Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
John 8:1-59
A Woman Caught in Adultery
1Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4"Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?"
6They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" 8Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?"
11"No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
Jesus, the Light of the World
12Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
13The Pharisees replied, "You are making false claims about yourself!"
14Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don't know this about me. 15You judge me with all your human limitations, F36 but I am not judging anyone. 16And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone—I have with me the Father who sent me. 17Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. F37 18I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other."
19"Where is your father?" they asked. Jesus answered, "Since you don't know who I am, you don't know who my Father is. If you knew me, then you would know my Father, too." 20Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.
The Unbelieving People Warned
21Later Jesus said to them again, "I am going away. You will search for me and die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going."
22The Jewish leaders asked, "Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, 'You cannot come where I am going'?"
23Then he said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not. 24That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am who I say I am, you will die in your sins."
25"Tell us who you are," they demanded. Jesus replied, "I am the one I have always claimed to be. F38 26I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won't. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is true." 27But they still didn't understand that he was talking to them about his Father.
28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me. 29And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him." 30Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
Jesus and Abraham
31Jesus said to the people F39 who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33"But we are descendants of Abraham," they said. "We have never been slaves to anyone on earth. What do you mean, 'set free'?"
34Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free. 37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because my message does not find a place in your hearts. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father."
39"Our father is Abraham," they declared. "No," Jesus replied, "for if you were children of Abraham, you would follow his good example. F40 40I told you the truth I heard from God, but you are trying to kill me. Abraham wouldn't do a thing like that. 41No, you are obeying your real father when you act that way." They replied, "We were not born out of wedlock! Our true Father is God himself."
42Jesus told them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43Why can't you understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to do so! 44For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don't believe me! 46Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don't you believe me? 47Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don't, it proves you aren't God's children."
48The people retorted, "You Samaritan devil! Didn't we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?"
49"No," Jesus said, "I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God wants to glorify me. Let him be the judge. 51I assure you, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!"
52The people said, "Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say that those who obey your teaching will never die! 53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Are you greater than the prophets, who died? Who do you think you are?"
54Jesus answered, "If I am merely boasting about myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who says these glorious things about me. You say, 'He is our God,' 55but you do not even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But it is true—I know him and obey him. 56Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad."
57The people said, "You aren't even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham? F41 "
58Jesus answered, "The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born!" F42 59At that point they picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus hid himself from them and left the Temple.
FOOTNOTES:F36: Or judge me by human standards. F37: See Deut 19:15. F38: Or "Why do I speak to you at all?" F39: Greek Jewish people; also in 8:48, 52, 57. F40: Some manuscripts read if you are children of Abraham, follow his example. F41: Some manuscripts read How can you say Abraham has seen you? F42: Or "Truly, truly, before Abraham was, I am."
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’~
The reason for the identification of sin is not for condemnation. So I can say, “Man, I see your sin, e, I see how bad it is, and how bad you are.” It is for the purpose of bringing light on the very cause of separation between man and God or man and man. In finding and identifying that cause, we are able to bring the answer, and correction, and healing.
The Pharisees liked showing people that they could see things, they liked exposing people for ridicule. God is not in the ridiculing business, He’s in the restoration business. Christians need to be on guard of a Pharisaical spirit, which is a pioused and prideful spirit. It exalts self as something, while the spirit of compassion exalts God, who has the answers to everything, no matter how severe.
The reason Jesus would “put us in front of a crowd” would be to surround us with love and support that leads us to and keeps us in change. God does not expose for the purpose of belittling. Yet if we do not allow His spirit to search us and expose our sins to His light (which is usually offered as a private thing), we may at some point find ourselves exposed. Even then, the exposure and discomfort are tools inside of the grace of God to save us out of a doom of great darkness. Better to be a bit uncomfortable now, being exposed to the light of God, than to hide our sins now, and be doomed to utter darkness in eternity.
God’s grace leads us to salvation. We chose how hard that road is or not. The more readily we believe and receive what is told us by the Lord and accept offers for exposure, the easier the journey becomes for us. It is when we “kick against the goads”* that we suffer pain and anguish.
Fatherhood is the #1 position attacked in our world. Think about it, if satan can mar the image of the Father in every area that resembles fatherhood, he’s succeeded in marring the image of God.
Well it is time for that curse to be reversed. It is time for the revealing of the Father. Jesus was revealing and is still revealing the Father. In the earth, there is the father of the flesh and the Father of the spirit. Everything and everyone is under the influence of one or the other. In order to be under the influence of the “Father of the Spirit” of God, one must be deliberate. If not found to be deliberate then by default, we are of our worldly “father” which is the devil, who is “the god of this world!”
We must decide for the reverse of the curse, becoming active participants. If found inactive in curse reversal “duty” then the decision is already made for the un-deliberate and inactive fleshly father.
Whose sons we are is shown by active or inactive participation in the curse reversal.
These Pharisee’s were ”religious” in all outward appearances, but without active participation in the restoration of the Fatherhood of God, they were by default of their original father, being born in the world.
We must be born again. Being born again, is not a passive decision one thinks they may have made when they were in Sunday school as a kid. It is an active and all out passionate commitment to the cause of the Father of the Spirit.
So, who’s father are you of? It is seen by your life. Who is your Master? Who do you obey? God, self, money, lusts, desires of the flesh? Whoever takes your life and succeeds in steering it, that is who our father is.
As you read that, if your mind tries to make excuses, shut it down, you’ve just heard truth, no doubt. The carnal mind does not readily receive the things of the spirit of God, they say they are too hard etc…There is no time for excuses any longer. It’s time to serve somebody, on purpose. That means change your life.
Now again, ask the question….
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
* a goad is a tool in the Shepard’s hand to steer the sheep in the right direction away from harm’s way. If they begin to stray into harm’s way, the shepard will prod them back into place, if they were to decided to kick against the “pricks or goads” they’d probably get hurt, for there is a sharpness about going against the leading of the shepard. It would still be better to feel that sharpness than to be out of the herd and devoured by an enemy attacker and be killed.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
1 Tim 4 Not Age, but Maturity, Through Resolve
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
1 Timothy 4
Warnings against False Teachers
1Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead.[a]
3They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. 4Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. 5For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6If you explain this to the brothers and sisters,[b] you will be doing your duty as a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is fed by the message of faith and the true teaching you have followed. 7Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. 8Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 9This is true, and everyone should accept it. 10We work hard and suffer much[c] in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe.
11Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
14Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.
Footnotes:
1 Timothy 4:2 Greek are seared.
1 Timothy 4:6 Greek brothers.
1 Timothy 4:10 Some manuscripts read and strive.
~ Lena’s Journalin’~
This makes “Christianity” sound like a faith requiring maintenance.
True, being our faith in Jesus Christ is the very beginning of a new life, it must be maintained, as anything in life is maintained.
Faith in Jesus is not for casual thought. Though one can only think of it causally. One must know that the benefits of their true faith in Christ will come over a lifetime spent in dedication to and participation in His teachings.
We place our lives into His story and we live it out. What we learn we exemplify. What we teach we experience, or else we minimize its power. In living “Christianity” as a lifestyle, one must discipline oneself to learn, live and maintain its words, daily.
Thus the Great Co-Mission is fulfilled, as Jesus told His disciples, both those of the day of His resurrection and those also in this day, “Go into all the world, preach the gospel to everyone, making disciples of all nations baptize with water and the Holy Spirit...until I come again.”
He hasn’t come “again” yet, and so we continue this “work” of going, preaching, and making of disciples. All of that starts at home. We must become that disciple first in order to exemplify discipleship. That takes discipline.
Discipleship exemplified does not at all depend upon age, but it does depend upon maturity, decisiveness, determination, dedication and resolve.
Disciples change the world for and with God!
So, ask the question…..
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
1 Timothy 4
Warnings against False Teachers
1Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead.[a]
3They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. 4Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. 5For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6If you explain this to the brothers and sisters,[b] you will be doing your duty as a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is fed by the message of faith and the true teaching you have followed. 7Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. 8Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 9This is true, and everyone should accept it. 10We work hard and suffer much[c] in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe.
11Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
14Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.
Footnotes:
1 Timothy 4:2 Greek are seared.
1 Timothy 4:6 Greek brothers.
1 Timothy 4:10 Some manuscripts read and strive.
~ Lena’s Journalin’~
This makes “Christianity” sound like a faith requiring maintenance.
True, being our faith in Jesus Christ is the very beginning of a new life, it must be maintained, as anything in life is maintained.
Faith in Jesus is not for casual thought. Though one can only think of it causally. One must know that the benefits of their true faith in Christ will come over a lifetime spent in dedication to and participation in His teachings.
We place our lives into His story and we live it out. What we learn we exemplify. What we teach we experience, or else we minimize its power. In living “Christianity” as a lifestyle, one must discipline oneself to learn, live and maintain its words, daily.
Thus the Great Co-Mission is fulfilled, as Jesus told His disciples, both those of the day of His resurrection and those also in this day, “Go into all the world, preach the gospel to everyone, making disciples of all nations baptize with water and the Holy Spirit...until I come again.”
He hasn’t come “again” yet, and so we continue this “work” of going, preaching, and making of disciples. All of that starts at home. We must become that disciple first in order to exemplify discipleship. That takes discipline.
Discipleship exemplified does not at all depend upon age, but it does depend upon maturity, decisiveness, determination, dedication and resolve.
Disciples change the world for and with God!
So, ask the question…..
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
Friday, July 28, 2006
Mark 11 Mount Up on That Colt
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Mark 11
The Triumphal Entry
1As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2"Go into that village over there," he told them, "and as soon as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, `The Lord needs it and will return it soon.' "
4The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside a house. 5As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8Many in the crowd spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus, and others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them along the way. 9He was in the center of the procession, and the crowds all around him were shouting,
"Praise God![a] Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10Bless the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!"[b] 11So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked around carefully at everything, and then he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he went out to Bethany with the twelve disciples.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
12The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus felt hungry. 13He noticed a fig tree a little way off that was in full leaf, so he went over to see if he could find any figs on it. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Clears the Temple
15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves, 16and he stopped everyone from bringing in merchandise. 17He taught them, "The Scriptures declare, `My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."[c]
18When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so enthusiastic about Jesus' teaching. 19That evening Jesus and the disciples[d] left the city.
20The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it was withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, "Look, Teacher! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
22Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. 23I assure you that you can say to this mountain, `May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. 24Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. 25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.[e]"
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
27By this time they had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded, 28"By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple?[f] Who gave you such authority?"
29"I'll tell who gave me authority to do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied. 30"Did John's baptism come from heaven or was it merely human? Answer me!"
31They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe him. 32But do we dare say it was merely human?" For they were afraid that the people would start a riot, since everyone thought that John was a prophet. 33So they finally replied, "We don't know."
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't answer your question either."
Footnotes:
Mark 11:9 Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means "save now"; also in 11:10.
Mark 11:10 Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.
Mark 11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.
Mark 11:19 Greek they; some manuscripts read he.
Mark 11:25 Some manuscripts add verse 26, But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins.
Mark 11:28 Or By whose authority do you do these things?
~ Lena’s Journalin’
To me this “colt” seems to be like the impossible things in life. The things we feel may be impossible, we’ve not been able to conquer them, or get a hold on them, and reign them up. They’ve seemed to rule us, lead us, we can’t seem to “get on top of them”. At even the consideration of “getting a hold on, or getting on top of it” others, peers, are like, “You can’t do that, no one has ever done that, especially THAT way.”
I like how the followers of Jesus said, “The Master has need of it”, and they (the peers) did not forbid them (any longer). It reminds me of binding and loosing from Mt 18:18-19. What you bind is bound, loose is loosed, forbid is forbidden, allow is allowed. They stated their cause or intent, there was opposition, but when they stood their ground, with purpose, boldly asking, and they forbade them not.
Jesus got right on top of that thing, brought the rebellious nature under submission to His will and rode on as purposed. How many times to we not ride on, because the thing that is to submit itself to us is what’s riding us? I’m speaking of things like, anger, resentment, lack, rejection etc. What we allow is allowed, what we forbid is forbidden! The people forbade them not, an enemy of our souls forbids us and we take it as “gospel”, just accepting the defeat. We need to so arise and not take that defeat any longer, arise, mount the impossibilities through Christ, and ride on into purpose!
I believe we all hunger after righteousness, hunger to see fruit, we keep approaching the same old unfruitful tree, somehow expecting to “get something” from it. It has a mask on, it is calling us there to come see if anything is there, acting like maybe there is something there to get, but there is none. We have mercy on it and give it time, but it does not produce anything, all the while we’ve spent our energies taking trips out to the same old tree, which has produced nothing, now we’re tired.
This reminds me of a saying that’s going around, but is so good. The saying is, “It is insanity to do the same thing, expecting different results!”
You want something different, do something different. Get outside of your mind, and I don’t mean go insane. Get out of the insanity you’ve been living, approaching the same tree, at the same time, the same way, expecting to find something there!
Jesus cursed it for having nothing there, when this tree was created to have something there, something should have been there. It was a very religious tree, looking good, but having no fruit. It was all dressed up, but without substance or purpose. It even did part of what it should in the timeframe it should, but the main and real produce was emptiness.
This is what led Jesus straight to the house of God, which we are…1 Cor 3:16 Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?
Jesus was looking for something on each individual tree. He was hungry for the will of His Father to be done in the earth. He looked for a man, any man who would do that will, then He went to the collective house of God, looking to see if more than one man would also do the will of God His Father. This is what the assembly was for the collective hearing and doing of the will of the Father. He cursed the same old, same old where the tree was concerned, where the house and assembly are concerned. He wanted to know what prevented people (plurally) from hearing and doing the will of His Father, from finding out the will of His Father through prayer, so someone could hear it, preach it and do it. He didn’t find the will being heeded, but rather found buying and selling.
The Bible says buy the truth and do not sell it.
He went to what was supposed to be His Father’s house (remember we each are meant to be the house of the Father), expecting to find, communion, expecting to find company, and strategy engaged. He found merchandising. No truth, but buying and selling!
Think about that one. What have we sold our souls to, for? What do we spend our whole lives on? What do we work for? Truth? Or is that sold cheaply to buy more “expensive” things? The way these things are so expensive is that they cost us our life’s energy, time, effort and in eternity they mean absolutely nothing. In our end when the unhindered truth is revealed to all, we’ll have wished to God we’d saved souls from hell, and if we didn’t and we spent our lives working for accumulating and taking care of a bunch of things that will set the fires of hell, our hearts will feel a sense of loss. Dear God!
If you were Jesus, would you not be angered by that thought? Would you not make a Divine statement and overturn some tables to get someone’s attention!
This would be a great time to look at our dependencies, where our thoughts, energies and actions are spent each day.
Is it hard to read the Bible, this daily bread, make time to go be at church with other believers? Maybe we are spent elsewhere. Why? Do we really have to do what we do? Really? Think ahead to the end, in the eternal scope of things and don’t allow the enemy to speak right now, think about it, go to the end of life and ask….Then get up on that “colt” and ride!
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Mark 11
The Triumphal Entry
1As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2"Go into that village over there," he told them, "and as soon as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, `The Lord needs it and will return it soon.' "
4The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside a house. 5As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8Many in the crowd spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus, and others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them along the way. 9He was in the center of the procession, and the crowds all around him were shouting,
"Praise God![a] Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10Bless the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!"[b] 11So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. He looked around carefully at everything, and then he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he went out to Bethany with the twelve disciples.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
12The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus felt hungry. 13He noticed a fig tree a little way off that was in full leaf, so he went over to see if he could find any figs on it. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" And the disciples heard him say it.
Jesus Clears the Temple
15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves, 16and he stopped everyone from bringing in merchandise. 17He taught them, "The Scriptures declare, `My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."[c]
18When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so enthusiastic about Jesus' teaching. 19That evening Jesus and the disciples[d] left the city.
20The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it was withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, "Look, Teacher! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
22Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. 23I assure you that you can say to this mountain, `May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. 24Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. 25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.[e]"
The Authority of Jesus Challenged
27By this time they had arrived in Jerusalem again. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders came up to him. They demanded, 28"By whose authority did you drive out the merchants from the Temple?[f] Who gave you such authority?"
29"I'll tell who gave me authority to do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied. 30"Did John's baptism come from heaven or was it merely human? Answer me!"
31They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe him. 32But do we dare say it was merely human?" For they were afraid that the people would start a riot, since everyone thought that John was a prophet. 33So they finally replied, "We don't know."
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't answer your question either."
Footnotes:
Mark 11:9 Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means "save now"; also in 11:10.
Mark 11:10 Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.
Mark 11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.
Mark 11:19 Greek they; some manuscripts read he.
Mark 11:25 Some manuscripts add verse 26, But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins.
Mark 11:28 Or By whose authority do you do these things?
~ Lena’s Journalin’
To me this “colt” seems to be like the impossible things in life. The things we feel may be impossible, we’ve not been able to conquer them, or get a hold on them, and reign them up. They’ve seemed to rule us, lead us, we can’t seem to “get on top of them”. At even the consideration of “getting a hold on, or getting on top of it” others, peers, are like, “You can’t do that, no one has ever done that, especially THAT way.”
I like how the followers of Jesus said, “The Master has need of it”, and they (the peers) did not forbid them (any longer). It reminds me of binding and loosing from Mt 18:18-19. What you bind is bound, loose is loosed, forbid is forbidden, allow is allowed. They stated their cause or intent, there was opposition, but when they stood their ground, with purpose, boldly asking, and they forbade them not.
Jesus got right on top of that thing, brought the rebellious nature under submission to His will and rode on as purposed. How many times to we not ride on, because the thing that is to submit itself to us is what’s riding us? I’m speaking of things like, anger, resentment, lack, rejection etc. What we allow is allowed, what we forbid is forbidden! The people forbade them not, an enemy of our souls forbids us and we take it as “gospel”, just accepting the defeat. We need to so arise and not take that defeat any longer, arise, mount the impossibilities through Christ, and ride on into purpose!
