JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Mercy

JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons: Mercy: Mercy. Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV), romans 8:1 (NKJV), Psalms 103:12 (NASB), Jeremiah 31:34 (NLT), Psalms 103:10/11 (NLT)   Napoleon was once a...

To Have Character Persevere

2 Chronicles 16:9

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."
NKJV

Romans 5:3-4 "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." NKJV

Habakkuk 1:5

"The LORD replied, "Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it."
NLT

1 Peter 1:6

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,"
NKJV

2 Peter 3:14

"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;"
NKJV

Revelation 21:2 "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. " NKJV

My Comments: We know where we are bound to and it is a beautiful place yet because we have our home there does not mean we will have an easy time of life here. In fact because we are His we will have many trials and tribulations. Did Jesus not have them? Can we expect our lives to be easier than our Lord’s? We are bought with a price this free gift to us yet because we are His we have to grow. To grow we will have things happen in our lives and around us that will challenge and stretch us as we mature in the Love and wisdom of Jesus.

Yet not only in our lives but the lives of all people in the world. He loves all people and sometimes the things that go on in a persons life helps to grow them yet it may also be to bring the unsaved to Him. He goes everywhere and sees everything and knows best how to address all things. We can trust Him, have faith in Him and even call on Him when things are harder than we think we can bear. Often people say, “He gives us no more than we can bear.” The Bible tells us He allows us to have more than we can bear so we will call on Him and He will help us to go through it. He may not take it away yet He will be there in the midst of it with us and if we keep our eyes on Him, He will work it out for the best.

I like how it is put in Romans 5:3-4 "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” It shows me that when I continue on in my tribulations (if you have been reading my blog for awhile you know there have been many as maybe you have had) and I know if I keep my eyes on the Lord and not on my problems, then I will persevere, have character and always have hope. In the world we will see many horrible things happening.

Watch the news anytime of the day or night and we see and hear of these things more and more. Yet we are not to fear because we know where we are headed and who is here to go through everything with us and we will grow in our faith, hope and build character as we persevere.

Abba Father, thank You for the challenges of life. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we will grow in knowledge and understanding and be equipped to work in all situations of life.

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, thank You for always being there to go through the challenges of life and those things that are thrown at us. Thank You for holding us up during the hard times of life. Thank You for loving us so much You went to the Cross for us. Thank You for Your example of how to serve and how to live our lives for the glory of Abba Father.

Holy Spirit thank You for filling us with the skills and knowledge we need to persevere and grow so we will bring glory to Abba Father at all times.

In Jesus name in union with the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.

Rebishka

Love with all your heart, soul and mind

Romans 1:1 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God." New King James Version (NKJV)

1 Corinthians 6:20 "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." NKJV

Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" NKJV

My Comments: No matter how many times we hear it we need to take notice. Christ Jesus has called all to Himself and wants for all to live forever. Not everyone will accept the gift. He bought each of us, if we want to accept His Sacrifice, when He willingly went to the Cross and kept Himself on the Cross until He died so His Blood would cover our sin. We who accept His gift are then able to stand before Abba Father clothed in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and it is no longer my sin Abba sees. He sees the Righteousness of Jesus. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world but not all in the world will accept His Sacrifice, the Pearl of Great Price.

Paul did not accept it at first. He tormented and stood by as Christians were tortured and killed. Jesus had to blind him to get him to listen. He didn’t force Paul to listen nor did He force Him to accept His gift yet He asked why Paul persecuted Him. Some take a lot of talking to the be convinced yet often they become the ones who make the biggest changes like Paul. Paul believed Jesus’ word and He proclaimed Jesus and His Gospel at the peril of his own life. He loved God with all his soul, heart, mind and body and his neighbor as himself. Because he loved so much he did not hold back when presenting the Gospel because he did not want that any should perish.

I feel the same. There are many in the world today who are suffering and dieing for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because they love Abba Father and they love their neighbors. They share the Gospel often ending up in prison and being tortured for the Gospel. Many are in prisons now yet they count it worth the price because they hope maybe one soul will come to know Jesus and be saved. My heart grieves for them, I pray for them and I know the Lord rejoices in them. Their reward will be with the Lord one day and one day I will meet and know them. I am excited for that day.

Abba Father, protect those in this world who share the Gospel of Your Son Jesus, who risk all they have to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. Protect their families and give them courage, strength and faith to move mountains. Thank You for blessing and equipping them for the Ministries You have set them to.

Jesus, who created the world and came as a babe in a stable, fill Your children with Your Love for the lost and dieing. Send Your Holy Spirit to teach them so they may teach others and guide them so they may guide others as Paul and the Apostles did.

Holy Spirit fill all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and have His free gift of Life Eternal with knowledge, wisdom, understanding and give them the gifts each will need to bring praise and glory to Abba Father and do the will of Him who sends them.

In Jesus name in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rebishka

Greater than the gift of tongues is love

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

Prophecy and Tongues

14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ² For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ³ But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. ⁴ He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵ I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Tongues Must Be Interpreted

⁶ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? ⁷ Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? ⁸ For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? ⁹ So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. ¹¹ Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. ¹² Even so you, since you a re zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (NKJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)

¹³ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

My Comments: Many today seem to be concerned with speaking in tongues, as if this were the greatest gift given to man from God. Religions have sprung up centered around speaking in tongues and those in it say one without the gift is not really a Christian or true believer. There are others who say the gift is dead or was only for a time and that time has gone. There are others who say it must only be done when one has the gift, in a closet. There are several places in the Bible that address the gift of Tongues which would make this a very long posting so I have chosen Paul’s discourse on it in 1 Corinthians. I encourage all to search the Scriptures and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit for understanding and I hearin give my understanding from the Scripture, the Holy Word of God.

First off let me say there are many gifts of which one may read about in the Scripture, the gift of teaching, healing, leading and so on. Each person when they become true Believers of Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit are given gifts to do the work God has for them to do (they are equipped) and all gifts are for the help of the body and always for the glory of Abba Father. The greatest gift He gives us is Love. So why all the discussion, division and dissention in the body of Christ’s believers?

I believe Satan has clouded minds and is doing what he always has done, sown dissention in the body. Dissention comes from discussion that is based on what we want to believe rather than what the Word states and then because of human pride there is division. I encourage all to read the Bible closely. Nothing hinges on one passage but on a reading of the full Word of God. If you read the passages I have offered for you, you will see not everyone has or will have the gift of tongues and it is not the most important gift. If one has it then it should not be used unless there is someone to interpret and never more than three at a time in Church and it says nothing about only for their (the beginning Churches) time. Yet, the Word Paul gives us shows that it is a gift. Yet not as important, as none are, as Love. A Church full of people speaking in tongues is as a clanging cymbal. Done without someone prophesizing is not to be done. Not done for the edification and glory of God is wrong. So if you have the gift of tongues do not brag or use it without someone to interpret and only for the glory of God. Remember if you have any gift and do not have Love you have nothing. For Love is the greatest gift.

Abba Father I would that all would have the gifts You have for them and would use them to help the body, grow Your kingdom and glorify You the Creator of all and the giver of all gifts. May we all be filled with Your Love and may if Your Love flow through us to all for Your glory.

Lord Jesus You sent the Holy Spirit so all may do the things Abba Father gives us to do. Thank You for ascending and sending the Holy Spirit to fill us with Your words, Your Love so we may bring and give glory to God the Father.

Holy Spirit, Teacher, Comforter, Giver of Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding fill us with the gifts the Father desires for us and guide us to use them for the edification and growing of the body for the glory of God the Father Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End the First and the Last.

In Jesus name I pray in union with the Holy Spirit. Amen

Rebishka

Love and Forgiveness

Acts 28:2

"And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold."
NKJV

1 John 4:20 "If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?" NLT

My Comments: These two verses go along with yesterdays post as you can see yet one seems to be about the body of believers and one about those who yet do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Not so.

How can we as believers say we “Love” as Christ loved us? How can we truly show the face of Jesus?  We can not if we do not love all people whether of the Body or not. If a non believer can show more kindness then that should show us we need to evaluate our walk with Jesus the Messiah. If we have truly accepted Jesus as our Savior then our loving kindness should be greater than those who have not accepted Him.

Christ Jesus had no part of hate or anger unless someone was making a mockery of God the Father, His Father, like when He flogged the money changers in the Temple. That was justified anger but not hate. Even when people flogged Him, pushed the long thorns of the Crown of Thorns, into His scalp, or hung Him on the Cross, He did not hate and He was not angry with them. In fact He asked His Father to, “Forgive them they know not what they do.” When someone wrongs us for our faith in God we are to love them and forgive them because they do not know what they do. If we see a stranger suffering as Paul was doing what are we to do?

