Christian Living

---

Betrayed By The Ignorance of Man
But Raised up by The Power of God

Acts 7:51-52, ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the just one of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.

They thought they killed Jesus, but spiritually so Jesus gave his life to be a ransom for all. Man seeks a carnal answer but the answer was a spiritual one that is not understood by the natural mind. The question is asked Philip in Acts 8:30; understands thou what thou read?
The Word of God is spiritually discerned.

Luke 24:32, and they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures. Then after Jesus opened up the Word spiritually, then he gave them a profound understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. While he was with them, break bread with them their eyes were opened and they knew him not; and he vanished out of their sight. We can eat of the same spiritual meat, but yet not really understand the spiritual things of God. Jesus bare record of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. We know the story of Judas and how he betrayed Jesus and the taking of his own life. He could not live with the guilt of what he had done.

They knew Jesus had risen indeed and appeared to Simon. They told what things were done in the way and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. Then Jesus appeared to the Apostles. He stood in the midst of them and greeted them saying, peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. Jesus said to them why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts. He had to show himself. Behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Jesus comes to us and we don’t recognize who he is, but God the Father knows who he was and who all of us are. Are we really standing for the Gospel or are we just setting up camp to prostitute the Gospel for our own selfish motives?

God sent Jesus to be that perfect sacrifice of flesh needed to be shown man that they can live Holy. It’s time we become warriors of the Gospel and stop wasting time. Jesus lived on the earth 33 years. His ministry began at the age of 30. From the time he began to preach, and to say Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Mark 1:14-15, Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, the time is fulfilled and Kingdom of God is at hand; Repent ye, and believe the gospel. Jesus preached the Gospel, He gave man the Word of God. What do we mean when we say He preached? It means He delivered a sermon, proclaiming or expounding on the Word that was already given. Jesus was an advocate of Word that was there in the beginning. He gave moral advice in an obtrusive way. Jesus practiced a quality of life that all who knew him would know him as the carpenters son. He also followed the religious order being an advocate or inculcate in his own life so that God could use him. Jesus message was that of God no more or no less. Jesus knew what He was in the earth for, to be that living sacrifice.

Jesus spent time with His Father; God. He prayed and fasted for the time that He would stand before the people and preach with power. Jesus Ministry was short and busy. We have also a life time of work within us and we will finish it before we leave this earth. Our timing is not God’s timing. Our thoughts and ways are not like God. God will not condescend to what we want and how we want to do the work, we must come up to him. Jesus went into the mountains and hills alone. He spent time with God.

One day the Word of the Lord came to John in the wilderness to say that the people should all turn and be baptized for the kingdom of heaven was at hand. It was a stirring and a startling message and soon the whole countryside and all Jerusalem came to hear this marvelous herald of a new day, a new unction, and a new ordinance that called for confession of sin before baptism. It was the talk of the land and Jesus heard the story. It was soon plain to Him that He must go to the Jordan to see John and to be baptized by him as an introduction of his own Messianic work which must now began.

Was there a reluctance on John’s part to baptize Jesus? Probably so as he was responding in the natural but once he perceived that He was indeed the Messiah that he was waiting on for this very hour he baptized Jesus. John was the forerunner of the bridegroom that would come.

It was right that the ministry of Jesus as the Messiah should began with the approval of the Baptist. But the Father Himself gave the seal of his approval also. The Word of the Father to the Son in the presence of the Baptist was supernatural; as was the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Jesus Ministry started with the blessing of the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The temptations by the devil followed at once as is natural after a public stand for God. The devil tempts every professing Christian and every Preacher at such a time. Satan understood fully the issues at stake between himself and the Son of God for the mastery of men. Satan was not going to release his grip on the world without a struggle. So he challenged Jesus and tried by every artifice to trip Him into distrust of God and in into compromise. But Jesus knew also all that was involved and drove the devil away and chose war to the end. We are all in that eternal struggle between Christ and Satan. Jesus calls for us to take sides with Him.

Jesus came through the lineage of one of the finest warriors. It was in His blood both naturally and spiritually. David was a man after God’s own heart. David was a giant killer and His God. Jesus had roots to do battle with. Not many battles did David lose and Jesus don’t lose any. If a battle is lost it’s because we, His believers stop believing. David demonstrated his wisdom and faith, proving that he was God’s man. Now God have made Jesus the king of the throne to man’s souls just as He did with David; making him king of Israel. Samuel recorded the critical transition in Israel from the rule of God from the Judges to His rule through the Kings. Its time we make a transition, a turning point in our lives to move from just being content to be saved to wanting the more of God. Jesus was anointed as was David to do a finished work of salvation for all men once and for all. Just as then the people wanted to choose a King, we have a choice to yield control of our lives to the Lord. The peoples choice was not God’s choice, but by and by God’s choice took control and got the work done that would establish God’s throne forever in the person of Jesus Christ the Messiah. What is the name of the strong hold in your life today that keeps you bound?

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE