Paul Email -1July2013- Matthew 21

How you doin? I heard an awesome sermon on IBethel TV last night from Chris Vallotton. He started by asking, "what are we for". He went on to say that it's good to be against the Devil, to destroy the works of the Devil, but only if we're FOR God. I dig the way he said it. I understand the concept of not giving our opposition clout, but the way Chris worded it landed on me. I've experienced times of heightened awareness of the Presence, where it felt like attacks had no affect. It felt like tiny arrows bouncing off huge armor. Laughable. I pray to be in that state of Presence continually. The sermon was way to long and AWESOME to get into all of it, but I would like to plug IBethel TV. If you have the means to this stream coming into your home... do it. It's AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stacey & I read Matthew 21 this morning. Again, it's loaded and way to much to get into, but here's what we both had illuminated by the Holy Ghost.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” (Matt 21:10) Whatta a seen. I can only imagine what a whole city stirred by Jesus looks like. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. (Matt 21:14) This happened right after Jesus cleared out the temple of thieves, robbers, and stuff not of God. I can't help to thimk that the blind and lame were spiritually blind and lame. I also love Jesus' simplicity, "and he healed them". AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
 you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” (Matt 21:16) WOW! More on children and now infants. I think we should start letting kids be kids. Spiritually that is.

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
   When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matt 21:18-22) Stacey pointed out that the disciples had already seen SO much from Jesus and they were still amazed. I think 2 things come from this, 1) the struggle with disbelief, 2) never loose the amazement of God. I heard Bill Johnson say we should never let the super natural become mundane. Never take the the miraculous for granted. not even the little stuff. I love these verses. I say yes and amen to them. I don't want to doubt. I do want to believe and receive. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (Matt 21:43) I couldn't help but to see a connection between this verse and verse 19, "Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered." I jumped ahead, because these are scary verses. I never want to stop baring fruit or at least being conscious of baring fruit. I can't cope with the thought of having, "the kingdom of God taken away", from me.
But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” (Matt 21:26) This is huge. Fear of man has no place in the Kingdom. The chief priest and elders were dime-ing themselves out in this verse. They were proving their lack of understanding, belief, and relationship with God. I don't want to be afraid of man. I think of Jesus saying, "I only answer to my Father in heaven." He wasn't in a good spot when He said that.
So much is going on. We feel God stirring us... stirring in us. I pray for a fresh blessing. For a fresh anointing. For a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit. For a fresh fire. For a new glory. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!