Water can be likened to the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Can He come in and flood our world? Is He welcomed in like a trickle, a stream, or a river?
Do you control Him, or can He have control of you?
He won't control us, if we do not ask or invite Him to. He is gentlemenly in nature.
If we play around with Him a bit, as young ones do, and just try Him out a bit, splash around in ankle deep waters, that's because that's as much of Him as we desire to yeild ourselves to. We are in complete control. That's the power of freewilled beings.
If we wade out and let our feet feel the temperature change of His will, and begin to get a bit deeper, we're still in control, but are considering Him more, that too is up to us. He will not make us get wet, if we do not want to. We have as much of the measure and depth of God's Spirit, as we'd like. It is up to us.
If we venture out into deeper waters, waters where we really feel the temperature change in places it is really felt. The water begins to move us a bit, if there is a current, we can be swept in, or we can turn right around and say, forget this, I'm unsure of deeper water.
God will not force our wills and will let us turn around. God will let us go back. He won't stop us from turning our back on His control. He'll allow us to control our own destiny. We may later on ask Him, why such and such and so and so has panned out the way it has, as though it is His "fault", but we must realize that we are living what we believe, and suffering consequences of the control of our own hands.
Notice water travels and fills what yeilds to it's infilling? Water flows and goes where it may, not where it may not. It takes a lot of constant water pressure to change a rock, but very little to move a snadpile.
The Holy Spirit fills those who invite Him to. He works in the lives of those who let Him work. He is not insistant on His own way. The way of God is to be invited to take the "wheel".
So, water deep enough to swim in? How did that happen? How did it rise, where I found myself covered from head to toe? I moved in closer and deeper. I choose to jump in, to give or yeild control to another. I let go and floated out into the deep.
Do we trust God? Really trust Him? It shows by the level in which we are involved in His will.
How deep is His love felt by me? It is in exact proportion to the level of depth I am willing to go with Him.
That puts the controils in my hands.
We like to say, Lord, do what You will. We even blame God if things don't go so well, saying to ourselves that maybe He doesn't love us enough to give us such and such and so and so, or maybe we didn't deserve it. No it has more to do with givinhg up control and letting, yeilding the will, trusting another with your life here and now.
He did His will, He sent His Son, Jesus. Now it is our move! We let or do not let God arise in us. We choose to be filled full or stay as we are, unchanged.
One cool thing aboiut water, it easily altars the substances it flows over and through. Once yeilded to, things chnage automatically.
Want chnage? Really?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Ezekiel 47 Today's Daily Bread
1 Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing eastward from beneath the Temple threshold. This stream then passed to the right of the altar on its south side. 2 The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the stream flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. 3 Measuring as he went, he led me along the stream for 1,750 feet F99 and told me to go across. At that point the water was up to my ankles. 4 He measured off another 1,750 feet and told me to go across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. 5 Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to cross without swimming. 6 He told me to keep in mind what I had seen; then he led me back along the riverbank. 7 Suddenly, to my surprise, many trees were now growing on both sides of the river! 8 Then he said to me, "This river flows east through the desert into the Jordan Valley, F100 where it enters the Dead Sea. F101 The waters of this stream will heal the salty waters of the Dead Sea and make them fresh and pure. 9 Everything that touches the water of this river will live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea, fishing all the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim. The shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean F102 ! 11 But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will be sources of salt. 12 All kinds of fruit trees will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing."
13 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Follow these instructions for dividing the land for the twelve tribes of Israel: The tribe of Joseph will be given two shares of land. F103 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your inheritance. 15 "The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim, which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran. 17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south. 18 "The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs southward along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Sea F104 and as far south as Tamar. F105 This will be the eastern border. 19 "The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh F106 and then follow the course of the brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border. 20 "On the west side the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath. 21 "Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel. 22 Distribute the land as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be just like native-born Israelites to you, and they will receive an inheritance among the tribes. 23 All these immigrants are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! FOOTNOTES:
F99: Hebrew 1,000 cubits [530 meters]; also in 47:4, 5. The distances are calculated using the Hebrew long cubit, which equals 21 inches or 53 centimeters.
F100: Hebrew the Arabah.
F101: Hebrew the sea; also in 47:10.
F102: Hebrew the great sea; also in 47:15, 17, 19, 20.
F103: A share of land for each of Joseph's two oldest sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.
F104: Hebrew the eastern sea.
F105: As in Greek version; Hebrew reads you will measure.
F106: Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
The New Living Translation
13 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Follow these instructions for dividing the land for the twelve tribes of Israel: The tribe of Joseph will be given two shares of land. F103 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your inheritance. 15 "The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim, which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran. 17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south. 18 "The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs southward along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Sea F104 and as far south as Tamar. F105 This will be the eastern border. 19 "The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh F106 and then follow the course of the brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border. 20 "On the west side the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath. 21 "Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel. 22 Distribute the land as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be just like native-born Israelites to you, and they will receive an inheritance among the tribes. 23 All these immigrants are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! FOOTNOTES:
F99: Hebrew 1,000 cubits [530 meters]; also in 47:4, 5. The distances are calculated using the Hebrew long cubit, which equals 21 inches or 53 centimeters.
F100: Hebrew the Arabah.
F101: Hebrew the sea; also in 47:10.
F102: Hebrew the great sea; also in 47:15, 17, 19, 20.
F103: A share of land for each of Joseph's two oldest sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.
F104: Hebrew the eastern sea.
F105: As in Greek version; Hebrew reads you will measure.
F106: Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
The New Living Translation
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Lena's Journalin' to Jaohn 7 Today
Pride shows itself as an enemy of everything within the characteristics of God. Jesus said the world hated Him. Wouldn’t one think the world would love Him? I mean He did come to save men from an eternal doom. This is a prime example of how the word of God works two different ways within two different hearts.
Our hearts need to be prepared for the coming of the Truth of the gospel message. Our hearts are like soil, and in order for the seed of the word to #1 be received, and #2 be tended to for the growth of that planted word to occur, the soil must be properly prepared.
The same word could spurn hatred in one person and love in another.
It is not the word that causes that reaction or reception, it is the receptor.
One person may hear the word and say, “Thank God for telling me this truth that I may avoid calamity”, while the other heart says, “I wish you’d stop condemning me and telling me what to do all the time!” The first is delighted in knowing how to change, while the 2ND stays the same as they were before hearing the word.
A good gage to see which your heart is, is whether you respond to the word of God or react to it. Especially when it comes through a vessel of less than your own choosing.
I’ve heard many a people say, “Ya, know if it came through a different person, or if they said it a better way, I’d receive it better…” That should be a red flag that your soil needs some tilling.
The best tiller of soil is the Holy Spirit and being in an atmosphere of a corporate worship and praise. Of course personal prayer times are a great tiller also. Especially when it is humble prayer, where we are really willing to ask God to show us the motivations of our hearts with a desire to be shown how to change.
Remember pride is THE enemy of God’s word being able to be implanted and grow in you. If you knew an enemy were coming to take your car tonight, what would you do about it? Anything? Pride is the enemy of your soul, of your salvation, what should you do about it? Combat it on purpose. Do not allow its work inside of your soul or spirit. Bring its power down by willing obedience and submission to the word, whether you want to or not.
Why would Jesus not be able to go onward with you? Why would He have to stay in “Galilee” where growth or going on in you is concerned? Do you love or hate His word? (We cannot say we love Him, but with our actions not obey His words, the love or hatred is shown in the actionsod obedience or disobedience).
He would not go on, He stayed put, because they would not receive Him.
He taught only at the Temple. Which temple? The temple that received Him by listening to Him and believing in Him. We are the Temple of God’s Spirit if the spirit of Christ dwells in us.
Can He teach and preach in your “house”? Does He get to be in a visible form in you? Or is He hidden from others sight? Do others see Him in your life? If they watched, but never were told who you are, would they say your are a Christian, a follower of Christ?
The religious said, “How does He know so much when He has not been trained (like we have)?” By the Spirit, only by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No natural means can teach men to know God, except by His spirit. The message we preach, if it is the gospel truth is not our own message, it is the message sent to the earth by the spirit of Christ, the Savior and Lord of the world. God is looking for vessels, conduits of His Spirit. Willing ones, who yield, rather than resist Him. They allow Him and disallow evil. They don’t just want to become who they are alone, but they become one with Him, through the desire and exercise of His will.
Whose glory do we live for? Glory is defined as “weight”. What weight do I want to carry, what responsibility do I take on? His or my own? Whose name do I bear? Do I try to make a name for myself, or do I willingly give my name in exchange for His to become Him, one with His will?
Whose name we make is who’s glory we are after. Do we live to make others look good? Do we strive to make His name great, or ours? Do we live to honor others or do we smear their names in the sand when they don’t help us to look good?
What about leaders? What do we do with their names? The president, governors, police, bosses, pastors, husband or wives? Are we all in for making other’s names look good, no matter what we think they may deserve? Do we honor a position given by God, like king David did with King Saul? Or are we trying to be king of the leaders with our heartfelt opinions?
What is your opinion of Jesus? (Does it matter?) When we are opinionated, and survey people who are in positions above us, we exalt ourselves as though we know all about their jobs. This is a dangerous practice, yet highly promoted in the good ol’ USA. Gallop polls galore.
Who was He speaking of when He said, “you will not be able to go where I am going?” He spoke to those who would not believe and receive Him; with those who stumble over Him, looking only at the natural circumstances of who He appeared to be. The ones who reason out the gospel message and won’t humbly believe it, just because God sent it. He spoke to those who wear masks and won’t take them off to save face or make a name for themselves. Those unwilling to be like someone else. They want to have their won identity, rather than sow it into the making of His identity in them.
BUT, those who till the soil and are ready to receive word and water will live eternally. They will till other’s soil and rivers of life will flow form their beings throughout the whole earth. They do not keep Jesus from moving on with them, they allow His word to penetrate their spirit and soul, they grow like crazy and bear fruit for His name. They praise Him and raise His standards in the earth at the risk of losing all they are In Him.
The religious want to arrest Him, contain Him in a box, making Him stay in one place, so they can go on unhindered by truth to build their own kingdoms.
They knew the written word, but they did not know Him that they might recognize Him. This is a fine line each person, especially those raised in churches for lengths of time, must see. We can study, read, pray and do our religious duties and yet still not see Him, for He will only be seen by those who hunger for change.
Obedience moves us into growth. He can only be drawn by the spirit. The Holy Spirit leads men to obey further for further growth. Without His spirit we are another nicey, nice organization.
Our hearts need to be prepared for the coming of the Truth of the gospel message. Our hearts are like soil, and in order for the seed of the word to #1 be received, and #2 be tended to for the growth of that planted word to occur, the soil must be properly prepared.
The same word could spurn hatred in one person and love in another.
It is not the word that causes that reaction or reception, it is the receptor.
One person may hear the word and say, “Thank God for telling me this truth that I may avoid calamity”, while the other heart says, “I wish you’d stop condemning me and telling me what to do all the time!” The first is delighted in knowing how to change, while the 2ND stays the same as they were before hearing the word.
A good gage to see which your heart is, is whether you respond to the word of God or react to it. Especially when it comes through a vessel of less than your own choosing.
I’ve heard many a people say, “Ya, know if it came through a different person, or if they said it a better way, I’d receive it better…” That should be a red flag that your soil needs some tilling.
The best tiller of soil is the Holy Spirit and being in an atmosphere of a corporate worship and praise. Of course personal prayer times are a great tiller also. Especially when it is humble prayer, where we are really willing to ask God to show us the motivations of our hearts with a desire to be shown how to change.
Remember pride is THE enemy of God’s word being able to be implanted and grow in you. If you knew an enemy were coming to take your car tonight, what would you do about it? Anything? Pride is the enemy of your soul, of your salvation, what should you do about it? Combat it on purpose. Do not allow its work inside of your soul or spirit. Bring its power down by willing obedience and submission to the word, whether you want to or not.
Why would Jesus not be able to go onward with you? Why would He have to stay in “Galilee” where growth or going on in you is concerned? Do you love or hate His word? (We cannot say we love Him, but with our actions not obey His words, the love or hatred is shown in the actionsod obedience or disobedience).
He would not go on, He stayed put, because they would not receive Him.
He taught only at the Temple. Which temple? The temple that received Him by listening to Him and believing in Him. We are the Temple of God’s Spirit if the spirit of Christ dwells in us.
Can He teach and preach in your “house”? Does He get to be in a visible form in you? Or is He hidden from others sight? Do others see Him in your life? If they watched, but never were told who you are, would they say your are a Christian, a follower of Christ?
The religious said, “How does He know so much when He has not been trained (like we have)?” By the Spirit, only by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No natural means can teach men to know God, except by His spirit. The message we preach, if it is the gospel truth is not our own message, it is the message sent to the earth by the spirit of Christ, the Savior and Lord of the world. God is looking for vessels, conduits of His Spirit. Willing ones, who yield, rather than resist Him. They allow Him and disallow evil. They don’t just want to become who they are alone, but they become one with Him, through the desire and exercise of His will.
Whose glory do we live for? Glory is defined as “weight”. What weight do I want to carry, what responsibility do I take on? His or my own? Whose name do I bear? Do I try to make a name for myself, or do I willingly give my name in exchange for His to become Him, one with His will?
Whose name we make is who’s glory we are after. Do we live to make others look good? Do we strive to make His name great, or ours? Do we live to honor others or do we smear their names in the sand when they don’t help us to look good?
What about leaders? What do we do with their names? The president, governors, police, bosses, pastors, husband or wives? Are we all in for making other’s names look good, no matter what we think they may deserve? Do we honor a position given by God, like king David did with King Saul? Or are we trying to be king of the leaders with our heartfelt opinions?
What is your opinion of Jesus? (Does it matter?) When we are opinionated, and survey people who are in positions above us, we exalt ourselves as though we know all about their jobs. This is a dangerous practice, yet highly promoted in the good ol’ USA. Gallop polls galore.
Who was He speaking of when He said, “you will not be able to go where I am going?” He spoke to those who would not believe and receive Him; with those who stumble over Him, looking only at the natural circumstances of who He appeared to be. The ones who reason out the gospel message and won’t humbly believe it, just because God sent it. He spoke to those who wear masks and won’t take them off to save face or make a name for themselves. Those unwilling to be like someone else. They want to have their won identity, rather than sow it into the making of His identity in them.
BUT, those who till the soil and are ready to receive word and water will live eternally. They will till other’s soil and rivers of life will flow form their beings throughout the whole earth. They do not keep Jesus from moving on with them, they allow His word to penetrate their spirit and soul, they grow like crazy and bear fruit for His name. They praise Him and raise His standards in the earth at the risk of losing all they are In Him.
The religious want to arrest Him, contain Him in a box, making Him stay in one place, so they can go on unhindered by truth to build their own kingdoms.
They knew the written word, but they did not know Him that they might recognize Him. This is a fine line each person, especially those raised in churches for lengths of time, must see. We can study, read, pray and do our religious duties and yet still not see Him, for He will only be seen by those who hunger for change.
Obedience moves us into growth. He can only be drawn by the spirit. The Holy Spirit leads men to obey further for further growth. Without His spirit we are another nicey, nice organization.
John 7 Today's Daily Bread
If'n this message is ever encrypted in your e-mail box, scroll to the end of the text and click on the underlined "Lena's Journalin'" to go straight to the webpage. Try it you'll like it!
John 7
Jesus and His Brothers
1 After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. 2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
6 Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. 7 The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. 8 You go on. I’m not going[a] to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” 9 After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.
Jesus Teaches Openly at the Temple
10 But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. 11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” 13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.
14 Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. 15 The people[b] were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.
16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. 17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. 18 Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. 19 Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”
20 The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”
21 Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. 22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? 24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
Is Jesus the Messiah?
25 Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”
28 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. 29 But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” 30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time[c] had not yet come.
31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”
32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”
35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands?[d] Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”
Jesus Promises Living Water
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[e] 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given,[f] because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Division and Unbelief
40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”[g] 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”[h] 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
46 “We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.
47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. 48 “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”
50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes[i] from Galilee!”
—————
[The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53–8:11.]
53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.
Footnotes:
John 7:8 Some manuscripts read not yet going.
John 7:15 Greek Jewish people.
John 7:30 Greek his hour.
John 7:35 Or the Jews who live among the Greeks?
John 7:38 Or “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.’”
John 7:39 Some manuscripts read But as yet there was no Spirit. Still others read But as yet there was no Holy Spirit.
John 7:40 See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
John 7:42 See Mic 5:2.
John 7:52 Some manuscripts read the prophet does not come.
John 7
Jesus and His Brothers
1 After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. 2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
6 Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. 7 The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. 8 You go on. I’m not going[a] to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” 9 After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.
Jesus Teaches Openly at the Temple
10 But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. 11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” 13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.
14 Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. 15 The people[b] were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.
16 So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. 17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. 18 Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. 19 Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”
20 The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”
21 Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. 22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? 24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
Is Jesus the Messiah?
25 Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”
28 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. 29 But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” 30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time[c] had not yet come.
31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”
32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”
35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands?[d] Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”
Jesus Promises Living Water
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[e] 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given,[f] because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Division and Unbelief
40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”[g] 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”[h] 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 44 Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.
45 When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
46 “We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.
47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. 48 “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”
50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes[i] from Galilee!”
—————
[The most ancient Greek manuscripts do not include John 7:53–8:11.]
53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.
Footnotes:
John 7:8 Some manuscripts read not yet going.
John 7:15 Greek Jewish people.
John 7:30 Greek his hour.
John 7:35 Or the Jews who live among the Greeks?
John 7:38 Or “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.’”
John 7:39 Some manuscripts read But as yet there was no Spirit. Still others read But as yet there was no Holy Spirit.
John 7:40 See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
John 7:42 See Mic 5:2.
John 7:52 Some manuscripts read the prophet does not come.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Lena's Journalin to Luke 24 Today
There are many, many things about the eternal word of God that can be brought out for greater understanding. The natural mind reads scripture and says, “Ok, so I did my duty for the day, nice story!”; and goes on, but the spiritually minded man, digs for the treasure found in each and every word.
Sunday is the first day of the week, and Hebraically speaking. Weeks are a very interesting picture for us. There are 7 days in each set. 7 is the # for completion, and 8the # for a new beginning. So a week’s time could be likened to accomplishing, and the first day of each new week is a day to begin a new accomplishment.
Also it has been stated that the human mind, finely created by God, takes about 7-8 times of hearing a concept (really paying attention to the newfound “idea” with the purpose of learning) to “get it”. This has a purpose in that we may not want to swallow every tidbit of information as truth, yet it also shows that if one pays attention intently, as a student, or disciple, it won’t take forever to “get it”.
The women went on the new day to the place that was dead before (in the old day). They brought spices prepared. Raw spices (unprocessed and un-ground, unmixed with other spices relationally) represent one’s life’s circumstances, as in the stuff that has happened to us and how it has effected our souls. They also represent prayers offered up in and through circumstances, and they also speak of the end result of change that happens to a person through a personal relationship with God. This part is after prayer inside of a personal relationship with God has made a person see who they were and then to submit one’s self to an inner working of God’s Spirit to make change happen within. They come under authority.
(An example of this type of humbled heart who brings their own souls under authority, could be stated this way, “I may have been wrong or I may have acted in error, or I could have been different in my response to the circumstance and I believe You, who are Lord of everything, know best and can teach me a few new things for the peace of the present situation. I’m willing to change who I am, how I react, what I say every time this comes up. I give myself over to what You (Lord) think is best in this situation and with this person. I give up my rights. I do not have to be right at all, because I am secure in knowing You are right!). THAT is preparation!
These women prepared themselves, through humility, for change. They showed up on the beginning of a new set of days of accomplishment with a new mind’s eye view.
3rd day. Day of resurrection. Day of excellence, of covenant promises being ignited. God made a covenant with man, and validated it by the shedding of blood, now in this new day, man has his chance to ignite the very promises of God in each of us who accept and believe and act it out, validating it for ourselves and our families by the laying down of our lives (rights), willingly.
There is no covenant benefit to those who keep their rights and try to fit God’s will in to their lives. The only way for the promises to ignite is the same manner in which it was carried out. Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done! Then a death to prove it. (Now you know I am not saying kill thyself! I’m saying DON’T live for your self life, Live for His life to come alive in you! Live in such a way that your personality moves out of the way to defer to His personality, to allow His personality to become yours.)
These ladies, lovers of Jesus, were about to experience resurrection power. Do you know how to experience that? Die to your self. That is the only way.
If we try to stay alive to our self life we’ll never see His alive in our lives and we’ll be confused wondering why we don’t see the power of the cross and the resurrection alive in our day, in our homes, on our jobs. We have to get out of the way! Our covenant with God is not yet validated for us. A good example of this is that Jesus died for everyone, right? But not all receive Him and some may go to hell after judgment willingly. So it is with those who say they believe in Him and so badly want His promises to come to pass. The promises do not come to pass by wishing they would, there is a validation to it all. He died, so I die also, He died physically. I don’t have to do that, but I do have to die to my own ways, everyday.
It is our move! Our time of demonstration.
We are not waiting on God, He is waiting on us to be willing to see the way of change and walk in it, His way.
We must have the Holy Spirit. We cannot do His work as mere humans, unsaved, un led, un governed. There’s no way that will work, that will tire us out, for it is from the strength of man and a religious work, not a relational one. Religion stinks, for it reeks of self motivated works. It is NOT a sweet smelling spice to God!
God needs our works, but our works of faith in His strength and by His spirit, not our own goodness or wisdom or strength and might and ability. What He needs done is far beyond us, yet He so needs our participation together with Him. He wants man to want what it is He wants, yet full of His Divine supernatural strength and empowerment. He does not want to see how well man works this whole deal out alone!
We need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit without measure. If we just take a little and reject the whole deal for a lie or fear instilled in us by God’s enemy, we are missing the boat. Any human trying to be a Christian without The Holy Spirit’s power is fooling themselves and others. This walk of faith is by the Spirit and Not the flesh, in fact, to try to walk it out in the flesh, is not pleasing to the Lord.
We walk by faith, and not by sight. Faith pleases the Lord. To reject the Holy Spirit at work in us is to reject 1/3rd of the Godhead. We must think this way.
So do you only want 2/3rd’ s of God? Can’t have it, yesterday Jesus said if you are not for Me (all 3 parts of Me) you are against Me. Where is your faith, in God? Faith is given us by His Spirit! How can we even understand His word without His Spirit? How can we see Him if not by the help of His Spirit?
Even communion must be by His Spirit, for God is a Spirit, and those who so choose to worship Him must worship Him (in the, manner He deems), in spirit and in truth!
So communication, worship, understanding are all by the Spirit. The Person of God who is with those who believe and receive now, is The Holy Spirit.
Resurrection power is demonstrated by the Spirit of Christ in people! We cannot even see Him to be able to believe Him, except by His Spirit, for His Spirit is who draws men to Christ.
“Stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven!” We are not exempt from this command of our Lord, unless we don’t believe. We cannot skip this important part of our new birth. We are not above the disciples and apostles of the first church. His Spirit did not pass away, even today. We who believe must also receive Him. If we do not believe, we can reject Him, but this will be why we don’t sense Him or are not led by Him, we would not receive Him. He is a gentleman; He will not strive with those who do not want Him around.
Sunday is the first day of the week, and Hebraically speaking. Weeks are a very interesting picture for us. There are 7 days in each set. 7 is the # for completion, and 8the # for a new beginning. So a week’s time could be likened to accomplishing, and the first day of each new week is a day to begin a new accomplishment.
Also it has been stated that the human mind, finely created by God, takes about 7-8 times of hearing a concept (really paying attention to the newfound “idea” with the purpose of learning) to “get it”. This has a purpose in that we may not want to swallow every tidbit of information as truth, yet it also shows that if one pays attention intently, as a student, or disciple, it won’t take forever to “get it”.
The women went on the new day to the place that was dead before (in the old day). They brought spices prepared. Raw spices (unprocessed and un-ground, unmixed with other spices relationally) represent one’s life’s circumstances, as in the stuff that has happened to us and how it has effected our souls. They also represent prayers offered up in and through circumstances, and they also speak of the end result of change that happens to a person through a personal relationship with God. This part is after prayer inside of a personal relationship with God has made a person see who they were and then to submit one’s self to an inner working of God’s Spirit to make change happen within. They come under authority.
(An example of this type of humbled heart who brings their own souls under authority, could be stated this way, “I may have been wrong or I may have acted in error, or I could have been different in my response to the circumstance and I believe You, who are Lord of everything, know best and can teach me a few new things for the peace of the present situation. I’m willing to change who I am, how I react, what I say every time this comes up. I give myself over to what You (Lord) think is best in this situation and with this person. I give up my rights. I do not have to be right at all, because I am secure in knowing You are right!). THAT is preparation!
These women prepared themselves, through humility, for change. They showed up on the beginning of a new set of days of accomplishment with a new mind’s eye view.
3rd day. Day of resurrection. Day of excellence, of covenant promises being ignited. God made a covenant with man, and validated it by the shedding of blood, now in this new day, man has his chance to ignite the very promises of God in each of us who accept and believe and act it out, validating it for ourselves and our families by the laying down of our lives (rights), willingly.
There is no covenant benefit to those who keep their rights and try to fit God’s will in to their lives. The only way for the promises to ignite is the same manner in which it was carried out. Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done! Then a death to prove it. (Now you know I am not saying kill thyself! I’m saying DON’T live for your self life, Live for His life to come alive in you! Live in such a way that your personality moves out of the way to defer to His personality, to allow His personality to become yours.)
These ladies, lovers of Jesus, were about to experience resurrection power. Do you know how to experience that? Die to your self. That is the only way.
If we try to stay alive to our self life we’ll never see His alive in our lives and we’ll be confused wondering why we don’t see the power of the cross and the resurrection alive in our day, in our homes, on our jobs. We have to get out of the way! Our covenant with God is not yet validated for us. A good example of this is that Jesus died for everyone, right? But not all receive Him and some may go to hell after judgment willingly. So it is with those who say they believe in Him and so badly want His promises to come to pass. The promises do not come to pass by wishing they would, there is a validation to it all. He died, so I die also, He died physically. I don’t have to do that, but I do have to die to my own ways, everyday.
It is our move! Our time of demonstration.
We are not waiting on God, He is waiting on us to be willing to see the way of change and walk in it, His way.
We must have the Holy Spirit. We cannot do His work as mere humans, unsaved, un led, un governed. There’s no way that will work, that will tire us out, for it is from the strength of man and a religious work, not a relational one. Religion stinks, for it reeks of self motivated works. It is NOT a sweet smelling spice to God!
God needs our works, but our works of faith in His strength and by His spirit, not our own goodness or wisdom or strength and might and ability. What He needs done is far beyond us, yet He so needs our participation together with Him. He wants man to want what it is He wants, yet full of His Divine supernatural strength and empowerment. He does not want to see how well man works this whole deal out alone!
We need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit without measure. If we just take a little and reject the whole deal for a lie or fear instilled in us by God’s enemy, we are missing the boat. Any human trying to be a Christian without The Holy Spirit’s power is fooling themselves and others. This walk of faith is by the Spirit and Not the flesh, in fact, to try to walk it out in the flesh, is not pleasing to the Lord.
We walk by faith, and not by sight. Faith pleases the Lord. To reject the Holy Spirit at work in us is to reject 1/3rd of the Godhead. We must think this way.
So do you only want 2/3rd’ s of God? Can’t have it, yesterday Jesus said if you are not for Me (all 3 parts of Me) you are against Me. Where is your faith, in God? Faith is given us by His Spirit! How can we even understand His word without His Spirit? How can we see Him if not by the help of His Spirit?
Even communion must be by His Spirit, for God is a Spirit, and those who so choose to worship Him must worship Him (in the, manner He deems), in spirit and in truth!
So communication, worship, understanding are all by the Spirit. The Person of God who is with those who believe and receive now, is The Holy Spirit.
Resurrection power is demonstrated by the Spirit of Christ in people! We cannot even see Him to be able to believe Him, except by His Spirit, for His Spirit is who draws men to Christ.
“Stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven!” We are not exempt from this command of our Lord, unless we don’t believe. We cannot skip this important part of our new birth. We are not above the disciples and apostles of the first church. His Spirit did not pass away, even today. We who believe must also receive Him. If we do not believe, we can reject Him, but this will be why we don’t sense Him or are not led by Him, we would not receive Him. He is a gentleman; He will not strive with those who do not want Him around.
Luke 24 Daily Bread Post for Today
The Resurrection
1But very early on Sunday morning F115 the women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2They found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. 3So they went in, but they couldn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4They were puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Suddenly, two men appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5The women were terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? 6He isn't here! He has risen from the dead! Don't you remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?"
8Then they remembered that he had said this. 9So they rushed back to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several others. They told the apostles what had happened, 11but the story sounded like nonsense, so they didn't believe it. 12However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened. F116
The Walk to Emmaus
13That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles F117 out of Jerusalem. 14As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15Suddenly, Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. 16But they didn't know who he was, because God kept them from recognizing him.
17"You seem to be in a deep discussion about something," he said. "What are you so concerned about?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days."
19"What things?" Jesus asked. "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did wonderful miracles. He was a mighty teacher, highly regarded by both God and all the people. 20But our leading priests and other religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21We had thought he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. That all happened three days ago. 22Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus' body was gone, just as the women had said."
25Then Jesus said to them, "You are such foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?" 27Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself.
28By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus would have gone on, 29but they begged him to stay the night with them, since it was getting late. So he went home with them. 30As they sat down to eat, he took a small loaf of bread, asked God's blessing on it, broke it, then gave it to them. 31Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
32They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" 33And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem, where the eleven disciples and the other followers of Jesus were gathered. When they arrived, they were greeted with the report, 34"The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter F118 !"
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
35Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. He said, "Peace be with you." F119 37But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38"Why are you frightened?" he asked. "Why do you doubt who I am? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do!" 40As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his feet. F120
41Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he ate it as they watched.
44Then he said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true." 45Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. 46And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. 47With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.' 48You are witnesses of all these things.
49"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."
The Ascension
50Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. F121 52They worshiped him and F122 then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F115: Greek But on the first day of the week, very early in the morning.
F116: Some manuscripts do not include this verse.
F117: Greek 60 stadia [11.1 kilometers].
F118: Greek Simon.
F119: Some manuscripts do not include He said, "Peace be with you."
F120: Some manuscripts do not include this verse.
F121: Some manuscripts do not include and was taken up to heaven.
F122: Some manuscripts do not include worshiped him and.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
Copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. For more information about the NLT, please click here.
1But very early on Sunday morning F115 the women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2They found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. 3So they went in, but they couldn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4They were puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Suddenly, two men appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5The women were terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? 6He isn't here! He has risen from the dead! Don't you remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?"
8Then they remembered that he had said this. 9So they rushed back to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several others. They told the apostles what had happened, 11but the story sounded like nonsense, so they didn't believe it. 12However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened. F116
The Walk to Emmaus
13That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles F117 out of Jerusalem. 14As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15Suddenly, Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. 16But they didn't know who he was, because God kept them from recognizing him.
17"You seem to be in a deep discussion about something," he said. "What are you so concerned about?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days."
19"What things?" Jesus asked. "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did wonderful miracles. He was a mighty teacher, highly regarded by both God and all the people. 20But our leading priests and other religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21We had thought he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. That all happened three days ago. 22Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus' body was gone, just as the women had said."
25Then Jesus said to them, "You are such foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?" 27Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself.
28By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus would have gone on, 29but they begged him to stay the night with them, since it was getting late. So he went home with them. 30As they sat down to eat, he took a small loaf of bread, asked God's blessing on it, broke it, then gave it to them. 31Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
32They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" 33And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem, where the eleven disciples and the other followers of Jesus were gathered. When they arrived, they were greeted with the report, 34"The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter F118 !"
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
35Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. He said, "Peace be with you." F119 37But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38"Why are you frightened?" he asked. "Why do you doubt who I am? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do!" 40As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his feet. F120
41Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he ate it as they watched.
44Then he said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true." 45Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. 46And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. 47With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.' 48You are witnesses of all these things.
49"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."
The Ascension
50Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. F121 52They worshiped him and F122 then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
F115: Greek But on the first day of the week, very early in the morning.
F116: Some manuscripts do not include this verse.
F117: Greek 60 stadia [11.1 kilometers].
F118: Greek Simon.
F119: Some manuscripts do not include He said, "Peace be with you."
F120: Some manuscripts do not include this verse.
F121: Some manuscripts do not include and was taken up to heaven.
F122: Some manuscripts do not include worshiped him and.
Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living Translation
Copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. For more information about the NLT, please click here.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Lena's Journalin' to Luke 11
It takes trust and faith to genuinely pray the way the Lord showed us to as disciples. There is a difference between being a believer and a disciple. A disciple has moved into growth, with a desire to become as Christ is/was on earth. It was the disciples who asked the Lord how to pray in honor of God and effectively be in more pleasing communication with God.
It starts by saying, Lord help us to live in such a way that Your name is being worn by us, as a mark on us. That our lives and Your life are the same. That we have the same, mind, will and actions being displayed. We bear the name of Jesus honorably, rather than people saying Oh there’s so and so again and their lofty opinionated self…they say – wow, they are a demonstration of God’s visible character. They bring honor to His name. They magnify His name, their own name and its successes are not as important as being a visible display of His.
These disciples spend time knowing that they cannot work for God alone, but they need the help of God’s Spirit to desire and do His will. In all they are they want more of His plan revealed to them so they can act towards more of it being brought out through the life they live now.
Their dependencies are in God, not in self sufficiency. They give their needs to Him and do not seek to supply for their own desires. They don’t spend themselves in a way that they become far too tired to ever see to His will being done. Their material debts are as low as possible, because they are not earthly minded, but are keeping their attentions on what is eternal. They store up for the eternal future by doing the will of God now. They trust that in doing God’s will now, He’ll see to their physical and material needs. They realize that needs are not always the same as wants.
They forgive anyone and everyone who has ever wronged them or will ever wrong them. They have an eternal perspective on this matter. Forgiveness is not according to what one deserves or does not deserve, for that is how the world thinks and measures. Forgiveness is a gift given from the free will of one who does not have to, but chooses to anyway. They have seen into the future of judgment, They know they are not judge and cannot judge others or condemn them for their actions. They trust God that He is of great mercy, and they do not want to participate in pay backs. They see that any sin they have ever sinned deserved death, but God willingly removed that edict from their slate and so they willingly remove slates of others, or else the person’s sins will be held to their own slate. They remind themselves of this fact by asking God to only forgive them as much as they are willing to forgive others! They use that as a gage, on purpose! They have a revelation that they could have been “saved” from hell, but can turn their back on adopting the very character of God in their own lives and thus be worse off than when they had first “received” Christ!
They know of weakness and the ease of turning away. They lay down prideful thoughts daily to follow one who knows more than they do and they also know they are engaged in a warfare for their souls. They are aware and humbly ask God to show them the obedience’s that will keep them on righteous pathways. Humility submits on purpose, that a greater purpose may prevail.
Ask and keep on asking….some have taught that this is not faith. The principle laid out here is of persistence where an enemy is concerned. The enemy is living as a spirit in the eternal realm, 70+ years is a blink to him and his cohorts. They will never give up on trying to take us out of God’s hands, the biggest tactic they prevail by is time passing. Humans measure time often, where the enemy doesn’t need to. We must become eternally minded and insist on our kingdom rights while still on earth. The territories we gain are so God can have more authority through man in the earth. They fulfill His purposes, if a human does not let go of God’s word and its promises, that man takes ground back for God’s kingdom on earth.
What was the last thing you asked, sought or knocked about that God had been wanting done through you in the earth? Have you received the Holy Spirit? God wants you to receive the Holy Spirit. That is something God wants us to have. He wants us to have help and power to go forth daily doing His will on earth. Do we want that as bad as God does? How bad? Enough to not let go till we get His gifts? 1 Cor 12:31 says covet the gifts of the spirit, that means fervently ask till it’s done, pursue Him passionately, until He is in regular manifestation, in our daily lives
Are we helping God to have His will while we are on earth or are we just waiting it all out till we get to heaven and have the party we’ve been waiting for? What are we here for? His desire, will and plan. We are the man who will choose to help Him or not. If we don’t, no one will! Jesus said, you are either helping Me out here or you’re not.
Blessed are they who hear the word of God and put it into practice!
Jesus came to the earth, left us the power to do what He asked of us, left us instructions to do what He asked of us, are we seeking to do what He left for us? Do we get the power He gave and then use it for His glory and honor?
This is why we are here.
We must get God-centered, and eternally focused. We only have a bit of time here to do all we can to help Him take back ground legally given up by man. Man must be the willing one to take it back. What is so awesome is before Jesus, man couldn’t do it, but after Jesus came, man can, if man will. The only thing holding God back on earth is the human will.
Have you been one who so carefully cleans the outside of the cup, trying hard to follow every law and command, without a true living relationship with God? It will get you nowhere quickly. Fulfilling the law after Jesus came, without a relationship with God is futile. A true love relationship, fulfills all the law just by being in love, for true loves obeys, because it wants to, not because it is made to or has to. When in a love filled and motivated relationship that lives off of obedience’s to God’s Spirit, that person has the fulfillment of the law accredited to His accounts. The law is fulfilled through his personal loving relationship acted out through obedience to God Himself.
Obeying the law without the motivation of love will never bring us closer to God at all. May as well not do any of it, then to waste time trying to earn favor with God.
Until one has a personal relationship with God the laws may be a guideline to lead him there, but following the law will not save Him. The only way to be saved by following the law is if at the end of that road one finds Christ, and it truly leads him into a relationship of love in Christ!
We cannot earn our way to Christ. Ever. We just get tired and discouraged, which is just what the enemy wants us to do, and then quit it all. If we do that he’s taken ground again and has won. Can we allow that?
We do everyday. Let’s begin to disallow the enemy to have our hearts, minds, and wills. Let’s will to do His good pleasure due to a love that wells within to follow after His plan.
It starts by saying, Lord help us to live in such a way that Your name is being worn by us, as a mark on us. That our lives and Your life are the same. That we have the same, mind, will and actions being displayed. We bear the name of Jesus honorably, rather than people saying Oh there’s so and so again and their lofty opinionated self…they say – wow, they are a demonstration of God’s visible character. They bring honor to His name. They magnify His name, their own name and its successes are not as important as being a visible display of His.
These disciples spend time knowing that they cannot work for God alone, but they need the help of God’s Spirit to desire and do His will. In all they are they want more of His plan revealed to them so they can act towards more of it being brought out through the life they live now.
Their dependencies are in God, not in self sufficiency. They give their needs to Him and do not seek to supply for their own desires. They don’t spend themselves in a way that they become far too tired to ever see to His will being done. Their material debts are as low as possible, because they are not earthly minded, but are keeping their attentions on what is eternal. They store up for the eternal future by doing the will of God now. They trust that in doing God’s will now, He’ll see to their physical and material needs. They realize that needs are not always the same as wants.
They forgive anyone and everyone who has ever wronged them or will ever wrong them. They have an eternal perspective on this matter. Forgiveness is not according to what one deserves or does not deserve, for that is how the world thinks and measures. Forgiveness is a gift given from the free will of one who does not have to, but chooses to anyway. They have seen into the future of judgment, They know they are not judge and cannot judge others or condemn them for their actions. They trust God that He is of great mercy, and they do not want to participate in pay backs. They see that any sin they have ever sinned deserved death, but God willingly removed that edict from their slate and so they willingly remove slates of others, or else the person’s sins will be held to their own slate. They remind themselves of this fact by asking God to only forgive them as much as they are willing to forgive others! They use that as a gage, on purpose! They have a revelation that they could have been “saved” from hell, but can turn their back on adopting the very character of God in their own lives and thus be worse off than when they had first “received” Christ!
They know of weakness and the ease of turning away. They lay down prideful thoughts daily to follow one who knows more than they do and they also know they are engaged in a warfare for their souls. They are aware and humbly ask God to show them the obedience’s that will keep them on righteous pathways. Humility submits on purpose, that a greater purpose may prevail.
Ask and keep on asking….some have taught that this is not faith. The principle laid out here is of persistence where an enemy is concerned. The enemy is living as a spirit in the eternal realm, 70+ years is a blink to him and his cohorts. They will never give up on trying to take us out of God’s hands, the biggest tactic they prevail by is time passing. Humans measure time often, where the enemy doesn’t need to. We must become eternally minded and insist on our kingdom rights while still on earth. The territories we gain are so God can have more authority through man in the earth. They fulfill His purposes, if a human does not let go of God’s word and its promises, that man takes ground back for God’s kingdom on earth.
What was the last thing you asked, sought or knocked about that God had been wanting done through you in the earth? Have you received the Holy Spirit? God wants you to receive the Holy Spirit. That is something God wants us to have. He wants us to have help and power to go forth daily doing His will on earth. Do we want that as bad as God does? How bad? Enough to not let go till we get His gifts? 1 Cor 12:31 says covet the gifts of the spirit, that means fervently ask till it’s done, pursue Him passionately, until He is in regular manifestation, in our daily lives
Are we helping God to have His will while we are on earth or are we just waiting it all out till we get to heaven and have the party we’ve been waiting for? What are we here for? His desire, will and plan. We are the man who will choose to help Him or not. If we don’t, no one will! Jesus said, you are either helping Me out here or you’re not.
Blessed are they who hear the word of God and put it into practice!
Jesus came to the earth, left us the power to do what He asked of us, left us instructions to do what He asked of us, are we seeking to do what He left for us? Do we get the power He gave and then use it for His glory and honor?
This is why we are here.
We must get God-centered, and eternally focused. We only have a bit of time here to do all we can to help Him take back ground legally given up by man. Man must be the willing one to take it back. What is so awesome is before Jesus, man couldn’t do it, but after Jesus came, man can, if man will. The only thing holding God back on earth is the human will.
Have you been one who so carefully cleans the outside of the cup, trying hard to follow every law and command, without a true living relationship with God? It will get you nowhere quickly. Fulfilling the law after Jesus came, without a relationship with God is futile. A true love relationship, fulfills all the law just by being in love, for true loves obeys, because it wants to, not because it is made to or has to. When in a love filled and motivated relationship that lives off of obedience’s to God’s Spirit, that person has the fulfillment of the law accredited to His accounts. The law is fulfilled through his personal loving relationship acted out through obedience to God Himself.
Obeying the law without the motivation of love will never bring us closer to God at all. May as well not do any of it, then to waste time trying to earn favor with God.
Until one has a personal relationship with God the laws may be a guideline to lead him there, but following the law will not save Him. The only way to be saved by following the law is if at the end of that road one finds Christ, and it truly leads him into a relationship of love in Christ!
We cannot earn our way to Christ. Ever. We just get tired and discouraged, which is just what the enemy wants us to do, and then quit it all. If we do that he’s taken ground again and has won. Can we allow that?
We do everyday. Let’s begin to disallow the enemy to have our hearts, minds, and wills. Let’s will to do His good pleasure due to a love that wells within to follow after His plan.
Luke 11 Daily Bread for Today
1Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
2He said, "This is how you should pray:
"Father, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us our food day by day. 4 And forgive us our sins— just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptation. F52 "
5Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him, 6'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7He would call out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I can't help you this time.' 8But I tell you this—though he won't do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged. F53
9"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 10For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
11"You fathers—if your children ask F54 for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
14One day Jesus cast a demon out of a man who couldn't speak, and the man's voice returned to him. The crowd was amazed, 15but some said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, F55 the prince of demons!" 16Trying to test Jesus, others asked for a miraculous sign from heaven to see if he was from God.
17He knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed. A divided home is also doomed. 18You say I am empowered by the prince of demons. F56 But if Satan is fighting against himself by empowering me to cast out his demons, how can his kingdom survive? 19And if I am empowered by the prince of demons, what about your own followers? They cast out demons, too, so they will judge you for what you have said. 20But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21For when Satan, F57 who is completely armed, guards his palace, it is safe—22until someone who is stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.
23"Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
24"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' 25So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and clean. 26Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before."
27As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, "God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!"
28He replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."
The Sign of Jonah
29As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, "These are evil times, and this evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 30What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to me will be a sign that God has sent me, the Son of Man, to these people.
31"The queen of Sheba F58 will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here—and you refuse to listen to him. 32The people of Nineveh, too, will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here—and you refuse to repent.
Receiving the Light
33"No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand to give light to all who enter the room. 34Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. 35Make sure that the light you think you have is not really darkness. 36If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight is shining on you."
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
37As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. 38His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the ceremonial washing required by Jewish custom. 39Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are still filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? 41So give to the needy what you greedily possess, and you will be clean all over.
42"But how terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, F59 but you completely forget about justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.
43"How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For how you love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the respectful greetings from everyone as you walk through the markets! 44Yes, how terrible it will be for you. For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on."
45"Teacher," said an expert in religious law, "you have insulted us, too, in what you just said."
46"Yes," said Jesus, "how terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you crush people beneath impossible religious demands, and you never lift a finger to help ease the burden. 47How terrible it will be for you! For you build tombs for the very prophets your ancestors killed long ago. 48Murderers! You agree with your ancestors that what they did was right. You would have done the same yourselves. 49This is what God in his wisdom said about you: F60 'I will send prophets and apostles to them, and they will kill some and persecute the others.'
50"And you of this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God's prophets from the creation of the world—51from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will surely be charged against you.
52"How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering."
53As Jesus finished speaking, the Pharisees and teachers of religious law were furious. From that time on they grilled him with many hostile questions, 54trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him.
________________________________________
FOOTNOTES:
F52: Some manuscripts add additional portions of the Lord's Prayer as it reads in Matt 6:9-13.
F53: Greek in order to avoid shame, or because of [your] persistence.
F54: Some manuscripts add for bread, do you give them a stone? Or if they ask.
F55: Greek Beelzeboul.
F56: Greek by Beelzeboul; also in 11:19.
F57: Greek the strong one.
F58: Greek the queen of the south.
F59: Greek to tithe the mint and the rue and every herb.
F60: Greek Therefore, the wisdom of God said 1Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
2He said, "This is how you should pray:
"Father, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us our food day by day. 4 And forgive us our sins— just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptation. F52 "
5Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would say to him, 6'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7He would call out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and we are all in bed. I can't help you this time.' 8But I tell you this—though he won't do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged. F53
9"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 10For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
11"You fathers—if your children ask F54 for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
14One day Jesus cast a demon out of a man who couldn't speak, and the man's voice returned to him. The crowd was amazed, 15but some said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, F55 the prince of demons!" 16Trying to test Jesus, others asked for a miraculous sign from heaven to see if he was from God.
17He knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom at war with itself is doomed. A divided home is also doomed. 18You say I am empowered by the prince of demons. F56 But if Satan is fighting against himself by empowering me to cast out his demons, how can his kingdom survive? 19And if I am empowered by the prince of demons, what about your own followers? They cast out demons, too, so they will judge you for what you have said. 20But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21For when Satan, F57 who is completely armed, guards his palace, it is safe—22until someone who is stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.
23"Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me.
24"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' 25So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and clean. 26Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before."
27As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, "God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!"
28He replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."
The Sign of Jonah
29As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, "These are evil times, and this evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 30What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to me will be a sign that God has sent me, the Son of Man, to these people.
31"The queen of Sheba F58 will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And now someone greater than Solomon is here—and you refuse to listen to him. 32The people of Nineveh, too, will rise up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And now someone greater than Jonah is here—and you refuse to repent.
Receiving the Light
33"No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand to give light to all who enter the room. 34Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. 35Make sure that the light you think you have is not really darkness. 36If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight is shining on you."
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
37As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. 38His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the ceremonial washing required by Jewish custom. 39Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are still filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? 41So give to the needy what you greedily possess, and you will be clean all over.
42"But how terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, F59 but you completely forget about justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.
43"How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For how you love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the respectful greetings from everyone as you walk through the markets! 44Yes, how terrible it will be for you. For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on."
45"Teacher," said an expert in religious law, "you have insulted us, too, in what you just said."
46"Yes," said Jesus, "how terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you crush people beneath impossible religious demands, and you never lift a finger to help ease the burden. 47How terrible it will be for you! For you build tombs for the very prophets your ancestors killed long ago. 48Murderers! You agree with your ancestors that what they did was right. You would have done the same yourselves. 49This is what God in his wisdom said about you: F60 'I will send prophets and apostles to them, and they will kill some and persecute the others.'
50"And you of this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God's prophets from the creation of the world—51from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will surely be charged against you.
52"How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering."
53As Jesus finished speaking, the Pharisees and teachers of religious law were furious. From that time on they grilled him with many hostile questions, 54trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him.
________________________________________
FOOTNOTES:
F52: Some manuscripts add additional portions of the Lord's Prayer as it reads in Matt 6:9-13.
F53: Greek in order to avoid shame, or because of [your] persistence.
F54: Some manuscripts add for bread, do you give them a stone? Or if they ask.
F55: Greek Beelzeboul.
F56: Greek by Beelzeboul; also in 11:19.
F57: Greek the strong one.
F58: Greek the queen of the south.
F59: Greek to tithe the mint and the rue and every herb.
F60: Greek Therefore, the wisdom of God said 1Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Lena's Journalin' to Isa 65 Today
This scripture is the same yesterday and today. It was written long ago and veered towards a specific people, for our learning, we need to see which people and ask whether we are the same people or not.
There is a people who worship God because they choose to, not because they have to. It is a people who see and come to know of His goodness and His great love, a people who make an exchange of what was important to them before this time to what is important to Him in this time.
He is still ready and waiting, never leaving this place of expectation that someone who would not know Him and His ways yesterday, would today come to desire and know them forevermore.
He says today, “Here I Am”, and He will say that everyday of our lives here on earth until we die. Everyday is a day He hopes we will decide to follow true love and follow His voice.
He is not far away. If we ever sense distance it is due to the gentle nature of God the Father, Son and Spirit. They offer and wait. Offer and wait. They do not push, shove or otherwise, they ask, and stay, and wait. It is those they ask that may linger or go on towards another way, which makes distance, but He is always there for the returning.
I’ve noticed God speaks directly once to the heart, on a specific matter. Then He sends messengers of grace to conform words He’s already spoken of to the hearts. If we choose to ignore them or take the words as suggestions, He won’t speak about it again. He lets us go on and do our own thing our own way.
We do not really believe Him or we’d respond and do what He’s said the first time. I’ve met many a Christian who is waiting for God to prod or invite them again. He already did. A continual communicable relationship is nurtured by words spoken, heard, and carried out. After carrying the first words out, we ask, “Lord, what else?” Those who practice a continual obedience to His words hear His voice clearly and regularly.
The biggest deal in all this is faith. What is our belief system based on? Do we really have faith in God? Or do we esteem His words as a book of many great suggestions and wisdoms that one may observe if they choose to? If we see God’s words as suggestions to do if we choose to, we do not have a true faith in God, we are acting as our own god, doing our own will. We’ve formed our own gospel message that we follow after. We’ve chosen our own way.
Do’s and Don’ts to us who do not exercise true faith, are just a set of more laws. If we’re in rebellion, we do not like laws. In a relationship do’s and don’ts are guides and are a welcomed asset to a great relationship, keeping all pathways clear and following all directions that get us closer relationally.
Whether we ever esteem God’s Word THE word to follow or not, we are all accountable to it. He created the world and He made us. It goes His way in the end of the matter. It may as well go His way now. We are in a Big Giant eternal test. Will we pass? It is up to us.
Remember what I said this week. The most powerful thing in heaven and on earth is the free will.
There is a contest, the Spirit and power of Elijah is being unleashed in the earth right now once again. It is a Spirit of grace and of mercy for our souls. The contest is that of the wills. Whom will YOU serve? If God be God, serve Him, if Baal be god, then give your life over to him.
Who is GOD (Big “G”) to you? It is only known in who you really follow and obey. You cannot say you serve God Most High Creator of Heaven and Earth, and not do the things He says.
You cannot say you serve God Most High Creator of Heaven and Earth and take His words as suggestions! We cannot say one thing while we do other things. We cannot put God in our lives where He fits well. He’ll never fit, He’s wayyyy TOO big! Our lives must be fully adjusted to fit into His will and plan.
Are we WILLing to do that? That means a tremendous amount of change.
The god of fate?….Oh My. The god of Destiny?... dear God! Who or what is His name? Do we know who bears THE name? Are we WILLing to marry Him and forever bear His name?
It is craziness to take no responsibility for the decisions of your will and say everything is just going to fall where it may. No WAY, that’s a lie, a terrible lie! It’s a deception, don’t listen to that voice.
God is calling, blowing a trumpet, “You ARE responsible for your decisions made in the here and now”.
We called out to Him in trouble, He answered us. He said something like, “I’d love to save you, here follow Me and we’ll walk right out of this mess”. Your answer may have been, “What?” “That way? No way, I’ll just go this way, but thanks so much for Your time and I so appreciate the advise You give me, but I feel better right now, so I’ll just follow my own way (again). I’ll see you ‘round the bin someday down the road if I need You again, I’ll call for You then; Bye, bye…”
But now God is again calling for all men everywhere to repent. He hath need of thee! He’s been waiting for some men to arise in His mighty awesome power and kick the enemy‘s butt. He is waiting for a people who will draw lines on the earth for Him, take back territories, and go in and rescue people from the enemy’s camp.
“Arise up, Oh body of Christ, it is you, you are it”, says the Lord.
The Lord begins to speak a blessing over His people at the last verses of this chapter. What do you think happened? Did God suddenly change His mind and give them what they did not earn responsibly? Did He suddenly have a change of heart?
The scripture says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” And also “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
He blesses a people who bless Him. He curses a people who curse Him.
How does a people bless or curse God? By obeying or refusing Him, that’s how. These last passages are for those who turned to obey. Those who saw the error of their way, turned to obey, and experienced what was once a curse on them, become a blessing.
This is how it will be for anyone who calls on the Lord and then follows Him. He will bless them, they become His all the way. He fights their enemies for them, and turns tides even reversing generational curses turning them into blessings. He doesn’t just do that for those who refuse change.
Even in Moses’ day when it says God repented of the thoughts He’d had about annihilating all Israel before their “time”. He repented of killing them right there and then, but those who were still alive and choose their own ways fell under the law of the universe where a curse follows the disobedient and a blessing follows the obedient. When He relented from killing them, they got a longer chance to turn, but the formula/law did not get changed!
There is a people who worship God because they choose to, not because they have to. It is a people who see and come to know of His goodness and His great love, a people who make an exchange of what was important to them before this time to what is important to Him in this time.
He is still ready and waiting, never leaving this place of expectation that someone who would not know Him and His ways yesterday, would today come to desire and know them forevermore.
He says today, “Here I Am”, and He will say that everyday of our lives here on earth until we die. Everyday is a day He hopes we will decide to follow true love and follow His voice.
He is not far away. If we ever sense distance it is due to the gentle nature of God the Father, Son and Spirit. They offer and wait. Offer and wait. They do not push, shove or otherwise, they ask, and stay, and wait. It is those they ask that may linger or go on towards another way, which makes distance, but He is always there for the returning.
I’ve noticed God speaks directly once to the heart, on a specific matter. Then He sends messengers of grace to conform words He’s already spoken of to the hearts. If we choose to ignore them or take the words as suggestions, He won’t speak about it again. He lets us go on and do our own thing our own way.
We do not really believe Him or we’d respond and do what He’s said the first time. I’ve met many a Christian who is waiting for God to prod or invite them again. He already did. A continual communicable relationship is nurtured by words spoken, heard, and carried out. After carrying the first words out, we ask, “Lord, what else?” Those who practice a continual obedience to His words hear His voice clearly and regularly.
The biggest deal in all this is faith. What is our belief system based on? Do we really have faith in God? Or do we esteem His words as a book of many great suggestions and wisdoms that one may observe if they choose to? If we see God’s words as suggestions to do if we choose to, we do not have a true faith in God, we are acting as our own god, doing our own will. We’ve formed our own gospel message that we follow after. We’ve chosen our own way.
Do’s and Don’ts to us who do not exercise true faith, are just a set of more laws. If we’re in rebellion, we do not like laws. In a relationship do’s and don’ts are guides and are a welcomed asset to a great relationship, keeping all pathways clear and following all directions that get us closer relationally.
Whether we ever esteem God’s Word THE word to follow or not, we are all accountable to it. He created the world and He made us. It goes His way in the end of the matter. It may as well go His way now. We are in a Big Giant eternal test. Will we pass? It is up to us.
Remember what I said this week. The most powerful thing in heaven and on earth is the free will.
There is a contest, the Spirit and power of Elijah is being unleashed in the earth right now once again. It is a Spirit of grace and of mercy for our souls. The contest is that of the wills. Whom will YOU serve? If God be God, serve Him, if Baal be god, then give your life over to him.
Who is GOD (Big “G”) to you? It is only known in who you really follow and obey. You cannot say you serve God Most High Creator of Heaven and Earth, and not do the things He says.
You cannot say you serve God Most High Creator of Heaven and Earth and take His words as suggestions! We cannot say one thing while we do other things. We cannot put God in our lives where He fits well. He’ll never fit, He’s wayyyy TOO big! Our lives must be fully adjusted to fit into His will and plan.
Are we WILLing to do that? That means a tremendous amount of change.
The god of fate?….Oh My. The god of Destiny?... dear God! Who or what is His name? Do we know who bears THE name? Are we WILLing to marry Him and forever bear His name?
It is craziness to take no responsibility for the decisions of your will and say everything is just going to fall where it may. No WAY, that’s a lie, a terrible lie! It’s a deception, don’t listen to that voice.
God is calling, blowing a trumpet, “You ARE responsible for your decisions made in the here and now”.
We called out to Him in trouble, He answered us. He said something like, “I’d love to save you, here follow Me and we’ll walk right out of this mess”. Your answer may have been, “What?” “That way? No way, I’ll just go this way, but thanks so much for Your time and I so appreciate the advise You give me, but I feel better right now, so I’ll just follow my own way (again). I’ll see you ‘round the bin someday down the road if I need You again, I’ll call for You then; Bye, bye…”
But now God is again calling for all men everywhere to repent. He hath need of thee! He’s been waiting for some men to arise in His mighty awesome power and kick the enemy‘s butt. He is waiting for a people who will draw lines on the earth for Him, take back territories, and go in and rescue people from the enemy’s camp.
“Arise up, Oh body of Christ, it is you, you are it”, says the Lord.
The Lord begins to speak a blessing over His people at the last verses of this chapter. What do you think happened? Did God suddenly change His mind and give them what they did not earn responsibly? Did He suddenly have a change of heart?
The scripture says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” And also “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
He blesses a people who bless Him. He curses a people who curse Him.
How does a people bless or curse God? By obeying or refusing Him, that’s how. These last passages are for those who turned to obey. Those who saw the error of their way, turned to obey, and experienced what was once a curse on them, become a blessing.
This is how it will be for anyone who calls on the Lord and then follows Him. He will bless them, they become His all the way. He fights their enemies for them, and turns tides even reversing generational curses turning them into blessings. He doesn’t just do that for those who refuse change.
Even in Moses’ day when it says God repented of the thoughts He’d had about annihilating all Israel before their “time”. He repented of killing them right there and then, but those who were still alive and choose their own ways fell under the law of the universe where a curse follows the disobedient and a blessing follows the obedient. When He relented from killing them, they got a longer chance to turn, but the formula/law did not get changed!
Isaiah 65 Today's Daily Bread
Isaiah 65
Judgment and Final Salvation
1 The Lord says,
“I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’
to a nation that did not call on my name.[a]
2 All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people.[b]
But they follow their own evil paths
and their own crooked schemes.
3 All day long they insult me to my face
by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens.
They burn incense on pagan altars.
4 At night they go out among the graves,
worshiping the dead.
They eat the flesh of pigs
and make stews with other forbidden foods.
5 Yet they say to each other,
‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me!
I am holier than you!’
These people are a stench in my nostrils,
an acrid smell that never goes away.
6 “Look, my decree is written out[c] in front of me:
I will not stand silent;
I will repay them in full!
Yes, I will repay them—
7 both for their own sins
and for those of their ancestors,”
says the Lord.
“For they also burned incense on the mountains
and insulted me on the hills.
I will pay them back in full!
8 “But I will not destroy them all,”
says the Lord.
“For just as good grapes are found among a cluster of bad ones
(and someone will say, ‘Don’t throw them all away—
some of those grapes are good!’),
so I will not destroy all Israel.
For I still have true servants there.
9 I will preserve a remnant of the people of Israel[d]
and of Judah to possess my land.
Those I choose will inherit it,
and my servants will live there.
10 The plain of Sharon will again be filled with flocks
for my people who have searched for me,
and the valley of Achor will be a place to pasture herds.
11 “But because the rest of you have forsaken the Lord
and have forgotten his Temple,
and because you have prepared feasts to honor the god of Fate
and have offered mixed wine to the god of Destiny,
12 now I will ‘destine’ you for the sword.
All of you will bow down before the executioner.
For when I called, you did not answer.
When I spoke, you did not listen.
You deliberately sinned—before my very eyes—
and chose to do what you know I despise.”
13 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“My servants will eat,
but you will starve.
My servants will drink,
but you will be thirsty.
My servants will rejoice,
but you will be sad and ashamed.
14 My servants will sing for joy,
but you will cry in sorrow and despair.
15 Your name will be a curse word among my people,
for the Sovereign Lord will destroy you
and will call his true servants by another name.
16 All who invoke a blessing or take an oath
will do so by the God of truth.
For I will put aside my anger
and forget the evil of earlier days.
17 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth,
and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
18 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!
And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness.
Her people will be a source of joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and delight in my people.
And the sound of weeping and crying
will be heard in it no more.
20 “No longer will babies die when only a few days old.
No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life.
No longer will people be considered old at one hundred!
Only the cursed will die that young!
21 In those days people will live in the houses they build
and eat the fruit of their own vineyards.
22 Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses
and confiscate their vineyards.
For my people will live as long as trees,
and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.
23 They will not work in vain,
and their children will not be doomed to misfortune.
For they are people blessed by the Lord,
and their children, too, will be blessed.
24 I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.
But the snakes will eat dust.
In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Footnotes:
Isaiah 65:1 Or to a nation that did not bear my name.
Isaiah 65:2 Greek version reads I was found by people who were not looking for me. / I showed myself to those who were not asking for me. / All day long I opened my arms to them, / but they were disobedient and rebellious. Compare Rom 10:20.
Isaiah 65:6 Or their sins are written out; Hebrew reads it stands written.
Isaiah 65:9 Hebrew remnant of Jacob. See note on 14:1.
Judgment and Final Salvation
1 The Lord says,
“I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’
to a nation that did not call on my name.[a]
2 All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people.[b]
But they follow their own evil paths
and their own crooked schemes.
3 All day long they insult me to my face
by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens.
They burn incense on pagan altars.
4 At night they go out among the graves,
worshiping the dead.
They eat the flesh of pigs
and make stews with other forbidden foods.
5 Yet they say to each other,
‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me!
I am holier than you!’
These people are a stench in my nostrils,
an acrid smell that never goes away.
6 “Look, my decree is written out[c] in front of me:
I will not stand silent;
I will repay them in full!
Yes, I will repay them—
7 both for their own sins
and for those of their ancestors,”
says the Lord.
“For they also burned incense on the mountains
and insulted me on the hills.
I will pay them back in full!
8 “But I will not destroy them all,”
says the Lord.
“For just as good grapes are found among a cluster of bad ones
(and someone will say, ‘Don’t throw them all away—
some of those grapes are good!’),
so I will not destroy all Israel.
For I still have true servants there.
9 I will preserve a remnant of the people of Israel[d]
and of Judah to possess my land.
Those I choose will inherit it,
and my servants will live there.
10 The plain of Sharon will again be filled with flocks
for my people who have searched for me,
and the valley of Achor will be a place to pasture herds.
11 “But because the rest of you have forsaken the Lord
and have forgotten his Temple,
and because you have prepared feasts to honor the god of Fate
and have offered mixed wine to the god of Destiny,
12 now I will ‘destine’ you for the sword.
All of you will bow down before the executioner.
For when I called, you did not answer.
When I spoke, you did not listen.
You deliberately sinned—before my very eyes—
and chose to do what you know I despise.”
13 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“My servants will eat,
but you will starve.
My servants will drink,
but you will be thirsty.
My servants will rejoice,
but you will be sad and ashamed.
14 My servants will sing for joy,
but you will cry in sorrow and despair.
15 Your name will be a curse word among my people,
for the Sovereign Lord will destroy you
and will call his true servants by another name.
16 All who invoke a blessing or take an oath
will do so by the God of truth.
For I will put aside my anger
and forget the evil of earlier days.
17 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth,
and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
18 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!
And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness.
Her people will be a source of joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and delight in my people.
And the sound of weeping and crying
will be heard in it no more.
20 “No longer will babies die when only a few days old.
No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life.
No longer will people be considered old at one hundred!
Only the cursed will die that young!
21 In those days people will live in the houses they build
and eat the fruit of their own vineyards.
22 Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses
and confiscate their vineyards.
For my people will live as long as trees,
and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.
23 They will not work in vain,
and their children will not be doomed to misfortune.
For they are people blessed by the Lord,
and their children, too, will be blessed.
24 I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.
But the snakes will eat dust.
In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Footnotes:
Isaiah 65:1 Or to a nation that did not bear my name.
Isaiah 65:2 Greek version reads I was found by people who were not looking for me. / I showed myself to those who were not asking for me. / All day long I opened my arms to them, / but they were disobedient and rebellious. Compare Rom 10:20.
Isaiah 65:6 Or their sins are written out; Hebrew reads it stands written.
Isaiah 65:9 Hebrew remnant of Jacob. See note on 14:1.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Lena's Journalin to Isaiah 54 Today
Who could the childless woman be? Could it be the church?
It could be a woman, or a couple who have had many natural children, but have lived more for natural goals than spiritual ones. They who have never led anyone to the Lordship of Christ, whether with their own natural children or someone else’s natural children, and so they are spiritually barren.
The way to lead others to His Lordship is to be under the Lordship of Christ yourself. Gone is the day of grace upon the church, the bride of Christ, where we can preach the words of God and not be in demonstration of them with much effect at all. No more kidding around. What is hidden, what is evidenced in the secret places of our own hearts and home relationships is being revealed to the world in this day. What is really the reality of relational life is being brought forth for all to see. This bringing forth of what really is, is more grace than it was for things important to God to be allowed to be hidden. It is the grace of the end time harvest. Here’s one of the last wake up calls. Let’s get what we’d done wrong right before God and men!
Sing- if you were once childless, had never born spiritual children, have struggled with your own flesh and have messed things up relationally.
Sing, His grace is for you! Everytime God shows us stuff is for us to know there is an answer and change is still available to us. As long as we can still make changes, we are still under His graces! Thank God our days are not yet over and we can change.
Enlarge your house (capacity for more faith in God), build an addition, (make more rooms for His purposes to be kept by you, in your house, the one you presently live in.)
Spread out your home, spare no expense (yes it will cost you the laying down of your present lifestyle, yes you’ll have to give up dear to you things and comfortable habits, you’ll be desperate for change, it will cost you the exchange of your life! But you’ll gain His, and you could have never gotten it without laying yours down in exchange for His! Yes God wants to come in and rearrange your house and set up a place for His ways to be established in your body, soul and spirit! In your family, in your personal relationships. He wants His will to be done, so His kingdom can come to your place on earth!)
Desiring to go to nations? Why? Do you want to see new things, or take a pleasure trip?
There are nations and peoples inside of each person alive, anywhere they are alive. Who is your life impacting? Is it working at home and inside of close knit relationships here? If not, do not make plans to go just yet. BUT, when we decide to do it all His way, at home first, watch out nations, watch out, the power of God will be unleashed through human spiritual wombs!
Disgrace? Dis-grace? Missed grace? No grace? Only to those who have refused to accept His offers.
Let it not be said among us, that we’ve refused Him, but let it rather be said of us that we are a people who have done His will, His way, no questions, no qualms, Just Did It!
Fear? Fear Not! Fear is faith in evil, faith in the god of evil, the d’evil. Faith in God is what moves whatever needs moving. Do not have faith in the god of evil. Magnify the LORD with me, Let US exalt His Holy name!
Erase disgrace by obedience. All traces will be gone. It amazes me the extended grace of God, He always removes the shame of should’ves. I should’ve to that He says, huh? WHAT are you speaking of. He remembers the obedience, the repentance, once it is enacted; He remembers the sins no more. The only sin He is looking at is the unrepentant one. Yet even that is forgiven by the blood of His Son, it is taken care of enough for us to be able to readily repent, it has no power to keep us from making the proper turn. The ability to turn is available to whoever wants to make it. We merely have to switch gears, make the proper turn, and go on from here! Then we let the past go away as we make that new turn around.
He is your husband. No matter who your natural “husband” is, no matter what persons you are in physical or natural relationships with, God will make a way for you to be fruitful. No one around you who may be unwilling to bear fruit can keep you from being fruitful, for He is your partner in bringing forth fruit. Fruits of repentance are where it all begins.
He is the one who saves. There’s nothing or no one who is preventing us from being forgiven, or choosing righteousness, or holiness. He redeems us.
Yes, we may be imprisoned, yes we may be physically bound, but we can be spiritually freed in any and every situation.
The slave of old who is being whipped can be freed spiritually through forgiveness! No matter the circumstance or situation one can turn with the strength of Christ.
Circumstances are not my Master, situations are not my partner. He is, and He is more than I’ll ever need.
Those who have turned from the error of ways contrary to His will and plan, have no concerns for their future relationship with God. He will always be with us, as long as we stay with Him. Yes, everything in God’s kingdom requires a response and responsibility on our parts. We engage in what it is He is doing.
There is blessing to those who keep and uphold the covenant and the laws of the kingdom willingly. Supernatural order can unfold on earth, Seas can and will part for King’s kids. Those who bear the marks of His name and the seal of His covenant carry an authority and a power beyond the natural man.
In that day! In that day….
This is the day that the Lord hath made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!
When one sinner repents and turns from serving his own ways, the angels in heaven rejoice, in that day…
It is the exchanging of the “I will’s”. Remember a certain someone started chaos by stating “I will ascend…I will…”?
There has to be a reversal of the “I will’s” for the day of the Lord to appear to me, to us, to the earth, corporately.
So today, who’s will, will it be? Mine or Thine? Be done.
It could be a woman, or a couple who have had many natural children, but have lived more for natural goals than spiritual ones. They who have never led anyone to the Lordship of Christ, whether with their own natural children or someone else’s natural children, and so they are spiritually barren.
The way to lead others to His Lordship is to be under the Lordship of Christ yourself. Gone is the day of grace upon the church, the bride of Christ, where we can preach the words of God and not be in demonstration of them with much effect at all. No more kidding around. What is hidden, what is evidenced in the secret places of our own hearts and home relationships is being revealed to the world in this day. What is really the reality of relational life is being brought forth for all to see. This bringing forth of what really is, is more grace than it was for things important to God to be allowed to be hidden. It is the grace of the end time harvest. Here’s one of the last wake up calls. Let’s get what we’d done wrong right before God and men!
Sing- if you were once childless, had never born spiritual children, have struggled with your own flesh and have messed things up relationally.
Sing, His grace is for you! Everytime God shows us stuff is for us to know there is an answer and change is still available to us. As long as we can still make changes, we are still under His graces! Thank God our days are not yet over and we can change.
Enlarge your house (capacity for more faith in God), build an addition, (make more rooms for His purposes to be kept by you, in your house, the one you presently live in.)
Spread out your home, spare no expense (yes it will cost you the laying down of your present lifestyle, yes you’ll have to give up dear to you things and comfortable habits, you’ll be desperate for change, it will cost you the exchange of your life! But you’ll gain His, and you could have never gotten it without laying yours down in exchange for His! Yes God wants to come in and rearrange your house and set up a place for His ways to be established in your body, soul and spirit! In your family, in your personal relationships. He wants His will to be done, so His kingdom can come to your place on earth!)
Desiring to go to nations? Why? Do you want to see new things, or take a pleasure trip?
There are nations and peoples inside of each person alive, anywhere they are alive. Who is your life impacting? Is it working at home and inside of close knit relationships here? If not, do not make plans to go just yet. BUT, when we decide to do it all His way, at home first, watch out nations, watch out, the power of God will be unleashed through human spiritual wombs!
Disgrace? Dis-grace? Missed grace? No grace? Only to those who have refused to accept His offers.
Let it not be said among us, that we’ve refused Him, but let it rather be said of us that we are a people who have done His will, His way, no questions, no qualms, Just Did It!
Fear? Fear Not! Fear is faith in evil, faith in the god of evil, the d’evil. Faith in God is what moves whatever needs moving. Do not have faith in the god of evil. Magnify the LORD with me, Let US exalt His Holy name!
Erase disgrace by obedience. All traces will be gone. It amazes me the extended grace of God, He always removes the shame of should’ves. I should’ve to that He says, huh? WHAT are you speaking of. He remembers the obedience, the repentance, once it is enacted; He remembers the sins no more. The only sin He is looking at is the unrepentant one. Yet even that is forgiven by the blood of His Son, it is taken care of enough for us to be able to readily repent, it has no power to keep us from making the proper turn. The ability to turn is available to whoever wants to make it. We merely have to switch gears, make the proper turn, and go on from here! Then we let the past go away as we make that new turn around.
He is your husband. No matter who your natural “husband” is, no matter what persons you are in physical or natural relationships with, God will make a way for you to be fruitful. No one around you who may be unwilling to bear fruit can keep you from being fruitful, for He is your partner in bringing forth fruit. Fruits of repentance are where it all begins.
He is the one who saves. There’s nothing or no one who is preventing us from being forgiven, or choosing righteousness, or holiness. He redeems us.
Yes, we may be imprisoned, yes we may be physically bound, but we can be spiritually freed in any and every situation.
The slave of old who is being whipped can be freed spiritually through forgiveness! No matter the circumstance or situation one can turn with the strength of Christ.
Circumstances are not my Master, situations are not my partner. He is, and He is more than I’ll ever need.
Those who have turned from the error of ways contrary to His will and plan, have no concerns for their future relationship with God. He will always be with us, as long as we stay with Him. Yes, everything in God’s kingdom requires a response and responsibility on our parts. We engage in what it is He is doing.
There is blessing to those who keep and uphold the covenant and the laws of the kingdom willingly. Supernatural order can unfold on earth, Seas can and will part for King’s kids. Those who bear the marks of His name and the seal of His covenant carry an authority and a power beyond the natural man.
In that day! In that day….
This is the day that the Lord hath made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!
When one sinner repents and turns from serving his own ways, the angels in heaven rejoice, in that day…
It is the exchanging of the “I will’s”. Remember a certain someone started chaos by stating “I will ascend…I will…”?
There has to be a reversal of the “I will’s” for the day of the Lord to appear to me, to us, to the earth, corporately.
So today, who’s will, will it be? Mine or Thine? Be done.
Isaiah 54 Today's Daily Bread
Isaiah 54
Future Glory for Jerusalem
1 “Sing, O childless woman,
you who have never given birth!
Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem,
you who have never been in labor.
For the desolate woman now has more children
than the woman who lives with her husband,”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge your house; build an addition.
Spread out your home, and spare no expense!
3 For you will soon be bursting at the seams.
Your descendants will occupy other nations
and resettle the ruined cities.
4 “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame.
Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you.
You will no longer remember the shame of your youth
and the sorrows of widowhood.
5 For your Creator will be your husband;
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
the God of all the earth.
6 For the Lord has called you back from your grief—
as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,”
says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will take you back.
8 In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while.
But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
9 “Just as I swore in the time of Noah
that I would never again let a flood cover the earth,
so now I swear
that I will never again be angry and punish you.
10 For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
11 “O storm-battered city,
troubled and desolate!
I will rebuild you with precious jewels
and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your towers of sparkling rubies,
your gates of shining gems,
and your walls of precious stones.
13 I will teach all your children,
and they will enjoy great peace.
14 You will be secure under a government that is just and fair.
Your enemies will stay far away.
You will live in peace,
and terror will not come near.
15 If any nation comes to fight you,
it is not because I sent them.
Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat.
16 “I have created the blacksmith
who fans the coals beneath the forge
and makes the weapons of destruction.
And I have created the armies that destroy.
17 But in that coming day
no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice
raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
their vindication will come from me.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Future Glory for Jerusalem
1 “Sing, O childless woman,
you who have never given birth!
Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem,
you who have never been in labor.
For the desolate woman now has more children
than the woman who lives with her husband,”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge your house; build an addition.
Spread out your home, and spare no expense!
3 For you will soon be bursting at the seams.
Your descendants will occupy other nations
and resettle the ruined cities.
4 “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame.
Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you.
You will no longer remember the shame of your youth
and the sorrows of widowhood.
5 For your Creator will be your husband;
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
the God of all the earth.
6 For the Lord has called you back from your grief—
as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband,”
says your God.
7 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will take you back.
8 In a burst of anger I turned my face away for a little while.
But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.
9 “Just as I swore in the time of Noah
that I would never again let a flood cover the earth,
so now I swear
that I will never again be angry and punish you.
10 For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,”
says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
11 “O storm-battered city,
troubled and desolate!
I will rebuild you with precious jewels
and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.
12 I will make your towers of sparkling rubies,
your gates of shining gems,
and your walls of precious stones.
13 I will teach all your children,
and they will enjoy great peace.
14 You will be secure under a government that is just and fair.
Your enemies will stay far away.
You will live in peace,
and terror will not come near.
15 If any nation comes to fight you,
it is not because I sent them.
Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat.
16 “I have created the blacksmith
who fans the coals beneath the forge
and makes the weapons of destruction.
And I have created the armies that destroy.
17 But in that coming day
no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice
raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
their vindication will come from me.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Isa 49 Today!
Isaiah 49
The Lord’s Servant Commissioned
1 Listen to me, all you in distant lands!
Pay attention, you who are far away!
The Lord called me before my birth;
from within the womb he called me by name.
2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword.
He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.
I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,
and you will bring me glory.”
4 I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand;
I will trust God for my reward.”
5 And now the Lord speaks—
the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant,
who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him.
The Lord has honored me,
and my God has given me strength.
6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles,
and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
7 The Lord, the Redeemer
and Holy One of Israel,
says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,
to the one who is the servant of rulers:
“Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.
Princes will also bow low
because of the Lord, the faithful one,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Promises of Israel’s Restoration
8 This is what the Lord says:
“At just the right time, I will respond to you.[a]
On the day of salvation I will help you.
I will protect you and give you to the people
as my covenant with them.
Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel
and assign it to its own people again.
9 I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’
and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’
They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures
and on hills that were previously bare.
10 They will neither hunger nor thirst.
The searing sun will not reach them anymore.
For the Lord in his mercy will lead them;
he will lead them beside cool waters.
11 And I will make my mountains into level paths for them.
The highways will be raised above the valleys.
12 See, my people will return from far away,
from lands to the north and west,
and from as far south as Egypt.[b]”
13 Sing for joy, O heavens!
Rejoice, O earth!
Burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on them in their suffering.
14 Yet Jerusalem[c] says, “The Lord has deserted us;
the Lord has forgotten us.”
15 “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!
16 See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.
17 Soon your descendants will come back,
and all who are trying to destroy you will go away.
18 Look around you and see,
for all your children will come back to you.
As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.
19 “Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land
will soon be crowded with your people.
Your enemies who enslaved you
will be far away.
20 The generations born in exile will return and say,
‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’
21 Then you will think to yourself,
‘Who has given me all these descendants?
For most of my children were killed,
and the rest were carried away into exile.
I was left here all alone.
Where did all these people come from?
Who bore these children?
Who raised them for me?’”
22 This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“See, I will give a signal to the godless nations.
They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms;
they will bring your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Kings and queens will serve you
and care for all your needs.
They will bow to the earth before you
and lick the dust from your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”
24 Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior?
Who can demand that a tyrant[d] let his captives go?
25 But the Lord says,
“The captives of warriors will be released,
and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved.
For I will fight those who fight you,
and I will save your children.
26 I will feed your enemies with their own flesh.
They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood.
All the world will know that I, the Lord,
am your Savior and your Redeemer,
the Mighty One of Israel.[e]”
Footnotes:
Isaiah 49:8 Greek version reads I heard you. Compare 2 Cor 6:2.
Isaiah 49:12 As in Dead Sea Scrolls, which read from the region of Aswan, which is in southern Egypt. Masoretic Text reads from the region of Sinim.
Isaiah 49:14 Hebrew Zion.
Isaiah 49:24 As in Dead Sea Scrolls, Syriac version, and Latin Vulgate (also see 49:25); Masoretic Text reads a righteous person.
Isaiah 49:26 Hebrew of Jacob. See note on 14:1.
The Lord’s Servant Commissioned
1 Listen to me, all you in distant lands!
Pay attention, you who are far away!
The Lord called me before my birth;
from within the womb he called me by name.
2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword.
He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.
I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,
and you will bring me glory.”
4 I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand;
I will trust God for my reward.”
5 And now the Lord speaks—
the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant,
who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him.
The Lord has honored me,
and my God has given me strength.
6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles,
and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
7 The Lord, the Redeemer
and Holy One of Israel,
says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,
to the one who is the servant of rulers:
“Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.
Princes will also bow low
because of the Lord, the faithful one,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Promises of Israel’s Restoration
8 This is what the Lord says:
“At just the right time, I will respond to you.[a]
On the day of salvation I will help you.
I will protect you and give you to the people
as my covenant with them.
Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel
and assign it to its own people again.
9 I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’
and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’
They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures
and on hills that were previously bare.
10 They will neither hunger nor thirst.
The searing sun will not reach them anymore.
For the Lord in his mercy will lead them;
he will lead them beside cool waters.
11 And I will make my mountains into level paths for them.
The highways will be raised above the valleys.
12 See, my people will return from far away,
from lands to the north and west,
and from as far south as Egypt.[b]”
13 Sing for joy, O heavens!
Rejoice, O earth!
Burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on them in their suffering.
14 Yet Jerusalem[c] says, “The Lord has deserted us;
the Lord has forgotten us.”
15 “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!
16 See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.
17 Soon your descendants will come back,
and all who are trying to destroy you will go away.
18 Look around you and see,
for all your children will come back to you.
As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.
19 “Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land
will soon be crowded with your people.
Your enemies who enslaved you
will be far away.
20 The generations born in exile will return and say,
‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’
21 Then you will think to yourself,
‘Who has given me all these descendants?
For most of my children were killed,
and the rest were carried away into exile.
I was left here all alone.
Where did all these people come from?
Who bore these children?
Who raised them for me?’”
22 This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“See, I will give a signal to the godless nations.
They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms;
they will bring your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Kings and queens will serve you
and care for all your needs.
They will bow to the earth before you
and lick the dust from your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.”
24 Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior?
Who can demand that a tyrant[d] let his captives go?
25 But the Lord says,
“The captives of warriors will be released,
and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved.
For I will fight those who fight you,
and I will save your children.
26 I will feed your enemies with their own flesh.
They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood.
All the world will know that I, the Lord,
am your Savior and your Redeemer,
the Mighty One of Israel.[e]”
Footnotes:
Isaiah 49:8 Greek version reads I heard you. Compare 2 Cor 6:2.
Isaiah 49:12 As in Dead Sea Scrolls, which read from the region of Aswan, which is in southern Egypt. Masoretic Text reads from the region of Sinim.
Isaiah 49:14 Hebrew Zion.
Isaiah 49:24 As in Dead Sea Scrolls, Syriac version, and Latin Vulgate (also see 49:25); Masoretic Text reads a righteous person.
Isaiah 49:26 Hebrew of Jacob. See note on 14:1.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Lena's Journalin' to Number's 6 A Nazarite Vow
As one reads this passage it could be like going through a list of requirements once again that are hard to comply with. Remember disciples dig deeper into the Word of God, to find the spirit-life inside of the Words.
The OT was a type and a shadow of things to come. The NT was the fulfillment of the laws and requirements for righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Now that does not mean there is never anything required, but the requirements are directed by God’s Spirit to those willing to set themselves apart for the building of the Kingdom of God on the inside personally and then on the outside, taking what is built inside and exporting it as a model to a lost world in obedience to the plan of God and the revelation of one’s portion in their Father’s work now.
How would one take this passage personally today in knowing it is a shadow, and how would they live this from the inside out? I’ve brought in a link to an article to spurn a study if you desire to read further. (see end of page)
The basic principles to focus in on here have to do with commitment and separation; being a living sacrifice, willingness to bear shame for another’s name and to enter into life eternal in a purpose filled lifestyle here and now.
The person makes a vow before the Lord. A vow is, of course, a promise. With God it is a covenant, never to be broken, but rather lived out before Him and with His strength in reliance forever. In the OT it was either lived out for life or for a time period. Either way there was a beginning and an end. The vow was either entered into by a man himself or committed him by his parents.
(So much for the worldly idea of , “no one is gonna decide for me how I’m to live”! or “I don’t have to or want to follow in my parents footsteps”! God actually made parents to be followed by children, and for children to copy and obey their own parents (yes bad or good, by design, yes). It is right for a child to even desire to be as a parent is and better. It is actually a curse that a child would not want to be anything like their parent, or not desire to do anything their parent says. Sin has brought the effects of death on parents and children and relationships, death and sin bring separation, you can’t just have a little of it either, if you take any part, you’ve taken in the whole package!
Our words are important to God. Yes being yes is how God thinks. No meaning no is how God thinks! If we say we will do or be something, we must, it is required us by God. He also expects us to make commitments/covenants and keep them. Yes they are hard to keep and easy to break, but He both wants us to say them and be as He is and keep them. We say we are Christians, we must be Christians!
Christians become disciples, this is the progression of growth. God expects it. You would never expect a 2 year old to stay 2, yet for some reason we’ve thought it ok to stay 2 or 3 or 4 in the way of spiritual growth. Our growth never ends, ever. For we are eternally growing up in Him. Once we start there is only progress forever. We cannot say, I’m gone stop here. Therefore as Believers then Christians we become Disciples. This is what God is looking for, expecting to see out of our lives. That is our “yes” to God, he expects it to be “yes” exactly as a parent expects a child to sit, crawl, walk and talk and go to school and grow up and get a driver’s license and a job, etc. Let’s not stop anywhere along the way for too long!
The baby or kids or parent may not feel ready for the next step of growth, but that does not matter, it comes, it has to.
Believer - separated one, no matter the consequence or price of separation.
Disciple - disciplined one, student, follower.
Christian - bearer of good news, no matter the visible outcome. Anointed through obedience and continuity. A model on purpose. A copy made of the “Parent” - Father.
Overcomer – He who has followed through to the end, victorious.
The Nazarite vow has 4 aspects in it for every Believer who says they follow Christ to be in observance to.
Purposeful separation from the old lifestyle they once lived, most likely in pursuit of money or success or fame.
No wine was a symbol of one being filled with the genuine, the Holy Spirit, with no need of any other satisfaction or highs or comforts or pain relief, or dependency. He is my all in all, my abundant source and supply for all needs. Spirit, soul and body.
Sacrificial in all of everyday life. A living breathing sacrifice. A dead man to the world and to the appetites of the old man, a man alive unto God! Gal 2:20
He is not all out for self, but instead of self, he’s all out for his Father’s kingdom. He lays his own life, will and plans down, willingly. He is even mocked or shamed for his choice, but who cares? He does care for the people who may mock him, but the shame has no effect.
(Long hair on a man was a shame for that man, it represented him not being willing to be under authority and not being willing to stand in the gap for family members, or take responsibility for them before God. This man was willing to risk shame being held over his head to follow God exactly.
On the other hand, long hair on a woman meant she was covered by another other then her self reliance and independence, she was under submission to other humans and to God by submitting herself willingly to a man)
In this context in similitude, this Nazarite vow is quite possibly symbolic of a human, being in the visible position of one as Christ’s bride, one willingly submitted to the Master’s will for life. Married to God. A lifestyle of submission, covering and oneness. The Nazarite is saying, I will not step outside of covering, to cover myself. I will only be covered by an obedient submissive lifestyle.
Will not touch death. He does not participate in much that is for the building of temporal edifices, unless people (who are eternal) may be reached while they are helped in what they are doing (i.e. at the physical job they hired you to so).
Things that wreak of death they have no part or portion in on purpose. They cannot risk life for it. They are not in covenant with evil, they are in covenant with God!
http://razorskiss.net/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=52&page=1
The OT was a type and a shadow of things to come. The NT was the fulfillment of the laws and requirements for righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Now that does not mean there is never anything required, but the requirements are directed by God’s Spirit to those willing to set themselves apart for the building of the Kingdom of God on the inside personally and then on the outside, taking what is built inside and exporting it as a model to a lost world in obedience to the plan of God and the revelation of one’s portion in their Father’s work now.
How would one take this passage personally today in knowing it is a shadow, and how would they live this from the inside out? I’ve brought in a link to an article to spurn a study if you desire to read further. (see end of page)
The basic principles to focus in on here have to do with commitment and separation; being a living sacrifice, willingness to bear shame for another’s name and to enter into life eternal in a purpose filled lifestyle here and now.
The person makes a vow before the Lord. A vow is, of course, a promise. With God it is a covenant, never to be broken, but rather lived out before Him and with His strength in reliance forever. In the OT it was either lived out for life or for a time period. Either way there was a beginning and an end. The vow was either entered into by a man himself or committed him by his parents.
(So much for the worldly idea of , “no one is gonna decide for me how I’m to live”! or “I don’t have to or want to follow in my parents footsteps”! God actually made parents to be followed by children, and for children to copy and obey their own parents (yes bad or good, by design, yes). It is right for a child to even desire to be as a parent is and better. It is actually a curse that a child would not want to be anything like their parent, or not desire to do anything their parent says. Sin has brought the effects of death on parents and children and relationships, death and sin bring separation, you can’t just have a little of it either, if you take any part, you’ve taken in the whole package!
Our words are important to God. Yes being yes is how God thinks. No meaning no is how God thinks! If we say we will do or be something, we must, it is required us by God. He also expects us to make commitments/covenants and keep them. Yes they are hard to keep and easy to break, but He both wants us to say them and be as He is and keep them. We say we are Christians, we must be Christians!
Christians become disciples, this is the progression of growth. God expects it. You would never expect a 2 year old to stay 2, yet for some reason we’ve thought it ok to stay 2 or 3 or 4 in the way of spiritual growth. Our growth never ends, ever. For we are eternally growing up in Him. Once we start there is only progress forever. We cannot say, I’m gone stop here. Therefore as Believers then Christians we become Disciples. This is what God is looking for, expecting to see out of our lives. That is our “yes” to God, he expects it to be “yes” exactly as a parent expects a child to sit, crawl, walk and talk and go to school and grow up and get a driver’s license and a job, etc. Let’s not stop anywhere along the way for too long!
The baby or kids or parent may not feel ready for the next step of growth, but that does not matter, it comes, it has to.
Believer - separated one, no matter the consequence or price of separation.
Disciple - disciplined one, student, follower.
Christian - bearer of good news, no matter the visible outcome. Anointed through obedience and continuity. A model on purpose. A copy made of the “Parent” - Father.
Overcomer – He who has followed through to the end, victorious.
The Nazarite vow has 4 aspects in it for every Believer who says they follow Christ to be in observance to.
Purposeful separation from the old lifestyle they once lived, most likely in pursuit of money or success or fame.
No wine was a symbol of one being filled with the genuine, the Holy Spirit, with no need of any other satisfaction or highs or comforts or pain relief, or dependency. He is my all in all, my abundant source and supply for all needs. Spirit, soul and body.
Sacrificial in all of everyday life. A living breathing sacrifice. A dead man to the world and to the appetites of the old man, a man alive unto God! Gal 2:20
He is not all out for self, but instead of self, he’s all out for his Father’s kingdom. He lays his own life, will and plans down, willingly. He is even mocked or shamed for his choice, but who cares? He does care for the people who may mock him, but the shame has no effect.
(Long hair on a man was a shame for that man, it represented him not being willing to be under authority and not being willing to stand in the gap for family members, or take responsibility for them before God. This man was willing to risk shame being held over his head to follow God exactly.
On the other hand, long hair on a woman meant she was covered by another other then her self reliance and independence, she was under submission to other humans and to God by submitting herself willingly to a man)
In this context in similitude, this Nazarite vow is quite possibly symbolic of a human, being in the visible position of one as Christ’s bride, one willingly submitted to the Master’s will for life. Married to God. A lifestyle of submission, covering and oneness. The Nazarite is saying, I will not step outside of covering, to cover myself. I will only be covered by an obedient submissive lifestyle.
Will not touch death. He does not participate in much that is for the building of temporal edifices, unless people (who are eternal) may be reached while they are helped in what they are doing (i.e. at the physical job they hired you to so).
Things that wreak of death they have no part or portion in on purpose. They cannot risk life for it. They are not in covenant with evil, they are in covenant with God!
http://razorskiss.net/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=52&page=1
Numbers 6 Today's Daily Bread
Nazirite Laws
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.
2 “If any of the people, either men or women, take the special vow of a Nazirite, setting themselves apart to the Lord in a special way, 3 they must give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They must not use vinegar made from wine or from other alcoholic drinks, they must not drink fresh grape juice, and they must not eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as they are bound by their Nazirite vow, they are not allowed to eat or drink anything that comes from a grapevine—not even the grape seeds or skins.
5 “They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the Lord. Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long. 6 And they must not go near a dead body during the entire period of their vow to the Lord. 7 Even if the dead person is their own father, mother, brother, or sister, they must not defile themselves, for the hair on their head is the symbol of their separation to God. 8 This requirement applies as long as they are set apart to the Lord.
9 “If someone falls dead beside them, the hair they have dedicated will be defiled. They must wait for seven days and then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement. 10 On the eighth day they must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[a] 11 The priest will offer one of the birds for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way, he will purify them[b] from the guilt they incurred through contact with the dead body. Then they must reaffirm their commitment and let their hair begin to grow again. 12 The days of their vow that were completed before their defilement no longer count. They must rededicate themselves to the Lord as a Nazirite for the full term of their vow, and each must bring a one-year-old male lamb for a guilt offering.
13 “This is the ritual law for Nazirites. At the conclusion of their time of separation as Nazirites, they must each go to the entrance of the Tabernacle 14 and offer their sacrifices to the Lord: a one-year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a one-year-old female lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a peace offering, 15 a basket of bread made without yeast—cakes of choice flour mixed with olive oil and wafers spread with olive oil—along with their prescribed grain offerings and liquid offerings. 16 The priest will present these offerings before the Lord: first the sin offering and the burnt offering; 17 then the ram for a peace offering, along with the basket of bread made without yeast. The priest must also present the prescribed grain offering and liquid offering to the Lord.
18 “Then the Nazirites will shave their heads at the entrance of the Tabernacle. They will take the hair that had been dedicated and place it on the fire beneath the peace-offering sacrifice. 19 After the Nazirite’s head has been shaved, the priest will take for each of them the boiled shoulder of the ram, and he will take from the basket a cake and a wafer made without yeast. He will put them all into the Nazirite’s hands. 20 Then the priest will lift them up as a special offering before the Lord. These are holy portions for the priest, along with the breast of the special offering and the thigh of the sacred offering that are lifted up before the Lord. After this ceremony the Nazirites may again drink wine.
21 “This is the ritual law of the Nazirites, who vow to bring these offerings to the Lord. They may also bring additional offerings if they can afford it. And they must be careful to do whatever they vowed when they set themselves apart as Nazirites.”
The Priestly Blessing
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
24 ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
Footnotes:
Numbers 6:10 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting; also in 6:13, 18.
Numbers 6:11 Or make atonement for them.
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.
2 “If any of the people, either men or women, take the special vow of a Nazirite, setting themselves apart to the Lord in a special way, 3 they must give up wine and other alcoholic drinks. They must not use vinegar made from wine or from other alcoholic drinks, they must not drink fresh grape juice, and they must not eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as they are bound by their Nazirite vow, they are not allowed to eat or drink anything that comes from a grapevine—not even the grape seeds or skins.
5 “They must never cut their hair throughout the time of their vow, for they are holy and set apart to the Lord. Until the time of their vow has been fulfilled, they must let their hair grow long. 6 And they must not go near a dead body during the entire period of their vow to the Lord. 7 Even if the dead person is their own father, mother, brother, or sister, they must not defile themselves, for the hair on their head is the symbol of their separation to God. 8 This requirement applies as long as they are set apart to the Lord.
9 “If someone falls dead beside them, the hair they have dedicated will be defiled. They must wait for seven days and then shave their heads. Then they will be cleansed from their defilement. 10 On the eighth day they must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[a] 11 The priest will offer one of the birds for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way, he will purify them[b] from the guilt they incurred through contact with the dead body. Then they must reaffirm their commitment and let their hair begin to grow again. 12 The days of their vow that were completed before their defilement no longer count. They must rededicate themselves to the Lord as a Nazirite for the full term of their vow, and each must bring a one-year-old male lamb for a guilt offering.
13 “This is the ritual law for Nazirites. At the conclusion of their time of separation as Nazirites, they must each go to the entrance of the Tabernacle 14 and offer their sacrifices to the Lord: a one-year-old male lamb without defect for a burnt offering, a one-year-old female lamb without defect for a sin offering, a ram without defect for a peace offering, 15 a basket of bread made without yeast—cakes of choice flour mixed with olive oil and wafers spread with olive oil—along with their prescribed grain offerings and liquid offerings. 16 The priest will present these offerings before the Lord: first the sin offering and the burnt offering; 17 then the ram for a peace offering, along with the basket of bread made without yeast. The priest must also present the prescribed grain offering and liquid offering to the Lord.
18 “Then the Nazirites will shave their heads at the entrance of the Tabernacle. They will take the hair that had been dedicated and place it on the fire beneath the peace-offering sacrifice. 19 After the Nazirite’s head has been shaved, the priest will take for each of them the boiled shoulder of the ram, and he will take from the basket a cake and a wafer made without yeast. He will put them all into the Nazirite’s hands. 20 Then the priest will lift them up as a special offering before the Lord. These are holy portions for the priest, along with the breast of the special offering and the thigh of the sacred offering that are lifted up before the Lord. After this ceremony the Nazirites may again drink wine.
21 “This is the ritual law of the Nazirites, who vow to bring these offerings to the Lord. They may also bring additional offerings if they can afford it. And they must be careful to do whatever they vowed when they set themselves apart as Nazirites.”
The Priestly Blessing
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
24 ‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25 May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
27 Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
Footnotes:
Numbers 6:10 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting; also in 6:13, 18.
Numbers 6:11 Or make atonement for them.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Lena's Journalin' to Luke 2 Today
“ …and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased”…..usually we hear, ”and good will toward men”. I just paid closer attention in the NKJV and the footnote reads, “towards men of goodwill.”
This changes the whole deal.
You do realize God’s Word is not having an effective work on those who merely skim through it?
When Jesus spoke in parables, His disciples would ask Him, what was going on? They could hardly understand a word of what He’d just spent the day talking about. The deal was what He was talking about was to spiritually stir up a desire for further eternal truth. It was also to show that God’s word is spirit and life and cannot be figured out and reasoned out with intellectual thought patterns. He and God both wanted to know who would “take the bait” or have their appetites wetted for more. The disciples always got up the nerve to ask questions, which caused them to dig deeper into a personal relationship with Jesus.
As they did this their love and trust in Him increased. As love and trust increase, so does obedience. Obedience is the only appropriate response to the love of God extended to man. Trust builds faith, and faith is the only action that pleases God.
So the angels said “peace towards all men with whom God is pleased” That speaks of those who are relational with God as Father, it speaks of those who obey His words in the spirit, not by reasoning and weighing it out with the mind, and it speaks of those who trust Him enough to follow after Him with intent to do more and more of what He says! These will be at peace, while all others will have turmoil in life, and struggle with the Word.
How does one come to know these dissections of the word? They become everyday students of the Word and seek its deep meanings out with spirit-led and humbly taught guidance. They seek to personally know the spirit of the written Words of God.
If I’m a disciple I comb through the Word, dig deeper, study and apply the word regularly. I ask questions of stronger disciples around me. Jesus set up THE model of discipleship for us. He had 12 men hang around Him, watch Him, help Him, serve Him, and purposely learn from Him. They pursue Him, because they deem the Words given by God, as important enough to guard and keep for greater understanding.
The gospel is offered to all, the peace is obtained by those who will seize it as their own. John the Baptist said, “The kingdom of God suffers violence, and violent men take it with force.”
Jesus took it violently, we must take what He paid for as something we truly desire and want to keep and then maintain it as though it is the greatest treasure in the whole world. A pearl of great price, one precious lamb lost from the sheepfold. How precious and priceless is it to us? It is priceless to God, and so are we.
Yesterday I was thinking of how just about every thing in life costs something to have, yet we want all God offers to us to be free to us, and for some reason we think it is.
Salvation is a free gift, in that it is even available for us to have at all. Before Jesus, it was not at all free to mankind, we rather tried to earn our way, hoping to someday be saved at least somewhat. After Jesus we can now freely accept what He did and be saved without ever having done anything correctly before this time of acceptance. He freely went to hell for mankind, and took back the keys of death, hell and the grave’s eternal power over us In fact even the good things we did in life are not on an eternal account with God, like a scoreboard of sorts, racking up points for or against us. They just don’t count where salvation is concerned; the only thing that does count is Jesus’ precious blood.
That blood shed is so precious to God that it is THE ONLY WAY to be made right with God at all ever. That is the free part.
Listen here – We have a FREE will to accept or reject THE ONE WAY God has deemed is THE WAY. That’s the free part, we can care to choose for or against!
BUT there was a cost, a very dear and high price! PAID in FULL by God, for us. We don’t have to shed our physical life and then die an eternal death for it! That was done for us. We believe and receive……AND THEN respond to that.
The response is where the life of the covenant begins for us individually. It is the activation of the covenant on our side.
He died for everyone, even those who do not yet believe. There must be a response and that will cost us dearly, but what does not cost us is not important to us.
In 2 Samuel 24:24 David himself states a principle for each human on earth in any day or age - "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing."
That which costs me, is priceless to me. Each of us are required a response before God. Faith is dead without works. It is not validated without follow up corresponding action.
I love the word “responsibility”. Most American words came from other languages and they have root words that require the breaking up and defining of parts to understand the Word. I like to break this Word up in my mind as, “response – ability”. What’s my ability to respond? My ability to respond to God does not lie within my own strength. I am responsible, it is required of me, whether I know it or not. Each human must respond or give an account to God for their response to His Son, Jesus. The response is not based on how able I am, but how able He is, and how much do I believe, by faith, in that ability? That faith in something other than who I naturally am, is costly. I lay me down, in order to do that.
Not my will, but Thine, be done. It takes the giving up of my own life, because I’m responding, not because I have to, but because I freely want to. Again that is the free part. I give it up freely. I pay my portion into this deal, because I can and will. I choose freely to pay all to it. I choose it above other options available to me to freely choose in life.
I can choose another mode if I want, I can try anything I want, for I’m free to. There’ll be a consequence for wrong choices, as in any other area in life, but I can choose whichever way I want to go. I may suffer pain, agony, tragedy along the way, but I can choose that if I want. I’m free to choose whatever avenue I want. If I don’t pay sales tax, property taxes, subdivision taxes, gas taxes, electricity taxes, road tolls, parking fees, or my bills each month, there are consequences, but I can pay the consequences, if I want to. It’s up to me.
I am so thankful for consequences. I believe they are grace set before us to show us of the costs involved in what we really want, and they are also meant to be training in doing things another’s way. The consequences were set out by God to lead us home to His will and best laid out plan for eternity.
This changes the whole deal.
You do realize God’s Word is not having an effective work on those who merely skim through it?
When Jesus spoke in parables, His disciples would ask Him, what was going on? They could hardly understand a word of what He’d just spent the day talking about. The deal was what He was talking about was to spiritually stir up a desire for further eternal truth. It was also to show that God’s word is spirit and life and cannot be figured out and reasoned out with intellectual thought patterns. He and God both wanted to know who would “take the bait” or have their appetites wetted for more. The disciples always got up the nerve to ask questions, which caused them to dig deeper into a personal relationship with Jesus.
As they did this their love and trust in Him increased. As love and trust increase, so does obedience. Obedience is the only appropriate response to the love of God extended to man. Trust builds faith, and faith is the only action that pleases God.
So the angels said “peace towards all men with whom God is pleased” That speaks of those who are relational with God as Father, it speaks of those who obey His words in the spirit, not by reasoning and weighing it out with the mind, and it speaks of those who trust Him enough to follow after Him with intent to do more and more of what He says! These will be at peace, while all others will have turmoil in life, and struggle with the Word.
How does one come to know these dissections of the word? They become everyday students of the Word and seek its deep meanings out with spirit-led and humbly taught guidance. They seek to personally know the spirit of the written Words of God.
If I’m a disciple I comb through the Word, dig deeper, study and apply the word regularly. I ask questions of stronger disciples around me. Jesus set up THE model of discipleship for us. He had 12 men hang around Him, watch Him, help Him, serve Him, and purposely learn from Him. They pursue Him, because they deem the Words given by God, as important enough to guard and keep for greater understanding.
The gospel is offered to all, the peace is obtained by those who will seize it as their own. John the Baptist said, “The kingdom of God suffers violence, and violent men take it with force.”
Jesus took it violently, we must take what He paid for as something we truly desire and want to keep and then maintain it as though it is the greatest treasure in the whole world. A pearl of great price, one precious lamb lost from the sheepfold. How precious and priceless is it to us? It is priceless to God, and so are we.
Yesterday I was thinking of how just about every thing in life costs something to have, yet we want all God offers to us to be free to us, and for some reason we think it is.
Salvation is a free gift, in that it is even available for us to have at all. Before Jesus, it was not at all free to mankind, we rather tried to earn our way, hoping to someday be saved at least somewhat. After Jesus we can now freely accept what He did and be saved without ever having done anything correctly before this time of acceptance. He freely went to hell for mankind, and took back the keys of death, hell and the grave’s eternal power over us In fact even the good things we did in life are not on an eternal account with God, like a scoreboard of sorts, racking up points for or against us. They just don’t count where salvation is concerned; the only thing that does count is Jesus’ precious blood.
That blood shed is so precious to God that it is THE ONLY WAY to be made right with God at all ever. That is the free part.
Listen here – We have a FREE will to accept or reject THE ONE WAY God has deemed is THE WAY. That’s the free part, we can care to choose for or against!
BUT there was a cost, a very dear and high price! PAID in FULL by God, for us. We don’t have to shed our physical life and then die an eternal death for it! That was done for us. We believe and receive……AND THEN respond to that.
The response is where the life of the covenant begins for us individually. It is the activation of the covenant on our side.
He died for everyone, even those who do not yet believe. There must be a response and that will cost us dearly, but what does not cost us is not important to us.
In 2 Samuel 24:24 David himself states a principle for each human on earth in any day or age - "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing."
That which costs me, is priceless to me. Each of us are required a response before God. Faith is dead without works. It is not validated without follow up corresponding action.
I love the word “responsibility”. Most American words came from other languages and they have root words that require the breaking up and defining of parts to understand the Word. I like to break this Word up in my mind as, “response – ability”. What’s my ability to respond? My ability to respond to God does not lie within my own strength. I am responsible, it is required of me, whether I know it or not. Each human must respond or give an account to God for their response to His Son, Jesus. The response is not based on how able I am, but how able He is, and how much do I believe, by faith, in that ability? That faith in something other than who I naturally am, is costly. I lay me down, in order to do that.
Not my will, but Thine, be done. It takes the giving up of my own life, because I’m responding, not because I have to, but because I freely want to. Again that is the free part. I give it up freely. I pay my portion into this deal, because I can and will. I choose freely to pay all to it. I choose it above other options available to me to freely choose in life.
I can choose another mode if I want, I can try anything I want, for I’m free to. There’ll be a consequence for wrong choices, as in any other area in life, but I can choose whichever way I want to go. I may suffer pain, agony, tragedy along the way, but I can choose that if I want. I’m free to choose whatever avenue I want. If I don’t pay sales tax, property taxes, subdivision taxes, gas taxes, electricity taxes, road tolls, parking fees, or my bills each month, there are consequences, but I can pay the consequences, if I want to. It’s up to me.
I am so thankful for consequences. I believe they are grace set before us to show us of the costs involved in what we really want, and they are also meant to be training in doing things another’s way. The consequences were set out by God to lead us home to His will and best laid out plan for eternity.
Posting Today's Daily Bread Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
The Shepherds and Angels
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.”[a] 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[b]
The Prophecy of Simeon
25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
30 I have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
The Prophecy of Anna
36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.[c] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Jesus Speaks with the Teachers
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[d] 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Footnotes:
a. Luke 2:23 Exod 13:2.
b. Luke 2:24 Lev 12:8.
c. Luke 2:37 Or She had been a widow for eighty-four years.
d. Luke 2:49 Or “Didn’t you realize that I should be involved with my Father’s affairs?”
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
The Shepherds and Angels
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.
22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.”[a] 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[b]
The Prophecy of Simeon
25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
30 I have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
The Prophecy of Anna
36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.[c] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Jesus Speaks with the Teachers
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[d] 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Footnotes:
a. Luke 2:23 Exod 13:2.
b. Luke 2:24 Lev 12:8.
c. Luke 2:37 Or She had been a widow for eighty-four years.
d. Luke 2:49 Or “Didn’t you realize that I should be involved with my Father’s affairs?”
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Lucas Samuel DeCastro is born Today in Daytona Beach!
Lucas (Light, Enlightened One) Samuel (He hears and Obey's God's voice) De Castro; Son of Chalo & Maiwi DeCastro was born today at 3:35 pm. Florida time in Daytona Beach. He weighed in at a whoppin' 9 lbs and was 21 inches long.
Congratulations to Mommasita and Pappie DeCastro! We Love you and baby Lucas!
Congratulations to Mommasita and Pappie DeCastro! We Love you and baby Lucas!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
