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ECCLESIASTES 9:3-4
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
The Bible has a different perception of living and dead to the one that you and I were raised to understand. It looks at the soul and considers whether a soul is spiritually alive in Christ or not. It gives rise to the notion that though we be alive, yet we are dead, that is, not alive to the Spirit of the Living God.
This idea is explored in a previous meditation from 2021, ‘The Living And The Dead’. However, here we wish to look at this from a slightly different perspective. In Genesis 2:7-8 we read:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. (KJV)
The spiritual man that God created was a living soul, and having known God’s spark within, wishes to cling to it. Psalm 16:10-11 shows us the cry of one such…
This idea is explored in a previous meditation from 2021, ‘The Living And The Dead’. However, here we wish to look at this from a slightly different perspective. In Genesis 2:7-8 we read:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. (KJV)
The spiritual man that God created was a living soul, and having known God’s spark within, wishes to cling to it. Psalm 16:10-11 shows us the cry of one such…
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,*
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
*Sheol = the world of the dead
The images of lion and dog conjure up thoughts of opposites. The dog is often depicted as venal and unsavoury — As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly. [Proverbs 26:11] — whereas the lion is more often seen as the king of beasts, a creature of great strength, even if not always a picture of goodness and often of evil. Christ is described in the book of Revelation as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, so the lion can be used to show both good and evil.
How does this help us in our daily struggle; in our walk with God? It is simply this — remembering that Ecclesiastes is the book of clear-sightedness, of reality and truth — it is better to be a sinner saved by grace (a living dog) than a proud and boastful man of great strength who knows not the Lord (a dead lion). Remember also that a family of lions is known as ‘a pride’.
So why is Christ known as The Lion of Judah? He is the King of the family of Praise. Be joined to that family and you live amongst all the living. Hallelujah!
How does this help us in our daily struggle; in our walk with God? It is simply this — remembering that Ecclesiastes is the book of clear-sightedness, of reality and truth — it is better to be a sinner saved by grace (a living dog) than a proud and boastful man of great strength who knows not the Lord (a dead lion). Remember also that a family of lions is known as ‘a pride’.
So why is Christ known as The Lion of Judah? He is the King of the family of Praise. Be joined to that family and you live amongst all the living. Hallelujah!
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
GENESIS 9:12-17
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
GENESIS 9:12-17
LIVING ON THE HALLELUJAH SIDE — Cloverdale Bibleway
PRAYER REQUIRES SILENCE
THINK OF THOSE days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything analogous to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking for a visible answer? His silence is the sign that He is bringing you in to a marvelous understanding of Himself. If God has given you a silence, praise Him, He is bringing you into the great run of His purposes. The manifestation of the answer in time is a matter of God's sovereignty. Time is nothing to God.
[from ’My Utmost For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ’My Utmost For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers]
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COMING NEXT… #517 COME TO THE WATERS
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1 PETER 4:12-13
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
We know that God is testing us with the natural upsets and vicissitudes of this life, to strengthen and raise up our faith in Him, to reveal to us His presence, His comforting and realise Him as our only refuge in a time of trouble. The apostle Peter tells us that we should not find these troubles in any way unusual — indeed, such things should be expected.
The implication then, is that none of this is strange at all. In point of fact, it should all be very familiar — because it is what we have discovered by faith in Him. Our Lord deals with harsh reality, not wish fulfilment, and that is a truly wonderful thing, because it means that He is in charge; He is in control, and one above and beyond all that we are. Hallelujah!
Strange things do not happen to us. The things that the Holy Spirit — the Christ within us — recognises as ‘the fiery trial’ happen to us and these are the things we fear and that is when the challenge hits. Are we going to submit to the fear, the anxiety, the distress, or will we look to the heavenly realms and seek our Father who knows every hair on our heads — meaning every strand of thought that fills our minds — and is able to create those thoughts anew, turning them inside out to reveal the only way forward — His way!
The problem for us all is that we do think it strange. His way is not what our intelligence tells us is true, but as we know from Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” The problem for each one of us is that our intellect steps forward first and seeks to push the Spirit out of the way.
For myself, these are words that have returned to me again and again — the revelation that He is higher than I. Of course He is. The challenge is always to accept it and make it the essence of your faith, so that we can all say, “Thank you, Lord, for loving me.”
The implication then, is that none of this is strange at all. In point of fact, it should all be very familiar — because it is what we have discovered by faith in Him. Our Lord deals with harsh reality, not wish fulfilment, and that is a truly wonderful thing, because it means that He is in charge; He is in control, and one above and beyond all that we are. Hallelujah!
Strange things do not happen to us. The things that the Holy Spirit — the Christ within us — recognises as ‘the fiery trial’ happen to us and these are the things we fear and that is when the challenge hits. Are we going to submit to the fear, the anxiety, the distress, or will we look to the heavenly realms and seek our Father who knows every hair on our heads — meaning every strand of thought that fills our minds — and is able to create those thoughts anew, turning them inside out to reveal the only way forward — His way!
The problem for us all is that we do think it strange. His way is not what our intelligence tells us is true, but as we know from Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” The problem for each one of us is that our intellect steps forward first and seeks to push the Spirit out of the way.
For myself, these are words that have returned to me again and again — the revelation that He is higher than I. Of course He is. The challenge is always to accept it and make it the essence of your faith, so that we can all say, “Thank you, Lord, for loving me.”
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen you love.
1 PETER 1:3-8a
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen you love.
1 PETER 1:3-8a
THANK YOU JESUS, THANK YOU JESUS — Divine Hymns
PRAYER REQUIRES PURPOSE
We take for granted that prayer is preparation for work, whereas prayer is the work; and we scarcely believe what the Bible reveals - That God's chosen way of working is through intercessory prayer. We lean unto our own understanding, or we bank on service and do away with prayer. Consequently, by succeeding in the external we fail in the eternal, because in the eternal we succeed only by prevailing prayer.
[from ‘Christian Discipline Volume 2’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Christian Discipline Volume 2’ by Oswald Chambers]
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COMING NEXT… #516 JOINED TO ALL THE LIVING
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DEUTERONOMY 13:1-3
If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—’and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
This is a timely reminder that we should test the Spirits, because The Holy Spirit is not the only spirit in the heavenlies.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. [1 John 4:1-3]
We have to test the spirits, because our God is testing us. This sounds condemnatory, but in fact is no such thing. Our reading says clearly that The Lord does this so see where we are with Him. ‘Testing’ here means to try, to prove us. Do we love Him, heart, mind and soul? Our Lord already knows exactly where we are, so the test is for our benefit, not His. Only you and I will learn anything from this test.
And this is very much a learning process — bringing us to maturity in Him. We need to distinguish between truth and lies and it can be astonishingly difficult, until The Holy Spirit works that discernment into us. God puts us to the test because of His great love for His people. He wants us to be the best — as we read in the Book of James,,,
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. [James 1:16-18]
Our Lord desires that we be in the vanguard, those who have proven worthy to be the best of the best. It sounds like a tall order, but we must understand that we are incapable of such a thing as an exercise of human will and strength. Amazingly it requires only one thing — abandonment. We must each one abandon ourselves to God, and He will work all into us. Thus there is no condemnation.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. [1 John 4:1-3]
We have to test the spirits, because our God is testing us. This sounds condemnatory, but in fact is no such thing. Our reading says clearly that The Lord does this so see where we are with Him. ‘Testing’ here means to try, to prove us. Do we love Him, heart, mind and soul? Our Lord already knows exactly where we are, so the test is for our benefit, not His. Only you and I will learn anything from this test.
And this is very much a learning process — bringing us to maturity in Him. We need to distinguish between truth and lies and it can be astonishingly difficult, until The Holy Spirit works that discernment into us. God puts us to the test because of His great love for His people. He wants us to be the best — as we read in the Book of James,,,
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. [James 1:16-18]
Our Lord desires that we be in the vanguard, those who have proven worthy to be the best of the best. It sounds like a tall order, but we must understand that we are incapable of such a thing as an exercise of human will and strength. Amazingly it requires only one thing — abandonment. We must each one abandon ourselves to God, and He will work all into us. Thus there is no condemnation.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
JAMES 1:2-8
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
JAMES 1:2-8
PURIFY MY HEART — Brian Doerksen
PRAYER requires PURPOSE
GOD HAS SO constituted things that prayer on the basis of redemption alters the way a man looks at things.
