Hebrews 9:22 - And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (KJV)
According to the law of God, everything must be cleansed in blood. The only way you and I could be delivered was if someone with untainted blood would die in our place - someone who was qualified to be the sacrificial substitute for you and me.
Every man after Adam was born with the nature of sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, they died spiritually that moment. We know Adam physically lived 930 years. But God told him that "...the day you eat of that tree you shall surely die." God was referring to spiritual death. Spiritual death is receiving Satan's nature and being separated from God. That's exactly what happened. When Adam and Eve sinned, their blood was tainted and they received the nature of Satan. Every person born after that was born with the nature of sin in his or her bloodstream. Man is the carrier. And your daddy has the nature of sin in his blood.
So, Satan thought he had the planet all locked up. But God had a better idea. He sent the Holy Ghost to conceive a child in the womb of a virgin named Mary. That Holy child was born without sin. His blood was pure. Thus, because His blood was pure, it could wash away our sins. Men have died in battle for other men. Their death may have saved someone's physical bodies for a time. But it didn't do anything about the real problem, their eternal state. But the blood of Jesus was qualified to wipe away our real problem. Our real problem was spiritual death. Spiritual death in its final form is eternal death, hell forever.
So, without the shedding of blood there is no washing away of that sin. That is why Jesus had to hang on that cross. He had to shed His blood. That is why they beat Him and the blood came out of His head, it came out of His pores, it came out of His back, and it came out of every part of Him. There was blood on the pole, blood on the dirt, and blood everywhere. And when God, the Father, saw the blood He smiled. Everybody else was horrified. But when God saw the blood it made Him glad, because that blood was what was required to save you.
Now, everyone who believes on Jesus lives forever. Thank you Jesus, for the blood!
Scripture References: Romans 5:12; 10:8-10; John 3:16
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Tout ce que vous demanderez en invoquant mon nom, je le ferai, afin que le Père soit glorifié dans le Fils
Evangile de Jésus-Christ selon saint Jean 14,7-14.
Puisque vous me connaissez, vous connaîtrez aussi mon Père. Dès maintenant vous le connaissez, et vous l'avez vu. » Philippe lui dit : « Seigneur, montre-nous le Père ; cela nous suffit. » Jésus lui répond : « Il y a si longtemps que je suis avec vous, et tu ne me connais pas, Philippe ! Celui qui m'a vu a vu le Père. Comment peux-tu dire : 'Montre-nous le Père' ? Tu ne crois donc pas que je suis dans le Père et que le Père est en moi ! Les paroles que je vous dis, je ne les dis pas de moi-même ; mais c'est le Père qui demeure en moi, et qui accomplit ses propres oeuvres. Croyez ce que je vous dis : je suis dans le Père, et le Père est en moi ; si vous ne croyez pas ma parole, croyez au moins à cause des oeuvres. Amen, amen, je vous le dis : celui qui croit en moi accomplira les mêmes oeuvres que moi. Il en accomplira même de plus grandes, puisque je pars vers le Père. Tout ce que vous demanderez en invoquant mon nom, je le ferai, afin que le Père soit glorifié dans le Fils. Si vous me demandez quelque chose en invoquant mon nom, moi, je le ferai.
Il me semble que celui qui se dispose à prier doit se recueillir et se préparer quelque peu, pour être plus prompt, plus attentif à l'ensemble de sa prière. Il doit de même chasser toutes les anxiétés et tous les troubles de sa pensée, et s'efforcer de se souvenir de la grandeur du Dieu qu'il approche, songer qu’il est impie de se présenter à lui sans attention, sans effort, avec une sorte de sans-gêne, rejeter enfin toutes les pensées étrangères.
En venant à la prière, il faut présenter pour ainsi dire l’âme avant les mains, élever l'esprit vers Dieu avant les yeux, dégager l'esprit de la terre avant de se lever pour l'offrir au Seigneur de l'univers, enfin déposer tout ressentiment des offenses qu'on croit avoir reçues si on désire que Dieu oublie le mal commis contre lui-même, contre nos proches, ou contre la droite raison.
Comme les attitudes du corps sont innombrables, celle où nous étendons les mains et où nous levons les yeux au ciel doit être sûrement préférée à toutes les autres, pour exprimer dans le corps l'image des dispositions de l'âme pendant la prière…, mais les circonstances peuvent amener parfois à prier assis…ou même couché… Pour la prière à genoux, elle est nécessaire lorsque quelqu'un s'accuse devant Dieu de ses propres péchés, en le suppliant de le guérir et de l'absoudre. Elle est le symbole de ce prosternement et de cette soumission dont parle Paul lorsqu'il écrit : « C'est pourquoi je fléchis les genoux devant le Père, de qui vient toute paternité dans le ciel et sur la terre » (Ep 3,14-15). C'est là l'agenouillement spirituel, ainsi appelé parce que toute créature adore Dieu au nom de Jésus et se soumet humblement à lui. L'apôtre Paul semble y faire allusion quand il dit : « Qu'au nom de Jésus tout genou fléchisse au ciel, sur la terre, et dans l'abîme » (Ph 2,10).
Puisque vous me connaissez, vous connaîtrez aussi mon Père. Dès maintenant vous le connaissez, et vous l'avez vu. » Philippe lui dit : « Seigneur, montre-nous le Père ; cela nous suffit. » Jésus lui répond : « Il y a si longtemps que je suis avec vous, et tu ne me connais pas, Philippe ! Celui qui m'a vu a vu le Père. Comment peux-tu dire : 'Montre-nous le Père' ? Tu ne crois donc pas que je suis dans le Père et que le Père est en moi ! Les paroles que je vous dis, je ne les dis pas de moi-même ; mais c'est le Père qui demeure en moi, et qui accomplit ses propres oeuvres. Croyez ce que je vous dis : je suis dans le Père, et le Père est en moi ; si vous ne croyez pas ma parole, croyez au moins à cause des oeuvres. Amen, amen, je vous le dis : celui qui croit en moi accomplira les mêmes oeuvres que moi. Il en accomplira même de plus grandes, puisque je pars vers le Père. Tout ce que vous demanderez en invoquant mon nom, je le ferai, afin que le Père soit glorifié dans le Fils. Si vous me demandez quelque chose en invoquant mon nom, moi, je le ferai.
Il me semble que celui qui se dispose à prier doit se recueillir et se préparer quelque peu, pour être plus prompt, plus attentif à l'ensemble de sa prière. Il doit de même chasser toutes les anxiétés et tous les troubles de sa pensée, et s'efforcer de se souvenir de la grandeur du Dieu qu'il approche, songer qu’il est impie de se présenter à lui sans attention, sans effort, avec une sorte de sans-gêne, rejeter enfin toutes les pensées étrangères.
En venant à la prière, il faut présenter pour ainsi dire l’âme avant les mains, élever l'esprit vers Dieu avant les yeux, dégager l'esprit de la terre avant de se lever pour l'offrir au Seigneur de l'univers, enfin déposer tout ressentiment des offenses qu'on croit avoir reçues si on désire que Dieu oublie le mal commis contre lui-même, contre nos proches, ou contre la droite raison.
Comme les attitudes du corps sont innombrables, celle où nous étendons les mains et où nous levons les yeux au ciel doit être sûrement préférée à toutes les autres, pour exprimer dans le corps l'image des dispositions de l'âme pendant la prière…, mais les circonstances peuvent amener parfois à prier assis…ou même couché… Pour la prière à genoux, elle est nécessaire lorsque quelqu'un s'accuse devant Dieu de ses propres péchés, en le suppliant de le guérir et de l'absoudre. Elle est le symbole de ce prosternement et de cette soumission dont parle Paul lorsqu'il écrit : « C'est pourquoi je fléchis les genoux devant le Père, de qui vient toute paternité dans le ciel et sur la terre » (Ep 3,14-15). C'est là l'agenouillement spirituel, ainsi appelé parce que toute créature adore Dieu au nom de Jésus et se soumet humblement à lui. L'apôtre Paul semble y faire allusion quand il dit : « Qu'au nom de Jésus tout genou fléchisse au ciel, sur la terre, et dans l'abîme » (Ph 2,10).
Monday, April 14, 2008
You Are What You Speak
It has been stated that "you are what you eat" and honestly that is true. Yet I believe that it is also true that "you are what you speak". Words are so powerful and the content of our conversations are so impactful.
Recently while traveling I begin to deal very openly with this area in my personal life. The Holy Spirit began to open of the Word of God to regarding my use of words and the tone, tenor, and intent of them. Out of it came a challenge to live in a more disciplined manner in this area. The truth is that if we want to see God do the amazing we must speak with confidence of who God is. If we want to have healthy and affirming relationships, we must choose to speak that with consistency.
You will be amazed at how God partners with power with your conversations. For there is life and death in the content of your words and out of your mouth flow the issues of life. God wants so much for us and it is not his will that we struggle in our relationships. So we must make our words our ally and with intention speak life and love!
Over the next several days, track your conversations and pay attention to how you say what you say. You will find that you have greater impact over your day than you thought.
Enjoy the journey!
Read Proverbs 10:20, 32, 11:9, 12:6, 13:3, 15:1
Recently while traveling I begin to deal very openly with this area in my personal life. The Holy Spirit began to open of the Word of God to regarding my use of words and the tone, tenor, and intent of them. Out of it came a challenge to live in a more disciplined manner in this area. The truth is that if we want to see God do the amazing we must speak with confidence of who God is. If we want to have healthy and affirming relationships, we must choose to speak that with consistency.
You will be amazed at how God partners with power with your conversations. For there is life and death in the content of your words and out of your mouth flow the issues of life. God wants so much for us and it is not his will that we struggle in our relationships. So we must make our words our ally and with intention speak life and love!
Over the next several days, track your conversations and pay attention to how you say what you say. You will find that you have greater impact over your day than you thought.
Enjoy the journey!
Read Proverbs 10:20, 32, 11:9, 12:6, 13:3, 15:1
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Out of the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth Speaks
Matthew 12:34 says:
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Your heart is your spirit. You are a spirit. You have a soul, and you live in a physical body. You are a tripartite creature. In other words, you are composed of three parts. With those three parts, you actually contact three worlds. With your spirit, you contact the world, or realm of God. Jesus says in John 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Genesis 1:26 tells us, "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...." If God made us in His image, then we must be like God. God is a Spirit. Therefore, we also are spirits.
Genesis 1:26 could not be talking about our being made physically in God's image. If we looked like God physically, then God would be a monstrosity. He would have a white face, a black body, red arms, brown legs, and yellow feet, because those are the five major classifications of mankind on the earth. That would be ridiculous. God is a Spirit, so when Genesis says that we were made in God's image; it means we were created as spirits.
When the Bible speaks of the heart, it is not talking about the muscle that pumps blood through your body. The Bible often uses the word heart figuratively, referring to the center or core of your being. When we talk about the heart of a melon, the heart of a tree, or the heart of a problem, we are talking about the center and core of those things. When the Bible talks about the heart of man, it is talking about the center and core of man. What is man at his center or core? He is a spirit. When the Bible talks about your heart, therefore, it is really talking about your spirit.
With this information in mind, read Matthew 12:34 once more, and let me point out something of the utmost importance to us as Christians.
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
In other words, out of the abundance of your spirit, your mouth will speak. If your mouth is not speaking right, something must be wrong with what is inside of you.
Someone may say, "Well, Brother Price, the Lord knows I have a praise in my heart, and that I don't do much taking." The Lord also knows that person just lied. The Bible says, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." If the mouth is not speaking, it must be because there is nothing in the heart.
We can, therefore, measure a man's spirit by his mouth. Of course, we should live right, and act right, but sometimes people can fool you with their actions. They can seem to be one thing, and can actually be something else. Sooner or later, however, their mouths will give them away, because their mouths will speak what is in their hearts. If you have an evil heart, you cannot speak good things.
Jesus amplifies this concept still further in Matthew 12:35-37:
35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
The word idle, in verse 36, means useless, negative, non-productive. In other words, idle words are words that have no value; they do not edify you or build you up. They do not do any good for you. And, according to Jesus, we have to give an account of those words in the day of judgment: "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Isn't it interesting that Jesus does not say we are justified or condemned by our deeds, but by our words? That is an awesome statement. The reason Jesus says, "by your words," is that your deeds will be based on your words. Ultimately, if you continue talking badly, you are going to act badly. If you keep talking sickness, you will have sickness. Keep talking failure, and you will fail.
We can see very clearly here how important our words really are. We not only affect our lives by what we say, but we are also judged by it. By our words, we can either be justified or condemned.
This article was excerpted from Dr. Price's book, "Three Keys to Positive Confession."
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Your heart is your spirit. You are a spirit. You have a soul, and you live in a physical body. You are a tripartite creature. In other words, you are composed of three parts. With those three parts, you actually contact three worlds. With your spirit, you contact the world, or realm of God. Jesus says in John 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Genesis 1:26 tells us, "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...." If God made us in His image, then we must be like God. God is a Spirit. Therefore, we also are spirits.
Genesis 1:26 could not be talking about our being made physically in God's image. If we looked like God physically, then God would be a monstrosity. He would have a white face, a black body, red arms, brown legs, and yellow feet, because those are the five major classifications of mankind on the earth. That would be ridiculous. God is a Spirit, so when Genesis says that we were made in God's image; it means we were created as spirits.
When the Bible speaks of the heart, it is not talking about the muscle that pumps blood through your body. The Bible often uses the word heart figuratively, referring to the center or core of your being. When we talk about the heart of a melon, the heart of a tree, or the heart of a problem, we are talking about the center and core of those things. When the Bible talks about the heart of man, it is talking about the center and core of man. What is man at his center or core? He is a spirit. When the Bible talks about your heart, therefore, it is really talking about your spirit.
With this information in mind, read Matthew 12:34 once more, and let me point out something of the utmost importance to us as Christians.
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
In other words, out of the abundance of your spirit, your mouth will speak. If your mouth is not speaking right, something must be wrong with what is inside of you.
Someone may say, "Well, Brother Price, the Lord knows I have a praise in my heart, and that I don't do much taking." The Lord also knows that person just lied. The Bible says, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." If the mouth is not speaking, it must be because there is nothing in the heart.
We can, therefore, measure a man's spirit by his mouth. Of course, we should live right, and act right, but sometimes people can fool you with their actions. They can seem to be one thing, and can actually be something else. Sooner or later, however, their mouths will give them away, because their mouths will speak what is in their hearts. If you have an evil heart, you cannot speak good things.
Jesus amplifies this concept still further in Matthew 12:35-37:
35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
The word idle, in verse 36, means useless, negative, non-productive. In other words, idle words are words that have no value; they do not edify you or build you up. They do not do any good for you. And, according to Jesus, we have to give an account of those words in the day of judgment: "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Isn't it interesting that Jesus does not say we are justified or condemned by our deeds, but by our words? That is an awesome statement. The reason Jesus says, "by your words," is that your deeds will be based on your words. Ultimately, if you continue talking badly, you are going to act badly. If you keep talking sickness, you will have sickness. Keep talking failure, and you will fail.
We can see very clearly here how important our words really are. We not only affect our lives by what we say, but we are also judged by it. By our words, we can either be justified or condemned.
This article was excerpted from Dr. Price's book, "Three Keys to Positive Confession."
Saturday, April 12, 2008
What It Means To Be A Worshipper
Did you know that there is a reason for your existence? God knew you before you were even formed into a fetus. He has a specific plan for your life. Your job while you are here on earth is not to choose your destiny but to discover it. Many people search for fulfillment their entire lives and never find it because they fail to discover their purpose. God is the Creator of all things. Your life is not a mere coincidence or a mistake, but a part of His plan; He has a specific assignment for you. Do you know what it is? If not, here are 10 questions to help you discover your true destiny:
1. What is your deepest desire?
Psalm 37:4 says "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." When you decide to serve God, He will actually give you the desire to do what you were created to do. You will know it is a God-given desire because it will line up with His Word.
2. What stirs your passion?
Passion is the zeal, enthusiasm, excitement and intensity you feel about things that are important to you. It will stir you to action. What bothers you the most? God may be calling on you to find a solution to a problem or to be a solution to a problem.
3. What naturally flows out of you?
Have you ever taught someone how to do something that you could do with your eyes closed? It may have seemed simple to you, but complex to them. What is that natural talent or ability you have that others do not?
4. Where do you get real results?
In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus gave us a time guideline for how long it should take to "try something out," such as a job, career, business or ministry. He gave an example of a man who had a fig tree in his vineyard and had been checking for three years to see if it was producing fruit. Then Jesus asked the question, "Why cumbered it the ground?" This was a nice way of asking, "Why is this thing taking up space?" What is taking up space in your life?
5. What is the witness of the Holy Spirit in your spirit?
God will confirm the plan He has for your life. He will sometimes speak through dreams and visions or in a still, small voice. He will make sure He gets the message to you in one way or another. Are you listening? To hear and recognize His voice clearly, you must position yourself by spending time seeking Him, diligently praying and studying His Word.
6. What do mature Christians see in you?
Keep in mind that a "mature Christian" is not just someone who has been saved for a while, but instead is a Believer who consistently makes decisions based on the Word of God. Mature Christians can give you good advice about seeking God's will for your life.
7. What career or ministry do you feel the peace of God about pursuing?
Philippians 4:6-7 says to pray with thanksgiving and let your request be known to God, and He will bring you peace about the things that concern you. Let the peace of God in your spirit man guide you and confirm His will for your life.
8. What thoughts, visions or dreams are impossible to put out of your mind?
God speaks to us in various ways. He will give you thoughts, visions and dreams, but your job is to recognize when it is God's message and when it is not. You will know God has given you a dream, vision or concept when you have spent time seeking Him. He will confirm it through His Word, as well as through people who may speak into your life about the situation. In addition you will see situations and circumstances line up to make your dream or vision come to pass.
9. What goal or ambition can you dedicate yourself to 100 percent, for the rest of your life?
Is there something you can do for hours and really enjoy? What career or job could you do for the rest of your life? When you discover your purpose, it will incorporate all of your gifts, talents and strengths, and you will have a passion for it that enables you to do it even when you are tired.
10. What do people volunteer to help you accomplish?
When you find what you were created to do, God will send people, opportunities and resources to help you along the way. Is there something you do that people want to support? When you get into that place, you will find total fulfillment. Don't waste another moment trying to find satisfaction in all the wrong places; find God's true purpose for your life today!
1. What is your deepest desire?
Psalm 37:4 says "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." When you decide to serve God, He will actually give you the desire to do what you were created to do. You will know it is a God-given desire because it will line up with His Word.
2. What stirs your passion?
Passion is the zeal, enthusiasm, excitement and intensity you feel about things that are important to you. It will stir you to action. What bothers you the most? God may be calling on you to find a solution to a problem or to be a solution to a problem.
3. What naturally flows out of you?
Have you ever taught someone how to do something that you could do with your eyes closed? It may have seemed simple to you, but complex to them. What is that natural talent or ability you have that others do not?
4. Where do you get real results?
In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus gave us a time guideline for how long it should take to "try something out," such as a job, career, business or ministry. He gave an example of a man who had a fig tree in his vineyard and had been checking for three years to see if it was producing fruit. Then Jesus asked the question, "Why cumbered it the ground?" This was a nice way of asking, "Why is this thing taking up space?" What is taking up space in your life?
5. What is the witness of the Holy Spirit in your spirit?
God will confirm the plan He has for your life. He will sometimes speak through dreams and visions or in a still, small voice. He will make sure He gets the message to you in one way or another. Are you listening? To hear and recognize His voice clearly, you must position yourself by spending time seeking Him, diligently praying and studying His Word.
6. What do mature Christians see in you?
Keep in mind that a "mature Christian" is not just someone who has been saved for a while, but instead is a Believer who consistently makes decisions based on the Word of God. Mature Christians can give you good advice about seeking God's will for your life.
7. What career or ministry do you feel the peace of God about pursuing?
Philippians 4:6-7 says to pray with thanksgiving and let your request be known to God, and He will bring you peace about the things that concern you. Let the peace of God in your spirit man guide you and confirm His will for your life.
8. What thoughts, visions or dreams are impossible to put out of your mind?
God speaks to us in various ways. He will give you thoughts, visions and dreams, but your job is to recognize when it is God's message and when it is not. You will know God has given you a dream, vision or concept when you have spent time seeking Him. He will confirm it through His Word, as well as through people who may speak into your life about the situation. In addition you will see situations and circumstances line up to make your dream or vision come to pass.
9. What goal or ambition can you dedicate yourself to 100 percent, for the rest of your life?
Is there something you can do for hours and really enjoy? What career or job could you do for the rest of your life? When you discover your purpose, it will incorporate all of your gifts, talents and strengths, and you will have a passion for it that enables you to do it even when you are tired.
10. What do people volunteer to help you accomplish?
When you find what you were created to do, God will send people, opportunities and resources to help you along the way. Is there something you do that people want to support? When you get into that place, you will find total fulfillment. Don't waste another moment trying to find satisfaction in all the wrong places; find God's true purpose for your life today!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Dieu lui donne l’Esprit sans compter
Evangile de Jésus-Christ selon saint Jean 3,31-36.
Celui qui vient d'en haut est au-dessus de tout. Celui qui est de la terre est terrestre, et il parle de façon terrestre. Celui qui vient du ciel rend témoignage de ce qu'il a vu et entendu, et personne n'accepte son témoignage. Mais celui qui accepte son témoignage certifie par là que Dieu dit la vérité. En effet, celui que Dieu a envoyé dit les paroles de Dieu, car Dieu lui donne l'Esprit sans compter. Le Père aime le Fils et a tout remis dans sa main. Celui qui croit au Fils a la vie éternelle ; celui qui refuse de croire en lui ne verra pas la vie, mais la colère de Dieu demeure sur lui. »
Si à partir d’un feu tu allumes d’autres feux en une multitude d’endroits, le premier n’en est pas amoindri… Ainsi en est-il pour Dieu et son Messie ; ils sont un, tout en demeurant dans la multitude des hommes. Le soleil non plus n’est en rien amoindri parce que sa puissance se répand sur la terre. Et combien plus grande est la force de Dieu puisque c’est par la force de Dieu que subsiste le soleil…
Cela pesait à Moïse de conduire seul le camp d’Israël. Le Seigneur lui a dit : « Voici que je vais prendre de l'Esprit qui est sur toi pour le donner à soixante-dix hommes parmi les anciens d’Israël » (Nb 11,17). Quand il a pris de l'esprit de Moïse et que les soixante-dix hommes en ont été remplis, est-ce que Moïse a été en rien amoindri ? Est-ce que l'on s'apercevait qu'il avait moins d'esprit ? Le bienheureux apôtre Paul dit aussi : Dieu a partagé de l'Esprit du Christ-Messie et l'a envoyé dans les prophètes [du Nouveau Testament] (1Co 12,11.28). Mais le Messie n’a été en rien lésé, car son Père lui a donné l'Esprit sans mesure.
C'est en ce sens…que le Christ-Messie habite dans les hommes croyants. Et il n'est en rien lésé s'il est partagé à la multitude, car c'est l'Esprit du Christ qu'ont reçu les prophètes, chacun d'eux autant qu'il pouvait en porter. Et encore aujourd'hui, c'est ce même Esprit du Messie qui est versé sur toute chair pour que prophétisent fils et filles, vieillards et jeunes gens, serviteurs et servantes (Jl 3,1;Ac 2,17). Le Messie est en nous, et le Messie est au ciel à la droite de son Père. Il n'a pas reçu l'Esprit avec mesure, mais son Père l'a aimé et a tout livré entre ses mains, lui donnant pouvoir sur tout son trésor… Notre Seigneur dit encore : « Tout m'a été confié par mon Père » (Mt 11,27)… L'apôtre Paul dit enfin : « Tout sera soumis au Christ, sauf son Père qui lui a tout soumis. Quand tout lui aura été soumis, alors il se soumettra lui aussi à Dieu son Père qui lui a tout soumis, et Dieu sera tout en tous » (1Co 15,27-28).
Celui qui vient d'en haut est au-dessus de tout. Celui qui est de la terre est terrestre, et il parle de façon terrestre. Celui qui vient du ciel rend témoignage de ce qu'il a vu et entendu, et personne n'accepte son témoignage. Mais celui qui accepte son témoignage certifie par là que Dieu dit la vérité. En effet, celui que Dieu a envoyé dit les paroles de Dieu, car Dieu lui donne l'Esprit sans compter. Le Père aime le Fils et a tout remis dans sa main. Celui qui croit au Fils a la vie éternelle ; celui qui refuse de croire en lui ne verra pas la vie, mais la colère de Dieu demeure sur lui. »
Si à partir d’un feu tu allumes d’autres feux en une multitude d’endroits, le premier n’en est pas amoindri… Ainsi en est-il pour Dieu et son Messie ; ils sont un, tout en demeurant dans la multitude des hommes. Le soleil non plus n’est en rien amoindri parce que sa puissance se répand sur la terre. Et combien plus grande est la force de Dieu puisque c’est par la force de Dieu que subsiste le soleil…
Cela pesait à Moïse de conduire seul le camp d’Israël. Le Seigneur lui a dit : « Voici que je vais prendre de l'Esprit qui est sur toi pour le donner à soixante-dix hommes parmi les anciens d’Israël » (Nb 11,17). Quand il a pris de l'esprit de Moïse et que les soixante-dix hommes en ont été remplis, est-ce que Moïse a été en rien amoindri ? Est-ce que l'on s'apercevait qu'il avait moins d'esprit ? Le bienheureux apôtre Paul dit aussi : Dieu a partagé de l'Esprit du Christ-Messie et l'a envoyé dans les prophètes [du Nouveau Testament] (1Co 12,11.28). Mais le Messie n’a été en rien lésé, car son Père lui a donné l'Esprit sans mesure.
C'est en ce sens…que le Christ-Messie habite dans les hommes croyants. Et il n'est en rien lésé s'il est partagé à la multitude, car c'est l'Esprit du Christ qu'ont reçu les prophètes, chacun d'eux autant qu'il pouvait en porter. Et encore aujourd'hui, c'est ce même Esprit du Messie qui est versé sur toute chair pour que prophétisent fils et filles, vieillards et jeunes gens, serviteurs et servantes (Jl 3,1;Ac 2,17). Le Messie est en nous, et le Messie est au ciel à la droite de son Père. Il n'a pas reçu l'Esprit avec mesure, mais son Père l'a aimé et a tout livré entre ses mains, lui donnant pouvoir sur tout son trésor… Notre Seigneur dit encore : « Tout m'a été confié par mon Père » (Mt 11,27)… L'apôtre Paul dit enfin : « Tout sera soumis au Christ, sauf son Père qui lui a tout soumis. Quand tout lui aura été soumis, alors il se soumettra lui aussi à Dieu son Père qui lui a tout soumis, et Dieu sera tout en tous » (1Co 15,27-28).
In HIM I Trust
Dear Friends
Very touching story to share with you all!
Isaiah 65:24 'Before they call, I will answer'
This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).
We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.
Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.
During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say,'Amen'. I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything, the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door.
By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children.
Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly too!'
Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!
Looking up at me, she asked: 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?'
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon.'
'Before they call, I will answer' (Isaiah 65:24) This awesome prayer takes less than a minute. When you receive this, say the prayer, that's all you have to do. No strings attached. Just send it on to whomever you want - but do send it on. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.
Let's continue praying for one another: Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask you to do these things in Jesus' name.
P.S. Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both. Passing this on to one not considered a friend is something Christ would do.
'Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet.
Very touching story to share with you all!
Isaiah 65:24 'Before they call, I will answer'
This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).
We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.
Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.
During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say,'Amen'. I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything, the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door.
By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children.
Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly too!'
Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!
Looking up at me, she asked: 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?'
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon.'
'Before they call, I will answer' (Isaiah 65:24) This awesome prayer takes less than a minute. When you receive this, say the prayer, that's all you have to do. No strings attached. Just send it on to whomever you want - but do send it on. Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.
Let's continue praying for one another: Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask you to do these things in Jesus' name.
P.S. Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both. Passing this on to one not considered a friend is something Christ would do.
'Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Significance of the Cross
The cross is probably the most readily recognized of the Christian symbols, and there is significance to it. As a symbol, the cross is a reminder of the sacrifice of our Savior over two thousand years ago. The cross itself did not effect our salvation, but it was the shedding of blood of the perfect, sinless, spotless Lamb of God on the cross that has made it so that our sins could be forgiven. Thus, the emphasis must always be on the sacrifice of Christ, the ultimate event of significance, not on the cross itself. Yet there is a reason why God chose to have His Son put to death on a tree rather than by some other means.
God is in the details, and He works all things according to a divine master plan, His Son's death by crucifixion being no accident or mere coincidence. In Genesis 3:17, the earth, the man, and the woman are cursed because they ate of the forbidden fruit of a tree. In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, we read, "If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance." In the Law, God ordained that a curse is brought upon a person if he is hung upon a tree, and hangings on trees were only for those who committed sins worthy of the death penalty. In the New Testament, we learn that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, those who sin are deserving of eternal death, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
So, in God's eyes, because of the first sin in Genesis and our certain failing to keep the entirety of the Law of God, we have all committed sin deserving of the death penalty. We are all cursed, deserving death, but God had a remedy. Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, 'CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.'" The apostle Paul quotes from Deuteronomy explaining that Christ Himself bore the curse which was ours to bear. Man deserves to die because He doesn't measure up to God's holy commandments, yet Christ bore upon Himself the curse which should have been ours along with the penalty of death. He was crucified, being nailed to a tree, signifying that He was indeed cursed on our behalf. This is the significance of the cross, that our curse could be exchanged for an eternal blessing because Christ bore our curse by being hung on a tree.
We can rejoice that we can lay aside the curse of eternal condemnation in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) because we have a Savior who shed His blood and bore the curse of our sin on the cross. The great news is that He didn't die eternally because He was God, and God raised Him from the dead. So, too, by the power of God through a relationship with Christ, we can have eternal life forever with God in heaven. We can be forgiven of our sin and freed from the curse because of the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf if we repent of our sins and turn to Him as Savior and Lord. Where there was cursing, now there can be blessing, all thanks to Jesus Christ. May He Who bore our curse on the cross receive all glory and praise.
God is in the details, and He works all things according to a divine master plan, His Son's death by crucifixion being no accident or mere coincidence. In Genesis 3:17, the earth, the man, and the woman are cursed because they ate of the forbidden fruit of a tree. In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, we read, "If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance." In the Law, God ordained that a curse is brought upon a person if he is hung upon a tree, and hangings on trees were only for those who committed sins worthy of the death penalty. In the New Testament, we learn that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, those who sin are deserving of eternal death, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
So, in God's eyes, because of the first sin in Genesis and our certain failing to keep the entirety of the Law of God, we have all committed sin deserving of the death penalty. We are all cursed, deserving death, but God had a remedy. Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, 'CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.'" The apostle Paul quotes from Deuteronomy explaining that Christ Himself bore the curse which was ours to bear. Man deserves to die because He doesn't measure up to God's holy commandments, yet Christ bore upon Himself the curse which should have been ours along with the penalty of death. He was crucified, being nailed to a tree, signifying that He was indeed cursed on our behalf. This is the significance of the cross, that our curse could be exchanged for an eternal blessing because Christ bore our curse by being hung on a tree.
We can rejoice that we can lay aside the curse of eternal condemnation in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) because we have a Savior who shed His blood and bore the curse of our sin on the cross. The great news is that He didn't die eternally because He was God, and God raised Him from the dead. So, too, by the power of God through a relationship with Christ, we can have eternal life forever with God in heaven. We can be forgiven of our sin and freed from the curse because of the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf if we repent of our sins and turn to Him as Savior and Lord. Where there was cursing, now there can be blessing, all thanks to Jesus Christ. May He Who bore our curse on the cross receive all glory and praise.
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