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There is the expression "seeing is believing." But that is not necessarily so. To see the things of God we need his spiritual eyes. To hear his word we need his spirit. Living by faith in the word of God is better than living with our natural understanding. Blessed are you if you can see and hear the truth and respond to it by faith.
John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
John 8:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
The Son of God existed before Abraham. He spoke to Moses in the burning bush as the "I AM."
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
By faith Abraham saw the Messiah, Jesus.
(Abraham) saw it and was glad; he saw it with an eye of faith, he saw it in the promise, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; and when it was promised him he should have a son, which was the beginning of the fulfilment of the other, he laughed, and therefore his son was called Isaac, to which some reference is here made; he saw him in the birth of his son Isaac and rejoiced, and therefore called his name Isaac, that is, "laughter": he saw also Christ and his day, his sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead, in a figure; in the binding of Isaac, in the sacrifice of the ram, and in the receiving of Isaac, as from the dead; and he not only saw the Messiah in his type Melchizedek, and who some think was the Son of God himself, but he saw the second person, the promised Messiah, in an human form, Gen_18:2; and all this was matter of joy and gladness to him. (John Gill)
We must see Jesus by faith. Many who saw him as a man, could not see him as he was "the Son of God." Many now see him by faith.
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Do you see who Jesus is?
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
The work of God is that we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Whosoever believes in Jesus; whosoever, any, all, the whole of who will believe in Jesus, shall have everlasting life with him. These will not perish. The word translated perish means to lose, destroy, die, mar, perish, lost. The Scofield Bible says that "In no instance does it signify cessation of conscious suffering which continues eternally and is the inevitable result of sin."
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
He or she that believes in Jesus is not condemned. Do you hear? Do you understand? Do you want eternal life with God's family? Turn to Jesus and ask him to save you. He wants good for you. You were made to fellowship with God and his eternal family. Come to Jesus now and be saved. Thank you Jesus for saving my soul.
In a time of fake news and deception, it is hard not to be cynical. Being able to see what is really good news and the truth, is a gift from God. Nathanael was a man who was able to see and to believe the real good news.
Joh 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Joh 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Joh 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Joh 1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
Joh 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
What an honor for Nathanael to have the Lord to say, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Just what is guile? The word for guile comes from the word decoy. Other translations for guile are subtilty (2x), deceit (2x), craft (1x). These meanings are associated with the devil, he is deceitful, subtle and crafty. Most of the Scribes and Pharisees had guille, appearing to be something they were not, they were hypocrites. Hunters put duck decoys in the lake to lure down ducks to be killed by their rifle bullets. How many times in our lives have we been lured by false words, by decoys?
Although perhaps from past experience Nathanael did not think that Nazarenes were trustworthy, he did trust Jesus the Nazarene. Nathanael immediately believed that Jesus was and is the Son of God and the King of Israel and he was chosen as one of the twelve disciples.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
About a month ago I saw that my Fire tablet was missing. I had assumed that it was stolen from my car when I was at a restaurant. Recently I found the tablet in a bird feeder in a tree in my front yard. I remember that a limb had broken off of the pecan tree and I had dragged it closer to the garage where I could cut it with my electric chain saw. Apparently I had set the tablet in the tree at that time. I opened it up and it worked, only 50% discharged. Praise the Lord.
Yesterday I was shopping at a supermarket and when I arrived at the car to put away the groceries, I could not find my keys. Returning to the market, I walked through the path that I had previously taken, but I found no keys. I went to customer service where lost and found items were stored and the woman at the counter checked in her drawer and there were my keys, praise the Lord. I found that there was a hole in my pocket. From this I learned how to sew my pocket hole closed. Two blessings and even more so when I see that by not having my tablet that I got back into reading my old Bible and was getting more from my reading. I learned to sew a little, but not enough to make it a habit.
I like that Jesus knows our future and that he does not discard us when we fail him. Like Peter when he denied the Lord three times, even before he failed the Lord showed him that afterwards he had a purpose for Peter to fulfill. He was not going to discard Peter, even though Peter was greatly troubled.
