The Point of the Parables

The point of each of those parables I made up, is to illustrate that just because we are no longer under the Law, does not mean that we won't live-up to the intent or principles inherent in the Law. It's just that we arrive there through a more effective means.

• Automatic set-up installs the same program on your computer as step-by-step set-up.
  

• Whether you take the New England Highway from Brisbane or the Pacific Highway, you can still arrive at exactly the same desired destination - Sydney.

• A husband who is in love does all the right things for his wife - just as if he was following some list of do's and dont's.

• Using a template can give you the same finished look as if you were a skilled HTML programmer.

For example, the Law said, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse". Now some believers say that since we are no longer under the Law, we no longer need to pay tithes.

But when Moses commanded Israel saying, "Bring your tithes", that was really just an extension, or explanation, or application or just another way of saying, "Love God, and love your neighbour".

Because if they loved God, they would honour His house; they would keep His commandments; they would pay His priests; and they would consider the poor.

The intent or principle behind the Law was to show Israel how to apply the law of love to every area of their lives, including their finances.

So now that we are under the New Covenant instead of the Law, and under Christ's new commandment of "Love one another", we will still fulfill everything that was intended or foreshadowed in principle, by the Law - because we are walking in love. Love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Therefore if I love God and honour His house and love my neighbour as myself, I will support my local church, the ministers of the Gospel and the poor with my finances, as God has enabled me, just the same as if I were following a written law - and by doing so (by walking in love) I will, in effect, be keeping the commandment.

But by what strength or power did I keep it? By my own? By the power of the commandment itself? or by a new and living way? By a new and living way. By the power of Christ in me. It is no more I that does it, but Christ that liveth in me. Hallelujah!

When God introduced a New Covenant, He didn't drop or totally discard the standard inherent in the last Covenant. To do that would be to discard Himself - for God is love. He just gave us a more effective way of becoming capable of actually doing it, of actually being able to walk in love, from our very heart.

If you are driving down the road and you come to a sign that says, "Road Closed - Detour" - well the detour is going to take you to the same destination.

Or if a new road has been opened, replacing an old road, the new road is not going to take you to some different destination: it will take you to the same destination as the old road, only more effectively.

The Point of the Parables

The point of each of those parables I made up, is to illustrate that just because we are no longer under the Law, does not mean that we won't live-up to the intent or principles inherent in the Law. It's just that we arrive there through a more effective means.

• Automatic set-up installs the same program on your computer as step-by-step set-up.
  

• Whether you take the New England Highway from Brisbane or the Pacific Highway, you can still arrive at exactly the same desired destination - Sydney.

• A husband who is in love does all the right things for his wife - just as if he was following some list of do's and dont's.

• Using a template can give you the same finished look as if you were a skilled HTML programmer.

For example, the Law said, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse". Now some believers say that since we are no longer under the Law, we no longer need to pay tithes.

But when Moses commanded Israel saying, "Bring your tithes", that was really just an extension, or explanation, or application or just another way of saying, "Love God, and love your neighbour".

Because if they loved God, they would honour His house; they would keep His commandments; they would pay His priests; and they would consider the poor.

The intent or principle behind the Law was to show Israel how to apply the law of love to every area of their lives, including their finances.

So now that we are under the New Covenant instead of the Law, and under Christ's new commandment of "Love one another", we will still fulfill everything that was intended or foreshadowed in principle, by the Law - because we are walking in love. Love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Therefore if I love God and honour His house and love my neighbour as myself, I will support my local church, the ministers of the Gospel and the poor with my finances, as God has enabled me, just the same as if I were following a written law - and by doing so (by walking in love) I will, in effect, be keeping the commandment.

But by what strength or power did I keep it? By my own? By the power of the commandment itself? or by a new and living way? By a new and living way. By the power of Christ in me. It is no more I that does it, but Christ that liveth in me. Hallelujah!

When God introduced a New Covenant, He didn't drop or totally discard the standard inherent in the last Covenant. To do that would be to discard Himself - for God is love. He just gave us a more effective way of becoming capable of actually doing it, of actually being able to walk in love, from our very heart.

If you are driving down the road and you come to a sign that says, "Road Closed - Detour" - well the detour is going to take you to the same destination.

Or if a new road has been opened, replacing an old road, the new road is not going to take you to some different destination: it will take you to the same destination as the old road, only more effectively.

The Parable of the Website Template

Here is a parable to illustrate the Gospel truth that being under grace doesn't mean we are allowed to live lawlessly - it means we are empowered to live right.

A certain person wanted to post a personal page on a free web hosting site. The free site gave him two options for creating and uploading his page:

1. He could use HTML to create his page, or
2. He could opt to use one of the site's free web-page templates - which required no knowledge of HTML [recommended for beginners]

At first, the person tried his hand at HTML. But he soon discovered that every little detail he desired for his web page required its own HTML "command". And if he got one command or code slightly wrong, the whole thing didn't look right, and it looked unacceptable.

He soon realized his inability, so he changed his mind and opted to use one of the easy-to-use templates instead. All the features he wanted on his web page were already built-in, including colour, font and style because the HTML codes or "commands" were automatically written into the template. No HTML knowledge or skill on his part was required. All he had to do was select and click "upload" - easy. The final result looked exactly how it would look if an expert made it using computer programming commands.

There were two methods: programming commands (HTML) or template (pre-programming). Both could achieve the same result in theory - however, only the last method was able to be used by an unskilled person.

Because of sin, all of us were unskilled at righteousness. But thank God, the Gospel has the same power in our lives as that template! When we were under the Law, we were unable to keep the Law, due to sin dwelling in our bodies - like a person who doesn't know the HTML commands. But now through the New Covenant, God has programmed our hearts to keep His laws, to walk in His ways, to fulfill the righteousness of the Law - causing us to achieve the same result, just like the man who opted for the website template. All we had to do was accept Christ (select and click "upload") - then we received His righteousness as a free gift, and we were empowered to walk in God's ways.

"...this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts..."

Through the New Covenant, through the power of the cross, and the blood, through the new birth, through Christ and through the indwelling Spirit - God has given us a brand new heart which bears His nature. God is love, and we are made partakers of the divine nature, therefore we are now able to walk in love. And love is the fulfilling of the Law. Therefore by a new and living way, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us.

The Parable of the Website Template

Here is a parable to illustrate the Gospel truth that being under grace doesn't mean we are allowed to live lawlessly - it means we are empowered to live right.

A certain person wanted to post a personal page on a free web hosting site. The free site gave him two options for creating and uploading his page:

1. He could use HTML to create his page, or
2. He could opt to use one of the site's free web-page templates - which required no knowledge of HTML [recommended for beginners]

At first, the person tried his hand at HTML. But he soon discovered that every little detail he desired for his web page required its own HTML "command". And if he got one command or code slightly wrong, the whole thing didn't look right, and it looked unacceptable.

He soon realized his inability, so he changed his mind and opted to use one of the easy-to-use templates instead. All the features he wanted on his web page were already built-in, including colour, font and style because the HTML codes or "commands" were automatically written into the template. No HTML knowledge or skill on his part was required. All he had to do was select and click "upload" - easy. The final result looked exactly how it would look if an expert made it using computer programming commands.

There were two methods: programming commands (HTML) or template (pre-programming). Both could achieve the same result in theory - however, only the last method was able to be used by an unskilled person.

Because of sin, all of us were unskilled at righteousness. But thank God, the Gospel has the same power in our lives as that template! When we were under the Law, we were unable to keep the Law, due to sin dwelling in our bodies - like a person who doesn't know the HTML commands. But now through the New Covenant, God has programmed our hearts to keep His laws, to walk in His ways, to fulfill the righteousness of the Law - causing us to achieve the same result, just like the man who opted for the website template. All we had to do was accept Christ (select and click "upload") - then we received His righteousness as a free gift, and we were empowered to walk in God's ways.

