person, He is still ABLE to do it.

          Check out these two scriptures:

          “[The Lord] forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases” (Ps. 103:3)

“Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His stripes you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

It is clear that the Lord God heals our infirmities. So what about man? Can a man heal you? Or the better question might be, “Does a man have the ability to heal you?”After watching the charade on CETV, it is very easy for a mature “believer” to be skeptical of the established protocol.

So what role does “sin” play in the sickness or illness of a Christian? What about our favorite “scapegoat” the devil? What role does Satan play in our infirmities?  I think we need to make a clear distinction between diseases and demonic activity. Personally, I am very suspicious of preachers who are constantly casting out the demons of cerebral palsy, epilepsy, cancer, blindness and malaria.  What does the Word of God have to say about this?

(Romans 8:20-21) clearly points out that illness “in general” is a result of the fall of mankind (Adam and Eve) in the Garden and his sinful nature. In addition, (Matt. 4:24, 10:1 and 10:8) assert that individual illnesses are not satanically inspired.  Matthew has a clear perspective through the lens of the eyes of God.  Jesus gave the disciples power to heal the sick, cast out demons and give sight to the blind (literally and figuratively). So the conclusion of matter is that Satan is not the culprit for every disease known to man and that a man can possess the ability to heal another man if he has been given the gift to do so by the power of the Holy Spirit under the authority of the Lord God.

"PTSD and the Modern Day Church!"

The Modern Day Church (MDC) or the Body of Christ (BOC) as many call it is in a state of turmoil. Many leaders are scrambling for any vestige of sanity they can muster to deliver messages that are relevant and life-changing.  The numbers of people attending church weekly are drastically reduced from years past, giving or "tithing" is down, churches are going into foreclosure at an alarming rate (albeit in direct correlation to the apostasy of their wicked leadership), hundreds of cases of financial, sexual and other abuses are rampant and the nation has lost its faith in God.

The problem is that many Christians (and I must emphasize NOT ALL Christians) are resisting the call of the Holy Spirit into righteousness and service in the Kingdom of God. Not ALL Pastors are leading the sheep to slaughter; but many of them are.  The Prosperity Preachers and the Word of Faith Movement are among the worst perpetrators against God and His people! They are pure and simply modern day "cults." The MDC is experiencing what I'd like to refer to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or the “other” PTSD for short.  You might ask, "Where are you going with this?"  Don't touch that dial!

   Let's examine some of the symptoms of the “other” PTSD and see the similarities between this disease and the MDC:

· Loss of Interest or Pleasure: Have you been noticing your church attendance or service in the community falling off lately? Do you return home dissatisfied with the message or your "experience"? Christians are too focused on having an "experience" versus an "encounter" with God!

· Feelings of Hopelessness: Has your worship been "dry" and dusty?  Have you placed too much pressure on your Pastor to "give you a word" that consistently falls short of your desire for relief from your situation? ONLY GOD can fill that void.  God is the purveyor of HOPE.  Only He can give you hope; not your Bishop, Pastor or Apostle!

· Stress and Anxiety: Have you been experiencing abnormal levels of pressure from your daily life? Do you try to self-medicate with alcohol, drugs or pornography to relieve the pain? Much of the stress we experience is "self-induced."  A close relationship with God can give you "perfect peace." Spend time with God in the "secret place" (that place He has reserved specifically and especially for you) and read His word daily and read it slowly!

· Confusion: Are you checking your Christian ID to verify your membership in the Kingdom?  Do you find yourself questioning the blatant violations of both Christians and non-Christians on matters of faith, family and community? God is not the Author of Confusion.  He is the Prince of Peace.  If you are confused, you can be assured it is not God leading you down the path of darkness.

· Guilt: Are you feeling guilty about something you have done or something you might be thinking? Are you persecuting yourself or a loved one over some transgression past or present?  Get free!  There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! God has already forgiven you for everything in order that you might set someone else free from your wrath, guilt, and shame.

· Reckless Behavior: It is very difficult to tell the difference between "believers" and "sinners" in our modern culture.  So much of what Christians do has mimicked the world system of corruption, delusion, manipulation and treachery to the point where we are rationalizing our behavior as the "new normal."  Christians have compromised Christ and abandoned Him for the vanity of” popularity, acceptance and job security (protecting my profession)!" Are you one of these pseudo-Christians “managing your symptoms” with your "meds"?

  

At the end of the day, when we truthfully hold up the mirror to the face of the BOC we have to see the "reflection" of PTSD. The images are profound but not insurmountable. They are powerful but not all-powerful.  They are present, but not omnipresent. What many Christians fail to realize is that God and His Spirit are the prevailing powers in this realm; not the Spirit of perdition.

The remedy for the MDC is pretty is simple; allow the Spirit of God to rule and reign and tear down the idols of the priesthood, the lust for money and material gain and inject the paradigm of love, grace and peace in the Person of Christ Jesus! In the world, the most effective treatment for PTSD is called "Cognitive Behavior Therapy" whereby the therapist helps the patient to understand and change their perspective on how they view their trauma or stress and the aftermath. It helps them to then infuse a “corrective” behavior technique which improves how they view themselves in relation to the world around them. Sounds a lot like how God works doesn't it?

Get connected to the Master and you will find that it is His "good pleasure" to help you to trace the problem, face the problem, erase the problem and then have the audacity to replace the problem!