A MANIFESTATION OF GOD
Friday – November 29, 2019, Kislev 1, 5780
Greetings dear friends and partners of this Ministry and welcome back to these powerful and in-depth Bible teachings as we go through the Book of John. If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to give us feedback and expand the reach of the gospel. This is Thanksgiving week and we hope this is indeed a joyous week filled with thanksgiving for all. When we look for it, the Lord has done marvelous things in every one of our lives. Todays photo is of Donna and me and was taken at the Church of God International Headquarters in Cleveland Tennessee during a recent wonderful trip to Tennessee. The statue is of Jesus with a net in His hand symbolizing His making us fishers of men. Now, let’s turn our attention to our Bible Study and the primary text for today.
John 14:15-21 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
I trust that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, a time marked with thanksgiving to a wonderfully faithful God, a time to enjoy and love on family and friends, as well as a day to enjoy many special foods. Now, let’s dive back into our primary text picking up verse twenty-one. In case you might be concerned that I am skipping over the teaching about “The Comforter”, I am not and will circle back to it in the fulness of time. Also concerning this topic of love and obedience to the commandments (Word of God) Jesus has much more to say in verses to follow. This topic is central to victory. Until love and obedience to the Word, the commandments, are inexorably joined we are like a little boy in the yard with a Tonka truck. We are simply playing at building something and are not functioning as a mature Christian creating with the words of our mouth (in faith, in love, led of the Holy Spirit), furthering the Kingdom of God and demonstrating the goodness of God (glory). Let us determine in our hearts to mature as quickly as possible with God’s help, furthering the Kingdom of God, and showing the goodness of God at every turn.
In our text (verse twenty-one) Jesus points out that we must have or know the commandments, we must guard them and do them, and then and only then have we demonstrated our love (agape) for God. The word “hath” in our text is transliterated from the Greek to English as echō. God first said the command and now we echo that command back to Him, we say the same thing He says and we do it. The word “keepeth” has to do with guarding not letting it escape our consciousness. All of the words translated as love in our text are agape (the God kind of love). We are fully capable of operating in the same love as God and are in fact commanded to do so. When we have, do, and continuously guard the commandments (Word of God) we are showing that we love Jesus.
Jesus tells the disciples assembled that day and us this day that when we are doing this, He and the Father will love us. Not only will they love us but manifest in our lives. Perhaps one is thinking, doesn’t God love me already, anyway, doesn’t He love the world (unsaved), isn’t that why Jesus came. And you would be right, so what is Jesus saying. Our obedience to the Scripture (demonstrated love of God) opens the door wide for God to operate, manifest in our lives. The Father and Jesus through His sacrifice at Calvary gained victory over hell and death (Revelation 1:18). Now by the Blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus) and our confession (words of our testimony) we can choose Heaven, the Kingdom of God over the kingdom of Satan and Hell. We can choose life over death, that is eternal life spirit, soul, and body. What a deal dear ones! Although the love of God and salvation is freely extended to all persons it is not automatic. It must be received, believed, and acted upon to be a reality in our lives. At that point of salvation, we are demonstrating our love of God for we are obeying the commandment (Word for) for salvation and the door is now open for the Holy Spirit to quicken our dead spirit man and again we are alive forevermore. Same thing with everything else in the Kingdom of God. Lord willing, I will pick up right here Monday, December already!
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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