"...this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts..."

Through the New Covenant, through the power of the cross, and the blood, through the new birth, through Christ and through the indwelling Spirit - God has given us a brand new heart which bears His nature. God is love, and we are made partakers of the divine nature, therefore we are now able to walk in love. And love is the fulfilling of the Law. Therefore by a new and living way, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us.

The Parable of the Teenager in Love

Here is a parable which illustrates the Gospel truth that God's grace empowers us to live righteously, rather than excuses us to live lawlessly.

There was a certain teenager, and of course his parents wanted to teach him how to be a pleasant person to live with. So they wrote a list of chores for their son, including all the dos and don't dos. The list included such items as: take the garbage out, tidy your bedroom, wash the car, always shut the gate behind you etc.

But their son still lacked the necessary motivation to complete any task adequately, despite his parents reminding him again and again and again. His parents were almost in despair to know what else they could do.

But one day when their son came home from school, without even being told, he went straight into his bedroom and tidied it up; then he came out to the kitchen and took the garbage out to the bin; while he was out there he cleaned the car; and when he came back inside, he even made sure the gate was nicely closed behind him - and he hadn't even got himself anything to eat yet, hadn't even turned the TV on. His parents wondered what had gotten into him! After a short time the doorbell rang, and then his parents understood - there at the gate stood a beautiful girl from school.

When your heart falls in love, it's a different story! There is hardly any need for a list of chores once a person is in love - for his own heart tells him what needs to be done; and not only does it tell him what needs to be done - it also gives him the motivation to actually do it. The list of chores is replaced by one new principle, love.

In the same way, Christ replaced the Law of Moses with His grace, which teaches us the one, new, all-encompassing principle - love one another. Love doesn't do anything bad to anyone: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

The New Covenant creates a new heart within us, a heart that has God's nature and God's Spirit dwelling inside, a heart of love. Therefore like the teenager in love, we automatically fulfill all righteousness - we fulfill our "chores" without even needing the list (the Law). When you fall in love, it's like the list gets written in your heart instead of on a piece of paper. When we were born again, God plunged us into love; in fact, He shed abroad His love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. It's natural to walk in love when you're in love - and love is the fulfilling of the Law.

We who believe in Christ are no longer under the list of dos and don'ts (the Old Covenant, the Law) but God has given us a new heart in which He inscribed His laws. Since Christ instituted a new commandment, "Love one another, as I have loved you", and God wrote it in our hearts, now we automatically do what the Law wanted us to do all along - that is, we walk in love. That is what the Law was aiming at all along - that we know how to walk in love. It's just that the Law couldn't empower us to walk in love - but God's grace does.

We fulfill the righteousness of the Law (like the list of chores, with its dos and don'ts), not because we are under the Law, but because it is only natural for us to walk in love now, since God poured out His love into our very heart by His Spirit the very moment we were born again and received God's grace.

"The Law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

The Parable of the Teenager in Love

Here is a parable which illustrates the Gospel truth that God's grace empowers us to live righteously, rather than excuses us to live lawlessly.

There was a certain teenager, and of course his parents wanted to teach him how to be a pleasant person to live with. So they wrote a list of chores for their son, including all the dos and don't dos. The list included such items as: take the garbage out, tidy your bedroom, wash the car, always shut the gate behind you etc.

But their son still lacked the necessary motivation to complete any task adequately, despite his parents reminding him again and again and again. His parents were almost in despair to know what else they could do.

But one day when their son came home from school, without even being told, he went straight into his bedroom and tidied it up; then he came out to the kitchen and took the garbage out to the bin; while he was out there he cleaned the car; and when he came back inside, he even made sure the gate was nicely closed behind him - and he hadn't even got himself anything to eat yet, hadn't even turned the TV on. His parents wondered what had gotten into him! After a short time the doorbell rang, and then his parents understood - there at the gate stood a beautiful girl from school.

When your heart falls in love, it's a different story! There is hardly any need for a list of chores once a person is in love - for his own heart tells him what needs to be done; and not only does it tell him what needs to be done - it also gives him the motivation to actually do it. The list of chores is replaced by one new principle, love.

In the same way, Christ replaced the Law of Moses with His grace, which teaches us the one, new, all-encompassing principle - love one another. Love doesn't do anything bad to anyone: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

The New Covenant creates a new heart within us, a heart that has God's nature and God's Spirit dwelling inside, a heart of love. Therefore like the teenager in love, we automatically fulfill all righteousness - we fulfill our "chores" without even needing the list (the Law). When you fall in love, it's like the list gets written in your heart instead of on a piece of paper. When we were born again, God plunged us into love; in fact, He shed abroad His love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. It's natural to walk in love when you're in love - and love is the fulfilling of the Law.

We who believe in Christ are no longer under the list of dos and don'ts (the Old Covenant, the Law) but God has given us a new heart in which He inscribed His laws. Since Christ instituted a new commandment, "Love one another, as I have loved you", and God wrote it in our hearts, now we automatically do what the Law wanted us to do all along - that is, we walk in love. That is what the Law was aiming at all along - that we know how to walk in love. It's just that the Law couldn't empower us to walk in love - but God's grace does.

We fulfill the righteousness of the Law (like the list of chores, with its dos and don'ts), not because we are under the Law, but because it is only natural for us to walk in love now, since God poured out His love into our very heart by His Spirit the very moment we were born again and received God's grace.

"The Law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

Do Christians Keep the Standard of the Law?

There are two roads from Brisbane to Sydney: the Pacific Highway or the New England Highway. No matter which highway you take, the destination is still Sydney.

God gave Israel two covenants: the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Both Covenants were designed with the same objective - to show us the way to righteousness; and the lifestyle under both Covenants can be summarized the same way - walking in love.

The Law covered many facets and topics in life, showing Israel practically what it means to walk in love - both toward God and toward one's fellow man.

The Gospel empowers believers to fulfill the righteousness of the Law, for God diffused His love-nature into our new hearts by the Holy Spirit when we were regenerated, enabling us to walk in love, which is the fulfilling of the intent or principles of the Law.

Therefore being in Christ has empowered us to walk in the lifestyle that was modelled for us by the Law.

If our vehicle isn't strong enough to take the first highway to Sydney, thankfully there is a newer, better highway we can take - but the destination is still the same.

In the same way, being free from the Law doesn't mean that God scrapped the original standard that He has for us: His standard for life is the only way of life that works. It just means He gave us a better and more powerful way to actually be able to live that lifestyle - which is the lifestyle of love.

Do Christians Keep the Standard of the Law?

There are two roads from Brisbane to Sydney: the Pacific Highway or the New England Highway. No matter which highway you take, the destination is still Sydney.

God gave Israel two covenants: the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Both Covenants were designed with the same objective - to show us the way to righteousness; and the lifestyle under both Covenants can be summarized the same way - walking in love.

The Law covered many facets and topics in life, showing Israel practically what it means to walk in love - both toward God and toward one's fellow man.

The Gospel empowers believers to fulfill the righteousness of the Law, for God diffused His love-nature into our new hearts by the Holy Spirit when we were regenerated, enabling us to walk in love, which is the fulfilling of the intent or principles of the Law.

Therefore being in Christ has empowered us to walk in the lifestyle that was modelled for us by the Law.

If our vehicle isn't strong enough to take the first highway to Sydney, thankfully there is a newer, better highway we can take - but the destination is still the same.

In the same way, being free from the Law doesn't mean that God scrapped the original standard that He has for us: His standard for life is the only way of life that works. It just means He gave us a better and more powerful way to actually be able to live that lifestyle - which is the lifestyle of love.

A Parable about Tithing

What place does the Law have for the believer?

Here is a parable to explain my attitude toward Moses' Law:

Somebody wants to install some Video Chatting Software on his personal computer.

So he buys the CD.

The CD is perfect - it contains all of the programming information that's needed.

He inserts the CD into his computer's CD drive.

Now a Wizard guides him through the installation process.

At some point, the Installation Wizard asks him to select which set-up type he wants to proceed with:

• he can choose either the step-by-step set-up (in which he can select which components of the Software he wants to install)
  
• or the Automatic set-up (recommended).

At first, he fancies himself as a bit of a computer wiz, so he opts for the step-by-step way. A whole list of all the components which are included in the software comes up on his screen. It asks him to select options. But to do so, he must first read and consider and understand so much information. He is afraid that if he neglects to include just one important component, some feature of the program won't end-up working how he wants - or the entire program might not work at all.

It all becomes too mind-boggling - the person realizes the inadequacy of his ability. So he hits the "back" button, and opts for Automatic set-up (recommended) instead.

The Set-Up Wizard now takes-over for him. In just a few minutes, Windows has installed all of the Software for him. When it's all done, the CD even automatically pops out of the drive. He had to do nothing. All he has to do now is restart his computer, and then he can start his Video chatting. Easy!

Notice that by choosing the Automatic set-up instead of the step-by-step set-up, he is still installing the same software. Either way, the result is meant to be the same - the functionality and usefulness and the performance of the software ideally should end-up precisely the same. It was only because of his inability that he could not have achieved the optimal result on his own, using the step-by-step approach.

So instead of relying on his own ability, he opted to rely on the automatic set-up - relying on the perfect ability already written into the CD - that way he can be sure everything will work just right when he starts video chatting.

In no time, it's all installed, and off he goes, video-chatting with all his friends.

But either way - either through step-by-step or automatic set-up - the result should be the same; the intention is the same; the function of video chatting is meant to end-up just the same.

God's ultimate objective for us - like the person's desire to start video chatting - is that we walk in love - that we walk in love and fellowship toward God and our fellowman - that we become a partaker of the Divine nature. Walking in love is true functionality.

There have been two ways of "set-up" that the Bible talks about, to get us to this functionality of walking in love.

The first way - like the step-by-step way, with all it's components and requirements - was Moses' Law.

Moses' Law, like the step-by-step approach to installing software, emphasized each of the individual components of what it means to walk in love towards God and our fellow-man. With regard to walking in love in the matter of our finances, the Law taught us:

• how much to give - 10%;
• where to give - to the House of God;
• who to give to - to the priests and to the poor;
• consequences for failing - curse;
  
• promises of compliance - blessing;
  
• late payment fee - must add 20%,
  
• additional requirements - the occassional second and third tithe, etc.
• pay all your bills - don't rip anyone off
  

But all of the above details were simply another way of saying, "Love God, and love your neighbour as yourself" - because, if a person living under the Old Testament truly loved, he would want to do all of those things with his or her money.

The only problem with the step-by-step approach to set-up, was the man's lack of computer know-how. Similarly, the problem with the Law (as a means to creating hearts and not just actions of righteousness and love) was the weakness of our flesh because of indwelling sin.

So the person in the parable opted for automatic set-up (recommended). Automatic set-up represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ - the Gospel is the second way of "set-up" that has been provided, in order for us to achieve the same desired functionality of walking in love.

The power of the Gospel - like automatic set-up on a computer - has given us a brand new heart; God has given us His nature, His Spirit and His love. Christ's new commandment of "love one another" has been inscribed in our heart. Now - because of His love and His Spirit in our born-again heart:

• now our sin has been removed;
  
• now we have received a righteousness not our own;
  
• now we want to give to the house of God;
  
• now it is our joy to give to the poor;
  
• now we delight to support the work of the Church;
  
• now we can't wait to support the workers of the Gospel who told us the way of salvation;
  
• now our heart (and not just our actions) pleases God
• now we don't keep any outstanding debts except to love one another
  

It works like preprogrammed software!

Because God's love has been poured-out in our heart through the Holy Spirit - bypassing the step-by-step approach, but achieving the same result - now we find that we fulfill the same goal that the Law intended for us - now we can walk in love.

Having opted for automatic set-up, all the person had to do was restart his computer. Since God has accomplished righteousness for us through the cross of Christ, now all we have to do is be born again and receive God's new nature of love into our spirit (like restarting our computer) - and then we automatically begin fulfilling the righteousness of the Law (like beginning to enjoy the functions of the new software).

Either approach (step-by-step or automatic) was intended to lead to the same functionality on the computer. In the same way, even though we are no longer trying in our own ability to keep the Law, we nevertheless arrive at fulflling the same principles inherent in the various points of Law, which is to walk in love - through the power of the Gospel which is working in us.

By coming to God through Jesus Christ (instead of through the Law), we won't end-up caring any less for our financial obligations; and we won't end-up giving any less to the poor; we won't stop honouring God and His house (Paul calls a local church the "house of God").

Instead, by walking in the Spirit and by walking in love (instead of walking in the flesh), we will find that we will actually pay our dues and give our gifts in accordance with exactly the same principles that God was trying to show us through Moses' Law.

But this time we will be doing it not on our own ability, but we will be doing it because God has preprogrammed His love into our new heart. Now we want to walk in love. Now we can walk in love. Now we do walk in love - because God wrote His Laws into our hearts, in Christ.

If we sit down to calculate it, and actually added up all the giving that we do, we would find that we have been automatically fulfilling all of the principles in Moses' Law about tithing, if we have been walking in the Spirit, and walking in love.

Now if a person had trouble with the step-by-step set-up, he can't throw the CD out, and yet still expect to be able to start video chatting.

In the same way, just because we are no longer under the Law, does not mean that we can just indulge the flesh, mistreat one another, fail to honour our financial obligations, fail to honour God, His House, His ministers, and fail to consider the poor etc - and still be righteous before God. Treating your neighbour with love, will still require the same action (in principle), no matter what period of history you live in. Love is still love.

So instead, like the person who achieves getting the software on his computer through opting for automatic set-up - we will achieve the same objective that all the details of the Law set for us, but this time, through the automatic set-up method of having accepting Jesus Christ into our heart.

Our conduct will fulfill the same principles of the Law, because Christ's new commandment, "love one another", is actually the same objective that the Law set. Love works no ill to his neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Christ's Law of love is written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, with the result that we now love God, and love our neighbour as ourself - in heart, in word, in deed.

God performed this operation in our heart.

Now we can walk in what James called, "The Royal Law".

By walking in love, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us.

So being in Christ does not mean that we now have a license to throw out the objective that the Law set for us, which was to walk in love. Instead, we find that living that objective is now a possibility. Now we can walk in love - not just in deed, but in heart.

Because God has given us a new heart through Christ, we now love to honour God, His house, His ministers, and the poor - with our finances.

You don't have to remind a man who loves his wife that there are laws against domestic violence. do you? Because the man loves his wife, he automatically behaves in keeping with any such laws.

Therefore, because God has poured out His love into our own hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5), we now find that by our action and by our heart, we fulfill the same principles that Moses was trying to show us through the details of the Laws regarding tithing. The principles behind the Laws of tithing were to show us what it means practically to love God and your fellowman, with regard to our money.

In conclusion: Love God and your fellowman with your heart and with your money - and you will fulfill anything that the Law intended - and nothing less.

A Parable about Tithing

What place does the Law have for the believer?

