The Word | Daily Bread APR/12/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Friday, 12 April 2013 06:40 |
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Acts 4:31 - And they having prayed, the place was shaken in which they were assembled; and they were all Holy Spirit filled, and spoke the word of God with boldness. Jesus told his disciples on the night before His death that, "in that day you shall ask nothing of me;" but that they would make their requests to the Father in His name (John 16:23). This is an example of their obedience to the instructions of Jesus. When they were in need of divine assistance, they prayed for power and divine boldness, instead of just a specific need. The results of their prayers were that they were filled, once again, with the divine power to glorify the name of Jesus - through signs and wonders. The immediate result that they experienced from the infilling of the Holy Spirit was the ability to speak the word with boldness. Paul asked the church to pray for him so that he too would speak the word with boldness (Ephesians 6:19-20). |
| Daily Bread APR/11/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Thursday, 11 April 2013 07:26 |
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Ephesians 3:19 - And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. The very idea of the possibility of being filled with God's fullness is unimaginable. However, when we consider that we have been filled with the Holy Spirit and also baptized in the fire of God, then it is an unimaginable thing that becomes the living faith and ministry of Jesus in our lives. When we further consider that both Jesus and the Father have come to dwell in us, then indeed the gospel message is the unlimited glory of God through this amazing union that He has given us (John 14:17, 19, 22-23; Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:9; Luke 3:16). We have received the fullness of Christ Jesus (John 1:16). The fullness of God is ours through knowing the love of Christ that passes knowledge. To underscore these things even more definitely, we are all called to “the measure of the maturity of the fullness of the ministry of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). The growth and maturity that we are called to in God is directly related to knowing God’s immeasurable love for us. John said that if we dwell in love then we dwell in God (1 John 4:16). If there is any principal and reality in God that we must grasp, it is to live and walk in the love that only the divine nature can express (Ephesians 5:2; John 13:34; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Peter 1:4). The way of love that is both taught and supplied to us by the Holy Spirit must decide all of our responses, and direct all of our decisions. The children of God must be willing to be continually filled and, by actively participating with the working of the Holy Spirit, keep themselves in this amazing love revealing Christ Jesus in us in all His glory (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:1; John 16:14; Acts 1:8; Galatians 1:16, 2:20; Philippians 1:2; Romans 5:5; Jude 1:23). |
| Daily Bread APR/10/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Wednesday, 10 April 2013 08:22 |
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Ephesians 3:12- In whom we have boldness and access by confidence through His faith. Our access, confidence, boldness, miracle ministry and relationship with God exist by the faith of Jesus Christ acting on our behalf (Acts 3:16; Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:16, 20). It is by Christ in us, the greater One who is within-- who lives and dwells in our lives, that we now possess this life in God (John 14:19, 17:22; 1 John 3:24, 5:12). He is the author and finisher of our faith; the One who wills and does of His good pleasure in us (Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 2:13). We must have faith in Jesus Christ but we should also recognize that our Lord also has faith that He exercises on our behalf. We read in this verse of scripture “dia tes pisteos autou,” through the faith of Him. Paul also said similarly to the Galatians that He “lived by the faith of the Son of God,” (Galatians 2:20). There would be those who would perhaps feel better saying that we “live by the faithfulness of Jesus” which of course is also true but there should be no reluctance in accepting the active faith of Jesus at work in our lives. If Paul and other ministers can be helpers of our faith, then why would there be a problem with the concept of Jesus being a helper of our faith too (2 Corinthians 1:24; Romans 1:11)? It is by that which Jesus Christ has done and that which He continues to do that we find our provision, protection and perfection. The power and dominion of sin that once prevented our access into the presence of God has been completely eliminated by the One who died and rose again and who also lives to make intercession for us. Our acceptance to God has been sealed and guaranteed by Jesus whose blood is the only means by which we continue to enjoy the boldness to enter into the presence of the Lord. Now we walk in Him and live by Him and as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 2:2, 4:17; John 15:5). Without Christ Jesus we can do nothing. It is truly by the active participation of Jesus helping us and strengthening us that we live this life in Him. We are helped, strengthened, empowered and kept by the One who overcame the world and because He is in us, we are overcomers too. |
| Daily Bread APR/9/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Tuesday, 09 April 2013 07:03 |
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Ephesians 3:8 - Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given to announce to the Gentiles the good news of the unfathomable riches of Christ. What happens to a person who spends his whole life doing everything he can to make himself worthy of God's acceptance and then meets Jesus? Paul is an example of one whom concerning the righteousness of the law was blameless (Philippians 3:6). His whole life was devoted to living after the strictest sect of the Jews, a Pharisee (Acts 26:5). (The Pharisees are believed to have originated from those called the Hasidim (The Righteous) during the Maccabean revolt. However, it is also believed that they find their origin in Ezra and the Great Assembly. They were essentially classified as a movement dedicated to obeying the Torah in daily life. Their name means, "separated ones," from the Hebrew Perushin. It was the Pharisees who were believed to be the producers or at least the strong influencers of the rabbinic literature contained in the Mishnah, Gemara and the Talmud. Some scholars view the Pharisees as those who were devoted to an uncompromising dedication to holiness in every dimension of life (Josepheus. The Antiquities of the Jews. pp. 13.5.9; Baeck, L. 1927; The Pharisees and Other Essays. New York. 1947.)). It was within this environment and dedication that Saul of Tarsus met Jesus and was promoted into a whole new dimension of righteousness. When Paul met Jesus he was given as a free gift, far more than he ever thought attainable; he stepped into the unfathomable riches of Christ. The concepts of continual spiritual elevation by the observance of the law lost all its value when he was instantaneously lifted into the righteousness of God by faith (Romans 3:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 4:24). Paul described an instantaneous union with God through the miracle of salvation that brought to pass the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:16, 2:20, 3:27; Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16, 13:5; Philippians 1:21; Titus 3:5). Paul was not demoted into some lascivious compromise with the world that many would call grace, but was elevated into a righteousness and true holiness that could only come to pass by faith in Jesus Christ. It was not a righteousness that had no outworking, but instead the very image of Christ and glory of God produced by the Holy Spirit in all who would believe (Romans 10:10; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11; Romans 6:16,18,19,22). Having received the righteousness of God, he lamented over his brethren who were missing out on a righteousness that far surpassed what they understood by going about to establish their own righteousness through observance of the law (Romans 9:31-32, 10:3). The beauty of stepping over into the righteousness of the kingdom of God and the knowledge of the full acceptance and approval of God all by the faith of Jesus Christ was indeed unsearchable and incomprehensible riches (Romans 14:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9,18). The unfathomable riches of Christ was not looked upon as something off in the future, but that which had been freely and abundantly poured out upon all those who by faith received heirship with God being made co-inheritors with Jesus Christ the Lord (Ephesians 1:18, 3:18-20; Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7)! |
| Daily Bread APR/8/13 |
| Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen |
| Tuesday, 09 April 2013 06:24 |
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John 6:11 - Jesus took the cakes, and having given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples; and the disciples to those seated; also the fish in the same way, as much as they desired. In both Koine and Classical Greek 'eucharistein' has the same meaning: "gave thanks." The Greek word 'eulogein' means to bless. However, there is an interchange in these two words in Mark 8:6-7. We may conclude that there was not much of a difference in their ancient meaning. In fact, the Hebrew tradition had a common blessing for bread; which is still practiced in the feast tradition today, "Blessed are you, O Lord, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth." The most important point that we should take note of is the importance of giving thanks and blessing the Lord when we pray. We can expect that the giving of thanks will result in the miracle that we need. |
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