We are to be loving and kind and extend a helping hand without judgment or gossip. In point of fact we should do this even with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus. If we find wrong words or wrong thinking in ourselves we need to drop to our knees and confess to God our wrong and ask for His heart and words not our own because ours are wicked indeed and His is pure and loving. If we are wronged and cannot forgive then we are holding on to pride of self. Even Jesus the Son of God did not have unforgiveness for those who wronged Him and He is the God who created the Universe. If He could and can forgive ask yourself, “Am I God that I can hold onto unforgiveness when the God of the Universe our Creator, does not?” How can we say we love God if we do not love those He created and has died for?

Loved ones ask God to fill you with His love and His mercy and His forgiveness and He will. You have not because you ask not. Ask with faith and trust and He will fill you with His love and His mercy for others whether they are believers or your Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus. John said the greatest of these is Love. It is the greatest gift we can pray for. Love covers a multitude of sins and wrongs. Love forgives. Seek the Love of Jesus for the world and He will fill you so you may show His love to the world.

Abba Father, fill us with Your love and forgiveness. Help us to have Your heart for all people. Help us to extend Your loving hand to all that others will see the face of Jesus in us and hear His voice through us.

Jesus, You were tortured and Crucified and still loved and forgave those who did. Fill us with Your love and help us to forgive with the love You forgave those who tortured You.

Holy Spirit, cleanse us of pride that keep the love of Jesus in our hearts. Guide our every thought, word and deed so we will become more and more like our Savior the Lamb of God, Jesus. As Jesus continually turned to His Father, continually turn us to Abba Father.

In the name of Jesus with the Holy Spirit I pray. Amen.

Rebishka

Sorry folks

So sorry I have not been able to blog for a while. I have been sick and am just starting to recover.
I recommend you read from the first posts and hopefully I will be back to blogging again soon.
My heart and my prayers are ever with all of you. May our Lord guide, teach and show you all how you should go. Walk always with him who loved us so much He sent His only Son to die for us so we would not have to take the punishment for our sins. Thank You Abba Father.
Rebishka

Be not ashamed

2 Timothy 1:8-9 "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,"

NKJV

1 Corinthians 12:7 "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." NKJV

Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." NKJV

In Matthew 5:38-40,38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. NKJV  (Jesus told us to love God and love others, yet often we take our eyes off of Jesus and place them on ourselves).

Ps 90:12 "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." NKJV

My Comments: Christ came so we may live and died so we may live more abundantly. He was not ashamed to call us His friend or brothers and sisters and we should not be ashamed to tell the world we are His and have been redeemed. Indeed as Born Again, we are called to tell others the Good News so they may accept the free gift of His love and redemption.

It is wisdom to share Christ Jesus with others so one day when we stand before our Lord God and Redeemer He will say. “Well done good and faithful servant.” We serve Him by loving others and by not being ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. We love Him by sharing our gifts to help others. The world says, “Do unto others what you would have them do to you.” And that sums up the law and the Prophets and what servant hood is, yet we can not do so with out our eyes being on our Lord. Well maybe for a short time yet not for the long haul.

If we take our eyes off of Jesus we have our eyes on something or someone else (ourselves usually) and when we look elsewhere other than God we lose focus, direction and stumble and often cause others to stumble or fall as well. If we trust His word, have faith in Him and what He says then we will not be ashamed to be called His. We will stand up and let others know the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, Son of Man. We will use the gifts He has given us to help our Brethren and others and we will trust Him and have faith that He will do a good work in us and strengthen us to do good works in His name.

Abba Father, strengthen our minds and our hearts. Help us to know Your word and understand Your word and share Your word with a hungry, thirsty and dieing world. Let us not listen to the whiles of the devil nor turn away from Your truths in fear. Help us to boldly stand up for who we are in You. Help us to use the talents and gifts You have bestowed upon us for building up the body of Christ and bringing others to the true knowledge of Your sacrifice for our Redemption.

Abba for those who do not know You help them Father to come to You through Your Son Jesus. Help them to know it is a gift for them freely given and they do not have to do works to be given the gift of eternal life only acknowledge Jesus as Savior, confess their sin and accept the gift Jesus purchased for them on the Cross.

Jesus we love and adore You and thank You for Your sacrifice and love. Search our hearts Lord and make us Yours. Lord Jesus, give us Your heart for all who we come in contact with

Holy Spirit, give us the word of God on our hearts, in our minds and spilling forth from our mouths with boldness and faith. Use us to bring others to the knowledge and understanding of the Glory of God and what Jesus did for us that we and they may live eternally as the Child of God.

In Jesus name in union with the Holy Spirit I pray. Amen

Rebishka