Scripture

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

~John 14:12, NLT

Quote

God made humans receptacles, and unless we learn to receive, the Christ life will be impossible for us.

~Calvin Miller

The passage above has always troubled me; how can we do greater works than Jesus? Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. Some believe that Jesus is talking about the ministry of the Holy Spirit which He mentions later {14:16,26}. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus in us and on the Day of Pentecost, over 120 followers were filled and became witnesses for Jesus. This multiplied His ministry. In the incarnation, Jesus took on the limits of human flesh. He could be in only one place at a time. This interpretation does make sense, but I wonder if that is what Jesus meant or all that He meant. Ron Dunn believes the greater works is prayer. Jesus went back to heaven to be our High Priest and to make intercession for us. Thus, He taught His disciple to pray in His name…Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do…Ron said the greater works is what Christ does for us in connection with believing prayer. Note the verse about…He will do, and I will do. Prayer is what we do, and answering prayer is what Jesus does. That interpretation sounds good also, but I am still not satisfied.

Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead and calmed the storms: I just don’t see us doing greater works. I am not just referring to myself or my generation; I don’t think anyone has done greater works including Paul. So, what did Jesus mean? What am I missing? Why can’t I understand? All truth is revealed. We would not know anything apart from God’s willingness to share knowledge with us. He is the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom. I am at His benevolent mercy; if He wants me to understand, He will enlighten me. In the meantime, I follow Him by faith and ponder His word with awe and wonder.

One thing is certain: I have a long way to go when it comes to believing prayer. Jesus said in Mark 11:22-23, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. In other words, believe it is so because God said so even though it is not so at the moment. Ask believing you have it before you get it. Of course, Jesus never moved a literal mountain Himself. This tells me that He was not talking about moving mount Sinai or Hermon. Maybe He was referring to large obstacles or big problems; Thing that seem impossible to us.

One other certainty, we don’t quit praying simply because we don’t know how. I can’t pray like Jesus, or Paul or a thousand others but I am going to quit praying. Vance Havner said, “I don’t understand electricity, but I am not going to sit in the dark.”

Extra

The LORD is good. Trip to Nashville went well. A lot of traffic going in but not so bad coming out. Kathleen still can’t talk or swallow but everything else is working. Continue to pray for Lincoln. Pray for Joe David, Spencer and Josh. They finish the DAVID BARTON tour today and fly back tonight. I know they are young, but they are going to be worn out.

LORD willing, we wrap up our series on Psalms tonight. We have been in for some four plus years.

Have a great hump-day and thanks for reading the blog.