There is more to seeing than meets the eye!
How is it, that although Yeshua performed many mighty works in Capernaum, the people never recognized that He was the Messiah? They saw the mighty works, they flocked for the healing but never turned to Him as Messiah and Savior. (Mat. 11:23)
Yeshua’s neighbors in Capernaum saw Him every day; they saw His mighty works; they could see with their eyes, but were blind. Ironically, the two blind men who sat begging on the outskirts of Jericho could plainly see Yeshua for who He was.
"And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David." Matt. 20:29-30
In their plea for mercy, the two blind men addressed Yeshua by His Messianic title! How is it that the two blind men, could see better than the whole crowd, or the educated scribes and rabbis?
We have a need to have our eyes opened to see God
I was reminded of all this lately, as I spoke with a brother about the recent Temple Mount crisis. He told me that, living on the Mount of Olives, he had a front view seat of all that was going on.
As you will recall, following a terror attack that killed two police officers, Israel set up metal detectors at all the entrances to the temple mount. The Muslims refused to be searched, they refrained from entering the Temple Mount, and this led to riots, especially in front of the Lion’s Gate. The Lion’s Gate is most famous for being the gate through which the paratroopers entered the Old City in the 1967 war and so it has become a symbolic place for the Muslims as well.
I reminded this brother that the Lion’s Gate was not the only gate through which the IDF entered the Old City. In fact, the first troops in the Old City were those of the Jerusalem Brigade who entered through the Dung Gate. Of course, ‘Lion’s Gate’ sounds a little more glorious than the ‘Dung Gate,' but our troops entered first through it.
This fact became a parable to me. Christians often get so excited and worked up by the drama, or what the enemy is doing, that they lose sight of the Lord. Sometimes we look events and miss what God is doing, under-the-radar so to speak, to fulfill His Word. While the enemy is rising in a great swelling of pride and violence, the Lord in His lowliness is going about the restoration of Israel in His own way.
Our challenge is to see Him in all circumstances, difficult and challenging as they may be; outrageous as they may be.
We must remember and take into account that: a. All power has been given to Yeshua, in heaven and earth! (Matthew 28:18) b. He has won the victory and has made an open show of all principalities and powers at the cross. (Colossians 2:14-15) c. He is sitting at the right hand of God until all His enemies are made His footstool. (Psalm 110:1)
This does not mean that we refrain from praying into events and situations, quite the contrary. But it does mean that we pray from this vantage point of seeing Him through the Word of God. Seeing God is essential to successful prayer and intercession.
To see how we prayed during the Temple Mount crisis click here: http://www.israelprayercenter.org/weekly-prayer-intercession (Prayer and Intercession July 26)
Do you see the Lord?
It is not my intention to write a full teaching on how to see the Lord; only to point to our need of seeing Yeshua. Surely each one of us is challenged daily with this very thing. Do I see Yeshua or the circumstances? Do I see Yeshua or yield to my fears, anxieties, and unbelief? Do I allow myself to be distracted by the enemy to look at him, or do I see Yeshua?
We all remember I am sure, the incident in which Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian host. In great fear, the servant cried, “Alas, my master! How shall we do?” “Fear not,” answered Elisha, “for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Apparently, he saw something that his servant did not. Elisha then prayed to the Lord, that He might open the servant’s eyes that he might see!
"And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2Kings 6:17
May we all have our eyes opened to see the Lord, in our circumstances, in world events; may we see in His light and sight.
May we all have our eyes opened to see Him, that we might “see.”
Blessings from Jerusalem,
How is it, that although Yeshua performed many mighty works in Capernaum, the people never recognized that He was the Messiah? They saw the mighty works, they flocked for the healing but never turned to Him as Messiah and Savior. (Mat. 11:23)
Yeshua’s neighbors in Capernaum saw Him every day; they saw His mighty works; they could see with their eyes, but were blind. Ironically, the two blind men who sat begging on the outskirts of Jericho could plainly see Yeshua for who He was.
"And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David." Matt. 20:29-30
In their plea for mercy, the two blind men addressed Yeshua by His Messianic title! How is it that the two blind men, could see better than the whole crowd, or the educated scribes and rabbis?
We have a need to have our eyes opened to see God
I was reminded of all this lately, as I spoke with a brother about the recent Temple Mount crisis. He told me that, living on the Mount of Olives, he had a front view seat of all that was going on.
As you will recall, following a terror attack that killed two police officers, Israel set up metal detectors at all the entrances to the temple mount. The Muslims refused to be searched, they refrained from entering the Temple Mount, and this led to riots, especially in front of the Lion’s Gate. The Lion’s Gate is most famous for being the gate through which the paratroopers entered the Old City in the 1967 war and so it has become a symbolic place for the Muslims as well.
I reminded this brother that the Lion’s Gate was not the only gate through which the IDF entered the Old City. In fact, the first troops in the Old City were those of the Jerusalem Brigade who entered through the Dung Gate. Of course, ‘Lion’s Gate’ sounds a little more glorious than the ‘Dung Gate,' but our troops entered first through it.
This fact became a parable to me. Christians often get so excited and worked up by the drama, or what the enemy is doing, that they lose sight of the Lord. Sometimes we look events and miss what God is doing, under-the-radar so to speak, to fulfill His Word. While the enemy is rising in a great swelling of pride and violence, the Lord in His lowliness is going about the restoration of Israel in His own way.
Our challenge is to see Him in all circumstances, difficult and challenging as they may be; outrageous as they may be.
We must remember and take into account that: a. All power has been given to Yeshua, in heaven and earth! (Matthew 28:18) b. He has won the victory and has made an open show of all principalities and powers at the cross. (Colossians 2:14-15) c. He is sitting at the right hand of God until all His enemies are made His footstool. (Psalm 110:1)
This does not mean that we refrain from praying into events and situations, quite the contrary. But it does mean that we pray from this vantage point of seeing Him through the Word of God. Seeing God is essential to successful prayer and intercession.
To see how we prayed during the Temple Mount crisis click here: http://www.israelprayercenter.org/weekly-prayer-intercession (Prayer and Intercession July 26)
Do you see the Lord?
It is not my intention to write a full teaching on how to see the Lord; only to point to our need of seeing Yeshua. Surely each one of us is challenged daily with this very thing. Do I see Yeshua or the circumstances? Do I see Yeshua or yield to my fears, anxieties, and unbelief? Do I allow myself to be distracted by the enemy to look at him, or do I see Yeshua?
We all remember I am sure, the incident in which Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Syrian host. In great fear, the servant cried, “Alas, my master! How shall we do?” “Fear not,” answered Elisha, “for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Apparently, he saw something that his servant did not. Elisha then prayed to the Lord, that He might open the servant’s eyes that he might see!
"And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” 2Kings 6:17
May we all have our eyes opened to see the Lord, in our circumstances, in world events; may we see in His light and sight.
May we all have our eyes opened to see Him, that we might “see.”
Blessings from Jerusalem,
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