HOW GOD PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO ABRAHAM

by Barry Setterfield

INTRODUCTION

In the Biblical book of Galatians, the Jewish Rabbi Paul, who had studied under the well-known and widely respected Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), made a significant comment. In Galatians 3:8 Paul stated that "the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached in advance the Gospel unto Abraham ..." The end result is stated in Genesis 15:6 namely "that Abraham believed God (by faith) and it was counted to him for righteousness." Paul's comment in Galatians implies that just as Abraham believed the Gospel by faith when it was preached to him by God, so, in a similar way, the Gentiles will be justified by faith in the same Gospel. The question is, "How did God preach the Gospel to Abraham, and what was that Gospel?" A brief glance at Genesis 15:5 shows that the stars were intimately involved in this process, while Galatians 3:16 implies it was not the number of stars but the story they told that was important. So star names seem to be involved in this process. Let us look more deeply into this.

WHO NAMED THE STARS?

In Genesis 1:14 we are told that the stars are to be for SIGNS, seasons, days and years.

The seasons, days and years are familiar to us, but what about the SIGNS? Signs are designed to give us information; they carry a message. If we are traveling down the freeway and see a sign that reads "Los Angeles 200 miles", this gives us information. In a similar way the star signs also carry a message. But how is this message given? It is certainly not through demonic astrology which is condemned by the Scriptures of Truth. No, rather it appears that the message of the stars may be given by their NAMES and the constellation patterns. This conclusion is reached as a result of further Scriptural comment on the matter.

In Isaiah 40:26 and Psalm 147:4 we find two statements that God personally gave the stars their names. This is significant. Adam was given the prerogative of naming the animals, but God felt it important enough to name the stars Himself. It might be asked when did this naming take place? The answer is given in Isaiah 40:26. when He "Brought out the (starry) host by number, He called them all by their names", that is at the Creation event. So these star names have been known since Creation. In Psalm 147:4 the second statement reads "He TELLS the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names." The word translated "TELL" (Hebrew 'saphar') is a census-taking word. It literally means "to recount, to list in sequence (as with a name and a number - like the military), to enumerate, to take a census of, to tabulate, to tell-out, or number."

STAR NAMES AND LANGUAGES

One important fact emerges here. Many star and constellation names in a variety of languages around the world have a similar meaning. For example, one constellation was known as Virgo to the Romans, Bethulah to the Hebrews, Parthenos to the Greeks, and Kanya to the Indians, but all mean "VIRGIN". Linguistically, this strongly implies there was a common origin for the names. It is accepted theory that the three main linguistic branches from which most languages diverged had a common origin in Anatolia (see Gamkrelidze and Ivanov in Scientific American March 1990, or Colin Renfrew in Scientific American October 1989). Scripturally, this division of languages occurred at Babel, which was near Anatolia. This would imply an origin of star and constellation names prior to the Babel event which suggests that they may have been known as far back as Noah and the Flood. Linguistically, that is as far back as we can go. However, the Isaiah 40:26 statement takes us right back to the Creation and Adam.

In the mid to late 19th century, star names became fixed by astronomical convention. The name chosen for a given star was sometimes the Latin, or Hebrew, or Chaldean, or Arabic version of the original name. As a result of this process, some names have been lost. However, those who studied this topic in detail, namely Frances Rolleston, Joseph A. Seiss, and E. W. Bullinger wrote at a time when the star names in other languages were still extant. Some important information on these matters can also be found in Jamieson's Celestial Atlas of 1822 which appeared well before astronomical convention fixed the names.

Rolleston's work of 1862 comprised 221 pages of small typeface in four parts. The author died just prior to the completion of Part 4. In Part 2 there is an extensive study of star names in a variety of languages, and their primitive roots. Most give a concordant testimony. However, as noted by a number of recent commentators on the topic, modern Arabic interpretations are often discordant with the overall picture that emerges. However, Rolleston did point out the source of this problem on page 5 of Part 1. The difficulty arises because modern Arabic use of the basic roots of words gives meanings that are divergent from ancient Arabic. By reference to the ancient Arabic use of roots, corroboration of the story given by the other star names is usually obtained.

SEASONS AND CONSTELLATIONS

The time or season of the year used to be known by the constellations passing overhead or the one that the Sun was in. In Job 38:32 God said to His upright servant "Can you bring forth Mazzaroth (the 12 signs) in their season?" These 12 signs form the path that the Sun appears to take in the heavens, namely the Zodiac. The word ZODIAC comes from the Greek word ZOAD meaning "a way, a step, a circuit, a circle". In Chaldean the word has similar associated meanings. Psalm 19:6 actually uses the Hebrew equivalent of this word where it states that "(the Sun) goes from one end of heaven, and his CIRCUIT is unto the other end of it:"

There is evidence that the constellation patterns making up the Zodiac, and indeed the rest of the night sky, were formed and named by God. In Job 26:13 we find the statement "By His Spirit He has garnished and decorated the heavens; His hand has formed the FLEEING SERPENT." Note that in Hebrew poetic style the heavens and the fleeing serpent are connected. So we ask "Is there a fleeing serpent in the heavens?" The answer is YES! The constellation of HYDRA. It is a particularly apt constellation to remark upon as it is the longest constellation in the sky. It takes 7 hours to pass overhead. This comment in Job implies that the Spirit of God Himself formed and decorated the heavens with the constellation patterns, and, as shown above, He gave them their names as well. Obviously, Abraham was familiar with the constellation patterns and star names because God used the message there to instruct him. What is this message?

