This triad idea is so huge. I find that making lists can be helpful in studies like this one but there is a point where you realize and say, 'Wow, This is going to be a very long complicated list.'
Here is one gem I found this morning that I hope is a blessing.
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." - 1 John 2:16 KJV
"This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." - 1 John 5:6-8 KJV
Three things that are not of the Father but then there are three that are witnesses here on Earth and in Heaven.
Lust and pride involve self-orientation apart from God. They are three very deep things that came with the fall of mankind. God didn't design creation and include those things. They are a dynamic added after Adam exited the garden of Eden.
The three witnesses on Earth came after the fall also but center in on Christ Himself. They are Christocentric witnesses involving His incarnation. God becoming a man produced three visible witnesses that can speak to us.
Who will we listen to? Will it be lust or will it be redemption? They both call to us and pull us in different directions.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:2 KJV
The good, acceptable and perfect will of God is that we take heed to the three witnesses we have been given.
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Showing posts with label Witnesses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Witnesses. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Grace Upon Grace
"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. And this is the testimony of John..." - John 1:16-19a ESV
Here is another translation that is not literal but carries the spirit of the passage (verse 16)...
"From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another." - John 1:16 NLT
In context, grace piling upon grace speaks about God sending people to model something. Moses was a saviour sent to bring Israel out of Eygpt. John the Baptist was sent before Jesus. Jesus represents God the Father.
The Father has an overflow that comes from His fullness. Salvation has an overflow. Jesus finished the work on the cross and we benefit from an overflow that happens because that channel is connected and functioning.
We have now become witnesses. Grace will get piled upon what we show people. We love with God's love and then His love gets revealed. His grace is on display somehow through us and then people have a bridge to a direct flow from God.
"Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God," - Psalm 62:11 ESV
A friend says something but then we realize God used them to reveal a concept from Heaven. A friend is gracious and we are connected to God through that grace to His grace.
The law was a great gift from God given through a man who was 'a type' (reflection / fore-taste) of a saviour then God's grace came as a greater gift out of the completeness of the finished work of the cross. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law and as a quickening Spirit He makes us alive which the law had no power to do.
Gift upon gift. Blessing upon blessing.
God make us a reflection of You today. We can seem like dusty people in a fallen world but we know You have put treasure in this earthen vessel. We pray people would see You somehow by Gospel words, actions and attitudes. We don't have the power to give life but You do. Make us into bridges that live in the overflow of redemption. Thank You God. We worship You. All blessings flow down from You. Thank You.
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Here is another translation that is not literal but carries the spirit of the passage (verse 16)...
"From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another." - John 1:16 NLT
In context, grace piling upon grace speaks about God sending people to model something. Moses was a saviour sent to bring Israel out of Eygpt. John the Baptist was sent before Jesus. Jesus represents God the Father.
The Father has an overflow that comes from His fullness. Salvation has an overflow. Jesus finished the work on the cross and we benefit from an overflow that happens because that channel is connected and functioning.
We have now become witnesses. Grace will get piled upon what we show people. We love with God's love and then His love gets revealed. His grace is on display somehow through us and then people have a bridge to a direct flow from God.
"Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God," - Psalm 62:11 ESV
A friend says something but then we realize God used them to reveal a concept from Heaven. A friend is gracious and we are connected to God through that grace to His grace.
The law was a great gift from God given through a man who was 'a type' (reflection / fore-taste) of a saviour then God's grace came as a greater gift out of the completeness of the finished work of the cross. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law and as a quickening Spirit He makes us alive which the law had no power to do.
Gift upon gift. Blessing upon blessing.
God make us a reflection of You today. We can seem like dusty people in a fallen world but we know You have put treasure in this earthen vessel. We pray people would see You somehow by Gospel words, actions and attitudes. We don't have the power to give life but You do. Make us into bridges that live in the overflow of redemption. Thank You God. We worship You. All blessings flow down from You. Thank You.
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Friday, April 14, 2017
He Was And Is Full Of Surprises
Jesus was continuously surprising His disciples. He was more approachable than they thought. His zeal was more. He cried over Jerusalem. He was not only willing to die. He went to the cross like a lamb. He was gracious and true graciousness is shocking. If you see it you are amazed by it. There is no polite applause. There is a heartfelt response or just plain silence. Grace is polarizing. Jesus was and Is polarizing.
"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.' And they remembered his words," - Luke 24:1-8 ESV
All of Heaven's shocking beauty will reaffirm Jesus' words. Heaven was witnessing and hearing what those disciples were witnessing also.
Some think they will get to Heaven and after asking about Christ they will find out He was only a fiction but little do those people know that if Jesus is not in their life before they go they aren't going to go to a happy, bright and shockingly beautiful place. Jesus is the surprising doorway into all that God graciously has to offer. He Is the victory over death.
This has been a hard week for me. People have seen me struggle. There was a time when that would have made me self-conscious but now I see it as an opportunity. As I sit here my prayer is that somehow I would be a testimony of something divine and surprising gracious. I'm not going to strive for it. I belong to God because of Jesus Christ and He has risen from the grave just as He said He would. I know He has put treasure in this earthen vessel. I pray people would see that treasure and that they would receive it for themselves also.
Dazzling beings are looking in today on our lives. Oh God... let them see Jesus. Let God be glorified here in the world because we have been available to the gracious One.
