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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Always Having What You Need (Who) John 6: 17-35


click to Read the passage: John 6  (a new browser window will open)

v.17 1. Harmed by need of fellowship.
(…And it was now dark and Jesus was not come to them.)

v.18 2. Harmed by uncontrollable circumstance.
(And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.)

v.19, 3. Harmed by inability to recognize Jesus.
  20 …they saw Jesus walking on the sea, drawing nigh unto the ship, and they 
                were afraid.)

v.21 4. Harmed by trying to place a hold upon Jesus.
(Then they willingly received Him into the ship, …)
Happy when Jesus is what we want Him to be.

v.22- 5. Harmed by uncertainty about God’s will.
  24 (and that Jesus went not with His disciples into the boat, …)(…they also took
                shipping and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.)

v.25 6. Harmed by Jesus’ misunderstood ways.
(…Rabbi, when camest thou hither?)
instead of adoration and worship.

v.26 7. Harmed by selfish interest.
(Jesus answered them and said, Verily, Verily, I say unto you. Ye seek me, not
                because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were 
                filled.)

v.27 8. Harmed by too little knowledge of and too little dependency upon Jesus.
(Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto
                everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: …)

v.28, 9. Harmed by a substitute of intention for believing.
  29 (Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of 
                God? …)

v.30 10. Harmed by leaning on the visible rather than the spiritual.
(…what sign showest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? What dost 
                thou work?)

v.31 11. Harmed by the lifelessness of tradition alone.
(Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, …)

v.32, 12. Harmed by temporal views of life.
  33 (…Moses gave you not the bread from heaven: but my Father giveth …)

v.35 13. Harmed when there is the gift of life given.
v.35 14. Harmed when fullness is Jesus’ expression.
(And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of  life; he that cometh to me shall
                never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.)









Saturday, November 26, 2016

In Cooperation with the Holy Spirit Ephesians 5: 19-33


click to Read the passage: Ephesians 5  (a new browser window will open)



v.191.It leads the heart to honor Christ, to delight in following Him.
(Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and 
making melody in your heart to the Lord;)

v.202.It nurtures full acknowledgment of the Father's will in my life and the Son 
of God's authority in occurrences in my life.
(Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;)

v.203.It frees my heart from the pressure of wrong conclusions.

v.21-4.It guards the heart from reasonings of the flesh.  
30(Wives, submit… husbands, love your wives, …)
The focus of the heart is on obedience, not fairness, not man's standards, … arguments.  I would but he, (she), …)

v.22-5.It brings the heart to honor and reconcilement with the will of God.  
27(That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, …)
Literally equipping the heart,
blessing marriage.

v.22-6.It positions the heart to acknowledge its dependency upon Christ.
  32For apart from the Holy Spirit's work there can be no attainment of God's standards; 
the flesh would work out its resisting rule. 
The feeling of spiritual emptiness would be the result.
The failings of a believer (time apart from being full) encourage the heart's quick return to Christ.

v.23-7.It directs the heart to acknowledge the higher purposes of God and to seek   
 32them.
the work of the church.
The Holy Spirit is able to deal with any arising circumstance which competes with the 
will of God.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Do you Lack? Psalms 34: 10


click to Read the passage: Psalms 34  (a new browser window will open)


(The young lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord
shall not want any good thing.)

1. Are you lacking? Are you seeking?

2. Are you seeking? Are you really lacking?

3. What has God provided that you are failing to recognize?

4. What are you looking for that is outside God’s bounds of provision for you?

5. Is what you are seeking after good as judged by God’s criteria?

6. Define you lack. See if it really is real.

7. Give thanks for your sufficient care and presently renew your commitment
to God’s revealed purpose.
The issue is seeking!



Saturday, November 19, 2016

The Fount of Thanksgiving 1 Chronicles 29: 10-20


click to Read the passage: I Chronicles 29  (a new browser window will open)


Acknowledgments in thanksgiving: 


v.10 1. God's eternal fatherhood. Matthew 6: 6-8
(Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, ) 
The personal relationship with God that God allows. 
To the new testament believer it is first with the Son, the Savior.  The Son reveals the Father.

v.10 2. God's uninterruptable rule. 
(our Father, for ever and ever.) 
One rule over eternity.

v.11 3. God's immeasurable greatness and might 
(Thine, 0 Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty:) 
Words that uniquely identify Jesus and accelerate our heart in triumphant trust.

v.11 4. God's inexhaustible treasure. 
(for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine;) God's protection from both worry and greed.
God’s ownership, the believer’s security.
  
v.11, 5. God's indisputable rule and authority. 
12 (thine is the kingdom, 0 Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all,)(and thou reignest over all;) 
Matthew 28: 18

v.12 6. God's unfailing supply. 
(Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in) 
God does not fail His people.

v.12 7. God's irrevocable hand. 
(and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength to all) 
Men look to another man for approving, for reimbursement …
Isaiah 59: 1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;)

v.13 8. God's matchless name.  The personal manifestation of all the names of God
(Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.) 
John 17: 12 keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

v.14 9. God's overwhelming grace and mercy. 
15 (But who am I , and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort?) 
(For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.) 

v.14, 10. God's abundant supply. 
(for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.) 
God gave so we might give.
John 10: 10 I am come …have it more abundantly.
Jesus can select from His supply, that which matches our need.

11. God's endowment of spiritual gain and blessing. 
(0 Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build the a house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.) 
Teach old testament history and God’s provision of resources. 

12. God's immutable uprightness. 
(I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in 
uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are  present here, to offer willingly unto thee.)
first use of uprightness in this verse is Strong’s 4339- equity, justice, straight , righteous, equal
2nd use of uprightness is Strong’s 3476 honesty, integrity
v.18 keep your people like you.

13. God's infallible word. 
(And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.)
We live by His life and by His word.

14. God's timeless throne of perfection. 
(Now David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshiped the Lord, and the King.) 
Revelation 12,  13
We need to worship Jesus.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

The Freedom God Must Have Philippians 2: 13


click to Read the passage: Philippians 2  (a new browser window will open)


Dealing with Lordship:

1. Only God is to be at work in you.
(For it is God who worketh in you ;)
not self- not the world
don’t listen to self’s arguments

2. God is to be in control in your life.
(God who worketh in you)
We can often tell who is in control by who is making the decisions.
We are not to initiate or determine direction on our own.
God will allow you to be in control and take His hands off-- this is carnality.
Ex. in control of a car

3. God has a purpose for you, a will.
(both to will)

4. God provides a pattern to follow.
( both to will and to do)
What is God up to; tie yourself to Him, agree with Him, pursue Him.

5. God looks for a willing vessel.
(both to will and to do)
not a perfect vessel.

6. God desires to take pleasure through you.
(and to do of His good pleasure)

7. God will complete His work.
(both to will and to do of His good pleasure,)
God is not leaving chapters in our life message incomplete.

What pleases God is His will, His purpose, His pleasure.
If we are following man’s will, God’s will is not being pursued.
His will and His pleasure for me is not necessarily the same as His will and His 
pleasure for another, as to particulars. Overall His will is that I be conformed to
Jesus.
The making of comparisons is not wise. I need seek what His will and pleasure is
for me.
If we are following God, we can trust the events and circumstances in our life
(even tests  and trials) as being according to God’s will and good pleasure.




Saturday, November 12, 2016

Awaiting Christ's Report Mark 5: 39-43


click to Read the passage: Mark 5  (a new browser window will open)


v.391.There is nothing hopeless when Jesus is present.
(The child is not dead, but sleepeth.)

v.392.There is nothing final until Jesus says it is.
(The child is not dead, but sleepeth.)

v.403.There is no one so foolish as one who refuses Christ's report.
(and they laughed Him to scorn)

v.414.There is nothing too hard for the Lord Jesus.
(And He took the child by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi,…I say unto thee, arise.)

v.425.There is nothing complete until Jesus completes it.
(and straightway the child arose, and walked;)

v.426.There is nothing lacking when Jesus is through.
(and straightway the child arose, and walked,… and they were astonished…)

7.There is nothing so sweet as true fellowship with Jesus.



Wednesday, November 9, 2016

God Gives Time Judges 7: 8



click to Read the passage: Judges 7  (a new browser window will open)


(So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent
all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three
hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.)

1. The enemy is present to engage in battle.

2. The enemy may think he is in charge when God’s people are involved.

3. God gives time for His leaders to be developed and be assured.
Ch. 6
4. God gives time for the assembling of His servants.

5. The enemy must wait on God.

6. The enemy doesn’t go away, but is trapped by his rebellion against God

7. In God’s time, the enemy falls.





Saturday, November 5, 2016

We Worry Needlessly 1 Corinthians 2: 10


click to Read the passage: I Corinthians 2  (a new browser window will open)



(But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.)

Rely on the Holy Spirit’s faithfuness.

1.Thinking we lack information.

2.Thinking we cannot discover God's will.

3.Thinking things won't work out.

4.Questioning God's commitment.

5.Doubting God's involvement.

6.Not availing of the Holy Spirit's guiding.

7.Not looking for the exceeding greatness of God's hand.
We look in too ordinary of places.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Where is the Barrier? Luke 11: 9, 10



click to Read the passage: Luke 11  (a new browser window will open)

(And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.) (For every one that asketh 
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.)

1. God has removed the barrier to asking.

2. God has promised a supply to the asker.

3. God has removed the barrier to seeking; there is no vainness.
Eccl. 1: 2 …

4. God has promised reward to the seeker.
5. God has extended the invitation to knock on unopened doors of faith.

6. God is the door opener for the child of God.

7. Why would a believer impose limits God does not make?
Why would a believer tarry at asking?
Where are the Barriers?  Are they not man made?