Sunday, April 26th, 2021
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. "(John 14:6) As long as we walk this path then we will reach the harbor. God watches over His flock. As long as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we have salvation. "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. (Hebrews 3:15) We want to have our hearts softened in order to receive the Word and be changed.
In ancient times, this God was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was known that He had a people of His own: Israel. Israel was called the People of God. "He (the Word) came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But to all who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave power to become children of God" (John 1:11-12). They chose Barabbas. God then turned His eyes from Israel to the nations. God first looked upon the Gentiles to choose from among them a people to bear His name" (Acts 15:14)." This is also the People of God. We need to know what God is looking for in the nations? It is not about everyone but about those who are His people, those who have been called. It is not the work of a man but the work of God. We are in a special time because this God is going to do, He is going to act. We must have our eyes open to see the action of God. We have received many teachings that blind us today. The people of Israel had many teachings but they did not recognize Jesus. Their teachings made the Word of God ineffective. The Word is still powerful and effective but ineffective for those who do not want to receive and accept it. We are waiting for a glorious event as Israel was waiting for a special event. In this Age, Jesus is rejected by the churches. This Jesus is not wanted. Let us examine ourselves with a clear conscience: do I really love the Lord with all my heart? "... no one can say: Jesus is the Lord! except by the Holy Spirit. "(1 Corinthians 12:3) If you love Him then things will be different!
Matthew 16:1-12
God works in a special way. Paul knew and received this Jesus Christ, he had a powerful ministry but he could say "But I treat my body harshly and hold it in subjection, lest I myself should be rejected, after I have preached to others. "(1 Corinthians 9:27) We don't really know God. There is too much sloppiness in the things of God. You think you have already acquired but it is pride that enters into you. "For all who are of Israel are not Israel" (Romans 9:6). All of Israel thought they were of God but they are not. We are not dealing with a human but with God. Jesus speaks in one dimension and the disciples speak in another dimension. Two different dimensions. You can hear the Word and not receive it in the right way. Jesus answered him, "Verily, verily, I say to you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God... Jesus answered him, "You are the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things! "(John 3:3 and 10) You think you know, but if you really knew, God would have made you a pastor. God places you there to listen because that is your blessing. Even if a sign had been given by Jesus, those Pharisees and Sadducees would not have believed. If they did believe, their lives would have been changed. If your life does not change, it is because you do not believe in this God. If you are still carnal, you will understand things carnally but that is not what God wants. When God speaks, He always speaks spiritually. "So now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, because the flesh made it powerless, God condemned sin in the flesh, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for the sake of sin, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk in the flesh but in the spirit. "(Romans 8:1-4) The spiritual man judges everything.
Jesus spoke about leaven and the disciples thought that Jesus spoke according to their thoughts because leaven is put in the bread. But it was not so. Jesus knew where He came from and where He was going, but do you know where you come from and where you are going? You don't know for sure who you are. Distraction comes from the devil. We want God to speak to us but we don't listen. The Pharisees and Sadducees did not believe in this Jesus because they had their teachings: their absolute was "Moses said". In this condition, Satan could make many things happen. "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; he who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me also, because he wrote about me" (John 5:45-46)." We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets spoke, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. "(John 1:45) When you are not sure, Satan can easily throw you off. Philip was so certain that he did not tremble: "Come and see. "(John 1:46) "Nathanael answered and said to him, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel. "(John 1:49)
You hear the Word and you reason. We destroy ourselves by our own reasoning. When someone tells you that your reasoning is not biblical, accept it and change. Don't hang on to it by justifying yourself with false things. When it is wrong, it is wrong. We need the truth. We want to think like God thinks. I admit my mistake and correct it. When you change and correct it shows that you have the life of Christ. We don't have to cooperate with demons, we cast out demons. God knows our thoughts. God searches our hearts and minds. When you realize this, then you are in awe. God speaks about something and the disciples associate something spiritual with something carnal. The Pharisees were not bakers. The leaven of the Pharisees was spiritual. God wants to take your burdens off you but you go back with them. God unbinds you and you bind yourself. You often forget what God has done for you. When God visits you, it is then that you understand what God has done for you. Then what worship, what praise would we have for this God? Count the blessings of God, remember what God has done for you, He will do it again. "For he says, and it happens; he commands, and it happens. "(Psalm 33:9) He came to set the captives free. For Him, it is sure and certain, it is already done. We have already received healing. It is being accomplished in your life. Even if the sickness comes, I have the assurance that He will still act and answer. God knows very well what He is saying. God is so good, that He sent you Himself: Jesus Christ. He came to save you from the flesh, to keep you. There is no God like Him. He is alive and He still acts as in the days of old. He still acts to show that His Word is the Truth. "And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. "(Matthew 28:20) You believe Him, you feel Him. We need to experience our Lord. Our faith must be firm.
Jesus insists that they understand that He is not talking about bread. We have something very important: We have the Creator. When you have Him, everything becomes possible. When Israel left Egypt, they didn't have water tanks with them, only the Lord. "Seek first the kingdom and the righteousness of God, and all these things shall be added to you. "(Matthew 6:33) Don't worry anymore, don't cry anymore because what you desire, God has given it to you. Only cling to God. When God looked down on the earth, He saw you. God did not create you to lose you, He gave His life for you. Our faith must be based on Jesus Christ and it must be unshakeable. We must walk with confidence and determination because we are more than conquerors. We are never defeated but always victorious, for He who overcame and gave you the promise, did not remain in the tomb but rose again and is alive forever and ever. If He was put in the tomb, it was because He had to go down to Hades to see Job, David and all the others. Satan thinks he is clever, but he is not. To enter the lower places, one must be dead. He had to die to bring life. He is Wisdom. He is Living. He is always the same, He does not change. He is also here today for you. When Jesus comes, light comes and life too. Why does your heart remain closed? Don't be outside but be inside. When Jesus came on the back of a donkey, everyone was happy, but the Pharisees wanted to shut them up. If you go out and God has not visited you, what will you do? Receive Him today! When you go out, He is with you.