Lying Eyes

Do our eyes deceive us? The Pharisees and  Sadducees ask Jesus for a sign from heaven. In John 11:48 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 50 "nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish. 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

The Lord tells us to have hearing ears and seeing eyes. But we must be the spiritual in God! These people saw the signs Jesus did, but with those eyes, they desired that nationalistic line. They desired Him to become King and run the Romans out of Jerusalem. This was Judas' thinking.  That vain imaginations is of the devil and the human thought of the “Me” syndrome! But God made us in His image to be of His likeness and to be morally right before Him. God desires us to see Him, be led by His Son the Good Shepherd and allow Holy Spirit space for today and the future! He has given us Holy Spirit with power, love and a sound mind!

He is expecting us to know we are those with intelligence, perception, and self-determination to far exceed any other living creature on the face of the earth!  We are spiritual who not only have a body, but soul and spirit. God desires us to come higher to His ways and thoughts of being.  And we are not to be animalistic in behavior seeking only fleshly gratification.

Where is the flow of the Spirit?....Human nature says: look at my body, I need food, feed me, my muscles feel weak ..The spiritual man speaks 1 Corinthians 2:13…NKJV…13 these things we speak not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches,  comparing spiritual things with spiritual.    We have people today who desire someone else to feed them and their children. They refuse to work.

 So when Jesus appeared, how many  appeared in the spiritual to recognize Him?

One who knew Him, came to Him at night:    John 3:1-8  NKJV  There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2) This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." (3) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (4) Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" (5) Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again." (8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

The teaching on the born-again doctrine—found primarily in John 3 but expanded by Paul, Peter, and John in later writings—has been prone to misunderstanding. Jesus Christ spoke to Nicodemus about it nearly two thousand years ago and in that meeting, it was Nicodemus who immediately misconstrued what Christ meant.  Nicodemus was on a purely physical level, as another literal birth. And he was not alone in this thinking! In that study of Jesus' discourses throughout the book of John shows that people frequently interpreted His entirely spiritual instruction in a physical manner, and thus failed to grasp the truth He taught. ( would consider they missed Jesus entirely in their reading and understanding) What is interesting is how people want to rely on their own thoughts and plans!

I will feed people but do not show up with nails all done up and tell me your child needs food. I know what those nails cost and the time to decorate them in that manner.

We really need Holy Spirit in our lives!                                                                                                       

Our prayer life is comprised of knowing His written word; to live by it …and speak it..……so that John 17:3 And this is eternal life:[ it means] to know ( to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the]Christ ( the anointed One, the Messiah, Whom You have sent … and .is revealed in and through our lives.

Is the spiritual, the eternal life recognized by us?

We are to be understanding of our Father. We are to exalt Him in His truth and faithfulness.  We are to   exalt Him in His greatness and authority.  And then in those quiet, secret place times with HIM,  we cast down those thoughts that are contrary to God's heart and Spirit.  Many people say they love God, but is it equally true that they hate evil? Truly loving God is demonstrated in and by our character when we will not tolerate evil in our own hearts. 

Honor the Lord: Highly esteem Him and make His Name distinct in Your speaking.  We stop speaking about us, and speak  about Him! WE Humble ourselves under His mighty Hand. As we are yielded to the Holy Spirit, planting His Word within us, we will have seeing eyes to recognize evil.

Many times it comes in a form that is pleasant or seems acceptable. ( like Halloween) Some evil is obvious, while other times it does take Holy Spirit discernment to see it. God will help you as you lean into Him. Let His praise continually be in your mouth and have a joyful, peaceful and glorious day with God! ( Do you know to whom you invite in your home in participating in the Halloween event?)

Matthew 10:32-34….Amplified Bible…32 Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven and confess [ that I am abiding in] Him. 33 But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown.

Jesus does not attack the family relationship. BUT He points to that earthly distraction one might take on where loyalty is for the thing called IDOL and not on Him who set us free in Him! Even today many shun Jesus, their focus is on sin. They have lying eyes. Still we are to confess Jesus before men. Some will like you and others will hate you. Just look at Charlie Kirk who was killed because of his faith in Jesus. But what about living for Christ when Halloween is upon you?  Halloween was taken as the radical of a group where darkness is worshiped. Did you know that witches today outnumber actual Christians? They have faith in something dark, yet we have the Light in Jesus Christ!