I believe we all hunger after righteousness, hunger to see fruit, we keep approaching the same old unfruitful tree, somehow expecting to “get something” from it. It has a mask on, it is calling us there to come see if anything is there, acting like maybe there is something there to get, but there is none. We have mercy on it and give it time, but it does not produce anything, all the while we’ve spent our energies taking trips out to the same old tree, which has produced nothing, now we’re tired.
This reminds me of a saying that’s going around, but is so good. The saying is, “It is insanity to do the same thing, expecting different results!”
You want something different, do something different. Get outside of your mind, and I don’t mean go insane. Get out of the insanity you’ve been living, approaching the same tree, at the same time, the same way, expecting to find something there!
Jesus cursed it for having nothing there, when this tree was created to have something there, something should have been there. It was a very religious tree, looking good, but having no fruit. It was all dressed up, but without substance or purpose. It even did part of what it should in the timeframe it should, but the main and real produce was emptiness.
This is what led Jesus straight to the house of God, which we are…1 Cor 3:16 Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?
Jesus was looking for something on each individual tree. He was hungry for the will of His Father to be done in the earth. He looked for a man, any man who would do that will, then He went to the collective house of God, looking to see if more than one man would also do the will of God His Father. This is what the assembly was for the collective hearing and doing of the will of the Father. He cursed the same old, same old where the tree was concerned, where the house and assembly are concerned. He wanted to know what prevented people (plurally) from hearing and doing the will of His Father, from finding out the will of His Father through prayer, so someone could hear it, preach it and do it. He didn’t find the will being heeded, but rather found buying and selling.
The Bible says buy the truth and do not sell it.
He went to what was supposed to be His Father’s house (remember we each are meant to be the house of the Father), expecting to find, communion, expecting to find company, and strategy engaged. He found merchandising. No truth, but buying and selling!
Think about that one. What have we sold our souls to, for? What do we spend our whole lives on? What do we work for? Truth? Or is that sold cheaply to buy more “expensive” things? The way these things are so expensive is that they cost us our life’s energy, time, effort and in eternity they mean absolutely nothing. In our end when the unhindered truth is revealed to all, we’ll have wished to God we’d saved souls from hell, and if we didn’t and we spent our lives working for accumulating and taking care of a bunch of things that will set the fires of hell, our hearts will feel a sense of loss. Dear God!
If you were Jesus, would you not be angered by that thought? Would you not make a Divine statement and overturn some tables to get someone’s attention!
This would be a great time to look at our dependencies, where our thoughts, energies and actions are spent each day.
Is it hard to read the Bible, this daily bread, make time to go be at church with other believers? Maybe we are spent elsewhere. Why? Do we really have to do what we do? Really? Think ahead to the end, in the eternal scope of things and don’t allow the enemy to speak right now, think about it, go to the end of life and ask….Then get up on that “colt” and ride!
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Acts 4:1-37
Peter and John before the Council
1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the leading priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees came over to them. 2They were very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming, on the authority of Jesus, that there is a resurrection of the dead. 3They arrested them and, since it was already evening, jailed them until morning. 4But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so that the number of believers totaled about five thousand men, not counting women and children. F17
5The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation, 9are we being questioned because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' F18
12There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them."
13The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say. 15So they sent Peter and John out of the council chamber F19 and conferred among themselves.
16"What should we do with these men?" they asked each other. "We can't deny they have done a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again." 18So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus.
19But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard."
21The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
The Believers Pray for Courage
23As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24Then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor King David, your servant, saying,
'Why did the nations rage? Why did the people waste their time with futile plans?
26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.' F20
27"That is what has happened here in this city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan. 29And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. 34There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them 35and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need.
36For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles for those in need.
FOOTNOTES:F17: Greek 5,000 adult males. F18: Ps 118:22. F19: Greek the Sanhedrin. F20: Ps 2:1-2.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
I feel like those who are challenging Peter & John are of the anti-Christ spirit. It is not only humans they are “reasoning” with, but rather the spiritual darkness of the age. In Jesus’ death and resurrection a few spiritual orders were upset in the earth. The enemy was trying to find his foothold some where, he’d been displaced by the good news. He thought he’d rid of the earth of Jesus, but now there were these new people, almost like the beginnings of a new race, men who don’t look so much like Adam, but a whole lot like Jesus. It seemed a bunch of little Jesus’ were walking around proclaiming the same good news with the same boldness as the Lord did.
Do you remember when they asked Jesus, “Who are you?” and also, “By what authority do you do these things?” Now they are asking this of Peter also. I love how the passage immediately says, “Peter filled with the Holy Spirit…” That’s by what authority, the authority of the Creator God in action!
One sure sign of being filled up with God’s spirit is our way of speaking changes, what we talk about changes. How we talk changes. It was amazing to the onlookers how boldly unlearned men spoke. They wholeheartedly said:
20We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard."
It didn’t say they studied, got up the courage, confessed 10 times a day, I can do this, I can do this, etc…. It says they could not stop. That is a true sign of a spirit filled believer. Most people can’t stop talking about themselves, their own needs, their own cares, their own household, etc. Those filled with God, could not stop talking about God. The speech change was not only for one man who had an already outward personality; the personality of God was being allowed to be expressed through men- plural. Men were being led by God to speak as God speaks. Men were taking on the personality of God. Their personality was being hidden in Christ Jesus their Lord. It was no longer them living, but Christ alive inside of them. They were just like Jesus, except in more than one location at one time!
They were all of one heart and one mind. Let’s see, there were 120 at Pentecost, 3000 saved that day and now about 5000 saved. That makes at least 8120 people with one heart and mind? That in itself is/was a miracle! How many times have you tried to become of one heart or mind with even 2-10 people? How easy is that? It would almost take a dead man to get the 2-10 in unity, same mind and heart. BUT God was able to do that in nothing flat, no push or shove. It was definitely a work of the spirit of Christ, for the flesh is not capable of working that well together. The crowds marveled at the unity. Usually when you hear the word crowd, you think of a disturbance, a scuffle, disunity. Wouldn’t you marvel too?
The spirit of the father had come to earth, mortal men were and are now still being changed into the Image and likeness of the second Adam, the new man, Christ Jesus. The image and likeness of God was already being restored in the earth. Man was gonna be able to be like God again. Whew Weeeeee, the angels are jumping with glee!
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Acts 4:1-37
Peter and John before the Council
1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the leading priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees came over to them. 2They were very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming, on the authority of Jesus, that there is a resurrection of the dead. 3They arrested them and, since it was already evening, jailed them until morning. 4But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so that the number of believers totaled about five thousand men, not counting women and children. F17
5The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?"
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation, 9are we being questioned because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. 11For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,
'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' F18
12There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them."
13The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say. 15So they sent Peter and John out of the council chamber F19 and conferred among themselves.
16"What should we do with these men?" they asked each other. "We can't deny they have done a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again." 18So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus.
19But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard."
21The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
The Believers Pray for Courage
23As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24Then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—25you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor King David, your servant, saying,
'Why did the nations rage? Why did the people waste their time with futile plans?
26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.' F20
27"That is what has happened here in this city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan. 29And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness.
The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. 34There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them 35and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need.
36For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles for those in need.
FOOTNOTES:F17: Greek 5,000 adult males. F18: Ps 118:22. F19: Greek the Sanhedrin. F20: Ps 2:1-2.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
I feel like those who are challenging Peter & John are of the anti-Christ spirit. It is not only humans they are “reasoning” with, but rather the spiritual darkness of the age. In Jesus’ death and resurrection a few spiritual orders were upset in the earth. The enemy was trying to find his foothold some where, he’d been displaced by the good news. He thought he’d rid of the earth of Jesus, but now there were these new people, almost like the beginnings of a new race, men who don’t look so much like Adam, but a whole lot like Jesus. It seemed a bunch of little Jesus’ were walking around proclaiming the same good news with the same boldness as the Lord did.
Do you remember when they asked Jesus, “Who are you?” and also, “By what authority do you do these things?” Now they are asking this of Peter also. I love how the passage immediately says, “Peter filled with the Holy Spirit…” That’s by what authority, the authority of the Creator God in action!
One sure sign of being filled up with God’s spirit is our way of speaking changes, what we talk about changes. How we talk changes. It was amazing to the onlookers how boldly unlearned men spoke. They wholeheartedly said:
20We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard."
It didn’t say they studied, got up the courage, confessed 10 times a day, I can do this, I can do this, etc…. It says they could not stop. That is a true sign of a spirit filled believer. Most people can’t stop talking about themselves, their own needs, their own cares, their own household, etc. Those filled with God, could not stop talking about God. The speech change was not only for one man who had an already outward personality; the personality of God was being allowed to be expressed through men- plural. Men were being led by God to speak as God speaks. Men were taking on the personality of God. Their personality was being hidden in Christ Jesus their Lord. It was no longer them living, but Christ alive inside of them. They were just like Jesus, except in more than one location at one time!
They were all of one heart and one mind. Let’s see, there were 120 at Pentecost, 3000 saved that day and now about 5000 saved. That makes at least 8120 people with one heart and mind? That in itself is/was a miracle! How many times have you tried to become of one heart or mind with even 2-10 people? How easy is that? It would almost take a dead man to get the 2-10 in unity, same mind and heart. BUT God was able to do that in nothing flat, no push or shove. It was definitely a work of the spirit of Christ, for the flesh is not capable of working that well together. The crowds marveled at the unity. Usually when you hear the word crowd, you think of a disturbance, a scuffle, disunity. Wouldn’t you marvel too?
The spirit of the father had come to earth, mortal men were and are now still being changed into the Image and likeness of the second Adam, the new man, Christ Jesus. The image and likeness of God was already being restored in the earth. Man was gonna be able to be like God again. Whew Weeeeee, the angels are jumping with glee!
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Acts 2 Become Another man, just like Jesus
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Acts 2:1-47
The Holy Spirit Comes
1On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, F6 the believers were meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, F7 as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. 6When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7They were beside themselves with wonder. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, 8and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born! 9Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!" 12They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other. 13But others in the crowd were mocking. "They're drunk, that's all!" they said.
Peter Preaches to a Crowd
14Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15Some of you are saying these people are drunk. It isn't true! It's much too early for that. People don't get drunk by nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
17 'In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' F8
22"People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23But you followed God's prearranged plan. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to the cross and murdered him. 24However, God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life again, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King David said this about him:
'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26 No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead F9 or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.' F10
29"Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn't referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David's own descendants would sit on David's throne as the Messiah. 31David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah's resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave.
32"This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. 33Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.' F11
36So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!"
37Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
38Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles F12 —all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!"
41Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all. 42They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer.
The Believers Meet Together
43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
FOOTNOTES:F6: Greek When the day of Pentecost arrived. This annual celebration came 50 days after the Passover ceremonies. See Lev 23:16. F7: Or in other tongues. F8: Joel 2:28-32. F9: Greek in Hades; also in 2:31. F10: Ps 16:8-11. F11: Ps 110:1. F12: Greek to those far away.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’
Continuing on yesterday’s thoughts on the gift of the Holy Spirit, a gift the Father God had anticipated giving man for centuries….
The sound of a rushing Mighty wind filled the house….where THEY were meeting. The people had assembled there to receive this long awaited gift from God, a gift God had prepared many moons ago, a gift so anticipated by the Father and the heavenly hosts that it would not just sound like a small puff of air, but a volcanic eruption of wind and power. Yes, the people had assembled, but the real meeting was one of God and man, other men than just Jesus Christ the man. Human men, were receiving the Divine power of God in earth! God was more than pleased.
What a wonder, the Spirit of God alive in a human. What a wonder indeed. The real wonder is that the will of man was aligning with the will of God, for His kingdom to come into the earth realm. With man’s freewill he was inviting God to rule him. This wonder was meant to be multiplied throughout the whole earth. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.
When God’s spirit comes into man, and man allows God’s spirit to have the reigns of his life, that man is forever changed, becoming fashioned once again into the image and likeness of God. That which was marred by sin’s effects is now being restored, it is being made new again, the curse is being reversed in the earth.
No wonder so many “denominations” minimize the baptism of the spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. The effect of sin on man, desires to remain intact and does not want to be disturbed. That marred image wants to remain the reign holder of men’s lives. Be controlled by the Holy Spirit? Why not? If controlled by anyone, would not I surrender to the control of God, rather than some evil influential presence.
I read recently that even inside of church and quote “Christianity”, the enemy is content with the behavior of newfound faith if there is no spirit of surrender. In the spirit of submission, and in the yielding to others and surrender, is found the victory over a usurping rebelliously natured enemy. He has no problem with people serving in churches, or giving to the poor, or doing great works for God. His only problem with Christians is when they obey others who rule over them, when they submit themselves willingly, when they are governed by authority. That is where he trembles; it is hitting him right where it counts. If he can keep me complaining against rulers, governors, leaders, I’m a victim of his reign. If I submit to God and people as unto God, he is greatly threatened. I have hit on the very root system of his tree and tapped into his life source!
A person preaching even when they feel intimidated, or sharing their faith amidst lies of an enemy who tells them they have no voice, is in demonstration of submission to the Divine authority. Peter could be wallowing in his past behaviors and the denial of Christ and the unworthiness of one who’d sinned, but by the power of the spirit of God alive inside of him, he was able to overcome the lies, the unrighteousness, the intimidation and condemnation and do what God sent him to do, no matter what! He literally became another man, as the man Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, arose in him.
If I submit to allowing the Holy Spirit to use my tongue to speak in a foreign, to my mind, language, I’m demonstrating submission to the will of another. This is the ultimate breaking of the back of God’s enemies. I don’t submit myself to an evil presence. God and His spirit are NOT evil. When I will not allow submission, and I decide to stay in control, I’m already in service to an evil force of rebellion to God by nature. We all need a nature change, on purpose. If I speak in a foreign, to my mind, tongue and allow that, I will probably also allow God to say anything He’d like in my own understandable language whenever He prompts me!
The power of Peter rising above who he’d been and being bold to answer the call of God to become who he is now was evidenced in the conviction that came on others. His words were empowered by his victory. He was able to believe and receive the Lordship of Christ with the empowerment of God’s very spirit. His testimony was already having impact on the world. It does not take long at all for a man to repent and live a changed life.
Change lies in the will to do His good pleasure rather than just my own pleasure. It may have actually pleased the flesh to wallow in unworthiness and condemnation, the flesh feeds on such things. To cut off the hearing of that voice of lies and listen to and heed God’s voice instead, takes a real man, a son, who submits to the will of the Father, believing in the awesome work of the Son - Jesus.
Fellowship with God and people are both evidences of a Holy Spirit controlled life. With whom do you “break bread”? Do you read or study or discuss the word of God with anyone? Daily? Do you read Daily Bread?
What page are you on?
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Acts 2:1-47
The Holy Spirit Comes
1On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, F6 the believers were meeting together in one place. 2Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, F7 as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
5Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. 6When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
7They were beside themselves with wonder. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, 8and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born! 9Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!" 12They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other. 13But others in the crowd were mocking. "They're drunk, that's all!" they said.
Peter Preaches to a Crowd
14Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15Some of you are saying these people are drunk. It isn't true! It's much too early for that. People don't get drunk by nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
17 'In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' F8
22"People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23But you followed God's prearranged plan. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to the cross and murdered him. 24However, God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life again, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King David said this about him:
'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
26 No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead F9 or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.' F10
29"Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn't referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David's own descendants would sit on David's throne as the Messiah. 31David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah's resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave.
32"This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. 33Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,
'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.' F11
36So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!"
37Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
38Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles F12 —all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!"
41Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all. 42They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer.
The Believers Meet Together
43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
FOOTNOTES:F6: Greek When the day of Pentecost arrived. This annual celebration came 50 days after the Passover ceremonies. See Lev 23:16. F7: Or in other tongues. F8: Joel 2:28-32. F9: Greek in Hades; also in 2:31. F10: Ps 16:8-11. F11: Ps 110:1. F12: Greek to those far away.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’
Continuing on yesterday’s thoughts on the gift of the Holy Spirit, a gift the Father God had anticipated giving man for centuries….
The sound of a rushing Mighty wind filled the house….where THEY were meeting. The people had assembled there to receive this long awaited gift from God, a gift God had prepared many moons ago, a gift so anticipated by the Father and the heavenly hosts that it would not just sound like a small puff of air, but a volcanic eruption of wind and power. Yes, the people had assembled, but the real meeting was one of God and man, other men than just Jesus Christ the man. Human men, were receiving the Divine power of God in earth! God was more than pleased.
What a wonder, the Spirit of God alive in a human. What a wonder indeed. The real wonder is that the will of man was aligning with the will of God, for His kingdom to come into the earth realm. With man’s freewill he was inviting God to rule him. This wonder was meant to be multiplied throughout the whole earth. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.
When God’s spirit comes into man, and man allows God’s spirit to have the reigns of his life, that man is forever changed, becoming fashioned once again into the image and likeness of God. That which was marred by sin’s effects is now being restored, it is being made new again, the curse is being reversed in the earth.
No wonder so many “denominations” minimize the baptism of the spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. The effect of sin on man, desires to remain intact and does not want to be disturbed. That marred image wants to remain the reign holder of men’s lives. Be controlled by the Holy Spirit? Why not? If controlled by anyone, would not I surrender to the control of God, rather than some evil influential presence.
I read recently that even inside of church and quote “Christianity”, the enemy is content with the behavior of newfound faith if there is no spirit of surrender. In the spirit of submission, and in the yielding to others and surrender, is found the victory over a usurping rebelliously natured enemy. He has no problem with people serving in churches, or giving to the poor, or doing great works for God. His only problem with Christians is when they obey others who rule over them, when they submit themselves willingly, when they are governed by authority. That is where he trembles; it is hitting him right where it counts. If he can keep me complaining against rulers, governors, leaders, I’m a victim of his reign. If I submit to God and people as unto God, he is greatly threatened. I have hit on the very root system of his tree and tapped into his life source!
A person preaching even when they feel intimidated, or sharing their faith amidst lies of an enemy who tells them they have no voice, is in demonstration of submission to the Divine authority. Peter could be wallowing in his past behaviors and the denial of Christ and the unworthiness of one who’d sinned, but by the power of the spirit of God alive inside of him, he was able to overcome the lies, the unrighteousness, the intimidation and condemnation and do what God sent him to do, no matter what! He literally became another man, as the man Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, arose in him.
If I submit to allowing the Holy Spirit to use my tongue to speak in a foreign, to my mind, language, I’m demonstrating submission to the will of another. This is the ultimate breaking of the back of God’s enemies. I don’t submit myself to an evil presence. God and His spirit are NOT evil. When I will not allow submission, and I decide to stay in control, I’m already in service to an evil force of rebellion to God by nature. We all need a nature change, on purpose. If I speak in a foreign, to my mind, tongue and allow that, I will probably also allow God to say anything He’d like in my own understandable language whenever He prompts me!
The power of Peter rising above who he’d been and being bold to answer the call of God to become who he is now was evidenced in the conviction that came on others. His words were empowered by his victory. He was able to believe and receive the Lordship of Christ with the empowerment of God’s very spirit. His testimony was already having impact on the world. It does not take long at all for a man to repent and live a changed life.
Change lies in the will to do His good pleasure rather than just my own pleasure. It may have actually pleased the flesh to wallow in unworthiness and condemnation, the flesh feeds on such things. To cut off the hearing of that voice of lies and listen to and heed God’s voice instead, takes a real man, a son, who submits to the will of the Father, believing in the awesome work of the Son - Jesus.
Fellowship with God and people are both evidences of a Holy Spirit controlled life. With whom do you “break bread”? Do you read or study or discuss the word of God with anyone? Daily? Do you read Daily Bread?
What page are you on?
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Acts 1 God anticipates the reception of His gift recieved
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Acts 1:1-26
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1Dear Theophilus: In my first book F1 I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2until the day he ascended to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. On these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4In one of these meetings as he was eating a meal with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. 5John baptized with F2 water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
The Ascension of Jesus
6When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, "Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?"
7"The Father sets those dates," he replied, "and they are not for you to know. 8But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. 10As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!"
Matthias Replaces Judas
12The apostles were at the Mount of Olives when this happened, so they walked the half mile F3 back to Jerusalem. 13Then they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here is the list of those who were present:
Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (son of James).
14They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
15During this time, on a day when about 120 believers F4 were present, Peter stood up and addressed them as follows:
16"Brothers, it was necessary for the Scriptures to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided the Temple police to arrest Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17Judas was one of us, chosen to share in the ministry with us."
18(Judas bought a field with the money he received for his treachery, and falling there, he burst open, spilling out his intestines. 19The news of his death spread rapidly among all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means "Field of Blood.")
20Peter continued, "This was predicted in the book of Psalms, where it says, 'Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.' And again, 'Let his position be given to someone else.' F5
21"So now we must choose another man to take Judas's place. It must be someone who has been with us all the time that we were with the Lord Jesus—22from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us into heaven. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus' resurrection."
23So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they all prayed for the right man to be chosen. "O Lord," they said, "you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25as an apostle to replace Judas the traitor in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs." 26Then they cast lots, and in this way Matthias was chosen and became an apostle with the other eleven.
FOOTNOTES:F1: The reference is to the book of Luke. F2: Or in; also in 1:5b. F3: Greek a Sabbath day's journey. F4: Greek brothers. F5: Pss 69:25; 109:8.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’
The promise of the Father, that we human beings would be baptized in the Holy Spirit! Is that a promise for us, or for God? Think about that one. Do not leave until the Father sends what He has promised.
When one gives a gift, who has more excitement, the giver or receiver? Did the giver plan for and have use for the giving of the gift? Maybe the receiver did not even expect it, without being told, why would he? Yet the giver had planned for it, saved for it, prepared a day when it would be received.
This is exactly what God the Father did with the giving of the life of His Spirit. God was giving His own spirit into human man, He was gonna be able to live in a human on earth. He did that in Jesus, but now He’d be able to do that in any man who would receive Him!
I can hear His voice saying with great anticipation- “Please wait for it, please get ready for Me to come live in you. Please anticipate that, as I anticipate it, please desire it, want it, yearn for it. Please seek and find it, come where I instruct and receive it. Be there when He comes! Please, it’s only a few days away.”
We’ve got to realize this is what Jesus also died and rose again for. For God to be able to be reproduced in the earth, to live with any man that would ask or invite him to. What a monumental day in the plan and scope of the kingdom of God being able to be established in the earth!
If I do not go, He cannot come! The Father, Jesus and the Spirit all wanted that to happen, had planned for that day, and could not wait any more, it was about to be here. Can you imagine their continual anticipation whenever a person gets born again, “Will they also receive My spirit?”
He is the way, to empower people everywhere, to tell about the power of God. To show and demonstrate Him in life form, as Jesus did.
The spirit of Judas was being replaced in the earth. The spirit of division and betrayal. As they set a man in “his place” they were making a statement in the spirit, that every gap created by man or otherwise, will be filled in by the resurrection power of God! Gaps will not go unfilled. The enemy wants us to think, when he makes a gap, a wound, a breech, “That’s it, see now there’s a breech!”, somehow he leads us to believe there’s no answer. This is one of the biggest lies we battle in life, that the situation finds itself impossible.
Excuse me, NOTHING is impossible through God, through Christ, and by His Almighty Spirit! Nothing, no gap, no wound, no breech. They filled the space, the empty place. What the enemy meant for harm, was turned around for God!
We need to pray for the impossible to happen, command the gaps to be filled in by the spirit of God in us. Bring healing to every wound. This is part of our OT co-mission. Fill space!
Now Go…
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Acts 1:1-26
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1Dear Theophilus: In my first book F1 I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2until the day he ascended to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. On these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4In one of these meetings as he was eating a meal with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. 5John baptized with F2 water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
The Ascension of Jesus
6When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, "Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?"
7"The Father sets those dates," he replied, "and they are not for you to know. 8But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. 10As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!"
Matthias Replaces Judas
12The apostles were at the Mount of Olives when this happened, so they walked the half mile F3 back to Jerusalem. 13Then they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here is the list of those who were present:
Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (son of James).
14They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
15During this time, on a day when about 120 believers F4 were present, Peter stood up and addressed them as follows:
16"Brothers, it was necessary for the Scriptures to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided the Temple police to arrest Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17Judas was one of us, chosen to share in the ministry with us."
18(Judas bought a field with the money he received for his treachery, and falling there, he burst open, spilling out his intestines. 19The news of his death spread rapidly among all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means "Field of Blood.")
20Peter continued, "This was predicted in the book of Psalms, where it says, 'Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.' And again, 'Let his position be given to someone else.' F5
21"So now we must choose another man to take Judas's place. It must be someone who has been with us all the time that we were with the Lord Jesus—22from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us into heaven. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus' resurrection."
23So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they all prayed for the right man to be chosen. "O Lord," they said, "you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen 25as an apostle to replace Judas the traitor in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs." 26Then they cast lots, and in this way Matthias was chosen and became an apostle with the other eleven.
FOOTNOTES:F1: The reference is to the book of Luke. F2: Or in; also in 1:5b. F3: Greek a Sabbath day's journey. F4: Greek brothers. F5: Pss 69:25; 109:8.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’
The promise of the Father, that we human beings would be baptized in the Holy Spirit! Is that a promise for us, or for God? Think about that one. Do not leave until the Father sends what He has promised.
When one gives a gift, who has more excitement, the giver or receiver? Did the giver plan for and have use for the giving of the gift? Maybe the receiver did not even expect it, without being told, why would he? Yet the giver had planned for it, saved for it, prepared a day when it would be received.
This is exactly what God the Father did with the giving of the life of His Spirit. God was giving His own spirit into human man, He was gonna be able to live in a human on earth. He did that in Jesus, but now He’d be able to do that in any man who would receive Him!
I can hear His voice saying with great anticipation- “Please wait for it, please get ready for Me to come live in you. Please anticipate that, as I anticipate it, please desire it, want it, yearn for it. Please seek and find it, come where I instruct and receive it. Be there when He comes! Please, it’s only a few days away.”
We’ve got to realize this is what Jesus also died and rose again for. For God to be able to be reproduced in the earth, to live with any man that would ask or invite him to. What a monumental day in the plan and scope of the kingdom of God being able to be established in the earth!
If I do not go, He cannot come! The Father, Jesus and the Spirit all wanted that to happen, had planned for that day, and could not wait any more, it was about to be here. Can you imagine their continual anticipation whenever a person gets born again, “Will they also receive My spirit?”
He is the way, to empower people everywhere, to tell about the power of God. To show and demonstrate Him in life form, as Jesus did.
The spirit of Judas was being replaced in the earth. The spirit of division and betrayal. As they set a man in “his place” they were making a statement in the spirit, that every gap created by man or otherwise, will be filled in by the resurrection power of God! Gaps will not go unfilled. The enemy wants us to think, when he makes a gap, a wound, a breech, “That’s it, see now there’s a breech!”, somehow he leads us to believe there’s no answer. This is one of the biggest lies we battle in life, that the situation finds itself impossible.
Excuse me, NOTHING is impossible through God, through Christ, and by His Almighty Spirit! Nothing, no gap, no wound, no breech. They filled the space, the empty place. What the enemy meant for harm, was turned around for God!
We need to pray for the impossible to happen, command the gaps to be filled in by the spirit of God in us. Bring healing to every wound. This is part of our OT co-mission. Fill space!
Now Go…
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
Monday, July 24, 2006
Isaiah 37 Not Letting Go
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Isaiah 37:1-38
Hezekiah Seeks the LORD's Help
1When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the Temple of the LORD to pray. 2And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests, all dressed in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 3They told him, "This is what King Hezekiah says: This is a day of trouble, insult, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver it. 4But perhaps the LORD your God has heard the Assyrian representative defying the living God and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!"
5After King Hezekiah's officials delivered the king's message to Isaiah, 6the prophet replied, "Say to your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king's messengers. 7Listen! I myself will make sure that the king will receive a report from Assyria telling him that he is needed at home. Then I will make him want to return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.'"
8Meanwhile, the Assyrian representative left Jerusalem and went to consult his king, who had left Lachish and was attacking Libnah. 9Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia F90 was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent this message back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem:
10"This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don't let this God you trust deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. 11You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have crushed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different? 12Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? The former kings of Assyria destroyed them all! 13What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?"
14After Hezekiah received the letter and read it, he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread it out before the LORD. 15And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the LORD: 16"O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. 17Listen to me, O LORD, and hear! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib's words of defiance against the living God.
18"It is true, LORD, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations, just as the message says. 19And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. 20Now, O LORD our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
Isaiah Predicts Judah's Deliverance
21Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: This is my answer to your prayer concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria. 22This is the message that the LORD has spoken against him:
'The virgin daughter of Zion despises you and laughs at you. The daughter of Jerusalem scoffs and shakes her head as you flee.
23 'Whom do you think you have been insulting and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice? At whom did you look in such proud condescension? It was the Holy One of Israel!
24 By your messengers you have mocked the Lord. You have said, "With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its choicest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest corners and explored its deepest forests.
25 I have dug wells in many a foreign land and refreshed myself with their water. I even stopped up the rivers of Egypt so that my armies could go across!"
26 'But have you not heard? It was I, the LORD, who decided this long ago. Long ago I planned what I am now causing to happen, that you should crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.
27 That is why their people have so little power and are such easy prey for you. They are as helpless as the grass, as easily trampled as tender green shoots. They are like grass sprouting on a housetop, easily scorched by the sun.
28 'But I know you well— your comings and goings and all you do. I know the way you have raged against me.
29 And because of your arrogance against me, which I have heard for myself, I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your mouth. I will make you return by the road on which you came.'"
30Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Here is the proof that the LORD will protect this city from Assyria's king. This year you will eat only what grows up by itself, and next year you will eat what springs up from that. But in the third year you will plant crops and harvest them; you will tend vineyards and eat their fruit. 31And you who are left in Judah, who have escaped the ravages of the siege, will take root again in your own soil, and you will flourish and multiply. 32For a remnant of my people will spread out from Jerusalem, a group of survivors from Mount Zion. The passion of the LORD Almighty will make this happen!
33"And this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: His armies will not enter Jerusalem to shoot their arrows. They will not march outside its gates with their shields and build banks of earth against its walls. 34The king will return to his own country by the road on which he came. He will not enter this city, says the LORD. 35For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David, I will defend it."
36That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian troops. When the surviving Assyrians F91 woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. 37Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there. 38One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria.
FOOTNOTES:F90: Hebrew of Cush. F91: Hebrew When they.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
This passage today is about promises. We have personal promises, or shall I say dreams, that we look for, hoping for fulfillment of. But greater than any personal promise is the promise or dream God the Father of the universe has for the earth and all of its inhabitants.
We are God’s children, His chosen race sent to earth to redeem it from the curse of sin, to reverse the effects of sin. There is only one way for that reversal to happen in the earth and that is by believing in, relying on, and trusting in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the cross all mankind can be rescued out of the grip of eternal death and its proposed dominion over people.
Once a family member comes to rely on Christ and live for Him all of their earth days, their goal in life is to pass along the saving-rescuing message they have received, especially to their children. Children can be and are, both naturally speaking and spiritually speaking. Anyone who comes to know Christ through another is regarded as that person’s “child”.
We have a responsibility in Christ to father children for God, to bring forth holy seed that will remain in the kingdom for life as we are in the kingdom for life. Our newfound faith is more than a contract or even a commitment we make with other humans that can eventually run out or expire. Our relationship is one of covenant with God, which never ends.
Those who understand, live, and believe this are constantly at work, mentally, physically and spiritually speaking to establish His kingdom power and glory in the earth. The propitiation of His kingdom is their life’s focus; it is their very own adopted promise. His will, is their will, His children their children.
“Fathering” can only happen through discipleship. That means one teaches and trains another in a certain way, one follows after and copies another in the faith walk.
People disciple people all of the time; teachers in school, disciple pupils, employers disciple employees, and parents children. It is discipleship of the ways of the Lord I’m speaking of.
This puts a load of responsibility on the “teacher”, who must model Christ as an example. Modeling Christ is not automatic to humankind who has lived under a curse and the sway of a sinfully natured world. Teachers must have help, their help comes from the same place their faith comes from, the Lord Jesus Christ. Prayers and intercession is made, especially in the areas of weakness. The teacher must grasp a hold of the promises of God, and not let them go.
So what happens if it does not look so good, or a teacher has not been the best model and a student, disciple or “child” does not want to follow any more, or they have other offers, or are being influenced by other forces? What happens when a thief comes knocking at their door, tells them lies hoping to deter their faith, and the promise of the propitiation of the holy seed of God meant to be carried on by their living vessel is threatened? What happens if what we thought was supposed to happen does not appear to be happening? Even if we did everything just so and lived righteously there is an enemy out there after the word of God planted inside of any human being.
He’s so interested in stealing the word of God he will go to great lengths and use tremendous strategy to bring the word of God in a person or the faith the person received and try to nullify it and the promise that launched it.
We thought we’d gotten ahead, we thought the promise was about to come forth, everything was/is in order, but it looks like nothing is gonna happen as planned. What do we do then?
Maybe we won a person to the Lord, and the enemy came as expected and lied to them about the faith and they seem to be turning towards believing those lies. Maybe you were as good of a parent as you knew to be, you trust God for your children and want to see Christ formed in them, but at the time that is crucial for them to decide about life’s choices, they seem to be choosing everything but God. Maybe you did nothing right before the Lord as a person or as a parent, but you got saved and now you want what is best for your children, you pray, you hope, you believe for your household to be saved, your boss to be saved, your co-workers to be saved, but all hell seems to have broken loose and rather than seeing promises, it seems defeat has come as victor.
This is the very onslaught of the enemy against not only us, but against God.
We must realize that enemies come to defeat God, and those made in His image, they come to destroy any resemblance of the image of God propitiated in the earth. God’s will is to fill the earth with His image, likeness, glory, the enemy’s will is to steal kill and destroy His images.
We have got to stand up in faith, bow down to God, not to the works and threats of evil. We must fear God enough to believe Him, believe in His power to overcome in all of these areas and more. To not believe in what appears to be, but to believe in what He has said, in His will. He’s looking for human people who are willing to stand with Him in the earth for the accomplishment of His will. He’s looking for a people who are determined to win, to not take no for an answer, to believe Him to bring to pass the seemingly impossible!
Ok, it looks bad, ok it appears like defeat has come, so what?
Believe God, let Him know you desire His promises as much as He does. Lay the bad threatening reports before His face and worship Him anyway, no matter what appears. He set a table for us in the presence of our enemies, let’s set one before Him. What He told us is true, whether we see it yet or not. How determined are we to see His kingdom come and will be done? We are the ones send to execute the will of God, if not us who will? God is not waving a magical wand over the earth, He sent men as executives. If the executive does not see to the will, then who will? No one. His will won’t be done in earth without representation, without representatives who have the same mind, heart and will to accomplish what is written. Words are cheap without faith filled action. When a man rises up agreeing with the will and insisting on the will with his mind, heart and body, that man will have the executioners of heaven backing him.
So the new convert doesn’t want to come to church? Take that before the Lord, don’t get sad, depressed, feel like a failure. Believe God for their soul to be saved! Tell the enemy they belong to God, we insist on it!
So, your child seems to be making wrong decisions, your boss acts like a tyrant, your employees are disrespectful, etc. Don’t try to reason with them or talk them into obedient action, share truth, unadulterated and do warfare in the spirit for their souls. Don’t agree with the adversary and complain about stuff. Speak faith, faith is in who and what we do not yet see, but desire to come to pass. Unbelief is really faith in defeat, complaints solidify the defeat. Let’s not give the enemy any glory! The glory belongs to God, as we agree with God, it is He who will bring the unseen promises to pass.
All 185,000 bad reports, lies, inflictions, afflictions, threats and real life situations can be defeated by the overcoming power of the Most High God who will offer every resource available to those who live in faith before Him. Faith spans time and will even take the promises of God beyond where our own natural eyes can see. The promises may come to fruition in another generation, don’t limit God, believe for it all, and the legacy of faith to be carried on way beyond what even your natural eyes can see. It does not matter what it looks like, faith goes beyond seeing.
Faith sees the face of God and does not let that go.
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
Isaiah 37:1-38
Hezekiah Seeks the LORD's Help
1When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the Temple of the LORD to pray. 2And he sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and the leading priests, all dressed in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 3They told him, "This is what King Hezekiah says: This is a day of trouble, insult, and disgrace. It is like when a child is ready to be born, but the mother has no strength to deliver it. 4But perhaps the LORD your God has heard the Assyrian representative defying the living God and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left!"
5After King Hezekiah's officials delivered the king's message to Isaiah, 6the prophet replied, "Say to your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king's messengers. 7Listen! I myself will make sure that the king will receive a report from Assyria telling him that he is needed at home. Then I will make him want to return to his land, where I will have him killed with a sword.'"
8Meanwhile, the Assyrian representative left Jerusalem and went to consult his king, who had left Lachish and was attacking Libnah. 9Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia F90 was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent this message back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem:
10"This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don't let this God you trust deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. 11You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have crushed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different? 12Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? The former kings of Assyria destroyed them all! 13What happened to the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?"
14After Hezekiah received the letter and read it, he went up to the LORD's Temple and spread it out before the LORD. 15And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the LORD: 16"O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. 17Listen to me, O LORD, and hear! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib's words of defiance against the living God.
18"It is true, LORD, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations, just as the message says. 19And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. 20Now, O LORD our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O LORD, are God."
Isaiah Predicts Judah's Deliverance
21Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: This is my answer to your prayer concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria. 22This is the message that the LORD has spoken against him:
'The virgin daughter of Zion despises you and laughs at you. The daughter of Jerusalem scoffs and shakes her head as you flee.
23 'Whom do you think you have been insulting and ridiculing? Against whom did you raise your voice? At whom did you look in such proud condescension? It was the Holy One of Israel!
24 By your messengers you have mocked the Lord. You have said, "With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its choicest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest corners and explored its deepest forests.
25 I have dug wells in many a foreign land and refreshed myself with their water. I even stopped up the rivers of Egypt so that my armies could go across!"
26 'But have you not heard? It was I, the LORD, who decided this long ago. Long ago I planned what I am now causing to happen, that you should crush fortified cities into heaps of rubble.
27 That is why their people have so little power and are such easy prey for you. They are as helpless as the grass, as easily trampled as tender green shoots. They are like grass sprouting on a housetop, easily scorched by the sun.
28 'But I know you well— your comings and goings and all you do. I know the way you have raged against me.
29 And because of your arrogance against me, which I have heard for myself, I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your mouth. I will make you return by the road on which you came.'"
30Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Here is the proof that the LORD will protect this city from Assyria's king. This year you will eat only what grows up by itself, and next year you will eat what springs up from that. But in the third year you will plant crops and harvest them; you will tend vineyards and eat their fruit. 31And you who are left in Judah, who have escaped the ravages of the siege, will take root again in your own soil, and you will flourish and multiply. 32For a remnant of my people will spread out from Jerusalem, a group of survivors from Mount Zion. The passion of the LORD Almighty will make this happen!
33"And this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: His armies will not enter Jerusalem to shoot their arrows. They will not march outside its gates with their shields and build banks of earth against its walls. 34The king will return to his own country by the road on which he came. He will not enter this city, says the LORD. 35For my own honor and for the sake of my servant David, I will defend it."
36That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian troops. When the surviving Assyrians F91 woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. 37Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there. 38One day while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with their swords. They then escaped to the land of Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, became the next king of Assyria.
FOOTNOTES:F90: Hebrew of Cush. F91: Hebrew When they.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
This passage today is about promises. We have personal promises, or shall I say dreams, that we look for, hoping for fulfillment of. But greater than any personal promise is the promise or dream God the Father of the universe has for the earth and all of its inhabitants.
We are God’s children, His chosen race sent to earth to redeem it from the curse of sin, to reverse the effects of sin. There is only one way for that reversal to happen in the earth and that is by believing in, relying on, and trusting in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the cross all mankind can be rescued out of the grip of eternal death and its proposed dominion over people.
Once a family member comes to rely on Christ and live for Him all of their earth days, their goal in life is to pass along the saving-rescuing message they have received, especially to their children. Children can be and are, both naturally speaking and spiritually speaking. Anyone who comes to know Christ through another is regarded as that person’s “child”.
We have a responsibility in Christ to father children for God, to bring forth holy seed that will remain in the kingdom for life as we are in the kingdom for life. Our newfound faith is more than a contract or even a commitment we make with other humans that can eventually run out or expire. Our relationship is one of covenant with God, which never ends.
Those who understand, live, and believe this are constantly at work, mentally, physically and spiritually speaking to establish His kingdom power and glory in the earth. The propitiation of His kingdom is their life’s focus; it is their very own adopted promise. His will, is their will, His children their children.
“Fathering” can only happen through discipleship. That means one teaches and trains another in a certain way, one follows after and copies another in the faith walk.
People disciple people all of the time; teachers in school, disciple pupils, employers disciple employees, and parents children. It is discipleship of the ways of the Lord I’m speaking of.
This puts a load of responsibility on the “teacher”, who must model Christ as an example. Modeling Christ is not automatic to humankind who has lived under a curse and the sway of a sinfully natured world. Teachers must have help, their help comes from the same place their faith comes from, the Lord Jesus Christ. Prayers and intercession is made, especially in the areas of weakness. The teacher must grasp a hold of the promises of God, and not let them go.
So what happens if it does not look so good, or a teacher has not been the best model and a student, disciple or “child” does not want to follow any more, or they have other offers, or are being influenced by other forces? What happens when a thief comes knocking at their door, tells them lies hoping to deter their faith, and the promise of the propitiation of the holy seed of God meant to be carried on by their living vessel is threatened? What happens if what we thought was supposed to happen does not appear to be happening? Even if we did everything just so and lived righteously there is an enemy out there after the word of God planted inside of any human being.
He’s so interested in stealing the word of God he will go to great lengths and use tremendous strategy to bring the word of God in a person or the faith the person received and try to nullify it and the promise that launched it.
We thought we’d gotten ahead, we thought the promise was about to come forth, everything was/is in order, but it looks like nothing is gonna happen as planned. What do we do then?
Maybe we won a person to the Lord, and the enemy came as expected and lied to them about the faith and they seem to be turning towards believing those lies. Maybe you were as good of a parent as you knew to be, you trust God for your children and want to see Christ formed in them, but at the time that is crucial for them to decide about life’s choices, they seem to be choosing everything but God. Maybe you did nothing right before the Lord as a person or as a parent, but you got saved and now you want what is best for your children, you pray, you hope, you believe for your household to be saved, your boss to be saved, your co-workers to be saved, but all hell seems to have broken loose and rather than seeing promises, it seems defeat has come as victor.
This is the very onslaught of the enemy against not only us, but against God.
We must realize that enemies come to defeat God, and those made in His image, they come to destroy any resemblance of the image of God propitiated in the earth. God’s will is to fill the earth with His image, likeness, glory, the enemy’s will is to steal kill and destroy His images.
We have got to stand up in faith, bow down to God, not to the works and threats of evil. We must fear God enough to believe Him, believe in His power to overcome in all of these areas and more. To not believe in what appears to be, but to believe in what He has said, in His will. He’s looking for human people who are willing to stand with Him in the earth for the accomplishment of His will. He’s looking for a people who are determined to win, to not take no for an answer, to believe Him to bring to pass the seemingly impossible!
Ok, it looks bad, ok it appears like defeat has come, so what?
Believe God, let Him know you desire His promises as much as He does. Lay the bad threatening reports before His face and worship Him anyway, no matter what appears. He set a table for us in the presence of our enemies, let’s set one before Him. What He told us is true, whether we see it yet or not. How determined are we to see His kingdom come and will be done? We are the ones send to execute the will of God, if not us who will? God is not waving a magical wand over the earth, He sent men as executives. If the executive does not see to the will, then who will? No one. His will won’t be done in earth without representation, without representatives who have the same mind, heart and will to accomplish what is written. Words are cheap without faith filled action. When a man rises up agreeing with the will and insisting on the will with his mind, heart and body, that man will have the executioners of heaven backing him.
So the new convert doesn’t want to come to church? Take that before the Lord, don’t get sad, depressed, feel like a failure. Believe God for their soul to be saved! Tell the enemy they belong to God, we insist on it!
So, your child seems to be making wrong decisions, your boss acts like a tyrant, your employees are disrespectful, etc. Don’t try to reason with them or talk them into obedient action, share truth, unadulterated and do warfare in the spirit for their souls. Don’t agree with the adversary and complain about stuff. Speak faith, faith is in who and what we do not yet see, but desire to come to pass. Unbelief is really faith in defeat, complaints solidify the defeat. Let’s not give the enemy any glory! The glory belongs to God, as we agree with God, it is He who will bring the unseen promises to pass.
All 185,000 bad reports, lies, inflictions, afflictions, threats and real life situations can be defeated by the overcoming power of the Most High God who will offer every resource available to those who live in faith before Him. Faith spans time and will even take the promises of God beyond where our own natural eyes can see. The promises may come to fruition in another generation, don’t limit God, believe for it all, and the legacy of faith to be carried on way beyond what even your natural eyes can see. It does not matter what it looks like, faith goes beyond seeing.
Faith sees the face of God and does not let that go.
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
Saturday, July 22, 2006
1 Cor 14
Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
1 Corinthians 14:1-40
Prophecy and TonguesPrinciples Concerning Spiritual Gifts
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for F43 he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. Tongues Must Be Interpreted
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21In the law it is written: "With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me," F44 says the Lord. 22Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25And thus F45 the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. Order in Church Meetings
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34Let your F46 women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. F47 39Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40Let all things be done decently and in order.
Footnotes
1. F43: 14:5 NU-Text reads and.
2. F44: 14:21 Isaiah 28:11, 12
3. F45: 14:25 NU-Text omits And thus.
4. F46: 14:34 NU-Text omits your.
5. F47: 14:38 NU-Text reads if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
Copyright Statement: The New King James Version© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
~ Lena’s Journalin’
The context of this whole passage is concerning corporate meetings of the congregations of faith filled believers who consider themselves, before the Lord, as His living Body in the earth.
The purpose of the corporate assembly is to be in a place where the preaching and teaching of the word and worship of God would come up to God in the earth in the strength that only unity can bring, what a sound before the ears of God Most High when unity comes from an assembly of people who believe Him! The world is full of disunity and disagreements.
Remember it is faith that pleases our Father God, without faith it is impossible to please Him. If our assembly has to do with pleasing Him, then whenever we assemble we ought to assemble by faith in Him, not just in a loving trust and a desire for fellowship of one another, but in a purposeful venture of bringing pleasure to our Father.
If we think of our assemblies this way it would remove many opportunities for strife amongst the members of the body. We would not so much look for the differences and the controversy even in the scripture. Remember All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 2 Tim 3:16
Reproof and correction are not for controversy, but for my own personal change into union with His words. I’m not to try to bring correction to God’s words, they are to bring corrections to my own personal life to align me with His words. That way a me can make a we, and a we can make a Him, in the earth. That is the point, that one who’s been so unusual to the world can be seen in the earth through a living body of believers in unity.
When we look at and study and read scripture we really need to remove from our natural minds the tendency to contradict or argue or contest the words of God. The world contests and contradicts the word of God, believers are to learn of and from God’s words, accepting its “newly presented ideas” as their own new ideas. That’s putting on the mind of Christ. We allow the word to remove the controversy of our old mindsets and give us new born thoughts of life and love in the spirit. The natural mind does not readily receive of spirituals, but is initially at enmity with the ideals of God’s spirit.
Where religious minds are concerned, this passage and other passages on this same subject are disregarded as real for our day.
May I present that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that He and His words are the same? Therefore the words of God are for yesterday, today and forever.
There are divers tongues, there are tongues of men (humanly understood languages), and of angels. There is also suggested appropriate times for the use of these “gifts” from the Lord, times which may be of more effective use than other times. Those who speak, speak through the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to live inside of men who are still here in the earth. In this way the Spirit of God could be everywhere at every time after Jesus left the earth. The same God in Jesus was now able to be in believers of Jesus everywhere, no matter what background or location, God was able to use men and speak through men around the world.
Tongues of men edify men, tongues of God……edify God? May be a good question to ask. Does our natural day to day speaking edify God? Does a human being speaking the same kinds of words God speaks cause God to be edified, built up?
God said, God saw, the world was laid out.
Is our world laid out by our words? Maybe we don’t like the way our world has been laid out. So, what have we been saying about our world?
Lena said, Lena saw. I might want to put my hand over my mouth at time. How about changing the words that proceed out of the mouth instead? How about silencing the words and doing some “replacement therapy”, like beginning to speak differently, beginning to speak as God speaks, asGgod would speak over my world.
At first that may be foreign to me, it may even mess with my mind, exactly!
Maybe it will change my mind, then my speech, then my world. Aha, That’s the point! Words made the world, formed the world, can make and can change and form my world into a whole new world. God is waiting for it to be so.
Paul said vs 18, “I speak in tongues more than you all…”, and he changed the known world with the gospel message that reached the heart of you and I 2000 years later with just as much power as when it was presented.
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
If the e-mail text you receive is encrypted at all, just scroll down to the end of all of the text and click on Lena’s Journalin’ , which will take you directly to the web-page where you will be able to read the text quite clearly in it’s purposed form.
1 Corinthians 14:1-40
Prophecy and TonguesPrinciples Concerning Spiritual Gifts
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for F43 he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. Tongues Must Be Interpreted
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21In the law it is written: "With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me," F44 says the Lord. 22Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25And thus F45 the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. Order in Church Meetings
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34Let your F46 women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. F47 39Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40Let all things be done decently and in order.
Footnotes
1. F43: 14:5 NU-Text reads and.
2. F44: 14:21 Isaiah 28:11, 12
3. F45: 14:25 NU-Text omits And thus.
4. F46: 14:34 NU-Text omits your.
5. F47: 14:38 NU-Text reads if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
Copyright Statement: The New King James Version© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
~ Lena’s Journalin’
The context of this whole passage is concerning corporate meetings of the congregations of faith filled believers who consider themselves, before the Lord, as His living Body in the earth.
The purpose of the corporate assembly is to be in a place where the preaching and teaching of the word and worship of God would come up to God in the earth in the strength that only unity can bring, what a sound before the ears of God Most High when unity comes from an assembly of people who believe Him! The world is full of disunity and disagreements.
Remember it is faith that pleases our Father God, without faith it is impossible to please Him. If our assembly has to do with pleasing Him, then whenever we assemble we ought to assemble by faith in Him, not just in a loving trust and a desire for fellowship of one another, but in a purposeful venture of bringing pleasure to our Father.
If we think of our assemblies this way it would remove many opportunities for strife amongst the members of the body. We would not so much look for the differences and the controversy even in the scripture. Remember All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 2 Tim 3:16
Reproof and correction are not for controversy, but for my own personal change into union with His words. I’m not to try to bring correction to God’s words, they are to bring corrections to my own personal life to align me with His words. That way a me can make a we, and a we can make a Him, in the earth. That is the point, that one who’s been so unusual to the world can be seen in the earth through a living body of believers in unity.
When we look at and study and read scripture we really need to remove from our natural minds the tendency to contradict or argue or contest the words of God. The world contests and contradicts the word of God, believers are to learn of and from God’s words, accepting its “newly presented ideas” as their own new ideas. That’s putting on the mind of Christ. We allow the word to remove the controversy of our old mindsets and give us new born thoughts of life and love in the spirit. The natural mind does not readily receive of spirituals, but is initially at enmity with the ideals of God’s spirit.
Where religious minds are concerned, this passage and other passages on this same subject are disregarded as real for our day.
May I present that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that He and His words are the same? Therefore the words of God are for yesterday, today and forever.
There are divers tongues, there are tongues of men (humanly understood languages), and of angels. There is also suggested appropriate times for the use of these “gifts” from the Lord, times which may be of more effective use than other times. Those who speak, speak through the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to live inside of men who are still here in the earth. In this way the Spirit of God could be everywhere at every time after Jesus left the earth. The same God in Jesus was now able to be in believers of Jesus everywhere, no matter what background or location, God was able to use men and speak through men around the world.
Tongues of men edify men, tongues of God……edify God? May be a good question to ask. Does our natural day to day speaking edify God? Does a human being speaking the same kinds of words God speaks cause God to be edified, built up?
God said, God saw, the world was laid out.
Is our world laid out by our words? Maybe we don’t like the way our world has been laid out. So, what have we been saying about our world?
Lena said, Lena saw. I might want to put my hand over my mouth at time. How about changing the words that proceed out of the mouth instead? How about silencing the words and doing some “replacement therapy”, like beginning to speak differently, beginning to speak as God speaks, asGgod would speak over my world.
At first that may be foreign to me, it may even mess with my mind, exactly!
Maybe it will change my mind, then my speech, then my world. Aha, That’s the point! Words made the world, formed the world, can make and can change and form my world into a whole new world. God is waiting for it to be so.
Paul said vs 18, “I speak in tongues more than you all…”, and he changed the known world with the gospel message that reached the heart of you and I 2000 years later with just as much power as when it was presented.
Daily Meditation/Recital/Question
Ask myself daily: “What Page Am I On?”
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