2024.05.29 - Discernment

2024.05.29 - Discernment

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

2:11 PM

John 13:21-31

21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop , when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop , he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. KJV

• o There was no indication to anyone other than Jesus at that moment that Judas was a bad apple
• • The way he spoke, acted, walked and talked gave nothing away
• • Jesus was given access to information that no one else at the table had through the operation of The Holy Sprit 

 

1 Corinthians 12:8-10

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: KJV

• o Discerning - judicial estimation, to separate thoroughly, discriminate, hesitate, doubt, stagger, be partial
• o Working definition of discernment - - the ability to detect, to recognize and to perceive beyond what is said or heard
• o Sometimes you just know what you know and don’t know how you know it, but you know it.
• o Sometimes you know what you can’t explain to others and what others cannot see
• • Just because others cannot, or even more important WILL NOT see it does not mean you are wrong
• • Their eyesight may be different than yours 
• • Sometimes they don’t see it because they don’t wanna see it. 
• ♣ Ahab saw all that everyone else did on Mount Carmel 
• ♣ Jezebel heard all that Ahab had seen

 

 

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. KJV

• o Try - NT:1381 dokimazo (dok-im-ad'-zo); from NT:1384; to test (literally or figuratively); by implication, to approve: KJV - allow, discern, examine, like, (ap-) prove, try.

 

1 Samuel 16:5-7

5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. KJV

• o Looketh - OT:7200 ra'ah (raw-aw'); a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative): 

KJV - adviseself, appear, approve, behold, certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, indeed, joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see (-r, -m, one another), shew (self), sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, surely, think, view, visions.

• • It ain’t your actions that concerns me - it’s your spirit
• • I heard someone say there’s a difference between a bad day and a bad heart. 

 

Bad Apples And Food Habits

• o I look closely at every bite, every, single, bite, regardless of who cooked it or how good the previous bites were . . .
• o we are not to accept information as true simply because someone has said it - when we do we
• • we weigh with broken weights - we go off of what we see and hear, God goes but the heart

 

Points Given

• • 2+2=4, not five, not three
• • If it doesn’t math it doesn’t math
• • Don’t add points or deduct points based on your personal relationship or lack thereof
• o Just because you love someone doesn’t change the math

 

Thieves And Murderers

• o Difference between a thief and a murderer 
• o One thief is trying to take your life - another is needing you to save his life or make it better/easier
• o Discernment will keep you from putting everyone in the same sinking ship and knowing who to rescue
• • Some thieves need you
• o Discernment shows you who to put into the inner circle and who to keep out
• • They aren’t all trying to kill you - but they will try to use what you have to further themselves in their area of influence
• •   They can’t get it themselves bc they don’t have the relationship with God that you have because they aren’t willing to pay for it. 

 

2024.05.26 - Sin, Snakes And Lambs

Sin, Snakes and Lambs

Saturday, May 25, 2024

8:29 PM

Revelation 5:1-6

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 

2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,"Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. 

4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 

6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. NKJV

 

Revelation 1:12-18

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead . And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. KJV

 

When John saw Jesus he exclaimed behold - 

 be aware, behold, can (+not tell), consider, (have) know (-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. 

 

John fell at His feet as though dead, 

 

What happens when The Lamb looks at  you . . . Luke 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. KJV

 

God still demands holiness . . . 

Genesis 3:1-6

3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

*******

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. KJV

 

Genesis 3:1-6

3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

 

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

 

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

 

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

 

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

*******

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. KJV

 

When things are good we lose focus, we get soft and we forget we are in a war for our souls 

 

When I see it do I embrace it or replace it.  Do I make excuses or make amends. Do I run into its arms or break free from its grasp 

 

Paul and Judas. 

 

Peter and Judas. 

 

ALTAR CALL

Grace is free but I have to ASK for it.  I only ask for what I feel I need. 

 

 

 

2024.05.22 - Faith Of The Widow Woman

2024.05.22 - Faith Of The Widow Woman

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

12:48 PM

1 Kings 17:9 Arise (accomplish, be clearer, confirm, decree) , get thee to Zarephath( refinement, from a word which means purge away) , which belongeth to Zidon (to catch, fish, chase, hunt, this was also where Jezebel was from) and dwell(sit down, judge, ambush, settle, establish) there: behold, I have commanded(put in order, appointed),  a widow woman there to sustain thee. KJV

• o        This woman did not know her calling until Elijah showed up
• o        God had commanded but man brought her the message
• o        There was a miracle done  in Heaven that was loosed on earth by faith and received in her heart, then accomplished 
• o        This was preached on 2024.02.07

 

WHAT WE HAVE

(Remember what God had commanded Elijah - I have commanded)

1 Kings 17:10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. KJV

• o        There was not even mentioned a moment of hesitation in the request for water though 
• •        They were in the middle of a drought water must have been precious - but even though it was precious, she HAD WATER and was willing to give it to "the work of The Lord" 
• •        Revelation 3:8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength , and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. KJV
• •        What seems like a small decision can shape the whole of your future 
• •         

 

WHAT WE DON’T HAVE

(Remember what God had commanded Elijah - I have commanded)

1 Kings 17:11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my  son, that we may eat it, and die. KJV

• o        She didn’t have enough, the focus in her mind was not on what she had but on what she did not have enough of . . . 

 

1 Kings 17:13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. KJV

 

WHAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN'T GET BACK 

(Remember what God had commanded Elijah - I have commanded)

1 Kings 17:17And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. KJV

• o        It wasn't just her son, it was her way of life, her dreams, hopes, security, future, it was in essence what was most important to her in this life.
• •        The thief cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy, 

 

• o        Water was not part of the promise of Elijah because she already had the faith to deal with the water situation, she didn’t hesitate . . .
• o        The bread was a bigger issues because she had measured and knew there wasn’t enough - she could see it and was relying on her eyesight rather than her faith sight, but all along in both areas God had commanded

 

Where was Jesus - He was living in her upper room, He was in the High Place in her life, 

• •        When we are with Him He WILL call us to increased faith
• •        When we are with Him we are not excluded from life's problems or suffering.