Here is a parable to explain my attitude toward Moses' Law:

Somebody wants to install some Video Chatting Software on his personal computer.

So he buys the CD.

The CD is perfect - it contains all of the programming information that's needed.

He inserts the CD into his computer's CD drive.

Now a Wizard guides him through the installation process.

At some point, the Installation Wizard asks him to select which set-up type he wants to proceed with:

• he can choose either the step-by-step set-up (in which he can select which components of the Software he wants to install)
  
• or the Automatic set-up (recommended).

At first, he fancies himself as a bit of a computer wiz, so he opts for the step-by-step way. A whole list of all the components which are included in the software comes up on his screen. It asks him to select options. But to do so, he must first read and consider and understand so much information. He is afraid that if he neglects to include just one important component, some feature of the program won't end-up working how he wants - or the entire program might not work at all.

It all becomes too mind-boggling - the person realizes the inadequacy of his ability. So he hits the "back" button, and opts for Automatic set-up (recommended) instead.

The Set-Up Wizard now takes-over for him. In just a few minutes, Windows has installed all of the Software for him. When it's all done, the CD even automatically pops out of the drive. He had to do nothing. All he has to do now is restart his computer, and then he can start his Video chatting. Easy!

Notice that by choosing the Automatic set-up instead of the step-by-step set-up, he is still installing the same software. Either way, the result is meant to be the same - the functionality and usefulness and the performance of the software ideally should end-up precisely the same. It was only because of his inability that he could not have achieved the optimal result on his own, using the step-by-step approach.

So instead of relying on his own ability, he opted to rely on the automatic set-up - relying on the perfect ability already written into the CD - that way he can be sure everything will work just right when he starts video chatting.

In no time, it's all installed, and off he goes, video-chatting with all his friends.

But either way - either through step-by-step or automatic set-up - the result should be the same; the intention is the same; the function of video chatting is meant to end-up just the same.

God's ultimate objective for us - like the person's desire to start video chatting - is that we walk in love - that we walk in love and fellowship toward God and our fellowman - that we become a partaker of the Divine nature. Walking in love is true functionality.

There have been two ways of "set-up" that the Bible talks about, to get us to this functionality of walking in love.

The first way - like the step-by-step way, with all it's components and requirements - was Moses' Law.

Moses' Law, like the step-by-step approach to installing software, emphasized each of the individual components of what it means to walk in love towards God and our fellow-man. With regard to walking in love in the matter of our finances, the Law taught us:

• how much to give - 10%;
• where to give - to the House of God;
• who to give to - to the priests and to the poor;
• consequences for failing - curse;
  
• promises of compliance - blessing;
  
• late payment fee - must add 20%,
  
• additional requirements - the occassional second and third tithe, etc.
• pay all your bills - don't rip anyone off
  

But all of the above details were simply another way of saying, "Love God, and love your neighbour as yourself" - because, if a person living under the Old Testament truly loved, he would want to do all of those things with his or her money.

The only problem with the step-by-step approach to set-up, was the man's lack of computer know-how. Similarly, the problem with the Law (as a means to creating hearts and not just actions of righteousness and love) was the weakness of our flesh because of indwelling sin.

So the person in the parable opted for automatic set-up (recommended). Automatic set-up represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ - the Gospel is the second way of "set-up" that has been provided, in order for us to achieve the same desired functionality of walking in love.

The power of the Gospel - like automatic set-up on a computer - has given us a brand new heart; God has given us His nature, His Spirit and His love. Christ's new commandment of "love one another" has been inscribed in our heart. Now - because of His love and His Spirit in our born-again heart:

• now our sin has been removed;
  
• now we have received a righteousness not our own;
  
• now we want to give to the house of God;
  
• now it is our joy to give to the poor;
  
• now we delight to support the work of the Church;
  
• now we can't wait to support the workers of the Gospel who told us the way of salvation;
  
• now our heart (and not just our actions) pleases God
• now we don't keep any outstanding debts except to love one another
  

It works like preprogrammed software!

Because God's love has been poured-out in our heart through the Holy Spirit - bypassing the step-by-step approach, but achieving the same result - now we find that we fulfill the same goal that the Law intended for us - now we can walk in love.

Having opted for automatic set-up, all the person had to do was restart his computer. Since God has accomplished righteousness for us through the cross of Christ, now all we have to do is be born again and receive God's new nature of love into our spirit (like restarting our computer) - and then we automatically begin fulfilling the righteousness of the Law (like beginning to enjoy the functions of the new software).

Either approach (step-by-step or automatic) was intended to lead to the same functionality on the computer. In the same way, even though we are no longer trying in our own ability to keep the Law, we nevertheless arrive at fulflling the same principles inherent in the various points of Law, which is to walk in love - through the power of the Gospel which is working in us.

By coming to God through Jesus Christ (instead of through the Law), we won't end-up caring any less for our financial obligations; and we won't end-up giving any less to the poor; we won't stop honouring God and His house (Paul calls a local church the "house of God").

Instead, by walking in the Spirit and by walking in love (instead of walking in the flesh), we will find that we will actually pay our dues and give our gifts in accordance with exactly the same principles that God was trying to show us through Moses' Law.

But this time we will be doing it not on our own ability, but we will be doing it because God has preprogrammed His love into our new heart. Now we want to walk in love. Now we can walk in love. Now we do walk in love - because God wrote His Laws into our hearts, in Christ.

If we sit down to calculate it, and actually added up all the giving that we do, we would find that we have been automatically fulfilling all of the principles in Moses' Law about tithing, if we have been walking in the Spirit, and walking in love.

Now if a person had trouble with the step-by-step set-up, he can't throw the CD out, and yet still expect to be able to start video chatting.

In the same way, just because we are no longer under the Law, does not mean that we can just indulge the flesh, mistreat one another, fail to honour our financial obligations, fail to honour God, His House, His ministers, and fail to consider the poor etc - and still be righteous before God. Treating your neighbour with love, will still require the same action (in principle), no matter what period of history you live in. Love is still love.

So instead, like the person who achieves getting the software on his computer through opting for automatic set-up - we will achieve the same objective that all the details of the Law set for us, but this time, through the automatic set-up method of having accepting Jesus Christ into our heart.

Our conduct will fulfill the same principles of the Law, because Christ's new commandment, "love one another", is actually the same objective that the Law set. Love works no ill to his neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Christ's Law of love is written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, with the result that we now love God, and love our neighbour as ourself - in heart, in word, in deed.

God performed this operation in our heart.

Now we can walk in what James called, "The Royal Law".

By walking in love, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us.

So being in Christ does not mean that we now have a license to throw out the objective that the Law set for us, which was to walk in love. Instead, we find that living that objective is now a possibility. Now we can walk in love - not just in deed, but in heart.

Because God has given us a new heart through Christ, we now love to honour God, His house, His ministers, and the poor - with our finances.

You don't have to remind a man who loves his wife that there are laws against domestic violence. do you? Because the man loves his wife, he automatically behaves in keeping with any such laws.

Therefore, because God has poured out His love into our own hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5), we now find that by our action and by our heart, we fulfill the same principles that Moses was trying to show us through the details of the Laws regarding tithing. The principles behind the Laws of tithing were to show us what it means practically to love God and your fellowman, with regard to our money.

In conclusion: Love God and your fellowman with your heart and with your money - and you will fulfill anything that the Law intended - and nothing less.

New Car

Last December when my car's Registration was due, I felt led to pay it. And the Lord provided the exact amount of money at the exact time.

However, despite paying my rego, I also sensed in my spirit that by some time early in the new year I would be driving a different, newer, blue car.

By the time March 1st came around, I started wondering what would become of my vision.