THE STARS CARRY A GOSPEL MESSAGE

In Romans 10, Rabbi Paul gives us some key verses to help with this. Verse 15 states "and how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written 'How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the GOSPEL OF PEACE, and bring GLAD TIDINGS of good things'." So the bringing of the GOOD NEWS, the GOSPEL OF PEACE is what Paul is talking about here in this context. In verse 18, Paul then goes on to say: "But have they (the heathen) not heard? YES! Truly they have heard! For 'their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world'." What a fascinating statement! Paul says here that the heathen have heard the Gospel of Peace, because "THEIR sound went into all the earth and THEIR words unto the ends of the world." The question is who are the "THEY" that are doing the preaching? Well, if you have a marginal reference, you find that Paul is quoting directly from Psalm 19:4 where the stars are being spoken of. Indeed, Psalm 19:3 gives the additional information that "there is no speech or language where (the stars) voice is not heard." Therefore, the "THEY" in Psalm 19 and Romans 10:18 are the stars in the heavens. As a consequence, it can only be concluded that it is the stars that are preaching the Gospel - in a particular way by their names and the arrangement of the constellation patterns.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUN

The next point to note comes from Psalm 19:4-6. Dr. D. E. Spencer paraphrases verse 4 as "In amongst these starry witnesses, God has established a dwelling place for the Sun." The next verse goes on to describe the SUN as the Heavenly Bridegroom, who comes forth to run his race and returns to his place of origin. But in the Bible, John the baptiser speaks of Christ (Messiah) as coming down from heaven, and calls Him the "Bridegroom" (John 3:25-31). The beloved disciple John also refers to the relationship of Christ to His Church as that of a heavenly bridegroom with an earthly bride, while Rabbi Paul echoes the idea in Ephesians 5. 

It is therefore apparent from Psalm 19 and the other passages that the Sun represents Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom.

This idea is accentuated by the prophet Malachi. He calls Israel's Messiah the SUN of Righteousness who will blaze forth for the sake of His people in the Last Day (Malachi 4:2). So the Sun represents Christ, the light of the world (John 8:12), who came from heaven, ran His race on earth, and returned to Heaven. The race that the Sun runs is given by the Zodiac constellations or star patterns, so all the strong-man figures along the Zodiac represent Christ the SUN of Righteousness and the work He was to do. Note further that Psalm 19 is in two parts: In Part 1 we have the message of the stars - In Part 2 we have the message of God's word, the Bible being discussed. One is set against the other in such a way that David, who wrote this Psalm about 1000 BC, is implying that the message in the stars and the message in the Scriptures are one and the same.

THE STRONG MAN CONSTELLATION FIGURES

The story told by the strong man figures of the sky has been corrupted by Greek and Roman mythology. This was recognised by Jamieson in his Celestial Atlas published in 1822. On page 40 he states that "The Lion does not seem to have been placed among the zodiacal symbols because Hercules was fabled to have slain the Nemean Lion. It would seem, to the contrary, that Hercules, who represented the Sun, was said to have slain the Nemean Lion, because Leo was ALREADY a zodiacal sign." Notice here that this nineteenth century astronomer actually states that the Sun (the light of the world) is symbolised by the strong man Hercules. This is in agreement with the Biblical interpretation which identifies the strong man who runs his race along the path of the Sun as Jesus Christ the victor.

Another point is also pertinent. The Greeks thought of each of these "strong man" figures as being a different deity. In the Biblical interpretation they represent different works of the same person, namely Jesus Christ the Messiah. Even though it will pre-empt the discussion later, an example may be appropriate. To the Greeks, the Zodiac sign of Gemini the Twins represented Apollo and Hercules, the twin sons of Zeus, the chief deity. The Roman equivalent was Castor and Pollux which star names are retained today. It is shown later that these two pictures are of the same Lord Jesus Christ in His twin role as the Son of God and also the Son of Man.

THE ORIGIN OF MYTHOLOGY AND TRADITION:

Interestingly enough, the skeptic Volney is recorded by Rolleston as saying that "Everywhere in antiquity is the existence of the tradition of the expected conqueror of the serpent, a divine person, born of a woman, who was to come." Rolleston noted that Volney "sees this tradition reflected in the constellations, but why it should be there he does not say."(Part 1 page 19). A very similar statement is made by Depuis in L'Origine des Cultes who admits that this tradition was prevalent in all nations. Greek, Roman and other pagan mythologies have been built around this message from the stars and as a result must be considered as a perversion of the original. Nevertheless as Dr. D. E. Spencer concluded "Pagan mythology still retains sufficient of the truth for you to recognise it." (Word Key "Mazzaroth," broadcast over radio HCJB 1972).

Rolleston (Part 1 p.23) elaborates on this: "Should the tradition of the Divine yet woman-born Conqueror of the serpent, crushing His foe, but suffering from its venom, be met with among all nations, it is only what might have been anticipated among the descendants of one common father. From the Grecian Hercules, half human and half divine, subduing the hydra and dying from its poison; from the Indian incarnation of the Divinity, the virgin-born Krishna, slaying a serpent and wounded by it in the heel; to the serpent-worship of Mexico, and that of the woman-born and unfathered deity Mexitli; this image is everywhere present, pointing to one origin of the tradition and the race."

Dr. Spencer gave a further example of interest. In mythology "Zeus, the supreme deity of the Greeks reigned on Mount Olympus 'in the midst' of the twelve lesser gods of the Greeks." He then points to the pre-existent truth that has been corrupted by this mythology and makes an important observation. "Is it not more than chance that just as the blazing fire of the Sun dwells in the midst of the twelve constellations of Mazzaroth, so the blazing pillar of fire was the dwelling place of Jehovah in the midst of the twelve tribes of Israel? Furthermore, can it be mere chance that Jesus Christ, 'the Light of the world', is the One who dwelt in a tabernacle of flesh in the midst of the twelve disciples?" (The Gospel in the Stars, pp. 20, 53).

GOD'S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM

As noted at the beginning, Galatians 3:8 says that God preached the Gospel unto Abraham. It is important that we know when He did this as the stars were mentioned by God to Abraham on two distinct occasions, once in Genesis 15, then again in Genesis 22. We must not confuse these two separate incidents. Galatians 3:6 gives us the answer to this question. Rabbi Paul states that it was on the occasion when "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness." Importantly as we search both Genesis passages, it becomes apparent that this quote comes directly from Genesis 15:6. The context was given by Genesis 15:5. Abraham was childless and had no heir. Then God "brought him forth abroad, and said, 'Look now towards heaven, and TELL the stars if you be able to list them'; and He said unto him, 'So shall your seed be'."

Several important points emerge from this interview that Abraham had with the Almighty. In the first place, the word "TELL" is the same census-taking word as used in Psalm 147:4 so the star names are in view here. The second point is vital. The Almighty made a key comment when Abraham had finished listing off the star names. He said: "So shall your seed be." Does this mean that Abraham was to have many children? We have Rabbi Paul's exegesis of the original Hebrew on this. In Galatians 3:16, Paul says: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, And to seeds (plural) as of many; but as of one, 'And to your seed (singular) WHICH IS CHRIST!"

Here is an amazing statement! Abraham lists the star names in sequence from constellation to constellation telling the story of the stars from their names, and God says to him "So will your seed, the Messiah, be." Here was the promise to Abraham that the Messiah would come from his lineage. Furthermore, the Gospel was obviously associated with these star names as Galatians 3:8 states that God preached the Gospel to Abraham on that occasion - a Gospel associated with the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

It is important not to confuse this incident in Abraham's life with a later one. On the second occasion in Genesis 22:17, Abraham was promised seed like "the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea shore for multitude." This is a different interview with the Lord when the Patriarch received a different promise. According to Paul in Galatians 3, it was specifically on the first occasion in Genesis 15 that Messiah was promised from Abraham's lineage and Abraham believed God. Finally note that God preached the Gospel of Christ to Abraham by this method, and by faith Abraham accepted the message. The stars must therefore be preaching the same message in every language around the world, because Psalm 19 states that there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SPHINX

Well, if there is a message in the stars, where does the story begin since the Zodiac is a circle. An important clue is obtained from the Sphinx in Egypt. The word SPHINX comes from the Greek word SPHIGGO which means to "bind closely together". The significance of this meaning becomes apparent when ancient Egyptian Zodiacs are inspected. In those zodiacs such as one in the tombs of the kings at Karnak, the sphinx curiously linked the 12 signs together. Its woman-like face gazed upon the sign of Virgo, while its lion-like body and tail pointed to Leo. Dr Spencer notes that several other places in the Near East have similar inscriptions. Dr Spencer writes: "The sphinx is the key symbol which shows where the story in the stars begins and ends. It begins with Virgo the Virgin, and the first coming of Jesus Christ as Saviour; and closes with Leo the Lion, marking the Return of Messiah as the Lord of Glory. It begins with the story of His coming in humility and seeming defeat, and climaxes with the story of His coming again in power and overwhelming victory."

A PERSONAL TESTIMONY

Dr Spencer had a reason to be sure of that. On his radio study "Mazzaroth", he stated that on one occasion in the late 1960's he preached in Los Angeles at the Church of the Open Door on Romans 10:18 and concluded that all men had heard the Gospel in one way or another. After the service was over a very old woman introduced herself to him. She had been a missionary in Japan in her youth. She said to Dr Spencer: "I was sent far up into the hills to teach a class of women who had never seen a Christian of any kind. They had never heard the Gospel. They had never heard the name of Jesus from the lips of anyone. It was before the days of radio and television, and few of them could even read. They were totally without the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ as far as I knew. Yet when I had finished telling them the beautiful story of the Redeemer, whose shed blood had paid the price for their sins, an old crone stood to her feet and said 'Missy! That is the same story that I have been telling my village for years, but this is the first time we have ever heard the Redeemer's name.' Upon careful inquiry, I discovered that she had been repeating the names of the stars along the path of the Sun from the ancient Japanese charts of the Zodiac. These, she said, told exactly the same story that I had shared with them concerning the Lord Jesus Christ." This missionary then went on to tell Dr. Spencer that the Gospel message is even hidden cryptically in the characters of the Oriental alphabets. For example, the Chinese word for "COME" consists of a figure on a large central cross with a smaller cross on either side, while the word for "RIGHTEOUSNESS" consists of a slain lamb over the pronoun "I."

With that introduction, we are now prepared to examine briefly the 12 signs of the Zodiac to see what the Story says in its essence. Let us take note of the clue given by the Sphinx and begin with the constellation Virgo.

WE ARE DESTINED TO REIGN IN LIFE!

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17

The word “reign” used in Romans 5:17 is the Greek word basileuo where you get the English word “basilica.” In ancient Rome, basilicas were used as law courts. So it refers to a kingly, judicial rule. In other words, to reign here is to reign in life as a king, to have kingly rule and to possess kingly dominion.

Everyone seems to know the first part of Romans 5:17 – death reign because Adam’s sin but not all confess the second part which I believed the most important part of reigning in life. That through Jesus’ gift of righteousness and the abundance of His grace we will reign in life. We are just talking about on an equal ground here, we are not yet talking about the “much more”, Jesus did it perfectly and much more than what Adam did.

When Adam sinned, death and curse came to earth. Why is it that most of the Christians today only believe that Christ rescued us from the death but not from the curse? If that is the case then whatever Adam did is more powerful that what Jesus have done on the cross. I believed in my heart that Christ freed us from the death and the curse otherwise His sacrifice is useless.

The secret of reigning in life lies therefore with receiving everything that Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross.

Receiving versus Achieving

The Bible states very clearly that we are to reign in life through Jesus Christ just by receiving two things from Him: The abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. Grace describes as unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor from God. Think of it this way if we can earn our blessing by our own effort that means those people who don’t have the capacity to do it will be left out and I don’t think that is how God wants to bless His people. It is solely based on what Jesus has accomplished on the cross.

Long time ago, I always think that if I pray hard that God will hear me and answer all my prayers. In the same token if I fast, read the bible and attend the entire seminar in the church, I will be more closer to God and the blessing will overflow in my life.

Don’t get me wrong, all of these are good but this shouldn’t be the basis for us to be receive our blessing because if that is the case then it means that we can manipulate God and it will all depend on how we achieve these things.

My friend, this is not God’s way. God is Just and He doesn’t want His people that can not do those things not to receive from Him. Instead, He made the perfect plan by sending His son Jesus and through Him we can reign in life. We can not earn God’s Blessings by our own performance. God’s blessings are based entirely on His grace.

For example, if our blessing is based on our self effort and not from God’s Grace. Imagine what would happen if you missed reading your bible or pray when you get up in the morning. You will then miss the blessing for that day. On the other hand, the person that wanted to get more blessing, all he/she needs to do is take a day off from work and pray for the entire day then he will be a millionaire. That is just unfair and does not fit the characteristic of God.

When Jesus hung on the cross some 2,000 years ago, He cried out with a loud voice “It is finished!” Everything that you and I require to reign in life was accomplished at Calvary in our behalf. Stop doing what’s already Done! And start receiving what Jesus has DONE!

The Work Is Finished; Sit Down

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God… For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:12,14

I love do-it-yourself projects… the best part of it is looking at your finished work, admiring what you have accomplished. I normally sit back, relax, and stare at the project that I’ve just finished, what a wonderful feeling knowing that you’ve done a good job.

I’m sure most artists like DaVinci, Monet, Michelangelo and others love to sit down when their work or project is finished. Probably they spent countless hours admiring their perfect works and once they declare it perfect, I don’t think anyone can tell them otherwise.

The reason why there are people who don’t stop trying to qualify themselves is because they don’t understand what Jesus had accomplished on the cross. They still try to work on their salvation, depending on their self-effort to receive blessings, relying on what they can do to reign in life. How can we be sure that the work of Jesus is enough? How can I be fully assured that all my sins have already been forgiven?

Notice that after Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice and payment for all our sins, He “sat down”!

Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father. Do you know that under the old covenant, every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices? They have to do it daily because the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins. In the holy place of tabernacle of Moses, there is not a single piece of furniture prepared for the priest to sit on. This is because the work of the priest was never finished.

Jesus sat down to demonstrate to us that the work is indeed finished. I can imagine how our Father God is sitting with Jesus and admiring the finished work of His son. He probably tells Jesus, Son what you did is perfect; no one can add or subtract from your finished work.

Aside from Jesus finish and perfect work on the cross, He also assured us that when we accept Him we too can sit in heavenly places. My friend, this is the assurance that we need to meditate day and night for us to reign in life.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ… and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-6

When you reign in life, you reign over sin, you reign over the powers of darkness, and you reign over depression, over poverty, over every curse, and over sickness and disease. You REIGN over the devil and all his devices!

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14

This is what we need… because we are now under Grace and not the under law.

Parable of the Dancing God by C. Baxter Kruger Ph.D

Chapter 1 A Parable of the Dancing God

The third parable of Jesus in Luke 15 is without question among his most famous. It is also his most loved. It is about a father and his two sons. And this fact alone endears the parable to us. It is most often called “the parable of the prodigal son.” Perhaps this is because the “wayward” son’s story comes first and because it is so real and moving. But there is far more to the parable than this son’s journey. That is why the story does not end when he finally comes home. The story moves on and the older son takes center stage. If we were to focus on this son and his life, the title of the parable should be something like “the parable of the blind son,” or “the parable of missing the whole point.” But this story is not really about either the prodigal or the blind son. It is about the father. He is the central figure. And Jesus is using this father and his relationship with his two sons to reveal to us the shocking truth about God.

This story is about who God is and what God is actually like. It is about the way God thinks, how He thinks. It is about the way God acts towards us. It is about the Father’s heart and joy. It is a story of a God we can believe in--a parable of the dancing God.

Jesus picks the worst person that he can possibly find and he has the Father running after him. This most pitiful excuse of a son, Jesus tells us, is the object of the Father’s intense longing and passion and affection. He is the object of the Father’s care and unconditional no-strings-attached forgiveness.

Jesus paints a picture of God standing on the balcony of heaven, watching, searching the horizon for the least inkling of a shadow of His son’s return. And once He sees him, this son, Jesus has the Father running and embracing him and commanding a great party to be thrown on his behalf.

What a picture of God! I tell you there is no greater statement about God in the whole Bible than verse 20: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed and kissed and kissed him” (NASB). He was absolutely thrilled to see him.

The first question for all of us, and maybe the only question, is this: Have we met this Father? Have we met the God of this parable? Do we know Him? Can you not feel Jesus’ heart here? Can you not see, written all over his face, the words, “You have just got to meet the real God”? Can you not feel Jesus struggling with the whole wrongheadedness of the prevailing conception of God around him? Can you not hear him saying to himself, “If they could

just meet Him and know Him, it would change everything”? The Real God

This parable, together with the two which precede it, are told by Jesus in direct response to the apparently “righteous” critique of the religious leadership. The “leadership” of the Jewish institutional church did not like the fact that Jesus Christ received sinners (v. 2). Swindlers and sinners, outcasts and failures, were flocking to him and he was treating them as old friends. He was glad to see them. He was excited by their presence, even eating with them and going to their parties. And such outlandish activity quickly found itself under the scrutiny of the ever present religious eye.

“Some kind of holy person you are, Jesus, embracing sinners. Don’t you have any religion about you, Jesus? How could you possibly hang out with these people? How could you receive such unrighteous sinners, blasphemers?”

You can almost feel Jesus’ reaction. He is certainly shocked by their scrutiny and judgment. But it is more than shock, it is disbelief. “Are you guys for real? Are you really that clueless? Do you really not understand why I embrace sinners and eat with them? I do this because that is the way God is! Because my Father runs to embrace these sinners and eats with them, indeed He throws a loud and lavish party for them.”

“Here,” Jesus says, “let me tell you about it.” That is what is going on in these parables. Jesus is responding to the way

the leading lights of Israel think about God and to the way that their thinking about God leads them to judge him. And He has a shocker for them. They have it all wrong and he attacks their thinking.

These parables of Jesus are a direct assault, an all-out frontal attack, upon the Pharisees’ perverted idea of God and the way He operates. They think that God is a bookkeeper. They think that God is keeping tabs. They think that He is keeping a list and checking it twice to find out who is naughty and nice.

And they think that these sinners do not have a snowball’s chance in a hot tub, because they are miserable failures. These people have not qualified for divine favor. They have done nothing for God. In fact, they have done everything possible to disqualify themselves from everything divine--from everything, that is, but sure and certain judgment.

But Jesus has God embracing these failures. Jesus, the Father’s true Son, who dwells in the bosom of the Father (JN 1:18) and who knows the Father inside and out (MT 11:27), throws them a theological curve ball which absolutely blows their minds. He turns their theology on its head. Instead of a bookkeeping, list-checking, divine legalist, Jesus confronts them with a picture of God who dances in sheer joy at the sight of a failure coming home. He confronts them with a God who turns out to be a divine sprinter, who runs after sinners, who throws parties for those who have not and cannot possibly qualify for His favor.

