Love me.
Words we hear, words we say, words we think all the time. Love me. We want to be loved. We imagine love is something amazing and special, something that will protect us to the best of its ability, something that will be there for us no matter what, something we can count on, something special, something that makes us unique. How often does love let us down? How often do we have expectations of love that fall apart? How often do we feel secure in that love and it lets us down. People are hurt by love all the time. People give their all and end up broken hearted. Why does that happen? Is it love letting people down or rather people letting love down?
Seriously. Love is something so amazing. Most parents have it for children and yet even parents have let love down.
The concept of love is a real one, one that we fantasize about, one that we apsire to or not. People write about it, read about it, make movies about it, dream of it, and love is always something really special- that special one either we're looking for it or we're wanting to be special to someone or both. Love. We want loving parents, loving friends, loving partners, loving children, we want this and yet inevitably love gets twisted. We equate love with trust and then we feel betrayed when the trust is broken. We want to find love and be loved and we can only find real true love in one place and it's not in another human being who can twist love into something that resembles love but misses the mark.
Ever wonder how so many people can love their pets? Pets are more trustworthy than humans aren't they? They seldom betray the love we give them and when they do it's excuseable because they are only animals and they don't know any better- humans are supposed to know better.
God wants to be loved and He knew as sinners it was beyond us to love Him with that perfect love so He sent His Son, He sent perfect love to us to reveal Himself to us and give us a chance to accept that love, to embrace that perfect love into our lives, to cling to that perfect love so that perfect love can be our perfect love for Him because we can't love Him perfectly on our own.
Ex. {20:6} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Deut. {5:10} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Prov. {8:17} I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
John {8:42} Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of
myself, but he sent me.
John {10:17} Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
John {14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John {14:23} Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him. {14:24} He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. {14:25} These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you. {14:26} But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. {14:27} Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. {14:28} Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. {14:29} And now I have told you before it
come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. {14:30} Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. {14:31} But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
If we love Jesus we will keep His words which are God's words. The Comforter- the Holy Ghost is given to us to teach us everything, to bring things to our remembrance, everything Jesus has said. It's important we read the Bible, that we read all of what Jesus has said.
Love. Our imperfect love reaches out for His perfect love.
Please Lord.
By Your mercy, by Your grace, by Your love.
Amen.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
We Can't Be Ashamed of Christ
Luke
{19:10} For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
{19:11} And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the
kingdom of God should immediately appear.
{19:12} He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
{19:13} And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
{19:14} But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this [man] to reign over us.
{19:15} And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
{19:16} Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
{19:17} And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten
cities.
{19:18} And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
{19:19} And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
{19:20} And another came, saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin
{19:21} For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
{19:22} And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow
{19:23} Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
{19:24} And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds.
{19:25} (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
{19:26} For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken
away from him.
{19:27} But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.
*******
Christ went away to receive a kingdom with the plan of returning.
Before He went away He told His followers to take that which He'd given to them and to take care of it for Him doing what He'd want them to do with it, what He'd do with it.
Those that weren't His followers hated Him and made sure all around knew that they hated Him and wanted nothing to do with Him or the followers of Him.
Then it came to pass that He returned as promised, having done all He set out to do.
Back from where He'd gone, Christ called His servants to Him. Christ wanted to know what His servants had done with the commission He'd given them.
The first follower told Him he'd done well with the commission He'd given them. He went out and multiplied it, gaining, adding to, making more.
The second follower told Him he'd he'd done well with the commission given to him, not as well as the first one but he'd done what he could.
The third follower told Him that he didn't do anything but kept the commission safe.
Christ was pleased with the first two followers but not the third. He at least wanted the third servant to put the commission to use to earn more against it even it if wasn't much. The last thing He wanted was to hide the commission. If the commission wasn't going to be put to use He at least wanted it in a place that it could naturally earn usury, get interest on the commission.
Christ wants us - His followers not to hide our commission and what is that commission? To be His and not ashamed.
Mark {8:38} Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels
We can't hide our Christianity and I'm not talking about those who hide it to stay alive and witness in other ways and even then they don't deny it ultimately. If we are Christians and NO ONE knows we are Christians what does that mean? Are we hiding the commission given us by Christ? Are we hiding the one talent given to us to hold onto until Christ returns? Are was ashamed of being Christ's? Are we afraid of revealing the talent given even to the point of letting it earn interest for Christ. Not everyone can be bold and speak up, believe me I know. Some are speechless, some are timid, some scared, others just don't want to appear different but would rather fit in with things. No matter how or why, laziness or fearfulness, if we aren't noticeably Christians we are hiding the commission given to us by Christ. If no one else knows we are Christians we are ashamed of that fact. If we don't preach Christ's salvation and His second coming, we are ashamed. No, we all aren't called to be evangelists, or preachers, or teachers, but we are all called to be Christ's and not to be ashamed of that. When we are not ashamed we are noticeably Christians and any that notice that in even the smallest of ways earns interest for Christ and when He returns we will be able to say that we were His boldly as we could be letting others know because we weren't ashamed and that alone in some small way was able to produce an interest on the commission we were given.
We can't hide the talent given us, the commission given to us. We can't be ashamed of Christ. We need to ask ourselves if we are hiding and ashamed, it's a serious question to ask, one of the most serious because Christ will no longer call us His if we are ashamed and if we hide what He's given us, if we hide the salvation we've received in Him.
May the Lord Jesus Christ through His mercy and grace give us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit dwell in us and Christ's Righteousness fill us producing in us for Him what we cannot produce ourselves. Through Christ and His power, His love now and always.
Amen.
{19:10} For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
{19:11} And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the
kingdom of God should immediately appear.
{19:12} He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
{19:13} And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
{19:14} But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this [man] to reign over us.
{19:15} And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
{19:16} Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
{19:17} And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten
cities.
{19:18} And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
{19:19} And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
{19:20} And another came, saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin
{19:21} For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
{19:22} And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow
{19:23} Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
{19:24} And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds.
{19:25} (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
{19:26} For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken
away from him.
{19:27} But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.
*******
Christ went away to receive a kingdom with the plan of returning.
Before He went away He told His followers to take that which He'd given to them and to take care of it for Him doing what He'd want them to do with it, what He'd do with it.
Those that weren't His followers hated Him and made sure all around knew that they hated Him and wanted nothing to do with Him or the followers of Him.
Then it came to pass that He returned as promised, having done all He set out to do.
Back from where He'd gone, Christ called His servants to Him. Christ wanted to know what His servants had done with the commission He'd given them.
The first follower told Him he'd done well with the commission He'd given them. He went out and multiplied it, gaining, adding to, making more.
The second follower told Him he'd he'd done well with the commission given to him, not as well as the first one but he'd done what he could.
The third follower told Him that he didn't do anything but kept the commission safe.
Christ was pleased with the first two followers but not the third. He at least wanted the third servant to put the commission to use to earn more against it even it if wasn't much. The last thing He wanted was to hide the commission. If the commission wasn't going to be put to use He at least wanted it in a place that it could naturally earn usury, get interest on the commission.
Christ wants us - His followers not to hide our commission and what is that commission? To be His and not ashamed.
Mark {8:38} Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels
We can't hide our Christianity and I'm not talking about those who hide it to stay alive and witness in other ways and even then they don't deny it ultimately. If we are Christians and NO ONE knows we are Christians what does that mean? Are we hiding the commission given us by Christ? Are we hiding the one talent given to us to hold onto until Christ returns? Are was ashamed of being Christ's? Are we afraid of revealing the talent given even to the point of letting it earn interest for Christ. Not everyone can be bold and speak up, believe me I know. Some are speechless, some are timid, some scared, others just don't want to appear different but would rather fit in with things. No matter how or why, laziness or fearfulness, if we aren't noticeably Christians we are hiding the commission given to us by Christ. If no one else knows we are Christians we are ashamed of that fact. If we don't preach Christ's salvation and His second coming, we are ashamed. No, we all aren't called to be evangelists, or preachers, or teachers, but we are all called to be Christ's and not to be ashamed of that. When we are not ashamed we are noticeably Christians and any that notice that in even the smallest of ways earns interest for Christ and when He returns we will be able to say that we were His boldly as we could be letting others know because we weren't ashamed and that alone in some small way was able to produce an interest on the commission we were given.
We can't hide the talent given us, the commission given to us. We can't be ashamed of Christ. We need to ask ourselves if we are hiding and ashamed, it's a serious question to ask, one of the most serious because Christ will no longer call us His if we are ashamed and if we hide what He's given us, if we hide the salvation we've received in Him.
May the Lord Jesus Christ through His mercy and grace give us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit dwell in us and Christ's Righteousness fill us producing in us for Him what we cannot produce ourselves. Through Christ and His power, His love now and always.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
All wisdom and spiritual understanding
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
And desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Filled with the knowledge of his will. Don't we long for this? To know God's will for us? We pray Your will be done Lord, Your will no matter what it might be and yet in the back of our minds we are adding things like, 'but please, don't let this happen', or 'please, let this happen.' We want God's will to be done but we want it to match our own will. Sure we might not mind a little hardship, a few obstacles, a bit of angst to deal with but those huge monster problems we could do without, right? Yet, nevertheless not our will but Your will be done. We are willing to accept the horrific trials and by the grace of God keep our faith that no matter what we are asked to go through we believe that Jesus loves us, died for us and through the hope we place in Him and His righteousness we will be saved to eternal life in Him. We truly want to be fill with the knowledge of God's will. Show me thy will. We pray for that and yet sometimes perhaps as God is showing us we close our eyes because it's not our will, it's not what we want. That old saying- be careful what you ask/wish for you might get it- holds true. Rejecting the will of God has consequences. Jonah tried to reject the will of God and look what happened to Him. Others rejected the will of God and their fate is worse- it's death. There isn't any way to know what the outcome will be, whether the will of God will keep being pressed to you so you'll do it, or whether God will find another to do for Him what you won't. We do pray for the will of God, to be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding because we hope that we will see the wisdom and have such spiritual understanding that we won't doubt what is being revealed to us. Doubt is our enemy but we call it our smart side that gives us caution and keeps us from doing foolish things. Doubt, that small voice or that screaming banshee of a voice that keeps us from understanding the will of God. Yes, we need wisdom, we need spiritual understanding because with the wisdom we will know what to do and with the spiritual understanding we will recognize the will of God and we will follow Him and all His ways.
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
{1:10} That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
{1:11} Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
{1:12} Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
{1:13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son
{1:14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins
{1:15} Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
{1:16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him
{1:17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
{1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have
the preeminence.
{1:19} For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell
{1:20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say,] whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
{1:21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
{1:22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
{1:23} If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister
{1:24} Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church
{1:25} Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
{1:26} [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints
{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
{1:28} Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus {1:29} Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
To whom God would make known what the riches of the glory of this mystery among Gentiles which is Christ in you- the hope of glory. Whom we preach warning every men and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
The will of God. Spiritual understanding, wisdom, the will of God preached to EVERY man Jesus, the hope of glory. Warning EVERY man so that every man is perfect in Christ Jesus.
We have a duty to warn and to preach, those of us who are Christ's. We have a duty to warn them of the peril they are in if they are not in Christ. We have a duty to preach Christ Jesus the hope of all men, the hope of glory- Christ in us.
May we be given wisdom and spiritual understanding to know the will of God and to follow the will of God. May we preach and warn those we meet of the hope in Christ in them. Bless us Lord, be the voice we can't be, help us Lord, help us. Lord we believe, help thou our unbelief. Lord we need you desperately our willl is weak and our knowledge small. Please Lord we are weak, and You are strong, You are our Hope in glory, You, Christ Jesus our Lord, our only Hope now and forever.
Amen.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
And desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Filled with the knowledge of his will. Don't we long for this? To know God's will for us? We pray Your will be done Lord, Your will no matter what it might be and yet in the back of our minds we are adding things like, 'but please, don't let this happen', or 'please, let this happen.' We want God's will to be done but we want it to match our own will. Sure we might not mind a little hardship, a few obstacles, a bit of angst to deal with but those huge monster problems we could do without, right? Yet, nevertheless not our will but Your will be done. We are willing to accept the horrific trials and by the grace of God keep our faith that no matter what we are asked to go through we believe that Jesus loves us, died for us and through the hope we place in Him and His righteousness we will be saved to eternal life in Him. We truly want to be fill with the knowledge of God's will. Show me thy will. We pray for that and yet sometimes perhaps as God is showing us we close our eyes because it's not our will, it's not what we want. That old saying- be careful what you ask/wish for you might get it- holds true. Rejecting the will of God has consequences. Jonah tried to reject the will of God and look what happened to Him. Others rejected the will of God and their fate is worse- it's death. There isn't any way to know what the outcome will be, whether the will of God will keep being pressed to you so you'll do it, or whether God will find another to do for Him what you won't. We do pray for the will of God, to be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding because we hope that we will see the wisdom and have such spiritual understanding that we won't doubt what is being revealed to us. Doubt is our enemy but we call it our smart side that gives us caution and keeps us from doing foolish things. Doubt, that small voice or that screaming banshee of a voice that keeps us from understanding the will of God. Yes, we need wisdom, we need spiritual understanding because with the wisdom we will know what to do and with the spiritual understanding we will recognize the will of God and we will follow Him and all His ways.
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
{1:10} That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
{1:11} Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
{1:12} Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
{1:13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son
{1:14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins
{1:15} Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
{1:16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him
{1:17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
{1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have
the preeminence.
{1:19} For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell
{1:20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say,] whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
{1:21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
{1:22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
{1:23} If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister
{1:24} Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church
{1:25} Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
{1:26} [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints
{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
{1:28} Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus {1:29} Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
To whom God would make known what the riches of the glory of this mystery among Gentiles which is Christ in you- the hope of glory. Whom we preach warning every men and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
The will of God. Spiritual understanding, wisdom, the will of God preached to EVERY man Jesus, the hope of glory. Warning EVERY man so that every man is perfect in Christ Jesus.
We have a duty to warn and to preach, those of us who are Christ's. We have a duty to warn them of the peril they are in if they are not in Christ. We have a duty to preach Christ Jesus the hope of all men, the hope of glory- Christ in us.
May we be given wisdom and spiritual understanding to know the will of God and to follow the will of God. May we preach and warn those we meet of the hope in Christ in them. Bless us Lord, be the voice we can't be, help us Lord, help us. Lord we believe, help thou our unbelief. Lord we need you desperately our willl is weak and our knowledge small. Please Lord we are weak, and You are strong, You are our Hope in glory, You, Christ Jesus our Lord, our only Hope now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Live according to God in the spirit.
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Your love in the Spirit. Love in the Spirit. What does it mean to have love in the Spirit? What is- in the Spirit? There are a lot of verses in the Bible on this so lets take a look at a few.
Luke {1:13} But the angel said unto him, Fear not,
Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
{1:14} And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many
shall rejoice at his birth. {1:15} For he shall be great in the
sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother’s womb. {1:16} And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. {1:17} And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord.
* John the Baptist- filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. Filled with the Spirit- able to turn many to the Lord their God. In the spirit and power of the prophet Elias, John would would turn the hearts of the father to their children, the bad to the wisdom of good, preparing a people for the Lord. We all know that John the Baptist preached prior to Christ's undertaking His own ministry. That John the Baptist, baptized many turning their thoughts to God- preparing them for Jesus. The Holy Spirit filled John. John lived in the Spirit from the womb. We look at John's life- he lived in the wilderness, he ate locust, honey, and never touched wine or strong drink. His life was hardly desireable to anyone. He lived a strange life totally selfless not seeking his own pleasures at all. His life was devoted to preaching, witnessing for God. To say He was unique wouldn't be far off the mark. There weren't tons of *wild men* in the desert preaching, or down at the river baptizing. John made a name for himself as a prophet heralding the Messiah- it wasn't John's fault people rejected the Messiah when He came- or rather most did. John did all He could do in the Spirit.
John {11:33} When Jesus therefore saw her
weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her,
he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, {11:34} And
said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord,
come and see. {11:35} Jesus wept.
*Jesus groaned in the spirit and was trouble. In this instance it's very probably that the spirit here (and I don't know ancient languages so I'm not sure) but, it's very probable it means spirit the same way we do when we feel down in the dumps, our spirits are low. Jesus was upset, he was troubled by the grief all around him. Jesus wept. So to say his spirit was heavy would mean he was filled with emotional pain.
Acts {18:5} And when
Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was
pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews [that] Jesus
[was] Christ.
*Pressed in the spirit- convicted to testify to the Jews- Jesus Christ. The spirit convicts us to act, it presses us to respond, guiding us to do what needs to be done, if we listen to the spirit. How often do we push away spirit convictions? Too often we silence the very one we want to guide us. We all need to be pressed in the spirit and as Paul, we need to listen, to testify of Jesus Christ.
Acts. {18:25} This man was instructed in the
way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake
and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only
the baptism of John.
*Being fervent in the spirit- teaching diligently the things of the Lord. The spirit speaks we need to yield, to listen, to obey.
Ro. {2:29} But he
[is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that]
of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose
praise [is] not of men, but of God.
*A Jew in spirit, whose heart is cirucmsized, whose praise comes from God. Being a Jew in spirit is being a child of God's even if it's not so in blood, in heredity. Jew in spirit.
Ro. {8:9}
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. {8:10} And if Christ [be]
in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. {8:11} But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
*Praise God! We can have the Spirit of HIM that raised Jesus from the dead, in us! The Spirit is righteousness, not us, the Spirit in us- Christ in us. Our mortal bodies will be quicken by his Spirit in us. We can't be of the flesh of just ourselves and hope for life eternal. We have to have the Spirit in us, the Spirit of *God* in us it is the only way we can have hope at all, the only way.
Gal. {3:3} Are
ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh? {3:4} Have ye suffered so many things
in vain? if [it be] yet in vain. {3:5} He therefore that
ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among
you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? {3:6} Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.
*The only way we are made perfect is in the Spirit, never of ourselves, never. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Sacrifice it is done in Spirit- there is no physical, fleshy act involved, it is a Spirit act. A Spiritual transaction, the part in us that relates to God joins with the Holy Spirit. We are transformed by the Spirit, not the flesh. Faith, as Abraham had we have to have, faith that is by the Spirit of God. Faith and the Spirit are together, not flesh and the Spirit.
Gal. {5:16} [This] I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh. {5:17} For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The flesh lusts against the Spirit, the Spirit against the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another- contrary.
{5:18}
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
{5:19} Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
[these;] Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
{5:20} Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, {5:21} Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell
you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
*Flesh. Works of the flesh, no wonder they're contrary to the Spirit. All that brings out the worst in people is contrary to the Spirit.
{5:22} But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {5:23}
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
*Spirit. Works of the Spirit- Fruits of the Spirit are so different than those of the flesh.
{5:24}
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. {5:25} If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit. {5:26} Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
*Crucified the flesh.
Live in the Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit.
*It is clear we need to crucify the flesh- the works of the flesh that rise up in us. We need to focus on the Spirit, live in the Spirit. If we live in something, if we walk a certain walk of life it is part of us, part of who we are, who we wish to be. We can't encourage works of the flesh and hope to live in the Spirit, they are contrary to one another, they fight against each other. When you crucify something it's not easy, the very act of mortifying, subduing the flesh entails a struggle, an action that requires hardship. Crucifying our fleshy nature isn't easy, but it is possible in Christ, through Christ, with the Holy Spirit indwelling in us.
Gal. {6:1} Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted
Eph. {4:22} That ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; {4:23} And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind
Eph. {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints
Phil. {3:3} For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh.
Col. {2:5} For though I
be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying
and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith
in Christ.
1 Tim. {3:16} And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory.
1 Pet. {4:6} For for
this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
*Live according to God in the spirit.
May God help us as we seek to live in the spirit and not in the flesh, as we choose to accept Christ and His ways and not our own. May the Holy Spirit come into us guiding us making it possible through faith to be Christ's now and forever. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, now and forever.
Amen.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Your love in the Spirit. Love in the Spirit. What does it mean to have love in the Spirit? What is- in the Spirit? There are a lot of verses in the Bible on this so lets take a look at a few.
Luke {1:13} But the angel said unto him, Fear not,
Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
{1:14} And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many
shall rejoice at his birth. {1:15} For he shall be great in the
sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother’s womb. {1:16} And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. {1:17} And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord.
* John the Baptist- filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. Filled with the Spirit- able to turn many to the Lord their God. In the spirit and power of the prophet Elias, John would would turn the hearts of the father to their children, the bad to the wisdom of good, preparing a people for the Lord. We all know that John the Baptist preached prior to Christ's undertaking His own ministry. That John the Baptist, baptized many turning their thoughts to God- preparing them for Jesus. The Holy Spirit filled John. John lived in the Spirit from the womb. We look at John's life- he lived in the wilderness, he ate locust, honey, and never touched wine or strong drink. His life was hardly desireable to anyone. He lived a strange life totally selfless not seeking his own pleasures at all. His life was devoted to preaching, witnessing for God. To say He was unique wouldn't be far off the mark. There weren't tons of *wild men* in the desert preaching, or down at the river baptizing. John made a name for himself as a prophet heralding the Messiah- it wasn't John's fault people rejected the Messiah when He came- or rather most did. John did all He could do in the Spirit.
John {11:33} When Jesus therefore saw her
weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her,
he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, {11:34} And
said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord,
come and see. {11:35} Jesus wept.
*Jesus groaned in the spirit and was trouble. In this instance it's very probably that the spirit here (and I don't know ancient languages so I'm not sure) but, it's very probable it means spirit the same way we do when we feel down in the dumps, our spirits are low. Jesus was upset, he was troubled by the grief all around him. Jesus wept. So to say his spirit was heavy would mean he was filled with emotional pain.
Acts {18:5} And when
Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was
pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews [that] Jesus
[was] Christ.
*Pressed in the spirit- convicted to testify to the Jews- Jesus Christ. The spirit convicts us to act, it presses us to respond, guiding us to do what needs to be done, if we listen to the spirit. How often do we push away spirit convictions? Too often we silence the very one we want to guide us. We all need to be pressed in the spirit and as Paul, we need to listen, to testify of Jesus Christ.
Acts. {18:25} This man was instructed in the
way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake
and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only
the baptism of John.
*Being fervent in the spirit- teaching diligently the things of the Lord. The spirit speaks we need to yield, to listen, to obey.
Ro. {2:29} But he
[is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that]
of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose
praise [is] not of men, but of God.
*A Jew in spirit, whose heart is cirucmsized, whose praise comes from God. Being a Jew in spirit is being a child of God's even if it's not so in blood, in heredity. Jew in spirit.
Ro. {8:9}
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. {8:10} And if Christ [be]
in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. {8:11} But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
*Praise God! We can have the Spirit of HIM that raised Jesus from the dead, in us! The Spirit is righteousness, not us, the Spirit in us- Christ in us. Our mortal bodies will be quicken by his Spirit in us. We can't be of the flesh of just ourselves and hope for life eternal. We have to have the Spirit in us, the Spirit of *God* in us it is the only way we can have hope at all, the only way.
Gal. {3:3} Are
ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh? {3:4} Have ye suffered so many things
in vain? if [it be] yet in vain. {3:5} He therefore that
ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among
you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? {3:6} Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.
*The only way we are made perfect is in the Spirit, never of ourselves, never. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Sacrifice it is done in Spirit- there is no physical, fleshy act involved, it is a Spirit act. A Spiritual transaction, the part in us that relates to God joins with the Holy Spirit. We are transformed by the Spirit, not the flesh. Faith, as Abraham had we have to have, faith that is by the Spirit of God. Faith and the Spirit are together, not flesh and the Spirit.
Gal. {5:16} [This] I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh. {5:17} For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The flesh lusts against the Spirit, the Spirit against the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another- contrary.
{5:18}
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
{5:19} Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
[these;] Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
{5:20} Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, {5:21} Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell
you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
*Flesh. Works of the flesh, no wonder they're contrary to the Spirit. All that brings out the worst in people is contrary to the Spirit.
{5:22} But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {5:23}
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
*Spirit. Works of the Spirit- Fruits of the Spirit are so different than those of the flesh.
{5:24}
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. {5:25} If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit. {5:26} Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
*Crucified the flesh.
Live in the Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit.
*It is clear we need to crucify the flesh- the works of the flesh that rise up in us. We need to focus on the Spirit, live in the Spirit. If we live in something, if we walk a certain walk of life it is part of us, part of who we are, who we wish to be. We can't encourage works of the flesh and hope to live in the Spirit, they are contrary to one another, they fight against each other. When you crucify something it's not easy, the very act of mortifying, subduing the flesh entails a struggle, an action that requires hardship. Crucifying our fleshy nature isn't easy, but it is possible in Christ, through Christ, with the Holy Spirit indwelling in us.
Gal. {6:1} Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted
Eph. {4:22} That ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; {4:23} And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind
Eph. {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints
Phil. {3:3} For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh.
Col. {2:5} For though I
be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying
and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith
in Christ.
1 Tim. {3:16} And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory.
1 Pet. {4:6} For for
this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
*Live according to God in the spirit.
May God help us as we seek to live in the spirit and not in the flesh, as we choose to accept Christ and His ways and not our own. May the Holy Spirit come into us guiding us making it possible through faith to be Christ's now and forever. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, now and forever.
Amen.
Monday, June 15, 2009
For the healing
Rev. {22:1} And he shewed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of
the Lamb. {22:2} In the midst of the street of it, and on
either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which
bare twelve [manner] of fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every
month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of
the nations.
*******
The kingdom of God.
A pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Tree of life bare twelve manner of fruits, yielded her fruit every month.
The leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.
Do you need healing? I know I need healing. There are so many manners of sickness in us- physical, mental, emotional. So many sicknesses. We need healing. A world heavy laden with sin needs to be healed. When Christ comes and we are raised to meet Him in the air we are changed. We don't know how we are changed but we are. And we are to heal. The leaves of the tree of life are for the healing. It's ludicrous to think that our minds are changed in the sense we aren't who we are. What point would their be in being who we are if we are no longer that core being that we are? The us without the sin corrupting us. Who are we without that? Do we even know? We get glimpses of what we can be when we look at Christ's life. No. We'll never be Christ, never be God, we'll always be the created and they the creators and that alone will forever be true sin or no sin. Christ took on humanity, our humanity and by looking to Him and His life we are given that glimpse of what life is without sin, without the corruption. We are given a hint of the love that God possesses, that He possessed as we were created in the likeness of God, creatures made of love by love, for love. When we are raised from the dead or from life into incorruption and when we are changed taking on immortality, we keep part of ourselves that is yielded to God. We keep part of ourselves that Christ makes new within us.
May this mystery of life be revealed in God's time to us and may we be ready when Christ comes so that we may enjoy the kingdom of God He came and preached to us, that He died to give to us.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus, now and forever.
Amen.
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of
the Lamb. {22:2} In the midst of the street of it, and on
either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which
bare twelve [manner] of fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every
month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of
the nations.
*******
The kingdom of God.
A pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Tree of life bare twelve manner of fruits, yielded her fruit every month.
The leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.
Do you need healing? I know I need healing. There are so many manners of sickness in us- physical, mental, emotional. So many sicknesses. We need healing. A world heavy laden with sin needs to be healed. When Christ comes and we are raised to meet Him in the air we are changed. We don't know how we are changed but we are. And we are to heal. The leaves of the tree of life are for the healing. It's ludicrous to think that our minds are changed in the sense we aren't who we are. What point would their be in being who we are if we are no longer that core being that we are? The us without the sin corrupting us. Who are we without that? Do we even know? We get glimpses of what we can be when we look at Christ's life. No. We'll never be Christ, never be God, we'll always be the created and they the creators and that alone will forever be true sin or no sin. Christ took on humanity, our humanity and by looking to Him and His life we are given that glimpse of what life is without sin, without the corruption. We are given a hint of the love that God possesses, that He possessed as we were created in the likeness of God, creatures made of love by love, for love. When we are raised from the dead or from life into incorruption and when we are changed taking on immortality, we keep part of ourselves that is yielded to God. We keep part of ourselves that Christ makes new within us.
May this mystery of life be revealed in God's time to us and may we be ready when Christ comes so that we may enjoy the kingdom of God He came and preached to us, that He died to give to us.
By the grace and mercy of Jesus, now and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
If the will of God be so... we suffer.
1 Pet. {3:17} For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
If the will of God be so.
All is done by the will of God. The good, the bad, the happiness, the suffering it is allowed by God there is no getting away from that. Allowed but not orginating from God. Sin orginated with Satan. Some might argue that God created all things so He had to have created sin too. Any parent that creates a child and raises them and the child goes on to be something totally unexpected- a monster of sorts, a criminal- is it automatically the parents fault that the child has gone wrong? No. Yes, when God created something called free will He allowed for the possibility of good or evil. If God had created free will without any possibility of there being a choice, is it truly free will? If a person is only given one road to walk on do they have a choice of walking any other?
The will of God wasn't to live in a world where He ruled without other beings allowed a choice. Angels were given that free will. We have no clue how long angels lived without sinning, none. What we do know is an angel finally chose not to love and trust in God.
There are mysteries we can't possibly understand and some would say because they can't understand everything, the whole deal is a huge fable. Some don't want to live by faith and that is their choice they are free to make.
If the will of God be so.
The will of God. We live by the will of God. We were created by the will of God. Some call God a monster for His will. They scream that God shouldn't allow this or that, yet the minds that are scream it do not know that end from the beginning as God does.
If the will of God be so that you suffer for well doing it's better than suffering for evil doing.
Some are called to suffer even though they do no wrong, they harm no one, they are good and they suffer for it. How much better is it for us to suffer for good? Much, much better.
Suffer for good.
If the will of God be so... we suffer.
Ultimately it is the will of God that we be His, but only we can make that choice. He offers us everything, but before everything we may be called to suffer. Jesus suffered.
1 Pet. {3:14} But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy [are ye:] and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; {3:15} But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope
that is in you with meekness and fear.
Suffer for righteousness' sake - happy are ye.
We don't have to understand, we want to be we don't have to.
May the will of God be done now and forever and may we all suffer for good, suffer for righteousness sake, suffer in faith knowing that any suffering now is nothing compared to the promises given us. Easy to say, yes, very easy. May God bless us and keep us in Him no matter what.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen.
If the will of God be so.
All is done by the will of God. The good, the bad, the happiness, the suffering it is allowed by God there is no getting away from that. Allowed but not orginating from God. Sin orginated with Satan. Some might argue that God created all things so He had to have created sin too. Any parent that creates a child and raises them and the child goes on to be something totally unexpected- a monster of sorts, a criminal- is it automatically the parents fault that the child has gone wrong? No. Yes, when God created something called free will He allowed for the possibility of good or evil. If God had created free will without any possibility of there being a choice, is it truly free will? If a person is only given one road to walk on do they have a choice of walking any other?
The will of God wasn't to live in a world where He ruled without other beings allowed a choice. Angels were given that free will. We have no clue how long angels lived without sinning, none. What we do know is an angel finally chose not to love and trust in God.
There are mysteries we can't possibly understand and some would say because they can't understand everything, the whole deal is a huge fable. Some don't want to live by faith and that is their choice they are free to make.
If the will of God be so.
The will of God. We live by the will of God. We were created by the will of God. Some call God a monster for His will. They scream that God shouldn't allow this or that, yet the minds that are scream it do not know that end from the beginning as God does.
If the will of God be so that you suffer for well doing it's better than suffering for evil doing.
Some are called to suffer even though they do no wrong, they harm no one, they are good and they suffer for it. How much better is it for us to suffer for good? Much, much better.
Suffer for good.
If the will of God be so... we suffer.
Ultimately it is the will of God that we be His, but only we can make that choice. He offers us everything, but before everything we may be called to suffer. Jesus suffered.
1 Pet. {3:14} But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy [are ye:] and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; {3:15} But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope
that is in you with meekness and fear.
Suffer for righteousness' sake - happy are ye.
We don't have to understand, we want to be we don't have to.
May the will of God be done now and forever and may we all suffer for good, suffer for righteousness sake, suffer in faith knowing that any suffering now is nothing compared to the promises given us. Easy to say, yes, very easy. May God bless us and keep us in Him no matter what.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Keys to the Kingdom
Matthew
{16:13} When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say
that I the Son of man am?
{16:14} And they said, Some
[say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others,
Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
{16:15} He saith unto
them, But whom say ye that I am?
{16:16} And Simon
Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God.
Jesus talking with His disciples wanted to know who they thought He was and Simon spoke up first revealing that he didn't think Jesus was a prophet, he wasn't Eliah, or Jeremiah, or even John the Baptist- but He was the Son of God! The Christ!
How pleased Jesus was to hear those words. His disciple knew and believed the truth of who He was. He told Simon he was blessed because no man had revealed the truth to him but God Himself, the Heavenly Father revealed the Sonship of Jesus.
{16:17} And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven.
Next Jesus points something very important out to Peter, emphasizing that Peter was himself just as if we were talking to a friend and wanted to make a pointed distinction- You are you and I am this...
Some don't believe that's true they'd rather believe that Jesus was telling Peter that he was extra special but in truth hadn't Jesus already told the disciples the greatest is the least? Jesus wasn't about to set up a pecking order it wasn't how He worked.
{16:18} And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter.
And upon this rock...
Who is the rock? What does the Bible tell us?
1 Cor. {10:4} And did all drink the
same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was Christ
Ps. {89:26} He shall cry unto me, Thou [art] my father, my God, and the
rock of my salvation.
Ps. {78:35} And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God
their redeemer
Ps. {62:7} In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength,
[and] my refuge, [is] in God.
2 Sam. {23:3} The God of Israel
said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over
men [must be] just, ruling in the fear of God
2 Sam. {22:32} For who [is] God, save the LORD? and who
[is] a rock, save our God? {22:33} God [is] my strength
[and] power: and he maketh my way perfect.
2 Sam. {22:3} The God of my rock; in
him will I trust: [he is] my shield, and the horn of my
salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou
savest me from violence.
1 Sam. {2:2} [There is] none holy as the LORD: for
[there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like
our God.
Deut. {32:15} But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art
waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered [with
fatness;] then he forsook God [which] made him, and lightly
esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
Deut. {32:3} Because I will publish the name of the LORD:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God. {32:4} [He is] the Rock,
his work [is] perfect: for all his ways [are] judgment: a God
of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.
Is there any doubt at all who the Rock is? It isn't Peter, he isn't the bringer of Salvation, he isn't perfect, he isn't God. Jesus was talking of Himself- the Rock of Salvation. Upon that Rock Jesus was going to build His Church- His people and the gates of hell, the gates of the grave, the gates of death would not be able to prevail again Jesus the One who defeated the grave and death.
{16:18}...I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
{16:19} And I will
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.
Jesus would give unto manking the keys to the kingdom of heaven. He didn't hand over a set of keys to Peter, these were figurative keys- like I have the key to solving that riddle, does that mean I have a physical key or rather the knowledge which is the key to solve the puzzle? Just as having the keys of the kingdom is having the knowledge of heaven. Those keys are simple really- Jesus says whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven- meaning what? Meaning that the keys to heaven are the keys to salvation and those who understand, those who have the knowledge of salvation and are either freed by it or bound up by it. Freed in Christ or bound up in death.
It's true, salvation is offered to all but not all will accept it and those who don't accept the salvation offered will be bound by their decision, just as those who do accept salvation will be freed by their decision, free from death and given life everlasting in Christ who alone gives us that freedom. Whether bound or free here on earth it will be so in heaven as well. You can't be bound up in death not accepting salvation on earth and be saved in heaven- it doesn't work that way. Many believe it does work just like that. They believe that anyone and everyone upon death suddenly deserve to live on in heaven, that death itself absolves them of any and all sin. I'm not saying all believe that, there are those who aren't particularly fond of a person that might wish them to burn in hell, but even then they have the smallest doubt that maybe in that mysterious life that is supposed to exist after death the person somehow squeaked by and might just be in heaven. Of course we know through our exhaustive study on death that death is a sleep until Christ returns to raise the dead in Him to life. No one goes immediately to heaven or are burned up in a hell. Still upon a persons death people hope for one outcome or another for the dead person- may they rest in heaven or in hell, may they be saved or not saved. Salvation is something a person acquires before death not upon death or after death. Bound or loosed on earth, unsaved or saved on earth-- the same it will be in heaven. Truly the keys to heaven are in Christ through the salvation He offers to each of us, the keys are given to us to use or not use.
May God bless and keep us in Him through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, the author of Salvation for all of us, the Rock, the One who gives us the keys to the kingdom in Him, through His righteousness.
Amen.
{16:13} When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say
that I the Son of man am?
{16:14} And they said, Some
[say that thou art] John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others,
Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
{16:15} He saith unto
them, But whom say ye that I am?
{16:16} And Simon
Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God.
Jesus talking with His disciples wanted to know who they thought He was and Simon spoke up first revealing that he didn't think Jesus was a prophet, he wasn't Eliah, or Jeremiah, or even John the Baptist- but He was the Son of God! The Christ!
How pleased Jesus was to hear those words. His disciple knew and believed the truth of who He was. He told Simon he was blessed because no man had revealed the truth to him but God Himself, the Heavenly Father revealed the Sonship of Jesus.
{16:17} And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven.
Next Jesus points something very important out to Peter, emphasizing that Peter was himself just as if we were talking to a friend and wanted to make a pointed distinction- You are you and I am this...
Some don't believe that's true they'd rather believe that Jesus was telling Peter that he was extra special but in truth hadn't Jesus already told the disciples the greatest is the least? Jesus wasn't about to set up a pecking order it wasn't how He worked.
{16:18} And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter.
And upon this rock...
Who is the rock? What does the Bible tell us?
1 Cor. {10:4} And did all drink the
same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was Christ
Ps. {89:26} He shall cry unto me, Thou [art] my father, my God, and the
rock of my salvation.
Ps. {78:35} And they remembered that God [was] their rock, and the high God
their redeemer
Ps. {62:7} In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength,
[and] my refuge, [is] in God.
2 Sam. {23:3} The God of Israel
said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over
men [must be] just, ruling in the fear of God
2 Sam. {22:32} For who [is] God, save the LORD? and who
[is] a rock, save our God? {22:33} God [is] my strength
[and] power: and he maketh my way perfect.
2 Sam. {22:3} The God of my rock; in
him will I trust: [he is] my shield, and the horn of my
salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou
savest me from violence.
1 Sam. {2:2} [There is] none holy as the LORD: for
[there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like
our God.
Deut. {32:15} But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art
waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered [with
fatness;] then he forsook God [which] made him, and lightly
esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
Deut. {32:3} Because I will publish the name of the LORD:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God. {32:4} [He is] the Rock,
his work [is] perfect: for all his ways [are] judgment: a God
of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.
Is there any doubt at all who the Rock is? It isn't Peter, he isn't the bringer of Salvation, he isn't perfect, he isn't God. Jesus was talking of Himself- the Rock of Salvation. Upon that Rock Jesus was going to build His Church- His people and the gates of hell, the gates of the grave, the gates of death would not be able to prevail again Jesus the One who defeated the grave and death.
{16:18}...I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
{16:19} And I will
give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.
Jesus would give unto manking the keys to the kingdom of heaven. He didn't hand over a set of keys to Peter, these were figurative keys- like I have the key to solving that riddle, does that mean I have a physical key or rather the knowledge which is the key to solve the puzzle? Just as having the keys of the kingdom is having the knowledge of heaven. Those keys are simple really- Jesus says whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven- meaning what? Meaning that the keys to heaven are the keys to salvation and those who understand, those who have the knowledge of salvation and are either freed by it or bound up by it. Freed in Christ or bound up in death.
It's true, salvation is offered to all but not all will accept it and those who don't accept the salvation offered will be bound by their decision, just as those who do accept salvation will be freed by their decision, free from death and given life everlasting in Christ who alone gives us that freedom. Whether bound or free here on earth it will be so in heaven as well. You can't be bound up in death not accepting salvation on earth and be saved in heaven- it doesn't work that way. Many believe it does work just like that. They believe that anyone and everyone upon death suddenly deserve to live on in heaven, that death itself absolves them of any and all sin. I'm not saying all believe that, there are those who aren't particularly fond of a person that might wish them to burn in hell, but even then they have the smallest doubt that maybe in that mysterious life that is supposed to exist after death the person somehow squeaked by and might just be in heaven. Of course we know through our exhaustive study on death that death is a sleep until Christ returns to raise the dead in Him to life. No one goes immediately to heaven or are burned up in a hell. Still upon a persons death people hope for one outcome or another for the dead person- may they rest in heaven or in hell, may they be saved or not saved. Salvation is something a person acquires before death not upon death or after death. Bound or loosed on earth, unsaved or saved on earth-- the same it will be in heaven. Truly the keys to heaven are in Christ through the salvation He offers to each of us, the keys are given to us to use or not use.
May God bless and keep us in Him through the love and mercy of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice, the author of Salvation for all of us, the Rock, the One who gives us the keys to the kingdom in Him, through His righteousness.
Amen.
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