i saw this video at church tonight, and it made me cry. So i figured y'all should see how good grace is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GwdTg9l_bI
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
luke 10
Jesus Sends Out the Seventytwo
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.[b]
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
22"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[c]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[d]"
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
At the Home of Martha and Mary 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
I love Jesus. He is the most rad guy ever. He has really been helping me these last couple weeks.
So...Jesus sent out 72 messengers. He basically told them, "go." Thats all he had to do. He told them that they were sheep among wolves, and to go. I don't know if you know this, but wolves eat sheep. I'm just sayin that these people must have some strength to do what they're told, after they are told that they would be eaten.
Jesus told them to take nothing with them. They had to completely rely on God to take care of them. I read this book one time, and this man had a problem. So he went to his pastor and told him that he felt like he was being streched to thin, and that he was having so much trrouble just coping with life. So his pastor told him one thing, "Good." So the man started freaking out, he asked the pastor if he understood what he was saying, if he understood the seriousness of this. And the pastor said "Did you think it would be easy having to rely on God." ...That is so true. We have to understand that the only reason that we are even hear is by the grace of God. And the best way to realize that is by leaving everything behind. Am i telling you to leave your hose naked and go some where, No. What i'm saying is that you can't rely on earthly things to get you through life, all you have is trust in God.
He told us to have do good in towns that except you. He says that we should eat their, heal them, and tell them the good news. But for the towns that don't except you that we need to dip out. And don't just say "no i have to leave" you have to intentionally make a statement on why. That is not easy. I have a friend, who i love, and he has been my best friend for so long now. But lately i have been getting so angry at him, for just no having any respect for my life style. And i feel like it is about time for me to wipe me feet off and leave.
Then Jesus gives the biggest "ifso facto" Statement i've ever heard. He says that if they don't beleive you they wont beleive me, and if they don't beleive me they don't beleive God. Thats pretty basic, but it's pretty intense. That lets me know that i am a direct messenger for Christ. Plain and Simple. And if people don't accept what the word has to say, they don't accept anything, God has to offer.
When they messengers came back they were stoked. I would be too. They said that even the demons were listening to them. And Jesus is so happy that they are happy and he tells them not just to be joyfull about the demons obeying their name, but to be happy that their names are insured in heaven. That is So RAD. Jesus is telling us not just to be happy about people beleiving us about him, but that we have a spot in heaven. Praise God. That is amazing stuff.
Then Jesus reveals somthing to me, through one of his prayers. He says that the truth was revealed to the childlike, not the ones who think they are wise. That tells me that i need to slow down, cus i'm getting a little to big for my britches. He says that we need to have childlike faith. That means that we don't question it, and try to find the answers. Do you know why, WE CAN'T FIND THE ANSWERS. At church on sunday my pastor was talking about how so many Christians will try to tell people why they are going through hard times, and that makes God angry. Like when Job was going through all those hard times, his friends tried to tell him why, and they were wrong. When we try to find out why somthing is going on, we miss the whole point. We just need to be like kids, and beleive without question.
I love Jesus's parables. You can always get somuch from them. The one about the Good Samaritan is one that i have been familiar with for my whole life. I also love them because they tell me how i can live. Jesus always told us that we need to be servants. And this is another good example. When we see someone in need, we need to help them. And i've always wanted to be the guy who helps. So whenever i get the oppurtunity to help someone, i try to take it. Expecially when it comes to girls. If it were up to me, my girl friend and her mom would never have to lift a finger. I love carrying stuff for them, or just trying to do all the little things that can make their life easier, but thats just because i like to help and because i was brought up that way. But i love it when i do something whether it is big or little, that shows someone how good God is, because i know that my Jesus is smiling at me when i do. So i just hope that we can live in that. Everyone helping each other. Because i am a strong beleiver that this world can run on love.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
p.s. thank you all for praying. This past week, so many prayers have been answered for me. My friend who i talked about last blog, is back walking with Jesus. I still want y'all to pray that he stays that way.
On that note, i need y'all to pray for me. I don't know what it is, but i am feeling really weird lately. It's like none of the big things get to me, but all the little things are starting to drive in. So i feel like i am in some kind of spiritual slump. So thank you for your prayers. I love all of y'all.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.[b]
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
17The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
22"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[c]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[d]"
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
At the Home of Martha and Mary 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
I love Jesus. He is the most rad guy ever. He has really been helping me these last couple weeks.
So...Jesus sent out 72 messengers. He basically told them, "go." Thats all he had to do. He told them that they were sheep among wolves, and to go. I don't know if you know this, but wolves eat sheep. I'm just sayin that these people must have some strength to do what they're told, after they are told that they would be eaten.
Jesus told them to take nothing with them. They had to completely rely on God to take care of them. I read this book one time, and this man had a problem. So he went to his pastor and told him that he felt like he was being streched to thin, and that he was having so much trrouble just coping with life. So his pastor told him one thing, "Good." So the man started freaking out, he asked the pastor if he understood what he was saying, if he understood the seriousness of this. And the pastor said "Did you think it would be easy having to rely on God." ...That is so true. We have to understand that the only reason that we are even hear is by the grace of God. And the best way to realize that is by leaving everything behind. Am i telling you to leave your hose naked and go some where, No. What i'm saying is that you can't rely on earthly things to get you through life, all you have is trust in God.
