The Word | Daily Bread APR/6/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:23 |
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Romans 8:26 - And in like manner also the Spirit helps our frailty: for we do not know what we need to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes with inexpressible groanings. The intercession of the Spirit is described as "inexpressible groanings." The expressions of the Spirit were first manifested in the Bible as prophecy: God speaking His word through man's mouth under the inspiration of the Spirit. In the New Testament when the Holy Spirit came upon the believer, other languages came forth as rivers of living water (Acts 2:3-4; John 7:38-39). The necessity of praying in the Spirit is repeated often throughout the New Testament. The Holy Spirit is the One who has come to lead us and guide us into all truth. He is the one who is making things known to us all that Jesus was unable to communicate (John 16:12-15). His coming and subsequent intercession was with the sound of other languages, or the languages of men and angels (Acts 2:8-11; 1 Corinthians 14:1). The command to pray in the Spirit extends from 1 Corinthians to Jude 1:20. Although praying in the Spirit may extend to speaking by the Spirit (that is, prophesying), it certainly excludes much of what Christians today would have us believe is prayer - which in fact is little more than their own minds expressing frustration, anxiety, and remorse. The prayer of the Spirit has a sound and an inspiration that is produced by the Holy Spirit Himself (Acts 2:4; Acts 10:45-46; Acts 19:6; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 14:1,14; Ephesians 5:18; Ephesians 6:18). |
| Daily Bread APR/5/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:22 |
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Romans 2:28-29 - For a Jew is not one outwardly, neither is circumcision outwardly in the physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit; not in a document, not for recognition, not from men; but from God. It would have been thought impossible that anyone could come into the covenant of God without circumcision (Acts 10:10-19; Acts 11:1-12; Genesis 17:10; Exodus 12:48; Galatians 5:2). What they failed to realize was that until provision could be made to change men on the inside, there was a need for ritual cleansings on the outside (Hebrews 9:10). These ritual cleansings were only tokens of faith in the change - that could only come through the new creation (Ezekiel 36:26; Deuteronomy 30:6). In the New Covenant we are circumcised in the heart, which takes away the body of the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:11; Galatians 6:15; John 3:6; Romans 8:9). Thus there became no need for the circumcision of the body; which only served as a ritual cleansing, and a sign of the spiritual cleansing that was to come. Many of the Jews failed to realize that it was not about a physical circumcision of the flesh, but about the divine ability to keep the commandments of God through a changed nature (1 Corinthians 7:19; Jeremiah 31:33-34; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:6; Galatians 6:15). Therefore, rather than having a hunger to please God from the heart, they held fast to their carnal ritual; even as many in the church do today. |
| Daily Bread APR/4/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:21 |
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John 11:41-42 - Therefore, they took away the stone where the dead one was laid. And Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, "Father I thank you that you have heard me. And I know that you always hear me; but for the sake of the multitude standing here I have said this, so that they might believe that you have sent me." The way Jesus prayed was much different than many of us pray today. When Jesus prayed He raised His head towards heaven, instead of bowing His head (Luke 18:13). Before He commanded the dead to live again, He first talked to the Father. The first thing that Jesus did was to give thanks, or bless the Father; just as He did before the miracle of feeding the multitude (John 6:11). His prayer is one of absolute confidence, centered on the relationship that He had with His Father. He was certain that His Father heard His prayer, which is one of the keys to prayer being answered; as John brings to light later in his First Epistle: "And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:15). |
| Daily Bread APR/3/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Wednesday, 03 April 2013 03:52 |
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2 Corinthians 12:12 - The true signs of an apostle were performed by me with all perseverance: signs, wonders, and mighty works. The New Testament concept of someone being an "apostle" is not common in the Old Testament. Although it may be argued that a related Hebrew word (shlucheem) may be applied to Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel; the concept as represented in the New Testament does not exist. It may be used of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel; inasmuch as they did things that are reserved only for God to do; such as bringing forth water from a rock, bringing rain, raising the dead, and opening the womb. An apostle is one who fully represents the one who sends him. There are only 13 men in the New Testament books that may truly be classified as apostles appointed by Jesus (Matthew 10:2-4; Galatians 1:1). They are distinguished from many different types of ministries that are also sent by God; such as prophets, evangelists, teachers, missionaries, the seventy others, and the individual believer. When we consider the role of the prophet - who is not only authorized and sent by God, but is so empowered to represent the sender that His words are equivalent to the One who sent him - then we must further refine the specific meaning of an apostle. What is certain is that the special ministry of apostleship is the first one given out by Jesus, after His general call to discipleship. Secondly, it is the first ministry given to the local church; and by context an ongoing ministry throughout the church age, necessary to perfect the saints (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-12). The model of apostleship is depicted by the 12 disciples that Jesus appointed as apostles, Paul, and of course Jesus Himself (Hebrews 3:1). Matthias, who was appointed by the apostles themselves, would have to be considered as a unique classification, in that he was an appointment of the disciples; much like Epaphroditus or others who accompanied Paul (Acts 1:26; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25). In a strict sense an apostle can only be appointed by Jesus; and they are the ones given special authority and revelation to fully represent Jesus in every way, in order to establish and to build His church (Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:14; Acts 1:2; Galatians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 15:8; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 3:2; 2 Corinthians 12:12). |
| Daily Bread APR/2/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Wednesday, 03 April 2013 03:52 |
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1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 - For God did not call us to moral impurity, but to holiness. Therefore, whoever rejects this rejects not man but God, who also has given to us His Holy Spirit. The opposite of holiness (agiasthos) is uncleanness (akatharsia). Uncleanness is moral impurity, whereas holiness is moral purity. Without holiness, which is a state absent of all immorality, no man can see God (Hebrews 12:10,14; 2 Corinthians 6:17). We are to be perfect in holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Romans 6:22). Paul makes it very clear that all moral impurity is a function of demon spirits; and of that which is condemned by God. He commands that such actions not be named one time among us who are the holy ones of God (Ephesians 5:3; Romans 6:19). Furthermore, Paul identifies such deeds as both the actions of the reprobate (those influenced by the power of the devil), and of those who do not have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Romans 1:24; Ephesians 4:19; Galatians 5:19). Those who believe that they can practice immorality and be right with God, and on their way to living eternally in His Holies of Holies, have been deceived; and all who hear them likewise are deceived by their iniquity (1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 6:7; 1 John 1:6, 1 John 3:7-8; Ephesians 5:6; Romans 16:17-18; 2 Timothy 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Peter 2:19-20; 2 Peter 3:3). Those things that are immoral defile the whole body, which is the temple of God; and God has promised to destroy those who defile His temple (1 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; James 1:15-16; James 3:6; Mark 9:43-45; Romans 6:16,23; Revelation 22:10-15). |
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