Book of John, Chapter 7

 Chapter 7

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?”  Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?"

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”  So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?  Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

[The earliest manuscripts do not include 7:53–8:11.]

53 [They went each to his own house,

Peace of Mind, Sickness and Disease

 God still heals.

First, I want to dispel some common misunderstandings about sickness and disease. God is the same, yesterday, today, and forevermore. "How can a loving God, allow sickness and disease?" First? He doesn't make anyone sick. He is a loving God. He is our Father. He does not want us to suffer. It was never His intent. He makes us perfect in His eyes.

God made the earth perfect. He made man in His image. Perfect in every way. He gave man dominion over the Earth and all that is in it. He made him lord over the Earth. Man, in turn, gave that authority over to Satan. Satan, from that point on, is lord over the earth. What God made perfect, Satan corrupts.

Remember the story of Job?

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." Job 1:6-12

It goes on to tell us how Satan then destroyed and took everything he could away from Job. Job remained faithful to God. Notice what God said to Satan. "Behold, all that he hath is in your hand" Why? Because he is in the World. Then in Job 2:1-7

"Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head."

Now notice again, God said, "Behold, he is in your hand." Did God make Job sick? No. Satan did. "So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown."

Remember what Jesus told Peter?

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”" Luke 22:31-32

Again, like Job, as all of us are, we are in the hand of the devil. Peter was in the hands of the devil. We are in the flesh. We do not have a choice, but to deal with the things of the flesh. Since that original sin in the garden, we are now subject to the things of the flesh. That is why Jesus came. To set us free from the bondage of the flesh. Jesus said this as recorded in Luke 4:18-21

"“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”"

He was quoting Isaiah 61:1-3 Peter passed the test and became so powerful in the Lord, that his very shadow healed people. Job passed his trials and tribulations and became one of the richest and most powerful men ever to walk the earth. You see, not everything is bad, that we call bad.

I want to share a quick story with you. There was a man that was born with no legs. His parents were distraught. The father had a hard time dealing with this. The baby grew and became a boy, and then became a man. Meanwhile, in a war, a soldier loses his legs when he stepped on an explosive. He was confused and depressed. Not knowing if it was worth it to go on. A former football player, now all he could see himself as is a cripple.

One day, the soldier was lying in bed, wishing he would have just died when the man with no legs came into the room. In time they became friends, and the man with no legs, taught the solider that life is just fine without legs.

The point of the story is this. The man with no legs never cared about not having legs. He was born that way. To him that was normal. But because of him, this soldier and many other people have been helped, and perhaps even saved. Was it bad for the man to be born with no legs?

We have a bad habit of looking at something, not seeing exactly what we think it should be like, and calling it bad. Some people even look at someone who is sick, or crippled, and wonder what they did to deserve it. Jesus said this to his disciples when they came across a blind man.

"As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." John 9:1-3

Healing is one of those teachings that some do not accept. They do not understand it. They do not believe it. They think, sadly for good reason, that anytime they see a "Man of God" with a microphone in one hand, and a Bible in the other, they are scamming people out of their money. The reason for this is simple. In too many cases, they are right.

Just because not all men can heal you, I do not believe I have that gift. I think I would probably get arrested because I would be running around slapping people in the head, doesn't mean that God is unable.

"But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”"

Everyone has a purpose and a plan in God's eyes. They are all important. You are the way you are because it fits into that plan. If it IS in God's plan to heal you, not only can He, but He will. The Psalmist puts it this way. Psalm 103:1-4

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,"

When foretelling of Jesus's coming, the Word declares this in Isaiah 53:1-5

"Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."

Jesus is the same today. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He still heals. That is not the question. God makes no one sick. That is not the question. As a matter of fact, God set up a Heaven on Earth. In the Garden, Adam and Eve walked through, wherever they chose. The Lion laid down with the Lamb. No sickness and disease were present. Nothing could harm them. No sickness, sorrow, sadness, nothing bad existed. God himself would speak to them face to face. Once we gave the authority of the earth over to Satan, once we bowed down to, and obeyed Satan over God, is when everything changed.