That very day, when I set out from Ipswich to drive home to the Gold Coast, I knew it was right that I'd planned to leave Ipswich and set out to drive home, however I couldn't get it clear in my spirit that I would actually drive all the way home to the Gold Coast.

So I wondered whether I should first visit a friend in Brisbane on the way home or something - however that didn't feel right either. I didn't feel led to go anywhere else on the way home.

So I just kept doing the one thing that I knew I was meant to do, and that was to keep driving as if I was going home. Meanwhile, I was wondering what would end-up happening.

And minutes later, my car broke down, and had to be towed back to Ipswich. I walked to Redbank Station, caught two trains and a taxi home to the Coast.

The mechanic phoned the next day with the verdict that it wouldn't be viable to fix the engine. So I sold the car to the wreckers. Over the phone, the wreckers had offered me between $50 and $150 for the car. But in prayer, I claimed $200. When I arrived, the wreckers changed their tone and offered me $200!

A couple of days later, when I arrived home after having been at the beach with some friends - parked in front of our house was a newer, blue car - just like what I'd seen in the vision.

It so happened that some friends of my sister's who had been using her car got a new job that included a company car - so they had no use for her car anymore - and they delivered it to our house.

God's timing was as usual, perfect - without any effort on my part.

Hallelujah!

Now I know why the Lord had led me some time ago to add my vehicle to my father's RACQ Membership - the Lord knew I was going to need a tow.

Also, the $200 I got from the wreckers, plus the refunded unused Rego, plus the refund of the RACQ membership - added up to the exact amount and came in such perfect timing for me to be able to do something else which the Lord gave me opportunity to do.

What is more, I had been feeling some concern that I had only been able to teach my nephew David to drive using my automatic car - but now I can teach him to drive a manual.

God is perfect in all His ways!

And He is perfectly concerned about everything that has to do with you too.

New Car

Last December when my car's Registration was due, I felt led to pay it. And the Lord provided the exact amount of money at the exact time.

However, despite paying my rego, I also sensed in my spirit that by some time early in the new year I would be driving a different, newer, blue car.

By the time March 1st came around, I started wondering what would become of my vision.

That very day, when I set out from Ipswich to drive home to the Gold Coast, I knew it was right that I'd planned to leave Ipswich and set out to drive home, however I couldn't get it clear in my spirit that I would actually drive all the way home to the Gold Coast.

So I wondered whether I should first visit a friend in Brisbane on the way home or something - however that didn't feel right either. I didn't feel led to go anywhere else on the way home.

So I just kept doing the one thing that I knew I was meant to do, and that was to keep driving as if I was going home. Meanwhile, I was wondering what would end-up happening.

And minutes later, my car broke down, and had to be towed back to Ipswich. I walked to Redbank Station, caught two trains and a taxi home to the Coast.

The mechanic phoned the next day with the verdict that it wouldn't be viable to fix the engine. So I sold the car to the wreckers. Over the phone, the wreckers had offered me between $50 and $150 for the car. But in prayer, I claimed $200. When I arrived, the wreckers changed their tone and offered me $200!

A couple of days later, when I arrived home after having been at the beach with some friends - parked in front of our house was a newer, blue car - just like what I'd seen in the vision.

It so happened that some friends of my sister's who had been using her car got a new job that included a company car - so they had no use for her car anymore - and they delivered it to our house.

God's timing was as usual, perfect - without any effort on my part.

Hallelujah!

Now I know why the Lord had led me some time ago to add my vehicle to my father's RACQ Membership - the Lord knew I was going to need a tow.

Also, the $200 I got from the wreckers, plus the refunded unused Rego, plus the refund of the RACQ membership - added up to the exact amount and came in such perfect timing for me to be able to do something else which the Lord gave me opportunity to do.

What is more, I had been feeling some concern that I had only been able to teach my nephew David to drive using my automatic car - but now I can teach him to drive a manual.

God is perfect in all His ways!

And He is perfectly concerned about everything that has to do with you too.

Waiting on God is an Act

It certainly was amazing what God had in mind regarding my house.

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who wait for Him (those who love Him)."

All He was waiting for was for me to step out on His word.

Just think: if I had taken the approach of getting a job to earn the necessary funds to do the repairs, I would still be working to this day, and yet I still would not have saved enough money to commence the repairs.

God meets every believer's needs supernaturally - not just mine.

It happens to every believer. God leads all His children supernaturally - not always spectacularly - but supernaturally none-the-less.

We were having a prayer-time at Adam and Michele Walker's parents' house years ago, when Leanne Slinger saw a vision that I am like a crab.

She prophesied, "Just because you walk sideways (instead of forwards like most other creatures), does not mean that you do not get to cross the finish-line!"

The vision made Leanne laugh because the prophecy was somewhat of a vindication of the way I functioned at the time, even though it was different.

God gives to each of us a calling that is as different to each other's as God's creatures are different to each other: some creatures walk forwards, crabs walk sideways, others fly, some swim, kangaroos hop.

But regardless of our diverse and unique functions, there is a modus operandi that I think is common to all of us - and that is, that each of us has the privilege of hearing and acting on direct instructions from our Master.

That's the beautiful key we've all been given. We can all hear from God.

What we do will be different for all of us, but why we do it can be the same for all of us. We do it because Jesus told us. What we do, we can do because we've heard from the Lord.

That privilege is for all of us - no matter what our calling in life is.

So this reconciles the "hands on" way to meeting your needs with the waiting on God way.

It's not a question of either/or: it's neither the "hands on" way nor the "wait for God to do it" way - it's the "hear from God and act on His Word" way that yields supernatural results.

And hearing from God and acting on it is something all of us can do!

For some, God may lead them to get a job or to start a business.

At one phase of my life, God's will for me was to work full-time in a Customs and Freight-forwarding Agency in Brisbane.

During those days, I didn't need to hear God say to me again every morning, "I want you to go to work today".

I only needed to be led once, at the beginning; and then, after that, I just kept working every day - until six years later when He moved me on.

Then there came a phase in my life when the Word of the Lord came unto me to give notice in my job and do other things, and trust Him. I acted on His instruction - and to this day He still meets all my needs.

Either way - at either phase of my life - I was acting on His Word - and it was still God who provided my needs.

At one time, He met my needs primarily through my salary. Now, He meets my needs primariliy from extraordinary sources. But at both times, my provision began with acting on a word from my Lord.

As brother Hagin said, "Some people look for the spectacular and miss the supernatural".

The way God provided for me whilst working in that job in Brisbane wasn't spectacular but it was supernatural - because God helped me get that job (that's another story); God helped me do it, and through it, God provided my needs.

The way God met my needs after I left my job was perhaps more spectacular, but not any more supernatural.

I was equally dependant on God in my job. The only thing that changed was what He asked me to do.

When God met all my needs in Ipswich recently, I didn't exactly do nothing.

In the first place, it took faith not to go get a job! You understand how people pressure you to get a job in such circumstances. It would have been easy for me - with my Edwards DNA (lol) - to go get three jobs and save the money. But an inner witness stopped me.

To refuse to get a job was every bit as much an act, as getting a job would be an act.

It took moral choice to instead wait on God and eventually make those appointments to start the repairs even though I had no resources.

And I actually had to step out and go to Ipswich. Nothing would have happened if I was still sitting around waiting for the resources to come to me supernaturally before I stepped out. The resources only started flowing after I started making steps.

But when I stepped out, they were steps of faith, not of independance. I wasn't making plans in my own mind or strength, but I was acting on His instructions which I received whilst waiting on Him. I was acting on a word from Jesus - I wasn't acting independantly.

My objective by going to Ipswich was to do what He said as much as to seek a result.

Faith is an act. Faith is acting on the Word. Faith, like love, is not known except by word and deed.

We have the privilege of hearing His Word as much through an inner guidance as through the written Word. Every believer has the inner witness.

In the Scripture below, Peter threw the net twice.

Both times, he had the same desire: to catch fish.

But both times did not yield the same result.

The first time, he was acting independantly. And he caught nothing.

The second time, he was acting on an instruction from Jesus - which is faith. And he caught a great number of fish.

What made the difference was becoming intimately intwined with the words of Jesus.

You and I have the privilege of becoming intimately intwined with the words of Jesus - and act out of that - with thrilling results.

Neither the "hands on" approach nor the waiting on God approach can yield supernatural results on its own. Living a life that acts out of being intertwined with Jesus' specific and unique instructions to us, is what yields supernatural results.

Luke 5:4-6

4 Now when he [Jesus] had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled
all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I
will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude
of fishes: and their net brake.

Peter had worked all night and caught nothing. He had tried the hands on approach, and discovered it has its limitations.

But then he acted on a direct word from Jesus - he did the same action - but this time he got a different result.

Notice, Peter still had to cast the net. Peter couldn't sit around waiting for Jesus to make all the fish jump into the boat. He still had to do something. In this case, he did exactly the same action. But this time he was doing it because Jesus said to do it, and not because it made sense, and this time it worked.

• he had come to the end of his own effort
  
• now he heard directly from Jesus
• what Jesus asked Peter to do didn't necessarily make sense to Peter
  
• but he acted on it anyway, just because Jesus said so
• and the result: a great catch of fish
  

Each of us has the privilege of hearing from Jesus and acting on it then reaping the results - whether we are called to go to work, to start a business, or to preach the Gospel.

Many people who claim to be "waiting on God" are not "waiting" for Him at all. God is waiting for them. Because waiting on God is an act. Some of these people are like a boat rusting on the beach above sea level, waiting for the tide to come in.

Waiting on God means that we take time-out to hear His plan, and then ACT ON ANY INSTRUCTIONS HE MAY GIVE US. Waiting is not the opposite of action - it is the opposite of independant action.

Waiting on God is an Act

It certainly was amazing what God had in mind regarding my house.

"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who wait for Him (those who love Him)."

All He was waiting for was for me to step out on His word.

Just think: if I had taken the approach of getting a job to earn the necessary funds to do the repairs, I would still be working to this day, and yet I still would not have saved enough money to commence the repairs.

God meets every believer's needs supernaturally - not just mine.

It happens to every believer. God leads all His children supernaturally - not always spectacularly - but supernaturally none-the-less.

We were having a prayer-time at Adam and Michele Walker's parents' house years ago, when Leanne Slinger saw a vision that I am like a crab.

She prophesied, "Just because you walk sideways (instead of forwards like most other creatures), does not mean that you do not get to cross the finish-line!"

The vision made Leanne laugh because the prophecy was somewhat of a vindication of the way I functioned at the time, even though it was different.

God gives to each of us a calling that is as different to each other's as God's creatures are different to each other: some creatures walk forwards, crabs walk sideways, others fly, some swim, kangaroos hop.

But regardless of our diverse and unique functions, there is a modus operandi that I think is common to all of us - and that is, that each of us has the privilege of hearing and acting on direct instructions from our Master.

That's the beautiful key we've all been given. We can all hear from God.

What we do will be different for all of us, but why we do it can be the same for all of us. We do it because Jesus told us. What we do, we can do because we've heard from the Lord.

That privilege is for all of us - no matter what our calling in life is.

So this reconciles the "hands on" way to meeting your needs with the waiting on God way.

It's not a question of either/or: it's neither the "hands on" way nor the "wait for God to do it" way - it's the "hear from God and act on His Word" way that yields supernatural results.

And hearing from God and acting on it is something all of us can do!

For some, God may lead them to get a job or to start a business.

At one phase of my life, God's will for me was to work full-time in a Customs and Freight-forwarding Agency in Brisbane.

During those days, I didn't need to hear God say to me again every morning, "I want you to go to work today".

I only needed to be led once, at the beginning; and then, after that, I just kept working every day - until six years later when He moved me on.

Then there came a phase in my life when the Word of the Lord came unto me to give notice in my job and do other things, and trust Him. I acted on His instruction - and to this day He still meets all my needs.

Either way - at either phase of my life - I was acting on His Word - and it was still God who provided my needs.

At one time, He met my needs primarily through my salary. Now, He meets my needs primariliy from extraordinary sources. But at both times, my provision began with acting on a word from my Lord.

As brother Hagin said, "Some people look for the spectacular and miss the supernatural".

The way God provided for me whilst working in that job in Brisbane wasn't spectacular but it was supernatural - because God helped me get that job (that's another story); God helped me do it, and through it, God provided my needs.

The way God met my needs after I left my job was perhaps more spectacular, but not any more supernatural.

I was equally dependant on God in my job. The only thing that changed was what He asked me to do.

When God met all my needs in Ipswich recently, I didn't exactly do nothing.

In the first place, it took faith not to go get a job! You understand how people pressure you to get a job in such circumstances. It would have been easy for me - with my Edwards DNA (lol) - to go get three jobs and save the money. But an inner witness stopped me.

To refuse to get a job was every bit as much an act, as getting a job would be an act.

It took moral choice to instead wait on God and eventually make those appointments to start the repairs even though I had no resources.

And I actually had to step out and go to Ipswich. Nothing would have happened if I was still sitting around waiting for the resources to come to me supernaturally before I stepped out. The resources only started flowing after I started making steps.

But when I stepped out, they were steps of faith, not of independance. I wasn't making plans in my own mind or strength, but I was acting on His instructions which I received whilst waiting on Him. I was acting on a word from Jesus - I wasn't acting independantly.

My objective by going to Ipswich was to do what He said as much as to seek a result.

Faith is an act. Faith is acting on the Word. Faith, like love, is not known except by word and deed.

We have the privilege of hearing His Word as much through an inner guidance as through the written Word. Every believer has the inner witness.

In the Scripture below, Peter threw the net twice.

Both times, he had the same desire: to catch fish.

But both times did not yield the same result.

The first time, he was acting independantly. And he caught nothing.

The second time, he was acting on an instruction from Jesus - which is faith. And he caught a great number of fish.

What made the difference was becoming intimately intwined with the words of Jesus.

You and I have the privilege of becoming intimately intwined with the words of Jesus - and act out of that - with thrilling results.

Neither the "hands on" approach nor the waiting on God approach can yield supernatural results on its own. Living a life that acts out of being intertwined with Jesus' specific and unique instructions to us, is what yields supernatural results.

Luke 5:4-6

4 Now when he [Jesus] had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled
all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I
will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude
of fishes: and their net brake.

Peter had worked all night and caught nothing. He had tried the hands on approach, and discovered it has its limitations.

But then he acted on a direct word from Jesus - he did the same action - but this time he got a different result.

Notice, Peter still had to cast the net. Peter couldn't sit around waiting for Jesus to make all the fish jump into the boat. He still had to do something. In this case, he did exactly the same action. But this time he was doing it because Jesus said to do it, and not because it made sense, and this time it worked.

• he had come to the end of his own effort
  
• now he heard directly from Jesus
• what Jesus asked Peter to do didn't necessarily make sense to Peter
  
• but he acted on it anyway, just because Jesus said so
• and the result: a great catch of fish
  

Each of us has the privilege of hearing from Jesus and acting on it then reaping the results - whether we are called to go to work, to start a business, or to preach the Gospel.

Many people who claim to be "waiting on God" are not "waiting" for Him at all. God is waiting for them. Because waiting on God is an act. Some of these people are like a boat rusting on the beach above sea level, waiting for the tide to come in.

Waiting on God means that we take time-out to hear His plan, and then ACT ON ANY INSTRUCTIONS HE MAY GIVE US. Waiting is not the opposite of action - it is the opposite of independant action.

Bald Eagle

Paul said, "We know in part".

Each of us knows in part.

If we are different from each other, it is because God made us different from each other.

God's call on your life will bring with it some unique aspects of revelation that are intrinsic to your call.

Another brother may have some strong revelations of truth in a completely different subject - because of the unique strengths of his personality and his unique call.

Your Pastor will have some unique things revealed to him because of the diversity which God gave him.

There are some things which I may currently be weak to comprehend, so perhaps God's attitude is to atleast use me in the areas that I am able to understand, rather than not use me at all.

Different people may appear to have conflicting doctrines, when really, they may be but different shades of the larger truth.

So when we put it all together - when we combine all the aspects of truth that each of us are currently seeing and being taught by the Lord (even though God may be leading each of us into unique functions) we find that we are each seeing but different wavelengths (colours) of the same spectrum. We each know in part.

We each have differing abilities to see different extremities of wavelengths. We each have a different destiny that is so suited to our unique make-up, therefore with each of us, God may currently be emphasizing those aspects of truth that are appropriate to where we are at on our unique journey.

The Lord may be leading your brother in a different way to how He is leading you.

God may currently be revealing certain shades of truth to you which another person may not be seeing at this current stage of their journey.

(If this person is someone you once felt you had much in common with during an earlier phase of your journey, you may now feel like you are going in slightly different directions to that person. That's ok. You and her are designed to go in a slightly different direction. We all are designed to go in a slightly different direction. Our differences become more obvious as we grow. And that's a healthy sign.)

When two children were in kindergarten, they were attracted to each other because their circumstances had much in common. The basis of their relationship was their common circumstances.

Then when they became adults, they naturally grew apart from each other, as God took them in entirely different directions - different careers, different thoughts, even different locations.

Today those two adults now have a more mature basis for their relationship. Their relatioship is no longer based on mutually meeting each other's need for companionship, like children attending the same kindergarten. Now their relationship is based on a mutual admiration - from a distance, if circumstances dictate - of each other's God-given uniqueness, excellence, differences, and beauty. And they are sympathetic towards any weaknesses the other person may have in their development, as much as they celebrate each other's differing areas of excellence and strength. They celebrate each other's differing areas of prowess without expecting perfection of each other.

During their adolescent training phase, the two people's circumstances may grow distant from each other, compared to the commonality they had while in kindergarten. But sooner or later, they will start to feel attracted to each other again, not because they are the same anymore, but because they are different.

I look at the delicate, lovely, little birds that frolick in our back yard. Sometimes I wonder is it fair that God made them so much incomparably weaker than the bald eagle. Yet God provides for them just the same.

Bald Eagle

Paul said, "We know in part".

Each of us knows in part.

If we are different from each other, it is because God made us different from each other.

God's call on your life will bring with it some unique aspects of revelation that are intrinsic to your call.

Another brother may have some strong revelations of truth in a completely different subject - because of the unique strengths of his personality and his unique call.

Your Pastor will have some unique things revealed to him because of the diversity which God gave him.

There are some things which I may currently be weak to comprehend, so perhaps God's attitude is to atleast use me in the areas that I am able to understand, rather than not use me at all.

Different people may appear to have conflicting doctrines, when really, they may be but different shades of the larger truth.

So when we put it all together - when we combine all the aspects of truth that each of us are currently seeing and being taught by the Lord (even though God may be leading each of us into unique functions) we find that we are each seeing but different wavelengths (colours) of the same spectrum. We each know in part.

We each have differing abilities to see different extremities of wavelengths. We each have a different destiny that is so suited to our unique make-up, therefore with each of us, God may currently be emphasizing those aspects of truth that are appropriate to where we are at on our unique journey.

The Lord may be leading your brother in a different way to how He is leading you.

God may currently be revealing certain shades of truth to you which another person may not be seeing at this current stage of their journey.

(If this person is someone you once felt you had much in common with during an earlier phase of your journey, you may now feel like you are going in slightly different directions to that person. That's ok. You and her are designed to go in a slightly different direction. We all are designed to go in a slightly different direction. Our differences become more obvious as we grow. And that's a healthy sign.)

When two children were in kindergarten, they were attracted to each other because their circumstances had much in common. The basis of their relationship was their common circumstances.

Then when they became adults, they naturally grew apart from each other, as God took them in entirely different directions - different careers, different thoughts, even different locations.

Today those two adults now have a more mature basis for their relationship. Their relatioship is no longer based on mutually meeting each other's need for companionship, like children attending the same kindergarten. Now their relationship is based on a mutual admiration - from a distance, if circumstances dictate - of each other's God-given uniqueness, excellence, differences, and beauty. And they are sympathetic towards any weaknesses the other person may have in their development, as much as they celebrate each other's differing areas of excellence and strength. They celebrate each other's differing areas of prowess without expecting perfection of each other.

During their adolescent training phase, the two people's circumstances may grow distant from each other, compared to the commonality they had while in kindergarten. But sooner or later, they will start to feel attracted to each other again, not because they are the same anymore, but because they are different.

I look at the delicate, lovely, little birds that frolick in our back yard. Sometimes I wonder is it fair that God made them so much incomparably weaker than the bald eagle. Yet God provides for them just the same.

Healing through Laughter and Tongues

Today in a Japanese meeting held in my parents' home, one of the ladies shared a testimony about how God healed her of a headache and shoulder problem earlier this week.

She heard one of the other sisters speaking with an unknown tongue. It made her laugh deeply and unstoppably. Her headache disappeared. And when she got home, she realized her shoulder problem was also cured.

"I realized the tongues healed me", she said.

Healing through Laughter and Tongues

Today in a Japanese meeting held in my parents' home, one of the ladies shared a testimony about how God healed her of a headache and shoulder problem earlier this week.

She heard one of the other sisters speaking with an unknown tongue. It made her laugh deeply and unstoppably. Her headache disappeared. And when she got home, she realized her shoulder problem was also cured.

"I realized the tongues healed me", she said.

It Starts With Desire

About a week later, I was sitting in Church thinking about the truth that God uses us in accordance with whatever we ourselves DECREE.

And I was wondering, "Where does it all start?"

Immediately I was reminded of the Scripture, "Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye DESIRE, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mk 11:23).

I thought to myself, "It all starts with DESIRE". The way a person ends-up being used by God - and the things a person receives from God - all start with his desire.

Then when I got home, before I went to sleep, I felt drawn to a particular book on my book shelf. When I picked it up, I felt directed to one small section of the book. And when I opened to that section, it opened to a chapter entitled DESIRE (chapter 20, The Art of Intercession, Kenneth E. Hagin).

In this chapter, brother Hagin shares how things don't happen - like God moving and revivals and so forth - by chance or even just because somebody prayed yesterday. They happen because somebody felt stirred by an inner desire, perhaps years in advance.

Brother Hagin illustrated how God placed a desire in the hearts of many people back in 1943 for the power gifts of the Spirit to be restored to the Church - and then, a few years later in 1947, a divine healing revival began in America.

"God carries out His will upon earth through His Church," he said.

"Where did it [the consuming desire] come from, anyhow? Did we conjure it up ourselves? No! God laid it on our hearts. It was a burning desire."

The desire was put there, no doubt, by God, he said.

Nevertheless he said it is up to us to respond, to act on that desire, by prayer and by obedient action.

Having read that short chapter, I put the book down, for that night. That was God's confirmation to me.

The way a man is used by God all starts with desire.

It Starts With Desire

About a week later, I was sitting in Church thinking about the truth that God uses us in accordance with whatever we ourselves DECREE.

And I was wondering, "Where does it all start?"

Immediately I was reminded of the Scripture, "Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye DESIRE, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mk 11:23).

I thought to myself, "It all starts with DESIRE". The way a person ends-up being used by God - and the things a person receives from God - all start with his desire.

Then when I got home, before I went to sleep, I felt drawn to a particular book on my book shelf. When I picked it up, I felt directed to one small section of the book. And when I opened to that section, it opened to a chapter entitled DESIRE (chapter 20, The Art of Intercession, Kenneth E. Hagin).

In this chapter, brother Hagin shares how things don't happen - like God moving and revivals and so forth - by chance or even just because somebody prayed yesterday. They happen because somebody felt stirred by an inner desire, perhaps years in advance.

Brother Hagin illustrated how God placed a desire in the hearts of many people back in 1943 for the power gifts of the Spirit to be restored to the Church - and then, a few years later in 1947, a divine healing revival began in America.

"God carries out His will upon earth through His Church," he said.

"Where did it [the consuming desire] come from, anyhow? Did we conjure it up ourselves? No! God laid it on our hearts. It was a burning desire."

The desire was put there, no doubt, by God, he said.

Nevertheless he said it is up to us to respond, to act on that desire, by prayer and by obedient action.

Having read that short chapter, I put the book down, for that night. That was God's confirmation to me.

The way a man is used by God all starts with desire.

Decree a Thing and it Shall Be Established Unto You

If the Lord is going to use you in a certain way, it will be because you decree it to be so.

It is the door we knock on that shall be opened unto us; it is what we ask for that we shall receive; it is what we seek that we shall find.

This applies to the ministry, to your career, or to anything you receive or do in life - and it applies to bearing fruit for the Father.

What we end up doing or receiving will be in accordance with what we decree.

Two weeks ago the Lord led me to go to my old High School to pray.

As I prayed over the school, I remembered the many ways in which God had used me during my days as a student there.

While I thought about it, the Lord said to me, "The reason I used you that way - whilst you were at school - is because you decreed it".

(When I was about 14 years old, a friend and I had approached our school Principal to tell him that I had become a Christian and to ask his persmission to start a Christian meeting at school.

Initially, the Principal refused us permission - but I suggested to my Christian friends that we each pray that the Lord would change our Principal's mind overnight, while he's asleep.

So that night before I went to sleep, I prayed, "Lord, please change his mind - while he's asleep."

Then I turned out the light and went to sleep.

And sometime during the middle of the night, I woke up because my bedroom was full of light.

I wondered where the light was coming from. I looked up, but the light-bulb wasn't on.

Then I looked down, and I saw Jesus sitting on the end of my bed. His skin and clothing were shining, lighting up the whole room.

Automatically I was drawn out of bed, to a position of sitting on His lap.

I looked at His face. "Oh it's Jesus," I realized.

He held me in His hands. I saw the holes where the nails went through - still red, still an open wound. And I felt love - for I knew He died for me.

I looked down at His feet. I saw holes in His feet where the nails went through. He wore sandals, and they were a little bit dusty.

When I looked at Jesus' face, I thought to myself, "Gee, you're not very good-looking, are you Jesus". He looked very ordinary.

He smiled - He knew exactly what I was thinking.

But He wasn't offended or hurt. He thought it was funny too!

The Bible says, "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him..." (Isaiah 53:2)

And, "As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men" (Isaiah 52:14).

But when I looked in His eyes, I felt, "Oh! This is the most beautiful face I've ever seen in my life."

His eyes were like oceans of liquid love!

I felt as if I could see for miles into His eyes - I searched deep and wide - and yet all I could see was gentleness, tenderness, purity, love, holiness.

He had a short, scruffy beard. He had slightly long hair.

And His long, white garment - like His sandals - was not pristine clean, but it looked like He had been wearing it all day and out walking the streets.

Jesus is still doing things today. He promised, "Whatsoever you ask the Father in my Name, I will DO IT for you".

And the Book of Revelation says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice..."

Jesus is still out walking the streets, knocking on the doors of the hearts of men and women.

Jesus is still going about doing things on our behalf, whatsoever we have asked.

Jesus said to me, "So - you're thinking of starting a meeting at Bremer, hey".

I replied, "Yeah."

I could tell that Jesus was absolutely delighted to be allowed by His Father to visit me - He seemed to be even more delighted in me than I was in Him.

And I could tell that Jesus never stopped thinking about His Father even while He was with me and talking to me.

He was careful not to stay with me one minute longer than His Father willed.

Jesus delighted in His Father's will.

I could also see in Jesus' eyes that He keeps loving - even when people reject Him. He does not withdraw, but He keeps reaching out in love.

I was going to need these qualities too, if I was going to keep preaching Jesus at school.

It felt so nice to be with Him!

Well the next day at school, when the High School Principal saw my friend who had approached the Principal with me the day before, he came running down the steps saying, "I'm so glad I've found you - I've been looking for you boys all over. About that meeting you want to have - something's happened to me overnight - I've changed my mind while I was asleep - now I WANT you to have that meeting. Which room would you like to use?"

Evidently the Lord answered our prayer to change our Principal's mind whilst he was asleep.

I often say - after the Lord changed our Principal's mind whilst he was asleep, maybe the Lord thought, "I've now finished my work for tonight. But before I go back to heaven - since I'm in the area - I'll go visit John". But He had to wake me up to do it.

So I chose the best room in the school for our Christian meetings. We preached Jesus every week. Many students became Christians and were filled with the Holy Spirit. We went witnessing everyday. We even preached during school assembly. Some of the students who were saved in those days have become missionaries or pastors.

I look back on those days as a season in my life of being used by the Lord.)

But here's what I want to say: when the Lord spoke to me in that vision, He said to me, "So you're thinking of starting a meeting at Bremer, hey".

At the time, I remember feeling surprised that Jesus made as though it was my initiative to start this meeting - because at the time I felt the LORD was leading me to start it.

But Jesus said, "So you're thinking of starting a meeting..."

Yes, the Holy Spirit had led me. Nevertheless, nothing would have happened had I not decided to ACT on it.

If I hadn't acted on the desire which the Holy Spirit, no doubt, had placed within my heart, there would have been no change in the Principal's mind; probably no vision from the Lord Jesus; and I would not have been used at school the way I was.

But by acting on it - by approaching the Principal and by asking God to change the Principal's mind when he said no - I was decreeing a thing. And because I decreed it, it was established unto me.

"Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee" (Job 22:28).

God promised that whatever we decree shall be established unto us.

It seems like God is waiting for us to take the initiative to decree new works for God. And then, once we've decreed a thing, He goes about to establish it unto us.

Wherever you see a man or woman being used by the Lord in a certain way - it is because the person, somewhere along the line, themself decreed it to be so.

So, whatever you desire - whatever the Holy Spirit has placed within you - when you ask, when you pray, when you agree together, when you loose and bind it, when you remit or retain it, when you act on it, when you confess it, when you decree it - it shall be done unto you. For God has given unto you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.

It is God's will that you bear much fruit. Herein is your Father glorified.

Therefore whatever you decree - whether it is a children's feeding program, or a new church building, or open doors for ministry, or finances, or signs and wonders, or favour, or anything - it shall come to pass.

Fruit-bearing starts with decreeing.

What are we decreeing?

Jesus said God is glorified when we bear much fruit - so why not decree something big!

God is with you. He will fulfill your counsel (your plans) when you act in faith.

He will build-up your ministry, or your career, or your desire in life - He will perfect that which concerneth you - for it is His ministry, it is His work through you.