Friday, September 12, 2014

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: God Takes Care of His Own. First Cave Psalm

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: God Takes Care of His Own. First Cave Psalm: 2 Corinthians 1:10, New King James Version (NKJV) 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust th...

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Suffering

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Jesus the Rock, Chief Cornerstone and our Resurrec...

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Jesus the Rock, Chief Cornerstone and our Resurrec...: 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 , New King James Version (NKJV) The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc....

Jesus the Rock, Chief Cornerstone and our Resurrected Savior.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14, New King James Version (NKJV)

¹²Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁴And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

Colossians 2:9-14, (NKJV)

⁹For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

¹¹In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Ephesians 2:19-22, (NKJV)

¹⁹Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²²in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Psalm 18:2, (NKJV)

²The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

1 Peter 2:4-8, (NKJV)

⁴Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.⁶Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” ⁷Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” ⁸and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

Isaiah 28:16, (NKJV) this is where verse 6 is referencing.

¹⁶Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
Whoever believes will not act hastily.

Psalm 118:22, (NKJV) this is where verse 7 is referencing.

²²The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

2 Samuel 22:32, (NKJV)

³²“For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

2 Samuel 22:47, (NKJV)

⁴⁷“The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation!

1 Corinthians 10:4, (NKJV)

⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

Romans 9:33, (NKJV)

³³As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

My Comments: I find it amazing that the chief cornerstone, Jesus, came as a human baby born in a stable. Here was the King of the Universe, the Creator God choosing to leave Heaven and be born a man-child. Then later, choosing to die on a Cross so we might have salvation and life eternal with Him. The glory of glories He fulfills what He said he would and is resurrected on the third day.

He said He would destroy the temple and raise it up on the third day and He did. He did this to fulfill prophecy, and so we all may live if we put our trust in the chief cornerstone.

The belief in the resurrection is key to the belief of all Christians for without that belief there is no Christianity. Otherwise Jesus was just a man who claimed to be god. Or he was a Prophet who was not a good one (there have been many of those throughout the ages and even during Jesus’ time). He could not have been a good man if He sought to deceive those who followed Him and if we believed in Him without Him resurrecting then we would be deceived.

Glory be to God the Father, Jesus did resurrect, He was not a Prophet or a good man, He was God incarnate. Fully God, Fully man he rose again on the third day as He said He would and He showed Himself to those who lived then. He still gives us the choice to accept or reject Him. To reject the chief cornerstone is to reject God and to choose death and Hell. To accept Jesus’ sacrifice and Him as Lord is to accept the free gift of Life Eternal and Heaven.

Once we accept Him we become a part of the body which are the stones that build the Church Body. Then when we are Baptized and proclaim we are of the Body of Christ we share in the building of the Church. We are being built for the Holy Spirit and we then go out and as He said make Disciples who make Disciples for the glory of God and to lay up treasures in Heaven for us. Praise be to God for all He has done, is doing and will do for us. Amen.

Abba Father, thank You for sending Your Son, for raising Him up on the third day and for giving us the Rock of our Salvation that we might be heirs with Him in Heaven with You.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, the Rock of our Salvation and the chief cornerstone for Your sacrifice and Love. Bring all our loved ones into the Family of God and help us to never fear and to trust in You always.

Holy Spirit fill us with the Truth, faith and trust of all that Abba has revealed to us and to search diligently for more with an unquenchable thirst and hunger for His Word.

Thank You, Abba for all You give to us to know and do. Keep our feet firmly on the Rock of our Salvation and speak to our hearts so we will never be misled and knocked from standing firm on the Rock. In Jesus name in unity with the Holy spirit I pray, Amen.

Rebishka

Monday, September 8, 2014

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Called Out Ones

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Called Out Ones: 1 Peter 2:5 "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices a...

Thursday, September 4, 2014

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Growing Spiritually on the Rock

Growing Spiritually on the Rock

1 Corinthians 10:3-4, New King James Version (NKJV)

"All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ."

1 Peter 2:2-3, (NKJV)

"Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness."

1 Peter 2:5, (NKJV)

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

My Comments: When Jesus walked, talked, taught and Ministered to the Disciples and multitudes it was to bring them into the family of God. It was so they would know Him their King. It was for the salvation of the world. While among them He fed them spiritually. Not like the spiritualists of today with mumbo jumbo and falsehoods but pure spiritual food. Yet at first it was as we give to a new born baby. It was milk.

A new born baby cannot be expected to eat a steak right away or anything stronger than milk. Neither can a new Christian or a baby Christian be expected to digest the full meaning of the Word of God.

Sad to say I have seen those who should know better treat new baby Christians as if they were poured full of complete understanding of the Word of God. There is no way they could be unless the Lord were to give it to them in one shot, which do do not see happening in the Bible. Even our Lord did not expect His followers to comprehend Him right away. He walked and taught them for several years and still as His time was coming to an end they still did not have complete comprehension though they did once He arose and came back and taught them more. Once he fulfilled what He said He would do they were willing to fully listen and learn.We have to be open and ready to learn just as a baby who is learning new things.

First a baby will learn to say the Words, then they learn to understand what those words mean and how those words interact in their lives and then how to use the words properly. Same with their limbs. First they learn to turn over, then scoot about, then crawl, sit up, stand and then walk and then watch out, they are running around everywhere yet do not know completely how to use the limbs they now have use of. They learn by trying and practice and watching others use their limbs and then the baby will master their own limbs. A new Christian is the same way.

A new Christian needs to be in study groups, mentored, loved on, encouraged, guided, fed good solid spiritual food (from the Word of God in the Bible, Bible Studies, tapes, Sermon etc.0. Then they are ready to grow. The more one studies the Bible and learns the Word of God, digest His Holy Word, trusts Him and shares His truths, and the faster one applies it to their lives then maturity comes to the person whose soul waits on the Lord with bated breath.

Those who are more mature need to give them a loving break as they are growing in the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord. It behooves mature Christians with strong walks to come alongside of baby Christians and remember Christ showed the Disciples and then the Apostles and all who came around him truly seeking, His Love. As we grow we are someones Paul and someone is as a Timothy to us. We mentor those who are not as far along as us and others further along on their walk mentor us. As we love on our children so must we love on baby Christians and their walk will get stronger and then they can be fed the meat of the Word of God and through it all the Holy Spirit will be there to help us help them and to help them through us. May we all stand strong on the Spiritual Rock, Jesus.

Abba Father, of our selves we are incapable of truly loving like You yet with You in us we can love all peoples. Fill us Father with Your love for the world, the lost, the hurting, the new baby Christian. Help us to know when to help them and when to guide them and when to let them learn yet be there to help them if they stumble or fall, help them by lovingly lifting them up and helping them to keep going.

Jesus our Lord and King, thank You for the example You gave to us when you walked and talked, taught and loved those who You chose and who came into Your sphere of life. Help us to likewise do the same with those You bring into our lives. For those who are baby Christians help them Lord to find a good solid Bible believing, teaching Church and a mature mentor who will love and guide them with Your light and Your love.

Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of all who seek our Lord Jesus and desire the food of Heaven. Guide them and give them knowledge and discernment to understand the Word of God and to apply it to their lives.

All this I pray in the Holy name of Jesus in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen