John 12:46-50

Just believe in the power of Jesus Christ for salvation. Just believe in the power of the Holy Spirit for sanctification. Just believe that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to die for you…and He will come again in the power of the Father to bring you home!

Just believe!!

Jesus desires to save. The commandment Jesus requires His disciples to keep is to believe in His ability to grant eternal life. Faithlife Bible.

” Christ will judge, but at His first coming He did not come to judge but to save. NKJ Bible.

John 12:46–50 (NKJV)

⁴⁶ I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. ⁴⁷ And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. ⁴⁸ He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Luke 10:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

John 1:4 (NKJV)

⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Luke 8:48

When you fully realize and internalize the power of faith in Jesus Christ…nothing is impossible for you and no one can take your joy!

It took great courage for her to seek out Jesus. Note that her action was not criticized, but commended. NKJ Bible.

Luke 8:48 (NKJV)

⁴⁸ And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

John 8:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Luke 5:20 (NKJV)

²⁰ When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

Colossians 4:5-6

Lord give me the words to speak to those who do not know You personally so that Your grace manifested in me will draw them to Your salvation.

May our lives reflect Your fruit.

Paul refers to practical and transformational wisdom, not intellectual insight. Those who apply such wisdom can reflect God’s values and character. In the ancient world, salt was used to preserve food and enhance flavor. Conversation that is figuratively seasoned with salt is uplifting. Faithlife Bible.

Early Christians were often viewed with suspicion, distrust, and disdain. They were considered atheists because they would not worship the gods of Rome and Greece. Many labeled them as unpatriotic because they would not burn incense before the image of the emperor. Some accused the early Christians of participating in orgies because of their talk of “love feasts” (Jude 12). Others harbored suspicions that Christians were really cannibals, who ate and drank the blood and the body of the Lord. With such misrepresentations of Christian belief and practice running rampant, it was very important for misunderstandings to be dispelled by the virtuous and impeccable lives of Christian believers. NKJ Bible.

Colossians 4:5–6 (NKJV)

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Ecclesiastes 10:12 (NKJV)

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,

But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

Ephesians 5:16 (NKJV)

¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Acts 12:5-11

What is out of the reach of mere man is nothing for the Almighty Lord God creator of heaven and earth. His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. He is always aware and in control sometimes He allows us to suffer the consequences of our actions for our own good or for the good of His Body, the Church. My Lord and my God.

 Nothing is impossible with my God…nothing! 

Two of the soldiers in the squad are chained to Peter while the other two keep watch. This choice to guard him this closely is probably due to him being freed miraculously earlier. Peter finally realized that his dream was real. Faithlife Bible.

Peter was arrested and slated to be executed like James. However, Peter’s execution was delayed because it was against Jewish law to have a trial or sentencing during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, better known as Passover. This was Peter’s third arrest. During a previous incarceration, Peter had miraculously escaped with the help of an angel of the Lord who opened the gates of the prison. This time Peter was placed under maximum security in the care of four squads of soldiers of four men each. The soldiers worked three-hour shifts. Both of Peter’s wrists were chained, and he had a soldier on each side. Outside Peter’s cell, two more soldiers stood guard.

Why was Peter’s life spared while James’s life was taken? The answer is the sovereign will of God. If we believe that God is good and wise, we can trust that what He allowed to happen was part of His wise plan for the good of all of His people. When we place our complete trust in the goodness of God, we can find true peace. God is in control despite any appearance to the contrary. NKJ Bible.

Acts 12:5–11 (NKJV)

⁵ Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. ⁶ And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. ⁷ Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. ⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” ⁹ So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

¹¹ And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

Psalm 126:1 (NKJV)

¹ When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

Job 5:19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ He shall deliver you in six troubles,

Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

Psalm 33:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸    Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,

On those who hope in His mercy,

Psalm 33:19 (NKJV)

¹⁹ To deliver their soul from death,

And to keep them alive in famine.

Acts 12:21-24

Individuals have nothing in themselves to exalt. All gifts come form GOD and all of creation will return to Him for judgement. To those who claim to know and to belong to JESUS CHRIST the more that is required of them.

To God alone be all praise and honor!

According to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, who offers a parallel account of this story (Josephus, Antiquities 19.344), Herod’s robes on this occasion were made of silver and sparkled in the sunlight.

Perhaps to regain Herod’s favor, the people flatter him. Immediately God, who will not share His glory with any other acts without delay to judge Herod for accepting divine honor and praise for himself. In contrast to the speech of Herod that brought on his destruction, the word of the true God—that is, the proclamation of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and new life in the Spirit—continues to grow and spread. Faithlife Bible.

Herod, instead of rebuking the address of deity, enjoyed the adulation—until he discovered the consequence of such blasphemy. NKJ Bible.

Acts 12:21–24 (NKJV)

²¹ So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. ²² And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Psalm 115:1 (NKJV)

¹ Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,

But to Your name give glory,

Because of Your mercy,

Because of Your truth.

Romans

It is hard for me to understand the animosity of the politically right leaning (Republican) Christians against any Christians who do not share their viewpoint either as Democrats or Independents. it would appear to an outsider that they are  only interested in what effects them financially or their right to guns. Surely not like the Pauline Christians of Acts. Nor do I understand  the underlying tension that exists between Protestants and Catholics. 

We are one, the body of the living God.

In the end it does not matter what nation you are from…if you are male or female…what political party you claim... or the  Church that you attend…all that matters is your relationship with Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Paul wrote Romans toward the end of his third missionary journey (mid-50s ad), probably from Corinth. Though he does not explicitly mention his purpose for writing this letter, he describes his circumstances: He plans to deliver financial relief to the believers in Jerusalem to promote unity among the Jewish and Gentile churches. Unity in Christ is a major theme of Romans. Paul deeply desired to promote unity between believers in Jesus who were Jewish and those who were not Jewish called “Gentiles” or “Greeks”. The Roman (Catholic) church probably was a mix of Jews and Gentiles. Paul wanted to communicate to these Christians that the gospel includes everyone.

Paul aims to help the Roman believers put their faith into practice, particularly when it comes to living together as the diverse yet unified Church. For Paul, Christians ought to have their entire lives—in terms of both belief and action—centered first and foremost on Christ. The good news of Jesus’ saving act is meant to be transformative, and this good news should be unapologetically proclaimed. Faithlife Bible.

Romans is a mighty leveler, for it declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Since all are sinners, it comes as a delightful shock that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. This is the Good News, which Paul so eloquently and systematically defends in this theological treatise addressed to the Romans.

Romans is a masterful presentation of God’s plan of salvation for Jews and Gentiles.

Paul wanted to exhort Jewish and Gentile believers to live in harmony. As in most of the early churches, the gospel brought different groups of people together who otherwise would have stayed apart, whether for reasons of nationality, status, or culture. Once they came together under one roof, the challenge was to preserve their oneness in Christ. Thus throughout the letter, Paul deals with problems arising from Jewish and Gentile differences. He emphasizes what everyone shared. Since there is only one God, He is the God of both Jew and Gentile. Both groups are under sin and both are saved through faith. This theme of Jew and Gentile living together surfaces most clearly in chapters 14 and 15, where Paul deals with the practical aspects of being together in one body. 

Paul hammers home his central theme: The righteous God justifies and ultimately glorifies both Jew and Gentile by grace through faith. Paul explains that Jesus Christ is the Second Adam whose righteousness and substitutionary death have provided justification for all who place their faith in Him.

In other words, Romans presents a Jesus who offers His righteousness as a gracious gift to sinful people like us because He bore God’s condemnation and wrath for our depraved nature. Paul makes it quite clear that the Savior’s life, death, and resurrection are the basis for our redemption, justification, reconciliation, salvation, and glorification. What is more, Paul contends that the Spirit of Jesus can motivate us to live responsible, Christlike lives. NKJ Bible.

Luke 12: 1.2.3.

Be as wise as the serpent but as gentle as the Holy Spirit. Speak the truth of God in love and do not be intimidated by any man. 

Nothing that he does in secret will not be revealed and no cover up will stay hidden.

Jesus issues a series of warnings for His disciples. Following His condemnation of the Pharisees in Luke 11, Jesus now warns His disciples not to be led astray by their hypocrisy. He then tells them not to fear those who threaten violence, but rather to fear God, who will decide their eternal destiny.

Jesus seems to be referring to the Pharisees’ hidden sins, which will be exposed at the final judgment. Faithlife Bible.

Leaven here represents the presence of corruption. NKJ Bible.

Luke 12:1–3 (NKJV)

12 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. ³ Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Matthew 16:12 (NKJV)

¹² Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 23:28 (NKJV)

²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Luke 6:20-16

Those who have suffered will have comfort and those who once wailed for justice will be satisfied. All to the praise and glory of His name, Jesus Christ.

 All evil shall pass and good shall reign in the Day of the Lord!

In Luke, these beatitudes focus on the socioeconomic conditions of first-century Palestine. In Matthew, they suggest a more spiritualized application.

Blessed are those who mourn over the brokenness of the present world and the suffering it causes. They will experience great joy when God’s kingdom arrives in full, upon Jesus’ second coming.Using a common apocalyptic motif, Jesus declares that the present circumstances of the rich and poor will be reversed in the future.The Faithlife Bible.

In general, the disciples of Jesus were not wealthy. They were poor men who had come humbly to trust in God. All of the promises of God’s rule both now and in the future belong to such disciples.Identification with Jesus usually leads to rejection and hardship, but the disciple who has left all to follow Jesus understands what placing Jesus first means. He or she also recognizes that God is aware of all suffering.

All that the rich receive is what they acquire on earth.Luke records many of Jesus’ critical remarks about the wealthy. Their wealth typically blinds them to their spiritual poverty and their need for salvation.NKJ Bible.

Luke 6:20–26 (NKJV)

²⁰ Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled. 

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

²² Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.

²³ Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

²⁵ Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger.

Woe to you who laugh now,

For you shall mourn and weep.

²⁶ Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

Mark 6:1-4

Why is it easier to trust and to believe in someone that we are not close to or related too? God walked among men and they believed Him not…unfathomable to us? Don’t we do the same with the Holy Spirit? 

He dwells in us and we hear Him not. Amazing!

Jesus’ siblings mentioned in this verse may be Mary and Joseph’s children or Joseph’s children by another, deceased, wife (making him a widower prior to marrying Mary). Faithlife Bible.

The fact that Joseph is not mentioned here may indicate that he had died. Mark mentions Jesus’ four brothers by name as well as His sisters. One brother, James, did not trust Christ prior to His crucifixion (John 7:5), but seems to have come to faith after Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 1:14; 1 Cor. 15:7). He later became the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Gal. 1:19) and wrote the Epistle of James. Judas later authored the Book of Jude (Jude 1). NKJ Bible.

Mark 6:1–4 (NKJV)

6 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. ² And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! ³ Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

⁴ But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

Matthew 13:54 (NKJV)

⁵⁴ When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

Matthew 13:57 (NKJV)

⁵⁷ So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

Jeremiah 18:9-10

GOD has given us everything and it is His right to take it away.The world is in His hands and under His control. 

 Pray for His guidance and protection 

in these end days!

A nation to whom God has promised His blessing may forfeit its preferred status through disobedience. In such a case, God would relent of the good He had promised and bring calamity upon the rebellious people. NKJ Bible.

.

Jeremiah 18:9–10 (NKJV)

⁹ And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, ¹⁰ if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

Jeremiah 18:9-10

9 Sometimes I announce that I shall build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom,

10 but should that nation do what displeases me and refuse to listen to my voice, I then change my mind about the good which I was intending to confer on it. Catholic Bible.

and there were two...

There were two anointed spiritual leaders appointed by the Christ to guide and direct His Body, the Church and they were sent to the Jews and to the Gentiles.

Peter to the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church.

Paul to the Protestants.

Both were preaching that faith alone pleases the Father but that faith is proved outwardly by our good works.

God wanted that no one perish but that all of His creation had an equal choice for eternal life with Him through the salvation He gives in Jesus the Christ.

Mark 1:17 (NKJV)

¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

The Ministries of Peter and Paul Compared and Contrasted
	Peter	Paul
Formerly known as:	Simon	Saul
First encounter with Christ	Introduced by Andrew at Bethany (John 1:41)	A supernatural vision on the road to Damascus (9:1–6)
Occupation	Fisherman (Luke 5:1–11)	Tentmaker (18:3)
Formal religious training	A disciple of Christ (4:13; Mark 1:16, 17)	A disciple of Gamaliel (22:3); a Pharisee (23:5, 6; Phil. 3:5)
Role	Missionary to the Jews	Missionary to the Gentiles
Strength	Bold preacher and spokesman; leader of the early church	Intelligent defender of the faith and tireless church planter
Ministry experiences	Usually paired with John	Paired with Barnabas (13:1–15:39), then Silas (15:40–17:14), then a number of others
	Preached the great sermon at Pentecost when three thousand believed	Preached everywhere he went, including the famous address on Mars’ Hill (17:16–33)
	Healed others (3:1–10; 5:15)	Healed others (14:8–10; 19:12)
	Raised Dorcas from the dead (9:36–42)	Raised Eutychus from the dead (20:7–12)
	Jailed frequently (4:3; 5:18; 12:3)	Jailed frequently (16:23, 24; 21:27–36)
	Gave impassioned sermons to religious authorities (4:5–12; 5:29–32)	Spoke boldly to religious rulers and leaders (22:30–23:6; 26:1–29)
	Experienced a vision in which he was commanded to take the gospel to Cornelius (ch. 10)	Experienced a vision in which he was commanded to take the gospel to Europe (16:6–10)
Writings	1 and 2 Peter	Romans; 1 and 2 Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; 1 and 2 Thessalonians; 1 and 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon
Death	Church tradition says he was crucified upside down.	Church tradition says he was beheaded