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Amplified Bible………12. Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to ] the world but the Holy Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. 13 And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. 14 But the natural, non-spiritual man does not welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly ( meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. 15 But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. 16 For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts ( feelings and purposes ) of His heart.  (Isaiah 40:11)

Spirit always answers to spirit. We are spirit beings, and we have a body and soul! So of the three spiritual categories you have what is the natural man, unregenerate and devoid of the spirit who has no appreciation for the Gospel. Another is the spiritual man, regenerated and possessing spiritual maturity and are seen as those free from sectarian strife!  Titus 3:4-11  Amplified Bible 4 But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior to man [as man] appeared, 5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing bath of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 [And he did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [ that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought and action].

8 This message is most trustworthy, and concerning these things I want you to insist steadfastly, so that those who have believed in (trusted in, relied on,) God may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations and to doing good, for such  themselves are [not only] excellent and right [in themselves,] but [they] are good and profitable for the people.  9 But avoid stupid and foolish controversies and genealogies and dissentions and wrangling about the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile. 10 [As for] a man who is factious [a heretical sectarian and cause of divisions] , after admonishing him a first and second time, reject [him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him],  11 Well aware that such a person has utterly changed (is perverted and corrupted); he goes on sinning [though he] is convicted of guilt and self-condemned.

 

1.   From verses 8-11 Paul tells us to shun strife and factions.

2.    We are to have a transformed life that is that response to the grace of mercy revealed by God through His Son Jesus.  So in context, the meaning of verse 10 has to do with sectarian…he who causes divisions….

3.   Is one of having a spirit toward or a devotion to a particular religion or sect. it is toward having dogmatic limits of bigotry regarding something specific as to the outward appearance. REMEMBER :The Lord looks on the heart!

4.   Adhering to specific opinions in regard to intolerance with doctrine or belief as opinion and not authoritatively approved  is contrary to the Word of God. With God’s Word as the standard, anything outside of that is departing from truth.

 Being made new by the Holy Spirit we are activated in the Kingdom of heaven.. We are to seek unity within God’s church or body of believer’s. And it is by the Holy Spirit we can see deceptive doctrine displayed as well as seen in divisive behavior.

The last spiritual type category is the “carnal” man:  He is regenerate but living much like an unregenerate, is a believer but is childish in his ways, has the spirit of a jealousy and divisiveness ! This is one that will live more for human opinion than for Christ! They love the "me" concept! I am Me and you give Me more free stuff!

Taking the Stand over Vain Imaginings….The person who truly loves Christ is the one who’s going to stand up for Christ no matter if they lose friends, family, life, or if the world hates them. The person who truly loves Christ will expose the deeds of darkness!  Charlie Kirk did. And today many are giving a display of hate toward that man who died for Christ!                                                                                          

Ephesians 5:8-12   NKJV ……8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as His children of light. 9 ( for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the Light, for whatever makes manifest is Light.

The faithful believers do more than abstain from evil; they denounce the deeds of darkness as the unfruitful, shameful and not worthwhile. We prepare for our day or week by going to prayer and the word of God. We have conversation with Him and ask what to say to give His plan to others.  And in that prayer time we are not guessing about what is going on but we pray from the authority that has been given us through Jesus..And within God & His purpose, we  stay in His authority & speak & pray from that authority.

We will not adulterate our souls to live in confusion…we will live in clarity…We will not be tormented with impure, evil, negative or sinful thoughts but transformed by the renewing of our minds. We will see heaven, enjoy life with Jesus and find peace in that home He has prepared for us who believe!

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Eternal Life

John 17:3  Amplified Bible And this is eternal life: [it means] to know ( to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand) You, the only true and real God and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ ( the Anointed one, the Messiah,) whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed. 6 I have manifested Your Name [ I have revealed Your every Self, Your real Self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word.

 

The indwelling Christ is eternal life in us and through us to others. Christ in me will resonate with Christ in you! We become one in Him when we have accepted Him as Lord of our lives.

 

Jesus in His prayer time…prayed for the church! How is it possible for someone who is a “church go-er” to die …..without Christ. WAS there no teachings on this eternal life, no eternal knowledge available to the person who attended and did not either receive this truth or was never taught it?

The truth known in this instance, is that this person is separated from God found in Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and the faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolators (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)----[all of these shall have]  their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. [Isaiah 30:33]

 

Did you know there are people who say they are Christians and practice those ‘angel cards’?  Another is those who practice sorcery. But Jesus speaks this in Revelation 22:14-15   “Blessed ( happy and to be envied) are those who cleanse their garments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and to enter through  the gates into the city.  15 [But] without are the dogs, those who practice sorceries (magic arts), impurity [ the lewd, adulterers] and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and deals in falsehood (untruth, error, deception, cheating).” 

 The Bible says in Psalm 97:10: “Let those who love the LORD hate evil…”  God hates sorcery.  Jesus was light sown for the righteous! That people would come to the light and not stumble. John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Eternal Life is made up those obedient to God’s word where His love is matured in us! That love is not demanding rights but is seen as that which is humbled before God for His purpose on earth.

 Jesus asked the Father to glorify Him with the glory that was His before the world began seen in verses 4-5 of John 17. Jesus, the humble, obeyed the Father. And we see this in :Phil 2:6-8. The Father exalted Jesus because of His act of humble obedience. Paul instructed believers to have the same mind or attitude Jesus had. Jesus serves not only as our example of an intercessor, but also of an obedient servant.

Jesus maintained a heart for His father and for people! Romans 6:16-23 Amplified Bible 16 Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? 17 But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed. 18 And having been set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness ( of conformity to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action). 19 I am speaking in familiar human terms because or your natural limitations. For as you yielded your bodily members [and faculties] as servants to impurity and ever increasing lawlessness, so now yield your bodily members [and faculties] once for all as servants to righteousness ( right being and doing) [ which leads] to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But then what benefit (return) did you get from the things which you are not ashamed? [None] for the end of those things is death. 22 But now since you have been set free from sins and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life. 23 For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with ) Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

We are to keep the word of God in our heart: John 15: 7-9 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you. 8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified and you show and prove yourselves to be followers of Mine. 9 I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me].

 

To obey the Word means we know who is the Word of God…that is Jesus Christ, the anointed One! He came and He stood in a place of authority representing the Kingdom of God, His Father. John 1: 14 Amplified Bible 14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh ( human, incarnate) and tabernacle ( fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually saw His glory (His honor, His majesty) such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.  John 8:51 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone observes My teaching [lives in accordance with My message, keeps My word], he will by no means ever see and experience death. John 14:24 Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me.

 

Fruit is Brought forth in perseverance: John 6:27 Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using]; but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually ] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him. John 4:14…”but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

 

There are people who have a “thirst” today but it is for wealth and it is for power. It has nothing to do with loving others!

 

We are to believe and be saved……..when we thirst for life….it is only found in Him….John 3:17-19 NKJV For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

 

We are to be grounded in truth: Colossians 2:6-7 NKJV  As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Hebrews 3:6; 12-14….NKJV 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.  12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called  “Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.

Our lives should reveal a light of Christ Jesus that glows from a heart filled with His great love. And that love is to be given to those we encounter. The love demonstrated today is not what the Bible reveals. Love does not contain gossip, rumors, accusations nor does it contain any offenses. The love illustrated is that which is to get “one’s” way, to have a thumb rule holding people in a place which can be destructive and is far from being wise. It only brings further division of people! The only thing that will bring unity is sharing the same purpose, plan and power that Christ came to set up. It is the Father’s will on earth. That is for each believer set apart to do the ministry of truth where they live, work and play! God did this for us. He presented the greatest love of all!

 

The Biblical definition of the Love of God is found in:1 John 5:3 - "This is the love of God, that we keep His Commandments, and His Commandments are not burdensome."

 

Accepting Jesus Christ, is accepting His ways, and His word for living in this day and hour! We know there is a way to follow and missing it, points to falling away from His words of truth. You find it in the warnings given to the seven churches in the book of Revelation! We must be those who adhere to Him and that truth and anything outside that truth will be death. We miss a step in Him and we repent ….and in that asking of forgiveness we turn away from that sin…and continue to receive the eternal life with Christ Jesus.

Jesus Himself said in John 14:15 - "If you love Me, keep My Commandments." And this: in Matthew 5:17 - "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."

What is done away with under the New Covenant are the old requirements, as stated in Colossians 2:14 - "Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He, Jesus has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

 

And if we love God, we do keep His Commandments! And we are happy about it, because keeping His Commandments means to live in righteousness and respect towards ourselves, others and God. Sin is not Love for sin creates a breach in relationships and separates us from ourselves, it separates us from others and separates us from God!  Sin will always hurt someone.  Romans 13:8-10 - "Owe no one anything except to love one another, because he who loves another has fulfilled the Law. The Commandments: "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet", and whatever other Commandment there may be, are summed up in this statement: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law."

What we see on many streets of this nation and around the world is a love that has nothing to do with God! The righteous way is living through that which came through His Son. That outside of Jesus is trouble and torments in the streets! It is the killing or taking of lives that were meant to serve God and know His great love.

The consequences of sin and iniquity can be deadly and without God. But God our Father desires our lives filled with blessings, yes those who know Him as the Father and call Him Abba. And His children hear His voice and they follow His ways.

 

  Certainly a judgment is coming and one will stand before Him (Jesus) at the Bema Seat of Christ or at the other called the Great White Throne Judgment. Are we visibly seen as one with Jesus Christ?  Is His Lordship seen in us and through us?

Jesus spoke this which also included His family: Luke 8:19-21 NKJV 19 then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some, who said, ‘Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.’ 21 But Jesus answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.’

When we obey more light is given to us. Our pathway is clearly visible. But if we fail to take heed, we will lose what we have been given. Light is seen….and it will appear with Jesus. But like John 3:20-21 speaks:  “ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he Who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God.’

Yes, those with the Lord become brighter….unto the full light of DAY…their justice is revealed at noonday! Found in Psalm 37:5-9 NKJV 5 commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light. And your justice as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in His ways, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret----it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

 

Yes, those who adhere to the Lord now will be with Him on earth when He rules in His kingdom in Jerusalem. For eternal life is always serving with Him in the love of God and in the power of His might. Even so, come Lord Jesus, come!

 

Father, we give thanks today that eternal life is ours! As believers, assurance of eternal life began the moment we surrendered our lives to Jesus. We believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God who lived a perfect life, & then, obediently died the death we deserved, so we could be reconciled with God Who is our Father in heaven! 

We are thankful that Jesus defeated death when he rose from the dead on the third day just as He said He would. As Christ followers, we have the promise of eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” according to John 3:16! We give thanks this day that our citizenship is in heavenly places for where Christ is there we are also with Him! We are pilgrims traveling through this lifetime, but our citizenship is in heaven. We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. We have an expectancy of His return this day. We prepare to be the bride without spot or blemish.

Father we know there are always wars and rumors of wars but we win! We know nation will rise against another nation, son against the father, friend against a friend, but Scripture reveals that we ultimately win for God destroys the enemy. We as Your children receive this victory today. We are the healed, we are the peacemakers, we are those armed with Your great word that silences the lies, and closes the mouths of lions. We have the promise of triumph. No matter the outcome of this day or this week God has moved into our neighborhood. He made His home with us His people. He lives with us…..whom shall we fear? NO one!

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Kissed Heaven and Went to Hell

Voice of Prayer

Luke 22:47-48 Amplified Bible 47 And while He was still speaking, behold, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve [apostles], and was going before [leading] them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss Him, 48 But Jesus said to him, Judas! Would you betray and deliver up the Son of Man with a kiss?

Judas kissed Heaven and went to hell!
Judas spoke this in Matthew 26:14! Then one of the Twelve [apostles], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 And said, What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you? And they weighed out for and paid to him thirty pieces of silver [about twenty-one dollars and sixty cents]16 And from that moment he sought a fitting opportunity to betray Him.

Betrayal is a terrible thing! It can wreck people's lives.
As Judas betrayed Jesus, his lack of holiness of God in his life proved to be a fatal flaw. All that time under the teachings of Jesus, sent from heaven to proclaim the kingdom had come, and yet this man Judas took nothing away from any of those things of heaven that Jesus taught!

In knowing that being baptized by the Holy Spirit we are to communicate life. It looks like communication of one being the godly and the gracious. Truly we are to receive Jesus as Lord and look to Him to lead us by the Spirit of God.
But Judas partook of a different communion. He left the Lord's table to partake of the table of the enemy and the drink provided by devils.
Judas never searched his heart. He lusted after worldly things.
"Search me, O God and know my heart:try me and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." (KJV) Psalm 139: 23-24
The Amplified Bible reads this way of Psalm 139:23-24

Search me [thoroughly] , O God and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Understanding that our God is a holy God, we are to reach for the higher life in Him. Like the child reaching for the strong arms of their Father to hold them tightly when something comes to frighten them, and to lead them into darkness. With arms reaching upward and toward the father or the mother, the child is reaching for the trusted arms! So too, we are to be continually reaching for our Father God who is the merciful and the trusted. Reaching for His faithfulness and truth, we keep a watch on our inner life that is strengthened in Him.

We are to abide in God and within His spirit and truth, we remain within Him and His guidance for us all the days of our lives. John 6:63-71 Amplified Bible 63 It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it].  The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. 64 But [still] some of you fail to believe and trust and have faith. For Jesus knew from the first who did not believe and had no faith and who would betray Him and be false to Him.

65 And He said, This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him [unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father. 66 After this, many of His disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied Him. 67 Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? [And do you too desire to leave Me?] 68 Simon Peter answered, Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words ( the message) of eternal life. 69 And we have learned to believe and trust, and [more] we have come to know [surely] that You are the Holy One of God, the Christ, (the Anointed One, the Son of the living God. 70 Jesus answered them, Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And [yet] one of you is a devil ( of the evil one and a false accuser. 71 He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he was about to betray Him, [although] he was one of the Twelve.

Yes, as Jesus had a betrayer, we too can have one in our midst. In this setting, we see it in the beginnings of the church, the kingdom of God had come. And when Jesus died and was Resurrected, the Holy Spirit came to abide in us. God dwells in us and by His Spirit we are led as sons of God!

1 Corinthians 3:5-17  NKJV 5 Who then I Paul, and who is Apollos, but minister through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos water, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Judas' work was revealed. His reward was death by hanging himself for betraying the Son of God. He truly kissed heaven and went to hell. He was not in God's trusted field.  

In whatever Judas was trying to build, he was not laying it according to the BUILDER Himself. For his works were certainly clear to see. The other Apostles continued their work after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. They went to the Upper Room and prayed and the Holy Spirit came to them bringing the very power of heaven for their work to be done.

They continued to seek the God of holiness, reside in the truth of His word and bring His peace. Proverbs 10:27-29 reminds us that the "reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord prolong's one's days, but the years of the wicked shall be made short. 28 The hope of the [uncompromisingly] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked (those who are out of harmony with God) comes to nothing. 29 The way of the Lord is strength and a stronghold to the upright, but it is destruction to the worker's of iniquity.

Judas betrayed Jesus, and as the worker of iniquity his life was cut short. He was out of harmony with God and came to nothing.

Our lives should be reflecting God's image, His holiness and a strength. With the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are to welcome heaven always and to keep clear of destruction. As each one's work will be revealed by fire, may that which we work be clear that is laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ and not on any other man or men, not on a money matter, nor of anyone else's opinions. Life with God depends on our knowing truth of God through the Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Notice: 

The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching:
Living Creatures: Celestial, Earthly, and the Worthy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB7E-AgELoY

You can also visit my You Tube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

Flint into Fountain of Waters

Compliments of the Barrows family

Ever held a piece of flint in your hand? A friend gave us a sample many years ago. It would fill the hollow part of my hand. I have it somewhere in a box of things from other church members (you know things you like to hold onto to remember that friend or family from long ago)


In the tales told me long ago, anyone going out for a camping trip always had their flint rock with them in case of rain. Unless you smoked back then, and no kind of lighter was available, then yes, matches would be required at number one on my list of things to take on that outing.
Now that was decades ago, and today they have waterproof matches! In those ancient times, flint was used as a weapon like for the arrowhead used by the Indian tribes. We held it important for its use in igniting a spark to start a wood fire!



Was reading through Psalm 114 and I thought of that rock of flint.
I mean, someone like passing by a rocky region with much limestone and the such might come across some kind of flinty rock and unless you knew where to search for arrowheads you might miss seeing that rock already shaped into an arrowhead by person long dead.

My husband knew where to search for them and found some from time to time. He tried teaching our daughter but her heart did not seem to be into that kind of thing at the time of her youth!

Let's look into Psalm 114!
Psalm 114
When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 2 Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel became His dominion. 3 The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. 5 What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
6 O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

In this writing, the focus is on the distinction of two kingdoms, yet still one group of people, not lost like what is given as the Anglo-saxon theory of the 10 tribes being lost.