Instead of a God quick to judge--a hangin’ judge, who has one hand on the rope of the trap door and searches for an excuse to jerk it--Jesus’ version of God is of an amazing Father who steadfastly, persistently and unswervingly remains exactly what He is, a Father, even and especially when His sons become rebellious, twisted and wayward.

There is no list-keeping in this Father’s heart. There are no Pharisaical- religious steps to forgiveness. There is no mention at all of forgiveness here and especially of earning it in any way. Because forgiveness is already done. It is, in Jesus’ word, “finished.”

This is about a son, who is and remains a son because he has a father who is and remains a father. This is about a sinner coming to his senses and encountering the truth of who he is because of who God is. This is about a son encountering the truth that he has a home, that he has a father, that he has an inheritance that he cannot squander. This is about coming to know God, coming to know and believe the good news of God the Father’s immutable heart.

The son is lost in the far country in tears. He is miserable, for he knows to the root of his soul that he has failed. He cannot escape tasting the bitterness of his shame. His soul is haunted by embarrassment and helplessness. He cannot undo his wrongness. All that he can feel or say is, “Oh, oh, oh, my father, I have sinned against heaven and before your eyes and heart. I am no longer worthy of being your son at all. Make me as one of your hired men.”

He feels intense personal humiliation and condemnation. And yet, right in the midst of this, Jesus has the gospel coming out of the son’s own mouth. He speaks the gospel to himself in the depths of his misery, but he does not hear it. It is just rhetoric. Did you notice what this son said? He said, “I’m going back to my father” (v. 18, TM). Out of his own mouth comes the truth which he cannot see, much less dare to believe--yet.

In spite of all that he has done, there remains an abiding, unchanging, rock solid fact. There remains an inheritance that he cannot squander away. He has a father.

While he is far off, while he is rehearsing his “Maybe I can earn a place by my repentance” speech, the truth comes crashing down upon him like the mightiest peal of thunder. His father is his father.

What hits this son between the eyes is the fact that he cannot change his father’s heart. His father does not love him for what he does. His father does not stop loving him because he has rebelled and miserably failed. His father is his father--no matter what. He is and remains the beloved son because his father is and remains his father.

This poor boy thinks, as we all do, in religious terms. He thinks that he can and must do something. He knows that he has blown it, but he thinks that perhaps his sorrow and repentance will win a point in his father’s heart. He thinks that, while he has rebelliously squandered everything, just maybe his mourning, maybe his deep moaning and groaning, maybe his humility and religion, will at least get him a job and some food.

That is what he is doing. He is putting on religion because he thinks that it might just pull on the strings of his father’s compassion. But how striking and glorious and wonderful it is that he is not given the chance to even open his mouth. He looks up and he sees his father running. He freezes in his tracks and the next thing he knows is that he is completely covered up by his father. All he feels is his father’s embrace and kiss. All he sees is his father dancing with joy over him.

“That,” Jesus is saying, “is who God is and how God thinks and acts.”

But the boy still does not get the point. He still thinks that it is about what he does and does not yet see that it is about who God is. It has nothing to do with him and everything to do with God. He has rehearsed his speech and is determined to blether it out. And blether it out he does: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before your eyes and heart; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But notice what the text says next. Eugene Peterson captures it best: “But the father wasn’t listening” (TM).

Here is this great speech, this confession, but the father is not interested. He is not interested in the least. All the boy sees is his father dancing with joy. All he hears in response is his father’s shouts: “Get the best robe and put it on him, get the sandals and put them on his feet, get the family ring and put it on his finger, and fire up the bar-b-que pit! We are going to have a party! My son was dead, but is now alive. I had given him up for lost, but he has come home.”

The glorious good news of grace is crying out of the father’s being and action. The gospel has wrapped itself around this boy and drowned out his best speech. Volumes are proclaimed here in this one picture.

“Son, this is not about your opinion of yourself. This is not about your worthiness. This is not about winning points with me. This is not about what you do or fail to do. This is about the fact that I am your father and therefore you are my son. This is about you coming to know who I really am and therefore who you are--you belong to me. This is about you coming to know as you are known. This is about you seeing the real riches of your inheritance in me and being filled with a great hallelejuah! This is about you coming to bask in my relationship with you.”

A Note on Heaven and Church

It has been said that while the Bible speaks often about heaven, it does not actually tell us much about what heaven is going to be like. Well, if you want to know what heaven is like, here it is. It is a party. It is a feast. It is a celebration thrown by God the Father and He is the lead dancer. Heaven is about being at the Father’s party and being the celebrated guest of honor, in spite of your disqualifying failure.

The first of these three parables says that there is “joy in heaven” (v. 7, NASB) over one sinner’s rescued life. In the second parable the angels of God throw a party when a sinner gets the point and turns from his nothingness to the Father. In the third parable there is no mention of joy in heaven, no mention of angels throwing a party, there is only this wonderful picture of the dancing God. There is only this vivid image of the Father running, embracing, and kissing this fallen son, and commanding a great celebration.

That is heaven. It is the excitement of God; it is the Father’s dancing joy, exploding into the greatest party in history.

Is that not a wonderful picture of what church is to be like here and now-- the joy of God taking shape in our hearts and producing a celebration? We are into “models” today when we talk about the church. Well, here is a great model: the partying church.

Is this not the very heart of evangelism? Should it not be that when people, like the older brother (v. 25), come in from work, they hear music and dancing in the church, and want to know what this is all about? Is this not the very heart of our mission? Are we not called to be a celebrating people who are so excited and filled with the grace and joy of our Father that the celebration gets the attention of the world?

Religion

Jesus told this parable to confront and attack the wrongheaded understanding of God that was percolating through institutional religion in his day. He told it to bring about a reformation, a revolution. He told it to liberate the poor people who were living, or trying to live, under the bondage of a list- keeping theology. And he told it as a serious call to repentance. And I believe he told it in tears. Because he saw that the religious people of his day were not going to God’s party. They were offended. Jesus’ deepest concern in this parable is with the older brothers of this world and the fact that they were missing out.

There are few verses in the Bible that are more pitiful than verse 28: “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in” (TM). He became bitter and would not go to the party. Jesus tells us why the older brother was bitter. It was because of his theology. It was because he had been relating to what he thought was a bookkeeping, list-checking father all of his life. And he kept his own records as well. And, according to his own records, he never once failed: “Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and you have never given me a young goat, that I might be merry with my friends” (v. 29, NASB).

You see what is happening here. This brother had done it all correctly. He had been obedient, perfectly so. He had kept the rules. “And you have never rewarded me. And on top of this, when this whoremongering son of yours straggles in from the far country, you go plumb berserk in celebration and make a fool out of yourself drooling over him in front of the servants. You should be ashamed, father! That is not fair! It is outrageous! It is heinous!”

Can you imagine the look on the father’s face when he realized that his son had been with him (in church?) all those years and had never understood his heart at all? He must have been astonished and grieved and brokenhearted. “Son, what on earth are you talking about? You have completely missed the point. You ask me why I have never given you a side of beef to have a party with your friends? Son, it is all yours and always has been yours--don’t you know that?” Take a look at verses 11-12: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ And he divided it between them” (NASB). Did you get that? He divided it between them.

All that the father had, had already been given to the older brother. It was already his. The gift had already been given to him. And yet the older brother spent all those years trying to earn it, trying to earn what was already his. And he never enjoyed it. He never understood his father nor his graciousness. And he never enjoyed his father nor his abundant, lavish gift.

He could have been having a celebration all along the way. But he could not accept it on those terms. He had to invent his own terms. He turned it into religion. He spent his time trying to earn what was already his and keeping strict tabs to make sure he had done so.

His anger and bitterness at his father and the great feast thrown for his lost brother was not a temporary flare-up. It was the anger of the whole pattern of his life. It was the expression of his warped theology and false assurance.

He had never understood grace. He had never celebrated grace. He had never enjoyed his gracious father. He had never truly known his father nor life in his house. He had completely misunderstood who his father was and what made him tick. He had no idea. All he could think was that this whole deal was bitterly unfair. And he refused to go to the party.

That is what the religious people of every generation fall into. They invent their own terms. Instead of recognizing their own failure and nothingness, and then basking in the Father’s sheer grace and living in His lavish embrace, they create a religion. They create imaginary definitions, so that they can convince themselves that they are good, righteous and loving. And things get so twisted and wrongheaded, they cannot get to grips with a gracious Father who embraces and accepts the fallen ones, nor a Jesus who receives them freely and treats them as old friends.

They never know the real God and life in His pleasure. Their self- righteousness keeps them from seeing and experiencing His grace. They never join in the divine party. How could they? They do not see themselves as desperate failures who stand helpless and powerless to change--they are doing religion.

Inevitably, bitterness wells up within their heart when they see the freeness of the Father’s embrace and His lavish feast. And their religious presence stifles the marvel of amazed sinners and turns the celebration into a dead and boring act of “religious service” to God, which is lifeless and vacuous of glory.

exhortation in the power of the Spirit. It is used, for example, in 2COR 5:20: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating you through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, come to the party.”

The text says that the father came out and began entreating the older brother (v. 28): “Come on, son, this is your party too. This is our celebration. This is life in my house. Come join us, you belong here.” The word used here for “entreat” is parakaleo. It is a word that is used in the New Testament for 

The father entreated, begged, his older son, in the power of the Spirit, to be a part of the celebration. But the son would not listen. He could not accept it. It made no sense to him. His religion and false assurance prevented him from understanding. And he resisted the Spirit and refused to go to the party.

Some Honest Questions

Let’s step back now and think about all of this. What are we to make of this?

Jesus confronts us with a God who is not quite what we expect. This God is shocking. Jesus turns everything around. The religious people, the ones we would naturally think are in the thick of God’s things, end up missing out on the real thing. And the wayward failures find themselves amazed at the Father and in the midst of a party which He throws in His joy over them.

Where do we fit into this picture? A quick way to find an honest answer is to ask ourselves a question about how we listened to this parable. As we heard it retold, we sided with someone. We listened through one of the character’s ears. It may have been the younger son, or the older. It may have been the father or maybe Jesus, the teller of the tale. But we all most surely identified with one of these figures and saw things through his eyes.

It is important to think about this question of identification. It has a way of searching us and revealing our real thinking--the thinking that may well be hidden, but nonetheless profoundly affects us and how we live. This question brings to the surface what we might call our “working theology.” This is different from the theology that we discuss in church or Bible studies. Working theology is our thought about God that really is at work in us and on us. It is the thought of the soul. To ask, honestly, the question about how we listened to the story helps us to see what we really think in our innermost being.

Let’s take the younger son first. If you identified with him, then stop and take a honest look at your life.

Stare your falsehood and failures and pride and wrongness and squandering in the face. Ask yourself this question: Is it possible that this father in the parable is God and thinks about me as He does about this son? Can it be, that given all that I have done and not done, that God is and remains my Father and is moved with compassion for me and is running to embrace me in sheer joy?

Is it possible that He is coming right now, not tomorrow, or when I die, or when I finally get my act straightened up, but right now--and with full knowledge of who I am and what I have done-- and is shouting for His servants to bring His best robe and sandals and the beloved family ring and place it on my finger?

Can you believe that God is like this? Can you believe that God the Father is excited about you? Can you believe that He is commanding a party on your behalf? Can you believe that about God right now? If not, I say to you brother or sister, repent! That’s right, repent! Change your thinking and believing completely. Turn from believing such grotesque lies about our Father. Take a long look at verse 20: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him” (NASB). Memorize it. Believe in the God that you see here. Feed on the truth. Drink it in. Bask in it. Sit down and marvel at our God and Father.

Now, let’s think about the older brother. If you identified with him, then there is a question facing you about what we might call “religiosity.”

Ask yourself honestly this question: Do I harbor hopes in my heart that my religion will get me points with God? Do I think that my goodness and my obedience will make me acceptable to the Father? Do I think that my church attendance and my humility and confession will affect God’s heart? Do I think that somehow His relationship toward me is dependent upon my religious performance? If so, I say to you brother or sister, repent! That’s right, repent! Turn from believing such grotesque lies about God our Father. Take a long look at verse 31: “My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours” (NASB). Memorize it.

