- araratchurch
- Oct 24, 2023
- 4 min read
“Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?””
Luke 24:28-32 NKJV
After the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, Pat Tillman left his career as a pro football player to join the army. Tragically, he was killed in 2004 in Afghanistan—not by enemy forces—but by friendly fire.
Sadly, these types of accidents are more common than we’d like to believe. Indeed, many of these accidents are blamed on what is called the “fog of war.”
You see, battle scenarios involving high fear and danger, can cause confusion as to who is the enemy and who is a friendly. As well, the possible panic resulting from the pressure, can cause fatal mistakes.
Now, it isn’t just in situations of war that high anxiety mixed with confusion can have devastating results. Indeed, the enemy of our souls tries to throw so much in our way (on a daily basis!) that we become overwhelmed and confused. As such, we can become easy pickings for his deceit and temptation.
Now, whereas we cannot avoid all scary situations or daunting challenges, we can keep from making our situation worse by becoming hysterically blind to the direction from our ever-present Lord.
The apostle Paul found himself in many harrowing circumstances as he walked in obedience to the Lord.
However, even in the midst of great adversity and persecution, he never despaired because he never lost sight of that which is eternal: Christ, His Kingdom and His glory.
“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
II Corinthians 4:8-9, 16-18 NKJV
It was the third day after Jesus’ crucifixion. Two of the disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus. As they walk, they are talking about all the things that had just happened.
At some point, Jesus actually joins them. After inquiring why they seem to be so sad, Jesus listens as the disciples—oblivious to His identity—tell Him about their confusion over all the things that have just happened.
“Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”
Luke 24:25-27 NKJV
Now, these disciples could not have been ignorant of the prophecies of a “suffering servant.”
However, in the midst of their sorrow and confusion, they panic, forgetting all they had learned.
In our opening scripture we see the point at which the disciples realized Who Jesus was. Yes, he was known to them in the breaking of bread.
You see, they had been reminded of the prophetic word concerning the Messiah. Then, as they fellowship with the Lord, it all comes back to them, they realize He has risen!
Child of God, if we are to do exploits, we must not let any situation, any pressure or challenge, cause us to forget what we have learned from the word of God.
As well, we must not allow panic and confusion to keep us from recognizing that the Lord has not left us. Yes, He is still with us!
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35-39 NKJV
Tomorrow we will bring all of this together.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Oct 20, 2023
- 4 min read
“And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.” Mark 9:1-4 NKJV
I recently saw a story about a young woman who has just won a major gymnastics award.
Interestingly, in the story about her, they showed a video of her, several years younger, at the same type of competition as an enthusiastic fan.
No doubt, she visualized herself in the place of the different gymnasts as they soared across the mat, doing wonderful feats of strength, flexibility, and coordination.
Now, if she had simply been entertained by those gymnasts, never considering that she could be amongst their ranks, she may never have pursued—or continued to pursue—the rigors required for that level of physical ability.
Yes, she had to use that image of what is possible, to motivate her to pursue the practices that would transform her into what she was seeing.
Perhaps, when you hear a discussion of doing exploits (our current topic), you may assume that is for other people, that you would never have what it takes to be able to do great things for the Kingdom of God. But, the truth is, we have the same Spirit operating in us Who raised Christ from the dead.
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:11, 14 NKJV
Truly, Jesus came, not only to redeem us, but to also show us who we were created to be, while also providing a way for us to receive His same Spirit.
“And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about. For in one place the Scriptures say, “What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.” Hebrews 2:5-11 NLT
In our opening scripture we see the description of Jesus being transfigured in front of Peter, James and John. Certainly, seeing Jesus in His glory, was an event that changed their perception of Him forever.
Indeed, Peter went on to reference this experience many years later.
“For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:16-19 NLT
In our discussion yesterday, we looked at this scripture:
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” I John 3:1-2 NKJV
Now look at what the very next verse says:
“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” I John 3:3 NKJV
Yes, seeing ourselves as children of God motivates us to righteousness, and righteousness leads to spiritual maturity.
Friend, what Peter, James and John saw concerning Jesus’ glory, was also a sneak peek of what we will one day become.
But, just as that little gymnast would never have been found on an awards podium had she not been motivated to do what champions do, if we fail to allow the vision of Christ’s glory to motivate us toward doing what He said we should do, as well as believing we are who He said we are, then we may just remain a “fan” of the great things Christ did, never participating in the great works He said we could do!
““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” John 14:12 NKJV
Peace to you. Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him! #ThePropheticWord
- araratchurch
- Oct 20, 2023
- 4 min read
““I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”” Job 42:5-6 NKJV
Jesus had just finished telling the disciples that He was going to go and prepare a place for those who are His. Not only that, He said that He would return to get those for whom a place had been prepared.
““Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”” John 14:1-4 NKJV
Thomas then remarks that they don’t know where Jesus is going, and that they certainly did not know the way.
“Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:5-6 NKJV
Jesus then goes on to explain to them that knowing Him, is knowing the Father.
““If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:7-9 NKJV
The question Jesus asks Philip is one many people would do well to consider in terms of their own knowledge of God: “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me?”
Several years ago the Lord spoke to me, saying, “What you think you know about Me, is keeping you from truly knowing Me.”
Wow, that definitely got my attention. You see, it’s easy to form a picture of God that has more to do with our own assumptions, coming out of our own experience, than it does with what God has revealed concerning Himself.
Sadly, as human beings, we tend to cling to assumptions we have held over the course of our lifetime. Indeed, those very assumptions can be a barrier to receiving or knowing the truth about God.
“My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.” Hosea 4:6 NLT
Throughout the Old Testament, God speaks of the fact that His people don’t really know Him. In the above scripture, we see that the Lord says that their lack of knowledge of Him (and what He wants) is actually leaving them open to the destruction they are seeing.
As well, we see many references in the New Testament to people who think they know Who God is, but don’t.
Paul, in speaking to the church at Philippi, explains that there are those who have set their minds on earthly things so that they now have become enemies of the cross of Christ!
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” Philippians 3:18-19 NKJV
Now, we may suppose there to be a big difference between imposing our own idea of God on our understanding of Him, and, on the other hand, being an enemy of the cross of Christ. But, in actuality, any persistent divergence from the truth God has revealed about Himself, can put us on the same path as those who openly disregard what the Lord has said.
In our opening scripture we see Job confessing that before the Lord “schooled” him concerning Himself, he had not truly known the Lord.
Child of God, let us not so tightly cling to our own misconceptions concerning God (coming out of our own experience, our own analysis, our heeding false doctrine, etc.), keep us from knowing who He truly is.
As we are discussing the need to go beyond our spiritual status quo, to the “capable of doing exploits level,” we must remember that our spiritual authority and ability will never pass the level of our understanding of Who God really is.
There is coming a day when we will perfectly know Him, and perfectly be like Him. But, for now, we must listen carefully to the Holy Spirit, attending carefully to the written word of God, so that, in as much as it is possible, we will truly know Him.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” I John 3:1-2 NKJV
Peace to you. Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him! #ThePropheticWord