Another fact of truth about sickness and disease is something people do not want to face. However, that doesn't change the truth. Sometimes, we bring it on ourselves. Smoke for 40 years? Get Cancer? Wonder why? Eat all the wrong foods, get Diabetes? Wonder why? Pollute the air and water that we need to live, wonder why we get sick? Sometimes it is by our own hands we get sick.

So what is the question? The question that Jesus asked many, if not all, that He healed was this. "Do you believe?" In Matthew 9, Mark 5, Jesus asks. "do you believe?" and says "your faith has made you whole." We see it through the faith of a Centurion his servant was healed. Jesus did not even have to go to him. He had such faith that all he needed to hear was Jesus say the words, and he knew his servant would be healed and he was. Matthew 8:5-10

Jesus marveled. Would you not like to do something that makes even God amazed at you. Can you imagine that? It goes on to say that in the same hour that Jesus tells the Centurion his servant was healed, he was. Remember the Woman in Mark 7:25-30

"But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone."

It was the woman's faith that made her Daughter whole again. Over and over again, we see Jesus ask the question, or we see those seeking healing answer the question in various ways. Do you believe it?

Now please do not misunderstand here. If you have sought out a "Person of God" that claims to have the gift of Healing, and nothing happened? It is not you. Most likely, they do not possess that gift. If you go and anyone asks you for money, to heal you, don't just walk, but run away from them. They are not of God. Remember what Peter said to the lame man at the Gate?

"But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" Acts 3:6

When those that do possess the gift of healing, heal, they do so for the glory of God. Not for Profit. However, you do not need a man to heal you. All you need is faith in God. Remember that the Centurion? No one came into his house. No man laid hands on his Servant. Yet the healing took place.

What about those that do not recover? What about those that die? Why would God allow that person to die, and not others? It's not fair. No. It's life. Remember, it is in God's Will. In God's time. We will all die eventually.

Everything, and everyone, has an appointed time. {Ecclesiastes 3} We are born, one day, we will all die. We will leave this earth. Depending on your choice, you go where you go. I can't prove it, but I truly believe that in that Lamb's book of life, is not only your Birthdate, your name, all that is about you, but also your death date. I truly believe that it is already determined. Some go to sleep. Some die in accidents. Some suffer from sickness and disease. But we all die?

That is why it is so important to know, that when you do pass on from here, you will go to be with God. Say this prayer in your own words.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believe He was raised from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It IS just that simple. Go be Baptized in the way Jesus said to be. Learn who God is. Be the Child of God you have just become. Understand that just because you leave this Earth. It's not the end. Just because "good people" die, doesn't mean it's a bad thing.

When we go to Heaven, we no longer suffer sickness, disease, pain or suffering, sorrow, or sadness. Death does not have to be a time of sorrow. For when a believer dies, it could be considered a time of celebration. They have endured to the end. They have received their reward. They are with God himself. They are surrounded by love, peace, happiness. it is a far better place that we go, than this of which we leave.

Trust in God. Have faith HE knows best. Have faith that He still heals. Know that there is so much more to life than the little things that Satan can throw at us. Even sickness and disease. Even death will never separate us from God. Through your death, others may come to believe. We just do not see the big picture. But what we should do, is trust in Jesus. He said.."Be not afraid, only believe."

Until next time, Be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!

Book of John, Chapter 6

 Chapter 6

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.  Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

On the next day, the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”  But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Peace of Mind, Needs

 Your needs will be met

I will be honest with you. I feel like we have already discussed this topic quite a bit in the past and was not really thinking about doing it again. However, I do not know why, because of the Pandemic, or if someone specific needs to hear it, we are going to revisit the topic again.

Ever receive a large financial gift? Perhaps tax time rebate? Something that you did not have nor counted on. Now, you look at your account, and instead of worrying about the next bill, you have peace of mind. Why? The account has more than enough to cover everything. The problem is, this is usually a temporary situation. God is not temporary.

