Way of Peace

Friend, you’re not a frog! You are so much more!

Dear Friend,

Why would a frog grace the cover of this month’s Way of Peace envelope? No, we have not lost our minds. Quite the contrary!

Humanistic thinking would have us believe that if we think it and visualize it, we can have it. Maybe if that frog looks and dreams of being a prince, eventually he will be one.

At the same time, some would have us think the ancient stories from the Bible are merely fairy tales with no relevance for today. There is little difference between the Bible and the fairy tale about the frog who turned into a prince.

Both of these thoughts rob us from the glorious truth:

1. YOU BEHOLD THE GLORY IN THE MIRROR!

“Repeat, ‘I am a winner’, 100 times in the morning, 100 times in the afternoon and 100 times before bed and you will be a winner!” Sound familiar? Today’s self help teachers would have us believe this is the secret to success.

At times, religion says the same thing. “Change the way you think, the way you speak and you will be blessed!”

Really!?!? Sadly, many come away disheartened and blame themselves if they fail to live up to the carefully prescribed plan laid out for them. On paper it always looks so easy, right?

This thought is a copy cat of God’s ultimate plan. Of course, it is important to think right, to speak right, to visualize right, but is it the source?

What is God’s ultimate plan?

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

We are exhorted to take a good long look in the mirror, but catch this, not at ourselves! We look at the glory of the Lord, and as we do, we are transformed into that same glory! Incredible!

When you look in a mirror, what do you see? Yourself! However, God is not exhorting us to look at ourselves in the natural. That may not be a pretty picture. Addiction, poverty, sickness, lack or depression may be what you see in the natural.

God wants you to see yourself in Jesus!

Whatever you read about Jesus in God’s Word, it is like looking in the mirror and seeing yourself! No sickness, no lack, no fear, no depression, no addiction ever possessed Jesus…. and as He is so are you in this world! Christ is in you! (Colossians 1:27)

Looking at Jesus = Looking in a mirror at yourself!

God wants you to look at Jesus in you by His Spirit. As you do, you are transformed from glory to glory: from weak to strong, from defeated to victor, from poor to rich!

The world’s copy says, if you try hard and do right, you can change yourself. God’s way says, forget your life, take My life, the life of Jesus. He is your success. He is your health. He is your prosperity. He is your freedom. Envision yourself in Him!

This is not accomplished by your own effort to improve. It is all by the Holy Spirit! (Zechariah 4:6)

Behold the glory of the Lord! Jesus is the glory! He is the healthy one in your sick body! Be transformed from sickness to health. This is not won by your great effort to live or eat well, but by the Spirit! It is so relaxed! What can be easier than beholding the beauty of the Son? Stop focusing on yourself and your efforts. Look away and behold the glory of Jesus. He is in you right now. You will begin to behold the miracles that you need!

2. THE GLORY – JESUS - IS SEEN IN BIBLE STORIES

The pages of God’s Word are not filled with quaint fairy tales from history: David killing Goliath, or Samson and Delilah, or Abraham and Sarah. Jesus, the glory, is revealed in every story!

Look what the Apostle Paul says:

“For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:14-17)

The Old Testament contains many wonderful stories. Without the veil being lifted these stories can be at best interpreted into good life lessons for our lives today. At worst, they are interpreted into horrible misusage of scripture used to enslave people under harsh rules and regulations.

That is without the Spirit of the Lord. With the Spirit, the veil is removed from our eyes, and we see Jesus!

Start in Genesis! When Adam ate of the fruit his eyes were opened to see his nakedness (Genesis 3:7). When the “last Adam”, Jesus, gave food to His followers, their eyes were opened. They saw the glory of the Lord! (Luke 24:30,31) Now, we eat the bread, His body, and receive His life! (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45)

Move to Exodus, and we see the Israelites put blood on the door posts of their houses. They were protected from the plague that destroyed Egypt. (Exodus 12:13) What a beautiful representation of what Jesus did for us on the cross. (Hebrews 2:9) Our household is protected from calamity by Jesus!

Leviticus reveals Jesus our sacrifice. (Leviticus 1:3-4) Jesus was offered as our burnt sacrifice to the Father. He was the bull offered without blemish, and He was accepted as payment for our sin. Because He was accepted as payment, we are now accepted in the Beloved! (Ephesians 1:6) Feel the warmth of His embrace! Jesus has made you perfectly qualified.

Deuteronomy 28 shows us the good that comes from doing right, and the curse that comes from doing wrong. However, in Jesus we are freed from the curse 100%! (Galatians 3:13) Blessings are commanded on us in Jesus! Good chases us down in our finances, in our spiritual walk and in our health. It is breathing down our neck every step we take. You can’t escape it!

These are mere glimpses into a few books of the Bible. Every page is full of rarefied revelations of Jesus, but I have pulled only one sample from each.

Ok! One more; Proverbs 4:7-9:

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

Jesus has become for us wisdom! (1 Corinthians 1:30) When you see “wisdom” written in the verses above, interchange the word with “Jesus”. Promotion, honor, grace, unmerited favor, glory are all yours in Jesus!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus….. His name brings life!

Do you have dreams beyond where you are at present? I believe you do, because when Jesus becomes our life, He places big dreams in our heart. Look at the dreams He gave Abraham!

Seeing is believing! In Jesus, see all your dreams are fulfilled! We do not deserve it, but He paid the price that we might now deserve! Because of Him we now deserve to be blessed with the blessings of Abraham!

Maybe you don’t see it in the natural yet. My friend, I have seen God’s blessings in my life, and yet, there are dreams that have not yet come to pass. I sure would love them to, but they haven’t.

We have a good example in which we to take comfort. Abraham saw numerous blessing throughout his life. Still at the age of 100, well past child bearing years, he was without the son of his dreams. Yet, Romans 4:20 says,

“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”

Don’t ever feel you are alone. We all have those moments. It is then you want to rejoice the loudest. Laugh in the face of the accuser of the brethren. The battle has already been fought, and we are the victors in Christ! What was Abraham told to do? Look to the stars and see his children. What are we do to? Look to Jesus, and see all our dreams fulfilled!

Right now, would you take the enclosed response form? I cannot stress it enough. We are partners in Jesus. He is our source, and together we flow with the provision He has given.

Would you take the following action today:

1. Become a Pre-Authorized Monthly Partner with Way of Peace Ministries if you are not already. Take a look at the enclosed Ministry Report. This vital work in Israel is made possible through continual, month by month, partnership. Pre-Authorized Monthly Partners allow Way of Peace to guarantee support to these precious Gospel Workers in Israel.
2. Give your very best love gift to the Gospel Workers in Israel today! Accept the amount the Lord has placed on your heart, no matter what the size. He is our source!

Thank you for responding today! Shalom!

Nathan Thurber