Hey, guys sorry I’ve not gotten this out sooner it’s been a very busy weekend! Bless ya’ll and continue in His love…. Here we go!
Five for ONE
“HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.” Deuteronomy 6:4 (Jewish Publication Society Tanakh 1917)
[Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord, (Mark 12:29 Berean Study Bible)]
This was the beginning of Jesus’ reply to the question of: “What is the greatest command?” I love it! It was almost as if Jesus started His reply with: “If you want to start with the greatest you have to start with the ONE!” But, Jesus knew because of their pride-fullness and disobedience; they only wished to be judged as being right; instead of living and actually being right.
[When that day comes, seven women will grab one man and say, “We’ll eat our own food and provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you for your name. Take away our disgrace.” (Isaiah 4:1 God’s Word Translation.)]
Why should “only” our disgrace be taken away? Do we not need the total blessing and complete flow that comes from the ONE? Can we really provide for ourselves? Do we not desperately need His relational flow much more than the removal of the disgraceful looks from the unbelievers? Surely being married to the ONE is much better than just taking His name! And more than just some outward symbol; or something done only for public approval. No wonder we have: “a form of godliness, but deny it’s power” I like how the NET bible translates 2 Timothy 3:5……
[“They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.”]
let’s look at this word “repudiated”: it is the past tense form of “repudiate”; which means to:
(1) refuse to accept or be associated with.
(2) deny the truth or validity of.
(3) refuse to fulfill or discharge (an agreement, obligation, or debt).
(4) divorce.
And the scripture says to AVOID people like these, but we seem prone to want to garner their approval and join their cliques. Joining ourselves to those that have divorced themselves from God’s power? Whoops! That’s a wrong answer.
[“But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1 Timothy 4:1 Amplified Bible)]
I want to encourage us to avoid this deception by surrendering ALL to the ONE!
Don’t rely merely on your 5 senses! (hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste)
It is not the way to live! Jesus didn’t live that way and He was completely whole. There was no sin in Him. He was and is complete in His “God-ness”; and was totally complete in His humanity while here on the earth. So let’s see what Jesus had to say about relying on our senses:
[“Jesus replied, “You’re right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I’ve come from and where I go next. You don’t know where I’m from or where I’m headed.
You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don’t make judgments like that.
But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn’t make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father.
That fulfills the conditions set down in God’s Law: that you can count on the testimony of two witnesses. And that is what you have: You have my word and you have the word of the Father who sent me.” (John 8:14-18 MSG)]
Jesus had truly experienced the Father often (in external and supernatural movings) and continually (internally) while here on earth. But He didn’t make His judgements out of what he had seen in the past (His experiences). He didn’t make His judgements (about what could or would happen) out of what He had seen and touched; or out of the current (now surroundings).
Do you think Jesus had touched and seen more of the supernatural than you and I?
Of course He had!
Don’t you think His judgements about what could and should happen; according to the environment around Him would have been right?
Yes! His judgements would have been clear and just; about what could and should take place in a person or region according to the environment.
But, Jesus refused to make judgements like that! He had told them before and He would tell them again:
[So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. (John 5:19 New Living Translation)]
and again in (John 12:49 Berean Study Bible)…..
[I have not spoken on My own, but the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and how to say it.]
He did what He saw the Father doing! Jesus lived in the moment! He looked moment by moment to the Father. Seeing how the Father perceived the situation and what He wanted to do.
Jesus didn’t say: “Oh I know how this goes” or “I’ve run across this before”.
He didn’t have a been “there” done “that” attitude. Even though in many respects He had; been there and done that!
Who else came down out of heaven that was God, and became flesh and lived among us? If the Father wanted something done in a person or situation; Jesus didn’t respond with:
“Father, that’s just weird!” or “Can’t We just do what We did last time?”.
Every person and situation was different; unique to Him, so He treated them that way.
Live in the moment with God! Don’t live out of the past; and out of your own experiences. Don’t live in the future exclusively either.
God wants us in the NOW!
It’s where He speaks to us, teaches us, and uses us. “Now” is where He wants to touch us, meet us, and fill us! Not in some future glory or some future date (Oh yes there is future glory for us too), but He longs for us now, So let’s be with Him now, and since we are with Him; let’s look to Him and see and hear what He is saying and doing and then, Let’s ONLY do that! No more will be accepted (it will burn up in the fire) and no less will be tolerated!
October 10th, 2016 by Eric