Revelation 2: He Who Has an Ear

He Who Has an Ear

In Revelation 2, Jesus says "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." He says this 4 times in 4 separate letters to churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. He would say this after letting each church know that he acknowledges the good they did and also points out what they need to address. But, since he said this after the other parts, it leaves the churches (leaders and congregation) with hope that if they are doing what Jesus says, then he has a reward for them. The reward is not how many on earth would deem worthy, but a reward worthy of those who understand the importance of following the instructions of Jesus. If it was important for the churches back then to follow what Jesus said, then the same should hold true for us as well.

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Wednesday Wake Up #42

Keep on Keepin' On

In reading Romans 12:11 it is one mark of a true Christian. Yes, there are others, but let's just focus on the regarding your zeal, your passion, your energy in serving God. Paul writes that the passion shouldn't be lacking when serving the Lord. The spiritual fervor is also part of that passion in serving the Lord. When you read the word, share with or teach others, feeding the homeless, whatever it is, do it with passion. Let that Holy Spirit work through you be the fire that fuels you to serve the Lord. You will know a true Christian by one who is serving the Lord with passion and intensity.

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2 Timothy 4: Myths and Passions

Myths and Passions

In 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Paul tells Timothy how people will be spiritually misled. He says "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." He is telling Timothy that people will be mislead in regards to Biblical teaching. People will believe "myths" because they aren't listening to the right teaching because they want to fulfill their own "passions." In other words if I want to financially prosper then I will fall prey to teaching that contradicts scripture but presents itself as true gospel and subtly will encourage financial hoarding for the sake of self, not to help others. We all need to be careful of the sources and teachers that we use. We also need to read the Bible and seek to understand it as it was presented, not as we want to utilize it.

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1 Thessalonians 3: As We Do for You

As We Do for You

"As we do for you" are words that Paul wrote to the church in conjunction with Timothy's report about the church. Timothy was mentored by Paul and Timothy had good things to say after visiting the church of Thessalonia. Paul makes several references to being connected to the church spiritually. In verse 6 he says that Timothy reports that they remember kindly Paul and the others he is with and that they long to see Paul and the others as he longs to see them. There is a connection there. In verse 7 Paul says that he and the others are comforted about the church because of the faith of the church. Paul didn't have to be concerned with them because they kept the faith according to Timothy's report. And in verses 11-12, Paul shows us once again the connection he has to the church (which to me is very encouraging). He sought for the church to get their proper direction led by God and Jesus. He also wanted them to "abound in love for one another and for all" as Paul and the others did for them. It was bigger than just leading a church and helping build it but as he said before like a nurturing mother or an encouraging father. Paul cared about what he was doing and why.

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1 Corinthians 2: Spiritual Wisdom

Spiritual Wisdom

Paul writes and tells the church in Corinth that they do impart wisdom among the mature (spiritually mature, but not regular earthly wisdom. The wisdom Paul is referring to is that of God. He calls it a secret hidden wisdom of God that God decreed before the ages (beginning of time). Paul says if the rulers of the current (at that time) age had known about this wisdom they would not have crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Good point.

Paul also writes that they have received the spirit of God, not the spirit of the world (1 Corinthians 2:12). That is two differnet types of spirit. The spirit driven by man seeks to fulfill the man in which it dwells. The spirit of God drives people to glorify God's name. Self vs. others. People of the world will reject spiritual wisdom because it makes no sense to those as they are not discerning with the same spirit. 

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Acts 19: Paul's Healings and Exorcising Without Jesus

Paul's Healings and Exorcising Without Jesus

We have seen Paul uncover idols and heal people in the name of the Lord. We have seen him drive home the point of faith in Christ over Mosiac Law in terms of salvation. But in this chapter we see the Holy Spirit so infused in Paul that even Paul touching items of cloth allowed for him to have healing powers. People were being healed of sicknesses and evil spirits came out of people (Acts 19:11-12).

When seven traveling Jewish men sought to exorcise a man who had been overcome by evil spirits, they referred to the Jesus that Paul spoke of. That was their mistake, it was not the Jesus that they knew, but someone else's relationship with Jesus. The evil spirit did not know who they were but it knew Paul and Jesus. The evil spirit made the man attack the seven men and left them fleeing, naked and wounded. Many people found out about this and around the same time those who had become believers came forward to admit doing magic arts. In an attempt to rid themselves of those ways they burned their books that were altogether worth 50 thousand pieces of silver (Acts 19:13-20).

Without the Holy Spirit what can you do? You can do things on your own power. There are people who are very successful in life and do not have the Holy Spirit. They do not know Jesus. Do you see how Paul's faith in the Holy Spirit and God using him allowed for pieces of clothing and cloths to be used as healing agents as long as Paul touched them? Yet, with the 7 men that tried to exorcise an evil spirit without them having Jesus as their personal Lord became useless. See the difference? With Jesus/God/the Holy Spirit you can work wonders. Without either of them it is a wonder anything would ever work.

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Wednesday Wake Up #16

Just Because You Can....

I'm sure you have heard of that saying "just because you can, doesn't mean you should." We can apply that saying to so many different areas of our life, but there is one area it needs to apply to. It needs to apply to our walk with Christ. In Christ we have freedom from condemnation and from the death of sin (death in connection to God), but that does not mean that just because we can seek forgiveness we should just go and sin anyway?  I was confronted a couple of different times by an atheist and by an agnostic and they both said that since I can be forgiven by God, I should just go an sin intentionally or else I am wasting what Christ did on the cross. Wow. Seriously? What a ridiculous statement.  

First, I needed new people to hang out with. I needed new people to hang out with and as a Christ follower, I needed to be around other Christ following men. That didn't mean that I no longer spoke to those guys, but I need men in my corner who also follow Christ. If we look at Proverbs (great book) but specifically the wisdom contained within Proverbs 13:20, then we see we need to be around those who are wise. Not so much worldly wise, but also wise in the Holy Spirit so that he can assist me in my growth and I can assist him as well. If I am attacked by a man (or sin in this case) a brother in Christ can help me up if I fall and stand with me as we fight with the Holy Spirit against Satan's temptations (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
 

Man understands things a certain way and outside of the Holy Spirit they will not know what God has for them in life. Proverbs 14:12 tells us people think a certain way and think it is okay, yet they have no idea that death is inevitable in that way. Maybe you are so accustomed to being isolated. In isolation, no one can keep you accountable about the sinful ways that you succumb to. No one can love you in isolation. No one can hold you in isolation. While isolation may seem like it is "drama free" it is also void of love, accountability and growth. Just because it seems okay for you doesn't mean that God wants that for you.

A common thing I see is people who control others. They are always taking charge and always the boss. If they don't get their way they become the take my ball and go home type or the "it's my way or the highway." Not everyone, but there are those that feel like they should control what is going on. Why? It seems right to do so, but why? Is it a lack of faith in others to do their part? Is it to hard to trust others? Or maybe the faith that God isn't going to provide you with what you need? If we read the word we know that God provides for those doing His will (Philippians 4:19). It doesn't mean life will be perfect. There will be some bumps. That's life. But just because you are comfortable controlling everything doesn't mean that is how it needs to be or even what God wants from you. If you aren't asking for His guidance before and during a task, then that is part of the problem (Psalm 32:8). You need to submit to God's will and let Him show you what it is that needs to be done. Not just on the surface, but also on the inside of you. Your spirit is important and it needs to be in conjunction with God's will.

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John 3:36- Eternal Life or Wrath of God

Eternal Life or Wrath of God

Scripture is pretty clear...okay, no...it is VERY CLEAR on who Jesus was and what his purpose was. Scripture is clear on what happens when we believe in Jesus and what happens when we do not.

There are still many who believe Jesus was the Son of God but do not follow his example and do not accept him as their Lord and Savior. That is there choice. We as believers are not to force or condemn anyone. If they are to come to Christ, then that is a decision they must make on their own. Since Jesus is God in the flesh then wouldn't you really, really want to know what he said and follow that? In John 3:36, we read part of John's testimony of Jesus. John says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." I would rather not have God's wrath on me due to my disobedience.

But where does John even get this idea from? He got it from Jesus. In John 3:14, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that "the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." This is reference is connected to Jesus being lifted on the cross. If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God then you will have eternal life. Jesus also says in John 3:5 that we must be born again of "water and spirit" or we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Think of birth and the water breaking before the birth of a child. Now, think of submerged water baptisms. You are submerged under the water and brought back up as rebirth with the Holy Spirit as you are expressing that you are a believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus wants us to be born again in the Holy Spirit in order to be with us in the Kingdom. 
 

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Mark 13:37- Stay Awake

Stay Awake

In Mark 13:32-37, Jesus is speaking about being ready and "awake" in a spiritual sense. He is talking about his return (after crucifixion and after ascension). Jesus is saying that no one knows, not even the angels and not even he knows when that return will be. Earlier in the chapter in verses 24-27, he speaks on signs that will indicate the time is near or has come. He compares it to knowing summer is near when a fig tree sprouts leaves and branches become tender. He is reminding us that when the moon will not give its light and the stars are falling from heaven, they will see the son of man (Jesus) coming in clouds with great power and glory.

In the last few verses of the chapter Jesus tells us to stay awake and ready. But he uses the word "awake" several times, four times to be exact (other translations use watch). There must be a reasons for that. Have you ever spiritually fallen asleep? You were on fire for God and passionate about serving and learning and in fellowship with believers, but then "life" happens and passion is lost from those parts of life? You spiritually fell asleep. We put off spiritual growth for other priorities. Time to wake up!

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