You are confronted here with a God who has already accepted you in Jesus and given everything to you in Him. How can you earn what is already yours? Do not sell yourself short. Put the ledger down and come to know Him. Join the marvel. Come to the party of grace thrown by the dancing God. It is your party too.

Now let’s look for a moment at the father. If you identified with the father in this story, then I say do not let the proud older brothers of this world turn the party into religion, and thus turn church into a funeral home. Beware of that self-righteous pride which lurks behind our humility and service. The humble are those who know their failure and are absolutely amazed that God has relentlessly pursued them in Christ, embraced them, and accepted them anyway.

Humility is the acceptance of grace. It is the acceptance of the Father’s shocking and unearned embrace in Jesus. Beware of those who are proud of what they do for God, rather than filled by what God has done for them. But do not stop entreating them to come to the party. Don’t give up. Do not stop telling them that it is their party too. And keep an eye squarely on the horizon.

If you identified with Jesus, the teller of the tale, then I say to you, continue to grieve for those who do not yet see, and for those who refuse to believe. But by no means stop telling the tale. Keep telling it and telling it, until the church again gets the message. Keep telling it until the church of the next millennium becomes a marveling church, a church shocked by the real God, and thus a celebrating church, which gets so filled with the joy of the Father that the world hears the party and wants to know what is going on.

May the Father’s heart overwhelm us so.

12 quotes taken from Unmerited Favor of Pastor JP

1. “Success is not what you have, but rather who you have.” (p.3)

2. “God has no problem with you having money, but He does not want money to have you!” (p.27)

3. “There is no such thing as a ‘prosperity gospel.’ There is only one gospel and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (p.29)

4. “When the little boy brought his five loaves and two fishes to Jesus, did He gobble them up and say, ‘I am giving you a lesson in poverty?’ Of course not!… Jesus did not feed the multitudes with just enough food. He blessed them with more than enough food. He is the God of more than enough and that is His style. Likewise, Jesus wants to bless you with more than enough, so that you can be a blessing to others.” (p.238)

5. “The Lord blessed Abraham so that he could be a blessing to others… You cannot be a blessing to those around you – your loved ones, local church, community and the poor – if you are not blessed by the Lord first.” (p.231)

6. “Religion is blinding. Religion will tell you that ‘God’ wants you sick to teaching you character and patience. Religion will tell you that ‘God’ wants you poor, so that you will learn humility. It sounds noble, doesn’t it? But these are LIES from the pit of hell! Let me tell you this: It is the devil who wants you sick and poor, but the God I know paid a heavy price to redeem you from the curse of sickness and poverty!” (p.30)

7. “The more occupied you are with Jesus, the more money follows after you! Now why is that? It is simply because when you seek first the kingdom of God, and put Jesus, His righteousness (not your righteousness), His joy and His peace as your first priority, God’s Word promises you that ALL the material things that you need will be added to you.” (pp.233-4)

8. “Don’t love money and use people. Use money to love people.” (p.234)

9. “The secret to walking in the blessing of Abraham in your life is to stop trying to deserve it.” (p.240)

10. “The irony is that if you were to examine the lives of those believers who fight against the teaching that God blesses His children with more than enough, you would see that they have no problems with doing their best to secure a nice home and give their children the best education money can buy… You see, they have no problem with accumulating wealth for themselves and living well, but they have a problem when we tell them that financial success is from God. They would rather believe in their self-efforts and say that their success is ‘self-made,’ than give God the credit.” (p.232)

11. “There are no ‘money problems,’ only ‘idea problems.’” (p.308)

12. “Don’t be afraid to use the word ‘prosperous.’ It’s God’s promise in the Bible.” (p.207)

What do you think?

Si Jesus- Siya ang Imong Tanan!

SI JESUS- Siya ang imong tanan!

Mensahe@TCC, Agosto 14, 2011

PASIUNA:

         Maoy akong tinguha nga matawo sa imong kasingkasing ang pagsalig kang Jesus lamang ug nga siya ang mahimong sentro sa imong pagkatawo ug nga palihokon nimo ang imong kinabuhi diha lamang kaniya!

         Ang gipadala sa Dios nga amahan dili doktrina kondili Persona!

·      Dili prinsipyo

·      Dili balaod ni tulomanon

Si Jesus ang gipadala sa Dios dinhi sa kalibotan aron tukoron ang Bag-ong Kasabotan!

·      Ang matag-panalangin nga atong gikinahanglan kang Jesus lang nato madawatan.

·      Ang Kristianismo dili formula.

·      Wala kita hatagi sa Dios ug libro kondili tawo aron kita maluwas.

John 3:16 – The Son of God is sent into the World

Packaged na ang tanan natong gikinahanglan diha kang Jesus lamang:

·      Righteousness (Pagkamatarong)

·      Holiness (pagkabalaan)

·      Success (kalamposan)

·      Victory (kadaogan)

·      Favor (pabor)

·      Provision (panalangin)

·      healing (kaayohan)

·      wisdom (kaalam)

·      and much more!

Si Jesus- Siya gyod Atong Pagkamatarong

I Corinthians 1

30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

30 Apan kamo gihiusa sa Dios diha kang Cristo Jesus ug diha kang Cristo aduna kitay kaalam. Pinaagi kaniya nahimo kitang matarong atubangan sa Dios, nahimo kitang balaang katawhan sa Dios ug gihatagan kita ug kagawasan.

·      Jesus is our wisdom!

·      Jesus is our holiness

·      Jesus is our redemption!

Si Jesus- Siya gyod atong Kasangkapan (Provision)!

Genesis 22:1-14

The first mention of the compound names of God—Jehovah-Jireh.

·      Jireh means “to see and to provide”, but what the Hebrew means literally is that “the Lord, Jehovah, is Jireh!

Jehovah is my provision! (Not only as my provider)

We cannot separate the provision from the Provider!

We cannot separate healing from the Healer!

He is your provision, prosperity and supply!

Si Jesus- Siya gayod atong Kaayohan!

(Dili lang nga Siya atong mananambal)

Exodus 15

26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”

Jehovah-Rapha is often translated as “the Lord who heals you”, but in Hebrew, it literally means “I AM HEALING, I AM HEALTH”!