Luk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
Luk 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Luk 22:33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”
Luk 22:34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
Verse 32 is where Jesus looked beyond Peter's failing and had given him a purpose to fulfill. "When you have turned again", the KJV says when you are converted, strengthen your brothers. He was to encourage his brothers. When we fail and return again, we are to encourage others to not fail, to not give up. Peter became a bold witness after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Act 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Act 2:40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”
Act 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Peter thought that he had been lost to Jesus, but Jesus saw ahead that Peter would be an encourager and a great witness for the Lord. We never lose out in Jesus, in all things we are blessed for there is more for us ahead.
The late Lucky Hope recounted to me a story of having been a missionary aircraft mechanic in Africa after WW2. His face had been severely burned and scarred from a gasoline fire. By faith he had told the natives that in two weeks that he would be healed. His face was badly scarred and covered with scabs until the final day when he awoke to find scabs on his bed sheet. Looking in the mirror his face was as smooth as a babies skin. God chose to remove his scabs as a testimony. When Jesus was seen after the resurrection, some did not recognize him. On the cross he had been unrecognizable being torn apart by whips and beaten with fists. The Bible does not say that he was risen bloodied and battered as a resurrected Savior.
Jesus walked with two men on the road to Emmaus. They did not recognize that it was Jesus. It was the third day and getting late as they explained the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus to this stranger walking with them. Jesus expounded to them the scriptural references concerning the Messiah.To expound means to stay close to the scriptures and to thoroughly explain them.
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
What was it that opened the eyes of the two men that the man was Jesus? When he broke bread, they probably saw the nail scars in his hands that were retained as an identifying testimony. Jesus had risen with flesh and blood to show that it was he and then he suddenly vanished from their sight.
Luk 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Our hearts burn as well, when we read the scriptures and feel the presence of the Lord. Man's words do not move us as do the words of the Holy Bible when the Holy Spirit makes them come alive.
Luk 24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luk 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luk 24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
Luk 24:36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Luk 24:37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
He miraculously appeared in the room in a flesh and blood body. They still did not understand that he was to rise on the third day; they were terrified.
Luk 24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Luk 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Luk 24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
I do not know if his wounds in his hands and feet and in his side were kept only to validate that he had indeed risen. I see no reason for him to keep the wounds in heaven. I see a glorified Jesus without wounds in purity and glory. By faith I see soldiers who were blown apart healed in glorified bodies in Heaven. Most importantly we will be like him and will see him face to face as he welcomes us to our new spiritual dwelling places.
I think that all would agree that times are becoming more and more dangerous. Some call guns evil and wish to remove them and others acquire them for protection. It is not evil to protect people and yourself from a crazed assassin. It is with this thinking that I attempt to understand this passage of scripture where Jesus just before he was to go to the cross gives instructions to his disciples.
Luk 22:35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Luk 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Luk 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
Luk 22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
I was taught that the two swords mentioned were not literal swords, but were spiritually speaking; the sword of the word of God and the Spirit of God. These are powerful, but the reading in context refers to actual objects to use on a journey. They were to take a purse, a money pouch, also his scrip, a leather pouch for food and if they had no sword they were to buy one by selling his garment or cloak. That would be eleven swords for the eleven disciples, but they had two swords and Jesus said it was enough. I see the swords as protection in a time of hostility. Before they were to take nothing, now they were to supply themselves with money, food and a sword.
Not too long after saying this Jesus was betrayed by Judas with a kiss and a multitude was with him to take Jesus under arrest to the high priests house. Peter with a sword cut the ear off of one of the servants and Jesus touched the ear and healed it. It was not meant that Jesus be protected or prevented from fulfilling his purpose as our sacrifice for sins. We remember what he spoke to Peter.
"Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
Jesus has chosen to die for our sins, it was why he came to us. However, in perilous times it is wise to be prepared and armed in self defense. One may look to the tiny country of Israel as an example of the need for weapons for defense. They are surrounded by enemy nations. The LORD protects Israel and Israel does their part by weaponizing for self defense. Unfortunately churches and synagogues are being attacked by devil driven people. A shepherd of a flock should guard his sheep against these intruders. Our church has watchmen who guard over the congregation. Some have concealed weapons only to be used as a deterrent to violence. Our strongest weapons are the word of God, the Holy Spirit and prayers. Unfortunately there is also a need for watchmen to be aware both in prayer and as guards.
