8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Here we can see that the disciple who has been with Jesus didn't fully understand who Jesus is or what Jesus means. Many times in the Bible we see this type of scenarios happen, where Jesus would speak one thing but the disciples will understand it for another. The disciples, even though they have been with Jesus, did not fully comprehend Jesus. Another example is in the case of Lazarus (John 11:11-13). Where Jesus was speaking of death, but the disciples understood it for natural sleep. Also in the case of Martha, when Jesus was speaking of immediate resurrection, she understood it to be the resurrection at the last day (John 11:23,24).
This makes me wonder if we still do that today as Christians. Even if we have been Christians for a long time, and we read the Scripture. Do we understand the Scripture differently than how God intended for us to understand it? Do we comprehend what the Lord wants us to do fully? Or are we on different wavelengths as the Word, and missed the point? One other example would be Peter, when he tried to save Jesus out of love and courage when Jesus told them He will suffer and be killed (Matthew 16:21-23). Peter missed the point of Salvation. In listening to the word of God today, do we also place our own thoughts and feelings into it? Or are we truly listening to the Word and comprehend the point it is trying to convey, even if it is against our thoughts and feelings?
The Spirit of truth will bring us to all truth (John 16:13). The problem is, are we full of the Spirit, and are we relying wholly upon the Spirit at all times?
Showing posts with label Spirit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spirit. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Matthew Chapter 24
"23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. "
We should not believe in all signs and wonders, because there will be signs and wonders coming from the works of Satan. Whatever signs and wonders not according to the truth should not be believe, if we believe, we will have been deceived and God will let us believe even more in that lie.
"9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2)
So be very careful to discern between works of God and works of Satan, because both can perform signs and wonders. If they are done according to the truth, then it is from God, if not, then it's from Satan. In order to discern which is which, we must be wise in the truth by pursuing the Spirit of God, the only thing that knows the things of God. Only then do we have the tool to discern between what is of God and what is of Satan.
"7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”[c] 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy[d] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. " (1 Corinthians 2)
We should not believe in all signs and wonders, because there will be signs and wonders coming from the works of Satan. Whatever signs and wonders not according to the truth should not be believe, if we believe, we will have been deceived and God will let us believe even more in that lie.
"9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2)
So be very careful to discern between works of God and works of Satan, because both can perform signs and wonders. If they are done according to the truth, then it is from God, if not, then it's from Satan. In order to discern which is which, we must be wise in the truth by pursuing the Spirit of God, the only thing that knows the things of God. Only then do we have the tool to discern between what is of God and what is of Satan.
"7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”[c] 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy[d] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. " (1 Corinthians 2)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Matthew Chapter 4
"1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."
At first glance, this verse is a little puzzling. It almost seemed strange that the Spirit would work with the devil. After giving it some thought, however, it rings a similar tone to the story of Job. It is but God allowing the devil to test Job. In our lives, similar situations could happen with two possible results...1) Triumph over the devil and be attended by God/angels (vs. 11) as in Job and Jesus' case or 2) Fail the test of faith. These incidences serve as trials to refine our faith as pure gold. In our lifetime, there will certainly be a time when God will allow the devil to tempt us. However, God had already promised us that "God is faithful; he will not let [us] be tempted beyond what [we] can bear. But when [we] are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that [we] can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
We can see that Job and Jesus were both prepared for this moment in their lives. Prior to being tempted, Job had already shown himself to be "blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8). He was a person who sacrificed burnt offerings for each of his children whenever a feast was held to purify them in case they have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. We can see from this that if Job cannot even tolerate the possibility of his children sinning in their hearts, how much more will he not allow that of himself.
Before Jesus was tempted, he had fasted for forty days and forty nights. He was well prepared after spending much time with God to withstand the devil's tricks. He was not able to be defeated physically, spiritually, or materialistically. These will be the same tricks that Satan will use to tempt us as promised that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man" (1 Corinthians 10:13). When the temptations come, are we ready? Are we preparing ourself daily as Job and Jesus had for the time when God/the Spirit allows the devil to tempt us? Will we come out of the battlefield a winner?
At first glance, this verse is a little puzzling. It almost seemed strange that the Spirit would work with the devil. After giving it some thought, however, it rings a similar tone to the story of Job. It is but God allowing the devil to test Job. In our lives, similar situations could happen with two possible results...1) Triumph over the devil and be attended by God/angels (vs. 11) as in Job and Jesus' case or 2) Fail the test of faith. These incidences serve as trials to refine our faith as pure gold. In our lifetime, there will certainly be a time when God will allow the devil to tempt us. However, God had already promised us that "God is faithful; he will not let [us] be tempted beyond what [we] can bear. But when [we] are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that [we] can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
We can see that Job and Jesus were both prepared for this moment in their lives. Prior to being tempted, Job had already shown himself to be "blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8). He was a person who sacrificed burnt offerings for each of his children whenever a feast was held to purify them in case they have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. We can see from this that if Job cannot even tolerate the possibility of his children sinning in their hearts, how much more will he not allow that of himself.
Before Jesus was tempted, he had fasted for forty days and forty nights. He was well prepared after spending much time with God to withstand the devil's tricks. He was not able to be defeated physically, spiritually, or materialistically. These will be the same tricks that Satan will use to tempt us as promised that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man" (1 Corinthians 10:13). When the temptations come, are we ready? Are we preparing ourself daily as Job and Jesus had for the time when God/the Spirit allows the devil to tempt us? Will we come out of the battlefield a winner?
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