·      God is not saying “I will give healing,” or “I will provide you health.”

He is saying, “I am your health. I am your healing!”

Si Jesus- Siya gayod atong Kadaogan!

1 Samuel 15

29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

·      The word “strength” here, natsach in Hebrew, means “victory that abides”—perpetual victory.

·      Notice that victory is a person—God Himself.

·      Even victory is the Lord! He is the Strength, success and victory of His people!

Si Jesus- Siya gayod atong Kaluwasan ug Kinabuhing walay kataposan!

1 Juan 5

12 Ang midawat sa Anak may kinabuhing walay kataposan. Apan ang wala modawat sa Anak sa Dios wala makabaton sa maong kinabuhi.13 Gisulatan ko kamong tanan nga nagtuo sa ngalan sa Anak sa Dios aron masayod nga kamo may kinabuhing walay kataposan.

APPLICATION:

·      Kon ikaw nakabaton kang Jesus, nabatonan nimo ang tanan!

Efeso 1

3 Magpasalamat kita sa Dios ug Amahan sa atong Ginoong Jesu-Cristo nga nagpanalangin kanato sa tanang espirituhanong gasa sa langit diha sa atong pagkahiusa kang Cristo.

Ang Presensya sa Dios maoy imong kalamposan!

Genesis 39:1-2

1 Gidala si Jose sa mga Ismaelita ngadto sa Ehipto ug gipalit siya ni Potifar, usa ka opisyal sa Paraon ug kapitan sa mga guwardiya sa palasyo. 2 Apan ang GINOO nag-uban kang Jose ug nagmauswagon siya. Didto siya magpuyo sa balay sa iyang agalon nga Ehiptohanon.

·      Joseph was a young slave boy around 17 years old who was standing in the slave market, naked for inspection.

May ebidensya ba ang iyang pagkamalampuson?

Genesis 39:3

3 Nakita ni Potifar nga nag-uban kang Jose ang GINOO ug tungod niini nagmalamposon gayod si Jose sa tanan niyang gibuhat.

·      Wow! Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph. He saw that God made all Joseph did to prosper.

·      Joseph’s success was not something spiritual. Potiphar, a heathen without an ounce of spiritual discernment, could see it with his own eyes.

Gusto ka bang makatilaw ning maong kalamposan?

·      Then, don’t forget the very first thing—“The Lord was with Joseph”.

Mabati ba nimo nga ikaw giubanan ug Dios?

·      Kondili nimo mabati, ang imong kinabuhi mabati!

Hebrews 13

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Ayaw higugmaa ang salapi. Kinahanglang makuntento kamo sa unsay anaa kaninyo kay nag-ingon ang Dios, “Dili ko gayod kamo biyaan o talikdan.”

·      God loves us and He has promised that He will never leave nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5).

·      But sometimes, we take things for granted.

Pangandoya ang Iyang Presensya sa imong kinabuhi!

·      When you love someone, you value his presence. You long for it. You will cultivate it and be conscious of it because to you, it is precious!

·      The Lord is jealous for your presence. He loves you. He wants to have a personal relationship with you.

·      He is not a respecter of persons, but He’s a respecter of those who respect Him and value His presence.

He Himself is your healing, your provision and your wisdom.

·      So the more you honor His presence, the more you will see Him manifest in glory!

·      Seek the Lord’s Presence!

Si Jesus- Siya gayod imong dalangpanan!

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Ang Dios mao ang atong dalangpanan ug kusog. Andam siya kanunay sa pagtabang panahon sa kalisdanan.

Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus

When Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ tomb, Lazarus’ sister, said to Jesus, John 11:20-24

20 Sa pagkabalita ni Marta nga miabot si Jesus, migula siya aron sa pagsugat kaniya apan si Maria nagpabilin sa balay. 21 Si Marta miingon kang Jesus, “Kon dinhi ka pa lamang, Ginoo, dili unta mamatay ang akong igsoon! 22 Hinuon, nasayod ako nga bisan karon mohatag ang Dios kanimo bisag unsay imong pangayoon.” 23 Si Jesus miingon kaniya, “Mabanhaw ang imong igsoon.” 24 Siya mitubag, “Nahibalo ako nga mabanhaw siya sa kataposang adlaw.”

·      She pushed Jesus to the past and to the future, not realizing that His present presence was her answer!

25 Ug si Jesus miingon kaniya, “Ako mao ang pagkabanhaw ug ang kinabuhi.ee Ang nagtuo kanako, bisan tuod mamatay, mabuhi.

·      God is always I AM. He is not I was or I will be.

APPLICATION:

·    We need to be conscious that God our very present help in times of need.

Find Rest In His Presence

·      Whenever the Lord is, and wherever His presence is, there is rest. A rest that is not subject to atmospheric forces or outward circumstance.

Moses once said to God (Exodus 33)

13 Kon nahimuot ka kanako, naghangyo ako kanimo nga suginlan mo ako karon sa imong mga plano aron makaila ako kanimo ug magpadayon ako sa pagpahimuot kanimo. Hinumdomi usab nga kining mga tawhana imong gipili.”

14 Ang GINOO miingon, “Mouban ako kanimo ug magmadaogon ka.”

    

Jesus came in the flesh

·            The One who spoke to Moses came in the flesh, stood before the Jewish people of His day who were heavily burdened by laws and rules, and said,

Matthew 11        

28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

“Duol kamo kanako, kamong tanan nga gikapuyan ug gibug-atan sa inyong gipas-an ug papahulayon ko kamo.

Amplified Bible

“I will cause to rest”

Greek “I will rest you”

·        Jesus is rest!

·        Whenever His presence manifests, there is rest!

·      The devil cannot operate where there is rest—his territory is unrest, agitation and stress.

CONCLUSION:

·      We have blessings that are resilient, because they depend on Jesus who lives in us. Because our healing, longevity, prosperity and success are all based on someone who is unshakable, all-powerful, all-knowing and best of all, all-loving, we have a security that is immovable!

·      A peace unspeakable!

Buhat 17

28 kay ‘Diha kaniya kita may kinabuhi ug naglihok ug nahimong mao kita.’

We are Spirit Beings not spirit Doings!

Song: