Tuesday, 2 May 2023
The Life of Christ Seminar - 18 Episodes (Various presenters) 2023
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Monday, 1 May 2023
Thought for May 2nd. “YOUR PRAYERS ... HAVE ASCENDED"
Does God hear prayer? Yes! But Scripture makes it clear that it depends on the spirit of mind in which prayers are offered. God sees all, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." [Prov. 15 v.3] In Ecclesiastes today we read, "Rejoice … in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment." [11 v.19]
So what is the nature of the things we rejoice about? Remember the parable Jesus told about the son who asked for - and received - his share of the inheritance - and 'rejoiced' in squandering it! (Luke 15 v.12,13) A remarkable man who was seeking the right way to 'rejoice', was none other than a Roman Centurion! We read of him, Cornelius, in Acts ch. 10 today.
` He was a man of prayer, he was seeking a relationship with the true God, the only God, and "prayed continually to God." [v.2] He receives a vision and is told by an angel, ""Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God." [v.4] Does God 'receive' our prayers like that? Are we generous in giving alms?
He is told to "send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter" [v.5] and wastes no time in doing this. The events which follow are also a learning curve for Peter, it had not entered his mind that a Roman Centurion could be saved and put on the name of Jesus! After hearing the testimony of Cornelius Peter declares, "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." [v.34,35]
Peter declares to him the "good news of peace through Jesus Christ” explaining that, “to him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." [v.36,43] At this the gift of the Holy Spirit falls on the hearers, this leaves Peter in no doubt that God is accepting the Gentiles equally with the Jews, "and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." [v.48]
It was the Holy Spirit that inspired the writing of the Bible, and guided the writers; today we have that word in print to guide and inspire us - and bring us ever closer to God - and one day, maybe soon, we will be told "your prayers … have ascended" – when God sends “out the angels (to) gather his elect" [Mark 13 v27] and our godless world is dramatically transformed as our Lord reigns in Jerusalem – see Isaiah 2 v.2-4.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VRN9w-U778[/embedyt]
https://christadelphianvideo.org/tftd/thought-for-may-2nd-your-prayers-have-ascended-2/?feed_id=36695&_unique_id=6450451058562
Family Matters #13 'The Bitter and the Sweet' Nathan and Susanna
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Thought for May 8th. "WHICH IS ABLE TO BUILD YOU UP"
We read today of Paul's final meeting with the Ephesian elders (Acts 20 v.18-38). These verses are a powerful testimony to what matters most in serving our Lord. First he tells them, "I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." [v.26,27] When we teach others we must do the same: this is why our daily reading of God's word, working through the New Testament every 6 months and the Old Testament every 12, is invaluable - in helping us to absorb "the whole counsel of God." In serving our Lord in these final days, we seek to absorb those parts which are most helpful in our understanding of that counsel.
Paul is sad, saying, " I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away disciples after them." [v.29,30] And so it happened - and continues down to this day - this is a major reason why it is essential to daily feed on the whole of God's word right through the year, each year.
Paul tells them, "And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance ..." [v.32] What a privilege! It is the greatest thing in life, the preparation for eternal life. We must notice it is " the word of his grace." We can in no way 'earn' salvation - to succeed in living so that we feel we 'deserve' a place in God's kingdom - but we can - and should - live so that we develop a wonderful spiritual relationship with our Lord.
In completing our thoughts this morning we are drawn to the concluding words and prayer of our Lord to his disciples before his arrest. We find them in John 17 v.20-21. " I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
And so the true original 'church' was established - feeding on God's word "which is able to build (us) up and to give (us) the inheritance ..." But today we live in a world which seeks, more than ever, to tear down all that is spiritual, or at least adulterate God's words so that it conveys no message of hope for our world - or warning about what the future holds. And the world’s future is – very dark – for those who have no relationship with God: make sure you have – and you are being built up each day..
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnPf_9jr38s[/embedyt]
https://christadelphianvideo.org/tftd/thought-for-may-8th-which-is-able-to-build-you-up-2/?feed_id=36810&_unique_id=644f90c406fb3
Thought for May 1st. “…. TO CARRY MY NAME”
Our chapters in Deuteronomy and Acts today link together to give us a challenging message. Moses continues his final message, his warning to God's nation who are about to leave the wilderness, "you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations" that are presently in the land they are about to enter. We cannot help seeing some parallels with the abominable practices in today's world, before God's kingdom is established. Moses is then told, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you" [v.15] I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him." [v18]
The prophet Moses was told about - is Jesus! We read on Monday in Acts 3 v.22,23, how Peter quoted these very words when he was preaching in Jerusalem. Today in Acts ch. 9, we have the account of Saul, soon to be called Paul, being challenged by the voice of Jesus in an overwhelming bright light - before he reaches Damascus - and then is led blind into the city.
After 3 days a believer named Ananias is told where to find Paul and to lay "his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."[v.12] Ananias is horrified - "Lord" he says, "I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem."
But he is told, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." [v.13-16] It helps to also understand “name” in the sense of “reputation.”
As soon as Paul "regained his sight ... he rose and was baptised." [v.18] This makes plain that the act of baptism, of going "down into the water" [8 v.28], is the essential act to show to oneself as well as others that you now belong to Christ - see Romans 6 v.3-5.
Paul wastes no time in serving Jesus, he now "confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ ... and ... preached boldly in the name of Jesus." [v.22,27] Jesus is still, today, asking all who are willing and committed in heart and mind "to carry my name." Does that include you? Yes? Paul's words in 2 Cor. 13 v.5 challenge our heartfelt meditation, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?"
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdt5--tA2r0[/embedyt]
https://christadelphianvideo.org/tftd/thought-for-may-1st-to-carry-my-name-2/?feed_id=36672&_unique_id=644f8bfd99141
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)