Prayer-Soldier Newbie
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Posted: Sun May 08, 2011 2:22 pm Post subject: Prophesy of Truth |
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But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day: But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel:
And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.
Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as you also know: This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain. Whom God has raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be held by it.
For David said concerning him: I foresaw the Lord before my face: because he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved.
For this my heart has been glad, and any tongue has rejoiced: moreover my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption.
Thou has made known to me the ways of life: thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Ye men, brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch David; that he died, and was buried; and his sepulchre is with us to this present day. Whereas therefore he was a prophet, and knew that God has sworn to him with an oath, that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upon his throne. Foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ. For neither was he left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus has God raised again, whereof all we are witnesses. Being exalted therefore by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this which you see and hear. (Acts 2:14-33)
What some came to know by what they saw, has been brought forward through the generations so that all may come to know the grace and mercy of the Lord. The sacrifice which was made for us was made in love so that it may also be an example for all that we all may also follow in love.
What was prophesy became truth so that through the truth, all may see the light. What was prophesy became man so that all may be forgiven. He, who died upon the cross for the sins of all, died so that death may be conquered and all may be spared the pains of the netherworld.
What, then, does this mean for the children of God? The meaning is this, that salvation is ours through our belief in the One who saves. If we should fall to condemnation, it is not because of what we have done or what we have failed to do, but it is because we spurned the gift of salvation which God provided for all.
How is it that we might spurn the gift of God? It is through a belief that is contrary to the sacrifice made for us. Through our sin, we do not deserve to walk with the righteous in heaven, but none are as perfect as God, so, none would be allowed in the kingdom of heaven if it was not first for the purification we might receive through the forgiveness of sin.
We must understand that the gift offered to us does not come unless we profess our belief, for it is through that belief by which we may be saved. We cannot profess our belief unless we also seek to understand that which defines that belief, which is the Word of the Lord. We cannot believe in Him if we do not believe His Word. That which is of the Word is that which guides us to love God and love one another. If we say we believe, but we ignore that which is of the Word of God, then what is the strength of our belief?
Empty words are not a profession of belief, rather they are an attempt to deceive One who cannot be deceived. Words which are followed by our efforts to practice that which is defined by the Word demonstrates the sincerity of our belief, though we may falter in what we do and what we fail to do. We are forgiven our failures; that is the great news, but those who do not first try to follow in the Word will find they shall be left behind.
We cannot buy our way into heaven through what we do and what we fail to do, for the debt which keeps us from heaven was already paid for us; the debt which is our failing through our thoughts, the debt which is our failing through our words, the debt which is our failing in our deeds. We can only accept the forgiveness of that debt through our belief in the One who paid the debt.
Some will understand, but others will be led astray for they do not perceive the deceptions laid before them and choose to see only that which they choose to see. It is for this reason our Savior sent us the Holy Spirit so that we do not attempt to become wise in our own estimation, rather, through our prayer, we may come to know in our hearts the truth of the Word and that we may be guided to exercise our belief and our understanding in our thoughts, in our words and in our deeds.
And if you invoke as Father him who, without respect of persons, judges according to the work of every one: converse in fear during the time of your sojourning here. Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled, Foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but manifested in the last times for you, Who through him are faithful in God, who raised him up from the dead, and has given him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. (1 Peter 1:17-21)
The salvation of our souls was not purchased through what may be bought or sold, but by the true blood of life. The blood of this world may be spilled upon the ground and death will be the result; but the blood of the Son of Man carries within it the sustenance of eternal life. As it was spilled, it was offered to nourish every soul. We cannot be nourished by it if we are not first willing to come to His table.
And behold, two of them went, the same day, to a town which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmaus. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that while they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus himself also drawing near, went with them. But their eyes were held, that they should not know him. And he said to them: What are these discourses that you hold one with another as you walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answering, said to him: Art thou only a stranger to Jerusalem, and hast not known the things that have been done there in these days? To whom he said: What things? And they said: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in work and word before God and all the people; And how our chief priests and princes delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we hoped, that it was he that should have redeemed Israel: and now besides all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea and certain women also of our company affrighted us, who before it was light, were at the sepulchre, And not finding his body, came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who say that he is alive. And some of our people went to the sepulchre, and found it so as the women had said, but him they found not. Then he said to them: O foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures, the things that were concerning him.
And they drew night to the town, where they were going: and he made as though he would go farther. But they constrained him; saying: Stay with us, because it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in with them. And it came to pass, while he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to the other: Was not our heart burning within us, while he spoke in this way, and opened to us the scriptures? And rising up, the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem: and they found the eleven gathered together, and those that were staying with them, Saying: The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way; and how they knew him in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:13-35)
Some will see, but will not understand what is before them. Some will hear, but will not comprehend that which they are told. Some will perceive that God remains far away, but He walks with us always. We may not understand because our eyes are focused upon other things. He seeks for us to know Him, but that which causes us lament and the worldly things we pursue may blind us.
Through scripture, prophesy and that which has fulfilled prophesy is revealed to us. Through prayer, we may reflect upon the revelations of the Word. Through prayer we may ask for understanding. Through one another, we see the body of Christ every day. Through care of one another, we care for the body of Christ every day. Let us offer thanks and praise that He is with us always.
May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier
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