What Are We Thinking

If God had a message, came to earth to deliver that message, and caused His message to be recorded in a book that I could read, I would learn as much as I could from what He said. I would listen to Him. I would seek to do what He said to the best of my ability…and beyond. I would seek to give all I have to do what He said.

I have a question: Are we doing that? Today, there’s a lot of teaching that rarely focuses on anything Jesus said. Yet it’s called apostolic and prophetic. How can that be when it lacks the chief cornerstone, apostle and high priest of our confession, and promised prophet spoken of by the prophet Moses? Yes, that’s right. It can’t be from Him, let alone apostolic or prophetic.

In all the teachings on the apostolic and prophetic that I hear, there’s little to no focus on Jesus. Yet, according to the first Apostle of note among the twelve apostles of the Lamb, the Apostle Peter, who, in 1 Peter 1:10, God’s Word Translation, said, “The prophets carefully researched and investigated this salvation. Long ago they spoke about God's kindness that would come to you.” Notice, before they prophesied, they researched and investigated the grace that would come through the person of Christ.

How? By searching and pouring through the scriptures given to them. They spent their lives studying God’s word to catch a glimpse of what would one day come in the person of Jesus Christ. Listen to what Jesus said of them, “I can guarantee that many prophets and kings wanted to see and hear what you've seen and heard, but they didn't." Lk. 10:24, God’s Word Translation.

Do we recognize what we have in the teachings of Christ? Do we value what we’ve been given? Based on what I’ve seen and heard, the answer is, no. The Bible may be the best selling book of all time, and it may also be the most read book of all time, but it’s also the least understood book of all time. Why do I say that? Because we don’t practice what Christ preached.

We offer salvation without healing. We offer peace without being peacemakers. We give money yet we don’t give our hearts. We have conviction without it originating from the Holy Spirit. We have a gospel that works…some of the time. Yer few ask the question — why?

Yes, there’s a hole in our gospel. But it’s not the hole that we think it is. Rather, it’s that we don’t practice what Jesus preached. Not because we don’t want to. But because we don’t know “how to”. Of all the self help books that we have, the one we really need is “how to”apply the Bible to our lives.

Yet that’s the one we don’t want to hear. Why? It costs us everything we have. Jesus spoke of that cost: “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. When a man discovered it, he buried it again. He was so delighted with it that he went away, sold everything he had, and bought that field.” Matt. 13:44, God’s Word Translation.

I want to ask you a simple question: Have you discovered that treasure? You might ask, how can I know if I’ve discovered that treasure? I would then ask another simple question: Have you sold all you have yet? You might say back to me, that’s impossible, I have bills to pay. I would say back to you, you still haven’t discovered the treasure, which is the Kingdom of Heaven.

That’s where we are. We still haven’t found the treasure hidden in the field. We want to find it. We have our metal detectors out searching for it. Yet it’s nowhere in sight. Why? “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Lk. 17:20, 21, Berean Standard Bible.

What?! I can hear you asking, it’s already here? Yes, it’s already here. Why don’t I see it? Ahhh! That’s the question! That’s the “why” we should be asking, but aren’t. That’s the question apostles and prophets should be asking, researching, investigating and looking for. That’s the million dollar, yes, bazillion dollar, question on the table. Yes, we should be asking for a lifeline at this point. We need to phone the friend who sticks closer than a brother….to get the answer. The prayer of desperation still works.

And, yes, once we find the treasure of the kingdom of God, we’ll be willing to sell all we have in this world, whether it be two mites or a bazillion dollars, to get it. As such, let’s get to work and study what He said: There’s treasure in them thar hills! For how long? Until we find it, are willing to sell all we have to get it, and can give it away freely, for we have all we need every day supplied freely by Him. That’s the true apostolic and prophetic message we need for this hour.

-Scott Wallis