Luke 24 Be Spirit-filled, know the risen Lord!

Fear and unbelief cripple and hold one's mind in captivity, and can only be overcome and set free when we receive the power from above, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, that only Jesus can give. (Matthew 3:11). The Holy Spirit anointing breaks the yoke and bondage of the spiritual oppression. (Isaiah 10:27)

Luke 24 records the resurrected Jesus revealing himself as a physical as well as spiritual reality to His disciples. His crucifixion, death on the cross and burial deeply affected His followers, including His closest disciples (and apostles). He knew all about this. Note the words He uses to describe their feelings and responses at this time:

1. unbelief: because they find it hard to believe in God's words, including all the prophecies about Jesus.
2. fear and doubt: because they did not believe in resurrection just as God has promised.

We read some verses quoted from Luke 24 to see the reactions of the disciples of Jesus:

Luke 24:25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?”

35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.

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What is the solution given by Jesus to bring them out of this defeated mental and emotional state? Note what Jesus says, He repeated the words about Him, the message of the Good News, they are to be His witnesses to the world. Lastly He told them one essential key to overcome their fear and unbelief: He will give them the Holy Spirit, the power from above! (In church history, this has come true. The disciples of Jesus were filled with supernatural power, preaching the Good News, bringing healing and salvation to many, accompanied with signs and wonders.)

44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,[f] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Isaiah 58 God wants true worship

Prophet Isaiah was given this message about fasting. Again this is not just for the people at that time, 2700 years ago. God is not talking about mere fasting either. Fasting was a way of life then when people followed a pattern and fixed rituals on the superficial form of fasting for festivals according to their tradition. many are still doing this today in many different religions.

Today, practicing Christians too follow a pattern of religious rituals and observances. But God talks of a different subject, worship. It means fasting and other similar rituals are parts of worship. Fasting is not a show of piety to God or to men. Because just as Jesus says, God sees the heart. God wants a true heart to worship Him in spirit and truth. (Matthew 6:14-19; John 4:23-24)

A heart that is true to God loves God and loves God's people. Jesus speaks of the same priority: Love God with all our heart, soul, mind, strength. Love our neighbors as ourselves. (Luke 10:27-37)

Jesus takes one step beyond that and commands this, "Love even your enemies." "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:27-36)

The question is no longer who my neighbor is. God is not a parochial deity. He is the God. The only God. He loves all creatures created by Him. God went to the extent of giving His own Son Jesus to us. He gave the believers of Jesus the Holy Spirit.

A Spirit filled life witnesses God and gives glory to Him.

We are created to worship and give glory to Him. Worship is a lifestyle. Fasting is part of worship, springing from our hearts to love and worship God, to give us a spiritual clarity to see and hear God, to walk in the presence of God and share His goodness with others.

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Isaiah 58 New Living Translation (NLT)

True and False Worship

58 “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
    Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.
Tell my people Israel[a] of their sins!
2     Yet they act so pious!
They come to the Temple every day
    and seem delighted to learn all about me.
They act like a righteous nation
    that would never abandon the laws of its God.
They ask me to take action on their behalf,
    pretending they want to be near me.
3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
    ‘Why aren’t you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
    and you don’t even notice it!’

“I will tell you why!” I respond.
    “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
    you keep oppressing your workers.
4 What good is fasting
    when you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
    will never get you anywhere with me.
5 You humble yourselves
    by going through the motions of penance,
bowing your heads
    like reeds bending in the wind.
You dress in burlap
    and cover yourselves with ashes.
Is this what you call fasting?
    Do you really think this will please the Lord?

6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
    lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
    and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
    and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
    and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
    and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
    and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
    ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
    Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
    and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
    and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
    giving you water when you are dry
    and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like an ever-flowing spring.
12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
    Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
    and a restorer of homes.

13 “Keep the Sabbath day holy.
    Don’t pursue your own interests on that day,
but enjoy the Sabbath
    and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.
Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,
    and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
14 Then the Lord will be your delight.
    I will give you great honor
and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Footnotes:

1. 58:1 Hebrew Jacob. See note on 14:1.

Jesus has proclaimed this change of spiritual focus starting from His coming to this earth 2000 years ago, filled with the Holy Spirit, walked by the Spirit, led by the Spirit as the Son of God, living a life of worship in spirit and in truth.

Luke 4:18-19, 21 New Living Translation (NLT)

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
    that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
19     and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.[a]”

21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Recommending: "God wants you to succeed!"

Here is a new resource: audio teachings by Andrew Wommack,

http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1085

God Wants You To Succeed

contents:
God's definition of success
come to the end of yourselves
your success is your relationship with God
Nebuchadnezzar finally got it right
the first step
imagination and success
learn how to dream big
be patient

Teaching article (excerpts):
God designed you for success. He made you to be a winner. This is true for every person, regardless of what has happened in the past. God has never destined anybody to live a mediocre life.
Jeremiah 29:11 says,
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
This verse says that God knows His thoughts toward you, and His desire is to give you an expected end. That end is promised in the Word of God. You can walk in victory like Moses. He was 120 years old, and his eyesight wasn’t dim nor his natural force abated (Deut. 34:7). He actually climbed a mountain the day he went home to be with the Lord.
These things are in the Word, and God is no respecter of persons. What we have today is superior to what Moses had in the Old Testament. We can be guaranteed success. Now, I’m not saying success can always be achieved without a fight or without effort, but we were destined for great things.
God created every one of us to be something special, but I also feel that we live in a culture that has totally misrepresented true success. As a matter of fact, I looked up the meaning of the word. The American Heritage Dictionary (AHD) defines success as “The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted.” That’s a pretty broad definition. I mean, some people are aiming at nothing and hitting it every time. The second definition I found is “The gaining of fame or prosperity” (AHD). I hate that definition. That is not a godly definition of success at all. Lots of people have fame and prosperity, but they do not have true success. ...
........
It doesn’t matter whether the end result is good or not. God wants you to do what He has called you to do, and He wants you to do it out of His ability. I think what some call burnout is just people doing good things in their own strength and power. God’s never had anybody qualified working for Him yet, so stop relying on your own ability. If you don’t trust in the Lord, you can’t accomplish the things He’s planned for you and you won’t be a godly success.
(Please visit the web site for the original full article: http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/wants_succeed )
TV broadcast: http://www.awmi.net/tv/2014/week40
Live DVD:
http://www.awmi.net/store/usa/dvd_albums_live/3223_d

Freedom from fears

never before seen
such ample bountiful rich
blooms defying drought
————————————-
Sometimes we go through a prolonged spell of heat and drought. It seems very difficult to carry on living even the routine living human beings are equipped to live. The mind simply tells us self-talks that discourage and depress us further.
Today we read what Jesus says instead. All these words have come true. What Jesus has promised has happened. Those who believe in Jesus have experienced the abundant life through the power of the Holy Spirit He has given to His believers. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty – freedom from bondages, oppressions, depressions, infirmities, and all hindrances that block us from taking and living the abundant, super-sufficient life that Jesus has promised.
John 10
⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
John 7
³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing^[g] in Him would receive; for the Holy^[h] Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 4
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Luke 11
¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
2 Corinthians 3:14-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Matthew 6:24-34 Jesus speaks about mental health

Jesus wants your mind healed!

We read what Jesus speaks about mental health. Jesus wants your mind well!
Notice the strong emotion He uses to describe how we str0ngly feel about the wrong things. What He says is not new. Humans have not changed since the beginning: doing the same things because others do them even though they know they will fail anyway. Passion is a natural emotion. But we need to choose where we put our passion.
Summary notes:

1. one common cause of illness: loving the wrong target.
2. key to healing: you can only love the right One.
3. know God: He values your life and your body. He also cares for your mind and emotion.
4. trust God.
5. Do not repeat the things that others do when they know they will fail anyway. Only the mad repeatedly do the same thing and expect a different result!

Matthew 6:24-34 English Standard Version (ESV)
²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.^[a]

Do Not Be Anxious

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^{[b] 28} And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions
2. Matthew 6:27 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

the power to save and heal all

GOSPEL POWER.
Wherever Jesus is, in the presence of the disciples and believers, where the Word of God is being faithfully and fearlessly preached, where faith in Jesus is, where the believers are walking by faith and in the power of the Holy Spirit in them, two things happen:

1. People recognize Jesus. More and more believe and are converted to Jesus.
2. They bring out their sick. And all of them are healed.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

In Context

 

Romans 15:19

by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

In Context

1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

In Context

Ephesians 3:7

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

In Context

1 Thessalonians 1:5

because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

In Context

2 Timothy 1:8

So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

In Context

Mark 6:53-56 New International Version (NIV)
⁵³ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. ⁵⁴ As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Acts 5:12-16 New International Version (NIV)
¹² The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. ¹⁵ As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. ¹⁶ Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

Spiritual traveler’s notes : two dreams

The traveler Ying had two dreams. In the first he was with a group of fellow travelers packed tightly standing on a low oval shaped oak coffee table. They were trying to balance hard not to fall off. Aliens with laser guns were shooting and killing all who were not on the table.

In the second dream he was running with a group of fellow travelers with Cyclopes chasing them to kill them. Many ran ahead and he and his group knew they could not outrun the Cyclopes so they found a tiny space hidden behind some mountain rocks and hid there. It was a dead end. They could hear the Cyclopes running pass in pursuit of those who had run ahead. He knew the Cyclopes would turn back to search them out when they discovered that this group was missing from their targets. So he climbed on top of a brand new metal filing cabinet and looked for a way out. He saw a space with light at the other end in between two cliffs so narrow that only one individual could squeeze through side way one at a time. Then he woke in cold sweat.

He was a mere individual seeking divine direction to live this end times period. He never expected to face this kind of adventure with a group of strangers as if they were in a science fiction movie. Yet it’s real at this point of time when he woke and found himself still flying high in the rope carriage on two eagles’ wings.

What will all these come to? He asked himself. Will he ever return to his own comfort zone again? No one answered his thoughts.

He knew the dreams meant the assumed safety zone for many travelers were not real. They were crumbling down. The enemies were everywhere pursuing and the travelers were running as though they were helpless. How could this be? They were trained and given authority in the spirit and the power of the King’s name.

Yet they were running and hiding. The former secure private abodes and public gathering ‘clubs’ no longer afforded any shelter.

Each individual had to launch out and face the enemy head on. He thought.

He felt a pang of pain for some of his closer ones. But he soon found solace in the thought that time was still available on this planet. All was not lost yet.

He made a commitment that when he returned to his own place he would seek them out and help them to rise above the filing cabinet!

Meanwhile, the eagles continued to soar and they were climbing.

Isaiah 21:5

Prepare the table, Set a watchman in the tower, Eat and drink. Arise, you princes, Anoint the shield!

 

Zechariah 2: God measures and refines.

We read Zechariah 2 from NKJV today. Zechariah 2 New King James Version (NKJV) After speaking good and comforting words to the prophet, God immediately sends a warning of the worship standard He requires. He speaks of Himself as a consuming fire. He speaks of dwelling in the midst of His people.
First, God sees and measures. He has a plumb-line. His words are His plumb-line. 
The remnants of the children of Israel (representing the people of God) had started re-building the temple but halted and procrastinated for twenty years (from the time the remnants returned to Jerusalem and the foundation laid to the time the temple was ready for consecration). In the meantime they built their own businesses, houses, accumulated wealth etc. for themselves. (In the book of Haggai, some Israelites even abandoned their first wives and married foreign women, cheated their employees of wages, tried to cheat God by offering sick and defective animals. in short, they simply did not believe in God.) The two prophets: Haggai and Zechariah were sent by God to warn them and urge them to return to God and resume the building work. Not giving God a mere cheap lip service but really obeying God’s words from the hearts and the following the spiritual leading of the Holy Spirit. For God is the God of glory.

Revelation 11:1

[ The Two Witnesses ] Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.

A second point is He is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). Why does He mention He will be the wall of fire for His chosen dwelling?
Fire refines believers (the people of God). Zechariah 13:9 I will bring the one–third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
Fire eliminates the idols and unclean spirits. Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Fire destroys the evil works of the devil. Deuteronomy 9:3 Therefore understand today that the Lord your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you.
Third point: The Lord God Almighty says very clearly He has chosen to take possession of His dwelling and He will dwell in the midst of His people.

John 14:10

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

John 2:21

But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

John 14:17

the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

__________________________Zechariah 2

Vision of the Measuring Line

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² So I said, “Where are you going?”

And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”
³ And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, ⁴ who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. ⁵ For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
Future Joy of Zion and Many Nations
⁶ “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. ⁷ “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.”
⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. ⁹ For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.
¹⁰ “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. ¹¹ “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. ¹² And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. ¹³ Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!”

Zechariah 1: God spoke good, even comfortable words

In our previous day’s post' (please refer to: http://kzlam36.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/zechariah-1-return-to-me-and-i-will-return-to-you/ )

 

we read the Bible verse from the book of Zechariah in New Living Translation. Today we read Zechariah 1 American Standard Version (ASV). This prophecy is for the Americans too. God spoke about the past and the future of the children of Israel, the children of Abraham by faith, and the children of America today too. Let us review what God spoke yesterday. (quoting in excerpts)

___________________________________

² Jehovah was sore displeased with your fathers.

³ Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Return unto me, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts.

⁵ Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

⁶ But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and they turned and said, Like as Jehovah of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

___________________________________

Yesterday God told us how He felt about our fathers, those who turned away from God. He spoke further on this subject and what He intended to do. He is speaking to a new generation now.

Today we continue reading as follows: Zechariah listened and pondered. Three months later he received further messages accompanied by visions from the Lord.

a summary for pondering and meditation like Zechariah did.

1. Zechariah saw an angel riding upon a red horse, standing among the myrtle trees at the valley. He was not surprised at the supernatural. He spoke to the angel. What was Zechariah doing there? He was led in the spirit to go out in the middle of the night to the valley where the myrtle trees were. If he had stayed in his bed and slept on, he would have missed God’s messenger and the whole night of eight visions!
2. He asked the angel what each vision meant. An honest and humble prophet (watchman) of God.
3. The angel was not surprised that Zechariah saw him and he replied him. Hebrews 1:14 “Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?”
4. The angel was actually doing his work: watching the other angels who were sent out on assignments to patrol the earth, then came back and reported to the one who talked to Zechariah.
5. The angel who spoke to Zechariah interceded to God and asked about the timing of intervention from God for the happenings to God’s elect people on earth. (The angel knew God’s intention and he spoke to God about fulfillment of the timing).
6. God actually replied and told what He intended to do and why. (In verse 16, God used the present tense ‘I am returned’ to put a time to the physical application of his intention.)
7. God gave a positive message (good and comfortable words) to the prophet: “My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” Wow, what a merciful and awesome God to His people!

__________________________

 

⁸ I saw in the night, and, behold, a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white.

⁹ Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee what these are.

¹⁰ And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees answered and said, These are they whom Jehovah hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

¹¹ And they answered the angel of Jehovah that stood among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

¹² Then the angel of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

¹³ And Jehovah answered the angel that talked with me with good words, even comfortable words.

¹⁴ So the angel that talked with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

¹⁵ And I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

¹⁶ Therefore thus saith Jehovah: I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my house shall be built in it, saith Jehovah of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.

¹⁷ Cry yet again, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Jehovah shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

¹⁸ And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns.

¹⁹ And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

²⁰ And Jehovah showed me four smiths.

²¹ Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.

an assurance for the returned: for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship

An assurance today.

Isaiah 30:15Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁵ For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not,

Isaiah 30:18-19Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁸ And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

¹⁹ O people who dwell in Zion at Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.

"I Am Free"

Through you the blind will see
Through you the mute will sing
Through you the dead will rise
Through you all hearts will praise
Through you the darkness flees
Through you my heart screams
I am free
Yes, I am free

I AM FREE TO RUN
(I AM FREE TO RUN)
I AM FREE TO DANCE
(I AM FREE TO DANCE)
I AM FREE TO LIVE FOR YOU
(I AM FREE TO LIVE FOR YOU)
I AM FREE
(I AM FREE)
YES I AM FREE
(I AM FREE)

Through you the kingdom comes
Through you the battle's won
Through you I'm not afraid
Through you the price is paid
Through you there's victory
Because of you my heart sings
I am free
Yes, I am free

[Repeat Chorus]

WHO THE SON SETS FREE-IS FREE INDEED
(WHO THE SON SETS FREE)
WHO THE SON SETS FREE-IS FREE INDEED
(WHO THE SON SETS FREE)

[Repeat Chorus]

Hebrews 10

¹⁷ He then goes on to say, And their sins and their lawbreaking I will remember no more.

¹⁸ Now where there is absolute remission (forgiveness and cancellation of the penalty) of these [sins and lawbreaking], there is no longer any offering made to atone for sin.

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus,

²⁰ By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh,

²¹ And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God,

²² Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by ^[b]that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water.

²³ So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the ^[c]hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.

blood of Jesus has set me free !

 

 

end times church mission: the proof of your love

2 Corinthians 8 New King James Version (NKJV)

Excel in Giving

8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: ² that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. ³ For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, ⁴ imploring us with much urgency that we would receive^[a] the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. ⁵ And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. ⁶ So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. ⁷ But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

⁸ I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
¹⁰ And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; ¹¹ but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. ¹² For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
¹³ For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; ¹⁴ but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”^[b]

Collection for the Judean Saints

¹⁶ But thanks be to God who puts^[c] the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. ¹⁷ For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. ¹⁸ And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, ¹⁹ and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, ²⁰ avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— ²¹ providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
²² And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. ²³ If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show to them, and^[d] before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Corinthians 8:4 NU-Text and M-Text omit that we would receive, thus changing text to urgency for the favor and fellowship . . . .
2. 2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
3. 2 Corinthians 8:16 NU-Text reads has put.
4. 2 Corinthians 8:24 NU-Text and M-Text omit and.