[from ‘Our Brilliant Heritage’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Our Brilliant Heritage’ by Oswald Chambers]
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COMING NEXT: #515 DO NOT THINK IT STRANGE
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DANIEL 4:7-9
Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.
But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:
“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:
“Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar asked the question to which many of us might well look for an answer — explain to me the visions of my dream. Daniel had the gift of answering that question, of interpreting visions, but also of explaining the visions (and note that there is a distinction between the two). Explaining is not interpreting and vice versa. Nebuchadnezzar wanted Daniel to explain the visions — to break them down and relate the signs there and then give the interpretation, the meaning behind the words.
As we discover in the Book of Joel (see below), there are prophecies, dreams and visions and each has a specific function in the realm of the Spirit. There is a conception that dreams and visions are both prophetic, and although they can be prophetic in part, this is not always so. An exact definition of each is not always easy, but it is safe to say — in the same way that an Apple is a fruit, but not all fruit are apples — that a prophecy is not always a vision or a dream. It may be, but more often than not we find that a prophecy comes as a word from God.
A vision is perhaps best described as a revelation from God, which can also have a prophetic aspect to it. Dreams, on the other hand are more difficult to describe. In Joel 2:29, we read that while young men will see visions, old men will dream dreams, which rather confirms the revelatory aspect of visions. ‘Old men’ represent mature believers, whose waking and sleeping hours are closer to the heavenly realms through many years experience of prophecy and vision. The Lord speaks then whether awake or asleep. The ‘young men’ to which Joel refers are inspired to continue in faith by the revelatory visions shown to them.
The prophet Jeremiah says:- The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD.
”Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (JEREMIAH 23:28-29)
In other words, a dream is only a dream unless it has The Lord’s Word at its root, and then His Word will reveal the veracity of the dream. Daniel was an interpreter of dreams. This was The Lord’s gift to Daniel, and dreams have to be interpreter to judge their provenance. Daniel’s name means ‘God is my judge’.
So we come to this:-
As we discover in the Book of Joel (see below), there are prophecies, dreams and visions and each has a specific function in the realm of the Spirit. There is a conception that dreams and visions are both prophetic, and although they can be prophetic in part, this is not always so. An exact definition of each is not always easy, but it is safe to say — in the same way that an Apple is a fruit, but not all fruit are apples — that a prophecy is not always a vision or a dream. It may be, but more often than not we find that a prophecy comes as a word from God.
A vision is perhaps best described as a revelation from God, which can also have a prophetic aspect to it. Dreams, on the other hand are more difficult to describe. In Joel 2:29, we read that while young men will see visions, old men will dream dreams, which rather confirms the revelatory aspect of visions. ‘Old men’ represent mature believers, whose waking and sleeping hours are closer to the heavenly realms through many years experience of prophecy and vision. The Lord speaks then whether awake or asleep. The ‘young men’ to which Joel refers are inspired to continue in faith by the revelatory visions shown to them.
The prophet Jeremiah says:- The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD.
”Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (JEREMIAH 23:28-29)
In other words, a dream is only a dream unless it has The Lord’s Word at its root, and then His Word will reveal the veracity of the dream. Daniel was an interpreter of dreams. This was The Lord’s gift to Daniel, and dreams have to be interpreter to judge their provenance. Daniel’s name means ‘God is my judge’.
So we come to this:-
- A dream is a narrative — a story — in the mind which needs unravelling, interpreted by someone empowered by God to do so, such as an experienced believer walking with The Lord.
- A vision is a Spirit revelation, which can be prophetic also. It can be general or specific, like a Word of Wisdom.
- A prophecy is a direct word from God, a divine utterance or pronouncement.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS…
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
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
BE MY VISION — Planetshakers
PRAYER requires PURPOSE
PRAYER ALTERS A man on the inside, alters his mind and his attitude to things. The point of praying is not that we get things from God, but that we learn by prayer to detect the difference between God's order and God's permissive will. God's order is no pain, no sickness, no devil, no war, no sin; His permissive will is all these things. What a man needs to do is to get hold of God's order in the kingdom on the inside, and then he will begin to see how to handle the riddle of the universe on the outside.
(from ‘Still Higher For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers)
(from ‘Still Higher For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers)
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COMING NEXT … #514 GOD IS TESTING YOU
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1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit,
to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit,
to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Our Lord gives us a multitude of spiritual gifts, and the diversities of gifts we see here in 1 Corinthians, represents a map of the plan of God, for these gifts are of the Holy Spirit — the one gift beyond price, from which all the gifts mentioned are but a part. We can receive these benefactions as Our Lord deems fit, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The test of whether or not the gift, or gifts, are of God, lies in the outworking. There are many spirits in the world, but only The One Spirit of the Living God is Holy, and that One Holy Spirit is given individually for the benefit of every one. So far I am merely reiterating what you can read and hear for yourselves. What are these diversities of gifts? Paul gives the list …
Does anything strike you in this collection of gifts? For myself, the first thing that hit me was that Faith is a gift from the Almighty. I cannot have faith in God, in Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit unless our Heavenly Father freely and personally chooses to impart that gift in me. And it is the third gift that the three-in-one God fills me with, having already shown me His wisdom and led me to know Him.
Having given me those three gifts they become part of my spiritual being through Jesus Christ, and growing in Him I can share His wisdom His knowledge and Faith in Him with those around me, thus building up His church. Likewise others bless me with their sharing in the Spirit, so that all benefit, one with another.
These nine gifts are set in three groups of three. I believe that the first three are found in most believers in varying degrees, but for the benefit of all. And when we look at the second and third, our Heavenly Father distributes the gifts in another way. Healings, miracles and prophecy are gifts that my experience reveals to be of a different order — in effect that not all manifest these gifts, or at least not all the time, but that the Holy Spirit will use one here and one there to achieve His purpose. This second grouping seems to me to indicate The Lord using a faithful one open as a channel to facilitate a healing, or a miracle, or to give voice to a prophetic utterance.
And the third grouping? The discerning of Spirits opens the deeper pathways of the Spirit so that the expression of tongues — the speaking of that Heavenly Language becomes evermore fluent, leading eventually to the gift of being able to translate these outpourings to reveal the heart of God in that moment.
Like so many things with Our Lord, there is a progression inherent in these revelations. Not every one will see or experience the fullness of these gifts, but all will be touched by them in different degrees — of that there can be no doubt.
There is much more that can be said of this subject, and we shall return to it again soon.
The test of whether or not the gift, or gifts, are of God, lies in the outworking. There are many spirits in the world, but only The One Spirit of the Living God is Holy, and that One Holy Spirit is given individually for the benefit of every one. So far I am merely reiterating what you can read and hear for yourselves. What are these diversities of gifts? Paul gives the list …
- The word of wisdom
- The word of knowledge
- Faith
- Healings
- Miracles
- Prophecy
- Discerning of Spirits
- Different kinds of tongues
- Interpretation of tongues
Does anything strike you in this collection of gifts? For myself, the first thing that hit me was that Faith is a gift from the Almighty. I cannot have faith in God, in Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit unless our Heavenly Father freely and personally chooses to impart that gift in me. And it is the third gift that the three-in-one God fills me with, having already shown me His wisdom and led me to know Him.
Having given me those three gifts they become part of my spiritual being through Jesus Christ, and growing in Him I can share His wisdom His knowledge and Faith in Him with those around me, thus building up His church. Likewise others bless me with their sharing in the Spirit, so that all benefit, one with another.
These nine gifts are set in three groups of three. I believe that the first three are found in most believers in varying degrees, but for the benefit of all. And when we look at the second and third, our Heavenly Father distributes the gifts in another way. Healings, miracles and prophecy are gifts that my experience reveals to be of a different order — in effect that not all manifest these gifts, or at least not all the time, but that the Holy Spirit will use one here and one there to achieve His purpose. This second grouping seems to me to indicate The Lord using a faithful one open as a channel to facilitate a healing, or a miracle, or to give voice to a prophetic utterance.
And the third grouping? The discerning of Spirits opens the deeper pathways of the Spirit so that the expression of tongues — the speaking of that Heavenly Language becomes evermore fluent, leading eventually to the gift of being able to translate these outpourings to reveal the heart of God in that moment.
Like so many things with Our Lord, there is a progression inherent in these revelations. Not every one will see or experience the fullness of these gifts, but all will be touched by them in different degrees — of that there can be no doubt.
There is much more that can be said of this subject, and we shall return to it again soon.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS…
how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
HEBREWS 2:3-4
God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
HEBREWS 2:3-4
HOLY SPIRIT LIVING BREATH OF GOD — Keith and Kristyn Getty
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend and incorporating the melody of “Gabriel's Oboe" written by Ennio Morricone
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend and incorporating the melody of “Gabriel's Oboe" written by Ennio Morricone
PRAYER requires OBEDIENCE
MEDITATION MEANS GETTING to the middle of a thing; not being like a pebble in a brook and letting the water of thought go over us; that is reverie, not meditation.
Meditation is an intense spiritual activity. It means bringing every bit of the mind into harness and concentrating its powers; it includes both deliberation and reflection.
Deliberation means being able to weigh well what we think, conscious all the time that we are deliberating and meditating. "My heart consulted in me" is exactly the meaning of meditation.
[from ‘Biblical Philosophy’ by Oswald Chambers]
Meditation is an intense spiritual activity. It means bringing every bit of the mind into harness and concentrating its powers; it includes both deliberation and reflection.
Deliberation means being able to weigh well what we think, conscious all the time that we are deliberating and meditating. "My heart consulted in me" is exactly the meaning of meditation.
[from ‘Biblical Philosophy’ by Oswald Chambers]
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COMING NEXT: #513 EXPLAIN TO ME THE VISIONS
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JEREMIAH 29:11-14
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;
I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;
I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
I will bring you back from captivity is a promise from God to His people. What is this captivity, and where are we being brought back from? And then we read in verse 14 that I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, and then I will bring you to a place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. Does our Lord drive us to places only to bring us back?
The answer it seems is a definitive ‘yes! Reading a little further, we discover that we should Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. It seems that The Lord takes us to an undesirable place for the express purpose of bringing us back from it. This seems strange to say the least. It all seems to go against everything we think that we know about Him.
And yet we know that Our Lord is all in all. He knows all things. The places where I have driven you are the places where I have become an outcast from His presence. Why? Because He knows where my heart lies at times. He sends me away from Himself just as a magnet repels another magnet. In my case I can often believe that I shall survive without Him — it becomes all about self. How can I get myself out of trouble, when the reality is that I cannot.
Only when I turn and re-turn to Him can He help. He will cause me to be carried away captive from that place of iniquity, but captive to His compassion and mercy, instead of my own foolishness. We must keep in mind that He understands our ways better than we do ourselves.
The answer it seems is a definitive ‘yes! Reading a little further, we discover that we should Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. It seems that The Lord takes us to an undesirable place for the express purpose of bringing us back from it. This seems strange to say the least. It all seems to go against everything we think that we know about Him.
And yet we know that Our Lord is all in all. He knows all things. The places where I have driven you are the places where I have become an outcast from His presence. Why? Because He knows where my heart lies at times. He sends me away from Himself just as a magnet repels another magnet. In my case I can often believe that I shall survive without Him — it becomes all about self. How can I get myself out of trouble, when the reality is that I cannot.
Only when I turn and re-turn to Him can He help. He will cause me to be carried away captive from that place of iniquity, but captive to His compassion and mercy, instead of my own foolishness. We must keep in mind that He understands our ways better than we do ourselves.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS…
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
EPHESIANS 4:7-8
Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
EPHESIANS 4:7-8
MY SHACKLES ARE GONE — David Harmer
PRAYER requires POWER
IN WORK FOR God never look at flesh and blood causes; meet every arrangement for the day in the power of the Holy Ghost. It makes no difference what your work is, or what your circumstances are; if you are praying in the Holy Ghost, He will produce an atmosphere round about you, and all these things will redound to the glory of God.
