Tuesday, September 2, 2014

With God Walls are Permeable

Throughout the entire Bible whenever God spoke "he appeared" to the person to whom he spoke. On one special occasion we can see appearing in action:
Mark 16:13 "And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
This is immediately after Jesus arose from the grave, appeared to two walking in the country and then to the remnant of his apostles while they ate their meal. Although the disciples sat in a room as was their custom and probably behind locked doors considering the dangers, Jesus just appeared to them from elsewhere! 

The Greek word transliterated "phaneroo" is "appeared" in the above. It means "to make actual and visible". In short the eleven disciples  sat there eating and behold there stood Jesus!

If this promise sounds too contrived then the reader needs to look at the Resurrection of Jesus itself:
Matthew 28:2 "And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it."
The phrase "angel of the Lord" is a theophany, the appearance of God in physical form. We know that when God shows himself he is called Emmanuel "God With Us" and that's another name for Jesus. Hence,  "the angel of the Lord" is Jesus.

Stone walls enshrouded Jesus. He simply arose and walked through them!  God is omnipotent:
 Matthew 19:26 (ESV) "But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'.”
Simply appearing on the other side of stone walls is impossible? Think again! "With God all things are possible!" My contention is that Jesus got up from his place in the tomb, neatly folded his remnant and simply walked through the wall as if it wasn't even there. Then Jesus rolled the great stone aside, freed himself and sat on it waiting for those who would find an empty tomb! Yes, Jesus rolled his own stone stone aside, not for himself to get out, but that men could get in! Why? There is hope on the other side of the wall!

Likewise, Jesus when he appeared to the eleven was suddenly there without any sign of entering. The walls failed to contain him nor hold him!  "With God walls are permeable!" It's as if they're not even there!

Walls hold us back. We all have different thicknesses of walls and walls of various materials, but we never reach our spiritual potential because those walls seem impermeable. People can't quit drinking because they have a wall! They fail to believe that "with God all things are possible". People continue to lie because their wall of dishonesty is too thick. They have put themselves in a position where it's easier to stay in their prison of lies rather than have the faith to walk through the wall! People overeat because they have walls of pleasure. Walls entrap and that goes for any sin!

Jesus, who laughed at walls, said this to those entrapped within their own walls:
Matthew 8:26 "And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."
Do you still believe that Jesus was contained by walls? Do you really believe that the person who rebuked the winds and calmed the sea was seriously imprisoned by walls of stone? I hope that you don't!  Why then do we still allow walls to control us? To make those walls permeable all we need is faith. Faith can move mighty mountains and walls of stone can fall as those mountains are moved! We stand in the storm and ignore the calm that can be had by the asking! Those storms are walls of water in Jesus' eyes and are quickly removed by a simple rebuke by Jesus. Let him roll away the stone which binds you; not that you look in, but that you can see beyond! Beyond the wall is hope. That hope is Jesus and an empty tomb!

Today anyone can knock down those walls. It's easy! We have faith on what's on the other side and move through those walls as if they were never there!  "With God all things are possible!" I never dreamed that I would quit smoking, but by self-control and comfort the Holy Spirit provides, that wall of nicotine was super permeable to me! My storm was calmed and I made it through that wall.

He helps us get through mental barriers as well! Considering  my own progenity and poverty, I never dreamed that I would be any more than a laborer. With righteous parents who had faith in God, they walked through the walls of poverty and encouraged me in the storm! I was the first of my line ever to graduate from college and the first to have a graduate degree! That wall was permeable. God made it possible!  I owe my existence to God who created me and to the same God who sustains me! My faith may not be enough to move mountains, but it is enough to tear down walls!

Walls are created by men to control. Demons build walls to enslave. Jesus is the anti-Mason. Rather than building walls he removes those stones one by one for us, or with enough faith, walls can tumble in an instant!

Philosophers question "What is truth?" Truth is what's real!  Walls in the face of God aren't even an obstacle to his realm. They're just not there! Look at those thick walls as permeable... as if they're not even real!

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