Just a Little Leaven...

Luke 13:20-21, "And again He said, 'To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.'"

Just a little leaven will leaven the whole lump. Leaven is an agent used in dough which lightens and softens the finished product. Whenever it is placed within the dough, it literally works its way through the whole lump. In other words, it affects every part of the dough. And it doesn't take much.

Jesus said the kingdom of God was just like leaven that is hidden in meal. In other words, when you release the kingdom into the affairs of men it will work its way through every part.

This is a word of encouragement today. Some of you may have heard teachings on leaven only in reference to sin. You know..."just one hidden sin will work its way through your life..." And even though we should be careful of the wrong type of "leaven" - the passages above refers to the Infiltrating Power of the kingdom of God. Where do you need to see God at work? Release the power of the kingdom!

Right now our family is believing God for this very thing. There is something and someone we have been praying for and the time has come to see kingdom power in their life. "Much like light that exposes, or salt that preserves, leaven influences its surrounding in a subtle but overpowering way. So it is with the kingdom of God." ~ Bill Johnson. It is our belief - our conviction - that God is getting ready to do some awesome things. We are in agreement with the believers in Acts 4 when they prayed, "by stretching out Your hand to heal..." God allowed them to release the power of the kingdom into their world - now it's our turn!

Just imagine the power of one testimony...one person who was radically changed by the power of God. Imagine that testimony touching the hearts and lives of others. And what we are trusting God to do is just that - one testimony of a changed life impacting the lives around them. All we need is a release of the "infiltrating power of the kingdom."

Remember the woman with the issue of blood? She pressed through the crowd just so she could touch the hem of Jesus' garment. When she touched Him Jesus knew that power had left Him had infiltrated her. Immediately she was healed. No word of healing. No laying on of hands by Jesus. Just the touch of a woman filled with faith changed her life forever. Do we have that kind of faith? Does our faith in the God who heals and changes cause us to press through the disbelief and doubt of others? Does our faith cause us to thank the doctors but believe another report? Can we reach out and touch the hem of His garment by faith?

This path we are on is not dependent upon what we do but on what God is able to do! We are simply seeking to release the power of His kingdom to and individual. In the end we believe that we will see lasting change.

Why not allow this same principle to be at work in you. Allow the kingdom of God to infiltrate your thinking. You may have had doubts in the past but the kingdom of God will work faith into you. You may have despaired and lost hope but the kingdom of God will give you a peace that passes all understanding while restoring the joy of your salvation. I trust in a God that restores the years that have been destroyed by the locust! It matters not what has eaten away at the fabric of life, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I could ever ask or think. The power is not in me but in the kingdom of God.

May His kingdom come! May His will be done! Let it be on earth as it is in heaven!