Bible Study - Thrive - Purpose Exemplified (6) - Philippians 1-1-11 - October 13, 2024

 

Bible Study – Thrive – Purpose Exemplified (6) – October 6, 2024

GOD is glorified when we, who have been redeemed from walking in the path of sinners to walking in the path of JESUS.

When a person accepts JESUS as his/her Savior, that person has a change of direction. The person turns around and chooses to walk as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, WHO is the third person of the Trinity and revelation of GOD to humans.

A person’s faith in JESUS is the beginning of his/her walk as a Spirit-born Christian. Let’s explore as guided by our selected scripture Philippians 1:1-11.

Greetings

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons.

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,^[a] 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, ⁵ because of your partnership (koinonia) in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you^[b] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,^[c] and you are all partners with me in grace (unmerited favor), both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, ¹¹ that filled with the fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

A person must be grafted into the vine, who is JESUS, to produce the “fruit of righteousness.”

Notice, when a person is Spirit-born, he or she produces “fruit” and not “fruits” as often referenced. There is only one fruit that is produced which is defined in Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

What must a person do to produce this fruit? JESUS said it best in John 15:1-The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

Christlike Love

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

¹¹ “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

¹² “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master^[b] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

¹⁷ “This is what I command you: Love one another.

In our focus scripture, 1 Philippians 1:5: The Apostle Paul used the word “koinonia” or “fellowship” which carries the idea partnership in the work of the LORD. The term also carries the idea of fellowship as “Spirit-born” or “kindred,” brothers and sisters, reaching out, as a loving family, to those who are in or not in right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

The physical birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of JESUS removed forever that which blocked the eternal path to GOD, which is sin. The path to the One True GOD, I AM/YAWEH is open because the sin barrier has been removed. However, every person must accept the Gift of salvation from hell to receive eternal life through faith in JESUS. JESUS knocks upon every person’s heart’s door. Only the person who hears JESUS knocking on his/her heart’s door can open it because the latch is on the inside of that person’s heart.

We find this in Revelation 3:20: ²⁰ See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat (reside) with him/her, and he/she with me.

Sin blocks a person’s relationship with GOD. The Good News of JESUS is that HIS passion of living a sinless life, willingly giving HIS perfect life by the shedding of HIS blood, paid in full for all sin. But there is an important step every person must accept and that is to acknowledge what JESUS did for all people. When JESUS’ lady disciples discovered the stone that had once sealed the entrance to the tomb where JESUS was buried had been rolled away, they looked in and discovered an empty tomb.

JESUS is the first fruit from HIS Passion. Life after bodily death is a fact as proven and guaranteed by the resurrection of JESUS. Over 400 people witnessed the bodily resurrected JESUS before HE ascended into Heaven.

A number of years ago, while driving on Interstate 85, I saw a vision outside my car in the sky accompanied by a booming voice like I had never heard. The voice identified the lady in the vision as Mrs. Green. Mrs. Green was the mother of a lady with whom I worked. We, along with co-workers, had been praying for her healing. I would not have known it was Mrs. Green (I had never met Mrs. Green) if she had not been identified by the clear booming voice. If you care to read about this event in my life, go to actsclass.blogspot.com and look at the top left-hand top corner of the page and there is a search box. Type in the name of Mrs. Green and you should be able to access it.

Yes, there is life after the death of our physical bodies and that is GOOD NEWS for all who place their faith in JESUS and HIS Passion – Physical life – born 100% human/yet GOD – physical death on the cross -proves JESUS was 100% human – physical bodily resurrection from death is proof that JESUS conquered death – physical bodily ascension into Heaven to take HIS seat at the right-hand of HIS FATHER, GOD

As many may know, South Carolina experienced the ravages of hurricane Helene.

We are roughly over 350 miles from the coast where hurricane Helene landed, yet we and cities over 100+ miles further suffered even greater damage.

There is an entourage of people helping – Samaritan’s Purse was one of the first responders I saw serving in North Carolina. The South Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief is another organization ministering to the needs of so many people, as well as so many more people, churches, and organizations.

All who have experienced the miracle of Spiritual Birth, the divine sperm of GOD is in them along with the attributes of GOD given via the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All Spirit-born people have the same Father thus Spiritual brothers and sisters.

Spiritual Gifts are given by GOD to those Spirit-born to minister to others and serve the true church. Fellowship or koinonia includes fellow Christians with a heart for those who do not know JESUS as their Savior, as well as meeting their physical needs. Also, to reach out to fellow Spirit-born Christians who may be struggling in their walk with JESUS. We are to come to the aid of each other. The hot coals of a fire gives off heat when together but when separated, they begin to go cold.

It is the same with walking with JESUS, Satan uses every trick to defeat Spirit-born Christians. The ministry of the church is to minister to all: those who are seeking, those who are walking and those who have been gifted to minister. As we approach the second coming of JESUS, the church, the body of true believers, must be united in the bond of love to minister and serve.

When the hurricane went through our area, most, if not all, lost electrical power. Many people who had generators could share electricity with their neighbor and many did so. Neighbors helped neighbors or helped others just out of their desire to help, do good deeds and minister.

We are blessed to have a loving daughter and her family to minister to us along with those out of town checking to see that we were being taken care of. What a blessing!

Some people use the plight of people to take advantage of those with needs. One person I spoke with told me that a truck came through their neighborhood and offered to cut the tree that was on their home for $34,000.

When we see the ravages that the storms of life bring to good and bad people, as Spirit-born people, that is our call to action. We offer comfort, hope, a listening ear, a helping hand and so much more.

JESUS told us in Mark 13:8 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be earthquakes in different places and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.”

Folks, JESUS is coming again. Let us who know the truth share the truth and the Gospel Light of JESUS while there is still light.

Blessings!!!

Bible Study - Thrive - Purpose Expressed (5) - Galatians 6:1-10 - September 29, 2024 (Edited)

 

Bible Study – Thrive – Purpose Expressed (5) – Galatians 6:1-10 – September 29, 2024

We live out our purpose as we are led and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Our focus scripture is Galatians 6:1-10.

As humans, our human spirit must be radically changed through the miracle of Spiritual conception and birth. When a person is physically conceived in his/her mother’s womb or conceived in a petri dish and planted in the mother’s womb, human conception takes place at the instant the sperm and egg unite.

Spiritual conception takes place quicker than the twinkle of the eye. The human spirit is the egg, and the Holy Spirit is the divine sperm.

We read in the Amplified Classic Edition of the Bible in 1 John 3:9:
No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.

Our human conception brings into our lives all sorts of human traits and propensities. However, when humans are Spiritually conceived all the attributes of our Heavenly Father, GOD, are part of our born-again or Spirit-born nature. This newborn-again nature is brought out and developed when a Spirit-born person willingly seeks the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. The Spirit-born person still has the freedom to choose and, as such, the Spirit-born person must grow via prayer, Bible study, application of what he/she is being taught, as GOD gives him/her opportunity.

Who do you think does everything he can to prevent a person from being “born-again” in his/her spirit or once “born-again” for that person not to grow Spiritually? You are right, if you said, “Satan.”

All people are in Spiritual warfare against the spirit world and victory can only be won through faith in JESUS and them allowing THE HOLY SPIRIT to lead, guide, empower and direct their lives. This is walking each moment, as directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Spirit-born person is not to judge but to assist others in their Spiritual Walk, as directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul expressed in Galatians 6:1 a vital caution.

All who are born of the Holy Spirit are called to minister with caution, while keeping a close eye on themselves. Those who are Spirit-born are the target of Satan, but they are also the “Apple of GOD’S EYE.”

Let’s Explore!!!

Let’s read Galatians 6:1-5:

Carry One Another’s Burdens

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit,^[a] watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. ² Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. ⁵ For each person will have to carry his own load.

All people are subject to sin. Yes, even those Spirit-born. So, do not think you can walk through Hell and come out without the smell of smoke.

As Spirit-born people we are to help others to grow Spiritually and to come to their aid when they face the trials and temptations of life. Just because a person is Spirit-born does not mean that person is free from the temptations of Satan. Know that as a Spirit-born person you are at war with evil. Satan and his minions are out to defeat you.

So, what must a Spirit-born person do to suit up for battle?

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10-20:

Christian Warfare

¹⁰ Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. ¹³ For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. ¹⁴ Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, ¹⁵ and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰ For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Folks, we are in a Spiritual battle, and we must be suited up to fight the enemy.

Keep in mind what we read in 1 John 4:1 The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

² This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not confess Jesus^[a] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world. (This is so vital as we approach the second coming of JESUS. JESUS has already come in the flesh, lived a sinless life, and willingly gave HIS sinless life to pay the penalty for all sin. When a person accepts what JESUS did and accepts JESUS as his/her Savior, that person is eternally born into GOD’S eternal Family, never to be Spiritually unborn. NOW that is not only Good News but great News.

And guess what? If you had been the only person in all eternity to accept JESUS as your Savior, HE would have died just for YOU.

Now, that is personal and shows how much HE loves you!

⁴ You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world. Therefore, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

Let’s read Galatians 6:6-8:

⁶ Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher. ⁷ Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, ⁸ because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 

We, who know the truth of salvation through faith in JESUS, are to share that Good News with others as GOD gives us opportunity.

Some people may say, “I don’t know what to say.” Oh, yes you do. You have a story to tell and that is your own conversion experience. When given the opportunity to tell your conversion experience consider using the format the Apostle Paul used when he approached King Agrippa as recorded in Acts 26:1-32: Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Use Acts 26 as a guide to write your own conversion experience. Give some of your old life, what led you to see your need for salvation in JESUS and then your salvation experience which is unique to just you. Then give the person or persons to whom you are speaking the opportunity to pray to receive JESUS as his/her Savior.

How exciting it is when a person accepts JESUS as his/her Savior.

As a preacher was asked after his Sunday service, “Did anyone join the church today? Just a young boy name Billy Graham.” A person never knows what GOD has in store for him/her until that person takes a step of faith and trusts JESUS as his/her Savior.

Let’s read Galatians 6:9-10:

⁹ Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

As long as we have breath, let us all who know JESUS as our Savior, work in GOD’S vineyard until JESUS comes again, or we meet HIM when we take our last breath upon earth. Blessing!!!

Bible Study - Thirve - Purpose Lived (4) - Galatians 5:16-26 - September 22, 2024

Bible Study – Thrive – Purpose Lived (4) – Galatians 5:16-26 – September 22, 2024

We live out our purpose as we are led and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Our focus scripture is Galatians 5:16-26.

When we read and study the scripture regarding the working of the Holy Spirit, what runs through our minds? That was nice for then, but is the same Holy Spirit, at work today in the lives of GOD’S Spirit Born people? YES!!!

If so, why don’t we witness the working of the Hoy Spirit in our churches and through us who have been born by the Holy Spirit?

Let’s read again the opening statement, “We live out our purpose as we are led and filled with the Holy Spirit.” Often, we, as born-again Christians, must ask JESUS to help us clean house and toss out those things which clutter our minds and hearts. Often, it is unbelief and/or disbelief which we have allowed into our minds as truth, but they are lies. Our redeemed foundation must be based upon truth, as we study and apply GOD’S Word.

Let’s explore!

The Apostle Paul is writing to the Christians in Galatia, and we get to read what he wrote. Does what he wrote apply to us these many years later? Does the Word of GOD change? Can we apply what Paul wrote then to today? Is it for us who have received the Holy Spirit? Do we, who know the truth and have been Spirit-born, fear what we might become if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us as we journey through life?

Let’s read Galatians 5:16-26: The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶ I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Step one must be CHRIST in you. A person cannot walk by the Spirit unless the Holy Spirit resides within that person and that person determines in his/her heart to obediently follow the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That requires faith and trust in JESUS.

How does a person receive the Holy Spirit? A person must be born-again as JESUS told Nicodemus in John 3:1 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.” ³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:9-10 – 9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, ² and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

This sounds impossible but what did JESUS tell us in John 5:19:

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you; the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things.

When we, as Spirit-born people, see GOD at work, that is our invitation for us to join HIM in HIS work.

So, as Spirit born people, what does our relationship to GOD mean? It means that we are Spirit-born into GOD’S eternal Family and GOD is our FATHER.

So, why don’t we see the hands of GOD working through us? Is it because of our unbelief as expressed in Mark 9:24: ²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

Going back to the origin of this statement ----

We read in Mark 9:17-29:

¹⁷ Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

¹⁹ He (JESUS) replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father.

“From childhood,” he said. ²² “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Since the passion of JESUS, those who have been born-again Spiritually, by the redemptive shed blood of JESUS are members of those who can. But all must be prayed up – confessing any and all sins.

²³ Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’?^[a] Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ Then it (mute and deaf spirit) came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.

Only GOD can reveal the identity of the IT’S in life. We must know what we are dealing with before “IT” can be defeated and only GOD can reveal IT to us and how to properly deal with or dispose of IT.

FATHER, cast YOUR protective canopy over all who read this study and protect them and guard them from the IT’S of the evil world. Thank YOU in the name of JESUS!

²⁸ After he (JESUS) had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

Why do we not succeed in overcoming the issues we face in life? Is it unbelief? Is it our lack of prayer? Ask JESUS to reveal what blocks our Spiritual effectiveness?

²⁹ And he (JESUS) told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.”^[b]

This opens up a deeper study into dealing with the spirit-world, which I will reserve for another time.

Having a strong prayer life is good but also having fellow Spirit-born believers joining with you in prayer is also essential when you deal with the spirit-world. Do everything in the name of JESUS.

The shed blood of JESUS and HIS resurrection are our protection. When we minister to others, it is always good to have Spirit-born people praying for us and with us when we go to pray over those needing deliverance or healing. Spirit born people are always in battle with the spirit world, but they are under the protective covering of the shed blood of JESUS.

Let’s read Galatians 5:19-21:

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious:^[d] sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy,^[e] drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (This is the fruit of Satan in the lives of humans.)

Let’s read Galatians 5:22-26:

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.^[f] 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

JESUS spoke of being the vine in John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

Fruit grows on the true vine.

Guess who does not want Spirit-born people to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and bear Spiritual fruit? Hopefully, you said it, Satan. The world says, “Who is this goody two shoes who thinks he/she can do miracles in the name of JESUS?” LORD, help their unbelief.

All who have been saved by the blood of JESUS, through faith in JESUS, HIS Passion and is responding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit have the potential. We may have to say, “LORD I believe but help my unbelief.” We believe to a point but when it comes to miracles that may be another story. We must keep in our mind it is not us, it is GOD and HIS power at work through us who have been Born-again and empowered with certain Spiritual Gifts from GOD.

JESUS said in Matthew 17:20: He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

But what do we, who have been born-again by the Holy Spirit, know, as revealed in 1 John 4: ² This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not confess Jesus^[a] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.

⁴ You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you (JESUS) is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world. Therefore, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

As we approach the second coming of JESUS, we who know the truth of being born-again through faith in JESUS, must be led by the Holy Spirit and work in GOD’S vineyard, earth, while the harvest for the souls of fellow humans is ripe. To GOD be the Glory for great things HE has and will do through us who know the truth!

Rejoice that you can be a part of HIS soul harvesters as you walk and are led by the Spirit. Nothing is impossible. We read in Luke 1: ³⁴ Mary (The mother to be of JESUS) asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” ^[e]

³⁵ The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.”

³⁸ “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

That took faith and courage! To be chosen by GOD takes courage and faith.

With GOD all things are possible! Do you believe it? If not, why not?

The father of the son who was delivered of the spirit entity said in Mark 9:24: ²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

There is nothing wrong in being honest with GOD because HE already knows our hearts. Confess it and ask GOD to help you build upon the solid foundation of JESUS, The CHRIST, and be led by the Holy Spirit.

It may mean that you have to confess your sins and ask JESUS to come into your heart and experience the miracle of Spiritual birth through faith in JESUS and experience HIS redemptive power.

It may mean that you have to confess your unbelief in GOD/JESUS ability to perform miracles today.

The main question for all who want to experience GOD through his/her faith in JESUS, “Do you believe in GOD, WHO is I AM, and JESUS, GOD’S only son and HIS passion? JESUS willingly left Heaven and came to earth to be born human. JESUS was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary and born physically by the virgin Mary. JESUS lived a 100% human life, subject to sin but HE remained sinless. HE willingly gave HIS sinless life upon the cross, died physically and was buried. GOD raised JESUS from physical death on the third day to show that HE paid the price for all sin, past, present, and future, in full for all who place their faith in HIM. JESUS physically ascended into Heaven and took HIS seat at the right-hand of GOD, HIS FATHER, and intercedes for all who have or will accept JESUS as their Savior.

John 14:12: JESUS was preparing HIS disciples for HIS crucifixion and the fulfillment of the purpose of HIS coming to earth to reveal GOD’S redemptive plan.

¹² “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he (she) will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me^[e] anything in my name, I will do it.^[f]

Another Counselor Promised

¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep^[g] my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor^[h] to be with you forever. ¹⁷ He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him because he remains with you and will be^[I] in you.

GOD sent the Holy Spirit after the physical death, physical burial, physical body resurrection, physical body ascension of JESUS into Heaven and JESUS taking HIS seat at the right-hand of GOD. GOD sent The Holy Spirit to indwell and confirm salvation for all who place their faith in JESUS and HIS passion and bodily resurrection and ascension.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is every Spirit-born person’s eternal guarantee and assurance of eternal life.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three in ONE.

Dear JESUS, this is a lot for a person to unpack. Please help all who have the desire to obediently walk with YOU and to serve YOU to see that the truth of CHRIST in him/her is his/her eternal hope. Remove the walls of disbelief and open the doors of faith through truth, as only YOU can.

Being honest with GOD is ground zero! We must confess our doubts and search GOD’S Word, the Bible, pray and ask GOD to help us discover truth. I use Bible Gateway online as a resource to read and study scripture.

If it is your desire to walk with JESUS, if you have not already asked HIM to forgive you for your sins and come into your heart, ask HIM to do so now. If you are not already in a fellowship of Spirit-born Christians, then ask JESUS to lead you to the fellowship and resources where you can be fed Spiritually and grow into the fulness of JESUS THE CHRIST!

Blessings!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bible Study - Thrive - Purpose Restored (3) - Acts 3:14-26 - September 15, 2024

 

Thrive – Purpose Restored (3) – Acts 3:14-26 – September 15, 2024

Through faith in JESUS, we can be forgiven and restored to the purpose for which GOD created us.

Our focus scripture is Acts 3:14-26.

Placing our faith in JESUS is a huge step of faith and trust. Will we be able to hold out? What will others think about us? Can we trust JESUS to save us from Hell?

Just know this, when a person places his/her faith in JESUS, a Spiritual conception takes place quicker than the twinkle of the eye through the miracle of being Spiritually, “Born-again.” A person is eternally bonded to GOD and JESUS for all eternity through Spiritual birth. We may journey through the muck and mire of life but our faith in JESUS, guarantees all who are redeemed by HIS shed blood are eternally secure.

Satan is our accuser, and his desire is to defeat us but always keep in mind 1 John 4: ⁴ You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one (JESUS) who is in you is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world.

Let’s read Acts 3:1-26:

Healing of a Lame Man

3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon.^[a] 

Peter and John were going to the temple to pray at three in the afternoon, when they encountered an opportunity. How often do we have plans, and circumstances change our focus based upon what we may encounter along our planned journey?

Peter and John had such an encounter. Let’s explore!!!

The Jews, in general, prayed three times a day – morning, mid-day, and evening.

“Copied from Chabad.org - Jewish Law makes it our duty to pray three times daily: in the morning, in the afternoon and at nightfall. These prayers are called morning prayer (shacharit), afternoon prayer (minchah) and evening prayer (arvith or maariv).

Our Sages tell us that the custom of praying three times a day was originally introduced by our Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham introduced prayer in the morning, Isaac—in the afternoon, and Jacob added one at night.¹”

We read in 1 Thessalonians 5: ¹⁵ See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray constantly, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit, ²⁰ do not despise prophesying, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast what is good, ²² abstain from every form of evil.

²³ May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Our part, as “born-again” people is to trust, obey and go as called and led by the Holy Spirit. As we go, GOD gives us opportunities to serve.

Recently my wife and I were in a store and a lady seemed to be frantically searching her purse for something. We stopped and asked her if we could help her? She said she had lost her credit card. We paused and prayed with her and as we finished praying, she had a card in her hand. I asked her, “What is that?” “She said it is my missing card. It was in my purse.” We rejoiced in answered prayer.

Back to our scripture:

² A man who was lame from birth was being carried there. He was placed each day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so that he could beg from those entering the temple. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. ⁴ Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 

Peter instructed the lame man who had been lame man from birth to look at him. Why? Because this man’s life was about to be dramatically changed from being lame to being fully restored. He would not need to beg for money any longer. A new way of life would be given to him, and an opportunity would be opened for all who would witness this forthcoming miracle to receive JESUS as their Savior and be Spirit-born.

Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold” but what he did have was more valuable than all the silver and/or gold in the world. Silver or gold could not meet the needs of this poor soul, lame since birth, but JESUS could.

Peter said, “get up and walk” is the clarion sound which comes only from faith in GOD and faith in JESUS.

As Spirit-born Christians, what do we have? We have the exact same JESUS in us as the Apostle Peter and the other disciples had in them.

Some may say, “but they had a special calling.” True! And those who have been Spirit-born also have the Holy Spirit in them WHO, in turn, are gifted with Spiritual Gifts to be used by that person to minister to others. What is your Spiritual Gift and are you using it or them to Glorify GOD and JESUS?

There are various Spiritual Gifts and we who have been born by the Spirit of GOD are to use our Spiritual Gift or Gifts as directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Often, we look for the dramatic but a cup of water, a word of encouragement, a smile, or a helping hand ministers to others. Often, small steps, as led by the Holy Spirit, lead those desiring to minister to others to larger steps. Reading on ---

⁷ Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. ⁹ All the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. So, they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

As we approach the second coming of JESUS, I believe we will witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to prepare us, who know the truth, to reach out to the people of earth to help prepare them for HIS coming. We, who have been born-again, through faith in JESUS, will witness within ourselves and other brothers and sisters in JESUS, the witness of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. This manifestation is not for show but for drawing people to a saving knowledge of faith in JESUS, The Promised Messiah.

Healing this man in the name of JESUS, who had been lame from birth, was a dramatic witness to those in the temple area. The crucifixion of JESUS was still in the minds of those in the temple area. JESUS had been resurrected from the physically dead, physically ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right-hand of GOD, HIS FATHER.

Just think, if Peter had money to give to this lame man, it is likely that there would not have been a miracle. We must trust GOD as HE leads us to ministry. Go teach GOD’S Word, make disciples, and respond to the opportunity or opportunities GOD reveals to us as we walk with JESUS.

Preaching in Solomon’s Colonnade

¹¹ While he^[b] was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astonished, ran toward them in what is called Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹² When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied before Pilate, though he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer released to you. ¹⁵ You killed the source^[c] of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So, the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.

¹⁷ “And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. ¹⁸ In this way God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹ Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, ²⁰ that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus, who has been appointed for you as the Messiah. ²¹ Heaven must receive him until the time of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about through his holy prophets from the beginning. ²² Moses said:^[d] The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. ²³ And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be completely cut off from the people.^[e]

The Apostle Peter was led to preach the Gospel of salvation to those who had witnessed the miracle of the healing and restoration of this man lame since birth. Repent and turn back.

Repent – Means you were heading in the wrong direction, so Stop and turn around. Place your faith in the very ONE you either witnessed or heard about being crucified for claiming to be “the King of the Jews.”

GOD gives every person the opportunity to repent and ask HIM for forgiveness for his/her sins through faith in JESUS THE CHRIST.

In John 19: ¹⁹ Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” ²² Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” I believe that was Pilate’s statement of faith in JESUS.

²⁴ “In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also foretold these days. ²⁵ You are the sons^[f] of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.^[g] 26 God raised up his servant^[h] and sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”

Why did GOD choose those who will know the truth of salvation through faith in JESUS and experience the miracle of Spiritual Birth? It was to bless us with eternal life through faith in JESUS and for each of us to share the Good News of Salvation through faith in JESUS to all to whom the Holy Spirit leads us. 

Just a cup of cold water quinches the thirst of all who need salvation.

Is JESUS calling you to turn around and let HIM direct your path and trust HIM as you walk with HIM?

Blessings!!!