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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!
Teaching at: Voice of Prayer
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