FRIENDSHIP AND OBEDIENCE
Thursday – April 9, 2020, Nisan 15, 5780
Greetings to our wonderful and beautiful friends who follow this Ministry and those who partner with us financially. Also, welcome back to this engaging and in-depth Bible Study of the Book of John. As Jesus says often in Scripture choose to have ears to hear. Don’t just hear this study as noise in your ears. Ask the Lord to help us hear and to do the Spiritual Truths contained herein. Dear ones understanding of the Word of God will not just happen automatically, it must be done purposefully and prayerfully. The same is true for us to think like God thinks, talk like God talks, and do as God does. Yes, yes, yes, that is possible but it must be purposeful and practiced. And yes, we will stand out like a sore thumb, and yes, we will be persecuted due to envy and jealousy, but we will be like Him and make real differences in people’s lives just like Him (Jesus). If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to give us feedback and to expand the reach of this powerful Ministry. Remember that we are always receiving financial partners and have exciting projects in the works to build the Kingdom of God. The featured picture today is of Donna and me at Archer’s on the Pier in Rockland, Maine. Now let’s start shifting our focus to the lesson at hand and start by reading our primary Bible text aloud. Nothing gets accomplished in the spirit realm in silence.
John 15:12-15 (KJV)
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
As we are moving forward let me point out an interesting aspect of verse thirteen. Thirteen in the Bible is the number of depravity and rebellion. The verse has to do in part with the love of God and that he laid down His life for mankind. Why did He lay down His life for mankind? He loved the man He had made; they were made family (of like kind) and chose another father. He (God) wanted to make it possible for us to be restored as family. Before the Cross those that worshiped God were servants but He wanted sons. Those that did not worship God were in another family all together and Satan was their father. Lucifer (Satan fallen) rebelled and fell, he deceived Eve and Adam placed Eve before God leading to the rebellion of Adam and Eve. Once sin and the curse entered into mankind all forms of depravity followed.
Now, as we look at verse fourteen, we see and hear Jesus saying you are my friends if you do what I command. Well, what if we don’t do what He commands? Short and sweet, we are not friends. Just as He said if you love (agape) me you will do my commands and I will love you and the Father will love you and manifest unto you. What if we don’t do what He commands? We are despising Him, and we are demonstrating that we do not love Him and now we see that we really don’t even like Him. Who do you hang around the most, those who are agreeable or those who are disagreeable? Have we been wondering why there is so little manifestation of God, the supernatural in our lives? If you have been reading this to this point, wonder no more. I don’t mean to be sarcastic but we have got to get a reality check and get our relationship ship with the Father in order. We are going to answer at the Judgement Seat of Christ for it all one day. The consequences of our actions now are eternal. This is all rather sobering but it needs to be. Many in the Church are in a fantasy land. I didn’t come up with any of this, God did.
As I am bringing todays and this weeks’ study of the Book of John to a close, we will dive into verse fifteen of our primary Bible text. Jesus says I am not going to be calling you servants any longer but friends. So, we don’t lose focus, He calls those of us who do His commandments friends. Those who love Him do His commandments. It seems in Scripture that God has very few friends. Abraham was one. He believed God and followed God’s command.
James 2:21-23 (ESV)
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
Those of you who have been following the “Gifts” series on Fridays’ know this is in Genesis twenty-two and has to do with the testing, the proving of the Blood Covenant that allowed God to come into the earth as Messiah. Abraham (and Isaac) coupled faith (unwavering belief in God and that He was a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him [Hebrews 11:6]) with action on Mount Moriah and not only was he counted righteous (in right standing with God) but a friend of God. Let us examine our hearts in all humility before God and ask Him to illuminate where we are in darkness, repent, and do His commands in that area. Let us do that repeatedly until we go home. I for one want to function in the earth as I am designed and Jesus said I was designed to function just like Him and even do greater things. I need to get out of my own way, get off my way, and on His way.
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! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
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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