Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” – John 21: 23
The first call to Gods return was seen in John 21: 22 Jesus saith unto him, if i tarry until i come, what is it to thee? follow thou me and the one in verse 23 he said if I want to return, what is that to you? In this, chapter someone had already preached it to me previously, John Redmond and his views on this one that I may echo, that sometimes, we have fished and toiled and caught nothing and that when Jesus appeared telling them to launch out into the deep. They caught so many fish. Even Simon pulled his clothe to enter into the sea to drag his net out as it was too heavy to drag out.
One wonders why SIMON peter who was Christ disciple, God would allow him toil so much and catch nothing but he upon seeing Jesus cast his net and caught many fish. In this we not only see Gods love for us through our hardship but also our commission to go and catch many fish. Sometimes, God allows us to toil so he can direct us where to throw our net – i.e. the right so we can catch fish.
On the account of John 21, Jesus begins to ask Simon PETER, do you love me, and Simon says, lord you know that I agape you. Then he tells Simon then feed my fish. Whether we feel loved by God or not loved by God we are commission to feed Christ sheep. It’s in doing his will that we find his purpose and enter his will for our lives it seems. According, to John sometimes we cannot see the love of God, but we know he is there. I feel burdened myself like I am not doing well enough given how much I know but I guess it is tiny drops that make an ocean.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9: 38. Sometimes, when the plot thickens for harvest of souls, we relent than call forth more laborers to harvest. Matthew 9: 38 – 39 Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” He instructed his disciples to pray for more workers to join the harvest. I was called you too are called today. One of such people who worked the fields of harvest is Ruth, she worked the field of Boaz and Boaz translates to strength. We have jobs, ministry and different roles where we to work but whose fields are we working on? It’s in working in the field of harvest we get bread and water. God encourage everyone struggling to do God work to keep on working on the field of harvest to keep working.
This is why Jesus said awake you sleepers: Why when we sleep the enemy may come to sow tares Matthew 13:25-35, so even though tares may grow with wheat as Jesus said: But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn.” HE IS STILL THE LORD OF THE HARVEST. Whose field are you working on tares or wheat.
One of my favorite stories in the bible was Jesus turning water into wine in Cana Galilee. Its been a rough path for me so I too decided to turn water to wine. The six water of jar Jesus had signify the number of the first Adam created on the six day, so the jar was filled as we are filled with rivers of living water that flows from our belly. And outwardly is baptism signify repentance. Inwardly and Outward baptism signifies revival of the man. Revival for me signify that signifies baptism on the outside and wellspring on the inside. And Jesus in John 2: 1 – 11 the water drawn turned to wine.
Similarly at the cross the pierced his side and lo water and blood signified came out. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.3 John 19: 34.
Another intriguing thing is “4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” John 2: 1 – 11. Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26: 39 His reluctance at the cross was the reluctance he had to change water to whine. I guess we all have a bit of Jonah in us. Never the less not my will but your will be done as Mary and her son say, say I.
The banner of God is the Standard of God. Sometimes, I think its because one has lived a blameless life, we think we are spotless, I am reminded how unworthy I am and how we have all fallen from the standard of God. As an individual, family, church, or a nation stands for righteousness and truth. And though impeding we have no righteousness of our own, its rag before God and once we stumble its not complete obedience and therefore not truth. So, we all lacking in some way, as King Asa did what was good and right in the sight of God: It didn’t still deter him from as he knew how powerless he was despite his work with God. His prayer a simple reminder that we are not sufficient in ourselves. Jehovah Nissi.
7 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
It was like I was told by God yesterday to read this passage. Why, I read you have toiled and labored all day and caught nothing. Then I heard feed my sheep, now for me, I believe a woman is not suffered to preach the gospel. And I opened my devotion, to see
1 Corinthians 9: 16 "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Many people go through life without ever recognizing the special gift God has deposited in them. As a result, they fail to fulfil their singular purpose for being. They may achieve great things in other areas of life, but before God, their lives have been a waste.
Apostle Paul was never going to be one who lived like that. He had a special gift from God, to preach the gospel. The Lord singled him out as “a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentile and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9: 15). Whatever gift we possess in life was made by God to enable us fulfil his purpose on earth. We are to be driven by the need to please God and properly utilizing our divine endowments. This brings meaning and true definition of life.
Personally, I am not religious and to take into laws and heavy necessities from human dictates. Another reason is i read Isaiah 29: 24 saying this men draw close to me with their mouth and lips but their heart is far from me” my question to God is that where are the men right. After all, we are not to suffer a woman to preach. So, for women to preach it really means the level of men is second to rubbish (and no i don’t feel offended by this statement, even if it provokes men). It seems like we are back in the time of Deborah. Where there are no men so women had to do what men should do, SHAME.
Because some crazy person randomly found out about the gift, I had this year was no surprise at all. I found out why I had the thorn because like Paul, I didn’t want the gentile nations to be wise. Romans 11:14 in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them. in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. The reality strikes twice, because Paul knew more than what he was telling the gentile nations things his own people didn’t know because they were hardened. 2 Corinthians 12:7. 2 Corinthians 11: 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. One could understand why he was reluctant to share his knowledge gained to the gentile nations. I understand, a lot about Paul felt, seeing that he became a servant to all eventually. But then 1 Corinthians 9: 19. Every connotation if this year has 6 in it, the sum of my year and 2024 (2+4 = 6) so, I guess it is the year of mans rebellion.
Now I, Paul, urge you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am meek [so they say] when with you face to face, but bold [outspoken and fearless] toward you when absent! 2 Corinthians 10 -13 gave the description of Paul. Afterall, we are called to God, so I will gladly share all that I have.
so, I realized what approach Paul used and well we will not be telling!
I hear a lot of people tell me; are you wiser than God when God says it is not good for man to be alone. Truly, God said in the beginning that:
“And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” Genesis 2: 18
It was before the fall. Sin had not entered into the world. So, Adam was IN the presence of God. That the presence of God was where he was IN called EDEN (THE SPOT). Hence, he was without sin, he was IN God presence and could sense the presence of God. Genesis 3: 8 – 15 “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden“.
We see Adam in the presence of God trying to hide himself from the presence of the Lord amongst trees. He was in the presence of God.
Much like the teddy bear in the presence of God, receiving love and provision from God.
But then sin entered the world, so even the wisest man Solomon. Had this to say about companionship and not marriage but people ascribe it to marriage mostly, but it could be used in workplace, friendship as well.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 12
Even Solomon’s marriage to foreign women was more turbulent but yet he gave advice on women, marriage etc. But we see here, a greater than Solomon wisdom which comes from Jesus on marriage:
And said, for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away doth commit adultery. 10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11 But he said unto them, all men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is **GIVEN**.
There are people it’s given to that should not marry. in verse 10, 11. A Jesus has a greater than Solomons knowledge. In a perfect world without sin, it is not good for man to be ALONE. But in the imperfect world we live in; marriage can be lonely or in God, this is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7: 8 “Now to the unmarried [] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. “
Jesus says this and Paul reinstates this: To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 1 Corinthians 7: 10.
This is why since Eden does not exist anymore. Because we are not in the presence of God surrounding us, instead Eden exists within us as the Holy spirit dwells in us. so, we were not in the world, we are in the presence of God in the beginning when there’s no sin. In short Eden is called “delightful spot” and when we delight in the lord we joy in his presence – worship. This is why Jesus said:
15 “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the father, and he will give you another helper who will be with you forever. 17 That helper is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it doesn’t see or know him. You know him, because he lives with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you all ALONE.
Notice the word ALONE, he is giving us another HELPER which is the Holy spirit because if you cannot create Eden, you can do this with his spirit. And he knew we would not be alone again; Hence, Paul said one can be alone as well as Jesus. It is possible. Sometimes, knowledge makes us brutish, arrogant and even oppress but Gods knowledge gives birth to humility; to sacrifice even when it’s not needed for the greater good of others and the world.
Jesus a master class in obedience and humility told his mother my hour has not yet come; why do you bother me; but still change water to wine. Throughout the scripture he said but the hour had not yet come to crucify him, when it’s not our time; do not awaken love until its time. Love is GOD and he has times and seasons. In short, God is not in time that why in his presence, we don’t have time or care about, and our worries fade away.
Not all knowledge/wisdom is as powerful as that of God; his love for us given to us through his son who became wisdom for us transcend our doings far more than you know.
Since, we are called to obey and none of us after seeing the sacrifice could not yield; it is in fact that it is my life that has become his and his life has become mine. (mines still in the future).
Songs:
The air I breathe.
A woman who works hard is not bad, a woman who is ambitious is. Ciao.
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy" (James 3: 17)
In 2010, Frank Bourassa was exposed as the most prolific currency counterfeiter in US history. He was not caught until he had printed more than $250 million in $20 notes. Bourassa had gone to great lengths to produce his fake money, but it was inevitable that he would be caught eventually. A British media house reported police officers as saying, “The notes were so good they were barely detectable to the naked eye”.
However good a counterfeit product looks or feels, it is still a counterfeit; it can never be the real thing. The same can be said of the “wisdom [that] descendent not from above”. Apostle James counselled believers to pray for wisdom. He assured them of God’s promise of divine wisdom in answer to the prayer of faith. But there appears to have been some confusion in the mind of certain people in the church as to the nature of heavenly wisdom. He, therefore, had in contrast to earthly, sensual and devilish wisdom. After all, wisdom is justified by the fruits it produces. Motive is the dividing line between heavenly and earthly wisdom. Earthly wisdom has the vile motives of advantage and domination (i.e. oppression). It tolerates no rivalry or competition; all oppositions must be crushed. The credo of this devilish wisdom is the end justifies the means. So, anything goes.
Conversely, heavenly wisdom is driven by pure motives because it flows from God and is focused on his glory. Divine wisdom is a product of faith; therefore, it does not employ secret and underhand plans or the use of threats and violence to achieve its goals. It is having all the attributes of God infused into it. You can possess this wisdom if you seek it diligently in prayer.
Thought for the day: True wisdom is rooted in the love of God. 1 Timothy 1-6 for further readings.
Jeremiah in Jeremiah 45 vs 5 -> God did not want Jeremiah to seek great things why? because it would distract him? No, because the Lord wanted to bring disaster on ALL PEOPLE, and told him whenever he goes, he will escape with his life.
An upstage of Necho, King of Egypt defeated at Carchemish by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon {in the 4th year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah} – Egypt, thereafter, marched out with shields, spear, amour but were terrified and retreating because there was terror on every side. The swift can’t escape as they stumble and fall, who is like this that rises like the Nile, he says he will rise and cover the earth and destroy cities and people. Men of cush & put carry shields, men of Lydia draw bows but the day belongs to the lord, the Lord God Almighty, a day of vengeance on his foes (God is so like David in here he declares war on the king of Egypt). God uses his sword to devour until it is SATISFIED and quenches its thirst with blood. Jeremiah 46: 10 for the Lord Almighty, will offer this blood as sacrifices in the north by the river Euphrates, when I say God is austere and he doesn’t even deny it. (See Luke 19:21-27).
He says even the balm in Gilead will not heal Daughter of Egypt, Nations will hear of her shame her cries will fill the earth. The coming of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon to attack Egypt (verse 13). This happened because in verse 25, The lord God of Israel saw Pharoah worship gods, Amons they relied on his gods, so he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, but the remnant of Jacob in Egypt, they would spared/ saved but would be disciplined.
Summary:
So here we see Egypt was defeated, how and why it was defeated and when it was defeated? During Josiah 4th reign, why? Because he worshipped Amon god of Thebes, Pharoah’s gods and relied on pharaoh. Here Egypt comprised of Lydia, Cush and Put (verse 9) who decided to go back to their own lands, to avoid the sword of the oppressor i.e. Babylon (verse 16) but it was the lord’s doing. Making the king of Egypt look like only a loud noise (verse 17), the lord God Almighty of Israel even said though Egypt is a beautiful heifer held bring a gadfly against her from the north.
God even saw past the beauty of Egypt as he did with lucifer, to destroy her city, repent but Egypt would not, even when the lord said this in verse 23, her forest would be chopped down; to put her to shame. Anytime a nation suffers it must look within and above to see why it is defeated, what are its practices, its gods is it Amon (an object of Gold, i.e. money) or God.
Luke 21: Desolation is near (2)
Luke 21 vs 20: When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Until the time of Punishment is fulfilled (Luke 21 vs 22), signs in the sun, moon and stars. Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive on what is occurring (verse 34). BE CAREFUL THAT YOUR LOVE BE NOT WEIGHED DOWN WITH CAROUSING, DRUNKNESS AND ANXIETIES LIFE that will suddenly come close as a trap.
It will come on those who live in the face of the WHOLE EARTH (verse 35). Be always on the watch, pray that we will be able to escape all that is about to happen, and we will be able to STAND BEFORE the son of man (verse 36).
Children of God in these days will be betrayed by parents, brought to synagogues but not a hair on their head will perish, STAND FIRM and win in life (verse 13-15). As we see the fig tree (Israel) and all the trees sprout leaves you know summer is NEAR, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR (verse 31).
Luke 6: 44
“For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.”
Fruits are what we see (lifestyle).
Revelation 18:4 KJV: And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Every time I read, Micah’s story I have different perspective of what it means. Micah was a priest whom his mother groomed him with money, and he took the 1000 shekels of silver from her. so, she uttered a curse. When we do not do things, we are to do or act the way we are to our earthly parents ‘may curse us’ leading to the enactment of the curse under the law. only in Christ is the law powerless because it is fulfilled in love.
But this time, she blessed MICAH instead! Saying the LORD bless you, my son! so, he returned the silver to her and her solemnly consecrate the silver to the Lord for her son to make an image overlaid with silver (an idol).
Put in Micah’s house to make an idol. So, Micah’s had a shrine and an ephod (Samuel) and some household gods and installed one of his sons as priest. In those days Israel had no king, and everyone did as they saw fit.
Then a young Levite from the house of bread (Bethlehem) in Judah, left his town in search for a place to stay. On his way, he came across Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. Micah inquired where he was from and told him to live with him and be his father and priest that he’d pay him 10 shekels a year with clothes and food. So, the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him.
Micah installed a Levite and so the young man became the priest and lived in his house. Micah said now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since the Levite has become my priest. There is some sense in this story as I said every time I read this that we put away and idol we install Jesus as a priest over any particular area of our lives. Another perspective, we reverence God through his laws but love him by his commands, so Micah’s carved idols are like stone and carved arks to represent his presence using offerings of our sins (Abraham) until a new priest (Jesus) from Bethlehem came in to be as our high priest.
Also, Micah’s mother would curse him for taking her shekels then bless him is perturbing (one – because parents are to lay up wealth for their children, so depending on what Micah used the 1100 Shekels for, it was taking according to the bible not stealing; see the prodigal who asked for his inheritance, but as there was no king, she encouraged him to build an idol until Micah actually got a real priest).
Micah is termed as the one who is like God not is God, so he fixed an actual priest over his household and knew this time, God will be good to him. This story and Esther always have different perspectives .
Summary: there was no king and Micah was having silver from his mom to worship/she built him and idol to worship so he would idolize money, and he installed his son as a priest until he saw a true Levite.
The Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “where is he”. Among the crowds, some said he was a good man, others said he was a deceiver. (these projections were merely how they saw themselves, they were projecting on Jesus, because there was no proof of this).
Jesus at the festival teaching: After Jesus’ brother displayed his disbelief to Jesus; saying he wanted to be popular and to be known one could not do so in private. Jesus replied that the world did not HATE him, because he didn’t tell the TRUTH and the world HATES those who tell the truth.
There after halfway to the festival at the temple courts; Jesus began to teach, the Jews that were there, amazed at his learning knowing he was not taught. Jesus summarizes his teaching in these 3 steps:
It is when we choose to do the will of God (not ours), we find out about Jesus’s teachings as true. (e.g. being hated)
When a person speaks on their own words/thoughts and not from the word of God, it is to seek to gain personal glory.
When we seek the glory of the one who sent you (us), that is a man of truth and there is nothing false about that man. {our eyes, everything is to be fixed to Christ, even the glory we receive is to be given to the father through Jesus, none of ourselves}.
Jesus further chided them that they could not keep the law of Moses given to them as Jews (God’s chosen people, nation), Yet they were trying to kill him. The crowd in an uproar said Jesus was demon possessed, refuting they were not trying to kill him.
It is always hard for man, to notice his personal sin, as they cursed Jesus, they were already guilty of judgement as the scriptures say. God searches our hearts and innermost taught to reveal our minds to Jesus, who gives us the spirit of truth to tell us, we are having thoughts to another that is not good. This is why we examine ourselves.
Jesus further explains that they were trying to kill him because he healed on Sabbath day. He did good(healing) on Sabbath day. Jesus flips the question back to the religious leaders that they did circumcision on sabbath day, why shouldn’t healing be done on Sabbath day. Jesus advised that they should stop judging by the appearance of things, or mere appearance that we ought to judge righteous judgement.
Because they were trying to kill Jesus, and some people confessed this but could not kill him, some taught he was messiah.
John 7: 28 -> shows how Jesus cried out for us to believe that he was from God; very heart breaking. He said he was not here by his own authority. {may we hear the cry of our savior as he hears our cry}.
At Jesus cry some believed him, other believed the Messiah to come would perform more signs than Jesus had. {It is the things with signs, Paul says the Jews (the believing Christians) seek for a sign see, 1 Corinthians 1:22-30, when we ought to just believe, in fact Jesus was against signs saying there would be no signs for the Jews than Jonah in the belly of the fish, Matthew 12:39, there’d be no signs than the reiteration of the prophets(John the Baptist, calling for repentance.}
Actively, to believe in Jesus will cause us to love him, we will become loyalist to the cross, fools in the eyes of other and despised by others for this. Which is what the pharisees abhorred and convinced the people not to do.
Jesus said if we thirst, we should come and drink, as we believe on him rivers of living water will flow. Others started questioning Jesus’ ancestry, so there were divided because of Jesus, some wanted to seize him, but none laid hands on him.
{The unbelief from the Jewish leaders were palpable, they wanted to seize Jesus but because of Jesus’ teachings that broke through to the hearts of men, the mobs, guards could not seize him and believed in him – the Pharisees started invoking that there was a curse on them. Using fear to control them, another the accusation man gives another without proof is what they are condemn by; thus, they use it on others}.
Nicodemus, one of the Jewish leaders broke the barrier by going to see Jesus. Saying our law does not condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing: But they said that a prophet does not come out of Galilee {I wonder if they say this about of my nation}. But then God’s ways are not our ways, neither is his thoughts ours
Thoughts for day: It is not the sin of others that keep us from God but ours that keep us from him
