The Word

I love theology, I like reading, studying and academics. I wanted to present to you John 1 in a way you may or may not have heard it before, but that got me fired up. Funny thing is though usually we get fired up because God spoke to us, but the people we tell it to don't usually get as excited.

John 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
 Now when we think of the beginning we see the Father, we see the Spirit, but where is Jesus? Supposedly he was there but we see no mention of him in Genesis 1. Well I propose to you we see him in verse three, "And God said..." Did you see him? The Word, a thing uttered, speech, language, that is when God speaks we see Jesus, before he became flesh. Christ is the way God manifest himself to us in the new covenant, but I believe Christ, the Word of the Lord, is the way He was manifest in the old testament as well.

I will use a few example from the old testament, but I encourage you to look at it yourself and pray the God would give you the correct understanding.

Do a quick search in BibleGateway, "the word of the Lord".

Read through these verses and passages and consider Jesus Christ, the Word of the Lord.

Full Surrender

If we are fully surrrendered we will overcome sin.

If we are fully surrendered we will preach the gospel.

If we are fully surrendered we will think of others before yourself.

If we are fully surrendered we will choose to give up fleeting pleasures.

Today!

If I surrender some I will have to make accuses for not overcoming.

If I surrender some I will rarely preach the gospel in love.

If I surrender some I will think of myself often.

If I surrender some I will be bored and constantly looking to cure it.

Philippians: Joy in Suffering

I've always heard of Philippians as being the book of joy, but I realized Paul also take a lot about suffering:

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, Philippians 1:29

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Philippians 2:17

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Philippians 3:10

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. Philippians 4:14

The point being that Paul was showing the joy we can have in suffering. This became clear to me through the experiences of many saints, that talked about the overwhelming comfort of the presence of the Spirit of Christ in the mist of their sufferings. So Philippians give us how we experience God's peace, comfort, fellowship in sufferings when we die to and humble ourselves.

Being under leadership

Don't have a verse though there are many for this topic. But recently I joined the leadership training program at my church. The thing is I didn't want to because I felt like, all my learning would be associated with it and not wisdom I had before, but that is just pride. I also know that in order to be a leader you must be under leadership. You must submit to those who are in authority over you. Doesn't matter if you think or you are more spiritual, they still know the Lord and His Word in application than a younger believer can know because you can't bypass time. Many young folk, get into doctrine, get puffed up, become lone-wolf-I'm-the-last-prophet-Elijahs, just to have a bunch of rough years of confusion. Submit. Anyways something that is humbling me and is making me into the man of God that God wants me to be.

Now I have a verse lol,:

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

Trust and Obey!

There's a hymn:

Trust and obey, for there's no other way   to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

If you want to be happy in Jesus, have the Joy of the Lord, have the Peace that surpasses understanding, bask in the presence of the Lord, you must trust and obey. Whenever the Lord shows you from the scriptures something, mediate on it and ask him how to apply it to your life and do it!!! As you trust and obey, you'll begin to hear his voice more clearly, you'll know that joy you hear people talk about. Memorize this part of the hymn and I pray the Lord bring it to your remembrance whenever you need it. Amen

Don't hate on your Church

Hebrews 3:13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

I remember thinking that the preacher on the internet were more bold, about preaching the gospel and stuff than, my pastor. I remember being on the fence about whether my church was doing the Lord work or not. Well, I fell of the wrong side of that fence and got hurt and hurt others.

If you listen to internet preachers and think your pastors and teachers are heretical, stop and take a deep breath. Ask yourself: does you pastor teach from the Word of God and encourage you to read the Word of God? Are you currently playing lone wolf Christians?

If your pastor does, relax Satan is most likely trying to through you off track spiritually, b/c your zeal for Christ and purity are making you question many things, about your walk and Church. Talk to your pastors and leadership, they might have already dealt with this kind of misdirected zeal.

If you are doing the lone wolf (there are no other prophets beside me Elijah in my Church) Christian. Remember more now in the age of grace than ever God has his remnant. If you are not plugged in and fellowshipping, you are more susceptible to deception. It's one of the Acts 2:42 things. Also the top Scripture.

I pray you don't have to learn from experience but that God help you to learn from my mistakes.

God loves you!

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God loved you while you hated him and lived in sin without repentance or faith.

1 John 4:9-10 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (10) In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

He loved us so much he sent his perfect Son to live, yes live and die for us, who are you to doubt God's love for you.

If he loves you that means He loves you with his perfect love, he will only do those things which are for your own good. Whether filling your heart with joy, testing you, or chatising you, God only does good things to us.

Application: If Satan attacks you with doubt on God's character, remember if he spared not His Son for you (Romans 8:32), what makes you think He'll just drop you and hate you. Trust His promises not your feelings.

Also: 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Think about, thank and praise God often for his Love for you. Doubt not and do not be afraid!