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"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.' And they remembered his words," - Luke 24:1-8 ESV
All of Heaven's shocking beauty will reaffirm Jesus' words. Heaven was witnessing and hearing what those disciples were witnessing also.
Some think they will get to Heaven and after asking about Christ they will find out He was only a fiction but little do those people know that if Jesus is not in their life before they go they aren't going to go to a happy, bright and shockingly beautiful place. Jesus is the surprising doorway into all that God graciously has to offer. He Is the victory over death.
This has been a hard week for me. People have seen me struggle. There was a time when that would have made me self-conscious but now I see it as an opportunity. As I sit here my prayer is that somehow I would be a testimony of something divine and surprising gracious. I'm not going to strive for it. I belong to God because of Jesus Christ and He has risen from the grave just as He said He would. I know He has put treasure in this earthen vessel. I pray people would see that treasure and that they would receive it for themselves also.
Dazzling beings are looking in today on our lives. Oh God... let them see Jesus. Let God be glorified here in the world because we have been available to the gracious One.
--
Friday, February 3, 2017
Three Living Witnesses
Mulling over the concept of a 'witness.'
"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." - Deuteronomy 19:15 ESV
A witness is someone who saw something so they say something. God required witnesses for certain legal proceedings. A notary is a kind of witness. They sign to say someone else was present.
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." - 1 John 5:4-13 ESV
I have to say... this is not an easy passage. For a long time it came across to me as legal jargon. I had a person tell me the Gospel. How are the water, blood and Spirit involved? Ok... Maybe I could begin to grasp how the Spirit was involved but the water and blood part made little sense to me.
Perhaps this refers to the Gospels? I think it has a dual reference... the Gospels and now. Jesus was baptized... water. Jesus shed His blood. He was born of a virgin and had pure blood uncorrupted by sin. Those things speak historically.
"For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son." - 1 John 5:7-9 ESV
This is a right now kind of believing from witnesses that are speaking now in a courtroom of sorts. That means they are living witnesses. Wow.
The Spirit is speaking. The water is living and speaking. Water is often a picture of truth... pure, clear, flowing and cleansing...
"...by the washing of water with the word," - Ephesians 5:26b ESV
Then there is the blood we spoke about yesterday. It is a living witness. It experienced all our sin on the cross and was poured out as a remedy.
"...and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." - Hebrews 12:24 ESV
Abel was the first murder victim and his blood cried out asking for revenge. Jesus' blood asks the Father if He would forgive us.
Believers in Jesus have living witnesses that speak. That is unique. No other philosophy or religion has this threefold correlation.
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." - 1 John 5:13 ESV
If we have seen and believed then we can become witnesses of redemption if we open our mouths and recount what we saw.
P Butch Veader has been speaking about this concept for the last few weeks with the Evangelistes and it is really revolutionary. The passage isn't jargon to me anymore. It is starting to sink in.
In the courtroom when a witness opens their mouth things become real. That person is alive with perceptions and feelings. Then another totally different person takes the stand with a different but correlating point of view... then another. What happens? We are convinced. We need to be convinced in order to have hope.
There are three witnesses... Hear what they say today... weight their words against your evaluations. They were there in history and they are here right now speaking.
--
"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." - Deuteronomy 19:15 ESV
A witness is someone who saw something so they say something. God required witnesses for certain legal proceedings. A notary is a kind of witness. They sign to say someone else was present.
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." - 1 John 5:4-13 ESV
I have to say... this is not an easy passage. For a long time it came across to me as legal jargon. I had a person tell me the Gospel. How are the water, blood and Spirit involved? Ok... Maybe I could begin to grasp how the Spirit was involved but the water and blood part made little sense to me.
Perhaps this refers to the Gospels? I think it has a dual reference... the Gospels and now. Jesus was baptized... water. Jesus shed His blood. He was born of a virgin and had pure blood uncorrupted by sin. Those things speak historically.
"For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son." - 1 John 5:7-9 ESV
This is a right now kind of believing from witnesses that are speaking now in a courtroom of sorts. That means they are living witnesses. Wow.
The Spirit is speaking. The water is living and speaking. Water is often a picture of truth... pure, clear, flowing and cleansing...
"...by the washing of water with the word," - Ephesians 5:26b ESV
Then there is the blood we spoke about yesterday. It is a living witness. It experienced all our sin on the cross and was poured out as a remedy.
"...and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." - Hebrews 12:24 ESV
Abel was the first murder victim and his blood cried out asking for revenge. Jesus' blood asks the Father if He would forgive us.
Believers in Jesus have living witnesses that speak. That is unique. No other philosophy or religion has this threefold correlation.
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." - 1 John 5:13 ESV
If we have seen and believed then we can become witnesses of redemption if we open our mouths and recount what we saw.
P Butch Veader has been speaking about this concept for the last few weeks with the Evangelistes and it is really revolutionary. The passage isn't jargon to me anymore. It is starting to sink in.
In the courtroom when a witness opens their mouth things become real. That person is alive with perceptions and feelings. Then another totally different person takes the stand with a different but correlating point of view... then another. What happens? We are convinced. We need to be convinced in order to have hope.
There are three witnesses... Hear what they say today... weight their words against your evaluations. They were there in history and they are here right now speaking.
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