No, God in His mercy keeps His own and keeps them safe.
In this passage: we see the six marvelous works of our great God! The Red Sea was divided (Exodus 14:3), the Jordan River was divided ( Joshua 3:13; 2 Kings 2:8,14) , mountains skipped like rams.
the hills jumped like rams (from v.4) , the rock poured rivers of water (seen in Exodus 17:6)
Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at [Mount] Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

............And the flint into a fountain of waters.
Many a traveler through that region describe what is to be the very rock that Moses struck. It is said to be a vast size of granite. The Dake's Bible states: it was a rock: 15 feet long, 10 feet wide and 12 feet high. It is described as a rock with holes and channels through it which could only be formed by the exertion of water running through it. It was stated also that the water that flowed at that time supplied water to 6,000,000 people or more and also for their stock as well!

When their need was met by being filled, the water cease to run!

God is not hindered! He is our sufficiency and what could make fire like flint became what the people needed. It was the needed water that came rushing forth, and watered the people and their stock as well. What we must do, whether man or woman, grown or a as a child, it is we each individually must seek the Lord for His plan for our lives.
We can certainly work to make a living. Each, male or female can do the work around the home or even in the work place, but it takes God to make us into what we are destined to be come in His hands. The fire rock became gushing torrents of water; not limited to any firmness of the rock.
The Israelites came to the place of hardness. They had a hardness of heart and even within seeing all this wonderful things God did to deliver them, they were found in the desert without the surplus of water for survival!
But God! But God in His mercy blessed them with water. These people did not need to make weapons for war or make a fire, they needed the much desired cool water to quench their thirst.

John 4:13-14  Amplified Bible 13 Jesus answered her, All who drink of this water will be thirsty again. 14 But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling, [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life.


God is our help and He is our shield. But we must stay with Him, talk with Him, and be people who pray to keep the communication lines open!

May we as His people seek His beauty and His love giving thanks for His word of truth that sets us free. It is in Him that we are alive. He meets our thirst and gives us our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)
Friends can come and go throughout our lives, but God must always be present for us. Keep your watch on Him, and desire His peace and comfort. Know He brings you to that even place, His habitation (Psalm 33:14; Psalm 52:5) and will bring to you a strength that will carry you through all your tomorrows! And may your inner most being bubble forth with praise to our God and King! Amen.


Notice: 

The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching:

The Language of Faith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4y1yoEYUEY

You can also visit my You Tube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at:  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

GREAT POSSESSIONS BUT YOU LACK ONE THING

Matthew 19:16-22..........16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,'  19'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   NKJV


Okay, did you ever go up to your school teacher and say, "Good teacher,.........?" I do not remember telling that to any of my teachers. If you did, that usually meant you had a motive for speaking it..........and most likely when you wanted something or you desired greatly to get out of doing something!
In verse 20, the young man is still asking, "what do I still lack?"

Interesting that Jesus told the young man, "if you want to be perfect, go sell what you have........give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven."
This "perfect" is the same perfect found in Matthew 5:48.....48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.  NKJV      This is perfect is found also  in 1 John 4:18......18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  NIV     That perfection is in the perfect love that we find in looking into 1 John 4:18. The more we look into that perfect law of liberty, we grow more in Christ Jesus........we become those with the unrelenting pursuit as we saw in Jesus and what He accomplished on the Cross. We certainly do not have to go the way Jesus did in most respects, for He gave His life for us. But we do have to take up our Cross and carry it, remembering why we should have grateful hearts because of His love and of the Father's great love to us that we should not perish but have everlasting life!



"Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"
With this young man's wealth and probable talents, he was certainly anxious about his future for an eternal life.  I thought on this today...........and I have had no one come up to me and ask about eternal life. I have certainly taught on it and given Bible studies on this subject, but have not had one person come and ask me about eternal life. I have taught on the importance of the Salvation message and how Jesus died on the cross for us all!  Could I or would I have done this 25 years ago. NO! But the Lord certainly works on our hearts and the more we hear His words and obey them, we find a zeal to move out on what He speaks and teaches us about!
In Luke 18:18....it was noted that he was a ruler and a person of eminence and value!

Mark 10:17-22..............17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " 20 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   NKJV

In the book of Mark and chapter 10 we read on the same story. But here it states that the man came running, knelt before Him and asked the question.  So this man came with some intent to find out something he evidently was thinking about and really desired an answer. 

This zeal for AN answer to eternal life was not a zeal for KNOWING Jesus. He might have been running but it was going to turn quickly to disappointment. We are told in verse 21 of Mark 10 that Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him......"YOU LACK ONE THING"................Yikes!

Jesus told him, you lack one thing........this man of probable wealth......was given these commandments........"Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal." "Do not bear false witness", "Do not defraud", "Honor your father and your mother.".........and then MENTIONED...... "ONE THING YOU LACK........go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.; and COME TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW ME."

And the other thing that has interested me in this passage, is the truth that Jesus did not give the commandments of the order we see them when given from God to Moses to man.
It was interesting that adultery was listed first. Then murder......1 John 3:11-12......11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous.  NIV   Murder listed second, made me think of this scripture on Cain who murdered his brother because his own actions were evil and the brother's were righteous!
Could the businessman, the ruler have had some dealings where he had some kind of evil action towards others?
Next, was do not steal, do not defraud, or bear false witness...........Romans 13:6-10
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  NIV

Jesus saw potential for the young man. He already had treasures on the earth, but what of those of the spiritual in Jesus. The young ruler went away sorrowful. He said he had kept the commandments, but yet he still lacked one thing. Again we see a heart issue with the young man. He had wealth and he had position. But he evidently lacked love for his fellow human being!

He evidently liked having the glory of that of the rich and of being young! But what happens when the wealth is gone and the youth is spent of that which does not bring life?

Leviticus 19:18............18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. 

NKJV

Yes, the young ruler would have had this before his eyes, if he were telling truth that he confessed and professed them. And we certainly, know many people had to have been present when he ran and kneeling at Jesus' feet. Some of those he was leader over were probably present at this moment and heard all that he had spoken about following the Commandments!

What must we part with to gain eternal life? Remember the young man had the 10 Commandments and professed to have followed them.

John 3:35-36.......... 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."    NKJV

John 17:2-5......... 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.     NKJV

John 4:13-14.........."Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."  NKJV

Romans 6:23................ 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   NKJV

Eternal life, is a total surrender to God.  We are deny self and leave the carnal behind. This young man thought it important enough to come ask, "Good Teacher." Are we going to the Teacher daily and losing our life to gain His life? Have we surrendered all to live for Jesus and to the plan God set for us to live? But consider this! Have we gone the step further and discovered what else it takes for that walk for an eternity..........?


Matthew 5:38-48...............38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'  39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.    NKJV

Yes, that one thing he lacked was love...........we are to go love our enemies, bless those who curse us and do good to those who hate us......Yikes! really?.............We are to pray for those who spitefully use us or persecute us. Love is perfected in doing good to those who hate or revile us. 
Well, THAT WOULD BE A LOVE WALK, WOULD IT NOT?

It is all too common that someone dies suddenly.........and I wonder, were they saved or lost forever? If our life can go in an instant, are we prepared to meet eternity with God? I have no fear of death. I have been close.........but God has always prevailed on my behalf.

This young man had observed the 10 Commandments..........The world itself cannot add anything to us. It can only bring death! But Jesus came to bring us life.......and that in abundance! LOVE WAS EXPRESSED ON THE CROSS!

Our lives are those which have been touched by God Himself. Our lives are those who have Christ seated on the thrones of our hearts. Our lives are those that will reach into eternity with a God Who is Faithful and True.

1 John 5:12........12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  NKJV

IS HE THE "GOOD TEACHER" OR IS HE THE GOOD TEACHER WHO IS FIRST AND LAST (Rev.1:17), BREAD OF LIFE (John 6:32), CHIEF SHEPHERD (1 Peter 5:4), DAYSPRING (LUKE 1:78), HOLY ONE OF GOD, "I AM" (John 8:58), MESSIAH (John 1:41), REDEEMER (Job 19:25), RESURRECTION AND LIFE (John 11:25),ROOT OF DAVID (Revelation 22:16), TRUE VINE (John 15:1), WITNESS (Isaiah 55:4),  LIGHT OF THE WORLD (John 8:12), SAVIOR (Luke 2:11), and the WORD (John 1:1)

When we have Jesus, we have all we need! He is our Healer, our Provider, ..................."Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, and of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice ........From that time forward, even forever.

Amen!

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV