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AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT JESUS CHOSE PAUL TO PREACH HIS GOSPEL TO THE US, THE GENTILES, AND WAS OBEDIENT TO DO IT? IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE 12 DISCIPLES ARE WRITING AND TEACHING THE JEWS, BUT PAUL, IN HIS 13 BOOKS, IS WRITING TO THE GENTILES. THIS WAS A GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT AMONG THEM WITH JUST A HANDSHAKE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS WHEN WE ARE STUDYING THE BIBLE OR IT COULD GET A LITTLE CONFUSING, LOOK WHAT PAUL IS SAYING IN GALATIANS 2:9 "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars (OF THE CHURCH), perceived the grace that was given unto me (BY JESUS), they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we (PAUL AND BARNABAS) should go unto the heathen (GENTILES), and they (JAMES, PETER, JOHN AND THE DISCIPLES) unto the circumcision (THE JEWS)." THE PARENTHESES ARE MINE.
IN STUDYING THE NEW TESTAMENT, HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED WHAT THE DISCIPLES REALLY KNEW ABOUT JESUS? LET'S THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. WE KNOW THEY KNEW HE WAS THE CHRIST (MESSIAH) BECAUSE OF WHAT PETER TOLD JESUS. PETER WAS SORT OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE TWELVE AND WHEN JESUS ASK THEM WHO DID MEN SAY THAT HE WAS, THE TWELVE STARTED TELLING JESUS WHO PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS LIKE. SOME SAID JOHN THE BAPTIST, SOME ELIAS, AND OTHERS, ONE OF THE PROPHETS. WHEN JESUS ASK, WHOM DO YOU SAY THAT I AM? PETER SPOKE UP AND SAID IN MATTHEW 16:16 "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Herod had ruled over Judaea for nearly forty three years at the time of these events. He had the title of King conferred on him by the Roman senate at the recommendation of Antony and Octavius. His accomplishments included the building of the temple in Jerusalem which was one of the most magnificent structures in the world. Most people would have thought that Herod had it "made".
However, history reveals that Herod was extremely paranoid. He actually killed his wife and one of his sons because he feared they would take the kingdom from him. All his power and fame couldn't buy him the peace that the angels proclaimed (Lk. 2:8-14). His paranoia led him to kill the innocent children in Bethlehem. His insecurity was evident. He had everything and yet he had nothing.
In contrast, the King that...
I'LL BET THAT IF YOU ASK A HUNDRED PEOPLE TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT PROPITIATION MEANS, NOT MANY WILL KNOW THE ANSWER. DO YOU? I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I LOOKED IT UP. I KNEW IT WAS IN CONNECTION WITH JESUS GOING TO THE CROSS AND THAT HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD, BECAUSE THE BIBLE TELL US THAT, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE WORD MEANT.
How could this be? The greatest event in the history of God's dealings with mankind was taking place and the leaders of God's people didn't even know about it. Foreigners who were unfamiliar with the covenants of God perceived what God was doing more than His own chosen people! (Eph. 2:12)
The apparent answer to this is that these Persian wise men were more in tune to the prophecies of scripture than the Jews were. Daniel had been promoted to be the head of all the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:48). While in Babylon, Daniel had come through the lions' den victoriously and had no doubt gained the reputation as the greatest wise man of all (Dan. 6).
It was during this time that Daniel wrote the prophecy of Dan....
I WROTE A POEM OVER FIFTY YEARS AGO CALLED "TODAY". I SHARED IT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO AND SOMEONE WANTED TO SEE IT AGAIN SO I DECIDED TO SHARE IT THIS MORNING. I THINK IT IS CALLED A PROSE SINCE IT DOES NOT RHYME.
WELL, I WAS STUDYING ABOUT LOVE AND CAME UPON THE VERSE WHERE IT SAYS GOD IS LOVE (1ST JOHN 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.) I DECIDED TO CHANGE SOME OF THE WORDS AND DIRECT IT TOWARD JESUS SINCE HE IS GOD THE SON. I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY IT.
Let's suppose that Anna was fourteen years old when she married. She would have been 105 years old. Yet she was still fasting and praying night and day! Satan tries to convince us that God won't use us. He may cite things like age or lack of abilities, or failures that we've had. But just like Anna, there are many scriptural examples of the Lord using those who would be considered unusable by worldly standards.
Moses was eighty years old before he began to fulfill God's plan for his life and he worked right up until he was 120 years old. Abraham was in his nineties before he had the son that God had promised him.
Gideon was another one who looked unusable. He was hiding from the Midianites when an...
I DON'T REALLY LIKE BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF ANGRY PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW WHAT BUSINESS IS IT OF MINE. WELL, I WILL TELL YOU, YOU ARE MY BUSINESS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU AND WANT THE BEST FOR YOU. IS THAT SO TERRIBLY WRONG? WE ALL NEED A WAKE-UP CALL NOW AND THEN SO CONSIDER THIS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL.
Simeon didn't receive this knowledge through the normal method of learning. This knowledge was revealed to him directly from the Holy Spirit. This revelation knowledge which comes only from God is distinctly different than knowledge acquired through study. Man's knowledge is based on observation. It cannot give perfect instruction about the future. God's knowledge can. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit we can know things to come (Jn. 16:13).
When dealing with God, revelation knowledge is essential. The Lord's ways are not always our ways (Isa. 55:8). A fear of trusting the intuitive knowledge that God gives us will cause us to miss many blessings of God.
If he hadn't received it and anticipated its fulfillment, what a...
The Old Testament passage being quoted is from Lev. 12:6-8. There the Lord commanded a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtledove as the prescribed sacrifice. If the woman was unable to offer a lamb, then two young pigeons or two turtledoves were acceptable. Mary would not have offered the lesser offering if it had been in her power to provide the lamb.
This reveals that Joseph and Mary were not well off financially, yet the Lord chose them to be the earthly parents of His only begotten Son.
The Lord doesn't choose the way man chooses. Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).
Mary and Joseph were chosen when they were without: without fame, without position, without money. God...