Words of Jesus Part 33
Words of Jesus is the bold letters.
I will not comment too much on their mission to preach because it has already been covered in the other gospels except to notice how the Lord asks us to pray for more laborers in the harvest of souls. Even today more than ever we need laborers that will be faithful to the truth and not change the word or ignore the true doctrine taught in the word to attract more people hoping that the gospel will rub off on them. The gospel has to be preached along with repentance just like Jesus and the apostles preached it. We cannot water it down to please the crowds. Jesus said that the apostles were lambs among wolves. That showed clearly that they didn't preach a watered down gospel but commanded hearers to repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. I notice also that Jesus said not to salute no man by the way. I don't believe He meant for them not to be friendly but to not allow anything to hinder or delay the work God is sending them to do. Not to get distracted. There is so many things today that does distract us from the calling of the Lord. He uses us to pray. Pray for more to labor for the Lord, not be distracted and keep going. If that doesn't tell us our prayers have significance, I don't know what does.
Jesus taught a literal hell and we should not try to change that in order to make us feel better when someone dies. My thoughts on His telling them not to go from house to house but stay in one place until they leave, could be to keep from gossiping and making comparisons from those providing different accommodations and such. It might cause jealousy and trouble of some kind.
To accept a true and I emphasize true, minister of the gospel is the same as receiving Christ, to reject one that brings the true word of God is the same as rejecting the savior.
This is what is to happen to Satan and those that follow with him. If we choose his way, we might profit temporarily in this life but in the long run our souls would spend eternity in hell. Its just not worth it. To forsake all and follow Christ guarantees a place in eternity, forever. This life is short and passes quickly. Eternity is forever.
Again a reminder that our rejoicing should not be in having the evil spirits in subjection to us but rejoice that our names our written in heaven. Jesus puts the emphasis squarely on the saving of souls above the casting out of devils. Healing and casting out devils were done when needed to prevent the gospel from being hindered and as a compassionate act for those suffering and in bondage to Satan. It was never done to put on a show to make the disciples look like they were the ones doing the healing. Preaching the gospel and saving the lost were the main emphasis and Jesus didn't even allow them to rejoice over the fact that they had power over the enemy. We are not to rejoice over spiritual power but over the fact that names are written in heaven when one becomes born again by the spirit of God. That is the goal. Signs follow true believers but those true believers are never to stop preaching the gospel that saves the lost. We are to also preach the truth and teach the word to exhort the ones already saved to disciple them to go forth and share the gospel to even more. The gifts of the spirit for healing and such are to edify the church and convince the lost that Jesus is the Christ. They are to glorify Jesus Christ at all times. We all are to work together in the calling God places us in without judging and comparing one another. No one is to be exalted above anyone else. We do need those God puts in authority to keep peace and guide the public meetings or else there would not be order and at times may cause chaos. A free for all meeting does not really edify and provide for time to preach the word without being hindered. That is why providing a time for the public to worship and also a time for the preaching of the word are both needed. The true Holy Spirit comes into our midst when we glorify and emphasize Jesus Christ. No human being is to believe that he has certain power to show off and glorify himself as being more spiritual than others. Certain ministers and evangelists do not have anything more than any one of us can have as believers in Jesus Christ. No one has a monopoly on the gifts of the spirit and they are not to be used to puff one up above another. We are to walk in humility and be willing to repent if we make mistakes and we do make them. We've got to get our eyes off men or women who claim to have power with God. They don't have anything more than anyone can have if they are faithful to God. Some believe the gifts are given to the church as a whole and not to individuals. If that were the case then any of the nine gifts could be used at certain times of need and not one person would be doing all the healing, prophesying, etc. If a group of people are praying instead of just one, then perhaps we wouldn't know which person God was using to heal the sick. That way only God gets the glory. The emphasis should be on the one being helped, not on the one doing the praying. All things though should be done by order and not confusion by waiting of the leading of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes there may be only one or two that are what we call prayed up and be willing to hear from the Holy Spirit and be used of God. That may be why we only see a few available to be used of God to bring forth the word. The gifts of the Spirit though are available to every believer, but we have the responsibility to allow ourselves to be willing vessels. Yet in all that, it has to be in order and done in a way that does not cause confusion. This we learn as we grown in the Lord by studying the word and learning from Him. If we constantly walk in the Spirit and be in subjection to one another seeking the will of God, we will learn the right way to do things. I will add here that we also need to have compassion on those that get excited and make mistakes in this area. That does not mean they are "of the devil" or fakes. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wonderful, prescious and good but some that first learn of these wonderful things may make mistakes and get out of order at times. Gentile loving correction is needed by the leadership, not harsh condemnation.
We can never figure out God. Who we would pick to do a certain task may not be His choice. He knows the hearts and we do not know.
We will only know what God reveals to us. To know these things, we need to ask and seek. God is not going to give us understanding if we do not desire it. So many say, "I can't understand the KJV bible." We can understand the KJV translation if we desire to understand and God begins to reveal it to us precept upon precept and line upon line. My dad only had a sixth grade education. Yet, He understood the KJV very well. He understands it because he wanted to understand and sought God for understanding. When he was younger, they didn't have the other versions yet except maybe the Revised version. Only the Spirit of God can show us who God is. When one is saved from sin it is by power of the Holy Spirit drawing us and leading us to Jesus. We cannot do it or make it happen. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other way to be saved. No one but Jesus gave His own earthly life bearing our sins and then dying for them. He rosed from the grave never to die again that those that believe and receive Him can also be raised from the dead and never die again. We have to be willing to come to Him. We are not born into a religion at birth. We have to make that decision ourselves. That is why the forced conversions done in the Middle Ages were so dumb. Forced conversions can't save a rabbit much less a person. It is a complete idiotic waste of time. You baptize someone by force and he will go down a dry sinner and come up a wet one. It is stupid. Only God can change a heart and cause one to be saved from sin. We got to get it out of our heads that we personally cannot change a person by coercion It can't be done. We can urge, help, preach, encourage, pray etc. but we can't force anyone to be saved and have eternal life.
Some of us do not realize the privilege we have. We think we might want to be a great prophet like Isaiah, Daniel or Jeremiah but we have the privilege they didn't have while they were walking the earth. We have seen the salvation of the Lord, we have heard of the Lord's death, burial and resurrection, and we have access to the gifts of God of salvation, being filled with the Holy Spirit and inheriting eternal life. That is why we sometimes see converts from other religions, especially those that are taught to hate anyone that is different, make the best workers and preachers for the Lord. They are very enthusiastic about their new found faith.
Some take these verses lightly. Look at them for just a moment. If we love God with all our hearts, we would not desire to sin against Him, ignore His word and live a selfish life leaving Him out until we get into trouble. If we loved our neighbor as ourselves we would not steal from him, murder him, commit adultery with his wife or her husband, whatever the case may be. We would not covet their goods or tell lies about them. That is what we call bearing false witness. Neighbor does not just mean our next door neighbor. Those that claim to love God and put everything else first, do not love Him.
A priest was supposed to care for the suffering but he pretended not to see and passed by.
Surely a religious man like the Levite would help but he too passed by.
A Samaritan was not considered to be religious but a sinner, yet he had compassion and helped the one who was suffering. It is sad when those we call sinners show more compassion than the ones who claim to be Christians. Yet with tears we read of this down through the ages. Some even put to death any that tried to correct the false teaching of the churches Catholic or Protestant. Some used torture and did horrible things to dissenters and Jews. Is it any wonder that the Jewish people have had a hard time recognizing their Messiah when those that claim to follow the Messiah do such evil things. Thank God Jews are coming to Christ now but it is no thanks to the apostate so called churches that may have a name on the door but be empty within the heart. There was no time that God made the church so exalted as to replace the Jewish people. We are to preach the gospel to all. All have come short of the glory of God and all need to be saved from sin. Jew, Greek, Christian, and every human being on the face of the earth needs to be saved from sin. Preaching the gospel is telling the truth. It is not using torture, harassment and force of any kind to make converts to any religion. The church does not save. Being born again by God's spirit is the only thing that saves us from our sins. We have to be saved from sin to have eternal life. The above verses can't be kept unless the spirit of God is in our innermost being. We can't love without God within us. In order to have God's spirit within us, we have to get the sin out. They do not dwell together. We can't get our own sin out by will power so we need a savior and a deliverer from sin. This is Jesus. This happens when we repent or turn from sin. We then become born again by God's spirit. There is no other way of salvation. We must believe Jesus and believe in who He is. Only when we believe in Jesus can we be born again. Sin has to be cleansed and we have to be changed by God's spirit before we can inherit eternal life.
We can begin seeking God for the fruits to follow us once we come to Him for salvation. Then the gifts so that we can minister to others the message we received.
Go and do likewise. Have mercy, have compassion and exercise ourselves to true godliness. This is not threatening people, torturing people and not speaking to them if they disagree with us.
I love the Mary and Martha story. I realize its not an excuse for laziness but its always been hard for me to work in some kitchen if someone is teaching the word of God in another room. Forget the food. I want to hear what is being taught.
Most of the sermons I've heard over the years have absolutely reversed this passage and commended Martha rather than Mary. I guess most of us love the Martha types, especially the men. Most people, when they go to visit someone we would rather have a Martha fuss over us rather than a Mary that just wanted to study the word of God and talk about the bible. No matter what our flesh desires though, Jesus commends Mary, not Martha. God bless our Marthas that work to make food and feed the hungry. I love them too, but we must remember that the Lord did not commend her but Mary. Mary wasn't lazy or neglectful of duties. I'm sure when Jesus wasn't around, Mary would help her sister. Mary just recognized the right priorities. Mary saw that the word of God was the most important thing even above food and necessary things we think are important. I know that if a good bible teacher anointed by the Holy Spirit, was in a certain room, I would not want to be in any kitchen preparing food. I would want to hear the speaker. We could just order pizza.
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