Hidden Promises

I feel like I've traded God's promises for the promises of this earth: success, prestige, stuff.  And now, when I'm ready to trade back, God's promises are hidden!  It's as if God is holding me back with his hand saying, "Matt are you sure you want to trade?  There's no going back to the world."

I don't know if I'm ready, but I want to be.  I want to forsake all else other than the heart of our Lord.  I just really have no clue how to do this!  Can I get some discipleship here!

I stumbled upon this chapter in John recently (I say stumbled, because it is rare that I read Scripture...yes, I know...).John 14.  It's jam-packed with good stuff, but I want to hone in on a few verses.  14:12-14 "Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it."

Pause...deep breath...yes.  Yes, that's what Jesus says...but none of us believe.

I do not think in all of my life I have heard a pastor, priest, or anyone else preach a sermon on this.  Why?  Is it simply because we don't want to over-reach and ask God to do big things?  Or have we tried to rationalize like I do: well, Jesus was just talking to His immediate disciples.

Is it because we do not believe in His power?  Believe Jesus?

I will tell you that I'm struggling with this one.  Because I believe and disbelieve.  I go to the office and, on a good or bad day, I have never seen these works that Jesus mentions.  Am I working in the wrong place, with the wrong people, on the wrong continent?  Does God not work that way anymore?

I think He does.  But something has gone incredibly wrong.  Wrong in our churches and in our hearts.  It's like someone has gradually dimmed the lights on us so that now we're in complete darkness.  We didn't notice at first, but now we're standing in pitch blackness! 

Enter: Satan.  "The prince of this world is coming.  He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me."

This is Jesus' response.  This is his life.  His interaction with Satan is that the world will learn that He loves the Father.  Beautiful.  I want to mimic Jesus in this way.  So that I can say, "Satan has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love Jesus and do exactly what Jesus has commanded me."   Lord, let it be.

And so in this darkness we find ourselves, we are given an opportunity of greatness.  Not to ourselves, but to our Lord.  Because it is in darkness that light shines brightest right?  I am starting to truly believe that if I begin to believe Jesus fully and do exactly as He commands, this life will look much different.