Are We Really Ready?

A disciple is a pupil of a teacher or rabbi. To be a disciple you must make a commitment and be obedient. We can strive to be disciples of Jesus .    

To discern is to distinguish right from wrong. We don't want to be deceived. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to make clear decisions Having spiritual clarity helps us see through distractions and align with God's will.

The Essenes were a Jewish sect that lived at Qumran, a settlement by the Dead Sea. We were aware of them through historians like Josephus and Philo. When the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered , we found out more about them. There is still controversy about them because they were mysterious.

We look at some scriptures about Living Water. Water was needed in Isreal, a hot and dry region, and it represented God's presence and restoration. Jesus offers belief in Him as the fountain of Living Water. You will thirst no more.

We look at some scriptures about the church and ideas about the church. Then we look at Jesus and the discples going to Caesarea Phillipi. I used Matthew 16:13-18. There are parallel passages in Luke 9:18-21 and Mark 8:27-29.

We talk about some of the promises of God. There are many in the Bible. These promises assure us, as believers, of His faithfulness and unfailing love.

When we have faith and are saved, our conversion should show itself in both fruit and works. Bearing fruit is your actions and the way you carry yourself. Works are deeds like looking after someone that is less fortunate than you.

We look at Psalm 110. It is a royal psalm. It is built around two statements from God. The first part is a prophetic oracle and the second part is a divine oath.

We look at some scriptures about being humble. We need to separate ourselves from the self-centered people who are proud and boastful. We need to think more of others and look at Jesus' examples to guide us.

We look at the story of King Ahaziah and his meeting with the prophet Elijah when fire fell from heaven and consumed many soldiers. We must remember that God is not only a God of love but also a God of judgement. 

This was the first city that Israel conquered in Canaan, the promised land. Joshua was obedient and followed the Lord's instruction. The walls came down and the evil city was destroyed.

Luke records how an angel of the Lord rescued Peter from prison. King Herod Agrippa I was trying to slow the early church down. Later, in a prideful speech by King Herod, an angel of the Lord struck down the king. Luke contrasts this by saying the word of God grew and multiplied.

In Luke  chapter 24, Luke reports Jesus' appearance on the road to Emmaus. He joins two followers as they travel from Jerusalem. This leads to an incredible revelation. Luke continues as He appears to the other disciples and also as Jesus gives the great commission and  ascends to heaven.

We look at the 2nd prayer in Paul's letter to Ephesus. This is Ephesians 3:14-21. We look at what Paul said about being empowered through the Spirit.

We look at the phrase Kingdom of God. It can mean different things in different contexts. It is something that is now and in the future. We look at some scriptures to help define it. If we strengthen the Kingdom now, we will get ready for the future.

We look at reconciling and what it can mean. Paul considered reconciliation to be the purpose of his ministry. We look at Paul's letter to Corinth and see what he had to say about it. Sin was in between us and God. Through Christ, we can now be right with God. Let's let others know.

Most people think contentment comes from material wealth. It will lead to greed. I look at biblical contentment and focusing on Christ's sufficiency instead of self sufficiency.

This year's Christmas carol, I chose to do CeCe Winan's  version since it was recent and sounded so good. I look at the history of the song and the lyrics. I chose a short by Guitar Baba for the tune at the end. I hope everybody has a Merry Christmas and let's remember the Real Reason for the Season!

We look at some of the aspects of wisdom found in the Bible. I found Job chapter 28 interesting and  talk about King Solomon and then look at the gospel to find out more.

This is a popular psalm that many verses have been used in songs and scriptures have been revered. It is a psalm of David that is said to have been written about his life. We look at the history and some of the meaning of it. Let's give thanks !

John was telling the believers to be aware of the false teachers and to live as Children of God. We can learn from these scriptures in !st John. When we sin, we must repent. We must draw closer to Jesus and let the Holy Ghost guide us.

If we are to live a Spirit-led life, we have to realize that division between the flesh and our spirit. We are naturally inclined to sin but we must grow a relationship with the Holy Spirit, pray and read our Bibles. I look at some of Paul's letters about  the flesh and the Spirit. 

The word strive has many meanings. We strive against sin and temptation. We strive for righteousness or spiritual maturity. It takes dedication and perseverance. I'm dropping this on Podcast Day..

Sometimes we need encouragement and we can look to promises of God to get this. We can look at what God has done for us and know that He is unchanging and will come through for us.

Since the beginning, we have had sin. There were sacrifices in the Old Testament and shedding of blood. Jesus came and shed His blood so that we can repent and be forgiven. We must do this as believers.