Division

Small compromises lead to great disasters (otherwise known as little sins lead to big sins).

John 10:19 (KJV) There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

DIVISION “The act of dividing or separating into parts, any entire body.”

The Jews can’t deny what everyone is seeing. Jesus is in their faces and He’s doing miracles like they have never witnessed before. They can’t say this is happening so there’s a Division.

John 10:20 “many of them said”

John 10:20 (KJV) And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

John 10:21 “Others said”

John 10:21 (KJV) Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

What are they divided over?  Could it be,who is this man Jesus? Some said, others said, here we read of division.  So when I read verse 19 where it said “division therefore again among the Jews” 

John 7:12 (KJV) And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.

Here’s the question we all have to answer for ourselves. Is Jesus really who He says He is?

Is Jesus the Son Of God? Is Jesus the bread of life? Is Jesus the light of the world? Is Jesus the  door? Is Jesus the  good shepherd? Is Jesus the  way, the truth and the life? Is Jesus the true vine?  

Do we really have to know who Jesus is to go to heaven? I’m a good person! Who told you that?

So what think you? “He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?”

Or “These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?”

What say ye? RU divided?

Born Blind

1 June 2023 Thursday Born Blind

Small compromises lead to great disasters (otherwise known as little sins lead to big sins).

John 9:2 (KJV) And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

As I read that verse this caught my attention “he was born blind” 

Down in verse 25 I read this.

John 9:25 (KJV) He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Between verses 2 and 25 something very noticeable happened; a man who was blind receives his sight. Now the word “BLIND” is only mentioned 18 times in the New Testament. I would have thought it would have mentioned more than that. But it gets more interesting out of the 18 times it’s mentioned, it’s only mentioned in the Gospel of John. Now, as interesting as that is it even gets more interesting, out of the 18 times the word  “BLIND” is mentioned 15 times is in this chapter, John 9.  Do you think if the Lord wrote 15 times in one Chapter about something that we should stop and take notice? Verse 1 tells us he was blind from his birth. 

John 9:1 (KJV) And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.  

Then in verse 25 he knew he was blind and he also knew he could see.

John 9:25 (KJV) He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Oh this is  wonderful to read, but I think the Lord had this chapter for more than you and I just to read about a blind man being healed? Why do I say that? Well my first clue is his name, do you remember what it was? It’s the same as his parents. If you were to read that chapter over and over again you would not find his or his parents name mentioned. Here is what I see when I read this chapter. It’s not our name that’s important, it’s not our status that’s important. I was born just like you, spiritually blind; not only that I grew up spiritually blind. I could read the Bible and it made no sense. Why did it make no sense? I was trying to understand a spiritual book without the help of the spirit to which I was blind to. 

Spiritually blind people get by just as this man had learned to do. But when his eyes were opened he knew it. “I was blind, now I see.”

1 John 5:12 (KJV) He that hath the Son hath life; (not blind) and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.(blind)

1 John 5:13 (KJV) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, (not blind) and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.(not blind)

Can you see spiritually or are you still blind? When did you, like this man, have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ? 

Something Specific

 John 8:12 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

In this verse Jesus says I am the light. The word "the" is the only definite article in the English language. It is used before a noun to define it as something specific (e.g., something previously mentioned or known, something unique, or something being identified by the speaker). 

Jesus wasn’t saying He was a light no he was saying that He was The Light! There are a lot of lights but there’s only one light that can be identified as The Light. So I got interested in that phrase “I Am The”. I looked up all the times it was mentioned in the book of John. Here’s what I discovered. Eight verses I found that little phrase. Now that may not seem like much but when you know that the number 8 stands for “New Beginning” it sheds a whole new light on it. Knowing Jesus, not about Jesus, but knowing Jesus gives me a New Life and Light!

In John 6:35 Jesus said He was the Bread of Life.

“ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

In John 8:12  Jesus said He was The Light of the World

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

In  John 10:7 Jesus said He was The Door

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

In John 10:11 Jesus said He was The Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

In John 10:36 Jesus Said He was The Son of God

“Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”

In  John 11:25 Jesus Said He was The Resurrection

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”

In   John 14:6 Jesus Said He was The Way, The Truth and  The Life
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” 

In  John 15:1 Jesus Said He was The True Vine

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”

A Servant

Psalms 86:1  A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

Psalms 86:2  Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

Psalms 86:3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

In verse 2 David reminds the Lord that he is one of His servants. Now our Heavenly Father knows who His children are and knows also who His servants are. Not only does David remind God 3 times in this chapter he is His servant but he also tells God that he “TRUST” in Him. Then David reminds God that he “LIFTS” up his voice on a daily basis to Him. My thought here is who is David really reminding? Could it be that David is bargaining with God? Do I not do the same thing? There is one thing we don’t have to do and that is remind God for He knows and neither is He one that we can bargain with. Gods is our Heavenly Father, He is our Great High Shepherd, God is also our Master, Lord and Guider. 

But I also noticed that this was a pray while in trouble. 

Psalms 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

David had confidence that God would answer. I must learn that God, my Heavenly Father really does love me and cares about me and wants to see me succeed. Now I’m fortunate because of my earthly father. He loved me so therefore I know something about a fathers love for his children. He provided for me I had a good home, food. My earthly father love me so much that He disciplined me when needed which was often. He wanted to see me succeed in all I did. I never had to remind my earthly father that I was his son. But David isn’t reminding God that he is his son but his servant. When we come into God’s family we are not only children but we should want to severe as well. Why? For all The Lord has done for us, His Children.

Honor

Proverbs 20:3

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

I’m interested in “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife”

HONOR “A testimony of esteem; any expression of respect or of high estimation by words or actions; as the honors of war; military honors; funeral honors; civil honors.”

STRIFE “Contention in anger or enmity; contest; struggle for victory; quarrel or war.”

It is a testimony by words or actions for a man to cease from contention in anger. 

It’s an honor not only to the person to cease from contention but it is also a reflection of the Lord shining in and through a persons life. Let’s give praise where praise is due. Without the working of the Spirit of God in our hearts few would even try to cease from strife. They would just keep justifying what they said or did by words of I just can’t help it or that’s the way I am or even God made me this way. Bottom line we become that way because of sin that we allow to go uncontrolled. Lord help me today to allow you to control my mouth and mind that I’ll not bring shame to your name.  

Don’t Be Broken Into

Proverbs 25:28

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

This losing self control was also seen in 

Proverbs 16:32

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

What makes us lose self control? Could our number one failure be TEMPTATION. Temptation always attacks our weak points. The enemy will suggest something where we are weak and if I or anyone else begins to think on what was suggested it may not belong before we preform that act. Our wall will at that point be broken down because we refused to take action over our spirit. The picture given in these verses are “no rule over his own spirit” you know you shouldn’t get angry but what was done to you or said about you was uncalled for. We call it losing our tempter as if that were to justify our actions. Where in reality we allowed our wall of protection to be broken down, then our sinful action is easily committed. Now the results of our actions may be just like an army coming into a city and destroying what’s there as well as taking things which cannot be replace. To the young boy or young girl that allows their wall of purity to be broken down can never be a virgin again. The one who steals, commits adultery, kills another with their harsh talk will never be able to go back and undo what they did. We must protect our walls by protecting our spirit. Don’t be broken into!

The Great Light

Proverbs 13:9

The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

What jumped out at me this morning was this phrase “The light of the righteous rejoiceth:”

The first time we see the word LIGHT in the New Testament is in

Matthew 4:16

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Webster says this about LIGHT

“That ethereal agent or matter which makes objects perceptible to the sense of seeing, but the particles of which are separately invisible.”

Also “Illumination of mind; instruction; knowledge.”

What is this LIGHT mention in Matthew? Was this great LIGHT the sun? I don’t think so because of what is stated afterward. Notice they were sitting in darkness, it’s hard to sit in darkness after the light of the sun lighten up the world after a nigh of darkness. They were also sitting in the shadow of death when light sprung up. Here what I think. We were born in darkness a dead spirit which could not know God neither worship God.

John 4:23

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The people which sat in darkness (no light lost without hope) saw great light; (the gospel , the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Son of God) and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (The light of Jesus)

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 9:5

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

John 12:46

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Jesus is the Light and if we never know Jesus we will be seated in darkness and the shadow of death will ever be present. But the child of God walks through the shadow of death.

Psalms 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

Therefore “The light of the righteous rejoiceth:”