Going Forward

[Hashe]

One of my ‘heroes’ when I was a young missionary was Loren Cunningham. He is a man who has travelled to nearly every country in the world and preached the gospel in each of these countries. For me he truly epitomises the idea of taking forward the kingdom of God. When you listen to Loren speak he tells story after story about how God miraculously has moved in this world. The last time I heard him speak he told a story of how some YWAM team members went into the house of an old lady. After praying for her she got up. Then her husband came back from arranging her funeral!

When Jesus went around preaching about the Kingdom of God he did so with accompanying signs and wonders. The Jews were looking forward an earthly kingdom. Jesus was preaching about a spiritual kingdom. He used signs and wonders to show that this spiritual kingdom was more powerful than sickness, demons even the forces of nature itself. It was a taste of the fullness of the kingdom.

This kingdom was more powerful than the Roman Empire, which ruled the known world for the Jews. However the use of the power of this kingdom was not for taking lands but for convincing people of the reality of the creator God and that he wanted to be active in people’s lives.

Today there are some who teach that such miraculous signs are now longer here. Lauren, and many others who are committed to extending the kingdom where it isn’t established, know that God will works miracles today. God still wants to show people today that he is real and give people a taste of the fullness of the kingdom.

It does make me wonder how committed I am to extending Jesus’ kingdom today. How much do I trust God to use me in showing a taste of the fullness of kingdom to those who don’t know him?

 

[NoHype]

One of my ‘heroes’ when I was a young missionary was Loren Cunningham. He is a man who has travelled to nearly every country in the world and preached the gospel in each of these countries. For me he truly epitomises the idea of taking forward the kingdom of God. When you listen to Loren speak he tells story after story about how God miraculously has moved in this world. The last time I heard him speak he told a story of how some YWAM team members went into the house of an old lady. After praying for her she got up. Then her husband came back from arranging her funeral!

When Jesus went around preaching about the Kingdom of God he did so with accompanying signs and wonders. The Jews were looking forward an earthly kingdom. Jesus was preaching about a spiritual kingdom. He used signs and wonders to show that this spiritual kingdom was more powerful than sickness, demons even the forces of nature itself. It was a taste of the fullness of the kingdom.

This kingdom was more powerful than the Roman Empire, which ruled the known world for the Jews. However the use of the power of this kingdom was not for taking lands but for convincing people of the reality of the creator God and that he wanted to be active in people’s lives.

Today there are some who teach that such miraculous signs are now longer here. Lauren, and many others who are committed to extending the kingdom where it isn’t established, know that God will works miracles today. God still wants to show people today that he is real and give people a taste of the fullness of the kingdom.

It does make me wonder how committed I am to extending Jesus’ kingdom today. How much do I trust God to use me in showing a taste of the fullness of kingdom to those who don’t know him?

I very much believe God still works miracles on that level in the world today. But I believe it is not as much manifest in the Christian west like it used to be, because of doubt, unbelief, and overdependence upon man's things.

 

[Hashe]

Your perspective might be correct, but it puts the emphasis on people.
The issue is how does the 'now and not yet' of the kingdom work out today. If we believe every Christian should miraculously be saved, to make an extreme example, why aren't the apostles still alive today? Was there no sickness at all amongst the early churches? Why did Paul have 'a thorn in his flesh'?

 

[B-A-C]

Your perspective might be correct, but it puts the emphasis on people.

I believe this is how God prefers to work. Could God have parted the red-sea without Moses stretching forth his hand? ( Exod 14:16; )
Or Lot's staff turning into a serpent, or the Israelites marching around Jericho 7 times, or David defeating Goliath? Sure, God is God, he can do whatever He wants.
But I believe he wants to work THROUGH people. That's why he used the prophets of the old testament, the apostles of the new testament.
You're right, there's a theology out there that says the power of God is dead, or at least very limited. (I can guess where this theology came from).

It appears to these people that Mark 16:15-18; for only for that time period. I am curious how people know what verses of the Bible are for
a specific time period, and how they know when that time period is beginning or ended? Matt 13:58;