Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it]. 28 [Rather, I will say,] glorify (honor and extol)Your [own] name! Then there came a voice out of heaven saying, I have already glorified it, and I will glorify it again. 29 The crowd of bystanders heard the sound and said that it had thundered; others said, An angel has spoken to HIM! 30 This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sake. 31 Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is coming on [sentence is now being passed on this world]. Now the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world shall be of this world shall be cast out (expelled).
This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sake!
This spoken word is spoken right now, because it was proof by the "Father" that Jesus was the sent one, the "Messiah".
When a voice speaks words that are a comfort to those around us.........and not just to confirm us, because God has sent us to speak to the broken, the sick, the lame and see change come.
Glorify Your name God......extol YOUR name, so those who hear will know that God is glorified in this "thing" that has occurred. It is not because of any greatness in any one man, but because of the glory of God!
It is the true witness. It is that which testifies of the holy and against the profane.
And they which heard, heard a sound.
Jesus prayed a prayer!
Some heard, just like in Acts 9:7.....and Acts 22:9... .
Exodus 19:16-25
16 Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish. 22 Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them." 23 But Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.' " 24 Then the LORD said to him, "Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest He break out against them." 25 So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them. NKJV
That blast of the trumpet was the VOICE OF GOD. And it came to warn. When there is a unison of many speaking the same words at the same time, can sound like a "loud trumpet" or even "many waters".
Ezekiel 1:22-28
22 The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking. NKJV
For many, even today, it is by some unusual way they hear about Jesus for "the first time". In the passage from John 12, we have already visited the passages where Lazarus is raised from the dead. And in all those "miracles" that transpired proved Him (Jesus) to be God's Will and Word. They were to provide proof that He was to see believer's as in John 2:23; John 4:48, and in John 11:42.
In demonstration of God's power:John 5:30;John 6:38, and Hebrews 10:7.
In was to also confirm His Son-ship.......in John 5:17-19, and John 5:30-36. See also in Acts 2:32.
It was also proving that the kingdom of God was 'present" in that moment........1 Corinthians 4:20.
We were also to see the work of the Holy Spirit and His power active and operating.... Luke 4:18; John 3:34; Acts 1:4-8
So when the Jews rejected Jesus and His Son-ship, they rejected God....AND......the Salvation came to the Gentile. And in that we find that those in that region, Philip and Andrew came from, was a region where many of the Greek heritage were receptive to Jesus' teachings and they became those who would follow Jesus and help take the word of the Gospel to others. These who stood by heard the "voice" from heaven and why?
Because they knew Jesus and recognized it to be God speaking. From the Cross the world was judged and the enemy, the evil one, prince of this world was cast out. When the Lord shows up: 1. you will know Him by what He speaks ( out of the pastor, prophet, teacher who gives the word of God) 2. the voice will be of God and not man, 3 will glorify God and not man 4 will be given and ......without doubt others will see and know of that God has entered the situation, the room and He is excited to let everyone know! His Presence will be tangible in every way possible. And 5, when we leave, everyone in the room is "the comforted, " they are the supported", " they are the joyful", they are the fired up ones for God, and they move into their evening and week with a great outlook on their life that God is with them!
We can see at times when God spoke like to Elijah in the still small voice, and to others He gave the direct warning as the trumpet blast to others as we read in Exodus 19:16-25.
We can people be comforted by what we speak, what we give when reading that Holy Word.
Yes, when we think about the Triune God-head do we consider that 1/3 of that God-head resides on our hearts? Do we consider that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead, is the same who comforts us in our day, in our week, helps us make godly decisions each day?
How do we obtain that relationship?
Well, I think of Kathryn Kuhlman, who was a mighty woman for God. She had an exceptional relationship with the 3rd head of the God -Head. His name is the Holy Spirit.
We should be able to hear the "Voice", the "trumpet" giving warning," the quiet voice when maybe just tired, but we should hear them all.
In reading over her life I am so overwhelmed that one can be so taken over by the Spirit of God. Her love for God was so beautiful, was such a crucial part of who she became, and what a life of grace. The miraculous occurred because she sought the miracle worker! She honored Him and He honored her! If you have opportunity to read on one of the early Generals I would certainly read up on Kathryn Kuhlman.
So is it relationship or is is an acquaintance?
And what constitutes knowing someone personally or on that intimacy level where only the "secrets" between two are the "known"?
In getting to know our baby, when she was born, was about knowing so much about her. She was the quiet. She slept all the through the night on her second night home. She was up at 6 am every morning. I will not share her favorite foods, but by the teenage years it was cold pizza and I will not mention when she wanted to eat it. We were more than her acquaintance, we were her parents. We knew her everyday of the week and weekend. She had some friends and closest ones would call her Candy, but that was not her name. In years after she left home and went to college, some found calling her Candance as the "thing" to do! And in meeting some of them, I am not sure why they thought they deserved the familiarity of being a friend when they only talked a couple times a week and no one had cell phones. YIKES! NO CELLS PHONES!
Yes, on a more personal level, with one having a relaxed attitude toward another person, are they satisfied because "they want others to think they know her really well" or are they doing it and happy that they do not have to know anything else about her? And if we find out something about her, is it because her mother told you from first hand experience..........or is it "heard through the grapevine, kind of thing?"Today there is that Facebook society. They will give you all kinds of info on them, but how much is really truth? If you knew each one and spent time with them will they look like that Facebook page or seem more like a stranger?
With all the new technology people are still not meeting one another. With the advantage or disadvantage of the texting idea, many can text one another from the same house, and from the same room. What?
But we cannot text God or send emails!
My grand-parents can say they went to church but that did not make them a real believer in Jesus Christ. My mother took us to church every Sunday and saw to it that we had Sunday School for the youth bible studies, but that did not make us believer's either!
Purging ourselves of that which is not needed may leave us as the ones who only know Joe and know nothing about him, like where he lives, what his occupation is or where his family lives. YOU may not can recognize "Joe" on the street. Why? Well they only text one another!!!!
I guess the best thing I have heard at "church" was this: "well, everyone is jumping in, for the Spirit is here"....and people of the congregation have no idea what the pastor is even mentioning. And in truth most attending right now have not opened a Bible in how many decades? YIKES again!
When God enters the room, we should certainly know His presence. When God is speaking.........well no one else will need to say anything for God will give all we need. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16) But God has revealed to us through His Spirit. For it is His Spirit that searches all things, the deep things of God...........to know the things freely given to us by God. And in speaking (verse 13) by the Holy Spirit speak the wisdom of God of the spiritual things.
If I will only read and pray the word, find God and speak as the child with the Father, then I recognize what the Father is saying, whether to correct me or to encourage me. In our approach to God that is not based on any religion, but it is a "personal " relationship with the Lord.........by finding out what pleases Him and what makes Him cry.......what makes HIM laugh and want to dance.
I think of two scriptures I leave with you today:
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are
being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes
from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV
2 Corinthians 13:14 14 May
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of
the Holy Spirit be with you all. NIV
Relationship is more than just one person talking all the time. God has much to say and when we spend time in His Word we will see how we measure up or fall really short of the mark of His Word. In the men and women of past centuries we reflect how victorious they lived life, not without mistakes BUT IN SPITE OF THEM, went on to do great things for God. May the fruit of the Spirit that is humility be that which others will see and begin to know in us. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory and are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. And May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and with me.
May we, like children, humble ourselves and expect to hear from our Father as the Father to His son and the son to the Father. Amen.
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
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