From yesterday, Is there enough evidence to convict you as a follower of the LORD Jesus Christ? (That means He has His way in your daily life and walk, that means you are under command and in lines of submitted freewill authority) If through being convicted of being one who is like Christ is in the earth, you are persecuted, challenged, hated, spoken evil of…Do you take the opportunity, as Stephen did, to preach anyway?
Truth is truth, the word of God is eternal seed. No matter what the responses seem to be and even if one’s life is given to give it out, it will not go out void.
When I say one may give his life for the word, I’m not speaking of one being arrogant and losing his head over arrogance and prideful delivery of the word of God. Pride and arrogance come against the very character of God’s words, and if they are involved, there is an element of death mixed with His words spoken.
The best way to lay down your life is to give it freely each day in submission to God and to others in the spirit of His word. It is deference to another’s desires, plans and schedules. That is a demonstration of the death of self life, which is what “taking up our crosses daily” means to God.
It may actually be harder for us to relate with other people and lay down our desires and ways of accomplishing the same things, than it would be to lay down and disappear in death.
How much value does God’s word hold for us? Are we willing to risk the presentation of ourselves to the world to deliver its lifesaving power to others?
This makes me think of a few scenarios. Maybe you work a job where you feel you’ve been witnessing for years now. No one there seems to respond to your “words from God”, you are tired of it, feel it doesn’t work, etc.
God’s word is powerful and does work. It is our witness of His word that makes it alive in us or not. Think about it. God gave you that field of daily opportunity to shine His light and life. It is Your Harvest Field. If you never say a word from the written pages of the Bible, your daily life is His word in demonstration, or it can be. The more you obey God’s spirit and do His will, especially in fruit of the spirit character development and in the exercise of unconditional love walk development, the more your daily co-workers see a living resurrected Christ! If they are not seeing Christ at all, questions must be asked and changes made.
The question is,” Is it worth the laying down of your life everyday to make these needed changes willingly?” Or is it just easier to stay just the way you are? I mean God made you the way you are, loves you the way you are, right? Shouldn’t THEY be the ones who wholeheartedly and unconditionally love you?
Who said this walk of faith was on the Easy Road? Who told you that? I die daily, we say as Christians!
Do you love and accept the people involved in our daily lives enough to change our very character for them? Do we love them enough to show Christ’s unconditional love? Do we love them in the spirit enough to not be impatient and angry, just to name a few combatants to the very character of His word? This is the laying down of one’s life that is being spoken about in taking up a “cross” daily, and dying to self daily. How much we truly love God will show up in how much we are willing to be corrected instructed and how much we do towards changing into His very image and likeness. Christ- like, that’s what Christians are. Without change in us personally there is no witness of His work in us.
I’ve seen so many people not want to work jobs where they are around the people thing much. If it’s a constant influx of people they do good, but with the same people, they struggle. There is a root issue there that needs dealt with. I’ve also seen people gung-ho about going away for missions work, To go away and serve God, while at home they can’t be like Christ. One reason doors to the nations may not be opening is because he who is faith-filled in little will be a ruler over much. Get It at home take it out to nations, it’s that kind of thing.
Home is the proving ground. We must be proven, especially in character, before we are exported. People get frustrated that no one listens to their words as they “witness”, they get frustrated because they don’t get to go away as they’ve seen in a spiritual picture given them by God. That spiritual picture was a goal to lead you towards step A which leads to step Z. There are many more steps in between and all of them have to be taken to reach the God vision and goal. Not one step can be skipped over, all must be satisfied.
Abraham had a large promise a far off, which was dependant upon his own faithfulness and change. He had to obey God, love God, follow God or the promise would never come to pass. If it did not come to pass, it would not have been God’s fault! He said it, how much did Abraham, or us for that matter, believe it? Enough to do some changing to get it?
How valuable is the promise to us? I mean if someone told you there was gold in your backyard, and you went out back and did not see it, what would you do? If they told you it is large nuggets and it is buried, probably worth about a million dollars. What would you do? Walk back inside the house, get frustrated and give up, blaming the person who told you? No silly, dig, dig deep, keep digging, everyday, until you find every piece of it, right?
That what God’s words to us are if we treasure them, because we treasure Him. Oh I have to change to see the promise of my loved ones being saved and walking in obedience? Yes, you absolutely do have to change or they may never see Him in visible form. Ok, let’s do it!
Stephen got his opportunity to be listened to, by being a Christian with such evidence, he was convicted. Others saw he was like Christ and said so.
Have we lost heart? We’d better gather it all up and bring it before His throne if we have. Have we given up through impatience and misunderstanding of His words? Have we given up on our eternal walk with Him, saying we’re tired and can’t do it this way anymore? Have we at all turned back to our old ways, to idol worship, or mis-prioritization of our time and spending our energies frivolously? Have we given what belongs to God to others, or to ourselves? Do we ease our own pains, and solve our own concerns with human wisdom? Do we turn to the world for advise? Do we fix our own finances and miss fellowship or prayer times to do so? Are we still tithing, or can we not add it all up? Do we spend our money and time as though it belongs to us alone?
Do you live knowing you are NOT your own, you’ve been bought with a price, you are purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ? Saved or unsaved, you do not belong to your independent self, You are God’s property.
It may be time to take down the sacred pillars of man-centered worship, and the strongholds of wrong mindsets. Time to break the stone edifices we’ve erected with our opinions of God and His word and the outcome we thought it should have. It is time to declare Him Lord as never before, and change. Lives are in the balance! Eternal life and death awaits someone in our sphere of influence, someone in our own field of harvest. What are we harvesting? Good or evil? Death or life?
This is a time as never before (don’t know if it is that grace is running out or what) to accept and receive the Holy Spirit. To resist Him is dangerous business. A large part of the church has accepted God the Father as their Creator and Jesus the Son as their Savior, but we must also receive the very gift and power of God. The very part of God that makes us complete and the part Jesus commanded us to receive. Without Him we are nothing and are unable to be changed into the image of Christ Jesus our Lord. Stubbornness needs to be broken, brought to nothing, for it does not serve the purposes of God. Having the 2 parts of God is not enough. We have to live and breathe in His spirit. All of Him in all of Me, I’m all in. All of God, All in all, All the way. Not part. Part is as though there is none at all. We have to wake up and see our great need for Him, alive and active on a daily basis in us. Dependant upon His voice in us.
What’s resisting the Holy Spirit like? Let’s be honest here, It’s things like saying, you don’t need to speak in tongues. It’s like disobeying the still small voice of God, or reinterpreting the word of God delivered you by your local pastor or leaders, with excuses. It’s excusing God’s words to you as though they are nothing, mere words of men, most of whom you don’t really care for or like their personal delivery of.
The Lord may have told you to be faithful in a local body of believers, but whenever it is time to assemble, and the pastors call for the whole body to show up for prayer or regular assemblies, you have other things to do, or you are too tired or whatever. When asked to serve you have excuse after excuse. If you do not overcome these excuses, you’ll not obey God’s original word to you, He said, “be faithful”, you’ve disobeyed Him.
He takes it very seriously, and He forgives those who repent, not the ones that are just sorry, they didn’t choose what He asked them to choose. When we think of that it should make us feel badly, but only to the point of getting back on the right road quickly.
Repent, means go back to what God said to do and just do it! Be faithful, don’t make an excuse. Change your lifestyle, subtract some things out, trust Him and live as He’s deemed through the words of followers to live. Even if a leader is NOT just on the target, or it could be done a different way, be a follower. The mere godly principle of following after and being under cannot be cursed by God. Your are following the principles of God’s own kingdom and you’ll be blessed in what you do, and for the stubbornness that you leave behind.
When we gave our lives To Christ, we decided to follow others who follow Christ. We decided to have our lifestyles changed, our schedules reworked for us by God and His loving people.
No one who lives in led by the flesh nature initially love hearing the truth. Stephen told religious people that they resist the very God they say they serve! They did not like hearing that from an unscholared one, but it is /was truth. Truth shows up and we have our opportunity. If my flesh nature rises up, I usually know it is God who is speaking. Because if there’s a resistance in me I know there’s something in me that needs to die today to self life. The Pharisee in me, needs to surrender to the truth of Christ Jesus! I can decide to stone the truth bearer. (Think and talk badly about them or their rotten delivery), or I can love Truth as a person, embrace it and change. I either buy it or I don’t, it is my personal prerogative. I have that freedom, but do I TAKE IT? That depends on how alive my flesh is.
When I don’t receive the words of Jesus through broken vessels of light, I may as well have been one to have a stone in my hand that day and whirled it at Stephen. All the while the leader God sent to lead us says, “Lord don’t hold them to the account of their sin of railing accusations and wrong opinions and judgments. Forgive them Lord. Let me take what I can in the way of pain that they could see clearly and be saved.”
Amen.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
TRC'S Daily Bread Post for Today Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Are these accusations true?" 2 This was Stephen's reply: "Brothers and honorable fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he moved to Haran. F25 3 God told him, 'Leave your native land and your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.' F26 4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live. 5 But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole country would belong to Abraham and his descendants – though he had no children yet. 6 But God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign country where they would be mistreated as slaves for four hundred years. 7 'But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God told him, 'and in the end they will come out and worship me in this place.' F27 8 God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. And so Isaac, Abraham's son, was circumcised when he was eight days old. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob was the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Jewish nation. 9 "These sons of Jacob were very jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and delivered him from his anguish. And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom, so that Pharaoh appointed him governor over all of Egypt and put him in charge of all the affairs of the palace. 11 "But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery for our ancestors, as they ran out of food. 12 Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons F28 to buy some. 13 The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced to Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and all his relatives to come to Egypt, seventy-five persons in all. 15 So Jacob went to Egypt. He died there, as did all his sons. 16 All of them were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 "As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 18 But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 19 This king plotted against our people and forced parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die. 20 "At that time Moses was born – a beautiful child in God's eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months. 21 When at last they had to abandon him, Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him as her own son. 22 Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he became mighty in both speech and action. 23 "One day when he was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel. 24 During this visit, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a man of Israel. So Moses came to his defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses assumed his brothers would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn't. 26 "The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to be a peacemaker. 'Men,' he said, 'you are brothers. Why are you hurting each other?' 27 "But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside and told him to mind his own business. 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' he asked. 28 'Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' 29 When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian, where his two sons were born.
30 "Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 31 Moses saw it and wondered what it was. As he went to see, the voice of the Lord called out to him, 32 'I am the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses shook with terror and dared not look. 33 "And the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 34 You can be sure that I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries. So I have come to rescue them. Now go, for I will send you to Egypt.' F29 35 And so God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected by demanding, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, Moses was sent to be their ruler and savior. 36 And by means of many miraculous signs and wonders, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and back and forth through the wilderness for forty years. 37 "Moses himself told the people of Israel, 'God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people.' F30 38 Moses was with the assembly of God's people in the wilderness. He was the mediator between the people of Israel and the angel who gave him life-giving words on Mount Sinai to pass on to us. 39 "But our ancestors rejected Moses and wanted to return to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, 'Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.' 41 So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and rejoiced in this thing they had made.
42 Then God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the sun, moon, and stars as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, 'Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel? 43 No, your real interest was in your pagan gods – the shrine of Molech, the star god Rephan, and the images you made to worship them. So I will send you into captivity far away in Babylon.' F31 44 "Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle F32 with them through the wilderness. It was constructed in exact accordance with the plan shown to Moses by God. 45 Years later, when Joshua led the battles against the Gentile nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it was used there until the time of King David. 46 "David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. F33 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, 49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?' asks the Lord. 'Could you build a dwelling place for me? 50 Didn't I make everything in heaven and earth?' F34
51 "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One – the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God's law, though you received it from the hands of angels. F35 "
54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists in rage. F36 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. 56 And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!" 57 Then they put their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, they rushed at him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. The official witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. F37 59 And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.
FOOTNOTES:
F25: Mesopotamia was the region now called Iraq. Haran was a city in what is now called Syria.
F26: Gen 12:1.
F27: Gen 12:7; 15:13-14; Exod 3:12.
F28: Greek our fathers; also in 7:15.
F29: Exod 3:5-10.
F30: Deut 18:15.
F31: Amos 5:25-27.
F32: Greek the tent of witness.
F33: Some manuscripts read the house of Jacob.
F34: Isa 66:1-2.
F35: Greek received the Law as it was ordained by angels.
F36: Greek they were grinding their teeth against him.
F37: Saul is later called Paul; see 13:9. The New Living Translation
17 "As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 18 But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 19 This king plotted against our people and forced parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die. 20 "At that time Moses was born – a beautiful child in God's eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months. 21 When at last they had to abandon him, Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him as her own son. 22 Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he became mighty in both speech and action. 23 "One day when he was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel. 24 During this visit, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a man of Israel. So Moses came to his defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses assumed his brothers would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn't. 26 "The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to be a peacemaker. 'Men,' he said, 'you are brothers. Why are you hurting each other?' 27 "But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside and told him to mind his own business. 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' he asked. 28 'Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' 29 When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian, where his two sons were born.
30 "Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 31 Moses saw it and wondered what it was. As he went to see, the voice of the Lord called out to him, 32 'I am the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses shook with terror and dared not look. 33 "And the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 34 You can be sure that I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries. So I have come to rescue them. Now go, for I will send you to Egypt.' F29 35 And so God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected by demanding, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, Moses was sent to be their ruler and savior. 36 And by means of many miraculous signs and wonders, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and back and forth through the wilderness for forty years. 37 "Moses himself told the people of Israel, 'God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people.' F30 38 Moses was with the assembly of God's people in the wilderness. He was the mediator between the people of Israel and the angel who gave him life-giving words on Mount Sinai to pass on to us. 39 "But our ancestors rejected Moses and wanted to return to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, 'Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.' 41 So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and rejoiced in this thing they had made.
42 Then God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the sun, moon, and stars as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, 'Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel? 43 No, your real interest was in your pagan gods – the shrine of Molech, the star god Rephan, and the images you made to worship them. So I will send you into captivity far away in Babylon.' F31 44 "Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle F32 with them through the wilderness. It was constructed in exact accordance with the plan shown to Moses by God. 45 Years later, when Joshua led the battles against the Gentile nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it was used there until the time of King David. 46 "David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. F33 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, 49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?' asks the Lord. 'Could you build a dwelling place for me? 50 Didn't I make everything in heaven and earth?' F34
51 "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One – the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God's law, though you received it from the hands of angels. F35 "
54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists in rage. F36 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. 56 And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!" 57 Then they put their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, they rushed at him. 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. The official witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. F37 59 And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.
FOOTNOTES:
F25: Mesopotamia was the region now called Iraq. Haran was a city in what is now called Syria.
F26: Gen 12:1.
F27: Gen 12:7; 15:13-14; Exod 3:12.
F28: Greek our fathers; also in 7:15.
F29: Exod 3:5-10.
F30: Deut 18:15.
F31: Amos 5:25-27.
F32: Greek the tent of witness.
F33: Some manuscripts read the house of Jacob.
F34: Isa 66:1-2.
F35: Greek received the Law as it was ordained by angels.
F36: Greek they were grinding their teeth against him.
F37: Saul is later called Paul; see 13:9. The New Living Translation
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 6 Today
The Cross is shaped like a “t”. There are vertical points going both up (North) and down (South), horizontal points reaching East and Westward.
Its symbolism is much like that of our relationships, both with God (N to S, He to us, us to Him)and with people here on earth. (E & W)
There is an order of priority in relationships. One has got to be first in order for the other to work well.
There is that greatest commandment and the one just like it, Love God with everything, and then love people the same.
If we love people wholeheartedly and neglect a relationship with God it can be we are doing some good, for we do kind deeds, but it is out of priorital order and will not hold up well without its “missing link”.
If we love God and are not ever very interested in people, we’re “missing the boat”, the very intended purpose for being on earth.
The disciples said, we cannot only tend to people and their physical needs. We must attend to God.
Now in attending to people we do attend to God’s will, yet tending to God must be first priority to properly love and serve His people. Jesus was a grand example of this. He would wake up early, go away for hours, with His Father, find out His will for the people and then be that will to the people, not in writing as Moses did, but on a tablet of flesh, a living breathing man.
The words that God gave Moses were laws written on tablets of stone. Jesus showed us that through a relationship with His Father He became the living alive and breathing word with His father’s words inscribed on His heart. Without being in the Lord’s presence, the words or deeds we might do or speak are as stone tablets, and our words and actions can be quite weighty to the hearers.
Jesus spoke weighty and serious words, yet His relationship and obedient love of His Father held the weight needed to be carried.
We also cannot neglect the Lord, and our relationship building with Him to do a good work in soup kitchens, or visit the elderly, or do any good work in the place of relationship building and then say we did it for or with God. He wants our presence as much as we want His. We can do the good and practical work all day long and never be with Him or we could have been with Him, then do the work as living breathing examples of that love relationship with Him.
Is there enough evidence coming out of your heart and life to convict you of being Christ-like? Do other people look at you and say, “man, they’re just like Jesus was?”
Christians are called Christians, by others, not by themselves.
We all know you cannot convince anyone that you are what you say you are, unless you prove it by your life force. Being with God daily brings out that life force that is evidence of being with Him.
Stephen, a man who served the “soup kitchens” of their day, did good works among the believers, had a solid relationship with his Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ, one that was visible enough for others to see outwardly, enough to convict him of being with the Lord!
Its symbolism is much like that of our relationships, both with God (N to S, He to us, us to Him)and with people here on earth. (E & W)
There is an order of priority in relationships. One has got to be first in order for the other to work well.
There is that greatest commandment and the one just like it, Love God with everything, and then love people the same.
If we love people wholeheartedly and neglect a relationship with God it can be we are doing some good, for we do kind deeds, but it is out of priorital order and will not hold up well without its “missing link”.
If we love God and are not ever very interested in people, we’re “missing the boat”, the very intended purpose for being on earth.
The disciples said, we cannot only tend to people and their physical needs. We must attend to God.
Now in attending to people we do attend to God’s will, yet tending to God must be first priority to properly love and serve His people. Jesus was a grand example of this. He would wake up early, go away for hours, with His Father, find out His will for the people and then be that will to the people, not in writing as Moses did, but on a tablet of flesh, a living breathing man.
The words that God gave Moses were laws written on tablets of stone. Jesus showed us that through a relationship with His Father He became the living alive and breathing word with His father’s words inscribed on His heart. Without being in the Lord’s presence, the words or deeds we might do or speak are as stone tablets, and our words and actions can be quite weighty to the hearers.
Jesus spoke weighty and serious words, yet His relationship and obedient love of His Father held the weight needed to be carried.
We also cannot neglect the Lord, and our relationship building with Him to do a good work in soup kitchens, or visit the elderly, or do any good work in the place of relationship building and then say we did it for or with God. He wants our presence as much as we want His. We can do the good and practical work all day long and never be with Him or we could have been with Him, then do the work as living breathing examples of that love relationship with Him.
Is there enough evidence coming out of your heart and life to convict you of being Christ-like? Do other people look at you and say, “man, they’re just like Jesus was?”
Christians are called Christians, by others, not by themselves.
We all know you cannot convince anyone that you are what you say you are, unless you prove it by your life force. Being with God daily brings out that life force that is evidence of being with Him.
Stephen, a man who served the “soup kitchens” of their day, did good works among the believers, had a solid relationship with his Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ, one that was visible enough for others to see outwardly, enough to convict him of being with the Lord!
TRC's Daily Bread Post for Today - Acts 6
1 But as the believers F23 rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers."We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program," they said. 3 "Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business. 4 Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the word." 5 This idea pleased the whole group, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. 7 God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
8 Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them was able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen spoke. 11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God." 12 Naturally, this roused the crowds, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. F24 13 The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15 At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's.
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FOOTNOTES:
F23: Greek disciples; also in 6:2, 7.
F24: Greek Sanhedrin; also in 6:15.
The New Living Translation
8 Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them was able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen spoke. 11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God." 12 Naturally, this roused the crowds, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. F24 13 The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15 At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F23: Greek disciples; also in 6:2, 7.
F24: Greek Sanhedrin; also in 6:15.
The New Living Translation
Monday, January 08, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 5 Today
This morning I heard my husband begin to read the chapter aloud, as he likes to do. I overheard Ananias and Sapphira, then he read a bit and was quiet.
I was thinking, “not today, that one isn’t today, is it? Is it that soon in Acts that the people of God begin to offend the Holy Spirit? It couldn’t be, aren’t we only on chapter 5, it must be he’s quiet because he turned to the wrong page and that was like ch 11 or something, not 5, not Ananias and Sapphira already!” As I thought about it, I knew it wasn’t chapter 11 and the Lord began to speak to me from what Lance had read aloud.
I thought I recalled him reading something like this,
“He’d promised to bring the whole thing, but he brought only part.” Or did I hear,
“He’d said he was one of the disciples who were in one accord and had said, “hey. let’s bring our all and combine it all together, like we were in one accord in the spirit, so let us be in the natural provisions also.”” Or I heard,
“He’d said to the disciples face to face, Oh yes,” I’m a Christian, I’m all in, a 100%-er. A believer in Christ All the way”, but in action, he only did part when it came to living it out and proving it so, for his own life, personally.”
I heard a lot of things and it sank my heart.
So many times we take ourselves out of the scriptures, when we should put ourselves right back in them. Is this us at all?
Ananias means: One to who Jehovah has so graciously given.
Sapphira means: precious, costly, valuable, jewel.
This salvation we have was given us by God so freely, so graciously. Do we understand the magnitude of this free gift? It is so precious. God’s only Son was given us as a living sacrifice. A man’s physical body was tortured, shredded, because God loves us enough to take all of our eternal pain in punishment for the separation our sin made between us and our Creator Father.
It is very serious business- discipleship. It is not pretty when a man makes a promise he does not keep, especially a promise to God! Wow.
Do we realize God gives and takes life away? He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts? How could we ever lie to Him, saying one thing while doing another? He knows us from the inside out!
We may lie to men, who serve God, we may think it’s no biggy to say one thing before men, yet do other things, but God sets men up as representatives of Him, “face to facers” I call them. They make us accountable to God.
If we go into our prayer closets and pray between us and God we can say or do anything, there, it’s when we sit face to face with a man that we hesitate on what to say, and that should be. Ananias most likely hesitated before he lied.
If you’re not in with face to facers, you otta be.
Can anyone you know father you? Can anyone ask you what you are doing, where you are going, and correct you to help save your soul? If they cannot you are not a disciple! If that offends you, you may believe in Him, but you’re not all His yet.
I know it’s a journey, but we decide how long it takes by how soon we yield to His will and ways or not.
So what Jehovah had so graciously given died.
Is your born again faith in Christ Jesus still alive, or did you become a believer and never grow into a disciple? If a child does not grow they die. We as believers MUST grow into disciples.
It is serious when someone does not grow, there should be alarms going off. People should be horrified, really. It is not normal to stay a baby for life, it is not normal for a believer to not become a disciple who gives all to follow Jesus.
If we do not force ourselves to be disciplined and grow, we do not value what God freely gave us. When you value something you tend to it, nurture its growth. If we do not tend to it properly, it becomes worthless to us and in us.
Sapphira died also, She ignored the conviction of the Lord. Deception does that and devalues us, tells us the walk with Christ is of no value, it lies to us. Maybe in the here and now it does not seem to bring us a whole lot of personal increase, so what! We’re talking serious eternal value here. We cannot afford to listen to any other voice, but God’s voice!
So Ananias, Sapphira, what was the price? What exactly does it cost to be a disciple? I know you had no idea when you “signed up”, but now that you’ve come to find out the true value of relationship, with God and His Son and Spirit; now that you know the value of right relationship and understand that our God is a Covenant God, are you willing to pay?
Well, we can’t afford to pay.
Well, yeah, that is true, the thing is it is way too expensive, but guess what?
God gave you a ticket to have it for free.
Well I thought it cost us. It does, but it’s free.
I don’t get it.
I know you didn’t get it, but we can through your example.
The example of a Life laid down.
That’s the valuable price, life. A life for a life! It’s always been that way.
Yet the life is not taken, it is given.
That is a freewill sacrifice.
It is due Him.
It is a very appropriate response, due God from all humans.
How are signs and wonder wrought by the hands of human men? The laying down of on’s life and the picking up of another. The disciples were the ones the power flowed through. Those who willingly gave up their own agendas, plans goals, etc. THAT is the laying down of the life!
They were glad to suffer for His name. that person wiling to do so knows Him. No one can feel that way and not know Him, eternally.
Those who willingly lay down their lives will find it, life eternal. These see into another realm right here and now, but another realm, the eternal realm.
I was thinking, “not today, that one isn’t today, is it? Is it that soon in Acts that the people of God begin to offend the Holy Spirit? It couldn’t be, aren’t we only on chapter 5, it must be he’s quiet because he turned to the wrong page and that was like ch 11 or something, not 5, not Ananias and Sapphira already!” As I thought about it, I knew it wasn’t chapter 11 and the Lord began to speak to me from what Lance had read aloud.
I thought I recalled him reading something like this,
“He’d promised to bring the whole thing, but he brought only part.” Or did I hear,
“He’d said he was one of the disciples who were in one accord and had said, “hey. let’s bring our all and combine it all together, like we were in one accord in the spirit, so let us be in the natural provisions also.”” Or I heard,
“He’d said to the disciples face to face, Oh yes,” I’m a Christian, I’m all in, a 100%-er. A believer in Christ All the way”, but in action, he only did part when it came to living it out and proving it so, for his own life, personally.”
I heard a lot of things and it sank my heart.
So many times we take ourselves out of the scriptures, when we should put ourselves right back in them. Is this us at all?
Ananias means: One to who Jehovah has so graciously given.
Sapphira means: precious, costly, valuable, jewel.
This salvation we have was given us by God so freely, so graciously. Do we understand the magnitude of this free gift? It is so precious. God’s only Son was given us as a living sacrifice. A man’s physical body was tortured, shredded, because God loves us enough to take all of our eternal pain in punishment for the separation our sin made between us and our Creator Father.
It is very serious business- discipleship. It is not pretty when a man makes a promise he does not keep, especially a promise to God! Wow.
Do we realize God gives and takes life away? He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts? How could we ever lie to Him, saying one thing while doing another? He knows us from the inside out!
We may lie to men, who serve God, we may think it’s no biggy to say one thing before men, yet do other things, but God sets men up as representatives of Him, “face to facers” I call them. They make us accountable to God.
If we go into our prayer closets and pray between us and God we can say or do anything, there, it’s when we sit face to face with a man that we hesitate on what to say, and that should be. Ananias most likely hesitated before he lied.
If you’re not in with face to facers, you otta be.
Can anyone you know father you? Can anyone ask you what you are doing, where you are going, and correct you to help save your soul? If they cannot you are not a disciple! If that offends you, you may believe in Him, but you’re not all His yet.
I know it’s a journey, but we decide how long it takes by how soon we yield to His will and ways or not.
So what Jehovah had so graciously given died.
Is your born again faith in Christ Jesus still alive, or did you become a believer and never grow into a disciple? If a child does not grow they die. We as believers MUST grow into disciples.
It is serious when someone does not grow, there should be alarms going off. People should be horrified, really. It is not normal to stay a baby for life, it is not normal for a believer to not become a disciple who gives all to follow Jesus.
If we do not force ourselves to be disciplined and grow, we do not value what God freely gave us. When you value something you tend to it, nurture its growth. If we do not tend to it properly, it becomes worthless to us and in us.
Sapphira died also, She ignored the conviction of the Lord. Deception does that and devalues us, tells us the walk with Christ is of no value, it lies to us. Maybe in the here and now it does not seem to bring us a whole lot of personal increase, so what! We’re talking serious eternal value here. We cannot afford to listen to any other voice, but God’s voice!
So Ananias, Sapphira, what was the price? What exactly does it cost to be a disciple? I know you had no idea when you “signed up”, but now that you’ve come to find out the true value of relationship, with God and His Son and Spirit; now that you know the value of right relationship and understand that our God is a Covenant God, are you willing to pay?
Well, we can’t afford to pay.
Well, yeah, that is true, the thing is it is way too expensive, but guess what?
God gave you a ticket to have it for free.
Well I thought it cost us. It does, but it’s free.
I don’t get it.
I know you didn’t get it, but we can through your example.
The example of a Life laid down.
That’s the valuable price, life. A life for a life! It’s always been that way.
Yet the life is not taken, it is given.
That is a freewill sacrifice.
It is due Him.
It is a very appropriate response, due God from all humans.
How are signs and wonder wrought by the hands of human men? The laying down of on’s life and the picking up of another. The disciples were the ones the power flowed through. Those who willingly gave up their own agendas, plans goals, etc. THAT is the laying down of the life!
They were glad to suffer for His name. that person wiling to do so knows Him. No one can feel that way and not know Him, eternally.
Those who willingly lay down their lives will find it, life eternal. These see into another realm right here and now, but another realm, the eternal realm.
Acts 5 Today's TRC Daily Bread Post
Ananias and Sapphira
1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”
“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”
9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”
10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
The Apostles Heal Many
12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil[a] spirits, and they were all healed.
The Apostles Meet Opposition
17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”
21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.
When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council[b]—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”
24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”
26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?” he demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.[c] 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[d] 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
Footnotes:
Acts 5:16 Greek unclean.
Acts 5:21 Greek Sanhedrin; also in 5:27, 41.
Acts 5:30 Greek on a tree.
Acts 5:41 Greek for the name.
1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”
“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”
9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”
10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
The Apostles Heal Many
12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil[a] spirits, and they were all healed.
The Apostles Meet Opposition
17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”
21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.
When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council[b]—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”
24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”
26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?” he demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.[c] 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[d] 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
Footnotes:
Acts 5:16 Greek unclean.
Acts 5:21 Greek Sanhedrin; also in 5:27, 41.
Acts 5:30 Greek on a tree.
Acts 5:41 Greek for the name.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 4 Today
Setting the obvious aside, the circumstances aside, the preaching of the word is freedom. It is not always as we deem it, immediate, fast food, American Style; but it will not go out void, if it does indeed go out.
So what am I saying? I’m saying there is a cost involved with delivering the most precious gift ever given man, the word of God. Yes, one could be put in prison for delivering its message, yes one could be stoned or beaten, or ousted from their family; that is the obvious. That is the “what is right before our eyes” result, but God’s word is eternal and will live on in the earth longer than humans do. Those who deliver it, no matter what, are called “faithful”. They paid the price to deliver God’s package.
So many times we work ourselves up to even share or deliver what has responsibly been given us to deliver, only to find that after we’ve delivered the message we see no outward result. It’d be nice if it just so happened that when we finally come to the point of opening our mouths boldly, it somehow held some sort of instantaneous rewards for us. But, the reward of our boldness delivered is for God, and it may not be for the here and right now. He requires those who call themselves His to open their mouths.
If we are truly His, this is who we are and what we do. If we do not, we are not, His. If our actions of behavior are not consistent with the living of His words, we also are not solidly His.
His word is exactly like a seed, when we speak we plant His seeds in the earth. We are Sowers, and seed casters. If we want a crop, we’ll sow. The word has freely been given us, so we have as much seed as we desire to sow, the more one sows the more God reaps! If we do not see immediate results, we understand that that’s ok, it is a seed. Go by and water it a bit, and let time pass while the Son shines on the spots that we sowed and watered, it will grow; that’s for sure.
It may be no faith was applied, and some impatient person uprooted the seed before it’s time with words contrary to faith in what was sown, unless demonic presences dig up what was sown. Faith must be applied and then the seed must be nourished with faith and guarded with faith.
If we sow in a person, believing for that person, we are faithful to boldly speak, yet we see no instant response, Be very careful to not walk away saying, “Well, nothing happened there.” Leave the seed there in faith, saying something like- “Well I didn’t see anything happen, but faith is not based in what is seen, it is based what and Who is not seen, and I believe God is great enough to make a plant out of the seed I just planted for His kingdom!”
The men were put in prison for preaching, and while they were not physically around speaking further, the words they spoke still had power. God’s word is oh so powerful when spoken!
When spoken it opens doors, heals, delivers, and saves. We are here, and alive in this time period, to speak His word, for the release of His power in the earth.
There is no other name in all the earth by which men can be saved, none except Jesus! That is a BIG aspect of our faith that differentiates between other faiths. There are other faiths, other religions that have good characteristics, but there is no other name. There are faiths that are noble, seemingly represent god-like principles, but the core system is not THE Name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is the name above every name! This is what makes Christianity The truth. I’ve heard people say, their faith is not bad, and they are right, there is good found in their faith, the only real bad thing is that the good people of that faith are not saved without Jesus being their Lord, their source. Even good people perish; for eternally speaking, there is none good but God and only through His Son’s sacrifice and faith in it, can anyone escape judgment.
The religious people had a hard time with this, because they did a lot of “good” things. The problem with man’s own goodness is it is not what God has set up, it is what man has set up. It is not what God has initiated and defined, but what man defined. If man serves a faith of his own definition, he is serving man. If he serves the faith God has initiated as a response to God’s definition, then he will be saved. Man cannot save himself. He may want to, try to, and think he can, but it is impossible. May as well stop exerting efforts on that, for it will not happen.
The reason man would stop the seed of God from being cast in the earth would be pride and rebellion. Where does pride and rebellion come from? Who do we serve? A god that tells us not to speak the Lord’s name or the name of His Son? Better evaluate that one. What is that rooted in? Self or man exaltation? Is man Lord? If he does his own will he is. Who do we serve? We serve whom we obey.
We cannot stop speaking His name till our time is out here, till we die physically. These disciples were more than willing to die if they had to for the planting of Holy Seed. They knew the Master Creator’s name personally. How could they NOT speak it?
Do we know Him like that?
Why do nations and people rage over this? It is a war of lords and kings. Who gets the throne, or who wants to try. No use trying, He has the throne and will give thrones to whom He so pleases, to those who are faithful. You cannot earn a place with God, you must know Him and make Him known; there is NO other way!
Who do we know of that tried and is still trying ignorantly to exalt his throne above the Most High? He is a spirit of anti-Christ, we need to be aware and kick that spirit out of our homes, thoughts, and actions! We are engaged in warfare, who are we fighting, who do we serve, who’s side are we on? All imperative questions for the new year.
Any traces of pride, rebellion, uprising against God, in-dependence, we should be on the vigilant look-out to come against it like violent men (I’m talking about personally, in our own thoughts and actions). We should never actively or willingly participate in these. The more aware we become, the less we’ll participate in its subtlety. We won’t be sucked in or serve it unknowingly. To not know is to perish. Be responsible, and know on purpose. Be a disciple, be an army member! Volunteer for God’s side.
So what am I saying? I’m saying there is a cost involved with delivering the most precious gift ever given man, the word of God. Yes, one could be put in prison for delivering its message, yes one could be stoned or beaten, or ousted from their family; that is the obvious. That is the “what is right before our eyes” result, but God’s word is eternal and will live on in the earth longer than humans do. Those who deliver it, no matter what, are called “faithful”. They paid the price to deliver God’s package.
So many times we work ourselves up to even share or deliver what has responsibly been given us to deliver, only to find that after we’ve delivered the message we see no outward result. It’d be nice if it just so happened that when we finally come to the point of opening our mouths boldly, it somehow held some sort of instantaneous rewards for us. But, the reward of our boldness delivered is for God, and it may not be for the here and right now. He requires those who call themselves His to open their mouths.
If we are truly His, this is who we are and what we do. If we do not, we are not, His. If our actions of behavior are not consistent with the living of His words, we also are not solidly His.
His word is exactly like a seed, when we speak we plant His seeds in the earth. We are Sowers, and seed casters. If we want a crop, we’ll sow. The word has freely been given us, so we have as much seed as we desire to sow, the more one sows the more God reaps! If we do not see immediate results, we understand that that’s ok, it is a seed. Go by and water it a bit, and let time pass while the Son shines on the spots that we sowed and watered, it will grow; that’s for sure.
It may be no faith was applied, and some impatient person uprooted the seed before it’s time with words contrary to faith in what was sown, unless demonic presences dig up what was sown. Faith must be applied and then the seed must be nourished with faith and guarded with faith.
If we sow in a person, believing for that person, we are faithful to boldly speak, yet we see no instant response, Be very careful to not walk away saying, “Well, nothing happened there.” Leave the seed there in faith, saying something like- “Well I didn’t see anything happen, but faith is not based in what is seen, it is based what and Who is not seen, and I believe God is great enough to make a plant out of the seed I just planted for His kingdom!”
The men were put in prison for preaching, and while they were not physically around speaking further, the words they spoke still had power. God’s word is oh so powerful when spoken!
When spoken it opens doors, heals, delivers, and saves. We are here, and alive in this time period, to speak His word, for the release of His power in the earth.
There is no other name in all the earth by which men can be saved, none except Jesus! That is a BIG aspect of our faith that differentiates between other faiths. There are other faiths, other religions that have good characteristics, but there is no other name. There are faiths that are noble, seemingly represent god-like principles, but the core system is not THE Name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is the name above every name! This is what makes Christianity The truth. I’ve heard people say, their faith is not bad, and they are right, there is good found in their faith, the only real bad thing is that the good people of that faith are not saved without Jesus being their Lord, their source. Even good people perish; for eternally speaking, there is none good but God and only through His Son’s sacrifice and faith in it, can anyone escape judgment.
The religious people had a hard time with this, because they did a lot of “good” things. The problem with man’s own goodness is it is not what God has set up, it is what man has set up. It is not what God has initiated and defined, but what man defined. If man serves a faith of his own definition, he is serving man. If he serves the faith God has initiated as a response to God’s definition, then he will be saved. Man cannot save himself. He may want to, try to, and think he can, but it is impossible. May as well stop exerting efforts on that, for it will not happen.
The reason man would stop the seed of God from being cast in the earth would be pride and rebellion. Where does pride and rebellion come from? Who do we serve? A god that tells us not to speak the Lord’s name or the name of His Son? Better evaluate that one. What is that rooted in? Self or man exaltation? Is man Lord? If he does his own will he is. Who do we serve? We serve whom we obey.
We cannot stop speaking His name till our time is out here, till we die physically. These disciples were more than willing to die if they had to for the planting of Holy Seed. They knew the Master Creator’s name personally. How could they NOT speak it?
Do we know Him like that?
Why do nations and people rage over this? It is a war of lords and kings. Who gets the throne, or who wants to try. No use trying, He has the throne and will give thrones to whom He so pleases, to those who are faithful. You cannot earn a place with God, you must know Him and make Him known; there is NO other way!
Who do we know of that tried and is still trying ignorantly to exalt his throne above the Most High? He is a spirit of anti-Christ, we need to be aware and kick that spirit out of our homes, thoughts, and actions! We are engaged in warfare, who are we fighting, who do we serve, who’s side are we on? All imperative questions for the new year.
Any traces of pride, rebellion, uprising against God, in-dependence, we should be on the vigilant look-out to come against it like violent men (I’m talking about personally, in our own thoughts and actions). We should never actively or willingly participate in these. The more aware we become, the less we’ll participate in its subtlety. We won’t be sucked in or serve it unknowingly. To not know is to perish. Be responsible, and know on purpose. Be a disciple, be an army member! Volunteer for God’s side.
The Rock Church of Daytona Beach's Daily Bread Reading for Today Avts 4
1 While 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. 2 They were very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming, on the authority of Jesus, that there is a resurrection of the dead. 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, jailed them until morning. 4 But 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
5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation, 9 are we being questioned because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10 Let 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. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' F18 12 There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them." 13 The 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. 14 But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say.
15 So 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. 17 But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again." 18 So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard." 21 The 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 22 for this miraculous sign – the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 Then 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 – 25 you 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. 28 In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30 Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After 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.
32 All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33 And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. 34 There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them 35 and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need. 36 For 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. 37 He 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.
The New Living Translation
5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation, 9 are we being questioned because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10 Let 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. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' F18 12 There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them." 13 The 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. 14 But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say.
15 So 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. 17 But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again." 18 So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard." 21 The 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 22 for this miraculous sign – the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 Then 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 – 25 you 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. 28 In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching. 30 Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After 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.
32 All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33 And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. 34 There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them 35 and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need. 36 For 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. 37 He 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.
The New Living Translation
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 3 Today
What was different that specific day when Peter & John passed by the gate Beautiful for the umpteenth time? Was it the beggar who had some new tone of voice, or Peter and John’s confident boldness in the Holy Ghost Who they had recently received?
They were the different ones. Same men, but changed men. The word says that when we receive the Holy Ghost we will be witnesses. Ever feel intimidated to “be a witness”? They had no second thoughts or questioning thoughts that day. They had God’s own Holy Spirit alive in them overflowing out of them, and He did what was needed, with no wonder if it was what to do or not.
“Get up and walk man!”
They now knew as never before what was given them in the work of the cross. They knew firsthand, by God’s Spirit in them, that their Lord had laid down His whole life for people such as these. Their new confidence was in the power of the Spirit of God and Christ! They were one in and through vision and action this day.
As Peter helped this lame man up, so the Holy Spirit helps us with the weaknesses we used to have that prevented His ministry from being worked through us. He lifts us up to see from a new perspective of compassion and Holy boldness.
This sign wrought by their hands opened up a whole area of opportunity for the gospel. We need to be instant in season, and out of season, ready to be tools to open new doors for the gospel that we’ll easily walk through. We open these doors by our obedient boldness, when we move out in faith and action, God meets us there! We move, he heals, we speak, He saves. We move he does the miraculous.
Peter used this as a platform to preach to a multitude. Many were saved, by the obedient touch of one man at the gate beautiful.
What do you have? The very Power and presence of the Spirit of God, the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead! Yes that Mighty Working power!
They were the different ones. Same men, but changed men. The word says that when we receive the Holy Ghost we will be witnesses. Ever feel intimidated to “be a witness”? They had no second thoughts or questioning thoughts that day. They had God’s own Holy Spirit alive in them overflowing out of them, and He did what was needed, with no wonder if it was what to do or not.
“Get up and walk man!”
They now knew as never before what was given them in the work of the cross. They knew firsthand, by God’s Spirit in them, that their Lord had laid down His whole life for people such as these. Their new confidence was in the power of the Spirit of God and Christ! They were one in and through vision and action this day.
As Peter helped this lame man up, so the Holy Spirit helps us with the weaknesses we used to have that prevented His ministry from being worked through us. He lifts us up to see from a new perspective of compassion and Holy boldness.
This sign wrought by their hands opened up a whole area of opportunity for the gospel. We need to be instant in season, and out of season, ready to be tools to open new doors for the gospel that we’ll easily walk through. We open these doors by our obedient boldness, when we move out in faith and action, God meets us there! We move, he heals, we speak, He saves. We move he does the miraculous.
Peter used this as a platform to preach to a multitude. Many were saved, by the obedient touch of one man at the gate beautiful.
What do you have? The very Power and presence of the Spirit of God, the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead! Yes that Mighty Working power!
The Rock Church of Daytona Beach's Daily Bread Reading for Today Acts 3
Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,[a] get up and[b] walk!”
7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.
Peter Preaches in the Temple
12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
17 “Friends,[c] I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’[d] 23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’[e]
24 “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants[f] all the families on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”
Footnotes:
Acts 3:6 Or Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Acts 3:6 Some manuscripts omit get up and.
Acts 3:17 Greek Brothers.
Acts 3:22 Deut 18:15.
Acts 3:23 Deut 18:19; Lev 23:29.
Acts 3:25 Greek your seed; see Gen 12:3; 22:18.
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,[a] get up and[b] walk!”
7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! 11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.
Peter Preaches in the Temple
12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.
17 “Friends,[c] I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’[d] 23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’[e]
24 “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants[f] all the families on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”
Footnotes:
Acts 3:6 Or Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Acts 3:6 Some manuscripts omit get up and.
Acts 3:17 Greek Brothers.
Acts 3:22 Deut 18:15.
Acts 3:23 Deut 18:19; Lev 23:29.
Acts 3:25 Greek your seed; see Gen 12:3; 22:18.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 2 Today
How can man be Christian, One’s who are like Christ is, without the empowerment of God very own Spirit life? How can man ever be perfected without the purifying Spirit of Christ alive within? How could man ever speak as God (Father-Son and Holy Spirit) without His Spirit indwelling?
I have a hard time understanding man trying to be at least as good as God is on his own, without God’s Almighty help. The Father sent Jesus to enable us to be right, which is way better than just being good. I don’t want to settle for the mediocre when God Himself gave man the very Helper to complete Him in every way.
It is /was not good for man to be alone. I will send a Helper to complete Him.
If we say, “Oh that’s ok Lord, I don’t really need the overflow of Your spirit alive and operating in me”, we’re on our own, and that’s a very dangerous place to be in. Man without God (Father-Son & Spirit) is dead.
Do you remember the betrayal? Do you remember that betrayal is refusal, denial, and rejection? God makes an offer, and man takes options. It’s like we know better what we need than God does. Do we? Or do we just somehow think we do? Wow!
I’m amazed at how I myself have thought. “Oh, that’s ok, I’ll just try this out myself first Lord, I’m good on my own.” There’s an influence there, and it is not a godly one. When I look at it now, I think, Lena, WHAT were you thinking – I’m good, on my own, by myself, with my own efforts. NO, I need help! Jesus said, I’m leaving this place and I’m gonna give you what prophets spoke about for years, the very promise you’ve been waiting for and did not know it! Here He is! Your Helper, Help Meet, Completer.
The real problem is the same one the disciples had, they thought the promise was something afar off, something else. It was Christ able to be alive inside of any human that would allow Him to be. It was not only believing on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, but the very reception of the indwelling power of His spirit. The opportunity to truly be One with God.
Remember the disciples were waiting for Christ to form a physical army and bring this thing down. They, as we also do, looked for an outward change, while God was saying don’t look too far off, the change will be inward and start inside of you!
You’ll speak differently if you allow Him to fill you. You’ll astound yourself and not understand right away, but by revelation, imperative revelation, you’ll see more and more to understand!
Speak in unknown tongues? Yes and amen. It is as the Lord would have it.
Here’s the coolest scenarios:
We have a Children’s Church pastor whose wife speaks 4 languages. Her native tongue is Brazilian, and then she learned Espanol when she met her husband. She had to learn that language and it was hard, but she did and acclimated to his language. He was from Cuba, but lived in the USA, so they moved and lived in USA and they both had to speak American-English. She is amazing; she speaks clearly, all 3 languages! She was sharing one day, how she lives here and so speaks as we do to have communication with us, in respect for us. Then she said at times she and her husband speak Spanish at home, and that is a comfort to him, being it is his native language, but when her brother comes to visit and he walks in a room, her heart becomes light, “Ahhhh, he speaks in a way that is like me, he speaks my language, I don’t even have to think about it, when we speak. I have so much joy!”
Her fourth language is that of the Spirit, that of the Spirit of God and Christ, that of the Holy Spirit. She did not learn this language, she received it, and it was a gift to her from her Father. He can speak like her, with her, through prayer in whichever of the 3 languages she desires to speak that day, but when through the spirit she speaks as her Father speaks, in His own “native” language, the language of the spirit, of His home, of His heart, He has a welling of joy inside. He says, “Ahhhh she speaks just like Me!”
We never have to ever speak like God and He’ll still hear our prayers etc, but what Joy when we choose to speak as He’s gifted us to speak. When we receive His gift.
Jesus told the disciples to wait for the gift from the Father, they waited 7 weeks, 49 days for God’s day of Jubilee, when man would turn around and speak as God speaks in the earth!
God will use it and us as He desires to when we yield to His Spirit. If He desires to manifest a wonder and have man understand man, we can open our mouths and allow Him to use us that way, as He desires and wills. Or we can pray and speak mysteries to God Himself, stirring up revelation within us, building a most holy faith, we can pray in ways we have no idea about, by yielding to His Spirit in us. We are His vessels of honor or dishonor. It is up to us if or how we can be used. God needs men to surrender to His Divine plan. It won’t happen without us; in fact it will be prevented from happening if we resist; and yet for those who yield, the eternal blessings are far beyond the joy and immense love we experience here.
Being filled with God’s Spirit transforms us from one man to another. “They are drunk!” No, they are filled and changed!
When God desires to pour out, you could move out of His way, if you want to and your container (your person) could miss out, stay emptied, or you could wait for Him, as a waiter serves a patron, ready for what He wants to give you, and ready for what he wants us to give Him. Ask, believe, and receive.
What should we do after hearing these things?
"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.
I have a hard time understanding man trying to be at least as good as God is on his own, without God’s Almighty help. The Father sent Jesus to enable us to be right, which is way better than just being good. I don’t want to settle for the mediocre when God Himself gave man the very Helper to complete Him in every way.
It is /was not good for man to be alone. I will send a Helper to complete Him.
If we say, “Oh that’s ok Lord, I don’t really need the overflow of Your spirit alive and operating in me”, we’re on our own, and that’s a very dangerous place to be in. Man without God (Father-Son & Spirit) is dead.
Do you remember the betrayal? Do you remember that betrayal is refusal, denial, and rejection? God makes an offer, and man takes options. It’s like we know better what we need than God does. Do we? Or do we just somehow think we do? Wow!
I’m amazed at how I myself have thought. “Oh, that’s ok, I’ll just try this out myself first Lord, I’m good on my own.” There’s an influence there, and it is not a godly one. When I look at it now, I think, Lena, WHAT were you thinking – I’m good, on my own, by myself, with my own efforts. NO, I need help! Jesus said, I’m leaving this place and I’m gonna give you what prophets spoke about for years, the very promise you’ve been waiting for and did not know it! Here He is! Your Helper, Help Meet, Completer.
The real problem is the same one the disciples had, they thought the promise was something afar off, something else. It was Christ able to be alive inside of any human that would allow Him to be. It was not only believing on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, but the very reception of the indwelling power of His spirit. The opportunity to truly be One with God.
Remember the disciples were waiting for Christ to form a physical army and bring this thing down. They, as we also do, looked for an outward change, while God was saying don’t look too far off, the change will be inward and start inside of you!
You’ll speak differently if you allow Him to fill you. You’ll astound yourself and not understand right away, but by revelation, imperative revelation, you’ll see more and more to understand!
Speak in unknown tongues? Yes and amen. It is as the Lord would have it.
Here’s the coolest scenarios:
We have a Children’s Church pastor whose wife speaks 4 languages. Her native tongue is Brazilian, and then she learned Espanol when she met her husband. She had to learn that language and it was hard, but she did and acclimated to his language. He was from Cuba, but lived in the USA, so they moved and lived in USA and they both had to speak American-English. She is amazing; she speaks clearly, all 3 languages! She was sharing one day, how she lives here and so speaks as we do to have communication with us, in respect for us. Then she said at times she and her husband speak Spanish at home, and that is a comfort to him, being it is his native language, but when her brother comes to visit and he walks in a room, her heart becomes light, “Ahhhh, he speaks in a way that is like me, he speaks my language, I don’t even have to think about it, when we speak. I have so much joy!”
Her fourth language is that of the Spirit, that of the Spirit of God and Christ, that of the Holy Spirit. She did not learn this language, she received it, and it was a gift to her from her Father. He can speak like her, with her, through prayer in whichever of the 3 languages she desires to speak that day, but when through the spirit she speaks as her Father speaks, in His own “native” language, the language of the spirit, of His home, of His heart, He has a welling of joy inside. He says, “Ahhhh she speaks just like Me!”
We never have to ever speak like God and He’ll still hear our prayers etc, but what Joy when we choose to speak as He’s gifted us to speak. When we receive His gift.
Jesus told the disciples to wait for the gift from the Father, they waited 7 weeks, 49 days for God’s day of Jubilee, when man would turn around and speak as God speaks in the earth!
God will use it and us as He desires to when we yield to His Spirit. If He desires to manifest a wonder and have man understand man, we can open our mouths and allow Him to use us that way, as He desires and wills. Or we can pray and speak mysteries to God Himself, stirring up revelation within us, building a most holy faith, we can pray in ways we have no idea about, by yielding to His Spirit in us. We are His vessels of honor or dishonor. It is up to us if or how we can be used. God needs men to surrender to His Divine plan. It won’t happen without us; in fact it will be prevented from happening if we resist; and yet for those who yield, the eternal blessings are far beyond the joy and immense love we experience here.
Being filled with God’s Spirit transforms us from one man to another. “They are drunk!” No, they are filled and changed!
When God desires to pour out, you could move out of His way, if you want to and your container (your person) could miss out, stay emptied, or you could wait for Him, as a waiter serves a patron, ready for what He wants to give you, and ready for what he wants us to give Him. Ask, believe, and receive.
What should we do after hearing these things?
"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.
The Rock Church of Daytona Beach's Daily Bread Reading for Today Acts 2
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.
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.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to Acts 1 Today
The author of Acts is Luke the Apostle, a medical Dr. by position and trade, a follower of Jesus.
I think sometimes we tend to stereotype Christian followers. We think thoughts like, if I didn’t have this job, or family life, or if I were a full time, paid, minister, I’d be a disciple. Can you imagine being a Dr., and being a disciple? It is NOT impossible. Discipleship is so much within the heart and mind of an individual. It’s not found in what we do, it’s who we are, in what we do. We can be doing almost anything for a career and be a disciple.
Order of priorities in any life deem how close of a relationship we have with God.
Everyone who ever works has some type of “down time”. The world says recreate/ It amazes me how well they choose the verbiage on that one, for God Himself said to re-create, it’s just not unto self, it’s unto Him. What are we re-creating? More of my like-kind? That’s what we’re created to do, but we have to ask am I personally reproducing more world-kind or more kingdom-kind.
The world wants men, women, and children to be its disciples. It teaches, trains, conditions, disciplines, and buys its way into the drawing of our souls, and since we only have so much capacity for so much input, we can become a disciple of the world very, very easily.
Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are disciplined, because they decide to be, on purpose. It does not happen automatically to the chosen lucky ones. Those who followed Jesus left other priorities to follow Him. There was a high price to pay and a great cost of self involved, but anyone and everyone no matter what race, background or position, CAN be a disciple, if he really wants to!
That’s the key, how much does one want to? It shows in what we decide to spend our lives on, what we do for recreation, where we go when we have the time, etc. Our actions speak way louder than our words. We can do whatever we want to. What do we really want to do? How do we vacate? What do we spend our free time on?
We have an elder at our church who used to say this a lot. We have liberty to go and do just about anything we please, who decides? I do. So she said there’s a motto, “Others may, but (before God) I may not” It’s not like what I choose to do or not do in participation in kingdom life is making me more righteous or that that which I avoid is even sin. Yet if I choose a higher call, it could be like sin to me.
“Others may, but I may not.” Discipleship, the life of a self-disciplined one, a recruit who volunteers and follows is optional, and costs a great deal, but it is a higher call.
What exactly is the restoration of His kingdom? The disciples who followed Jesus wanted Him to physically overthrow the present day government. They wanted Him to tear down the religious fortresses of their day and He says to them, “Wait to receive the power!” They may have thought, wow Lord why do we get to be the ones who’ll build an army to overthrow the governments, and do it here and now without You!
Many times what man thinks and what God purposes and defines are not on the same page. We’ve got to get on the same page as God. With the Holy Spirit in us we can do that very thing! The establishment of His kingdom starts within individual people’s hearts. If it is not there first, then there is really no establishment. The root system is false. What better strategy than to have God reign from the inside out, talk about overthrowing a government. How about a self government change? WOW, THAT is what discipleship is ALL about!
Jesus said, go make Disciples. Go make self governors, who will allow the power of God to be established inside of their own hearts. They’ll allow God to do His will on the inside of their persons. They’ll allow God to tell them what they should do, They’ll allow God to think and live and move in them. There’ll be little Jesus’ throughout the whole earth, a recreation of Sons of God. That’s the plan, but who is willing to be overthrown? This kingdom only recruits volunteers, those who want to allow the overthrow for the overflow.
That’s not an easy consideration. Ya mean someone else will tell me what to do? I don’t like that. That’s why you are still not a disciple.
America, the land of the free…freewill exercise has been the kingdom of God’s worst enemy. God can use a people who’ve been under other’s rule more than people from an independent country. Those people know what it is to be used and to be made to serve, and in that they can recognize truth. We have too many choices allotted us and are purposely under the rule of no one but our own choosing. That is and has been so dangerous. It has veered generations straight towards hell, with its mouth wide open in welcoming reception.
What will it take for man to get into unity with God? Death of self will. Yielding, submission. All unpleasant words to the American vocabulary. There were 120 people in one place and they became unified, because God needed them to be for His purposes to come forth and manifest themselves in tangible human people! What did it take? What will it take for us? God is waiting, it’s our move! The move that’s on, is one for unity.
I’ve watched Christian people make stands. Let’s use Christian music as an example. One congregation uses one style, another uses a different style. They are both used for worship, but one won’t budge to worship as the other, why not? Is it not worship? Who chooses? Aha, that’s quite possibly the deal. If I choose it, I’ll worship to it, if another tells me what to worship with, I won’t budge. That is immaturity and will never bring us into unity.
Of the table of the Lord, Paul says, “I hear there are divisions among you, how can that be? ” (Amongst those who believe in the same God and are here to bring His manifestations) It’s as easy as a decision away, Why would I unify with different people? So God can have His way!
Have you received the Holy Spirit? It is the very beginning of receiving Christ as a person inside of each of us. If we have not received Him, we’ve only received 2 parts of the 3 part person of God. We’ve not obeyed Jesus in His co-mission. You can explain that away as much as you’d like, but the words says, “do not quench (reject) the Holy Spirit”. Not receiving Him, for whatever reason, is rejection of Him, In reception of Him is where the power of God meets up with humans and begins to unify us in love.
Do you speak about Christ freely? You are a fountain of God when you have His Spirit alive in you. Are you bold in Spirit? This is a very character trait of our Lord. If one of us won’t receive Him, allow Him to overthrow us and rule, someone will. God has a work to do, If I won’t engage in it, someone will. He’ll look until someone who believes and receives Him says, “Yes Lord, Amen”.
I think sometimes we tend to stereotype Christian followers. We think thoughts like, if I didn’t have this job, or family life, or if I were a full time, paid, minister, I’d be a disciple. Can you imagine being a Dr., and being a disciple? It is NOT impossible. Discipleship is so much within the heart and mind of an individual. It’s not found in what we do, it’s who we are, in what we do. We can be doing almost anything for a career and be a disciple.
Order of priorities in any life deem how close of a relationship we have with God.
Everyone who ever works has some type of “down time”. The world says recreate/ It amazes me how well they choose the verbiage on that one, for God Himself said to re-create, it’s just not unto self, it’s unto Him. What are we re-creating? More of my like-kind? That’s what we’re created to do, but we have to ask am I personally reproducing more world-kind or more kingdom-kind.
The world wants men, women, and children to be its disciples. It teaches, trains, conditions, disciplines, and buys its way into the drawing of our souls, and since we only have so much capacity for so much input, we can become a disciple of the world very, very easily.
Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are disciplined, because they decide to be, on purpose. It does not happen automatically to the chosen lucky ones. Those who followed Jesus left other priorities to follow Him. There was a high price to pay and a great cost of self involved, but anyone and everyone no matter what race, background or position, CAN be a disciple, if he really wants to!
That’s the key, how much does one want to? It shows in what we decide to spend our lives on, what we do for recreation, where we go when we have the time, etc. Our actions speak way louder than our words. We can do whatever we want to. What do we really want to do? How do we vacate? What do we spend our free time on?
We have an elder at our church who used to say this a lot. We have liberty to go and do just about anything we please, who decides? I do. So she said there’s a motto, “Others may, but (before God) I may not” It’s not like what I choose to do or not do in participation in kingdom life is making me more righteous or that that which I avoid is even sin. Yet if I choose a higher call, it could be like sin to me.
“Others may, but I may not.” Discipleship, the life of a self-disciplined one, a recruit who volunteers and follows is optional, and costs a great deal, but it is a higher call.
What exactly is the restoration of His kingdom? The disciples who followed Jesus wanted Him to physically overthrow the present day government. They wanted Him to tear down the religious fortresses of their day and He says to them, “Wait to receive the power!” They may have thought, wow Lord why do we get to be the ones who’ll build an army to overthrow the governments, and do it here and now without You!
Many times what man thinks and what God purposes and defines are not on the same page. We’ve got to get on the same page as God. With the Holy Spirit in us we can do that very thing! The establishment of His kingdom starts within individual people’s hearts. If it is not there first, then there is really no establishment. The root system is false. What better strategy than to have God reign from the inside out, talk about overthrowing a government. How about a self government change? WOW, THAT is what discipleship is ALL about!
Jesus said, go make Disciples. Go make self governors, who will allow the power of God to be established inside of their own hearts. They’ll allow God to do His will on the inside of their persons. They’ll allow God to tell them what they should do, They’ll allow God to think and live and move in them. There’ll be little Jesus’ throughout the whole earth, a recreation of Sons of God. That’s the plan, but who is willing to be overthrown? This kingdom only recruits volunteers, those who want to allow the overthrow for the overflow.
That’s not an easy consideration. Ya mean someone else will tell me what to do? I don’t like that. That’s why you are still not a disciple.
America, the land of the free…freewill exercise has been the kingdom of God’s worst enemy. God can use a people who’ve been under other’s rule more than people from an independent country. Those people know what it is to be used and to be made to serve, and in that they can recognize truth. We have too many choices allotted us and are purposely under the rule of no one but our own choosing. That is and has been so dangerous. It has veered generations straight towards hell, with its mouth wide open in welcoming reception.
What will it take for man to get into unity with God? Death of self will. Yielding, submission. All unpleasant words to the American vocabulary. There were 120 people in one place and they became unified, because God needed them to be for His purposes to come forth and manifest themselves in tangible human people! What did it take? What will it take for us? God is waiting, it’s our move! The move that’s on, is one for unity.
I’ve watched Christian people make stands. Let’s use Christian music as an example. One congregation uses one style, another uses a different style. They are both used for worship, but one won’t budge to worship as the other, why not? Is it not worship? Who chooses? Aha, that’s quite possibly the deal. If I choose it, I’ll worship to it, if another tells me what to worship with, I won’t budge. That is immaturity and will never bring us into unity.
Of the table of the Lord, Paul says, “I hear there are divisions among you, how can that be? ” (Amongst those who believe in the same God and are here to bring His manifestations) It’s as easy as a decision away, Why would I unify with different people? So God can have His way!
Have you received the Holy Spirit? It is the very beginning of receiving Christ as a person inside of each of us. If we have not received Him, we’ve only received 2 parts of the 3 part person of God. We’ve not obeyed Jesus in His co-mission. You can explain that away as much as you’d like, but the words says, “do not quench (reject) the Holy Spirit”. Not receiving Him, for whatever reason, is rejection of Him, In reception of Him is where the power of God meets up with humans and begins to unify us in love.
Do you speak about Christ freely? You are a fountain of God when you have His Spirit alive in you. Are you bold in Spirit? This is a very character trait of our Lord. If one of us won’t receive Him, allow Him to overthrow us and rule, someone will. God has a work to do, If I won’t engage in it, someone will. He’ll look until someone who believes and receives Him says, “Yes Lord, Amen”.
The Rock Church of Daytona Beach's Daily Bread Reading for Today Acts 1
1 Dear Theophilus:In my first book F1 I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he ascended to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3 During 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. 4 In 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. 5 John baptized with F2 water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6 When 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. 8 But 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." 9 It 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. 10 As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11 They 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!"
12 The apostles were at the Mount of Olives when this happened, so they walked the half mile F3 back to Jerusalem. 13 Then 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). 14 They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
15 During 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. 17 Judas 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. 19 The 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.") 20 Peter 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 – 22 from 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." 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then 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 25 as an apostle to replace Judas the traitor in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs." 26 Then 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.
The New Living Translation
6 When 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. 8 But 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." 9 It 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. 10 As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11 They 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!"
12 The apostles were at the Mount of Olives when this happened, so they walked the half mile F3 back to Jerusalem. 13 Then 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). 14 They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
15 During 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. 17 Judas 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. 19 The 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.") 20 Peter 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 – 22 from 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." 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then 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 25 as an apostle to replace Judas the traitor in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs." 26 Then 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.
The New Living Translation
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to John 17 Today
For an enhanced defining of this Prayer of Oneness, please read the story to yesterday’s post (1-2-07 Lena’s Discipleship Journalin’).
Jesus came to open a door of authority. Authority has to do with authorship. Who is the author of life? Who is the author of death? Death and life are now opportunities we all have each and every day. The word says, today I set before you death and life blessing and cursing, you choose life that you and your seed will live!
Before Jesus the earth was bound up, unable to be released into the choice of true life, eternal life. After Jesus did His sacrificial work, and rose from the dead we all are only a freewill decision away from having eternal life And nullifying the power of eternal death against us.
He took a key out of the hand of satan, a key Adam had freely given him through deception. Jesus took it back and has now offered it to each man, each new Adam.
Without those keys, it was impossible to be made right with God. Now each person has that opportunity. With the authorship defined and the authority taken back, man can choose life eternally which are determined by all actions lived out in the here and now.
His work was not magic in nature, it was not a wand He took back, it was a scepter He earned, and keys He gave to us!
We do not have to receive Him. Of course if we do not, we die eternally. That should kind of change our “have to’s” into “want to’s”
Eternal life is to know Him. Know is an intimate word. How much do you “know” Him? Like do you know His name, or His family members? Do you know what He likes and does not like? Do you know who He loves, what He loves and hates? Do you know His scent, His thoughts, His mind and heart? Are His and your words the same words? Relationship and closeness are what bring this intimate knowing. Without it, Jesus will have to say, “No, Father, I don’t know them.”
He’ll know who are truly His and who are their own. Those who choose their own way, and who keep to themselves privately, won’t be known by Him.
Those who truly know, Him can’t keep to themselves, for they’ve tasted of the One who gives life and true love and there is none like Him. This shows those who know. They can’t stay away.
“Father help them stay, keep staying, know and keep knowing more, through relationship. Help them spread the knowing to others through relationship also.”
“Father, keep them safe from the evil one while they are in the world. Separated from sin while in the world, rather than separated from You by knowing sin. Keep them choosing Holiness, desirous of depth of relationship with You, Lord and the execution of Your will.”
Jesus prayed this way for all who would ever believe. That’s you and I. He prayed this for disciples (to be made).
There are Believers- those who’ve tasted, like what they tried and are still trying Him on for size. They fit God and His requests of them into their schedules; if it fits they’ll do it, in the following of someone who follows Christ. If it doesn’t fit in they don’t do it. They cannot yet be counted on for anything in the army of God, for they are still courting God! Still deciding. Many say they have decided, but if they had they’d be a disciple, and disciples do not still choose for themselves.
Then there are Disciples- those who’ve chosen already, their word is yes or no. They know He’s chosen them, to be in His army. They are under His discipline. They submit themselves from underneath. They don’t have to be dictated to too much, for they’ve volunteered even though they were recruited. They follow someone, as Elisha followed Elijah. He burned bridges, sacrificed his oxen, and left nothing for him to go back to. He said, “I’m all in” and meant it. It was not at all convenient for him ever, but he made the proper adjustments, did what it took to follow a man of God and see what He saw, taking on a double portion and wearing His mantle.
Then there are Christians- those who have followed others in faith and are wearing that mantle of distinction. Signs and wonders follow them, for they’ve followed Christ in human form. The anointing is on their lives and others see that. They do not have to call themselves anointed, it is indisputable, others label them this way.
These, believer/disciple/Christians, who grow and do not refrain from the deeper knowing and demonstration of Him OVERCOME! They are over comers, they wear the crown of life, they are like Christ. They have testimony of the blood of the Lamb of God, they love not their own lives even unto the death. They “Just do it”! Nikeo
How does one experience such perfect unity? Same revelation that drives, same passion, the same breath, living for the same thing. The same Creator God _ Lord Master, we serve, because we love, ravished by His love.
Jesus came to open a door of authority. Authority has to do with authorship. Who is the author of life? Who is the author of death? Death and life are now opportunities we all have each and every day. The word says, today I set before you death and life blessing and cursing, you choose life that you and your seed will live!
Before Jesus the earth was bound up, unable to be released into the choice of true life, eternal life. After Jesus did His sacrificial work, and rose from the dead we all are only a freewill decision away from having eternal life And nullifying the power of eternal death against us.
He took a key out of the hand of satan, a key Adam had freely given him through deception. Jesus took it back and has now offered it to each man, each new Adam.
Without those keys, it was impossible to be made right with God. Now each person has that opportunity. With the authorship defined and the authority taken back, man can choose life eternally which are determined by all actions lived out in the here and now.
His work was not magic in nature, it was not a wand He took back, it was a scepter He earned, and keys He gave to us!
We do not have to receive Him. Of course if we do not, we die eternally. That should kind of change our “have to’s” into “want to’s”
Eternal life is to know Him. Know is an intimate word. How much do you “know” Him? Like do you know His name, or His family members? Do you know what He likes and does not like? Do you know who He loves, what He loves and hates? Do you know His scent, His thoughts, His mind and heart? Are His and your words the same words? Relationship and closeness are what bring this intimate knowing. Without it, Jesus will have to say, “No, Father, I don’t know them.”
He’ll know who are truly His and who are their own. Those who choose their own way, and who keep to themselves privately, won’t be known by Him.
Those who truly know, Him can’t keep to themselves, for they’ve tasted of the One who gives life and true love and there is none like Him. This shows those who know. They can’t stay away.
“Father help them stay, keep staying, know and keep knowing more, through relationship. Help them spread the knowing to others through relationship also.”
“Father, keep them safe from the evil one while they are in the world. Separated from sin while in the world, rather than separated from You by knowing sin. Keep them choosing Holiness, desirous of depth of relationship with You, Lord and the execution of Your will.”
Jesus prayed this way for all who would ever believe. That’s you and I. He prayed this for disciples (to be made).
There are Believers- those who’ve tasted, like what they tried and are still trying Him on for size. They fit God and His requests of them into their schedules; if it fits they’ll do it, in the following of someone who follows Christ. If it doesn’t fit in they don’t do it. They cannot yet be counted on for anything in the army of God, for they are still courting God! Still deciding. Many say they have decided, but if they had they’d be a disciple, and disciples do not still choose for themselves.
Then there are Disciples- those who’ve chosen already, their word is yes or no. They know He’s chosen them, to be in His army. They are under His discipline. They submit themselves from underneath. They don’t have to be dictated to too much, for they’ve volunteered even though they were recruited. They follow someone, as Elisha followed Elijah. He burned bridges, sacrificed his oxen, and left nothing for him to go back to. He said, “I’m all in” and meant it. It was not at all convenient for him ever, but he made the proper adjustments, did what it took to follow a man of God and see what He saw, taking on a double portion and wearing His mantle.
Then there are Christians- those who have followed others in faith and are wearing that mantle of distinction. Signs and wonders follow them, for they’ve followed Christ in human form. The anointing is on their lives and others see that. They do not have to call themselves anointed, it is indisputable, others label them this way.
These, believer/disciple/Christians, who grow and do not refrain from the deeper knowing and demonstration of Him OVERCOME! They are over comers, they wear the crown of life, they are like Christ. They have testimony of the blood of the Lamb of God, they love not their own lives even unto the death. They “Just do it”! Nikeo
How does one experience such perfect unity? Same revelation that drives, same passion, the same breath, living for the same thing. The same Creator God _ Lord Master, we serve, because we love, ravished by His love.
The Rock Church's of Daytona Beach's Daily Bread Reading for Today- John 17
The Prayer of Jesus
1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
6 “I have revealed you[a] to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name;[b] now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me.[c] I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
Footnotes:
a. John 17:6 Greek have revealed your name; also in 17:26.
b. John 17:11 Some manuscripts read you have given me these [disciples].
c. John 17:12 Some manuscripts read I protected those you gave me, by the power of your name.
1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
6 “I have revealed you[a] to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name;[b] now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me.[c] I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!
25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
Footnotes:
a. John 17:6 Greek have revealed your name; also in 17:26.
b. John 17:11 Some manuscripts read you have given me these [disciples].
c. John 17:12 Some manuscripts read I protected those you gave me, by the power of your name.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Lena's Journalin' to 1 Cor 1 Today Father Make us One as We are ONE!
Boasting can be both righteous and unrighteous. One’s basis is pride, the other praise. One self-exaltation, the other worship of the Highest.
Pride is the #1 culprit of sin and separation.
Why should we be aware of and cut off the power of arguments and dissentions? They have the same root purpose as pride, to separate.
God is all about Unity, Unifying as One.
God is and was always One. God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit. Three, but One. Different, yet the same. The Same in purposeful existence.
Same reason, same pursuit, same heart, same love, same life. Same.
Everything at the time before the fall of Lucifer was also One and the same. The Same. ALL the same. Same purpose of existence. Same = One.
Harmony, Unity. Angels, spirits, God; all One. There was no word “two”, notta word other than “One”. “Two” would be an enemy.
An enemy arose in that place of One, but only for a mere moment. It arose against One, against God, The Father, God the Son, God the Spirit and all that were One- Unified. It rose up against Same.
It said, “Not Thy will, but mine be accomplished”. It said, “Two” where there was only One.
It fell down, severely, for Two could not ever be where One dwells.
There was catastrophe, darkness, an abyss - Two came away from One. Darkness was over Two. Two was darkness.
God who is One could not stand separation, could not stand Two where there was One. Two could not have any place to rule with One; so it fell way down, it ruled in a dark place, the place wherein it fell. It had taken 1 3rd of the heavenly host with it. It was rebellion manifest ruling the rebellion.
One must do what One will do, repair, restore One.
So God (One) took the dust of the earth, formed a man, breathed into Him the breath of Father, Son and Spirit - One life, down where there was Two, God made One man. Then He said no, no; it is no good for the One to be alone, so He made another like Him, there was a picture in that place for an enemy to see. The One became Two, but the Two would become One, through these, in this place. There was a fix, a plan of restoration and the repair of One.
THIS IS THE WARFARE we are engaged in today as Christians who are One with Christ. So, Jesus prayed, “Father make us ALL One (again)!”
He knew what He was saying, when He prayed that way.
One Spirit, One heart, One purpose, One mind, One heart, One person. One. The restored kingdom, no more darkness here, but light on purpose.
He could have said, “Lord may they see what we have provided for their will to choose. May they want what We want, the restoration of all things. May they live for what We paid for. May they see what We see, One from Two, because of a decisive commitment to that cause, the cause of One. No matter what. May they end strife. May they never give any place to self exaltation and pride. May it be their enemy, as it also is our enemy. May they never take him in!
Father make us One.”
Pride is the #1 culprit of sin and separation.
Why should we be aware of and cut off the power of arguments and dissentions? They have the same root purpose as pride, to separate.
God is all about Unity, Unifying as One.
God is and was always One. God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit. Three, but One. Different, yet the same. The Same in purposeful existence.
Same reason, same pursuit, same heart, same love, same life. Same.
Everything at the time before the fall of Lucifer was also One and the same. The Same. ALL the same. Same purpose of existence. Same = One.
Harmony, Unity. Angels, spirits, God; all One. There was no word “two”, notta word other than “One”. “Two” would be an enemy.
An enemy arose in that place of One, but only for a mere moment. It arose against One, against God, The Father, God the Son, God the Spirit and all that were One- Unified. It rose up against Same.
It said, “Not Thy will, but mine be accomplished”. It said, “Two” where there was only One.
It fell down, severely, for Two could not ever be where One dwells.
There was catastrophe, darkness, an abyss - Two came away from One. Darkness was over Two. Two was darkness.
God who is One could not stand separation, could not stand Two where there was One. Two could not have any place to rule with One; so it fell way down, it ruled in a dark place, the place wherein it fell. It had taken 1 3rd of the heavenly host with it. It was rebellion manifest ruling the rebellion.
One must do what One will do, repair, restore One.
So God (One) took the dust of the earth, formed a man, breathed into Him the breath of Father, Son and Spirit - One life, down where there was Two, God made One man. Then He said no, no; it is no good for the One to be alone, so He made another like Him, there was a picture in that place for an enemy to see. The One became Two, but the Two would become One, through these, in this place. There was a fix, a plan of restoration and the repair of One.
THIS IS THE WARFARE we are engaged in today as Christians who are One with Christ. So, Jesus prayed, “Father make us ALL One (again)!”
He knew what He was saying, when He prayed that way.
One Spirit, One heart, One purpose, One mind, One heart, One person. One. The restored kingdom, no more darkness here, but light on purpose.
He could have said, “Lord may they see what we have provided for their will to choose. May they want what We want, the restoration of all things. May they live for what We paid for. May they see what We see, One from Two, because of a decisive commitment to that cause, the cause of One. No matter what. May they end strife. May they never give any place to self exaltation and pride. May it be their enemy, as it also is our enemy. May they never take him in!
Father make us One.”
The Rock Chirch of Daytona Beach's Daily Bread Reading - 1 Corinthians 1
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth,[a] to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus,[b] just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul Gives Thanks to God
4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Divisions in the Church
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,[c] by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,[d]” or “I follow only Christ.”
13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. 16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) 17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
The Wisdom of God
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”[e]
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,[f] Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy[g] when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world,[h] things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”[i]
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 1:2 Corinth was the capital city of Achaia, the southern region of the Greek peninsula.
b. 1 Corinthians 1:2 Or because you belong to Christ Jesus.
c. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Greek brothers; also in 1:11, 26.
d. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Greek Cephas.
e. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isa 29:14.
f. 1 Corinthians 1:24 Greek and Greeks.
g. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Or high born.
h. 1 Corinthians 1:28 Or God chose those who are low born.
i. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer 9:24.
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth,[a] to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus,[b] just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul Gives Thanks to God
4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Divisions in the Church
10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,[c] by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,[d]” or “I follow only Christ.”
13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. 16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) 17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
The Wisdom of God
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”[e]
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,[f] Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy[g] when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world,[h] things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”[i]
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 1:2 Corinth was the capital city of Achaia, the southern region of the Greek peninsula.
b. 1 Corinthians 1:2 Or because you belong to Christ Jesus.
c. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Greek brothers; also in 1:11, 26.
d. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Greek Cephas.
e. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isa 29:14.
f. 1 Corinthians 1:24 Greek and Greeks.
g. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Or high born.
h. 1 Corinthians 1:28 Or God chose those who are low born.
i. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer 9:24.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Lena's Discipleship Journalin' to John 13 Today
Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom…once a day is gone, it is gone forever, it can never be relived or redone.
Jesus knew not only the day, but also the hour. He knew. Do we? He had a time here on earth for a purpose, so do we. The sooner we catch a hold of that and engage in it, the less time we’ll waste at it.
There is a time to live and a time to cease from living (here on earth), There is eternal death and eternal life, both are eternal. We began eternal and end this life passing on to our eternal destination. What we did here, determines where we are there. These days are to decide and then to help others decide, whatever effort that takes.
That’s what life’s purpose here is all about. There really is nothing else here to live for, really. Things, such as a career pursuit to make a name for one’s self or to get rich in goods or to be worldly successful, that are of purposes outside of the purpose of opening up new avenues of gospel message influence, is vanity. After we cross over to the other side of eternal vision, we’ll wonder why we spent so much of our lives on what we spent it on. We’ll wonder why we worked so hard for physical goods and spent our lives getting things, while we ignored or stepped on people to do so. We’ll see all we worked for burn up like smoke, except that which we spent our lives on for eternity.
Let’s get it now, that way there will be no regrets that way later on. We can see with vision now, as Jesus did, we can know the number of our days or what our days are numbered for.
Jesus showed the disciples the full extent of His love, the Love of a Father who sent Him to do so. Do we show our disciples the full extent of our love? Do we love? Do we have disciples?
As Jesus was leaving the earth there were a few things He left us with –
1- Love one another, as I have loved you, in laying down my life for you, love, wash as I would wash, give yourself up as I am.
2 - Then He said, Receive the very Spirit that lives in Me as a member of the Godhead. Wait and receive the Holy Spirit, who will help you be who I am, while I’m not there with you.
3 - Lastly He said, Make disciples.
As He did we are also to do. Do you have spiritual disciples? To have some, one must first be one. Are you a disciple? A disciplined learner? A student of God’s word, accountable to another who is more learned in the word and the spirit than you are? Do you look up in accountability, or do you only fellowship and give account to those who are at the same level as you?
Jesus said if I do not wash you, you have no part in Me.
The first step of an eternal life walk and of being a disciple is to be washed by His blood. Only a spotless Lamb could be a sacrifice. We are all living sacrifices unto God, holy, acceptable and well pleasing in His sight, if we are washed by the blood we can also wash with the blood. Do you ever allow another to see your dirt and wash you? Are you that close, that open with anyone, or do you defend your rights to be dirty?
Are you willing to take the cup of blessing and the bread of life? At what cost? Have you given your life over to it, a willing sacrifice upon God’s holy altar, or do you come and go as you please? Doing whatever you deem right or wrong on your daily path? Can anyone else tell you where to go or not go?
We receive Him, but it is because He already summonsed us to Himself. It’s not like it was our great idea and we have accepted Him. He died for us, accepting us. Without that acceptance we are dead in our trespasses and sin. Our exchange is a passionate one. We give our whole lives as appreciation of this righteous action. There is no other proper response. We can’t just try out some of this faith walk.
This year God is asking Christians.
Are you for Me or against Me?
Are you all in or just some in?
Are you a whole heart or a half heart?
Do you give your all to Me or just some?
Do you know He’ll pass those by who still have the spaces reserved for responses to other lovers? He has a plan, an accomplishment, it’s like an interview, He’s got to choose those whose hearts are a flaming fire, burning for His will. God’s will is not a sample platter, we can take and leave some.
With great anguish one was separated out, one who would betray Him. God hates separation. He despises it. Separation is the very reason Jesus came. It is excruciating to His heart of love. Hatred, strife, contention, rebellion, and sin all separate. He came to destroy this work and its power to take us out of His hands.
His death nullified this power and took its rights away from our enemy, now the only part still left to deal with is inside of our own personal hearts and freewill choices. If we want to we can stay separated. If we choose that, He’ll honor it and pass us by, not insisting on His own ways.
Anyone who welcomes My messenger, welcomes the one who sent Him….
How many people who bear the name of Christ, as messengers of God Himself, who are leaders, preachers, teachers, who have chosen Him, have we rejected? Maybe it was because we didn’t like how they speak, what they said, how they said it, or something in their lives we saw.
This is very serious. It gives us a so called excuse to not be a disciple, and there is no excuse for that. God does not take excuses on this and validate them at all. No excuse is valid where being a disciple is concerned. David was a disciple of Saul! God used Saul to discipline and teach David forming the character of Christ in his life. We do not pick and choose our natural family and those who God places around us to tutor and govern us, why do we think we can choose who spiritually trains us? That is deception, watch out for it.
Betrayal is mere denial. Even Peter denied-betrayed Christ, he just repented. John asked, “Who is it Lord?” Hey it could be you, it could be me. I don’t even know my own heart, which is why I stay close to Him, so He can keep showing me the dirt and washing me clean.
Your love for one another will show the world I am who I and you say that I am. It’s a love for those God chose for us to be around, the ones we did not choose for ourselves. It is a love for the tutor who is so unfair, the one we are a disciple of who we are being made uncomfortable by. It is a love that goes beyond the touchy, you make me feel so good, phase. It’s a love that stays when things are not so pretty, when I’m challenged to change who I was for who He is. That love will confound the world. They already know physical “love”, they already know sensual “love”, they have it down sometimes seemingly better than we do. The love they don’t know is one without conditions, the one that does not deserve love, the one that is based on covenant rather than contractual commitment.
Dying for Him, means living for Him here now. Don’t leave your post, go away from your assignment. Don’t skip class today. Become a disciple. That will take the death of self, for someone else will tell you what to do, and you won’t initially like it, unless you see beyond into eternity!
Jesus told a disciple that whenever he was a young man he could go wherever he pleased, do what he wanted. Lead himself, even decide what he’d do spiritually speaking, but when he got older (in his faith walk) others would lead him and tell him what to do, it would be like they were binding his hands and feet, leading him this way and that. That would be the sign of his growth from a young man into a developed son.
God sent His Son to save the world, now He’s looking for sons who will be led by the direction of others. That is a sure sign of growth. Independence and rebellion have no place where God is taking us this year!
Are you coming with us? Disciples follow. Come follow Me….says the Lord (Be aware, I’ll ask you to follow a human being.)
Jesus knew not only the day, but also the hour. He knew. Do we? He had a time here on earth for a purpose, so do we. The sooner we catch a hold of that and engage in it, the less time we’ll waste at it.
There is a time to live and a time to cease from living (here on earth), There is eternal death and eternal life, both are eternal. We began eternal and end this life passing on to our eternal destination. What we did here, determines where we are there. These days are to decide and then to help others decide, whatever effort that takes.
That’s what life’s purpose here is all about. There really is nothing else here to live for, really. Things, such as a career pursuit to make a name for one’s self or to get rich in goods or to be worldly successful, that are of purposes outside of the purpose of opening up new avenues of gospel message influence, is vanity. After we cross over to the other side of eternal vision, we’ll wonder why we spent so much of our lives on what we spent it on. We’ll wonder why we worked so hard for physical goods and spent our lives getting things, while we ignored or stepped on people to do so. We’ll see all we worked for burn up like smoke, except that which we spent our lives on for eternity.
Let’s get it now, that way there will be no regrets that way later on. We can see with vision now, as Jesus did, we can know the number of our days or what our days are numbered for.
Jesus showed the disciples the full extent of His love, the Love of a Father who sent Him to do so. Do we show our disciples the full extent of our love? Do we love? Do we have disciples?
As Jesus was leaving the earth there were a few things He left us with –
1- Love one another, as I have loved you, in laying down my life for you, love, wash as I would wash, give yourself up as I am.
2 - Then He said, Receive the very Spirit that lives in Me as a member of the Godhead. Wait and receive the Holy Spirit, who will help you be who I am, while I’m not there with you.
3 - Lastly He said, Make disciples.
As He did we are also to do. Do you have spiritual disciples? To have some, one must first be one. Are you a disciple? A disciplined learner? A student of God’s word, accountable to another who is more learned in the word and the spirit than you are? Do you look up in accountability, or do you only fellowship and give account to those who are at the same level as you?
Jesus said if I do not wash you, you have no part in Me.
The first step of an eternal life walk and of being a disciple is to be washed by His blood. Only a spotless Lamb could be a sacrifice. We are all living sacrifices unto God, holy, acceptable and well pleasing in His sight, if we are washed by the blood we can also wash with the blood. Do you ever allow another to see your dirt and wash you? Are you that close, that open with anyone, or do you defend your rights to be dirty?
Are you willing to take the cup of blessing and the bread of life? At what cost? Have you given your life over to it, a willing sacrifice upon God’s holy altar, or do you come and go as you please? Doing whatever you deem right or wrong on your daily path? Can anyone else tell you where to go or not go?
We receive Him, but it is because He already summonsed us to Himself. It’s not like it was our great idea and we have accepted Him. He died for us, accepting us. Without that acceptance we are dead in our trespasses and sin. Our exchange is a passionate one. We give our whole lives as appreciation of this righteous action. There is no other proper response. We can’t just try out some of this faith walk.
This year God is asking Christians.
Are you for Me or against Me?
Are you all in or just some in?
Are you a whole heart or a half heart?
Do you give your all to Me or just some?
Do you know He’ll pass those by who still have the spaces reserved for responses to other lovers? He has a plan, an accomplishment, it’s like an interview, He’s got to choose those whose hearts are a flaming fire, burning for His will. God’s will is not a sample platter, we can take and leave some.
With great anguish one was separated out, one who would betray Him. God hates separation. He despises it. Separation is the very reason Jesus came. It is excruciating to His heart of love. Hatred, strife, contention, rebellion, and sin all separate. He came to destroy this work and its power to take us out of His hands.
His death nullified this power and took its rights away from our enemy, now the only part still left to deal with is inside of our own personal hearts and freewill choices. If we want to we can stay separated. If we choose that, He’ll honor it and pass us by, not insisting on His own ways.
Anyone who welcomes My messenger, welcomes the one who sent Him….
How many people who bear the name of Christ, as messengers of God Himself, who are leaders, preachers, teachers, who have chosen Him, have we rejected? Maybe it was because we didn’t like how they speak, what they said, how they said it, or something in their lives we saw.
This is very serious. It gives us a so called excuse to not be a disciple, and there is no excuse for that. God does not take excuses on this and validate them at all. No excuse is valid where being a disciple is concerned. David was a disciple of Saul! God used Saul to discipline and teach David forming the character of Christ in his life. We do not pick and choose our natural family and those who God places around us to tutor and govern us, why do we think we can choose who spiritually trains us? That is deception, watch out for it.
Betrayal is mere denial. Even Peter denied-betrayed Christ, he just repented. John asked, “Who is it Lord?” Hey it could be you, it could be me. I don’t even know my own heart, which is why I stay close to Him, so He can keep showing me the dirt and washing me clean.
Your love for one another will show the world I am who I and you say that I am. It’s a love for those God chose for us to be around, the ones we did not choose for ourselves. It is a love for the tutor who is so unfair, the one we are a disciple of who we are being made uncomfortable by. It is a love that goes beyond the touchy, you make me feel so good, phase. It’s a love that stays when things are not so pretty, when I’m challenged to change who I was for who He is. That love will confound the world. They already know physical “love”, they already know sensual “love”, they have it down sometimes seemingly better than we do. The love they don’t know is one without conditions, the one that does not deserve love, the one that is based on covenant rather than contractual commitment.
Dying for Him, means living for Him here now. Don’t leave your post, go away from your assignment. Don’t skip class today. Become a disciple. That will take the death of self, for someone else will tell you what to do, and you won’t initially like it, unless you see beyond into eternity!
Jesus told a disciple that whenever he was a young man he could go wherever he pleased, do what he wanted. Lead himself, even decide what he’d do spiritually speaking, but when he got older (in his faith walk) others would lead him and tell him what to do, it would be like they were binding his hands and feet, leading him this way and that. That would be the sign of his growth from a young man into a developed son.
God sent His Son to save the world, now He’s looking for sons who will be led by the direction of others. That is a sure sign of growth. Independence and rebellion have no place where God is taking us this year!
Are you coming with us? Disciples follow. Come follow Me….says the Lord (Be aware, I’ll ask you to follow a human being.)
The Rock Church's Daily Bread Reading John 13 Today!
1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love. F65 2 It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him. 6 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, "Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?" 7 Jesus replied, "You don't understand now why I am doing it; someday you will." 8 "No," Peter protested, "you will never wash my feet!" Jesus replied, "But if I don't wash you, you won't belong to me." 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, "Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!" 10 Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, F66 to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn't true of everyone here." 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, "Not all of you are clean." 12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because it is true. 14 And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. 17 You know these things – now do them! That is the path of blessing.
18 "I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scriptures declare, 'The one who shares my food has turned against me,' F67 and this will soon come true. 19 I tell you this now, so that when it happens you will believe I am the Messiah. 20 Truly, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me." 21 Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and he exclaimed, "The truth is, one of you will betray me!" 22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 One of Jesus' disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table. F68 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who would do this terrible thing. 25 Leaning toward Jesus, he asked, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus said, "It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, "Hurry. Do it now." 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for me, the Son of Man, to enter into my glory, and God will receive glory because of all that happens to me. 32 And God will bring F69 me into my glory very soon. 33 Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me – just as I told the Jewish leaders. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
36 Simon Peter said, "Lord, where are you going?" And Jesus replied, "You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later." 37 "But why can't I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I am ready to die for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Die for me? No, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F65: Or He loved his disciples to the very end.
F66: Some manuscripts do not include except for the feet.
F67: Ps 41:9.
F68: Greek was reclining on Jesus' bosom. The "disciple whom Jesus loved" was probably John.
F69: Some manuscripts read And if God is glorified in him [the Son of Man], God will bring.
NLT
18 "I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scriptures declare, 'The one who shares my food has turned against me,' F67 and this will soon come true. 19 I tell you this now, so that when it happens you will believe I am the Messiah. 20 Truly, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me." 21 Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and he exclaimed, "The truth is, one of you will betray me!" 22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 One of Jesus' disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table. F68 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who would do this terrible thing. 25 Leaning toward Jesus, he asked, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus said, "It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, "Hurry. Do it now." 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night.
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for me, the Son of Man, to enter into my glory, and God will receive glory because of all that happens to me. 32 And God will bring F69 me into my glory very soon. 33 Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me – just as I told the Jewish leaders. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
36 Simon Peter said, "Lord, where are you going?" And Jesus replied, "You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later." 37 "But why can't I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I am ready to die for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Die for me? No, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F65: Or He loved his disciples to the very end.
F66: Some manuscripts do not include except for the feet.
F67: Ps 41:9.
F68: Greek was reclining on Jesus' bosom. The "disciple whom Jesus loved" was probably John.
F69: Some manuscripts read And if God is glorified in him [the Son of Man], God will bring.
NLT
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