5jan16 LIMITS

  LIMITS

Matthew 9:17    “they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

I believe that the reason that Jesus said to pour new wine into new wineskins is because the wineskins will grow and expand with the wine as it ferments.  You can’t use an old wine skin because if the wine ferments and expands, there are limits set by the previous wine as to what the old wine skin can take.  New visions and dreams have to be without pre-imposed limits, otherwise they are not new.  Also, IF they are going to do anything for the Kingdom of God, they have to be from God.

I like to think of the new wine as a vision.  God says that old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions, so better put, I think the new wine is a dream.  God isn’t a bully, He won’t put a dream in me, a desire, if He didn’t want me to fulfill it, or at least START the process.  My dream is that the church *body of Christ* would be like the church was originally.  Everyone helping everyone.  Out of love, not forced.  God loves a HAPPY GIVER, not an angry or reluctant giver.  With smiles, not ugly faces.  The widows, orphans, poor, lonely being helped by the happy, healthier members, constrained by the LOVE of Christ.  Then when the healthier members take a turn for the worse, the healed and recovered can help them.  Married prostitutes, sober drunks helping the ‘perfect people’ and visa versa.  All because of the love and acceptance of Christ.  That’s my dream, and it shouldn’t have limits.  If it’s from God it won’t.

I saw a video today on limits.  After watching it I am totally humbled, convicted, motivated, encouraged, and in awe.  All at the same time.  *The video is below, forward fast it it to 18:56 and watch Dr. Kumar’s story*  Wow! I mean, WOW!  If you get a chance, watch his story, from India, a church with 125k people.  He provides for free ambulances, pharmacy, food, weddings, medical, retirement, funerals, even a free birthday cake every year to every one of his members.  How does he do it?  I think because God gave him the vision, and because he lives in India, there aren’t many critics to tell him it couldn’t be done.

When I studied psychology, I learned about how fleas can jump really far.  However, if you put them in a jar with a lid on it for a day, after you take the lid off they can’t even jump out of the jar.  After a few little bumps on their little teeny tiny flea heads, they give up.  Voila!  Their limits have been reset.  Their new reality is that they can’t jump 10 feet any more, they can only jump 3 or 4 inches.  Hmmm, sounds like me!

I get a few bumps on my head and Voila!  My limits are set! I get told by someone I respect that I can’t do something, and Voila!  My limits are set.  I try something once and fail, and Voila!  My limits are set.

Being an American doesn’t seem to affect things, although it should.  We are from a fabulous country, with unlimited resources, but most of us have very severe limits.  While I am not new age or anything, the way we perceive things is our reality.  Like it or not.  First thing the other salesmen will tell you when you get a new job selling is that you can only sell so much.  First thing that missionaries tell you when you get to a new country is how corrupt and dangerous things are, how hard it is, and how you will be unsuccessful.  The well meaning ‘prophets of negativity’ will hunt you down and murder your dreams on the spot, in cold blood.  They will fix your limits and your realities plummet. You will then, in a daze, sit back and enjoy a life of mediocrity.

Jesus *through His Word, in the book of Proverbs* says For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

I sold cars in 1987.  There was a major recession going on and I had my best year ever.  I made a ton of money.  Why?  Because I was *unpopular* among the salesmen.  They didn’t fill me in on all the need to know stuff.  I didn’t watch the news.  I didn’t read the newspapers.  I never hung out with them during their little coffee chats, nor did I go out at night with them.  I was too busy selling cars to hear all the negative stuff.

The next time you feel that God has told you to do something, DO NOT ASK FOR ADVICE FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT DOING IT.  Just do it.  God will give you all the advice you need through the Word, through friends just talking to you, through prayer.  He will put the right people in your path to encourage you along the way, as he has done for me.  If you start hearing the word ‘limit’, walk away.  God is sufficient and His Spirit will guide you to all truth.

Focus on God, on His Love, not on limits.

*watch this video starting at about 18:56, Dr. Kumar’s church, Calvary Temple.  This guy is not an American, he was born in India.  No excuses\ no limits.

 

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