John 13:34-35 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Forrest Gump “I may not be a smart man, but I know what Love is.” Every Down Syndrome person I have known has been extremely loving. I sometimes wonder who should be considered handicapped.
Princess Bride “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Many of us say we are loving people. We should search the Word of God to find out what, to God, love is. Start with what Jesus did for us.
John 15:9-13 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Galatians 5:14 “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
James 2:14-17 “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
1 John 4:8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:22-36 – After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” 31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” These disciples of John the Baptist loved him and were devoted to him. They were concerned that their Rabbi had his ministry fading because more and more people were going to Jesus to hear Him teach and to be baptized by Him rather than coming to John. They loved their leader, which is wonderful. But they missed the point.
To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” Hadn’t John been telling them that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes the sins of those in the world? (John 1:29, 36) Hadn’t John revealed to them that he must decrease and Jesus must increase? (V30) Hadn’t some of John’s disciples already left to follow Jesus? (John 1:35-37) Those who remained with John were concerned about his fading ministry perhaps missed his message about Jesus. John had told them that Jesus was so far above him that he was not even fit to untie Jesus’ sandals. (Luke 3:16) Yet here they were complaining about people flocking to Jesus rather than to John.
We must beware because well-meaning family and friends, even in their love for us, though they mean well, can try to lead us the wrong way. Fortunately John was single minded, led by the Spirit of God and absolutely knew the role that God had for him here on this earth. He knew that it was to lead people to Jesus Christ and not to be the Christ. John never wavered in his faith and loyalty to Jesus. He lived to point people to Jesus, not to himself. In that he showed his love and service to God. If any person points to himself and not to Jesus, run away from that person. And if family or friend should push us to be ambitious in our calling, be sure of what God has called you to and resist what God has not called us to. We want to be doing what God has called us to. Nothing more and nothing less. As John here states “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.”
I cannot draw or paint. I don’t even draw stick figures well! Being an artist is not what God has called me too and to try to force that would be foolish. So the one who “reads his own press” can become inflated, thinking that they are more than they are. Seek God for who you are and be that. In that is peace and satisfaction. It is He who made you and He who knows your gifts. Walk out your life with Him. Use your God-given gifts and never become too proud. When people tell you how wonderful you sing, or preach, or play an instrument, respond to them “Thank you. I appreciate that God has given me the gift.” In doing that we praise God. And praising God is the high calling for all of us. Praise God to be called. Hallelujah to do!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:22-36 – After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” 31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) Jesus went to Judean countryside and baptized people. John was nearby and also baptizing people. John was at Aenon because there was plenty of water there as the name states, as the verse states and because people were coming there in response to his ministry. People can often over analyze everything. They want to make symbols and types out of everything and look for hidden meanings. Now, of course the Bible is filled with such yet not everything needs a cryptic meaning to be found out. For example what does “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) mean? Best understanding is that “Jesus wept.”
Pastor John Courson in his Application Commentary tells the story of how Chuck Smith determined that the church (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa) would be in Costa Mesa. “In the early 1970’s, Calvary Chapel was located in the middle of nowhere – smack in the center of huge bean field. In the ensuing years, not only did the church explode numerically, but the Costa Mesa area grew to the point that Calvary Chapel is now sitting on some very valuable real estate. Chuck has often been asked if he had received a vision, a word of prophecy, or a special sign to pastor the little church in the sticks. And he just laughed as he replied, “I took the church in Costa Mesa because I like to surf and it was the closest available church to the beach!”
Family and Friends, sometimes we need to wait for a special sign, but not usually. We know the Word of God and we have the Spirit of God within. If God brings us to it, God will see us through it. Trust the written Word of God and trust the Spirit of God within. We trust that God is fully sovereign and fully powerful enough to give us our path and guide us to it and through it. Unless there is a definite stop from the Lord, do what God has placed in your heart and has given you the ability to do. God will and does guide our steps. Trust you Maker and your Guide.
Do you have confidence in God who keeps you to keep you? (Jude 1:24) Do you believe God who said that He will place Himself within you to teach and guide that He will do what He has promised. (John 14:15-21, 26, 16:13) Be convinced that the Holy Spirit is within and teaching and leading. He will convict us if we set on a wayward path. (John 16:8) So we should know this, God has not destined us to be reformed, but reborn. Not to stop doing evil by our own effort but by having yielded to God and become a new creation in Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Our transformation involves our will but it is by His calling and His will. It is by His plan and power that we have become reborn and that power is by His will through Jesus. (1 John 5:11-12) So, having the Spirit of God within, by loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, by having Him as the treasure of our lives, we trust the Lord who first loved us. (Mark 12:30) He changes our hearts. (Ezekiel 36:26, Psalm 51:10) So we trust the work God has done and continues to do in us. We trust the power of God upon our lives that God has ordained. And in trusting God, we know that lovers of God can do anything they desire to do because God is the one who has made our hearts new. How is that? When we truly love God we want to obey God and so we are free to walk out our freedom in Christ. (Philippians 2:12, John 8:36) If we should err, isn’t the blood of Jesus powerful enough to cover our sincere errors? Won’t He forgive us? (1 John 1:9) We do not sin on purpose to test the grace of God. (Matthew 4:7, Romans 6:1-2) Instead, we desire to never sin, but to always please our beloved God. (John 14:15) We seek to raise His name that all may look upon it and be healed. (Psalm 86:11-13) So dear Brothers and Sisters, love God with all that we are, with a heart to please Him and know that, with that in mind, with that our sincere intent, we can do what our heart’s desire. When we err in such a way, God will forgive. We are free, free indeed. (John 8:36) Enjoy what Jesus died to give to us. We eternally have the freedom He gave by the love of God. Be free. Don’t fear. God is faithful. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:19-21 – This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
My commitment is to believe the Word of God over every position, reason, or argument that opposes it, even if is one that could originate from within me, or any other person. If a person begins to state their position with something like “Sure the Bible is a nice book filled with good sayings and morals but…,” then I know their knowledge and wisdom is false, or at best soiled and convoluted.
Family and Friends, before the Word of God appeared in written form it was eternally flawless. (Psalm 119:160) Think about the term “Word of God.” It is a single and flawlessly linked message to mankind from the one and only God. (John 3:16) The God who cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:18) The God who knows all. (Isaiah 46:9-10) He who has always known everything so everything that He wrote was from His knowledge of everything from the beginning of time into infinity, long after time has passed. (Hebrews 13:8) That being so, His Word has always been perfect and eternal and always will be. So anyone who opposes any part of God’s Word, or who attempts to modify or reject part of it, well, your reasoning is automatically flawed. It is wrong. If you would like to know what the Word says is true, if you would like to learn from God, then I am very happy to help you to the best of my ability as I give to you the Word of God. But to oppose the Word of God is to prove your own folly.
As quoted above, the Word of God states that there is a reason people don’t want the Light from God to shine on them. It is because if they come out of darkness to the light then all that darkness hides will be exposed. And if it is exposed, if is manifest to all, especially to self, then that person needs to change their life in order to not perish. If that person does not change their life as the Light leads, then they will knowingly reject what will save them and choose to stay on a dark path to an eternal and forever inescapable darkness.
However for those who come to the Light of God, yes, they are likewise exposed. But instead of retreating to the darkness, instead of covering their eyes and running away, they squint and move to the Light with all their hearts. At first they squint and walk forward, then their eyes become acquainted to the light, then they only want to stay in the light and they walk toward it every day. They begin to see. And that being so, their ugly wounds are healed, their scabs fall off and are left behind, their hardened hearts soften, first toward God and then and simultaneously toward each other. Changed to love God they love others and share the light that then lives inside themselves. In sharing the light we are sincerely the children of God who love each other, whom the Lord God loves.
Everyone please, come to the Light. That is where love and peace is. The light of God is where joy is. He calls us not only to Him, but to ourselves. There is everlasting love and peace. Please, everyone, come to Jesus. There the Light shines and all that is truly important is learned and the truly unimportant falls away. Come to the Light. Know God and know the love and peace He has for you. Come to the Light and know God. Come today, I pray in the ascendant name of our Savior and Lord Jesus.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:16-18 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 18 The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
What was the root reason that God sent His only Son to die for the world? Because He loved the people of the world. What was the purpose for Him and coming and dying for the world? It was so that whoever believes in the Savior will not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus would later say that the reason He came to the world was “to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) There is a fundamental condition in V3:16, the person who would be saved must believe in the work and person of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8 explains “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” The way, the only way that God made for man to have peace between He and us, is through faith in Jesus. This is the plan of the one and only God. To reject this plan in which God gave Himself, is to reject God. But to believe this plan and path that God made for us to receive Him, is to receive His eternal favor and in that, His eternal life.
To receive God is to receive His eternal life. That is the life that is within Him is given through Jesus to all who believe God the Father and Jesus the Son. To not believe either of them is to not believe both of them. In that unbelief is the act of calling God a liar. That person cannot have peace because He denies it and prefers to be in darkness. Those who reject Jesus are rejecting the eternal life, the essence of God, that He is offering through Jesus. To reject Jesus is to say to God that He is not fully wanted.
These verses are statements of truth. They are not the opinion of a man that can be discounted. They are statements from God and His statements are infallible. Clearly God is here saying that Jesus His Son did not come to judge the world but to save it. The next verse will allude to something that explains this.
The reason that the one who believes in Jesus will not be judged is because the grace of God fully covers that man and has washed away His sins. That person God declares will not be judged. However the non-believer has been judged already because that person does not believe. How is that person already judged? Because that person has revealed the desires of his heart and that desire is to relish the life of this dark world rather than to receive and cling to Jesus the Light of the Word. (John 3:19, John 8:12) God did not make an alternate path to Jesus. (John 14:6) It was receive Jesus or die one’s sins.
Jesus came to save. That means that everyone, absolutely everyone, needs saving. All men are born with the stain of the sin of our shared parent Adam. The sin he did separated him from God’s presence and so we inherit that stain and condition. So all people were born with sin upon them and therefore are on a path to Hell. Imagine a huge people move and every person born on earth is upon it. The destination of the people mover is Hell and there it dumps all people aboard into it. That is the destination of every person born on earth. Many of the people have wanted off the people mover but could not free themselves from it. When someone bows before Jesus and pledges love and allegiance to Him, He plucks them off the people mover to Hell and sets them on a path to eternal life with God. And the eternal life is not a singular and independent eternal life, but God’s own eternal life. He shares His life with us. He gives us the eternal life that is within God. And beautifully true is that everything of God remains one with Him. To have the eternal life that God gives is to have the eternal God eternally. Only God Himself can lift us from the wrong path to the right one and He does it by giving us Himself.
From the moment we become lovers and obedient followers of Jesus the eternal life of God lives within us. So instantly we receive it and may enjoy it, but not till we are with Him in Heaven will we fully appreciate and understand what we have. Our perception is now seen through a cloudy perception, but then we will see fully and understand fully. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Because God has loved all of us He made the way off the path of Hell onto the path of Heaven. His love and eternality does and will live in us eternally. Our God is good all the time and He loves us. Amen! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withPsalm 51:10-12 – Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalm 71:9 – Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
I do not fear death, or disease, or government, or being ostracized, or hunted down and killed. I don’t fear being savagely beaten. Could these things happen? Yes. Though I certainly do not want these things, I do not fear them.
Most dreadful of all things that could happen to me is to lose my closeness with God. He has put His Spirit within me to bear witness that I am His. This is not a mere something to declare, but it is the essence of my life and my life bears witness of it. When people doubt that I know with certainty that I know God, it is because Christ lives in me that I can assert with no shred of doubt that I know who God is and know Him personally. (Galatians 2:20, John 14:23, 1 John 4:15)
Losing my close, intimate personal to my God and Savior is my most dreadful thought. Yet it also is not a fear, it could only be a passing dreadful thought. The reason is that I know His love and the power of it to keep me. I cannot lose what I have as if it were a key that could fall from my pocket. How I came to know God and how I came to know Him is because of His Word and His Spirit. They work together so that I understand and continue to grow in the understanding of my God. When He sings 1 John 5:13 (“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”) He reminds me of the sure position with Him that He has given me. Jesus has assured me that I will never perish. He has assured me that nothing can snatch me from His hand, or out of Father God’s hands. (John 10:28-29) Like the Apostle Paul I “am convinced that neither death nor like, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any power, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:28) I have believed in my heart and professed with my mouth that the only true salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 10:9-10) Therefore, without doubt and without hesitancy I proclaim that, though unworthy, I am a child of Christ today, tomorrow and forever more. I am kept by the full power of God Almighty and have received peace with God through Jesus, and am kept by His Holy Spirit. I am safe in Jesus. So always His Holy Spirit will live within me, daily proving to me that I am His and that He is never leaving me. I am assured. I have no doubt. I am free to enjoy our God. How wonderful He is. I am free because of the love of God (John 3:16)
To all I proclaim with my heart and mind in agreement that Jesus is God’s final Word to the world. All that He has to say to the world has been said. The path to peace with God and for the reception of His blessings is free. It is plain. It is simple, but not easy. There is an enemy of seeks to destroy us, but we need not fear because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4) No worries. The Lord God gave us Himself, and it is that gift, far beyond all others, that I most cherish. The Lord God will not take His Holy Spirit from me. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:7-8 – But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:11-15 – Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
“Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” Jesus had said that He would be someone who causes division. (Luke 12:49-53) It’s not that He tries to make division but that because of who He is, and because of the Truth that He tells, division will happen. When He spoke truth people either received it or rejected it. That makes a division, either to the side of belief or unbelief. The division is always of monumental importance. Those who believe and follow Jesus will live eternally with Him. This who don’t, will live eternally separated from Him. So we see by being the Truth and preaching the Truth that in itself created division.
Here Jesus is talking of a separation that already exists between He and His followers and the most of the Jewish leadership. Jesus came to be the living Word and to teach it, and the Jew’s rejected it. Therefore the “we” is Jesus and His disciples. The “you’s” are the, being specific, the Jews who rejected what Jesus tried to teach them. They rejected who He was. In a broader sense, the “you’s” are also everyone who ever lived who rejected Jesus as Savior and Lord.
“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” The reference to early things is likely the spiritual truths for which a human analogy can be found, which is distinct from heavenly things for which there is no human parallel, try as we may. For example, the anger of man wronged can be compared to the anger of a sleeping bear being awakened by someone poking him with a stick. However there is no truly completely accurate analogy of the Trinity or of God being eternally pre-existent.
When Jesus taught of earthly facts, because of their pre-existent bias against Him, the Jewish Leaders could not understand, so then how are could they be able to understand when He spoke of heavenly things. They are presupposed to resist what He says, and that for personal and selfish reasons. We see it today. If one hates another and has set oneself to not believe anything the other says, that person will not receive truth whether small or grand. If one positions oneself thusly against Jesus, they do so at their eternal peril.
“No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” Jesus willingly stepped off His throne in Heaven to come to earth to save us. (Philippians 2:6-8) Jesus, having finished His work here on earth, was raised from the dead and ascended to His place beside the Father. (Colossians 2:13-15, Matthew 28:7, Acts 1:9-11) No one has ever been like Jesus and no one ever will be like Him or equal to Him. He alone lived with God and was God (John 1:1), came to earth to save us, suffered, died, was risen and then ascended back to His throne in Heaven.
“14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” In Numbers 21:4-9 we read that about one of the many times the Israelites have turned against God and the people He sent to bless and guide them. As punishment venomous snakes were sent and many of the people who were bitten were dying. The people then repented and asked Moses to intercede. The Lord instructed Moses and Moses obeyed by making a bronze snake and from a hill lifted it up so the people could look up and see it and be healed. This was a type and prophecy about Jesus. He would come and be lifted as a cross for all men to look upon to be forgiven for their sins and live. The serpent healed physically, but someday they would all still die. The Lord’s death on the cross healed spiritually, but the healing received through Jesus would last forever. Types are a foreshadowing and instruction and guidance to us. The serpent had no power. The power of God healed the people. Let us remember that there were three crosses on the hill when Jesus was crucified. But none of them had power. The power to heal came not from the cross but from Jesus who was upon it and was fulfilling the will of the Father. The wooden cross was a tool and is a reminder, but it had no power, all the healing and power were of God.
“15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Who did Jesus die for? It is clearly stated here that Jesus died to give everyone the opportunity for eternal life. God sent Jesus for a way back to God to be eternally safe. (John 3:16) God has given this opportunity to all people because He takes no pleasure in the spiritual death of any person (Ezekiel 18:32). He does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus did not come to condemn people, but to save them (John 3:17, Luke 19:10) As John 3:16 states, Jesus came because “God so loved the world.” That means for all of us. All of us. To be saved look upon Jesus who was lifted on a cross on a hill to pay the price for our rebellion that we might not stay in condemnation but be lifted from it into eternal salvation. (John 3:18) To learn and grow keep looking upon Jesus and to being guided by His Holy Spirit within and His Word. Look to Jesus. It’s God’s plan. It has worked and it still works. With a humble and contrite heart look to Jesus and live. Praise God! Thank you Jesus!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:9-10 – Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?
Nicodemus was a highly educated man of God. It is likely He was the most highly regarded rabbi of his time because Jesus did not call him a teacher of Israel but “the (Emphasis mine) teacher of Israel.” Nicodemus was unquestionably highly educated and he was a man of God. We see the evidence of him being a man of God not because of his advanced education or because of the acknowledgement of the academia of his time, but because of his humility and hunger for God. We remember he came to Jesus to understand. This respected teacher coming to Jesus to learn. No amount of education from any institution may establish anyone as a person of God. The fact that one seeks the education, supposedly to serve God, is an indicator and not a fact of. Personally, I love to read what wise men of God have written, to informally educate myself in what I otherwise do not know. However, I pray before reading books authored by men so that the Holy Spirit would lead me in God’s Truth so that I might not become indoctrinated by the so called insights and doctrines of men but that the Holy Spirit would be the received wind to anchor me in the Word while carrying me where I know not to do what I know not. It is as we are carried within the wind of the Spirit that we learn what cannot be grasped in the natural. As we are submitted to the Lord and as we are carried by the Spirit, that is where the supernatural and delightful happen. (John 4:23-24) We see that men had educated others to learn how men explained God’s Word, but Jesus several times said to the people “You have heard that it was said…” only to follow up and correct by starting with “Buy I say to you.” (Matthew 5:21-48)
Whether one reads a book while attending a university, or whether in private study too often one depends and leans on what is learned in the book rather than on the Spirit of God. Often the creative teacher can be considered the most gifted one, not the pedantic one. It is better to be inspired by the Spirit than to lean on man’s teachings. A licensed Christian Therapist, or Counselor, or Elder may too often run to the teachings of man that they have studied instead of trusting the Spirit to guide him. To the one who does not know what it is to be guided by the Spirit it seems so much easier to run to the help of a man and his books than to the Lord and His book. It, at least at first, can be easier to trust what oneself thinks and what oneself learned in school rather than to learn to trust God and His book. It seems that we have a propensity to trust men rather than God, even in matters of spirit, heart, mind and emotions. When we seek counsel from people we ought to seek counsel from people led by the Spirit and His Word rather than those who are led, in the most part, by the teachings of man. Please don’t misunderstand me, the teachings of man can very wise and give much insight. They are not something to be discarded, but rather they should be what the Spirit pulls from us to help each other. A seminary degree is great (I wish I had one), but being led by the Holy Spirit is better. Does anyone have trouble with that? That person needs to know God and His Word better. That person needs to understand what Nicodemus, at least at first, did not understand. That person must know the meaning of John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We know that God always has purpose. He is not frivolous. God gave us the Holy Spirit with good reason. John 14:16-17 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” God wants us to rely on Him, on His Holy Spirit. If one doesn’t know how, whatever your position in a church, find out now. Otherwise you will find that what you don’t know has become a dam against the blessings God wants you to have. Nicodemus was humble and genuinely seeking to grow in God. He was at the top of the totem pole by the estimation of men. But He craved to know God deeper and He would come to set aside his position, and what he had previously learned from men to behold God in the flesh, and to know Him. (Luke 14:11) Praise God who is so patient with us and always wants to draw us near and teach us wonders we could never conceive without Him. Praise God! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 3:1-8 – Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
Yesterday as I was drove up to the window of a fast food place I saw a young man who seemed very joyful. He had his back to me as he was responding to a coworker. The only thing I heard was “Why not? After all, you only live once! Right?” I understood that he was likely talking about doing something fun and perhaps daring. I smiled as I thought that I often had that attitude when I was about his age. But then the young man’s words echoed within me. The Lord inclined my heart to the words. I felt a very urgent need to tell him that I hope he does not only live once, but that He lives twice. I could have told him about these verses, but I would only have a few seconds, not enough to explain. So after he gave me my food, as he was turning away from me, I said to him “You know I hope it is not true for you that you only live once. I hope you live twice.” He smiled at me and I could see that he was amused and intrigued. He was waiting for the punchline. I told him that I got that from the Bible. He smiled at me. There were a lot of cars behind wanting their food. I said goodbye. I hope that the Lord brings those words back to Him and that some Brothers and Sisters come along and water and feed that seed.
Nicodemus, a man who was considered an expert in scriptures could not understand what we as Christians understand as something very basic. We understand that the Lord was giving him insight about spiritual matters. Really, Jesus was giving Nicodemus what he had come to know. He wanted to know if Jesus was indeed from God and what Jesus could tell him about being right with God. Yet, when Jesus did, Nicodemus was not ready to understand. Sometimes we can be so deep in wrong information which we have received that we are buried so that the light has a hard time breaking through. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he indeed was physically born into this world but that now there is an important and absolutely necessary next step. To every person physically born they receive life as a gift from God. However, after being born into this world there is another life that is an absolute necessity for all who want to live in peace with God, a second spiritual birth that again, is provided only as a gift from God through Jesus Savior and Lord. God gives the births of water and Spirit. The first is necessary to be alive on earth, and the second is necessary to be alive spiritually. The first is fleeting, the second is eternal. True is the saying “Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.”
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” We know that when we may read in the Bible spirit in the lowercase or Spirit in the uppercase. One means the spirit of a person, the other meaning the Spirit of God. The context is everything. One word is used in this verse for wind and for Spirit. They both are right and again it determined by the context. Yet Jesus is also pointing out the similarities. These people could feel the wind and they could see the effects of the wind, but they did not know much more about it. Those in the world knew little about the wind and those who are born once know little about the Spirit, if they even know about the Him. Unless a man gives His life to over to Jesus, He may see the Spirit move upon a man, but will not understand it. A man cannot understand the things of the Spirit unless the Spirit lives within him. But when a man walks in the Spirit, He knows what the natural man cannot know. (1 Corinthians 2:10-16) Family, God has called us to walk in the Spirit that we may understand. Let us seek to do so.
Praise God for the gift of being born from above (again)! Praise God for the gift of Jesus to us. Oh, just praise God! He deserves it! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob with