following Jesus

3. Now concerning spiritual gifts

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I would not have you ignorant.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

We are naturally ignorant of other languages, higher math skills, sports or any particular subject,  that doesn’t mean that we are stupid.  All it means is we are not knowledgeable in that area.

After all, we cannot be expected to know what we haven’t experienced or been taught. The Apostle is encouraging us to learn about and walk in the light of the Spirit. Our natu Continue reading →

1. Now concerning spiritual gifts

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I would not have you ignorant.

“Ignorance is bliss”   How often have we heard and at times believed this?    In   truth ignorance robs us of many blessings.

In  1 Corinthians 12,  Paul tells us:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

Growing up I went religiously to Church and Catechism.    I don’t remember the Gifts of the Spirit being t Continue reading →

Enoch and Elijah. ..why them?

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Enoch and Elijah are alive in heaven today  (in human bodies).  Why did God choose those two?

The answer is not written in the Word but I believe I can surmise an answer.

In the lives of  Abraham and Moses we find the Lord and God Continue reading →

Are you a usefull vessel?

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Or just useless.

Warning:  A not so subtle message for Christians.

I know I am a Christian because:

  • I was born in America
  •   baptised and raised in church
  • The good I do, out ways the bad
  • I don’t drink, smoke or chew, or run with women that do.

If this is you?  You are not a Christian, or useless.   You are just like a multitude of church people who want to serve the Lord but do not Continue reading →

MOSES

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Moses is an amazing and unusual Bible character.   He came along quite late in the game but wrote the first five books of the Bible.   He spent more time with and saw more of God than anyone I know besides Jesus.

 

The other interesting thing about Moses is that He met 2 members of the Trinity at one time.    Abram knew only the Lord of the Trinity for 24 years.   He heard Him, had visions and dreams of Him, sacrificed to Him,  talked with and met the Lord, before he had ever heard the name God.

 

At the burning bush,   the Lord saw that Moses was paying attention and then God spoke.    God told Moses I Am That I Am is sending you.   The Lord told Moses how and where to go,  what to say,  when to stand in Pharaohs way.

 

It was God that led them to the Red Sea,   the Lord ahead and behind to protect them.    Moses knew both Natures of the Lord God and recognized their different voices.

 

Reread the story of Eve.   The Lord gave her Cain and Able,    Cain gave an offering to the Lord.   The Lord didn’t accept it.   Cain went out from the presence of the Lord.    God gave Eve Seth, who had Enos and that is when men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

 

As we delve deeper into the Word we will see more evidence that the Lord (Jehovah,  the Eternal One) and God (the Creator, ruler) are two different, separate and distinct members of the Trinity.

Why Abram?

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  • Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

  •  This is our introduction to Abram,  it is the same invitation we received to know the Lord.

  • The Lord had said;
  • How many times has the Lord called out to us before we finally get our act together?
  • Get out of there:
  • We must repent, turn away from our old ways and embrace the Way of the Lord.
  • To a land I will show you;
  • The Lord has made a plan and place just for us, if we will allow Him to bring us there.

I believe that the Lord introduced us to Enoch,  Noah and Abram so we could see the potential for our own lives.   These men were incredibly special,   distinct from the rest of the world in their life times.   Not because the Lord called out to them.

 

They were special and different and distinct from the rest of the world because they were obedient to what the Lord was speaking to them.

 

They were not any different then we are.   They just purposed in their hearts to seek the Lord,  to walk in His ways.  To live their lives to honor and obey the Lord.     Abram believed in the Lord and the Lord counted it for righteousness.

 

Enoch, Noah and Abram all believed and acted on their beliefs,  that is why the Lord used them.  The Lord will also use us as we accept the measure of faith available to us.

 

 

I JESUS IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

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The Bible is an amazing book, we can read it, memorize it, even believe we understand it and then one day God opens our eyes and old things pass away, the word becomes new.  Suddenly we begin to understand and see things in a different light.

For most of my Christian life the Old Testament has been the Father Gods domain.

I thought of the God of the Old Testament as Father God, Lord God or just Lord or God.  They were all interchangeable names for the same member of the Trinity, who ruled the Old Testament. He and the Spirit were active,  where was Jesus?

The Father God wrote the book of the law and He was the book and the law. Whatever we called Him, He was one member of the Trinity.  When He spoke the earth moved, things got done, He was to be feared and obeyed.

Jesus was there somewhere but silent, invisible, waiting for his cue to enter center stage. The Spirit also, was quietly hovering, ready to explode on to the scene. Continue reading →