Posts
John 14 is such an incredible passage filled with promises. I am always brought back to a sense of simplicity about the Gospel and the ways of the Lord every time I read this. Jesus lays it all out so well. First we see that Jesus is preparing a place for us and that the ONLY way to heaven is through Him. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me….” (John 14: 1-6) The weight of verse 6 is enormous; Jesus is the ONLY way! As we read on we see the introduction of the Holy Spirit and all that He will bring. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:16-17)
I can only imagine the confusion the disciples must have had at this time with Christ talking about leaving and sending the Holy Spirit. Fortunately for us we have the printed Bible to read and we can see the “BIG BICTURE”. There is a deep joy and assurance, because of the coming of the Holy Spirit. We will be kept in Jesus and as Jesus is fully in the Father, we will also know the way to the Father. While we are here in this weak body made of flesh and bones we also have the Spirit of God inside us so we should be encouraged as we are not in this fight alone!
Thank you Lord for your Love and Grace….Amen
Pastor Jason
NEXT READING: Jer. 13-15; John 15
Showing posts with label Christian living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian living. Show all posts
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Hos. 13-14; Ps 100,102; Heb. 5
Jesus – Rabbi – Priest – “Teacher”,
We see here in Hebrews 5 that it was His destiny and calling, given directly from the Father. “So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
“ You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
As He also says in another place:
“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;
who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” (Hebrews 5:5-10)
While we realize Jesus had to freely except what was coming to Him at great cost, perhaps we often forget that cost when we go about our lives with no drive or zeal for the Word. We can tend to go through our lives always expecting others to feed us and push us when in reality the Word clearly calls us to step it up and dig and learn for ourselves. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14) Perhaps in a day and age where maturity is loosely assumed by society with landmarks like 18 years old or 21 years of age, we ought to instead gauge our maturity by a different scale. Let’s seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him to show us how to move from milk to STEAK (solid food) in our maturity with Him, and with that will come maturity and wisdom in life as well.
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
Next Reading: Mic. 1-4; Heb. 6
We see here in Hebrews 5 that it was His destiny and calling, given directly from the Father. “So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
“ You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
As He also says in another place:
“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;
who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” (Hebrews 5:5-10)
While we realize Jesus had to freely except what was coming to Him at great cost, perhaps we often forget that cost when we go about our lives with no drive or zeal for the Word. We can tend to go through our lives always expecting others to feed us and push us when in reality the Word clearly calls us to step it up and dig and learn for ourselves. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14) Perhaps in a day and age where maturity is loosely assumed by society with landmarks like 18 years old or 21 years of age, we ought to instead gauge our maturity by a different scale. Let’s seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him to show us how to move from milk to STEAK (solid food) in our maturity with Him, and with that will come maturity and wisdom in life as well.
Blessings,
Pastor Jason
Next Reading: Mic. 1-4; Heb. 6
Friday, June 25, 2010
Pauls Farwell Letter to Timothy
Today’s Reading: Joel 1-3; 2 Timothy 1
In the book of 2 Timothy, Paul writes his last letter to his beloved son in the faith. Paul is passionately pouring out his heart before this beloved disciple of his. You can imagine Timothy as he reads this letter, knowing and expecting that Paul’s execution is at hand. He would have been encouraged by the writings of John when he rehearses the last days with Jesus as he was telling the disciples that he was going to be leaving them soon. “These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace, in the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) It is amazing, the sense that one has when they know that death is at their door—especially for those who are followers of Christ. All of the haze seems to clear away and heaven becomes more in view as earth is literally fading. One’s priorities take focus and eternity is seated in its proper place. Much so now for Timothy who is receiving those last admonitions that a father would give a son. Let’s take these admonitions to heart today and put ourselves in Timothy’s place as we read through this letter. 1) Stir up the gifts, get going on what God has given you and use it for His glory, do not wait another day. 2) Don’t be afraid because fear is paralyzing. 3) Don’t be ashamed of the gospel and don’t worry about how things are turning out for me, just know God is good and faithful and you, son, keep your eyes on Jesus, He alone is the author and finisher of our faith. 4) Keep the faith, son, and daughter and do not lose the truth by being swayed as others of faith have. There is a pattern to live by, I have been faithful to live it out before you, use that to be encouraged in your walk with God. I believe the key to all of this is summed up in 2 Timothy 1:12, “…I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” So lastly, family, be persuaded of this, HE is ABLE…
In Christ,
Carol
Tomorrow’s Reading: Joel 1-4; 2 Timothy 2
In the book of 2 Timothy, Paul writes his last letter to his beloved son in the faith. Paul is passionately pouring out his heart before this beloved disciple of his. You can imagine Timothy as he reads this letter, knowing and expecting that Paul’s execution is at hand. He would have been encouraged by the writings of John when he rehearses the last days with Jesus as he was telling the disciples that he was going to be leaving them soon. “These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace, in the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) It is amazing, the sense that one has when they know that death is at their door—especially for those who are followers of Christ. All of the haze seems to clear away and heaven becomes more in view as earth is literally fading. One’s priorities take focus and eternity is seated in its proper place. Much so now for Timothy who is receiving those last admonitions that a father would give a son. Let’s take these admonitions to heart today and put ourselves in Timothy’s place as we read through this letter. 1) Stir up the gifts, get going on what God has given you and use it for His glory, do not wait another day. 2) Don’t be afraid because fear is paralyzing. 3) Don’t be ashamed of the gospel and don’t worry about how things are turning out for me, just know God is good and faithful and you, son, keep your eyes on Jesus, He alone is the author and finisher of our faith. 4) Keep the faith, son, and daughter and do not lose the truth by being swayed as others of faith have. There is a pattern to live by, I have been faithful to live it out before you, use that to be encouraged in your walk with God. I believe the key to all of this is summed up in 2 Timothy 1:12, “…I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” So lastly, family, be persuaded of this, HE is ABLE…
In Christ,
Carol
Tomorrow’s Reading: Joel 1-4; 2 Timothy 2
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)