When Good Advice Goes Bad – 1-31-23

“When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.” John 7:9 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

Do you already have a relationship with a powerful God who cares about your every need because He loves you? Did you know my God can communicate with you and protect you – He has a plan for you to prosper if you just submit to His will and let His plan play out in your life!!! God wants a relationship with you and has already made a plan for your life. He loves you so much He sent His son to this world, to die as a sacrifice for your sins and rise from death with victory over sin and the ability to have a personal relationship with you.

Do you want to know truth? Be able to discern lies? Know how to figure it all out in these confusing times and have peace? The Bible says Jesus is the truth. I have experienced it and it has changed my life. I was once a hot mess of sin, promiscuity, drug and alcohol use and so much more. But I was lost and when I could not find my way, or find a truth, I numbed it with bad choses. When I found Jesus, and truth – I found peace and deliverance from those things.

If you want a relationship with God without truth you will get the counterfeit, hypocritical Christianity that has kept some of you away for too long. You need truth and relationship. You need to be honest with yourself and God (including honest repentance) and God will reveal truth to you. It becomes the two way, interaction that your relationship with God is built on. This is why Jesus is called the truth, because he is our only way to the Father.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Here is a prayer for you to pray:
Jesus, I believe you are the way, the truth, the life, and the only way to the Father. I believe you are the son of God, you came to Earth and lived. That you died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins, and rose again so that I may be saved from my sins and be able to get to know you. I declare: Jesus, you are Lord!
Therefore, I confess that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my life. Help me to turn away from my sins and transform me into what you have lovingly created me to be. Help me through a real personal relationship grow and accept your will for my life – that I may live in your blessings. Please walk with me, and talk with me – I accept a relationship with you and with our Father God, through you. In the name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen

BIBLE READING:

Dear Heavenly Father – Please give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of who you are, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is. Open the eyes of our understanding, please, so we may know the hope of our calling and the vast sovereignty and power of the grace of the cross. Please do not let us miss out on what you want and need from us today. Lord, I pray that your word prepares us and not scares us! We forbid the works and influences of fear over your word and our sound mind. And please keep us and bless us and shine your face upon us and pour out grace over us and give us peace! And we pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Thank you! – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 7 verse 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Jesus’ Brothers Disbelieve

7 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the ^[a]Jews sought to kill Him. ²Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. ³His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. ⁴For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

⁶Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. ⁷The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. ⁸You go up to this feast. I am not ^[b]yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” ⁹When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
John 7:1-9 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

John takes some time in this section of the book to show how very dangerous Jesus’s mission was. Yesterday we saw he was rejected by the community which raised him, and then his own disciples left (except the 12). John points out how He cannot even go into the region of Judea, because they will kill him.

“¹ After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.”

How about His family? At least they believed and understood what was unfolding in front of their eyes?

“²Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. ³His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. ⁴For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”

Seems reasonable. Looks like the brothers are supportive. They certainly did not want Jesus killed, if for no other reason than for their eema (mother)’s sake. But this reasoning is as correct as the friends of Job! Passages that should never be quoted unless you have a strong Biblical understanding – and even then, teachers tread lightly, mostly only, using them as examples of what NOT to do or say.
And while man does things openly or in secret depending on what man desires – the truth is God can AND WILL reveal and expose the secret things. ALL THINGS ARE SUBJECT TO THE LIGHT.
The wrong thing sounding reasonable is still the wrong thing. The wrong thing with the right motives is still the wrong thing.

“⁵For even His brothers did not believe in Him.”

But His brothers did not even have the right motivation.

“⁶Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.”

The world is ALWAYS ready for manmade doctrine that sounds reasonable. If Jesus had followed their suggestion, He would have been caught and killed on the Feast of Tabernacles instead of Passover – Their suggestion would have led him to death.
Now look around you and discern carefully – someone in your camp maybe giving you reasonable advice and that path can lead to your death. You do not need to call out every lie and confront everything. Knowing is sometime all that is needed in the battle against the enemy where your loved ones can be used as pawns.
So Jesus says thanks but no thanks.

“⁷The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.”

The world only hates it when their sins and false religions are convicted – when their evil is exposed. These brothers where in NO DANGER of accidently doing that. They did not yet understand.
What is amazing and wonderful is that even though they struggled the most with understanding how their bro was also The Christ – they stuck around and listen to His teaching and eventually became leaders in the 1^st Century Church. His brother James is even thought to be the author of one of the books!

“⁸You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” ⁹When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.”

I am tempted to keep going. And discuss the interesting turn of events. But I think we should stop and take some time reflecting. Because the battle is great around us these days and God is powerful and amazing and with Him we will have the victory. But God also want us aware of the battle and of the players. Especially the ones with a good word that is wrong, not for you, or out of place of time, and can lead to destruction.
People can lead you into your death with ignorance, unbelief in your mission as well as demonic influence on them to mislead you. And what is good for one person is NOT what God has for another. Peter could go into Judea for the feast – but Jesus could not just march in there with the rest of them being obvious.
So someone giving kind and reasonable advice may be your death. Run it through the last confirmed word God gave you, and then through the Bible, and if you must ask God for a confirming sign. Be very sure of what God says for you specific.

And me wary of reasonable sounding destructive spirits sent to destroy you.

Please join us tomorrow as we continue to study and meditate on the Book of John.

***

I also wanted to remind and inform all of you, that instead of writing a book on fasting (since it is the topic I get asked the most about) I have created a Facebook group that is designed to be interactive and give you all the Bible verses on fasting, all the types of fast, and how to fast. In the group are specialist to help us along the way, like the creator of The Fasting Protocol (fasting for health and weight loss; which is part of fasting and important to know about – He can also speak to fasting in a healthy manner). The group is new and other experts are invited, I am hopeful they will join. So let’s join the group and see what we will learn about prayer and fasting. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/509149707741862

Thank you for reading in 2023 – a Year of Grace and Provision
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace. Walk in wisdom.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

30 Jan 202330 Jan 2023

Bread of Life – 1-30-23

“I am the bread of life” John 6:48 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 6 verse 41 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Rejected by His Own

⁴¹The Jews then ^[g]complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴²And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
⁴³Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ^[h]“Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who ^[i]has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes ^[j]in Me has everlasting life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
⁵²The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
⁵³Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵For My flesh is ^[k]food indeed, and My blood is ^[l]drink indeed. ⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
⁵⁹These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Turn Away

⁶⁰Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a ^[m]hard saying; who can understand it?”
⁶¹When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples ^[n]complained about this, He said to them, “Does this ^[o]offend you? ⁶²What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? ⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
⁶⁶From that time many of His disciples went ^[p]back and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
⁶⁸But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹Also we have come to believe and know that You are the ^[q]Christ, the Son of the living God.”
⁷⁰Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” ⁷¹He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
John 6:41-71 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Rejection. It is a hard thing.
Many will not speak out about Christ and share their testimony because they fear rejection (and that is actually rejection of Christ and not rejection of you). Jesus called you and knew if you had what is takes to follow Him – it is not an easy road and rejection is one of the smallest hardships of the course. If you are reading this – I know God knows that you have what it takes. I prayed that only those who had what it takes would read this.

So how do we react to rejection? What can we learn from Jesus’s rejection? And what is really going on at the end of this chapter? Let us dive in.

“⁴¹The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴²And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Jesus was NOT accepted by the very people who raised Him – His community. We see this often in older churches with generations. There eventually comes a generation that was raised in the church from childhood – and once they reach adult hood, they find it hard to be taken seriously or treated like an adult.
Jesus’s rejection was similar. They saw Him as a normal child and now it is hard enough to see Him as an adult, let alone the messiah. How can this be the son of God? If He is He came down from heaven 30 years ago, give or take, and then they had to face the fact that they treated Him and His family as normal people and rewind their conversation wondering if they could have offended God?

“⁴³Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”

These are powerful words. They are the kind of “It is Written” that makes demons shake. But it is also crystal clear water of life! It is hard to confuse what He is saying here.

Then Jesus begins to speak in symbols and parables. Let us remember that parables were a well-known style of telling a story in symbols to make a point. Most Rabbi’s told three together to make one point from three different angles. So, these men in the synagogue should all have familiar with symbols and metaphors.

“⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
⁵²The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

It appears that a few took him literal. They knew Jesus, and they were there most of His life, and suddenly they think this sweet boy has turned into a cannibal? That is so far out of character they should have known better. BUT! But! If they took it as the symbolism that is was, they would have to believe Jesus was the Christ. And how could they think this child grew up to be the savior of the world.

“⁵³Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
⁵⁹These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

I love how John doesn’t tell us anymore details, like how did Jesus make it out of the synagogue alive?! They had grounds to stone Him for blasphemy. Except it wasn’t. Or had Jesus suddenly started promoting cannibalism?

The accepting, all-inclusive Jesus who loves everyone and never offends is NOT the Jesus of the Bible. Both those who did not believed in Jesus and those who believe were highly offended by these graphic and vulgar description of God’s grace.

“⁶⁰Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
⁶¹When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? ⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

Jesus had many disciples, not just the 12. So many times I forget that and have to visualize a larger crowd around Him. We love to think if we come to Jesus everything will be all better, but things do not necessarily become all better. His promises still remain, but they may not come as you imagined.
I was recently asked to share my testimony about my business. I was happy to. It was supposed to be recorded and shared with a larger group of people (about 900). But he told me they could not use my testimony it was no good. I was confused. The man then told me his testimony: He surrendered all to Jesus and everything came together and he was abundantly blessed. The man whose testimony went in my place was that he too surrendered all and everything fell into place and he now has abundance. And then this week there was another testimony about giving into God and everything working out.
My testimony is that I surrendered all and Jesus took it. HE has met every need while my business grows at an excruciatingly slow pace. God provides the extra money. God provides the extra food – which I cannot afford on my own. AND it is not like I spend money on crazy things. No. I have cut back and cut off all extras. I eat expired food from a food pantry, I do not have new clothes, and my business barely pays for itself – that was all this man could see. I must have done something wrong. I must be out of favor with God. Because the god he believes in would never have you walk through hard things and learn to trust and rely on Him completely. His god would not put you in a situation to force you to have a shift in your mindset to not just trust him but to bless Him in it. Not just say I am blessed and not just say thanks and sing a song. But to bless Him!

Well the Jesus in the Bible is offensive. He warns us of hard times. He promises provisions and when my business did not provide, God provided! He is the provider! He is faithful.

“⁶⁶From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”

More rejection. If our leader was so rejected, and we know many will reject him when we tell them about Him. we too should also assume we will face some rejection.

“⁶⁷Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
⁶⁸But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
⁷⁰Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” ⁷¹He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.”

Judas, himself, did not know his heart was going to harden. Jesus knew. Jesus loves him the same – there is a human there. He may have been the weak link and easily used by the enemy, but still a soul that Jesus NOT only counted among His inner circle of 12 – but Jesus made Judas. Jesus knew him before he was born and placed him here for such a time as this.

Please join us tomorrow as we continue to study and meditate on the Book of John.

***

29 Jan 202326 Jan 2023

WEEKEND READING – 1-29-23

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord; But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8:34-36 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Proverbs chapter 8 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Excellence of Wisdom

8 Does not wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
²She takes her stand on the top of the ^[a]high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
³She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
⁴“To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
⁵O you ^[b]simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
⁶Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
⁷For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
⁸All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
⁹They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
¹⁰Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

¹²“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
¹⁴Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, I have strength.
¹⁵By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
¹⁶By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of ^[c]the earth.
¹⁷I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.
¹⁸Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
²⁰I ^[d]traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
²¹That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

²²“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
²³I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
²⁴When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
²⁵Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
²⁶While as yet He had not made the earth or the ^[e]fields,
Or the ^[f]primal dust of the world.
²⁷When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
²⁹When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
³⁰Then I was beside Him as ^[g]a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
³¹Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.

³²“Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
³⁵For whoever finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

***

28 Jan 202326 Jan 2023

WEEKEND READING – 1-28-23

“Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin,” Proverbs 7:2-4 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Proverbs chapter 7 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Wiles of a Harlot

7 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
²Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
³Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
⁵That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.

The Crafty Harlot

⁶For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
⁷And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the ^[a]youths,
A young man devoid^[b] of understanding,
⁸Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
⁹In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.

¹⁰And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
¹¹She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.
¹²At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
¹³So she caught him and kissed him;
With an ^[c]impudent face she said to him:
¹⁴“I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
¹⁵So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
¹⁶I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
¹⁷I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
¹⁸Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
¹⁹For ^[d]my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
²⁰He has taken a bag of money ^[e]with him,
And will come home ^[f]on the appointed day.”

²¹^[g]With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she ^[h]seduced him.
²²Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or ^[i]as a fool to the correction of the ^[j]stocks,
²³Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it ^[k]would cost his life.

²⁴Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
²⁵Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
²⁶For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
²⁷Her house is the way to ^[l]hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

***

27 Jan 202326 Jan 2023

The Bread from Heaven – 1-27-23

“But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.” John 6:36 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 6 verse 22 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Bread from Heaven

²²On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except ^[^d^]that one ^[^e^]which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— ²³however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— ²⁴when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ²⁵And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

²⁶Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
²⁸Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
³⁰Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? ³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
³²Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
³⁴Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
³⁵And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will ^[f]by no means cast out. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:22-40 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Today’s reading and discussion show the depth of the blindness of the human spirit. And I want you to pay attention, so that you too aren’t asleep and miss it. This is not new and unique revelation – this is a discussion of what this says and not what we assume it says.

Some of you know I am trained and certified as an art teacher. The difference between those who can draw and those who can’t is the exact same difference between those who can see and those who assume what they see and draw their assumption. For example if you assume my head is a circle, and you draw a circle you will then look at that circle and say something isn’t right because your circle doesn’t look like my head. My head is a sphere and a cylinder and convex and concave… not to mention these flaps of flesh we call ears which are almost indescribable in shape. Then to make things more complicated it changes shape with expression and gesture – smiles pull the eyebrows up and the ears back, while frowns droop the cheeks and sag the brows.

So today you will hear a lot about bread – and Jesus says it was because He fed them bread (physically) is why they came looking for him, not because they came looking for the savior.
It was the people who understood the symbolism and said – but God fed us Manna under Moses! You see – from the beginning bread has represented provision – super natural provision. And wine represented life. The Jews grew up with this knowledge of the symbolism and it was embedded in the scriptures – and bread and wine were at every meal. Bread is provision AND it is also the utensil that they used to scoop up the food, without bread they could not eat many things.

So Jesus – discusses bread as a symbol. And suddenly they are all lost and confused and do not understand. It is not hard to understand. God provided spiritual food, physical food, eternal food, all our needs – and Jesus has shown He does too. Therefore, already proving He is the Savior they seek. But in humanities defense, we seldom understand what it is we need to be saved from. They thought they needed to be saved from the Romans – we think we do not need to be saved at all (but maybe if God could help our leaders be better, that would be great).

So Jesus and the crew fed 5000. The disciple escaped by boat, Jesus slipped away in the confusion to get alone with God. Jesus walked on water, out to the boat, and teleported the boat to the port. And now it is the next day.

“²²On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— ²³however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— ²⁴when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ²⁵And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

Often times when we seek Jesus, we ask the wrong questions to get the answers we seek. These people DID NOT come all the way to Capernaum to ask Jesus how he got there. When we sit down for prayer and reading, let’ make sure we are asking the right questions and that we are open to answers we may need to process to understand.

“²⁶Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Jesus calls them out for seeking Him for the wrong reason. Now, I have seen people seek God for the provisions and experience grace and stay for the love of Jesus! I, myself, came because I was needy – I needed Godly provisions. I experienced grace and was eternally changed.
So if you come with the wrong question, chances are you’ll get the wrong answer. If Jesus was not rebuking them, what was Jesus’s point? To show them there was more happening than just food.

“²⁸Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

They were all so close! What do we do? Are you going to give us more laws and more things to do? You see, that had been the way since Moses came down the mountain with those tablets. And the rabbis added to the laws – so why wouldn’t this rabbi? What can we do to be saved?

“²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

To you and I this is not radical – but to them, who lived under strict rules, this was radical. There was no additional sacrifice, and no purification ceremony. There was no prayer to recite. There was no fast or feast to uphold. There is none – just believe.

“³⁰Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? ³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

When you DO NOT read the scriptures for yourself, you get misinformed! Yes the scriptures say “He gave them bread” but the word “He” means GOD not Moses. And Moses was told to show signs that the people would believe – so logically, living under Moses’s law, it would mean this prophet needed to perform signs. This is why they needed to read it for themselves and then they would have known but they did know bread represented provisions.

“³²Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Jesus gently corrects them. Turns them to the God and points back down to the Son. Jesus is the bread.

“³⁴Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

Yes LORD!! Give us this bread always! Give us THIS DAY our daily bread. YES LORD!! YES LORD!! I want Jesus EVERYDAY. But, these people do not see that Jesus is the bread. They are expecting manna, but received a New Manna! They are expecting physical even though provisions is an action that covers physical, emotional, spiritual… and every part of our lives – Jesus is the provision.

“³⁵And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.”

When I am talking with someone, and the lightbulb goes off in their head, I can usually see it – and I will say: ‘Now you are getting it’. These people do not get it. They are so blind, it is almost willful!
Jesus says: ‘here I am’ and they respond with blank stares because of course you are where you are.

“³⁷All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”

Amen! I have come to Jesus – I am not cast out, forsaken, unforgiven – nor do I lack. Not even if the world looks at me and says I lack. I DO NOT – God is not a man that He should lie. All that the Father gives Jesus will come to Jesus and ALL that He gives me will come to me!

“³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is a good word. This is manna. We can go through this whole passage and replace the word bread for provisions. Jesus is the provision. It is not like we write Jesus on a check and send it into the billers – instead we take Jesus to the bank, to the place of need, to the empty account, to the part that is hungry, to the part that has lack – AND JESUS FILLS IT UP TO OVERFLOW!! Yes, this is manna. This is God.

Please join us this weekend for some wisdom reading without discussion and come back on Monday as we continue to study and meditate on the Book of John.

***

26 Jan 202325 Jan 2023

I CAN walk on water, BUT that is NOT the point – 1-26-23

“So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.” John 6:19 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 6 verse 15 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

¹⁵Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

¹⁶Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. ¹⁸Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. ¹⁹So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. ²⁰But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” ²¹Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
John 6:15-21 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

Although it looks like a short reading today – I think we should take this opportunity to review what EACH of the gospels say about walking on water. (Because it is interesting to read multiple accounts.) Now, first we should lay out some background.

It is believed that Mark wrote his gospel first – it was abbreviated and quick with short direct sentences. Yet it was effective. The world needed a written account and Mark tossed one out there. Now Mark was a child when Jesus was alive, and his older cousin Barnabas was one of Jesus’s followers who was friends with the disciples (particularly Peter) but was not part of the 12 core group. However, he was the one who believed and took in Paul and then went of missionary journeys with him. Now, it is very possible that when Jesus and the disciples were near Jerusalem, Mark was permitted to join Barnabas with the disciples. The reason this is thought is because Mark seems to have just been there from the moment he became a young man and was finally counted. The gospel of Mark seems to be what Peter imparted to Mark, however, there are elements of the book that almost seem like Mark was there and many more details are in those parts (And those sections happened near Jerusalem).
From what we know about Mark is that he was on fire for Jesus, zealous, and a little impulsive. Surprisingly, it is NOT the shortest account of the story of Jesus walking on water. He does omit Peter’s leap from the boat – so maybe Peter did not tell him, maybe he was not with them on the sea, maybe he wanted to spare Peter on more tale of Peter’s impulsiveness. (Most likely Mark did not hear that part.)

It is believed Matthew wrote his gospel 2^nd. He knew of Mark’s and took it and filled in a multitude of details. Not surprising Matthew’s is the longest AND he included Peter jumping out of the boat to walk on water. Of course Matthew had a firsthand account of living with Jesus and is a very reliable reporter.

It is unknown why Luke left this entire happening out of his rendition – but it is believed he was writing to Paul’s attorney explaining why Paul preaches for Jesus and who Jesus is, so maybe it wasn’t as important as other things. However, Luke was also getting testimonials from the 12 and others who were there and compiling, using Mark’s outline as his own. It is thought that Luke did not know Matthew’s gospel existed.

Meanwhile over yonder where John had his head in the clouds – John, was the last to publish his account and he seemingly doesn’t know the other three existed. John was in that boat – so it makes ya wonder why John also left out Peter trying to walk on water. Actually his account is the shortest. John being full of Love, mercy and grace, probably just spared Peter the embarrassment – His account ALSO plays down the storm they were in, omits the fear they all experienced AND makes the whole thing sound like just another day with Jesus. (Another reason I thought it would be fun to bring in the other accounts.

John 6:15-21:

‘¹⁵Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.”

Interesting. The other gospels do not include this – that again they had come to take Jesus by force. The enemy is persistent.
And Jesus’s response to a threat on his life? Get alone with God. Over and over we see Jesus prioritize getting alone with God. We want to be like Jesus but without threats and without taking time away from our day to give to God. And then we wonder why signs are not following those who say they believe. Maybe if they really believed, they would understand the importance of this practice and commit to it themselves?

“¹⁶Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. ¹⁸Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.”

That is it – the extent of John’s version of the storm. A great wind yet they were still able to row.

“¹⁹So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.”

And then Jesus was walking on water like a weirdo and that was what made them afraid. And he was walking, not seeming to struggle, so how bad could this storm be. (And yeah seeing a man walk on water is a bit disconcerting.)

“²⁰But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” ²¹Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”

And boom, like that the whole thing was over.
I think it was John’s version that made me (growing up in church) always picture the scene as a serene and still lake that Jesus easily walked over.

John gives us the motives for Jesus’s retreat to the mountain while they were the distraction/decoys. John give us the motivation for getting in the boat. And John gives us the information about the boat teleporting instantaneously to their destination. Good stuff the other gospels omit.

Now for Matthew 14:22-33:

“²²Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. ²³And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. ²⁴But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”

Matthew was well informed of the facts, but He did not seem to know why some were sent away and the disciples on the boat and Jesus to the mountain. Matthew assumes you and I have never been in the Sea of Galilee, in a small boat, with 11 or so other people trying to row during a blustery gale. So he explains the boat was tossed. Have you ever seen what waves can do to a boat?

“²⁵Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Ok – here Matthew and John sound like the same story. Then:

“²⁸And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
²⁹So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”

There is a dirty, muddy version of the truth of God that says Jesus ONLY does miracles so that people could see and come to him. So people cannot have a personal miracle unless it was life and death and Jesus had to save you. I hate this idea of limiting God. There is NO POINT to Peter walking on water – None. Except that Peter asked and Jesus said sure. I know preachers and teacher have extracted the keep your eyes on Jesus to stay afloat part – but that is not the point of Jesus saying yes.
Would Peter NOT believe it was Jesus if Jesus said no? Once Jesus was close enough they would have seen it was him. It is not like, the next day, Peter would say, I cannot follow you any longer because you are the ghost of Jesus and not Jesus. So no, Jesus did not say yes so Peter would believe.

“³⁰But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
³¹And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Everyone who has a relationship with God reports on his sense of humor in enjoying us. My own recent example would be, I was at the grocery store and saw Hummus and thought I’d love to get some. But I did not have money for extras. So I prayed, God help me be wise and get only what I need. Because you know that if you got hummus you’d have to get the naan or pita and maybe a cucumber, and it all adds up. Well, a lady brought me food and in one of the bags there was hummus! Praise the Lord! I was hungry and quickly dove back into the bags to find the bread and cucumber… to learn there wasn’t any. How do we eat hummus without it? I literally looked up and said, God, obviously you heard my wants and thank you, and I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but where is the rest? And I swear He was belly laughing like a preteen playing a practical joke! Immediate I realized I never said I wanted the rest – I only said I wanted hummus! Funny Joke, God. We did laugh together and I worshiped while unpacking the groceries.

God, and Jesus, delight in us. Peter’s enthusiasm is delightful. I am sure Jesus was happy to humor him. I bet Jesus smiled with intense joy, until Peter looked away and slipped down into the water.
When Jesus says: you of little faith – it is tender and jokingly. It is almost like a “Bruh, you almost had it! Why did you give up?” with some laughs mixed in because He knew He was saving them all.

“³²And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”

He saved peter from drowning because he jumped overboard. He saved all of them from the wind. He saved them from the crowds and those who were coming to take them by force. He was watching over them while He prayed and came to save them. Not immediately, He let them try. It would be no fun if He saves them and they say, I almost had it, you came too soon. He never comes too soon – always on time! Oh wait, that isn’t in this version, it is in Mark!

“³³Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Although Matthew didn’t seem to know many of the why’s – he knew the facts and showed a tender side of Jesus and moments you and I could be having with Him! Yes, we could say to Jesus in the boat of our life, let me jump out and walk on water – and Jesus says sure. And it is not about walking on water – it is about an intimate moment with Him.

John understood why things were happening – Maybe he omitted it because it was an intimate moment with Christ. While Matthew, missed the point but revealed a tender intimate moment. Mark also understands the why and the point of it – maybe this is why he too omitted it.

Lets’ check out what he says in Mark 6:45-52:

“⁴⁵Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. ⁴⁶And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.”

Mark doesn’t outright say what the Whys are – but he surely gets to the point. He understood Jesus as the master of ceremonies or the director. Jesus’s authority is why. You do this and you do that and I will oversee. One could almost make Jesus out to be detached and cold. But yet, Mark still implies Jesus was lovingly overseeing. He went to pray and watched the disciples struggle.
In mark’s account (again, probably from Peter) was that Jesus was walking to get a closer look to see if they needed him or not. Jesus was going to walk past them and meet them on the other side. I can see Jesus, the next day tell Peter, he was going to keep going, but couldn’t because Peter leapt from the boat – what a fun laugh that would be. Although there is a lot to be serious about – they joy of the Lord is our strength. We can have a good laugh and have some fun while following him.

“⁴⁹And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵²For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”

Mark brings us back into the bigger picture. They just fed the 5000, even though they failed the test. And Jesus explains this whole thing using bread as a metaphor and they are tired and pressed and worn down and they just aren’t getting it and even standing next to Jesus as the bread and fish multiplied – it happened in the process and they really did not see it and are forgetting He had said He IS the Messiah. Tired out, scared, physically exhausted from rowing against the waves – they really had every excuse in the book for the thing in their brains that makes them understand to not be functioning.

When we get to that moment, it is a prime moment to walk on water, to have a laugh, to sit and enjoy Jesus as He enjoys us. It is about personal relationship – not about walking.

Water and bread are important symbols in the Bible. Jesus is the living water, the well that springs up, makes us never thirst. He turns water to wine. He makes it come forth out of nothing but a hard dry rock, like for Moses. And there is a river that restores life to Jerusalem in the end, and flows out of the temple. Even the throne room floor looks like a glass sea.
And bread? Bread is provision the meeting of our needs. But let’s discuss bread and what Mark referenced, in the book of John – tomorrow. Please join us tomorrow as we continue to study and meditate on the Book of John.

***

25 Jan 202324 Jan 2023

After the Test, We Feast! – 1-25-23

“Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.” John 6:13 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 6 verse 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Feeding the Five Thousand

6 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. ²Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.^[a] ³And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

⁴Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. ⁵Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” ⁶But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

⁷Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ⁹“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

¹⁰Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them ^[b]to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹²So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” ¹³Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
John 6:1-14 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

With the accusations of the US president having classified documents in his home, and riots again, and another school shooting, and inflation – I do not know why more Christian have not woke up? Over the last 5 days I have seen Christian shaken down and exposed! I have seen some lose their jobs, some show up in police blotters, some just completely off base. If you are not right with God – fully repentant and on fire, clinging daily to the altar – then you too will be shaken. The sheep from the sheep from the goats or like the wheat and tares – divided and handled accordingly. I know I have been saying it was coming for a long time – I am sure you feel it. That is not an attack from the enemy, that is God shaking you down, that is the eye of God causing the trembling. Jesus was given the authority to judge (as we read yesterday) and that condemnation is NOT his voice – but the confrontation and judgment and consequences are the voice of Jesus!

And as we are in the thick of it – I hunger. Worship, manna, fellowship have been much more difficult. I press in and do you know what I see? He has prepared a feast! There is a table set in the presence of my enemies. It looks like I have little – BUT IT IS ABOUT TO FEED ME AND FIVE THOUSAND!
Because I believe (Lord help any unbelief in me, please!) Because I fight tooth and nail daily to stand fast and have my faith counted to me for righteousness – without it I have NOTHING else. It is written that faith will be counted for righteousness and it is written that God will bless the work of my hands and it is written that we are about to feed the five thousand!

“¹After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. ²Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.³And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.”

You and I, we did a thing. We made it through 2020, then survived 2021, and now we are still here after 2022!!! That is noteworthy, many did not survive. Now it is the year of jubilee and we can ask God to forgive our debts and set us free. And once we do that – we deserve to go over the sea and up the mountain to sit.

Have a cup of tea and just sit for a moment. But the truth is after all we did and survived – people are coming to learn how, to learn JESUS! So we can sit, but do not be surprised when they come!

“⁴Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.”

This tells me that they should be HOME! Not following Jesus – they need to prepare for the feast! For us it is April 5^th. So this took place in late March/early April, give or take.

“⁵Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” ⁶But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.”

And right there. That is where we are at! Jesus is testing us – He knows what He is going to do. He has made plans to prosper us – and not prosperity gospel type of prosper – but…
“The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 NKJV
So we are talking about Biblical truth we was build our house on, our life on, our talents on, our bank account on, our businesses on, etc. Yes – Jesus knows the plans and this is just a test. Grab ahold of the altar for dear life – and when this is over we feast!

“⁷Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ⁹“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

(Side note: Based on the location, Mark, who wrote the gospel of Mark, was a child at this time, and was probably hanging out with the disciples and Barnabas. Although close, they would have had a short travel to get there to join them and some wise Jewish eema probably packed this foot for the road.
Although it makes for fantast storytelling to think of the disciples rummaging through a random child’s lunch all creepy like, the truth is that Peter was friends with Barnabas and Mark and probably greeted them and they said we brought some food if you are hungry, and ta’da! Just like that Peter knows there is a child’s lunch.)

Meanwhile – I am hungry. And my bill collectors are hungry. And the ministries I support are hungry. And I may not even have enough left for a child’s lunch! I look with my earthly eyes and many would say it would be wise to worry! To even get scared into doing some sort of fear based reaction! But I stay steady. I work hard, pray hard, hang in there hard and wait on the Lord. He is faithful who promised! He is able! He is not a man that he should lie! SO let us stop looking with Peter’s eyes and start looking at things the way Jesus sees them!!!

“¹⁰Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.”

Let’s eat! Was it the first break of the first bread distributed to the first disciple that was a miracle? Was it the 2^nd? The 5^th? Then 10^th? When exactly did the multiplication happen? I don’t want to eat a feast while someone else is hungry. And it is quite possible I would miss the miracle if I sat and waited to see it. No one saw it. They just ate!

So in your situation, keep giving and doing and being generous with people as unto God and to God as well. Just keep going. Because the miracle happened as he just keep giving out the bread. As you go through your struggle, focus on Jesus and eat – He does the rest. Seek Jesus first, as these people were seeking Jesus instead of being home preparing their Passover. Seek Jesus first, He provides the rest.

“¹²So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” ¹³Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.”

Gather so that nothing is lost – it is a good thing to be prudent. But the prudence comes with the abundance, the blessing, the extra – we are not stingy with others, with needy, or with God; we are only stingy with making sure to not be wasteful with the overflowing multiplication of our meager lunch.

If you did not give him all you had at the beginning – you will not have an abundance in the end.

“¹⁴Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Imagine meeting Jesus and not understanding that he was NOT a prophet – but the actual messiah! But how many times have we accepted a watered down, less dangerous version of Jesus? I know I have more times than I could count!
When I returned to God, after sliding away, I shook my fist at him and said I will not come back to some weak pretend version of God and Jesus that I was given – I want to know the REAL GOD and experience His REAL power! And I have! But it is through these trials and tests where Jesus knows what He is going to do, but He is testing to see if He can trust me, if I will learn to see things from His point of view, and if I am willing to let Him tell his powerful story through my life any way He’s like.

And do not condemn yourself – the disciples failed the test, yet they still got the miracle, they still had a feast!

Join us tomorrow as we continue to study and meditate on the Book of John.

***

24 Jan 202323 Jan 2023

Witnesses to The Truth – 1-24-23

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” John 5:25 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 5 verse 16 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Honor the Father and the Son

¹⁶For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, ^[d]and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

¹⁸Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. ¹⁹Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. ²⁰For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. ²¹For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. ²²For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ²³that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Life and Judgment Are Through the Son

²⁴“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. ²⁵Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. ²⁸Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. ³⁰I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

The Fourfold Witness

³¹“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not ^[e]true. ³²There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. ³³You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. ³⁵He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. ³⁶But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. ³⁷And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. ³⁸But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. ³⁹You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

⁴¹“I do not receive honor from men. ⁴²But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. ⁴³I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. ⁴⁴How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? ⁴⁵Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. ⁴⁶For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
John 5:15-47 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

We have a longer read today and it is meaty!
John tells us about Jesus then shows us what Jesus said and did. Then John tells us more about Jesus. It is a repeating pattern throughout the book. Here John is using the words of Jesus to explain.
Jesus started with the least likely and transformed, and he transformed from a distance, and then on the Sabbath, the act that lead to His ultimate accusation and then innocent crucifixion.

“¹⁶For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

We must always keep in mind that God is still working! We can read the plan and know the plan – He told us. We sometimes just get too distracted with ‘where is the rent payment’ and ‘Did you hear what Sally said about me?’ It is crazy how quickly we make this about God serving us instead of us serving God! Or how quickly we make this about us instead of God and His kingdom, which we are supposed to be building!

John was writing after Jesus passed – so John knew the connection between the healing at the pool and Jesus’s death, which is, I think, why John takes this opportunity to share with us the relationship between Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit (implied). It is important that the reader of the gospel understand Jesus was fully man and fully God and as Paul and peter pass on – John wants to ensure this next generation knows and understands the foundation of what Jesus did and who He is.

“¹⁸Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”

First – God honors Jesus! That does seem to be important enough to be #1.

“¹⁹Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

We should be Christ like and do in the manner of Christ as Christ does in the manner of God!

“²⁰For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. ²¹For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. ²²For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, ²³that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

And Jesus says we will do greater than He did. I cannot imagine what greater will be – But God will help us when it is time, and I am sure it will be dire when we have to. Meanwhile, I know Christian who will not lay hands on the sick if need be.

“²⁴“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

This while section really should be read together – but we need to discuss the meaning of these things and stop and think about each part. Some Christians have heard it so much they know with their head and head knowledge is good! I totally geek out on the word. BUT get this in our hearts! Because without heart knowing we do not pass from death into life. God is life and there is no destruction – Judgement is not wrath nor is wrath destruction. Consequences of sin are destruction. Fear God, not because He can smite you, but because you love Him.

“²⁵Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.”

When the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God – this idea is repeated in this passage a few time and is admittedly hard to understand at first glance. The first time is above and the second below. The first time is often attributed to the spiritually dead people and the second to the resurrection.
The above word ‘dead’ is νεκροὶ (nekroi) which means subject to death or mortal (Strong’s 3498). So it can include those who are spiritually awake or those who are not.

“²⁸Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Almost ironically John calls the dead, here – people who are in their graves. Because some are dead and some alive in spirit. I’ll admit I do not know how we call the end of life death and God doesn’t call it death – death is living in hell for eternity being tormented.
We saw in the book of Revelations (last month) how just before judgement day Jesus calls everyone up at once to be judged. All believers, like you (I assume) and I get to go to the Bema Seat and be rewarded crowns and treasures in heaven (crowns are often the symbol of a city – we probably will not be handed physical crowns, but cities or estates to rule over as we see in many parables).
Now back to Jesus:

“³⁰I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

So when we seek to do the will of the Father and Jesus we too are acting righteous! But we are not given the authority to judge. Praise the Lord!

The Jews have always had a rule that things be established by two or more reliable witnesses. In our lives those witnesses must ALWAYS include the Bible. Well, Jesus has fourfold witness! Which is important because we cannot argue when a thing has been established.

“³¹“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. ³²There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. ³³You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. ³⁴Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. ³⁵He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.”

Jesus had John as a witness. Seems pretty reliable and legit – but man is fallible and we apparently only humored him for a moment. Humans are so fickle.

“³⁶But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

His Works are a witness. That is two.

“³⁷And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”

The Father Himself – but we are so small and limited in our knowledge that we haven’t even seen him. So that one doesn’t help us – except by His Spirit, which is why I said the Spirit is implied.

“³⁸But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. ³⁹You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.”

And the holy scriptures are number 4!

“⁴⁰But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

Over and over – we fail to understand the important and truth of this. It is scary to think we can disregard all his signs and selfishly follow our own sins, bondages, oppressions, and slavery.

“⁴¹“I do not receive honor from men. ⁴²But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. ⁴³I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. ⁴⁴How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?”

This was spoken to people who claimed to believe in God. I claim to believe in God – maybe I need to take a closer look inside – same with you? When was the last honest self-examination in front of God? Lately God has been confronting a small amount of complacency in my life – convicting me that I can and must do better and be consecrated. Good enough is no longer good enough.

“⁴⁵Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust.”

Yeah – Jesus confronts sin, convicts of sin, but does not accuse. These are different words because they have very different meanings. The satan means the accuser – so it is shocking to the Jews when Jesus says Moses accuses. First of all they trust Moses, because he sat with God and got the law for them. But it is that very Mosaic Law that bears witness of Moses’s accusations against mankind. That we would need such laws, alone – accuses us of our dire sinful and un-self-governable we are.

“⁴⁶For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

And a fifth witness emerges, Moses, who wrote about Jesus! WOW!
Followed by another rhetorical question.

I feel Paul’s rhetorical questions demanded thought and self-reflection more strongly – while John’s feel more like a suggestion, however these questions and shake your very foundations to ensure they are solid! These dig much deeper. The can even ignite fire inside you.

***

23 Jan 202322 Jan 2023

Walking Away from Sin – 1-23-23

“Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” John 5:8 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading we will pick back up in the Gospel of John, chapter 5 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda

5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ²Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, ^[a]Bethesda, having five porches. ³In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, ^[b]paralyzed, ^[c]waiting for the moving of the water. ⁴For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. ⁵Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
⁷The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
⁸Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” ⁹And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. ¹⁰The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
¹¹He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”
¹²Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” ¹³But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. ¹⁴Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
¹⁵The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
John 5:1-15 NKJV

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

BIBLE DISCUSSION:

There is a whole lot to unpack in today’s reading.
First, I want to address current culture and the TV show: The Chosen. As many of you know I enjoy it. However, there are lots of fictional moments throughout the show and the clean pure scriptures are better for edification – as you all know I do like to keep the word first and the word clean, nothing added and nothing taken away. But the show has brought these character back to a relatable level and helped us understand some of the personal aspects of Jesus’s ministry. I also tell everyone to look it up in the Bible and see what the Bible says about these scenes.
You all also know I like playing the game I call “clean water” – or “clean meme”. Where I run memes, sermons, tv shows and other things through the filter of the Word of God to determine what is and is not pure word. I do this with The Chosen.

The story of the Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda, is mostly fictional – except for the healing itself. Yes. We do not know if he had a brother, and chances are he did not since he had no help. We do not know what happened to his parents. We do not know his childhood traumas – nor do we know of the childhood of Simon the Zealot.
We do not know if Simon was on a mission in Jerusalem that day, or what Simon was doing. We actually have NO connection in the word between the man at the Pool of Bethesda and Simon the Zealot.
Although this episode of The Chosen was a great fictional story – they really took creative liberties – a lot of them! So take note today of what the word really says about this event.

Second let’s discuss what the Pool of Bethesda was. It was created by damming off Beth Zeta Valley, turning it into a reservoir for rain water. Then a second, deeper, pool was created about 200 years before Christ’s birth. Then off of this pool was created temple baths near the natural caves. Greeks and Romans both used it and declared it sacred to Fortuna, the goddess of fortune in the Asclepius cult. It is rumored that the water bubbled and healed the person who was standing there in the bath when it bubbled. Scientifically it probably bubbled as the water settled into an air pocket under the man made bath, however, they decided it was an angel of Fortuna who came and stirred the water and healed the man. (Or the man had gas and then felt better after he passed wind, stirring the waters himself! Lol.) I know many preachers think that the miracle really happened and it was God. But satan can mock a healing. And it remained a temple to good fortune, not to healing.
Now the Southern or second pool was thought to be for Jewish cleansing that is not the location of this story.
Today’s reading is set when Jerusalem expanded and rebuilt its wall around the temple baths to Fortuna. Normally Jews would not tolerate a foreign temple within their walls, but originally it was outside the city. The second reservoir could no longer be used for Jewish cleaning as it was also now in the city. So all that remained used was the temple baths. These were adorn regularly with flowers and incents in worship of Fortuna as well as to cover the smells of human feces and urine and the smells of dirty cripples who never washed or moved while sitting around this pool waiting for bubble to happen. Dirty people did not defile this temple apparently and worshiper came and worshiped expecting fortune while many waited for healing.
The irony is not lost on me. How the devil tells us to sit at the pool of fortune for a healing instead of going to the living waters for healing. This man was literally at the pool of fortune with the worst luck! That should have made the Romans and Greeks stop worshipping there!

“¹ After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ²Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. ³In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. ⁴For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.”

Above I imply that I do not believe GOD or any holy angel healed anyone at the pool – yet here it says whoever touched the stirred water was made well. I do not believe John thought God was healing anyone at this bath either and here is why: Asclepius was thought to be a savior because he had some ability to heal according to Greek legends. This passage uses the Greek phrase ὑγιὴς γενέσθαι, hygies genesthai, which means to “become healthy” or “be made whole”. This phrase is used habitually in the testimonies Asclepius’s healings and is not used anywhere in the Synoptic Gospels.
It is like me telling this story and using air quote around “was made well” – with a tone of sarcasm. It appears Paul did not have the corner on the market of sarcasm! John was sarcastic too, and it is a tad highbrow!

“⁵Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time…”

Wait a minute, Jesus is there for a feast – but it is Sabbath so not a feasting day. Jesus is walking around Jerusalem it the outer areas, recently added as part of the city, and somehow Jesus walks close enough to a pagan temple? I got curious about what they bathes would look like since this one was too destroyed and rebuilt to truly know. But it had 5 porches and natural caves – so we know it had 6 sides. We know water is low so it must have had stairs down from each porch. Porches would be gathering places surrounded with Greek pillars. So Jesus was close enough to the enemy’s temple to see through a flat gathering place down the stair and by the water to where this man must have laid on a mat. And the pool would be the center of this temple.

“…He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
⁷The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
⁸Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” ⁹And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.”

SO did you catch that? Jesus marched into the enemy’s camp, into their temple, right into the center of it and snatched a man out of the grasp of the enemy! Did you see that?! Jesus can come get you wherever you are!
Jesus did not pick him up and carry him out – instead Jesus said pick up your mat and walk out of there! You do not belong there! There’s no there there!

“…And that day was the Sabbath. ¹⁰The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

The Jews, also, were awful close to a pagan temple on a Sabbath! Why was there a rabbinical law against healing but not against going to the pagan temple?!

“¹¹He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”
¹²Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” ¹³But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.”

Jesus just sneaked away without notice – He has a way of doing that. When the enemy thinks he has something in his own happiness he causes a commotion and chaos and Jesus uses it to his advantage.

Was Jesus done? Nope. But God is outside of time and can finish what he started later. Sometimes we get impatient with God, but sometimes He just marched into the enemy’s temple to save you and needs to regroup for the second round.

“¹⁴Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
¹⁵The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.”

Round two is at the temple – this time the Jewish temple. Jesus points out that the healing is lasting and not temporary and then warns him to sin no more or something worse will happen. Wow – that is a lot.
First – we can sin no more? When I first started this blog I thought it was impossible. Even Paul spoke of his struggle and how God is always pointing out new things as we grow deeper. And at the same time John, Peter and James (even Luke) point out that it is possible based on Jesus’s words to not sin. So I re-examine Paul’s words and find he is saying we move out of sin and things that were not sins become sins as we grow deeper and we can stop those too. Now, why would sinning cause something worse to happen?

This brings me back to a deliverance passage:

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45 NKJV

So the man was delivered from an unclean crippling spirit? Probably. And if he sinned he would be opening a door to let that beast back along with 7 of his buddies. I cannot find another passage about being heals, saved, and/or delivered with a warning about worse coming that doesn’t fit with this.

If you have been delivered and sinned afterwards, I am so sorry. You can go get deliverance again. Then go and sin no more. How liberating it is to know that is a possibility! How freeing it is to NOT have to sin! How great is our Jesus to just walk into the enemy’s temple and cast our demons and heal, in the temple! Hallelujah!

Please join us tomorrow as we continue in the Book of John.

***

22 Jan 202319 Jan 2023

WEEKEND READING – 1-22-23

“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Proverbs chapter 6 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Dangerous Promises

6 My son, if you become ^[^a^]surety for your friend,
If you have ^[^b^]shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
²You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
³So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
⁴Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
⁵Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the ^[^c^]fowler.

The Folly of Indolence

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
⁷Which, having no ^[^d^]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
⁸Provides her ^[^e^]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
⁹How long will you ^[^f^]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
¹¹So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

The Wicked Man

¹²A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
¹³He winks with his eyes,
He ^[^g^]shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
¹⁴Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
¹⁵Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;
Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

¹⁶These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[^h^]Him:
¹⁷A^[ⁱ^] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
¹⁹A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

Beware of Adultery

²⁰My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
²¹Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
²²When you roam, ^[^j^]they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
²³For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
²⁴To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
²⁵Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
²⁶For by means of a harlot
A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
And ^[^k^]an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
²⁷Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
²⁸Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
²⁹So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

³⁰People do not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
³¹Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
³²Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding;
He who does so destroys his own soul.
³³Wounds and dishonor he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
³⁴For jealousy is a husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
³⁵He will ^[^l^]accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”