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1 JOHN 2:3-11
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.
He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
In his Gospel, John says ‘in the beginning was the Word.’ Now in 1 John we hear that the old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning, stating that he is and is not writing a new commandment; rather, I believe he is restating and expanding upon what has been said in his gospel along with what Jesus stated as a commandment in Matthew 34:39b ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ In this way he combines Jesus’ simple statement with the allusions to light and dark from John’s gospel and Genesis chapter 1.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
GENESIS 1:3-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
JOHN 1:1-5
The meaning here is self-evident. It needs no explanation or interpretation. Jesus IS the Word. Jesus IS the light in the darkness, both in what He says to us and in His being. There is no equivocation. It is so.
And yet at times we doubt. Is He the Son of God? Really? At other times we know the truth of it and are uplifted to the heavenly realms. We are constantly throwing ourselves from the spiritual to the natural and back again. The disciple Thomas stands in our place in that regard. Our rational minds often find the reality of God a step too far… even when we have experienced spiritual, even miraculous circumstances which deny that rationality.
The story of Adam and Eve and their fall by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil reveals our doubt over this. We want to believe but it can seem so unreal. This is a part of our struggle with darkness and light; but we must train ourselves to focus on the light, for then the darkness recedes and fails.
And yet at times we doubt. Is He the Son of God? Really? At other times we know the truth of it and are uplifted to the heavenly realms. We are constantly throwing ourselves from the spiritual to the natural and back again. The disciple Thomas stands in our place in that regard. Our rational minds often find the reality of God a step too far… even when we have experienced spiritual, even miraculous circumstances which deny that rationality.
The story of Adam and Eve and their fall by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil reveals our doubt over this. We want to believe but it can seem so unreal. This is a part of our struggle with darkness and light; but we must train ourselves to focus on the light, for then the darkness recedes and fails.
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
JOHN 20:26-29
Remember always that this is ‘an inside job’ that Jesus is doing — a work of The Holy Spirit to our innermost being. He is the Light of The World and the world’s darkness of hate and self-seeking recedes when He enters, closes the doors and stands in the midst saying “Peace to you!”
I KNOW NOT WHY GOD’S WONDROUS GRACE TO ME HE HAS MADE KNOWN — Fountainview Academy
A CLOSING WORD from DAVID WILKERSON
We are so busy working on God, we forget He is trying to work on us. That is what this life is all about: God at work on us, trying to make us into vessels of glory. We are so busy praying to change things that we have little time to allow prayer to change us…
and from MARTIN LUTHER KING
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
LISTEN TO ‘THE WORD FROM THE BEGINNING’ BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW…
COMING NEXT… #557 ACTS 6: AND STEPHEN DID GREAT WONDERS
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LAMENTATIONS 3:22-24
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
As 2024 draws to a close and the dawn of 2025 approaches, the world seeks hope for a new year as we do every year, but such new dawning is artificial and marks no change to the continuing challenges that face us whichever way we turn. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that no matter what may happen, only our Lord fails not and His mercies and compassions are new every morning.
Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
PSALM 25:6-7
These words from Psalm 25 reveal a plea from the heart of God to come to Him seeking His tender mercies and His lovingkindnesses. This may seem an odd thing to say as the Psalm more obviously is a plea from David to Father God to remember His servant, but surely we can see that such inspiration arises from The Almighty in the first place, as He is the creator of all things, where ‘all things’ means that and no less. His word to us is always clear…
For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”
ISAIAH 30:15
And there I intended to stop: until this morning (31st December 2024), when I read the Oswald Chambers devotion for this day, which spoke powerfully to me, so that I could not help but share it…
YESTERDAY
“You shall not go out with haste, . . . for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 52:12
Security from Yesterday. “God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.
Security for Tomorrow. “The Lord will go before you.” This is a gracious revelation—that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.
Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste.” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.
His compassions fail not.
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS — Maranatha Music
A CLOSING WORD from OSWALD CHAMBERS
Faith that is sure of itself is not faith. Faith that is sure of God is the only faith there is.
LISTEN TO 'HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT' BY CLICKING ON THE AUDIO FILE BELOW
COMING NEXT... #556 THE WORD FROM THE BEGINNING
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ACTS 5:34-42
Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.
And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.
For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.
And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;
but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
In Acts 5 we see that ‘the honeymoon is over’ and the world rises up to quash the rise of this ‘rebellion’. News of the healing of the lame man has spread quickly and come to the attention of the religious rulers. We also see the first shoots of disunity entering the nascent church. Here is the first mention in Acts of four words: satan, deceive, liar and money and two followers of the disciples are struck down as a result. Ananias and his wife lied to the Holy Spirit and paid the price. ‘So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.’ (Acts 5:11)
And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
ACTS 5:12-14
Naturally, the religious elite became worried at this development and sought to suppress it by throwing the apostles into prison.
But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
ACTS 5:19-20
Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be.
So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”
ACTS 5:25-26
We are being shown the Holy Spirit at work… and in this we see the spirit reality of a life bound in Christ. If we are following Jesus, many will come against or dismiss that Christlife or will attempt to deny it, holding any disciple in captivity because it threatens their unbelief. By holding fast to the Holy Spirit the chains of captivity are broken and trust in Christ takes you back to the temple; the House of God.
The truth is that difficulties will come, freedom in Christ is constantly under threat not only from outside but from within us, from others and from ourselves. I can do nothing of myself, I must rely completely on the Holy Spirit.
The truth is that difficulties will come, freedom in Christ is constantly under threat not only from outside but from within us, from others and from ourselves. I can do nothing of myself, I must rely completely on the Holy Spirit.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
GALATIANS 2:20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20
Jesus Christ sets the captives free and holding fast to His Holy Spirit keeps us in a right relationship with Him, whatever the world may try to make otherwise.
Gamaliel (his name means ‘my recompenser is God’) advises the Pharisees to be cautious. He is believed to be the same Gamaliel who instructed Paul and appears to be a man of wisdom, and while not committing to one side or the other speaks truth when he says “but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” Despite being beaten the disciples rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name.
Such things occur in the life of every saint. Let us therefore also rejoice as His disciples at whatever we encounter, for we know Jesus Christ, remembering that it is ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ZECHARIAH 4:9
Gamaliel (his name means ‘my recompenser is God’) advises the Pharisees to be cautious. He is believed to be the same Gamaliel who instructed Paul and appears to be a man of wisdom, and while not committing to one side or the other speaks truth when he says “but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” Despite being beaten the disciples rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name.
Such things occur in the life of every saint. Let us therefore also rejoice as His disciples at whatever we encounter, for we know Jesus Christ, remembering that it is ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ZECHARIAH 4:9
NOT BY MIGHT — Robin Mark
A CLOSING WORD from MAYA ANGELOU
There is a whole world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure the truth.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE…
COMING NEXT… #555 HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT
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JOHN 1:43-51
The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
"How do You know me?"
Nathanael is astonished that Jesus knew him, although they had not met before. This was not common knowledge, nor was it knowing of Nathanael or his reputation. Jesus' words "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" reveals that Jesus knew Nathanael's character, He knew the depths of the man, and not merely who he was. 'Nathanael' is generally translated as 'gift of God' and it is noted that he came from the same place as both Peter and Andrew - Bethsaida ('house of fish'), suggesting a good or worthy provenance.
We should understand Jesus' words as a result of inspiration from Father God, for He says "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father." (Matthew 11:27a) Thus when Jesus says that He saw Nathanael, we believe that this seeing was by Heavenly inspiration, a vision in which a fig tree and Nathanael appeared together, revealing the Father's knowledge of Nathanael to Jesus.
"...under the fig tree, I saw you."
The fig tree is significant and in Zechariah chapter 3 and Micah chapter 4 we are shown this...
Nathanael is astonished that Jesus knew him, although they had not met before. This was not common knowledge, nor was it knowing of Nathanael or his reputation. Jesus' words "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" reveals that Jesus knew Nathanael's character, He knew the depths of the man, and not merely who he was. 'Nathanael' is generally translated as 'gift of God' and it is noted that he came from the same place as both Peter and Andrew - Bethsaida ('house of fish'), suggesting a good or worthy provenance.
We should understand Jesus' words as a result of inspiration from Father God, for He says "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father." (Matthew 11:27a) Thus when Jesus says that He saw Nathanael, we believe that this seeing was by Heavenly inspiration, a vision in which a fig tree and Nathanael appeared together, revealing the Father's knowledge of Nathanael to Jesus.
"...under the fig tree, I saw you."
The fig tree is significant and in Zechariah chapter 3 and Micah chapter 4 we are shown this...
‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts,
‘Everyone will invite his neighbour
Under his vine and under his fig tree.’
ZECHARIAH 3:10
But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid;
For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
For all people walk each in the name of his god,
But we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
Forever and ever.
MICAH 4:4-5
The fig tree is several times used to reveal a place of peace and security, at the same time implying fruitfulness through The Lord's Word that He has spoken. We have also seen that Adam and Eve used fig leaves as a covering for their nakedness [Genesis 3:7]. Indeed fig trees are an important spiritual symbol in Scripture. In Judges 9, Jotham [Jehovah is perfect] speaks The Parable of The Trees...
“Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’
But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’
JUDGES 9:9-10
"You will see greater things than these."
Nathanael seen under a fig tree reveals that he is a true Israelite [from 'Israel', "he shall be a prince of God"], a man considered upright and without guile. In Jesus' vision Nathanael may have been at prayer and it has been suggested that Nathanael was one who had been praying about the coming Messiah. Now Nathanael sees Him.
The lesson for us in this passage is that Jesus knows the heart of each man. He knows our thoughts, our character, our loves and our hates. He sees through the outward into our essential being, our spirit, our life. This is the God who sees all things
There is nothing that we can hide from Him. He is Christ within you, the hope of glory. And Christ within you will show you greater things. "Hereafter, you shall see heaven open".
Nathanael seen under a fig tree reveals that he is a true Israelite [from 'Israel', "he shall be a prince of God"], a man considered upright and without guile. In Jesus' vision Nathanael may have been at prayer and it has been suggested that Nathanael was one who had been praying about the coming Messiah. Now Nathanael sees Him.
The lesson for us in this passage is that Jesus knows the heart of each man. He knows our thoughts, our character, our loves and our hates. He sees through the outward into our essential being, our spirit, our life. This is the God who sees all things
There is nothing that we can hide from Him. He is Christ within you, the hope of glory. And Christ within you will show you greater things. "Hereafter, you shall see heaven open".
THE GOD WHO SEES — Nicole C Mullen
A CLOSING WORD from FRANCIS OF ASSISSI
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE…
COMING NEXT… #554 ACTS 5: IF IT IS OF GOD, YOU CANNOT OVERTHROW IT
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PROVERBS 22:17-21
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
So that your trust may be in the LORD;
I have instructed you today, even you.
Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
That you may answer words of truth
To those who send to you?
Certainty is the thing we hope to attain. If we are certain of something, there is no doubt; we are locked in to an outlook, a belief, a way of life, a prejudice, a preference, a like or a dislike, an opinion. As believers in Jesus Christ, the certainty of all He brought into this world is fundamental to our faith. Our own prejudices and opinions must fall away so that our Lord prevails. We are not our own. If we are uncertain of this, we are in danger of faltering and stumbling in our walk with God.
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
1 PETER 2:7-8
Proverbs reminds us that I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, while 1 Peter states that stumbling is being disobedient to the word… to which they also were appointed. In other words abandoning the certainty of the word is what leads to our stumbling in faith.
When The Lord gave me ‘certainty’ as something to consider, I felt encouraged, certain in fact that I had heard from Him, but as the moment passed along with the days, doubt crept in. More than that, I could no longer be sure of what made me feel so certain about ‘certainty’ in the first place. I did what I have often done before which is to search out a matter [Proverbs 25:2]. As often happens when you begin looking into the things of the Lord, He presents you with the very thing you need; in this case a reading from Oswald Chambers’ ‘My Utmost For His Highest’, where he talks of Faith.
When The Lord gave me ‘certainty’ as something to consider, I felt encouraged, certain in fact that I had heard from Him, but as the moment passed along with the days, doubt crept in. More than that, I could no longer be sure of what made me feel so certain about ‘certainty’ in the first place. I did what I have often done before which is to search out a matter [Proverbs 25:2]. As often happens when you begin looking into the things of the Lord, He presents you with the very thing you need; in this case a reading from Oswald Chambers’ ‘My Utmost For His Highest’, where he talks of Faith.
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration.
Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality.
Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children. For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33).
Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
OSWALD CHAMBERS ‘My Utmost For His Highest’ (30th October)
The line that impacted on me most readily was Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete. Making that distinction convinces my rational reasoning self that it does not and can not know everything, and helps in faith-building, reinforcing that my confidence is in The Lord, and repeated confidence makes for certainty.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, says William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Act 1, scene 5).
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, says William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Act 1, scene 5).
I’M CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING…
A CLOSING WORD from AARON NEVILLE
Every morning I wake up and thank God.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE…
… with apologies for extraneous noises … wood chopping next door … our small dog doing her ‘power shake’ to indicate her walk time is overdue … etc., etc. ...
COMING NEXT… #553 UNDER THE FIG TREE, I SAW YOU
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ACTS 4:8-17
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
ACTS 4:8-17
We can see that every witness and every sermon recounted in Acts concerns the Resurrected Jesus. Acts 4 is a continuation of the events surrounding the Healing of The Lame Man, and we find a major part of the substance of Acts 4 in verses 8-17, which states unequivocally that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Both Acts 3 and 4 dwell on ‘the name’. His name is pivotal in our understanding of our faith. The name of Jesus (or ‘Joshua’) means ‘Jehovah is salvation’. This we know if we know Him at all. He is salvation, a word that carries the weight and power of saving grace, healing and life in the Spirit.
At our Tuesday gathering, Gill was given Psalm 52, verses 8 and 9 which read…
Both Acts 3 and 4 dwell on ‘the name’. His name is pivotal in our understanding of our faith. The name of Jesus (or ‘Joshua’) means ‘Jehovah is salvation’. This we know if we know Him at all. He is salvation, a word that carries the weight and power of saving grace, healing and life in the Spirit.
At our Tuesday gathering, Gill was given Psalm 52, verses 8 and 9 which read…
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
I will praise You forever,
Because You have done it;
And in the presence of Your saints
I will wait on Your name, for it is good.
PSALM 52:8-9
The Psalmist says that he will wait on Your name, for it is good. The word for ‘wait’ means to bind together, to twist together, suggesting that in believing we shall be inextricably connected to the Name of Jesus, that we have an expectation that He shall be present for us, and if we are wondering about His power and how that translates into our lives, then we must see two things…
Psalm 52:8 speaks of us as a green olive tree in the house of God. The olive tree symbolically represents the anointing and thus spirituality. Green is the colour of life and we can be sure that we will have everlasting life in the spirit because of God’s eternal mercy, if we will but trust Him in all things. Trust in The Lord and His power is made manifest. There is power in the name of Jesus…
- The power is Jesus — His name, which is also His nature, as the only begotten Son of God,
- That power is not ours to wield — the power is Jesus and the Holy Spirit working within us if we have faith in Him. It is Jesus witnessing to our trust and belief that He is the Son of God, because we witness to Him.
Psalm 52:8 speaks of us as a green olive tree in the house of God. The olive tree symbolically represents the anointing and thus spirituality. Green is the colour of life and we can be sure that we will have everlasting life in the spirit because of God’s eternal mercy, if we will but trust Him in all things. Trust in The Lord and His power is made manifest. There is power in the name of Jesus…
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 TIMOTHY 1:6-7
I re-iterate here from a word found in our ‘Write The Vision’ weblog:
Note the order shown in 2 Timothy. Power comes first, then love, then a sound mind, meaning a mind controlled and corrected by the Holy Spirit. The second and third come from the first. Power comes first of all, and you need the power of God to move in love and a sound or pure mind. But what is spiritual power?
Note the order shown in 2 Timothy. Power comes first, then love, then a sound mind, meaning a mind controlled and corrected by the Holy Spirit. The second and third come from the first. Power comes first of all, and you need the power of God to move in love and a sound or pure mind. But what is spiritual power?
- P – PRAISE — JUDGES 1:17 And Judah [praise] went with Simeon [hearing] his brother, and they slew the Canaanites [zealous; from root meaning merchants or traffickers] that inhabited Zephath [watchtower; a city renamed Hormah], and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah [devotion]. Psalm 52 says I will praise you forever. [KJV]
- O – OVERCOMING — REVELATION 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keeps my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations: [KJV]
- W – WORSHIP or WALK (in the Spirit)
- E – ENCOURAGEMENT
- R – RESTORATION
THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS by Noel Richards
There is power in the name of Jesus
We believe in His name
We have called on the name of Jesus
We are saved, we are saved!
At His name, the demons flee
At His name, captives are freed
For there is no other name
That is higher than Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
Like a sword in our hands
We declare in the name of Jesus
We shall stand, we shall stand!
At His name, God's enemies
Shall be crushed beneath our feet
For there is no other name
That is higher than Jesus
A CLOSING WORD from PEACE PILGRIM
If you realised how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE…
COMING NEXT… #552 CERTAINTY
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HAGGAI 2:5-9
’According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’
“For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;
and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.
‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts.
The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
The Lord says through His Prophet Haggai (festive), that His Almighty Holy Spirit remains in the midst of us. Therefore… and this must be our conclusion… there is no reason (absolutely none whatsoever) to fear! Furthermore, we have the reassurance… and in this place I will give peace! This reminded me of this passage from Joel 2:28-29…
“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
JOEL 2:28-29
A few verses earlier The Lord says Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things! The connection between the Holy Spirit and ‘Fear not’ is again established. There is repeated reassurance in this manner. ‘My Spirit remains among you.’ It continues to be so, although we often persist in living in fear and anxiety. Surely we should have learned by now to trust Him implicitly; casting fear aside? For myself, I know that I should but I am assailed by doubts, even when I tell myself otherwise. Will I ever learn? The Lord says I can, becoming an overcomer in His service in this way… The matter is one of faith and trust and growing in that walk with Holy Spirit guidance.
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 JOHN 5:1-5
This is the life of an overcomer, the life of faith — by faith we are saved. That and consciously turning to seek Him over and over again until it becomes second nature. This is made plain in this passage from Psalm 103…
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
PSALM 103:1-5
Our focus needs to be overwhelmingly on Jesus and Him crucified, meaning everything that we each manifest as life within us should be focussed on Him, letting the cares of the world fall away. We are assured that this is so, because He says My Spirit remains among you.
GOD OF GRACE AND HOLINESS — Robin Mark, the New Irish Choir and Orchestra
A CLOSING WORD from GARRISON KEILLOR
Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE…
COMING NEXT… #551 ACTS 4: NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN
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PROVERBS 25:2-7 (KJV)
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing:
but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth,
and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Take away the dross from the silver,
and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Take away the wicked from before the king,
and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king,
and stand not in the place of great men:
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither;
than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince
whom thine eyes have seen.
The honour of kings is to search out a matter and it is our understanding that believers in Christ are made to be kings and priests in God’s service, (see Revelation 1:6). Thus it is our honour — the New King James Version says ‘glory’ — to search out a matter. Searching out means to penetrate, to examine a thing thoroughly and closely to find the deepest spiritual understanding. In other words, we need to know God intimately
However, we know that such a thing is not possible for us, for His thoughts are not our thoughts and our ways are not His ways (see Isaiah 55:8). Nonetheless, it is to our glory to seek Him out; to come to know Him through His chosen vessel, Jesus Christ. Thus it is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
However, we know that such a thing is not possible for us, for His thoughts are not our thoughts and our ways are not His ways (see Isaiah 55:8). Nonetheless, it is to our glory to seek Him out; to come to know Him through His chosen vessel, Jesus Christ. Thus it is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
COLOSSIANS 1:26-27
We also see in verses from Proverbs 25 that each one of us is unsearchable. We may feel we know someone deeply and intimately, but the reality we can never fully know the thought and feelings of another. We are complex and impenetrable beings, easily deflected by a light breeze, never mind by storm and tempest. Only God knows us in every way, right down to every atom of our bodies and every neurological impulse in our minds.
But take away the dross from the silver and you are left with the pure substance. Silver represents the redemptive work of Christ, and His saving grace and redemptive power flushes out the dross, if we will but allow Him. Then, we shall know humility, and the King of kings will say “Come up hither.”
Honour and glory arise from the same word in scripture. It also means dignity, praise and worship. It doesn’t signify joy at The Lord’s compassionate heart, but that is surely the outcome of knowing Him. It is the reward of every saint who follows in Jesus’ footsteps and as we see in Colossians, the mystery of the ages has been revealed in the hearts of those who love Jesus Christ. None of us know now all there is to know about God and His plan of salvation. We won’t know this side of the veil, but it is indeed a glorious thing to search for Jesus, His love and truth. He is waiting for us to “Come up hither”, that we may know Him in all His glory.
For this we praise God — Jubilate Deo!
But take away the dross from the silver and you are left with the pure substance. Silver represents the redemptive work of Christ, and His saving grace and redemptive power flushes out the dross, if we will but allow Him. Then, we shall know humility, and the King of kings will say “Come up hither.”
Honour and glory arise from the same word in scripture. It also means dignity, praise and worship. It doesn’t signify joy at The Lord’s compassionate heart, but that is surely the outcome of knowing Him. It is the reward of every saint who follows in Jesus’ footsteps and as we see in Colossians, the mystery of the ages has been revealed in the hearts of those who love Jesus Christ. None of us know now all there is to know about God and His plan of salvation. We won’t know this side of the veil, but it is indeed a glorious thing to search for Jesus, His love and truth. He is waiting for us to “Come up hither”, that we may know Him in all His glory.
For this we praise God — Jubilate Deo!
“JUBILATE DEO”
SUNG BY VOCES8
ТЕХТ
Jubilate Deo omnis terra,
quia sic benedictur homo qui timet Dominum.
Deus Israel conjungat vos
et ipse sit vobiscum,
mittat vobis auxilium de sancto
et de Sion tueatur vos.
Benedicat vobis Dominus ex Sion,
qui fecit caelum et terram.
Servite Domino in laetitia!
TRANSLATION
Let every land praise God,
as the man who fears the Lord is blessed.
May the God of Israel bind you together and himself be with you,
may he send you help from his holiness and watch over you from Sion.
The Lord blessed you out of Sion, he who made heaven and earth.
Serve the Lord with joy!
A CLOSING WORD from MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE…
COMING NEXT… #550 MY SPIRIT REMAINS AMONG YOU
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ACTS 3:1-6 + ACTS 3:11-13
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
ACTS 3:1-6
Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.
So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
ACTS 3:11-13
Every word in The Bible has spiritual significance, and The Lord uses not only numbers, actions, people and stories to lead us into understanding, but places also. That is particularly worthy of note in Acts 3 where we are shown the disciples Peter and John — begin the ‘great commission’. And the chosen place is Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem.
Something which exercises the minds of Biblical scholars is ‘which was “the beautiful gate”?’ From what I can gather, it is reckoned to be the ‘Nicanor Gate’, sometimes also called ‘the East Gate’ or ‘the Golden Gate’. It was also thought to be a place where miracles had occurred.
Peter and John are first shown at the Temple Gate (one of seven gates), but significantly the gate…which is called Beautiful. Beautiful used here means ‘belonging to the right hour or season; timely; flourishing’, which opens out a greater significance to our understanding. As the East Gate it ties into the spiritual pattern that the Son of God walks from the east, entering into the true Church — that is to say revealing the Spirit of the Living God — bringing salvation and healing to those who will believe in Him. Indeed, Matthew shows the significance of this east to west spiritual journey early on in his gospel writing…
Something which exercises the minds of Biblical scholars is ‘which was “the beautiful gate”?’ From what I can gather, it is reckoned to be the ‘Nicanor Gate’, sometimes also called ‘the East Gate’ or ‘the Golden Gate’. It was also thought to be a place where miracles had occurred.
Peter and John are first shown at the Temple Gate (one of seven gates), but significantly the gate…which is called Beautiful. Beautiful used here means ‘belonging to the right hour or season; timely; flourishing’, which opens out a greater significance to our understanding. As the East Gate it ties into the spiritual pattern that the Son of God walks from the east, entering into the true Church — that is to say revealing the Spirit of the Living God — bringing salvation and healing to those who will believe in Him. Indeed, Matthew shows the significance of this east to west spiritual journey early on in his gospel writing…
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
MATTHEW 2:1-2
The lame man was troubled in his walk, but the Holy Spirit flowing through Peter and John imbued him with something more precious (and useful) than silver or gold — restoring his walk, he received life, saving his soul. The healing was in the man’s spirit, but from there manifested itself in his soul and his body — a thorough transformation.
Peter and John moved into the temple courtyard with a crowd gathering swiftly as news of the healing of the man spread, and so, on coming to Solomon’s porch — a gathering place for believers, on the east side of the temple — Peter addressed the crowd just as Jesus had done before him.
Peter and John moved into the temple courtyard with a crowd gathering swiftly as news of the healing of the man spread, and so, on coming to Solomon’s porch — a gathering place for believers, on the east side of the temple — Peter addressed the crowd just as Jesus had done before him.
Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.
And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.
But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
I and My Father are one.”
JOHN 10:22-30
A portico or porch comes from a root word meaning to stand. To stand up in the midst, to abide, to continue, covenant or establish, as well as other nuances of meaning. This suggests a place in which to set forth and establish a proposition. In other words, an open space for speaking and publicly declaring — and this Peter did. We are not told of John’s part in this, but as Jesus had set Peter as the rock on which He would build His church, we can believe that Peter was the right one for this leadership role. John may have been close to Peter, just as he was to Jesus. At this hour the acorn was sown to grow into a mighty oak. Peter spoke to the crowd and to us all in this way…
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
ACTS 3:19-21
As a final comment, Peter spoke (verse 13) of The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers. It can be seen that these three men, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are the only men mentioned in this context. This phrase — in one form or another — is mentioned 17 times in the New King James Version, 16 times in the King James Version and 18 times in the Amplified Bible. Why are these three men from the Old Testament so favoured in this way?
We should see that Abraham is the father of us all (we are his spiritual seed) and he thus is a type of Father God. Isaac is his son who he was prepared to sacrifice thus becomes a type of Jesus Christ who was actually sacrificed on the cross. Jacob, Isaac’s son, who wrestled with the Angel of God and had his name (his nature) changed as a result, then is seen as a type for the Holy Spirit. These three are important in our understanding because they were chosen of God to reveal Himself to men in the life of men.
We should see that Abraham is the father of us all (we are his spiritual seed) and he thus is a type of Father God. Isaac is his son who he was prepared to sacrifice thus becomes a type of Jesus Christ who was actually sacrificed on the cross. Jacob, Isaac’s son, who wrestled with the Angel of God and had his name (his nature) changed as a result, then is seen as a type for the Holy Spirit. These three are important in our understanding because they were chosen of God to reveal Himself to men in the life of men.
SAVED MY SOUL — CityAlight
A CLOSING WORD from...ANNA McCARTHY
"Any group that holds the value of an institution (religion, marriage, government, etc) higher than the value of the people inside it, is not reflecting Jesus."
LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION HERE...
COMING NEXT… #549 THE HONOUR OF KINGS
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NEHEMIAH 2:17 + 3:1
Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.”
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel
Rebuild. Let us build the wall of Jerusalem. We know that walls represent our salvation — we are ‘hedged about’, protected, covered and uplifted by our Lord, and Jerusalem, (‘teaching of peace’), shows us as being the city (the people, the church) of our God.
Our salvation is a gift from God. We cannot save ourselves. Only God can save, but once saved, we are to work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling.
Our salvation is a gift from God. We cannot save ourselves. Only God can save, but once saved, we are to work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Do all things without complaining and disputing,
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or laboured in vain.
PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16
This building is not a solitary pursuit. We do it — it is a corporate enterprise, for although we are all individuals, our Lord is building His kingdom with a many-membered family of believers. Just as in the natural world, there is not one who holds the answer to all things save but for Jesus Christ. Only He holds the keys to the Kingdom. And in Him, we also have access to that heavenly place.
Notice that Nehemiah follows his declaration with the statement that Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate. Eliashib’s name means ‘God restores’. God is in the business of building up, of restoring all things to Himself. Nothing in His plan will ever be lost, which is restoration indeed, no matter which way you look at it.
This working out of our salvation is not a calculated thing, it is our outworking, our finding within ourselves that which Christ has worked into us, the infilling of The Holy Spirit — recognising His Life within us, and keeping our inner hearing attuned to His Small Voice. Our salvation is a gift from God. Working out our own salvation is the life of faith in Him. The wall of Jerusalem is built and we go on to ascend Mount Zion, to the city of the Living God.
Notice that Nehemiah follows his declaration with the statement that Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate. Eliashib’s name means ‘God restores’. God is in the business of building up, of restoring all things to Himself. Nothing in His plan will ever be lost, which is restoration indeed, no matter which way you look at it.
This working out of our salvation is not a calculated thing, it is our outworking, our finding within ourselves that which Christ has worked into us, the infilling of The Holy Spirit — recognising His Life within us, and keeping our inner hearing attuned to His Small Voice. Our salvation is a gift from God. Working out our own salvation is the life of faith in Him. The wall of Jerusalem is built and we go on to ascend Mount Zion, to the city of the Living God.
HYMN: JERUSALEM THE GOLDEN (tune: Ewing) — Liverpool Cathedral
A CLOSING WORD from …ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER
Life is God’s novel. Let Him write it.