“HAVE YOU NEVER READ?”

 

Mark 2:23-28                 (ESV)

JESUS Is LORD of the Sabbath

“[23] One Sabbath HE was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, HIS disciples began to pluck heads of grain. [24] And THE PHARISEES were saying to HIM, “Look, WHY are THEY doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” [25] And HE said to them, “”HAVE YOU NEVER READ” what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: [26] how he entered the house of GOD, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” [27] And HE said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. [28] So the SON of MAN is lord even of the Sabbath.”

THE PHARISEES were always very “critical” of JESUS, and HE was very critical of what THE PHARISEES “taught”!  It was as if THE PHARISEES wanted to make a way to PROVE that “their religion” was TRUE, and JESUS IS TRUTH (John 14:6)!  Part of THE PLAN was that ultimately THE PHARISEES had JESUS crucified, but HE DEFEATED death, hell and the grave when HE said “It is FINISHED”!!!

JESUS KNEW that mankind needed to have REST!  This FACT was emphatically proven to this humble servant in July 2007!  Genesis 2:3 says “So GOD blessed the seventh day AND MADE IT HOLY, because on it GOD RESTED from all HIS work that HE had done in creation.”  HE CREATED the Sabbath, not because HE was overworked, but because humanity needed to have a time to WORSHIP HIM!!!

Humans sometimes get the idea that they have everything “figured out”, like we KNOW “what is needed” for our lives to be better???  But JESUS exquisitely said that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”  We don’t need to assume that we know better than what JESUS “prescribed”!  We need to humbly acknowledge that HE IS THE CREATOR and we are simply THE CREATED!!!

But reality is that we are humanity and from time to time have to be reminded of that position.  THE PHARISEES (for the most part) were used to illustrate that “HAVE YOU NEVER READ” the Scriptures and what they were missing in their lives!!!  They weren’t familiar enough with THE WORD to acknowledge WHO was right in front of them!!!  Only GOD can know if we are CHOSEN, and whether we classify as “HAVE YOU NEVER READ”???

Ecclesiastes 7:14

 Ecclesiastes 7:14                 (ESV)

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: GOD has made the one as well as the other, so that man may NOT find out anything that will be after HIM.”

“YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD WITHIN YOU!”

 

John 5:39-42                 (ESV)

“[39] You (the rebellious Jews) search the Scriptures because you “think” that in them you have eternal life(;) and it is they (the Scriptures) that bear witness about ME, [40] yet you (the Jews) refuse to come to ME THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE. [41] I do not receive glory from people. [42] But I KNOW that “YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD WITHIN YOU”.

“The Jews” are very often referred to as GODS CHOSEN PEOPLE??  But these are the very people who pushed for JESUS (GOD IN FLESH) to be crucified (Acts 4:10)!!  The precise reason why GOD would permit HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE to be the chief enemy of JESUS is something that is difficult to understand.  The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 11:5 and says “So too at the present time there is a “remnant” (a small surviving group), CHOSEN BY GRACE”!!  

JESUS testified in John 5:42 that “YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD WITHIN YOU”, identifying these Jews as NOT being a part of the CHOSEN people of CHRIST.  The people who JESUS were addressing WERE NOT a part of THE CHOSEN……, they were ANYTHING BUT CHOSEN by the Heavenly FATHER!!!

It is VERY CLEAR that heritage, nationality, religion, nor anything else can make a person a part of being CHOSEN BY GRACE!!  If GOD IN THE FLESH says that “YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD WITHIN YOU”, your salvation needs to be of concern to you (Acts 9:4-6)!!!

LISTEN!!!

 There are a few times that I am led to simply permit the HOLY SPIRIT to speak to me!!!  

If GOD displayed anything to me 19 years ago, it was that HE doesn’t require ANYTHING from

me!!!

 https://youtu.be/GWhUuGN59Nk?si=w_b1uHh9m85WPNmR

“WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU!”

 

Isaiah 26                 (ESV)

You Keep Him in Perfect Peace

“[1] In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 

    “We have a strong city;

        HE sets up salvation

        as walls and bulwarks. 

    [2] Open the gates,

        that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 

    [3] You keep him in perfect peace

        “WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU”,

        because he trusts in YOU. 

    [4] Trust in the LORD forever,

        for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. 

    [5] For HE has humbled

        the inhabitants of the height,

        the lofty city.

    HE lays it low, lays it low to the ground,

        casts it to the dust. 

    [6] The foot tramples it,

        the feet of the poor,

        the steps of the needy.”

    [7] The path of the righteous is level;

        YOU make level the way of the righteous. 

    [8] In the path of YOUR judgments,

        O LORD, we wait for YOU;

    YOUR name and remembrance

        are the desire of our soul. 

    [9] My soul yearns for YOU in the night;

        my spirit within me earnestly seeks YOU.

    For when YOUR judgments are in the earth,

        the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 

    [10] If favor is shown to the wicked,

        he does not learn righteousness;

    in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly

        and does not see the majesty of the LORD. 

    [11] O LORD, YOUR hand is lifted up,

        BUT THEY DO NOT SEE IT.

    Let them see YOUR zeal for YOUR people, and be ashamed.

        Let the fire for YOUR adversaries consume them. 

    [12] O LORD, YOU will ordain peace for us,

        for YOU have indeed done for us all our works. 

    [13] O LORD our GOD,

        other lords besides YOU have ruled over us,

        but YOUR name alone we bring to remembrance. 

    [14] They are dead, they will not live;

        they are shades, they will not arise;

    to that end YOU have visited them with destruction

        and wiped out all remembrance of them. 

    [15] But YOU have increased the nation, O LORD,

        YOU have increased the nation; YOU are glorified;

        YOU have enlarged all the borders of the land.

    [16] O LORD, in distress they sought YOU;

        they poured out a whispered prayer

        when YOUR discipline was upon them. 

    [17] Like a pregnant woman

        who writhes and cries out in her pangs

        when she is near to giving birth,

    so were we because of YOU , O LORD; 

    [18]     we were pregnant, we writhed,

        but we have given birth to wind.

    We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth,

        and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen. 

    [19] YOUR dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.

        YOU WHO dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!

    For YOUR dew is a dew of light,

        and the earth will give birth to the dead.

    [20] Come, my people, enter your chambers,

        and shut your doors behind you;

    hide yourselves for a little while

        until the fury has passed by. 

    [21] For behold, the LORD is coming out from HIS place

        to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity,

    and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it,

        and will no more cover its slain.”

“TO HIM!”

 

Ephesians 3:20-21                 (ESV)

“[20] Now “TO HIM” WHO IS ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, [21] “TO HIM” be glory in the church and in CHRIST JESUS throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

This morning, while going over the Scripture that I wrote about previously, I observed a passage displaying the WORDS “TO HIM”???  I hardly ever “take the time” to delve into exactly what each word delineates, but I researched them and discovered something that still has me in awe of HIS MEANING for “people who have ears to hear”!!

To understand precisely WHO “TO HIM” is referring to causes this “brain damaged” soldier of the cross to S-L-O-W D-O-W-N and “take in” exactly what GOD is saying to me?  The GODHEAD (FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT) is trying to get me to ABSORB (soak in) in this time of my life.  I have always been SO HURRIED in my actions that GOD “used” a seventeen day coma to illustrate HIS TOTAL and COMPLETE OMNIPOTENCE over EVERYTHING!!!  

GOD IS NOT required to do ANYTHING too quickly OR slowly to PROVE HIS AWESOMENESS to HIS CREATED people!!!  WHO is GOD?  The Bible describes for us WHO GOD is. GOD is the All-Powerful Creator of the universe.  The LORD is ONE in THREE DIVINE PERSONS, FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT.  HE is holy, loving, and perfect. GOD is totally trustworthy and safe. HE ALONE is our salvation.  John 1:3 PLAINLY states “ALL THINGS were made through HIM, and without HIM was NOT ANY THING made that was made.”  HE IS LIFE and we must have our EYES OPENED to SEE that!!!

“Now “TO HIM” WHO IS ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US” are simply words to most people, but TO HIS CHOSEN they are WORDS that say that “TO HIM” lives inside of me and HE wants to make that KNOWN to “this world”!!!

“HIM WHO IS ABLE!”

 

Ephesians 3:20-21                 (ESV)

“[20] Now to “HIM WHO IS ABLE” to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US, [21] to HIM be glory in the church and in CHRIST JESUS throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Having your restful sleep interrupted at 2:00AM is something that is very unsettling.  When you have your EYES OPENED to SEE the guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT directing your thoughts in a way that is unmistakably BEYOND your capabilities, you tend to LISTEN more intently to HEAR what HE is SAYING to you!

The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD is ABLE to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than ALL that we ASK or THINK, according to the POWER AT WORK WITHIN US!  We tend to LIMIT what HE does in our lives because we don’t have the capacity to SEE what HE is capable of doing???  

Nineteen years ago, from July 12 through July 29, my body was having a war fought within me where I was TOTALLY removed from assisting in the outcome!  GOD didn’t require me to interfere with HIS HANDIWORK, as a matter of fact, HE needed me to “get out of HIS WAY”!!!   Around 1:30AM of July 25, GOD SUPERNATURALLY intervened in my life and temporarily healed my body.  HIS PLAN has kept me alive since, even though I am the worst of them (HCSB)!!!

GOD is STILL working in my life nineteen years later……NOT because I am worthy, but because of HIS MERCY AND GRACE!  It is my PRAYER that I will YEILD to HIS PLAN for my life and do PRECISELY what HE has LAID OUT for me to accomplish!  

Why did HE CHOOSE me to do such a MIRACULOUS WORK in my life??  Andreá

Crouch wrote a song in the early 1970’s entitled “I don’t know why JESUS loved me”.  Well, I don’t know why JESUS CHOSE a wretch soul such as I to perform such a work in my life???  All I can say is “HIM WHO IS ABLE” was the only ONE WHO could save me back then, and HE STILL IS WORKING ON ME!!!