Sometimes we forget who we are, and we fear. But God says, fear not, your needs will be met. As a child of God, adopted by the Spirit of God, an heir to all things that is, ever was, or will be. The God that created all, is now your daddy. Romans 8 declares:

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:16-17

Just a little later we read this.

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that, who was raised who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake, we are being killed all day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:32-39

We are now children of God. As a child of God, nothing can separate us from the love of our Father. NOTHING! However, we still live in the world. From time to time, we allow the things of the world to creep in. During this Pandemic, we have added stress and worry. Used to be we would start concentrating more on how we can get ahead, or make more money in our Jobs. Now we fear for our jobs. So many companies and businesses closing for good. We worry about paying the rent or mortgage. We worry about paying the electric bill. Can we afford that new car? ETC. Where is our next meal coming from? 

We get so caught up in the stuff of this world, that we forget our Father is GOD. When you forget that very important fact, you can allow the same fear that everyone in the world has. What is next? What will tomorrow bring? How will things work out? What must we do?

Jesus tells us how we should pray. He gives us what has become known as the "Our Father" Prayer. However, lets actually look at what Jesus said. First, he did not say, just recite this prayer multiple times during service and all will be fine. As a matter of fact, right before he gave it to us, he said this in Matthew 6:6-8

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Then he said gave us the "Our Father" Prayer.

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

After this manner pray. "Our Father, which is in Heaven, hallowed be your name." You are to recognize God. Acknowledge HE is the God of gods, Lord of lords. Honor his Godliness. Do not just use him as a symbol or an icon of religion. Recognize that HE is GOD. That you are talking to him as you would your earthly father.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." In other words, recognize that it is God's will that is the most important. Not what you feel like. Or the way you think things should be, but God's will. All is His, both here and in Heaven. He has a plan and a purpose for you and for your life.

"Give us this day our daily bread." Meet our daily needs. Ask God, of whom Jesus just told us "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." So just ask Him. He already has a plan. He really doesn't need your help.

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Ask for forgiveness of your daily sins. Yes, you still sin daily. Ask Him to forgive you. While you are asking Him to forgive you, forgive anyone in your life that may need forgiveness. If they ask for it or not. Remember what Jesus said while dying on the Cross? Luke 22:34

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

You have been adopted into the Family of God. You have received the same Spirit that was in Jesus, and are now equal to Jesus. You are a child of God. Whenever someone does something against you, they do not truly know what they are doing, or whom they are doing it to. So forgive them so that God can forgive you for your Sins. Just after the Prayer "outline." that Jesus gave us. He said this:

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

How can we expect God to forgive us if we are holding on to anger or ill will towards someone for doing something stupid towards us? You are a child of God. Why are you worried about your neighbor saying something that is most likely not even true about you. Or why worry about your co-worker playing games trying to get ahead. You do not rely on mankind. You rely on God. Do you not think he is more than capable of getting you that promotion if it fits into His plans? Do you think He is not willing to show the truth? There is nothing that your neighbor, co-worker, and even boss, can do that will affect God's plans. You are part of those plans now. So why worry?

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Help us to recognize the snares of the Devil. Teach us the ways we should go. Be with us and keep us safe. Not only from the world, but in some cases, from ourselves as well.

Basically, Jesus tells us to pray to our Father. Realize and give Him credit for being older and wiser than us. Give ourselves over to Him. Ask daily for the forgiveness of our sins we commit, and forgive those that do stupid things toward us. Back to Matthew 6

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

You could even say it this way?

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

God is not really all that worried about how much "stuff" you have. He is more concerned with you and your soul. He is more concerned with how you treat others. Are you sharing the Gospel? Are you sharing His word? Are you doing His work?

If we try to do it on our own, we may succeed in a worldly sense. We may become successful. We may get a lot of stuff. But remember what Jesus warned us of in Luke 12:15

"And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Jesus tells us that we should not worry about such things. Again, Your Father knows what you have need. He said this.

