"Make This Work!"

 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34 KJV)

  "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." (Galatians 6:1-5 NLT)

 There are many Scriptures that share this same sentiment, about loving one another; this one, from the Book of Galatians, is being chosen because Galatians is a letter the Paul wrote to the church which had fallen back into the bondage of the law. For those who might not feel obligated to love one another, as we can see here, Paul references, "The Law of Christ!" 

 This is something we must do, even when we feel that we don't want to do it; for whatever reason that might be, it is not good enough for us to obey our flesh in this matter, because we are going against the law of Christ: His commandment, that we love one another. Because it is a commandment, it means that we do not have a choice; no matter what kind of a hang-up you might have over the matter, the matter is your issue to overcome, because you must make this work! 

 I really don't have the time to give all of the reasons, but there is one great reason that this must work: So that the unbelieving world around us can see Christ's love in our lives! They will know that we are Christians by our love! That's not just a catchy phrase or lyrics to a song, that is the Truth, and we must make it work...

"If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for is we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters." (1 John 4:20-21 NLT)  

"Take a Breath!"

 "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you." (John 13:33 KJV) 

  "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people." (Romans 2:28-29 NLT)

 For the record, God's mercy makes all things new; new hopes and dreams, new ways to see the road that is placed before you, and new understanding of what forgiveness is all about! As John says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9 NKJV)

 Now, if He has done this, we then must learn what it means to be forgiven by God! That requires a new heart, a heart that is truly loyal and thankful towards God; a heart that is willing to listen, believe, and apply, all that God tells us to do. Is it really that easy? I wish I could say that it is, but one thing makes it seem easier then dwelling upon the past: "His mercies are new every morning!" 

 Having said that, let me try and say what I believe Jesus is telling His disciples; because even though it is that which He told the Jews, the application and their reason for seeking Him will be totally different. The main point of what He says involves His glory; that which He previously spoke about. There is only One that is able to do what needs to be done, and that is He: "The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End!" 

 When this deed will be done, those that crucified Him will be seeking to destroy Him; those who love Him, will be longing to be with Him. This is the basic premise of the fall: Man was wanting to rule his own life! That is where we are today, as man pushes God out, he becomes more and more controlled by his own logic and beliefs. 

 That is a curse unto itself! We cannot seek our own ways, while trying to be close with God! God will not allow it, nor will it do us any good, whatsoever! Last night, there was a video of a woman that was delivered from a alternative lifestyle, who shared about something I believe we all truly know, but for the sake of failing, which means missing the mark, we do not fully commit. 

 The issue is with the sin, whatever that sin might be; our focus should not be on the sin, but on God, who delivered from our sins, each and every one of them! We must love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and in so doing, those things we feel as though we cannot change, will be changed by God! It is God that changes us; He places a new heart within us and removes those old habits and sinful desires, by giving us the desire to be closer to Him. 

 I really do want to correct all that has been messed up: But, only God, can make something from nothing, turn ashes into beauty, and bring what's dead back to life; regardless, I will still serve Him...

"Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching us." (2 Corinthians 2:15-17 NLT) 

 

"Giving Him the Glory" - 2

 "If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him." (John 13:32 KJV) 

  "Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life to everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:18-19 NLT)

 What happened back then, in that garden, changed more than just the state of Adam and Eve's condition, but it changed the whole order of the responsibility of tending and looking after the earth. Adam had not done what God had given him the responsibility to do, therefore, 'the deed,' if you will, of earth was no longer his to control. From then on, living upon the earth would be a struggle; control and order would no longer be his responsibility. 

 Here is the point to which we should wonder, Where did the control and order go? We really don't need to look very far to find the answer to that question, because Satan is referred to as, the god of this world. This is why he could offer Jesus the kingdoms of the world, if He would just worship him. Yet, Jesus answered, "Get out of here Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.'" (Matthew 4:10 NLT) 

 So, we see there is something else that is being taken care of, besides the forgiveness of our sins as Jesus is doing something Adam neglected to do: He is taking back the deed to earth! By the act of obedience to the cross, He is not only going to die for the sins of the world, but His sacrifice will also result in the Title Deed of the earth becoming His. We see this taking place in Revelation 5, as 'The Lamb Opens the Scroll.' 

 The whole point of me sharing this, very unusual message, is that we can find ourselves being in a world of hurt, if we let go of our responsibilities as husbands! I really don't know how else to explain it, but it is pretty much the same picture; just a little more personal and a lot harder to get back control... 

"Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals." Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. And the sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth."" (Revelation 5:1-10 NLT) 

"Giving Him the Glory"

 "If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him." (John 13:32 KJV)

  "But it was the LORD'S good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD'S good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." (Isaiah 53:10-12 NLT)

 Because Jesus paid the price, a price that we could have never paid on our own, we are made free from the bondage of sin and death; the death that was established at the fall, when Adam chose to disobey the command: "Do not eat of the tree in the midst of the garden." That might have not been the one and only command, depending upon what we might consider a command to be. 

 Adam was placed in the garden to oversee and be in charge of all life, both plants and animals. So, if that was meant to be a command, as one in the military might experience: placed as the Commander of a ship or a base, they are assigned to a specific duty by someone that is either a General or Admiral, which therefore makes the task, a command, from a higher-ranking officer. 

 Basically, Adam was to watch over the garden, which, is the primary role that he was given! In other words, that was his duty and obligation that God had intended for him: "The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it," (Genesis 2:15 NLT) Secondarily, God made Adam a helper, if you will, to be his wife; made from his own body, and therefore, made to be under him; which therefore made her part of his original task, "to tend and watch over." 

What I am really trying to say, is that the original command for Adam was to tend and watch over all that God had placed him in the garden to do; the forbidden tree really wasn't a command, but was a warning, as in: "But the LORD God warned him, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden - except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat of its fruit you are sure to die." (Genesis 2:16 NLT)

 Hopefully that shines a little bit of light on the situation, because man's desires to rule the roost, so to speak, started when man was given the responsibility to rule! In that case, the woman became the lesser of two, which should have been one, as originally established. Forgive me if I step too far out of line, but Adam typically allowed for his wife to be deceived, to test the warning that he was given; to see if she would surely die. 

 O, my, I went and said it, so go ahead and hate me! But it is the man's responsibility to tend and watch over his house; this is the task that we accepted when we joined together as husband and wife, to be the head over the wife; while at the same time, having Christ over us: giving Him the glory, as we serve Him and not ourselves...

"Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. I said to the LORD, "You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you."" (Psalm 16:1-2 NLT)  

"Good Discourse"

 "Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him." (John 13:31 KJV)

  "For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT)

 Whether or not we can totally understand this, Jesus is free to talk opening, now that Judas has departed and set off to betray Him. As Matthew Henry points out regarding Jesus sharing the details of the cross, "Christ did not share this discourse till Judas was gone out, for he was a false brother." 

 There is a time and place for the mysteries of the Bible to be discussed among brothers and sisters; the best time is while among true believers; the best place is away from non-believers. Truth and Light do not have fellowship with lies and darkness; there is really nothing good that can be agreed upon in those types of conversations.

 What we are talking about here, is not some sort of Bible Study or Church Service; as those are meant to establish and freely give out the message of the Gospel. When elders meet, the meeting is between the elders, and the elders alone. The discussion is not to leave the room, which means, you do not go home and share the things discussed with your wives. There are certain things that require the wives to get involved, but that is because they are participating in praying for whatever discission is being made. 

 That, in a strange sort of way, is what Jesus was making clear: 'The evil has left the room, now I can speak more clearly about what I am about to do!' Whenever the mysteries of God are brought to life, they involve the sincerity and attention of the pure at heart; there are things that many people will not truly comprehend; and if they do somewhat comprehend it, it will be full of holes and loaded with extra little jewels of their own. 

 I have struggled with this, time and time again; most of the time without any sort of discourse that is not taken out of context or refuted with content. It has to do with the role between husbands and wives, regarding their love for each other and the health of their relationship. The husband is the one who is responsible for the love! Yea, I know; as soon as that is said, most of the men in the room will shut off hearing the rest of the message. 

 I have yet to be find a crowd of men that can receive that message, without raising up their voice in some sort of debate or argument. The most popular refute, is, "The woman can sin too, so it's not only the man's fault." My reply is always the same: "If she loved you at the altar, and has fallen out of love with you, it is your fault!" That doesn't go over well, as to be expected. 

 Without getting too personal: when the Bible studies stopped in my family, it was because I allowed it to happen; maybe even forced it to happen, because I had allowed something else into my life that took away from the "pure milk of the Word!" If my wife was not feeling loved, it was because I was not doing my duty as the husband to love her as I should have loved her; "as Christ loved the church!" 

 That is about all I can stand to share about all of that! It hurts too hard to even think about. But, I will just add this little mystery: Wives reflect the love that they are given, as does the church...

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (Ephesians 5:25-33 NLT)

 

"Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial"

  "As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." 

 Simon Peter asked, "Lord, where are you going?" 

 And Jesus replied, "You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later." 

 "But why can't I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I'm ready to die for you." 

 Jesus answered, "Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter - before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me."" (John 13:31-38 NLT)

  ""Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorn, nor fear their insults. For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation."" (Isaiah 51:7-8 NLT) 

 As I mentioned before, Jesus had said this prior, when Phillip and Andrew asked if the Greeks could meet with Him, as He said, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives."" (John 12:23-24 NLT)

 They really didn't understand it then, and they did not understand it after Judas left the room; they were totally clueless as to the things which were about to unfold. As was Peter's idea that he could be strong and stand up for his Lord! He might have thought he had it in him, but Jesus knew already what he would do. 

 I would have to wonder if Peter remembered what Jesus told them, regarding those that might deny Him before men, the He would deny them before the Father? Not a clue! When we think we are strong enough to do something on our own, we find out how weak we really are...

"If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT) 

"Into The World"

"He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night." (John 13:30 KJV)

  "Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than other? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles , are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise, no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one."" (Romans 3:9-12 NLT)

 I hope that I can get this right, as I have been a little distracted and out of sorts. This is not just a point in the message where Judas departs to do a deed against the Lord; but this is where Judas decides to depart from Jesus' side, as in, to walk away from something that he might have been able to place his hope. 

 There are some things in this world that can cause some to take a second look; and then there are things that can make some walk away, forsaking the Lord and the fellowship of their brothers and sisters. If you have ever thought about it, then you know that the fellowship part makes a pretty big difference. Not that walking away from Jesus isn't a big deal; because you know in your heart, Jesus will always welcome you back with open arms.

 The fellowship we share with our brothers and sisters, that might get pretty messy, as things usually go in families; as they say, "Blood is thicker than water." If you have been in ministry for any length of time, you should have had a chance to observe what happens to those who fall away and then come back into the fold. They sometimes feel as though they should have stayed out in the world. 

 That is rather unfortunate, as it is something that could happen to any one of us, so we should really be more forgiving. But that is not always the case! This much I know, if Judas would have asked for forgiveness, Jesus would have forgiven him! Some of the disciples, temporarily, would not have been so forgiving; but Jesus would, as He forgave every single person that was involved with His death! 

 That, my friend, is the big difference between the hope we might place in this world, and the hope that we have in Christ Jesus! No matter what we have done, He will always forgive us! He paid a very big price for our sins, every sin, of the entire world! Why would anyone walk away from that? 

 The sad thing is, people do! Either they cannot see the gift, or they do not feel as though they deserve it; but for whatever reason, they go out into the world, as if to get lost! Can I tell you a little secret? You cannot hide from the Lord! You might think you can get lost, but you will be found; He does not let us get away that easy! 

 Sometimes we just need to be thankful that we have been saved, not forgetting that it was Him that called us to Himself, then we can feel more secure that He will not throw us out, into the world...

"But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he has called you out of the darkness into his wonderful life. "Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy."" (1 Peter 2:9-10 NLT) 

 

"Discernment"

 "For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast, or, that he should give something to the poor." (John 13:29 KJV)

  "Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross." (Galatians 3:1 NLT)

 First off, this is a typical illustration of how the human mind works, as it will usually assume that which is common and the easier thing to understand. As for the cross, that was really not even in their minds; what Jesus had been telling them, was basically Greek to them, and they never even were able to comprehend what He meant, saying, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory." 

 As I thought about this, it really doesn't seem that long ago when I saw that image of Christ on the cross. It really still seems as though it was just the other day, yet, before that, it never really made any sense to me, why it needed to ever happen. Now I totally understand, it was the only way that it could happen! 

 Even to this day, man still believes that there is something that they must do to inherit eternal life. Which reminds me of what transpired between the 'Young Rich Ruler' and Jesus Christ. Why did Jesus tell that young man to go and sell all that he had? If all that was required, was to believe on Him, what was the reason for the distraction from the Only Way to inherit eternal life? 

 Maybe we need to really figure out what is the most important thing in our lives, and then put everything we have into what is most important! If the disciples had understood everything that Jesus had been telling them, they would have known what was going on. The glory of the Son of Man was the cross! 

 The whole reason that Jesus had to come as a man, was the man that committed the first sin! There needed to be a perfect sacrifice, in the form of a man, in order to undo what had been done: and only God is perfect! Maybe, just the fact that Jesus hung around with them, caused them not to understand the real point and meaning of the cross? 

 There is really no difference between us and them! Even though we know the truth and the reason Jesus had to hang on the cross, we still get tripped up over our own sinful desires and weaknesses. We fail to see the real work that was done, sometimes, because we look at ourselves and not to the cross...

"Let me ask you a question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you trying to become perfect by your own human efforts? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ." (Galatians 3:2-5 NLT)

"A Whisper"

 "Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him." (John 13:28 KJV)

  "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." (Romans 8:5-6 NLT)

 Pardon my urgency to speak up, but I really feel as though God is putting this upon my heart! If those at the table had been paying close attention to all that Jesus had said, they most likely would not have been left in suspense and would understand what was going on. That is the problem with many churches today, as they set out to please the masses, but forget about the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." 

 If you did not catch what I said yesterday, I said, "I do not believe the Holy Spirit makes us do a lot of things," but I didn't say what He makes us do! He makes us to understand the Scriptures; He causes us to pay attention, thereby making us enlightened; He lets us know when we have done something wrong, thereby making us convicted; He makes us bold when we are weak; and He makes us speak, when we don't know what to say! There are so many things He does, as we walk and obey wherever He leads us and guides us to go. 

 Then, when we don't listen and obey, He can make us feel alone and very much afraid! Not a very good place to be if you are a believer in Christ Jesus. You must believe me when I say, I know it is a fact! The Holy Spirit will not force us to obey, but our continued disobedience will lead to loneliness and fear. Not that you are ever alone, because I really don't think He totally leaves us; but He leaves us alone! 

 I really don't want to get into a debate about the conditions of salvation, or the consequences of the lives we choose to live. As much as I have seen, there are really only two categories of people who are on this planet: You are either a Saint, or you Ain't! Those that have been washed in the blood of Jesus, have been made clean; but even things that are clean, can get torn and tattered...

""Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs - the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshippers, and all who love to live a lie." (Revelation 22:12-15 NLT) 

"Great Resolve"

 "And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly." (John 13:27 KJV)

  "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!" (1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT)

 This was not a game! This is the moment where Jesus lets the devil know, "I am not afraid of you!" Yes, He is speaking to Judas, but Judas is just a puppet, that has been and is being used by the devil. Don't get me wrong! This is because Judas is allowing himself to be used, by his actions and his thoughts against the Lord. That is pretty much what happens when we start thinking wicked thoughts about others, we get a little assistance, making the thoughts more and more emboldened. 

 Having seen some of what the enemy can do with anger and resentment towards others, there is really nothing else that compares to the bitterness that forms within a heart filled with hate for someone else. There really is hardly anything you can do or say that will turn them back from feeling rage within their heart; almost as if the fire is unable to be extinguished; even though it might temporarily be doused, it easily starts back up again, right where it left off. 

 As far as yesterday's post, and the direction that it raced off to; my first thought was correct: I really had no idea what I was doing! That said, it appears to be the springboard towards this, somewhat revealing, message. Oddly enough, Judas was already possessed by the devil, in one way or another; but now the devil was stepping things up! 

 It is said, "If you give him a foothold, he will take control of your life." That is pretty much what we see happening here, as Judas received the morsel of bread, as if given by a friend; yet at the same time, he is plotting his betrayal, of the Friend! This is the result: Satan enters in! Hardly anything now will stop what he has planned to do, because he has thrown away every care for his Friend. 

 Not without mentioning, this is also a good moment for Jesus, as He is focused like a laser on the task at hand, as if to say, "Let's get this over with!" Basically, it works both ways! Sometimes it just takes a little nudge, a little bit of light or spiritual insight, and you have become emboldened; almost as if you are fearless to anything else, except, failing to do God's will. 

 I would like to think of the Holy Spirit as a water spout: The more you allow Him to work in your life, the more of the Holy Spirit gets poured out! This is something that we control by our actions! That might be something that some will refute, as if the Spirit does what the Spirit wants to do; but we are talking about you and me, as in, the vessel in which the Spirit dwells. 

 I do not believe that the Holy Spirit will make us do a lot of things, as He has been referred to as a Gentleman, that does not force us to do things: but the more control that you give Him, the more He will empower you to be filled and emboldened. Do you have a River of Life flowing out of you? Turn on that spout, and let the Water flow out...

"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, "Rivers of living water will flow from his heart." (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)" (John 7:37-40 NLT) 

"Just a Little Bit"

 "Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the Son of Simon." (John 13:26 KJV)

  ""And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."" (Luke 12:47-48 NLT)

 I really don't know what I am doing! Isn't that a relief! Three things are going on here: One, Jesus is letting John discern for himself who it was, instead of just telling him who; secondly, Jesus is allowing those others that are questioning to stay in suspense; and thirdly, and most importantly, Jesus is feeding the lion that is about to bite Him!  

 If you ever have hesitated or resisted the chance to be used full-on by the Lord, then you will probably be able to understand the things that are placed on my heart today. If you haven't, then I can only ask, "What is holding you back?" This is a scary thing to get into; mostly because we have no real idea what might be going to happen, or how far from what we currently know, we will be willing to go! 

 Let me say it again: "I really don't know what I am doing!" If I could just stick to the script, things would seem much more, shall we say, normal and less challenging. But no, I need to be the one who likes to dig for things I know nothing about, hoping to sift through the dirt, looking for hidden treasure! 

 Just so you know, Moses did not want to go back to Egypt and face the confrontation he knew would be waiting for him there. He made several excuses to the LORD, as he tried to wiggle his way out of going, but God was not going to give in! Instead, God gave him, just a little bit, of help, to help him have enough courage to go. 

 Please excuse my boldness, but that is all we can really handle! Jesus was informed of everything that He was going to go through, and He still sweet blood, as He asked the Father for some other way! Paul, too, was given a heads-up from the Lord, as He had shown him all of the suffering he would face, as went forth into the ministry that was set before him. 

 We do best when we are caught in the whirlwind, otherwise, most of us try to go around or wait out the storm we might see ahead...

"Several days later a man named Agabus, who had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over and, took Paul's belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles." When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, "Why all the weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."" (Acts 21:10-14 NLT)  

"Manner Matter"

"He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?" (John 13:25 KJV)

  "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly." (Romans 12:6-8 NLT)

 Talk about conviction, my heart was feeling it yesterday morning, as Pastor Bryan was teaching on that portion of Scripture that takes us to the mat over our conversations and complaints about the abuses and bad actions of our governments: 1 Peter 2:11-17. How much I realized my misunderstanding and my faults for having certain complaints; if there is more concern in my heart for the way things are going, than the actual way things will be, according to God's Holy Scriptures! 

 What that means, is that we become the ones that get scoffed at, when it really should be the other way around! Seriously, what is God doing with all of the wicked things people do? He scoffs at them, knowing what shall be and where those that do wickedness, without repenting, shall end up. 

 To be honest, I felt somewhat ashamed for my previous actions, conversations, and hard heart towards those who I believed took hold of the last Presidential Election. It was not something that was done without God allowing it to happen! Once you can clearly see that, you can more plainly see the truth; no matter how exposed the whole matter was, it was still mysteriously accepted and put in place. 

 Now we have a new situation, somewhat weird and seemingly out of the normal line of justice. If you think about it, there are quite a few things that are going on right now that seem to be turning the page towards God's prophecy of things to come. We should embrace that which will be, because God is on the Throne! Even though things seem under full control of the devil and his demons, God still has the last word! 

 The church will survive! We must be as submissive to the ordnances of man, as we can; unless we are told to quit sharing about Jesus or having fellowship with one another, we should be a good testimony for Christ! We must not give anyone the opportunity to call us evildoers, but if we are to suffer any punishment, it needs to be for doing good! 

 The gifts that God has given us are for the betterment of the Good News! Bad news is not our deal! Man, can anyone give an Amen? If that doesn't convict me, nothing else will...

"He never sinned, nor even deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls." (1 Peter 2:22-25 NLT) 

"The Nod"

 "Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake." (John 13:24 KJV)

  ""Why don't people say to God, 'I have sinned, but I will sin no more'? Or 'I don't know what evil I have done - tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once'?" (Job 34:31-32 NLT)

 Sometimes, it takes a little humility to make us realize just how far from God we really can be. But one thing for sure, no one needs to remind us that we have sinned or how easily we could sin again! At least that is the case for those of us that know how vulnerable we really are; and that it only takes a little desire to bring us to the point of want. 

 Don't ask me why I have chosen this topic this morning; except for the fact that Peter needs to know, we are all pretty much subject to certain desires of the flesh; some more than others. This was pretty much Peter's thing; he was the bold one, the one who spoke out, stepped out, and did things, sometimes without even thinking about the consequences. 

 I know we all have most likely heard a sermon or a teaching that had placed us in it, as the pastor would share a message, we could see ourselves being spoken about, wondering, "How did he know?" That is really not all that uncommon, because we all really do have a lot in common: we are all sinners that have been saved by Grace! 

 However, what we don't want to do, we sometimes do, which is to think of someone else more unworthy than us, and take the focus off of ourselves...

"For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21 NLT) 

"At the Table"

 "Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved." (John 13:23 NLT)

  ""Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."" (Revelation 3:20 NLT)

 Currently, I am hoping to get a chance for a team of us to be able to have Services at the local jail; which, every since Covid lockdowns, there has been no services allowed. About a week ago I heard that they were allowing A.A. leaders in to having meetings, and I thought it was odd for them to meet, but not for churches to be able to meet. Then I was informed that was because Alcoholism is a disease, so there are other circumstances involved. 

 Well, I have some news for you, if that is your belief: Sin is the greater disease than Alcoholism, as sin is the root cause of every disease, even death! If I have one thing to say, without trying to sound as if I have overcome anything on my own, Jesus can make you whole, immediately and completely! That much I know for a fact! 

 Unfortunately, there are still things that we deal with, battles to overcome, and strongholds that need to be taken down. Believe it or not, this walk with the Lord is not all that easy; except for when we are walking hand-in-hand with Him, then it because amazingly easy! Does that mean there are no more trials and tribulations? Absolutely not! 

 That might be the number one issue, which is depending on the terms of your salvation. What were you expecting Jesus would do for you? If you were expecting that your life would be carefree and free from disorder or disease, then you were wrong, and you're most likely going to be disappointed. In this life, we will have trials and tribulations! We will experience the loss of loved ones, the sickness of disease and heartaches; things will not always be as you have planned! 

 These are all symptoms of living on this fallen earth, and they are to be expected. But we have a greater hope, one that is secure and free from every single issue that is here on this earth; if, that is, heaven is where we call our home! It is really just a matter of perspective! 

 That said, this is still not won and done! Yes, Jesus has finished the work, but we are still required to walk in the work that He has finished! He made the way, when there was no way: Walk that way...

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for thou are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever." (PSALM 23) 

"Left Wanting?"

"Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake." (John 13:22 KJV)

  "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith." (2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT)

 What we have before us today, interestingly enough, is something which I believe is needed in each and every one of us, if we really want to be used of God. First off, this particular situation has to do with the disciples doubting, not only who Jesus is talking about, but more importantly, if He was talking about any one of them; thinking to themselves, "Could it be me?" 

 Paul is trying to make a particular point about real genuine faith, which is not based upon the ability of the messenger, but that the messenger knows the he or she is just a vessel for Jesus to speak or work through. In other words, we believe that the power comes from Christ Jesus, and is not our own! 

 By now you are probably wondering how that associates with the situation in front of us today; and if that is the case, you really don't know how vulnerable you really are to being led astray or having a fall. I have seen too many very anointed pastors, (some of which had huge churches that numbered over 5,000; much more than that, if you counted the on-line and television members,) that crashed and burned, mostly by thinking that they were too big and strong to fall. 

 We must never forget how weak and frail we really are! As soon as we think that we have arrived, as if we can do anything on our own, or think that we have somehow conquered something, we have given the enemy the chance to tear us apart! Without knowing how much we need the Lord, no matter what we are doing, anything and everything that goes wrong or sideways will be our downfall, and it will be our fault! 

 Without changing the subject, the thing with this Covid, whatever you want to call it, I truly do believe that it has a spiritual nature: meaning that the devil is surely connected to it. Some of those that I know who have fallen to it, are those who have mocked it or scoffed at it, as if it could not touch them. Anytime I hear a brother or sister claim that they can take on the devil, I cringe and start praying for their protection! 

 We do our very best in being weak, letting God show up and get things done! When you are saying to yourself, "Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world," you must remember that the power is from Him, and not from you...

"Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me." When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!" "Yes," he told them, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven."" (Luke 10:16-20 NLT) 

 

"Jesus Troubled" - 2

 "When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." (John 13:21 KJV)

  "Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the LORD says: "The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me. Even the ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master's care - but Israel doesn't know its master. My people don't recognize my care for them."" (Isaiah 1:2-3 NLT)

 As I was thinking about this, hoping for some relief and encouragement, I couldn't help but think of John's description of what Jesus had done. It was most likely very animated, as if, Jesus rose up and looked up towards heaven, with a sigh; extending His arms out, as to encompass that room in a gesture of including them all in what He was about to announce. 

 To be perfectly clear, what I was speaking about yesterday, although it might be hard to understand, it is very easy for us to accept the fact that God's love for us goes beyond that which will come to pass. To show a little of what that might be like, here is a quote from Matthew Henry on this meaning: 

 "He foretold it, not only for the sake of the rest of the disciples, but for the sake of Judas himself, that he might take warning, and recover himself out of the snare of the devil."

 We obviously cannot see the things which shall be, as God does; but if we could, we would try to do all that is in our power to change a terrible outcome in the life of someone that we love. That is what we are speaking of, as God's love for us is so vast and unfailing; He gives us opportunities to change, if not what should come, but our hearts towards Him; that whatever shall be, we shall become the better through it! 

 As to God's will: His will is always perfect! We are His creation, and He does not make junk! And He does not make mistakes! But, man-o-man, we sure do! Imagine what it must be like for God to deal with all those mistakes and the messes that we make, as He turns things into beauty from ashes; making something of worth from the junk we have made. 

 If He could, He would make us all perfect and obedient children, by just a command; but He made us to fall in love with Him on our own, based upon the love He has extended to us. The trouble is with us, not with Him: He is always troubled for us, caring for us, interceding for us; He never gives up on us...

 "When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT) 

"Jesus Troubled"

"When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." (John 13:21 NLT)

  "With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed - cut off from Christ! - if that would save them." (Romans 9:1-3 NLT) 

 Here is something we have to examine carefully, but not hard enough to base any sort of doctrine on, because the just of this topic is extremely, way above our paygrade! When I first started this journey, I began with a topic that is very complex and two-sided; much like a coin has two sides, but it is still just one coin. 

 The very first hint of this, "trouble," is maybe listed in the time of creation, between the first and the second day. Oddly enough, that is the timing of and the just of this particular subject: God's will, and God's perfect will, and the meaning of Him being troubled. In the beginning, the issue was called, "the firmament," which was something of a mystery, although some might think they have it figured out. 

 As I have said before, this is that first part of the creation, that at the end of the day, God did not say, "It was good." To try and understand why this might have troubled God, was the disconnect between that place where He dwells and the place where man would dwell; that He would be separated from His creation. Don't misunderstand, He had fellowship and could have a relationship, which He did; but due to the Holiness of His nature, He and the man He created were on a whole different level. 

 Some people believe that Heaven is really not some far off place that is way above the stars, but that it is simply another space that somehow is all around us but is outside of our time-domain. Much like Stephen, as he was dying, he saw Jesus standing at the right-hand of the Father; that was not millions of miles away but was right above him. 

 The second example of God being troubled, was mentioned in the second account of the 6th day, the creation on man; as God shows how He created man, and then how He taught him to care for the earth and all the other living creatures. Then, he examined man's curiosity about being set-apart from all the other creatures; as that all of them had mates, but he had none. 

 And then we have Genesis 2:18: "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him." Why was this not the case before? In the first mention of creation, Genesis 1:27 says: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." 

 Moving forwards, we come to one of the most talked about times when God was troubled, Genesis 6:6, as it says: "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Many people assume that God regretted making man, as if He had wished that it had never happened. I reject that belief, because I believe that God knows everything, and He never makes any mistakes! 

 Then we have the case of Hezekiah, which was the topic of the discussion when I first began this, back in January of 2010. If you don't know the story, the LORD sends Isaiah to Hezekiah, telling him that he needs to get his house in order, because the sickness he has will be his death. But Hezekiah did not want to die, turning his face to the wall, he prayed for more time. 

 God gave Hezekiah 15 more years to live! Two sides to the coin, but it is only one coin; oddly enough... 

"So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won't be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn't want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you." (2 Corinthians 2:1-4 NLT) 

"Apprehended By God"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." (John 13:20 KJV)

  "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT)

 Something of a little twist, based upon that word, "receiveth," which pretty much means to 'lay hold on,' or, 'to take it unto yourself.' Here is the thing, in a nutshell: We are captured by God! You can pretend all you want to think that you found God and made up your mind to follow Him; but truth be told, you were lost and without hope, and He snatched you up, like a fish washed up on the shore, and He saved your life by throwing you back into the ocean! 

 I know that might not do it justice, but it is the simplest way to show the condition we were in, and what it took to get us to know how much it was Him, and no us that saved ourselves. We, like that fish flopping around on the shore, did not know which way to go, and did not have the ability to get there, even if we could see way; because the way is not a place, but a Person! 

 Pay attention to what is being said, because it is He that sends for you! That day when I was saved, I had no intention of doing anything but resting on my bunk. But God apprehended me, by calling me out of my state of rebellion, and gave me the desire to check out what He had to offer me. He sent a Preacher to where I was, to preach a message that was prepared for me, that I received, as I believed everything that he said! Then I received Jesus into my heart; thereby, making me to be received by the Father! 

 Forty years later, I have no more faith than I did back then; as a matter of fact, I feel as though the race has gotten harder. But the greatest thing I have to lay hold upon, is that my hope is still on Jesus and not upon myself! Oh, what plans I saw for myself way back then: Laying hands on people to heal them, preaching sermons to enormous crowds, being sinless and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! 

 Yet, the older I get, the closer I feel I am to the ground. By the way, even a nut has three parts...

"Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." (Philippians 3:15-16 NLT) 

"The Eternal Word"

 "Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he." (John 13:19 KJV) 

  ""But you are my witnesses, O Israel!" says the LORD. "You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God - there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no other Savior. First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. Your are my witnesses that I am your God," says the LORD. "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done."" (Isaiah 43:10-13 NLT)

 As many of you should know by now, I am a pretty firm advocate to the truth about who Jesus was, is, and always will be; so, it should not be a surprise to anyone, if I take this opportunity to reinforce that debate. And yes, there are many among us, believe it or not, that find it hard to believe that Jesus is God!

 Let us go back to the very beginning, Gensis 1:1, which clearly says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Have that as you base, believing that it was God that created everything that there is, from absolutely nothing, but His Word. From there, we step just one page forward, to the creation of man, when God says, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." (Genesis 1:26 NLT) 

 In that conclusion, as to the plurality of God, we can then find some sort of common sense that there must be more to God's composure; that He has more than one personage, meaning the Father, Son, and Spirit are all three ONE! Not that you need to figure out how or why, because that is not what God has asked us to do. He only has asked us to believe He is, and that He loves us! 

 Stepping forwards to the New Testament, we are shown the Son, who is the Eternal Word; that same Word that spoke everything into existence: "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1 NLT) If you know anything about what GOD is meant to represent, it means that He was not created, but has always existed; therefore, in John 1:14, John shows us that God, the Word, was and is Jesus Christ: "So the Word became human and made his home among us." (NLT) 

 If you must know, I have put countless hours of consideration into this, having been misled as a child, them coming to experience His identity, and having had second thoughts several times during some of my early years as His servant. Not that I had changed my mind, but that there is a spiritual battle in the world, because the spirit of the Antichrist is real and active all around this world.  

 When I tell some people that, they scoff, as if that is superstition or something that is to come to life during the tribulation. No, it is here now, and has been for a very long time! You can talk about God, in almost every situation, as long as you keep it general and nonspecific; but, as soon as you start to lift up the name of Jesus, you are going to get opposition and an unfriendly response. 

 If you need anything to help with your confusion, if you might have doubts; just about everything is composed of three parts, even the basic and unseen things all around us and in us. Why would God be any different than His creation? Except for the fact that He wasn't created...

"Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how you know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here." (1 John 4:1-3 NLT)  

 

"Set-Apart"

 "I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me." (John 13:18 KJV)

  "Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely; the one who shared my food, has turned against me." (Psalm 41:9 NLT)

 Have you ever felt as though you were called into something where you did not belong? Whatever it is, it could be some sort of ministry, or a special job; maybe even some kind of a relationship, where you were picked out to do something or be with someone, but constantly feel like you don't belong. Well, this is the type of meaning that is being put forth in this title, "Set-Apart." 

 Basically, the concept is one of feeling set or kept apart from others; independent, not united or joint; "a problem consisting of two separate issues"; "they went their separate ways"; "formed a separate church". In other words, there is something that is placed upon you, making you different from the group that you belong, which, in this particular case, Judas was the one in charge of the money, making him trusted to be the one, (somewhat ironic,) more than the others, to hold the purse. 

 The way my crazy mind works, I see Jesus placing him in charge of the money, for that specific reason, that he would feel special and trusted completely; as the Scripture say, "the one I trusted completely." Just to be clear, seeing that Jesus knew beforehand that Judas was the one to betray Him, He didn't really trust him at all, because He already knew what he would do; but Judas didn't know, and therefore felt as though he was trusted; even though, as we have previously seen, he did steal from the purse he was trusted with.

 Weird as that might be, it is also another way to examine what it means to be predestinated, as we are not at all privy to where we will be or what we might do, but God knows the beginning and the end. We are just living out what we are, even if we don't know what that will be. Almost as if there are two completely different time-domains or scenarios; the one that we are living out, and the one that God knows that we will live. 

 By the way, this part of what Jesus says, "hath lifted up his heel against me," is pretty much an indication of someone else: Satan, the liar, father of lies; the one that mimics and copies the things meant for God's glory and purposes, making himself an angel of light, a deceiver of the brethren and of the nations.  Yes, that's right, Jesus is the one who will be lifting up His heel, stomping the head of that serpent. As it says in the beginning...

"Then the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."" (Genesis 3:14-15 NLT) 

"Jesus Predicts His Betrayal"

   "I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, 'The one who eats my food has turned against me.' I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah. I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me." 

 Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!" 

 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, "Who's he talking about?" So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, "Lord, who is it?" 

 Jesus responded, "It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, "Hurry and do what you're going to do." None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. So Judas left at once, going out into the night." (John 13:18-30 NLT) 

 This might be one of the most difficult portions of this Book to share about, as it involves a man that is chosen to be with Jesus, while he is going to be the one that is going to betray Him. The whole thing makes me think of all the people I have seen, over the span of several decades of being involved in ministry, who, after being called into serving the Lord, they are discovered to be a disruptor of the church. 

 Not that it happens often, but that is one of the reasons that Paul tells Timothy, "Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader." (1 Timothy 5:22 NLT) Those appointed should be watch and prayed over, a person that has been with the fellowship for a certain length of time. Someone that has been proven to be fit for service. Even then, there is no guarantees; people can have things happen in their lives that can cause friction; even a small disagreement can cause some people to get sideways. 

 All of that said, this instance is different and involves a man that was chosen to betray the Lord. That might sound crazy to some; but Jesus had known quite a lot about Judas, before He had even meet him. Yet, he was chosen to fulfill a certain task, even though that task was a wicked act of betrayal, it was something that needed to happen, to fulfill the most important task of all: Jesus getting hung on a cross! 

 If you study the timelines involved with all of this, you might be amazed by all of things that needed to happen in order for all this to happen. The crucifixion on the cross, which the J.W.'s depict as being on a stake, was something that the Romans had perfected. Having found a way to allow someone to hang on the cross for days, just to show them suffering a slow death, that anyone seeing it would be fearful to step out of line. 

 That is one of many things that needed to happen; even the terrible killing of children that were two years old and younger, it was all to fulfill every single part of the very complex plan...

"Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not." (Jeremiah 31:15 KJV)

"BLESSED!"

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13:17 KJV)

  "Aleph - Joyful are the people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. I will learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me!" (Psalm 119:1-8 NLT)

 Guess what I know, that I hope you know also: God does not give up on us!!! So we aren't perfect and always obedient children; don't you think He knows all the things we do? Even before we think about doing them, He already knows. There is nothing that we can do that will make Him give up on us, because He knows the end, where it is that finally have us: In His presence! 

 There is nothing that I can do that will cause God to abandon me, because I know I have been called and chosen to be His child. Those that have been chosen, we know who we are and believe what He says is true and faithful; there is no doubt within us that He is faithful in every way! We, on the other hand, lack the strength and integrity to be completely faithful; we might try harder and harder to be perfect; but the closer we are to perfection, the more sinful we see that we are! 

 I really hope by now that we can all just quit judging one another and start loving each other as we should! They will know that we are Christians by our love! That's not just a saying, it is truth! (1 John 3:14) This is what I know, with all certainty: if we are following the Lord's instructions, then the things of this world which might come against us, do not harm or disrupt our joy and happiness; everything just rolls off of us like water on a duck's feathers. 

 When we do not follow the Lord's instructions, we feel vulnerable and fearful about the things we otherwise would not care too much about. In other words, we do not feel protected! That is a pretty scary place to be, but it does not need to be that way! Turn and go the other way! God is always for us, so He will never leave us or forsake us; but you do need to turn back to Him! 

 Basically, I truly believe that is what He wants, more than anything else, that we know how much He loves us! If we know that, everything else will work out on its own...

"Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. But we who live be the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love." (Galatians 5:2-6 NLT) 

"An Expectant Cistern"

 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him." (John 13:16 KJV) 

  "Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shinning like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy." (Philippians 2:14-18 NLT)

 Believe it or not, but this morning's title was really hard to see, as I was focused upon the servant part of the text, overlooking the true meaning of what was being said. I went to the movies yesterday and watched, "Jesus Revolution," which really brought back some very old memories of growing up in the 60's and 70's. 

 I know this has been mentioned before, but I believe it needs repeating. Before I accepted Christ into my heart, looking back upon my life, I truly do believe that God's hand was on my life growing up. Some people will reject that statement, saying that those who are not yet born again, don't really have any sort of protection from God; even going as far as to say, that God will not listen to their prayers. 

 No matter what others might say, I do believe that God was watching over me and preparing me for that certain day, the day that I would say yes to Christ Jesus being Lord of my life. As I have stated before, I have always believed in God, and I never accepted the notion that God did not create the heavens and the earth. 

 Currently, in this specific time, many people are starting to focus upon life that might exist elsewhere, as in, other planets where there might be other creatures or life-forms. Don't fall into that belief, because it is all a plan from the devil! He knows that Christ will soon be coming for His bride; and when He does, the devil needs a distraction away from the truth, that God took us up; instead, making people believe it was something from another planet. 

 As for this title, it relates to our life experiences and the journey we have lived here of this earth. A cistern is basically a vessel that is usually in the ground to catch rainwater. Unlike a well, which stores up water from down below, the cistern catches the water from above. We are each very unique and have a very special place in God's heart; even though He is not a respecter of persons, He knows and loves us all individually! 

 That was hard for me to understand, as I always felt as though God was too big and far-off to care about my personal life; even though I still prayed to Him whenever I felt vulnerable or in trouble. Truth be told, if you are one of God's children, then you have always been His child, waiting to run into His loving arms...

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" (Psalm 139:13-18 NLT)

"Pattern of Life"

 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." (John 13:15 KJV)

  "So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old way of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then, But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."" (1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT)

 Yes, we can be holy, but only because Jesus is Holy! Without Jesus, we have no holiness within us, no matter how hard we try, there is no attachment to holiness, even in our righteous deeds! Outside of Christ, our righteousness is filthy rags to God! (Isaiah 64:6)

 This is something I have known from the very beginning of my new-life in Christ; mostly because of my up-bringing, having been associated with the J.W.s and the previous struggles to earn salvation. You cannot earn something that cannot be purchased; Jesus paid for it all; only through Christ Jesus can we receive salvation! 

 As for this title, "Pattern of Life", before we received the gift of God's salvation, all of us were dead, spiritually dead, with no connection and hope for eternal life. All of that changed the day that we received Jesus Christ to be the Lord of our lives. Now that we have life, real life in Christ, we are no longer of this current world; we are now, officially, citizens of Heaven! 

 This might surprise some of you, but even though is comes easy, it takes some effort to pattern our lives to fit the mold that we have been given! And believe you me, there is a mold that is placed within you! You cannot hide what you are, because you will be exposed if you try! Jesus like Peter was when he was trying to tell people that he didn't know Christ; he was exposed as a liar. 

 I couldn't help but think of Pastor Luke, in the movie, "Holy Roller". If you haven't seen it, it is a really good example of how we should pattern our life in the service to others. In one scene, Pastor Luke is very discouraged, so he goes to a local pub and has a drink. About half-way through his first and only glass of beer, he starts to preach a sermon about drinking at the pub. 

 Anywho, I think you see the point: There is a River of Life flowing through your veins, it is bound to spill out, no matter how hard you try to contain it, you cannot...

"And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."" (1 Peter 2:5-6 NLT) 

"Do Accordingly" - Too

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet." (John 13:14 KJV)

   "Don't look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position as a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:4-8 NLT)

 I am sorry if I was making yesterday's post about me and my issues. This journal of sorts, although it might be public, it is still quite personal, which sometimes causes me to get a little too wrapped up in myself and my own interpretations of what goes on around me. That said, those things I shared yesterday, they were real; and if there is one thing that I have learned: God allows us to go through the mud, so that when the mud is washed off, we can declare the wonderful work that God has done, despite our failures and weaknesses. 

  If you really must know, the issue that I most recently had was about prayer. I was at the hospital visiting my niece, and after leaving the building, walking towards my truck, I heard a familiar voice call out my name. When I greeted her, she informed me that her brother was in there, and that he had been in there for a whole month. I could feel the Holy Spirit nudge me to pray with her, but instead, I felt the need to tell her that I didn't like being in there, especially on the 2nd floor, as my wife was in there for 3 months back in 2003. 

 After a little further discussion, her sister arrived, and they both joined each other at the door to go visit their brother. As I went to my truck to leave, I felt very heavy-hearted. I remembered that the Holy Spirit had prompted me to pray, and I did not yield to the prompting of the Spirit. It might seem like a little thing to some, but if there is anything else that I have learned: If you don't listen once, you will find it easier to not listen again! 

 Therefore, the reason for me to add verse four of Philippians two, which says, "Don't look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others too." If there is anything that I think I need to practice doing, it would be to do less talking and a whole lot more listening! God made us to listen at least twice as much as we speak, or so I have been told; It is the reason God gave one mouth and two ears...

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? And comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:1-3 NLT) 

 

"Do Accordingly"

 "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet." (John 13:14 KJV)

  "For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in the one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."" (Galatians 5:13-14 NLT)

 Taking this to the next level, I have been praying about the things I feel bad about not having done; asking the Lord to forgive me, realizing that the cost of not doing what I felt the Lord told me to do, caused me to do some of the things that I shouldn't have done. It really comes down to a very simple rule: You will either follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or you will follow the guidance of your flesh! 

 You cannot obey both, even though you might think it is possible and assume that you have it all figured out. Watch the movie, "Brennan," based on the real-life story of Brennan Manning and the Ragamuffin Gospel. Lives get destroyed, even though you think that you are serving the Lord, but you serve yourself more! 

 The word Jesus used was "Mammon." Some people will associate that word with money, but that is only the root meaning of the word, because the concept is really about wealth; but not just the ability to make money, but the need to satisfy the flesh. It's the simple pleasures in life that cause you to get hooked; after your hooked, and after you have become accustomed to the pleasures of feeding the flesh, you are caught in something that is almost impossible to get out of. 

 That was the deal with the Rich Young Ruler. He had many riches and was able to live a certain way, he did not want to walk away from. In his own mind, there was nothing wrong with it; it was even good for God's work, because he could give so much away, without even feeling the cost. There is only so much you can do, but if you are not willing to do everything the God says, it is all worthless and is only for your own satisfaction. 

 Anywho; the point of what I am trying to say, with all earnestness, God can work with whatever it is that you feel is unworkable, as if you think it is all too late! As long as you have breath in your lungs, it is never too late for God to do that work in you.

 I can't help but think of Moses, who really had no clue what his purpose in life really was, until he was very old; older than I am, for sure! When God puts something on your heart, do it, whatever it is, it is most likely a test of your obedience. If you do it, then you will experience the power of God; if you don't, you will experience the power of your flesh...

"For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has and power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." (Romans 6:7-14 NLT) 

"By Implication"

 "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." (John 13:13 KJV) 

  "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well" - but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it preduces good deeds, it is dead and useless." (James 2:14-17 NLT)

 Before you start to judge what this might be about, I need to share some of what I was confronted with yesterday morning. God was really speaking to my heart about some very serious issues, most of all, was the fact that I frequently fail to really trust Him. 

 Pastor Holden was sharing a testimony about what it means to trust God. The main topic of the message was about hearing God's voice, and how we should know whether or not it is His voice that we heard. In this, he had heard God say, "Holden, go to Nineveh." The words were very clear, but the place or thing was not; so he looked it up, discovering that it was an ancient city in Iraq. 

 Long story short, after several months of struggling to determine if it really was God's voice that he had heard, he went. After arriving in the Bagdad airport, he ended up being arrested because he had no Visa; and because he was an American, he was receiving no mercy. In that moment Holden had figure that it wasn't God's voice he had heard, and that he was going to die in prison. 

 As he was being taken to a holding cell in the airport, above the area where the cell was there were two signs; one pointing to the left, which had a name for some termina; and the other, pointed straight ahead, saying, "Nineveh Terminal." Inquisitive, but still feeling foolish, he asked for God to forgive him for the assumption, and for being foolish, thinking that God has some grand purpose for him to be there.

 Not long after being secured in his cell, a very high-ranking Officer opened to cell door and told him to come with him. After being, seemingly snuck through the airport, he ended up at the Jordon Terminal, where he was safely on his way to get back home. After sharing that, he said he prayed later for that Officer, who had most likely placed his life on the line, or at least his high-ranking job.

 It was pretty clear that Holden was not there to do anything for God, but the God wanted to show him how to trust Him, enough to obey! Besides, I feel pretty certain that the Officer was sent by God, and most likely went back from where he came. The main point in this was very much like the joke about the guy holding onto the root at the side of a cliff. When Holden realize he was about to die, he gave the whole situation to God, thereby, letting go of the root. 

 I realized that my biggest problem in trusting God, stems from not letting go of the root...

"You say that you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don't remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone." (James 2:19-24 NLT) 

 

"Be Resolved"

 "So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?" (John 13:12 KJV)

  "Then this message came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, with one blow I will take away your dearest treasure. Yet you must not show any sorrow at her death. Do not weep; let there be no tears. Groan silently, but let there be no wailing at her grave. Do not uncover your head or take off your sandals. Do not perform the usual rituals of morning or accept any food brought to you by consoling friends." So I proclaimed this to the people the next morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did everything I had been told to do. Then the people asked, "What does all this mean? What are you trying to tell us?"" (Ezekiel 24:15-19 NLT)

 A little strange, was my first thought; but then I realized the God needs to be first in our lives, above all else! Even if it hurts, there is really nothing we could go through on this earth that could possibly come close to what Jesus Christ did for us! 

 As previously stated, this little moment, washing the feet of the disciples, pretty much summed up His entire life here on this earth; all the way from conception to assentation, to was all illustrated by entire event. From the time He said, "All right, here it goes," to this moment, as He was dressed again and seated at the table, that was it, in a nutshell. 

 I am thinking of the things that contain the number three, which are more things than we could ever imagine! A simple one to start with, would be our lives: we are born, we live, and then we die. For those of us that have been born again, there are three steps to our salvation: Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification. 

 To the most important things for us to know: God said it, I believe it, and that settles it...

"You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9 NLT) 

"But Woe"

 "For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean." (John 13:11 KJV)

  "They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed." (Proverbs 30:12 NLT) 

 Here is the point, not to point to others, but to look into your own heart, as one that needs to be washed. Woe to those that think they have it all together, because, thinking you are good enough, makes you bad in the eyes of the Lord. If we could be good enough, then Jesus would not have had to suffer and die for our sins; even those that strive to be good, still miss the mark of holy! 

 Anywho; we have this thing called self-preservation, which is, oddly enough, something we can hardly know too much about, until something we care about is threatened or being taken away. There are some things we care about, we don't even know how badly we want to have them, until it becomes a thing that we cannot have or hold onto. 

 Judas was basically a man that was focused on this world; worldly things, such as the one who would come to save, would be the savior of Jerusalem; setting things in order and freeing the Jewish people from Roman rule. The thought of the Messiah being killed, it just didn't fit the plans he had imagined. If Jesus was who he had originally thought He was, he probably imagined himself not just holding the purse, but managing the Treasury. 

 In his own eyes, he felt as though he was doing something good. We obviously don't see him doing good, because we know it was bad; but people who have different priorities and objectives, they see what they believe, missing out on all the other stuff, even that which is right and truth. 

 If you take a hard look at all the crazy stuff going on in this world, you will see how true that is. It takes quite a bit of different thinking, to think that it is good, to convince four- and five-year-old children that they are something other than what they are! 

 I'm sorry if that might offend you! But woe to you, if you think that is good...

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Who unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (Isaiah 5:20-21 KJV)

"Either, Or, Than"

 "Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needed not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all." (John 13:10 KJV)

  "Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT)

 There is quite a bit to take in here, as Jesus is speaking about a couple different things, which are all connected by one single element: Sin! I might have overlooked something yesterday, as I shared about those things which I did back in the day; being baptized, which was something both my wife and I did down at Pirates Cove, in 1982. We did not really do it as a condition of salvation, we did it because it was something Jesus told us to do! 

 You can have some pretty messed up things wrong with you, but if you are obedient to the Lord, as much as you can possibly be, then your messed up life can really make a difference to those that are around you. Besides, Jesus doesn't make junk! If He has called you, that means that He has chosen you for a purpose; something that you might not even yet know what it is; but you can be certain that there is a purpose for you, so be expectant and always alert.

 To be totally honest, there are times when I forget to pay attention, and then I miss out on some very important opportunities to be a good witness for the Lord. Maybe I just didn't feel like it at the moment, or maybe I was in a dark place and feeling unusable or out of sorts. No matter how much I blow it, I know that the Lord will forgive me and give me another chance! 

 This is what He does! He has no problem forgiving us, because nothing we can do is something that He doesn't already know about! In other words, He is never surprised by the stupid things that we do. We, on the other hand, are surprised and heartbroken when we mess up; sometimes feeling as though we have really disappointed the Lord and we are no longer worthy of being his servant. 

 Basically, that is what Peter has done, as he goes from one extreme to another. We are servants, which means we do what we are told, listen for instructions, and wait for what we should do next! If you don't know what you should do, because you haven't been told, then you do what servants do: by watching for what the Master might want you to do. 

 If that doesn't help, just be humble and useable! You never know where you will end up; but you will be made useful...

"Beth - How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you - don't let me wander from your commands. I have hidden my word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. I praise you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us. I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word." (Psalm 119:9-16 NLT)

"Our Spiritual Passion"

"Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." (John 13:9 KJV)

  "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison - those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 3:18-21 NLT)

 A little bit much, but earnest and sincere, having realized that he was wrong for questioning the Lord's purpose and compassion in washing his feet. This is really not that hard to do; as a matter of fact, it is probably something we all do from time to time, and we don't even realize it; and when we do, we tend to write it off, as if it wasn't meant to happen today. 

 I can recall my early days as a new baby in Christ, how often I went forward when an invitation was given. It was as if I needed to be renewed, having been convicted from the message, I needed to be washed from my sin, again and again. Then I began looking for every opportunity to get more of God's Spirit; whether it was by having hands laid on me, to practicing speaking in tongues. Whatever I could do, I felt as though I still had a need for more passion, more love, more desire to obey. 

 Then I learned to adjust! Call it whatever you want, but it is the realization that you are never going to get sinless, you can only learn how to sin less! I heard it said, "You only hold onto the sins that you like!" As true as that sounds, we must love God more than we like ourselves, then we can start not liking any sin! Easier said than done! There is only One who was sinless, and He took on all our sin, even those that we like. 

 Let that sink in, because the more you put that into perspective, the less you will like yourself, and the more you will love God. Keep it simple, stupid...

"Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful." (1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 NLT)