Month: April 2023

4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will ABANDON THE FAITH AND FOLLOW deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1

Right in the middle of his first letter to Timothy, Paul introduces a warning from God’s Spirit and it’s primarily addressed to those in ‘later or last times’; these days? Some people will ‘Abandon and Follow’ false teaching, or teachers. The enemy doesn’t just want to get people off God’s path, he wants to get them onto a completely wrong path, moving away from God’s love in Christ.

² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

Demons are spirit beings without physical bodies, so they need people to operate through and spread their deception. Paul uses an interesting metaphor to describe these people, firstly they are liars, but ‘their consciences have been seared (scarred) as though with a hot iron’. It’s possible for our consciences to become hardened and insensitive to the Truth and the Spirit. We may no longer feel remorse or repentance for wrong doings. We all have blind spots where the enemy can get access and we believe they’re our thoughts or ideas. These people have gone further, they’ve rejected God and because He allows us free will, He won’t overrule us.

²⁷ The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart. Proverbs 20:27

It’s very important to listen to and follow the promptings of our spirits, God speaks to us in our hearts. Continually ignoring these  inner prompts will dull our sensitivity to the leadings of God’s Spirit in our lives.

³ They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

Our lives in Christ were never meant to be a series of ‘Do’s and Don’ts’, Regulations or Laws. God wants fellowship with us here, we’re being fitted now to be taken into Glory with Him. Stay Sweet in your Soul and cultivate sensitivity to the prompts of the Spirit in our lives.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

¹³ “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘WILL YOU  NOT LEARN A LESSON AND OBEY MY WORDS?’ Jeremiah 35

A FAITHFUL FAMILY FOUND FAVOUR!

In the midst of coming severe judgement one family found Favour from God. (Two similar families that come to mind who were blessed in trouble are Rahab in Jericho and Jacob in Egypt during the famine.)

35 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord … ² “Go to the Rekabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”

But this family had been told by their ancestor Jehonadab;

⁶ But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. ⁷ Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. THEN YOU WILL LIVE A LONG TIME IN THE LAND where you are nomads.’

They refused to drink the wine, even when offered by Jeremiah, the national prophet of Judah in the house of the Lord, they kept their pledge! They had lived in the way prescribed for their family until Judah was invaded, when they moved to live inside Jerusalem. Does God have specific guidelines, or RHEMA Words for your family’s way of life, which may seem foolish to others? (We’re all wise to heed the general, or LOGOS Word of the Bible.) Some people today still don’t drink alcohol because of family history and others just by personal choice. This is when paying attention to our personal conscience, discussed in yesterday’s blog, is so important. What’s God saying to us?

¹⁵ AGAIN AND AGAIN (God’s Patience) I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But YOU HAVE NOT PAID ATTENTION OR LISTENED TO ME. (Similar promise to that given to Rekab, but the Jews didn’t listen).

The Jews of Judah would be severely judged, but the Rekabites were sought out by God as an example and contrast to those around them.

¹⁸ Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ ¹⁹ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’”

Faithfulness in the physical realm brought them protection (they would be kept safe through the coming judgement), along with Eternal Favour and standing as servants of the Lord. Their ongoing Blessing was similar to that given by God to David and the Kingship.

GOD HONOURS FAITHFULNESS AND FAMILIES WHO HOLD FAST TO HIM.

God bless and keep you and those you love, today.

¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 14, Matthew 23:12

God’s Kingdom is sometimes referred to as the ‘upside down Kingdom’, because it goes against all the selfish principles of this world system in which we live today. Have you ever thought how different life in heaven will be? No more striving, no more living for ourselves, a completely different existence.

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. Luke 14:1

Jesus had gone for a meal to a Pharisee’s house, but as usual they were watching Him to see whether He would heal on the Sabbath. After He’d healed a sick man, for the Kingdom of God, put mercy instead of legalism. The spirit of religion hates the Love of God, no judgement or criticism, just forgiveness.

⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.

Jesus simply observed how these people behaved, it wasn’t direct revelation by the Spirit.  In the majority of work’s outings or even church socials it would probably be just the same today. Often, ‘Actions do speak louder than words’.

⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.

The ‘host’, the one in authority, may decide you shouldn’t take the place you’ve chosen for yourself and tell you to step down.

¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all the other guests.

When we choose to take a low seat, we may be honoured before others. But even if we’re not, we won’t be humiliated. God honours humility and sooner or later He will see that we get the recognition we deserve.

¹¹ For whoever (No exceptions) exalts himself will be humbled/put down, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 It’s interesting that the same theme is picked up in the Wisdom Writing in the Old Testament.

⁶ Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among great men;
⁷ it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
    than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.

²⁷ It is not good to eat too much honey,
    nor is it honourable to seek one’s own honour. Proverbs 25

Jesus and the writer of Proverbs both warn against self-exultation, especially in the presence of others. Better to ‘humble ourselves’ and let God lift us up when He judges it right.

God bless and keep you today.

 

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Luke 9

Jesus went to the cross for us, celebrated on this Good Friday, that we too might surrender and live our lives for God.

Wishing everyone a blessed and peaceful Easter from Father’s Love Ministry.

Jesus paid it all, anything else is just religious works of fallen man.

We saw yesterday that Jesus made a distinction between the degree of Love shown by a wealthy Pharisee, who entertained Jesus and others, and a sinful woman who wept and anointed His feet.

⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—FOR SHE LOVED MUCH. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7

Simon the Pharisee, judged the unknown woman and the Lord, based on his perceived self-righteousness. He didn’t see himself as truly sinful and that’s why it’s so difficult for many religious people, even today, to come to faith in Christ.

The sinful woman knew her position clearly, as did those around her and threw herself on Christ’s mercy. She had no self-righteousness of her own, she was totally dependent on the Lord’s mercy. Her position was much closer to that of Isaiah when he was taken into heaven before the throne of God;

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6

Another parable of Jesus to a ‘lawyer’ reveals a similar encounter.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 10

The lawyer knew what was written in the Law, ‘Love the Lord’ and ‘Love your neighbour’, but when the Lord told him to do these things he felt compelled to ask a further question.

²⁹ BUT HE WANTED TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” Luke 10

He wanted to ‘Justify Himself’, another telling remark. The expert in the Law also believed he was good enough in himself.

A prophet we are privileged to know often says (paraphrasing), ‘REPENTANCE IS THE ONLY VALID CURRENCY IN THE REALM OF THE SPIRIT’. Veronika West

God always has more, but we may have to release and leave behind some things to find our next steps with the Lord. This may be a good time to release the things of self which block our progressing into that which God still has ahead for us.

God bless and keep you at this Easter time.

 

⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, HER MANY SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN —FOR SHE LOVED MUCH. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7

Jesus acknowledged that this unnamed woman who’d wet His feet with her tears and then dried them with her hair. Who’d kissed His unwashed feet and poured perfume on them, had been ‘Forgiven Her Many Sins’. She’d publicly demonstrated her sorrow for her past life and the Lord accepted her repentance and remorse, but He also made a telling remark to Simon, the Pharisee. ‘He who has been Forgiven Little Loves Little’.

It would seem from Jesus’ words that our lack of love or lukewarmness may be due to failing to acknowledge the true condition of our lives before God. Jesus compared the heart of His host, who’d judged Him in his heart (internal and unseen) for allowing this woman to touch Him (external and public). The woman’s deep repentance won her total Forgiveness.

³ And they were calling to one another:

This is known as Holy Week, the most sacred week of the Church  Year, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, celebrated on Palm Sunday, to face His Crucifixion.

John 17, records His last great intercessory prayer for Himself, His disciples and all Believers, the Church.

Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

The last thing the Lord did before His arrest, trial and crucifixion was to pray for the believers here on earth, surely says much about the value of prayer for our loved ones and those we carry in our hearts.

May God bless and keep you in this Holy Week.