Stillness
Stillness
“Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13).
“Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall”. (Ruth 3:18).
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
All Things Under His Control
All Things Under His Control
There are occasions in the Gospel of John when seemingly things are not under the Lord Jesus’ control when actually they are.
For example:
At His betrayal. As Judas was going to betray Him, the Lord said to him, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27).
At His arrest our Lord said to His enemies, “If you seek Me, let these [ disciples] go their way” (John 18:8).
At His trial, Pontius Pilate the Roman governor, said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus said to him, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above” “ (John 19:10,11).
At His crucifixon He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
Of His resurrection He said, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I have power to lay it down of Myself, and I have power to take it again”(John 10:17,18).
Does the Lord have control of our lives?
The Lamb of God
The Lamb of God
Typified in Exodus 12 (compare 1 Corinthians 5:7).
Prophesied in Isaiah 53:7 (compare Acts 8:32).
Identified in John 1:29.
Glorified in Revelation 5.
In John 1:29 we have the Lamb and His burden.
In Revelation 5 we have the Lamb and His book.
In Revelation 19:7-9;21:2 we have the Lamb and His bride.
Law and the Gospel
“This do”, the Law commands,
But neither gives me feet nor hands.
Better news the Gospel brings,
It bids me fly and gives me wings”.
(Anonymous).
Sweeping through the Gates of the New Jerusalem.
Sweeping Through the Gates
Who, who are these beside the chilly wave
Author: Tullius C. O’Kane
Tune: [Who, who are these beside the chilly wave]
Published in 71 hymnals
1 Who, who are these beside the chilly wave,
O’Kane, Tullius Clinton, an American writer, born March 10, 1830, is the author of “O sing of Jesus, Lamb of God” (Redemption); and “Who, who are these beside the chilly wave?” (Triumph in Death), in I. D. Sankey’s Sacred Songs and Solos, 1878 and 1881. –John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)… Go to person page >The sword of the Spirit.
“The sword of the Spirit which is the Word (rhema) of God”. (Ephesians 6:17).
“The significance of the Greek word rhema (as distinct from logos) is exemplified in the injunction to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”; here the reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of mind with Scripture”.
(Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words p.683).
The Lord Jesus Christ is our role model for He counteracted Satan with the Scriptures during His temptations. (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13).
Three Privileged Disciples
The Three Privileged Disciples
Peter, James and John were three out of twelve disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Synoptic Gospels they were present when He demonstrated His:
1.Grace, in the raising of Jairus’ daughter from death (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56).
2.Glory, on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36. Compare 2 Peter 1:16-18).
3.Grief, in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46).
Centurions
Centurions
There five commendable centurions in the Synoptic Gospels and the Book of Acts.
1.The centurion commended for his faith. (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:2-13).
2.The centurion who confessed the Lord Jesus as “Son of God” (Matthew 27:54; Mark15:39) and as “an innocent man” (Luke 23:47).
3.Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile (Acts 10 & 11).
4.The centurion who prevented Paul being scourged (Acts 22:25-29).
5.Julius,who was courteous and preserved the life of Paul (Acts 27:1-3, 43).
Election
The doctrine of Election ought to produce adoration for God not arguments among the people of God.
Fatherhood of God
In the Old Testament, God compares Himself to a Father to the nation of Israel. For example, when He was about He release them from bondage in Egypt, He said to Pharaoh, through His servant Moses, “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord; “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.””
Again, the same event is referred to in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out Egypt I called My son”.
God continued using this comparison to the end of the Old Testament. In Malachi 1:6, “A son honours his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honour?”
We see, then, in the Old Testament, God uses this comparison in a corporate sense. In the New Testament, however, it is seen in a personal sense. In Galatians 4:4-7 we read, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”. …