"And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

The world doesn't like the fact we are God's children. They do not like the fact we do not have to worry. Jesus said a few times, that the world hated him, therefore, being a child of God, and doing our Father's will, will make the world hate us as well. But we must not take thought of what the world thinks. We are in the world not of it. We need to rely on God Himself. He will meet our needs. Mark 11:22-24

"And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Think about that. This is a promise, given to us by Jesus himself. And in Luke 11, Jesus says it this way.

"And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

We have nothing to fear folks. Zero. As long as we are doing the right thing. Seeking first the Kingdom of God. Seeking God. Seeking Jesus. Doing His work. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. 

How do you seek first the Kingdom of God? How do you get to know who God really is, and how do you learn who Jesus really is? How do you grow in Faith? Simple. Read God's Word. Get a Bible if you do not have one. Read it. Ask God to show you what he wants you to see. Find a Church that is teaching the truth. Ask God to lead you to one. The one he wants you in.

Get knowledge. Feed your spirit. Grow in faith. Then ask God, what would you have me do? It may be helping out in a food pantry. It may be as simple as sharing the word. It may be that you should become a Pastor. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Everyone is different. But God knows who you are. He knows what you are capable of. He already has a plan and a purpose for your life. Find out what it is.

As for all this other stuff? God knows what you have needed before you do. He knows before you ask. The same Spirit that raised Lazarus from the dead, is in you! Do you really think that the Spirit is unable to find a way to feed you? To make sure you have a roof over your head? Do you think, as Jesus said, we know how to give good things to our children, and we are evil, imagine how much more God, being Love itself, will give his children?

Fear not. Be of good cheer, God is your Daddy. Your needs will be met. Next time we will be discussing the fact that God still heals. Why worry about sickness and disease? A little comforting I think during a pandemic. Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus Is Lord!

Book of John, Chapter 5

 Chapter 5,

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.  But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.  There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Supernatural is Real, You.

Yes, YOU are supernatural.

If you have been with us for the past few weeks, you know we are discussing the belief in the supernatural. Some see it as silly for someone to believe in the supernatural. Some find it difficult to say they believe in the supernatural. My favorite, "How do you believe in the Bible and all this supernatural stuff at the same time.

We discussed how the supernatural is real.

God is supernatural.
To believe in evolution you must also believe in the supernatural.
The Word of God is supernatural.
Evil is supernatural.

Hell is a real place. So is Heaven, supernatural.
The devil is supernatural and real.
Jesus is supernatural.

Which brings us to today. Did you know that you are supernatural? Yup. You, just being you, are supernatural by design. Yes, by design. Have you ever thought about that? Have you ever wondered, what would have happened if my Mother and Father had never met? If they never fell in love? If they never had me? What if the Mother and Father never met, never fell in love, never had, Noah? Moses, David, John, Saul, Matthew? What if the Mother and Father of George Washington never met? Martin Luther King? Any of the great people in history? What if the doctor that just operated on you, or a loved one, never was? The firefighter that just saved the lives of a Mother and child in the blazing inferno that was their home?

I really want you to get this concept. What if? What if you never were? Imagine all the people that you have effected in your life. What if you never were? Who would have affected them? How would their lives have changed? Everyone you come into contact with, in your daily life, is there for a reason. Think about that. None of it is by accident.

Do you know how your Mother and Father met? Where? Let's say they met at a grocery store. If it was necessary for this moment in time, for this "chance meeting" to take place, imagine all the work God did to make that happen. He put thought into the head of the owner, to buy the land, or rent the building. He placed that desire to create a store. He arranged the isles. He placed items that both your Mother and Father went there to get, so they would end up meeting. They did. Hence, YOU came about. You came about because God created you the way He wanted to. Turn to Psalm 139

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:1-13

You are here because God created you. You were formed in the way God chose you to be. You have blonde hair and He wrote that in His book. You are 6 foot tall, 5'1" Black, White, Male, or Female, because God created you this way. Oh, as a side note, God does not make mistakes. "But what about people who are born with one leg or no legs? God wants that life for them?" Short answer? Yes. It may be through them that God has plans for someone else. That is a whole other sermon, but the basic bottom line is you are who you are, what you are, and have the skills you have because God made you that way.

Here is something else you may not have been taught that often. You WILL be resurrected. Yes, I am using that word intentionally. Did you know there is a resurrection for all?

"Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." John 5:28-29

The King James version says it this way. "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

Point is, you will live forever. This life here is nothing. In the span of eternity, what are 75 years? Less? Even up to 100? The Bible calls this life as a vapor. Here one second, and gone the next. We do not know when that will happen for us, but it will happen. Jesus tells us a story of a man who spent his life storing up treasures in barns. He ended the parable with this statement.

"But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" John12:20

Do you really think that God creates you and that is it? No. Of course not. Let's look at the 5 steps of an anointed life. There are the same three, for every life. First, as we discussed, God foreknows you. Well, turn to Romans 8:29

"For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

So the steps are these.

1- God foreknows you. He creates you for a very specific reason.
2- He predestinated you for something. He has a plan and a purpose for you and your life.

Do you really think that David, as this little scrawny kid, tending sheep, while his brothers went off to war, really thought he would be one of the greatest Kings to ever live? Do you really think that Saul, while he was hunting down and killing Jesus followers, that he would end up being the greatest evangelist next to Jesus there ever was? Or that he would write a lot of the New Testament we read today?

God Foreknows you. Then He sets up a destiny. A plan and purpose for your life. Then we get to step three. Here is where you come in/

3- God calls you.

Now you can say no. You can decide not to accept the call. This is where God simply moves on to someone else. He will not waste time trying to convince you. He simply calls you. We have free will to say yes or no. For today's message, let's say you say "Yes."

4- God Justifies you. This is a time of learning, growing, and preparation, to accomplish what God has called you to do. I know some who have attempted to skip this step. It usually does not end well with them.

Once God has arranged for you to be and set up a plan and purpose for you and your life, He then calls you. Peter on the Fishing Boat. Matthew at the Table of Customs. Saul on the road to Damascus. You, wherever you are. Wherever you first heard the Word. He, The Lord of Lords, the King of kings, God is calling you.

Now most know that Jesus said this in John 14:6-7

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

But Jesus also said this.

"And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them."John 17:5-10

You can not find Jesus unless God sends you to Him. You can not find God but through Jesus. It is God who calls you to Jesus and Jesus that Justifies you to be able to see God. 

Here you are, minding your own business, driving to work, or home, and you see the bumper sticker "John 3:16" Or here you are minding your own business, surfing the channels, and you come across a TV Preacher talking about something that hits you. Or here you are, minding your own business, surfing the Internet when you stumbled across this Blog, or that site. It is not an accident.

You start feeling this overwhelming desire to learn more about this God or this Jesus. You do. Then Jesus is the one that justifies you. Through saying the Prayer of Salvation and receiving the Spirit of Adoption, you are now a Child of God. You are now washed clean and pure by the Blood of Christ. If you have just heard of these things for the first time, and you want to know how to be saved, it really is as simple as saying this Prayer. All you have to do is ask. Let's pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believe He raised from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. Now you have the ability to receive the Holy Spirit. Now you are a child of God. You are now able for God to justify you. You are now ready for God to show you what His Will is for you and your life.

"But, what can I do? You don't know the things I have done in my life. I'm not skilled in this or that. I have no gifts. What can I possibly do for God?" Whatever He tells you. You see, God knows you. He knows what you have done. He no longer cares. Look at Saul? He became Paul, who wrote most of what we call the New Testament. What have you done? Matthew was a Tax Collector. Peter a Fisherman. God does not care who you were before you accepted Christ's gift. He cares what you do NOW.

If God wants you to heal people, you will wake up one day and someone will be healed. If He wants you to work miracles, you will receive the gift to do so. Perhaps you will simply be a sower of the seed. Whatever it is that God wants you to do, HE will teach you what it is and HE will justify you to do so. Seek out HIS plan and purpose for your life.

Some are called to part waters. Some are called to do nothing but give birth. Perhaps your role in God's overall plan is to build an ark, or, simply tell one person that you see every day, about the Truth, and the plan of salvation before it is too late for them? Maybe they will hear you when they would listen to no one else. Yes, It may be that simple. There is no insignificant role in God's plan, and you are important.

Whatever it is God calls you to do, will not come back to you void. You will face obstacles. You may face persecution. But if you endure to the end, you will be glorified by God Himself. All you have to do is be obedient to Him and His Will. There is nothing that can compare to God-glorifying you for completing what HE asks you to do. Nothing. Nothing can compare to appearing before Jesus Himself, when your time is up here on earth, and hearing Him say.

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ "Matthew 25:21

1- God foreknows you.
2- Sets up a plan and purpose for your life.
3- Calls you.
4- Justifies you.
5- Glorifies you.

Do not get derailed on step 3. If God is calling you, get up, and follow Him. Get to know Him. Seek out His plan and purpose for your life. Allow Him to justify you. Life is shorter than you think on this earth but much longer than you can even imagine after. Say "Yes." and be the supernatural child of God He is calling you to be.

Until next time, be blessed, and be a blessing. Jesus IS Lord!

Book of John, Chapter 4

 Chapter 4

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,  “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”  Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’  I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

After the two days he departed for Galilee. (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum, there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.  As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

Supernatural is Real, Jesus

Jesus is supernatural,

Well? This one seems pretty easy to understand. Even if you are not well versed in the Word, you most likely heard that Jesus was born of a virgin, supernatural. He turned water into wine, supernatural. Healed the sick and raised the dead, supernatural. Walked on water, and calmed the storm, supernatural. Feed five thousand with a small fish and a few loaves of bread, supernatural. Was killed and on the third day, raised from the dead, without a doubt, supernatural. 

Even if you do not really understand the slightest bit about Jesus, just some of these highlights point out without a doubt, the supernatural nature of Jesus Himself. So we are not going to hit all the talking points in reference to the works Jesus did. Rather, we are going to discuss who Jesus is. 

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God. In the beginning, His Spirit. 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

In the beginning, was God, His Spirit, and the Word. The Word was a real person. 

"He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:1-5

Then look at this. John 1:14

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Who became flesh and came to earth and dwelt among us? Jesus. Who is Jesus? The living Word of God. In the beginning was God, His Spirit, and the Word, who later becomes flesh, aka, Jesus. 

Now let's look at what Jesus Himself tells us in John 10:27-30

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”"

Read that last part again. "I and the Father are one."Then talking to us about after He leaves the earth? Turn to John 14 starting at verse 18

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

Wait. Stop. What did He say? "I will come to you." I. Continue on...

"Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." 

Stop. He said "I in you." Now, remember He is promising the Holy Spirit here. He said He would not leave us comfortless but would send the Holy Spirit. Yet? He said, "I will come to you." " I in you." Continue.

"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Who? Jesus. "I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

"Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

Again, read this carefully. "and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

So Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, who walked on water in the beginning. Who else walked on water? Yup. Then Jesus tells us HE would come to us. Then He tells us the Father will love us and "WE will come to him and make our home with him." I know many of you have heard of the trinity. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three yet one. 

We see Jesus depicted in this way in Hebrews 1:3

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," 

Jesus is, without a doubt, the very definition of supernatural.  He is the Living Word. The Living Water, the Bread from Heaven, The Door, The Good Shepard, He is the Way, Truth, and Life. He is all God and all man.

Did you ever really think about that? The God of the Universe, who created all that is, was, or ever will be, became a simple and humble man. He allowed, make no mistake about that, He allowed us, His creation, to torture, and put Him to death. He raised from the dead on the third day, and it is HE, who comes and dwells in you when you believe in Him. No wonder the Word declares, 

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

Not sure a truer statement was ever spoken. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will heal you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a Sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus and His Sacrifice for me. I believe that He raised from the Dead. I repent my Sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is just that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of John, Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 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.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”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?”Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison).

Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.