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’ by Oswald Chambers]
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COMING NEXT… #512 DIVERSITIES OF GIFTS
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GENESIS 12:1-3
Now the LORD had said to Abram:
"Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
"Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
The Lord said to Abram to get out of where he was and go to the land that He would reveal to Him. And in all this Abram would be blessed. Furthermore, all the families of the earth would be blessed in him. That is a whale of a promise.
This instruction to Abram shows how God has worked to bring that blessing to Abram and through him to all his descendants, meaning all God’s people — all who He has called and purposed to be His from before the beginning of time. Later, Abram, now Abraham is told that “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” [Genesis 22:18] This is a cornerstone of God’s blessing of His church.
Genesis 12 says that we shall be a blessing. To whom? To our Heavenly Father? To one another? I believe this means both — and that the true answer is in the becoming. Our very being will become a blessing, filled with the Holy Spirit and, as we grow in faith, radiating Jesus’ presence to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.” [Ezekiel 40:4]
And the blessing of God spreads outwards, so that He will bless those who bless us, but also curse those who curse us. In this way, the outstretched arm of God covers and protects His people.
But what is ‘blessing’? It means to kneel in adoration (to God), or as a benefit to a person or people (from God), but it can also mean to curse. When we kneel before Him, it is an act of submission, of worship, and an acknowledgment of His rightful place. For God, who is all-powerful, the kneeling represents His spiritual lowering of Himself to be in the midst of us. In this way, our Lord Jesus Christ is ‘The Blessing’.
This instruction to Abram shows how God has worked to bring that blessing to Abram and through him to all his descendants, meaning all God’s people — all who He has called and purposed to be His from before the beginning of time. Later, Abram, now Abraham is told that “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” [Genesis 22:18] This is a cornerstone of God’s blessing of His church.
Genesis 12 says that we shall be a blessing. To whom? To our Heavenly Father? To one another? I believe this means both — and that the true answer is in the becoming. Our very being will become a blessing, filled with the Holy Spirit and, as we grow in faith, radiating Jesus’ presence to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.” [Ezekiel 40:4]
And the blessing of God spreads outwards, so that He will bless those who bless us, but also curse those who curse us. In this way, the outstretched arm of God covers and protects His people.
But what is ‘blessing’? It means to kneel in adoration (to God), or as a benefit to a person or people (from God), but it can also mean to curse. When we kneel before Him, it is an act of submission, of worship, and an acknowledgment of His rightful place. For God, who is all-powerful, the kneeling represents His spiritual lowering of Himself to be in the midst of us. In this way, our Lord Jesus Christ is ‘The Blessing’.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
DEUTERONOMY 30:1-3
"Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you,
and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,
that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.
"Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you,
and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul,
that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING — Sue Dodge and Gaither Gathering
PRAYER requires POWER
PRAYING IN THE Holy Spirit means the power given to us by God to maintain a simple relationship to Jesus Christ, and it is most difficult to realize this simple relationship in the matter of prayer.
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’ by Oswald Chambers]
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COMING NEXT… #511 BACK FROM CAPTIVITY
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Isaiah 26:2-4
Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.
Whenever Jesus was in the midst of a gathering He brought peace by His presence. Often, particularly when some or all with Him were anxious or fearful, He emphasised that peace by declaring “Peace unto you.”. When we engage with Jesus in the reality of His presence within us He gives us His peace. It can be no other and no better way.
The words we have read in Isaiah 26 express this truth simply and convincingly. These are words of life to the dying, hope to the lost and compassion to the unloved. Peace — peace of mind, peace in heart, peace that transcends the cruelties of this earthly existence — is what our Saviour brings to those whose mind is stayed — fixed and focused — on and with Him. That focus on Our Lord is given life by mutual trust. We trust Him because He is unwaveringly and unshakeably trustworthy, and He has demonstrated this over and over again as so many can testify.
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. [2 Samuel 22:31]
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?"
LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. [Psalm 4:5-8]
These are just two of many quotations in scripture that announce that same joyous truth. And yet we often shy away from it, or doubt it’s veracity. Why? I suspect the reason is that it is far removed from our experience and expectations in life. Difficult to accept, because it seems so unreal. It is unreal in our mundane day-to-day view of things, but in the higher reality of our Lord of Lords, it is real indeed. His peace — the peace that passeth understanding — is to be sought after and treasured. Let Him enter our hearts and we shall know an everlasting tranquility, for He is our strength.
The words we have read in Isaiah 26 express this truth simply and convincingly. These are words of life to the dying, hope to the lost and compassion to the unloved. Peace — peace of mind, peace in heart, peace that transcends the cruelties of this earthly existence — is what our Saviour brings to those whose mind is stayed — fixed and focused — on and with Him. That focus on Our Lord is given life by mutual trust. We trust Him because He is unwaveringly and unshakeably trustworthy, and He has demonstrated this over and over again as so many can testify.
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. [2 Samuel 22:31]
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?"
LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. [Psalm 4:5-8]
These are just two of many quotations in scripture that announce that same joyous truth. And yet we often shy away from it, or doubt it’s veracity. Why? I suspect the reason is that it is far removed from our experience and expectations in life. Difficult to accept, because it seems so unreal. It is unreal in our mundane day-to-day view of things, but in the higher reality of our Lord of Lords, it is real indeed. His peace — the peace that passeth understanding — is to be sought after and treasured. Let Him enter our hearts and we shall know an everlasting tranquility, for He is our strength.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
NUMBERS 6:22-27
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
"The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace."'
"So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
"The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace."'
"So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."
PERFECT PEACE — The Wilds Christian Association
LEONARD RAVENHILL
“There are three persons living in each of us: the one we think we are, the one other people think we are, and the one God knows we are.”
[from ‘Why Revival Tarries’ by Leonard Ravenhill]
[from ‘Why Revival Tarries’ by Leonard Ravenhill]
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COMING NEXT … #510 YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING
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Jeremiah 13:12-14
"Therefore you shall speak to them this word: 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Every bottle shall be filled with wine."'
"And they will say to you, 'Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?'
"Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together," says the LORD. "I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them."'"
"And they will say to you, 'Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?'
"Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together," says the LORD. "I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them."'"
Each of the ‘Great Prophets’ — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel — has his own unique voice and perspective, while each speaks the truth powerfully that The Lord has given him. These three verses from Jeremiah 13 are no different, and while we recognise the force in the words, the meaning seemed unclear — at least to me — until The Lord answered my question.
Wine can be a picture of The Holy Spirit, and every bottle will refer to ‘His people’ (see verse 11). Jeremiah takes this image of being completely filled — with the Spirit — as an instrument of our destruction instead of salvation. Why is this?
The answer must be that God’s people are in constant danger of going astray; can so fully abandon any vestige of holiness that the sinful life becomes their guiding principle. In Mark 3:24-25, Jesus says this: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.“ The sin that God’s people committed — according to Jeremiah 13:11 — is that they would not hear.
Thus the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Christ within you the hope of glory) becomes judgement instead of blessing in those who fail to hear God; simply because God cannot by His very nature touch anything unclean. Indeed, Mark 3:28-30 quotes Jesus as saying "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"— because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."
The net effect of the power of God sweeping through a now sinful one of His people is the drunkenness that Jeremiah describes — a spiritual anger that destroys — the only cure for which is complete and utter repentance.
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [Hebrews 10:29-31]
Wine can be a picture of The Holy Spirit, and every bottle will refer to ‘His people’ (see verse 11). Jeremiah takes this image of being completely filled — with the Spirit — as an instrument of our destruction instead of salvation. Why is this?
The answer must be that God’s people are in constant danger of going astray; can so fully abandon any vestige of holiness that the sinful life becomes their guiding principle. In Mark 3:24-25, Jesus says this: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.“ The sin that God’s people committed — according to Jeremiah 13:11 — is that they would not hear.
Thus the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Christ within you the hope of glory) becomes judgement instead of blessing in those who fail to hear God; simply because God cannot by His very nature touch anything unclean. Indeed, Mark 3:28-30 quotes Jesus as saying "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"— because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."
The net effect of the power of God sweeping through a now sinful one of His people is the drunkenness that Jeremiah describes — a spiritual anger that destroys — the only cure for which is complete and utter repentance.
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [Hebrews 10:29-31]
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
REVELATION 14:6-7
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—
saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—
saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
AT YOUR FEET WE FALL — David Fellingham
LEONARD RAVENHILL on PRAYER
The secret of praying is praying in secret. A sinning man will stop praying, and a praying man will stop sinning.
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COMING NEXT … #509 PERFECT PEACE
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John 21:20-25
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"
This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"
This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Jesus’ three “Do you love me?” questions to Peter are, I believe, three different questions; or at least variations designed to draw him in to the right place and restore Peter, letting him see that — as the rock on which Jesus was to build His church — Jesus would continue to be with him in all things.
Jesus first two questions were God-centred, but the third was formed as one of brotherly love — coming along side Peter — in a sense putting His arm around the disciple. And then comes what could be seen as an awkward moment, but which is instructive, as John draws his gospel to its conclusion. “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter says, followed by “But Lord, what about this man?”.
Peter is still discomfited by what He sees as being singled out for interrogation. “Why me? What about him?” seems to be his attitude, allowing Jesus to say the equivalent of “Mind your own business, Peter.” It is important that we do not compare ourselves to others — the ‘pointing the finger’ attitude to divert attention from our own failings.
Jesus makes it clear that He loves everyone in the same way; that He is with us in an individual relationship — Christ within you, the hope of glory — as well as corporately. It is not for me to stand in judgement on another. I do not know — nor do I need to know — the work that The Lord is doing in my brother or sister’s life. Jesus has an intimate relationship with each of us.
John concludes with the statement that his gospel is merely a glimpse at the life of Jesus on this Earth. Much more could be said, and no doubt there is much that has been forgotten. His purpose has been to lay out Jesus’ ministry as the true Son of God, that we may know and understand the truth of His coming amongst us. That we may know and understand Him.
Jesus first two questions were God-centred, but the third was formed as one of brotherly love — coming along side Peter — in a sense putting His arm around the disciple. And then comes what could be seen as an awkward moment, but which is instructive, as John draws his gospel to its conclusion. “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter says, followed by “But Lord, what about this man?”.
Peter is still discomfited by what He sees as being singled out for interrogation. “Why me? What about him?” seems to be his attitude, allowing Jesus to say the equivalent of “Mind your own business, Peter.” It is important that we do not compare ourselves to others — the ‘pointing the finger’ attitude to divert attention from our own failings.
Jesus makes it clear that He loves everyone in the same way; that He is with us in an individual relationship — Christ within you, the hope of glory — as well as corporately. It is not for me to stand in judgement on another. I do not know — nor do I need to know — the work that The Lord is doing in my brother or sister’s life. Jesus has an intimate relationship with each of us.
John concludes with the statement that his gospel is merely a glimpse at the life of Jesus on this Earth. Much more could be said, and no doubt there is much that has been forgotten. His purpose has been to lay out Jesus’ ministry as the true Son of God, that we may know and understand the truth of His coming amongst us. That we may know and understand Him.
MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS
MATTHEW 7:1-3
"Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use,
it will be measured back to you.
And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye,
but do not consider the plank in your own eye?“
"Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use,
it will be measured back to you.
And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye,
but do not consider the plank in your own eye?“
HOLY SPIRIT, WE WELCOME YOU — St Michael’s Singers
(written by Chris Bowater)
(written by Chris Bowater)
PRAYER requires OBEDIENCE
IN OUR LORD's life there was no divorce between the ideal and the real; He never gave Himself continually to prayer. Beware of the tendency that makes you wish that God would pretend you are someone special. It is a childish make-believe, standing on spiritual tiptoe to look as big as God — others can do this and that, but I must give myself to prayer. The great secret of the obedient life of faith is that the real conditions of bodily life are transfigured by real communion with God.
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’ by Oswald Chambers]
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’ by Oswald Chambers]