THE WORKS AND CHARACTER OF CHRIST

"Whoever trusts in me will also do the works I do. Yes indeed! Whoever trusts me will go greater works, because I am going to the Father." John 14:10-14

Jesus, am I doing SOME of the works You did? My authenticity as a disciple rests on me releasing You in me to continue your life and works.

You loved people unconditionally. You looked beyond their faults and saw their needs. And you did something about their need. Shouldn't I be able to do the same as you did, since You are in me? "I am in the Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you." John 14:20

You interceeded for those who were enemies. "Father forgive them. They know not what they do." You told us followers that whose sins we remit, they would be remitted. My emotions & judgments sure do get in the way of that. I choose not to lean on my understanding of any thing, but look to You. Unfortunately, too often the church wants to call fire down on those who don't walk in line with us. You reminded the disciples, "You do not know of what spirit that desire is."

You took authority over the elements when needed. Multiplying food to feed a multitude was part of the disciple's training for "reigning in life by Christ". How often You rebuked the discipes for fear and helplessness in the face of a presenting problem. Would I have climbed out of the boat as Peter did at Your invitation to defy gravity and walk on water? You were so pleased with peter's response; unlike the rebuke earlier of fear, victim mentality, and helplessness.

You moved in authority over the works of the devil in the souls of men. You healed the sick, raised the dead, brought freedom to the captives, and You expected the disciples to do so. You were training them to continue the works that You did to bring glory to the Father and advance the Kingdom.

I am learning to express God's heart of love and compassion toward those who are not like me. I want to move away from legalism that causes a spirit of criticism and judgment. I want to live in limitless power in union with You, Jesus. I can release your peace into a place of conflict and agitation so that calmness reigns again. I can release anything Jesus was and did because He is in me being who He is. I am learning to stand firm against all the works of the devil by declaring the superior works of God. Greater is God whose works are life, peace, joy and truth; than the enemy's works of death and destruction, deception and accusation. I will continue to contend for "greater works" Jesus promised.

Lord, I give you permission to do whatever is needed in me to make me an open Heaven. Thy Kingdom come (at my core heart level)so that Father's will can be done in my enviornment as it is in Heaven.

What grace, that God would allow us, even insists that we be part of the transformation of what we have all but destroyed. We do not have to be defeated by our fleshly passions. I have agonized over why the Church is in such a weakened state. Why is it so hard to move into the WORKS AND CHARACTER of Jesus Christ? I do not think that each individual saint will do all the works Jesus did, but we have the ability because of Christ in us. We are all in different places in our journey, but collectively the Church ought to be a healing, nourishing place, where each can grow up into Christ, being real about our struggles. We ought to be able to minister in power to those in need the same way Jesus modled, seeing measurable results. Everyone does not have to flow in all the gifts, but people ought to be able to find help for any problem in a healthy family of Believers. We preach transformation of life, power, peace and joy because of our union with Christ, but what does the world usually experience when they enteract with the traditional evangelical church?

And what are the greater works we should be doing? Stop and think about it.