He told us to have do good in towns that except you. He says that we should eat their, heal them, and tell them the good news. But for the towns that don't except you that we need to dip out. And don't just say "no i have to leave" you have to intentionally make a statement on why. That is not easy. I have a friend, who i love, and he has been my best friend for so long now. But lately i have been getting so angry at him, for just no having any respect for my life style. And i feel like it is about time for me to wipe me feet off and leave.
Then Jesus gives the biggest "ifso facto" Statement i've ever heard. He says that if they don't beleive you they wont beleive me, and if they don't beleive me they don't beleive God. Thats pretty basic, but it's pretty intense. That lets me know that i am a direct messenger for Christ. Plain and Simple. And if people don't accept what the word has to say, they don't accept anything, God has to offer.
When they messengers came back they were stoked. I would be too. They said that even the demons were listening to them. And Jesus is so happy that they are happy and he tells them not just to be joyfull about the demons obeying their name, but to be happy that their names are insured in heaven. That is So RAD. Jesus is telling us not just to be happy about people beleiving us about him, but that we have a spot in heaven. Praise God. That is amazing stuff.
Then Jesus reveals somthing to me, through one of his prayers. He says that the truth was revealed to the childlike, not the ones who think they are wise. That tells me that i need to slow down, cus i'm getting a little to big for my britches. He says that we need to have childlike faith. That means that we don't question it, and try to find the answers. Do you know why, WE CAN'T FIND THE ANSWERS. At church on sunday my pastor was talking about how so many Christians will try to tell people why they are going through hard times, and that makes God angry. Like when Job was going through all those hard times, his friends tried to tell him why, and they were wrong. When we try to find out why somthing is going on, we miss the whole point. We just need to be like kids, and beleive without question.
I love Jesus's parables. You can always get somuch from them. The one about the Good Samaritan is one that i have been familiar with for my whole life. I also love them because they tell me how i can live. Jesus always told us that we need to be servants. And this is another good example. When we see someone in need, we need to help them. And i've always wanted to be the guy who helps. So whenever i get the oppurtunity to help someone, i try to take it. Expecially when it comes to girls. If it were up to me, my girl friend and her mom would never have to lift a finger. I love carrying stuff for them, or just trying to do all the little things that can make their life easier, but thats just because i like to help and because i was brought up that way. But i love it when i do something whether it is big or little, that shows someone how good God is, because i know that my Jesus is smiling at me when i do. So i just hope that we can live in that. Everyone helping each other. Because i am a strong beleiver that this world can run on love.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
p.s. thank you all for praying. This past week, so many prayers have been answered for me. My friend who i talked about last blog, is back walking with Jesus. I still want y'all to pray that he stays that way.
On that note, i need y'all to pray for me. I don't know what it is, but i am feeling really weird lately. It's like none of the big things get to me, but all the little things are starting to drive in. So i feel like i am in some kind of spiritual slump. So thank you for your prayers. I love all of y'all.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Luke 8
Women Who Followed Jesus 1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2 along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed 4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[a] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’[b]
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
Parable of the Lamp 16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. 17 For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.
18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
The True Family of Jesus 19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you.”
21 Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
Jesus Calms the Storm 22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man 26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes,[c] across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil[d] spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.[e]
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith 40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. 42 His only daughter,[f] who was about twelve years old, was dying.
As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. 43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding,[g] and she could find no cure. 44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”
50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”
51 When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother. 52 The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”
53 But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died. 54 Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” 55 And at that moment her life[h] returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.
That was good. Jesus did alot in this passage, and i didn't realize it untill the second time reading it. Like in the first part when the women followed Jesus. This is just another instance when Jesus decides to forget about the barriers of society. First off it tells us the He casted out 7 deamons from Mary Magdalene. That means that she was possed, and now she is hangin out with the son of God. That tells me there that no matter how nasty i am, no matter how many things i have done, Jesus loves me and he isn't ashamed of it.
I like the parable about the farmer scattering seeds. I've read it tons of times but i just started looking at it in the right way. I used to think that God put the seeds on the path, or on the rocks, or in the torns. But i just realized he just spreads the seeds, it's up to us where they land. The way i see it is that God wants all of us to land in fertile soil, if he didn't why would he give us his awesome word?? Beats me.
I just want to take a minute and think about where we land somtimes. I think that I would land in the thorns. It seems that after i read some awesome stuff, i will forget about it soom after, or i will worry about what people think about me. It's not 'till reasantly that i started being really bold with my faith. I've read the Bible, and have been going to church all my life.But i never changed. I would think that it was awesome when i heard it (I only read the Bible when i was in trouble, cuz my mom would make me copy it down.) but after words i would just go on living like hell. It's not because i would hear lies from the devil, but because i cared about what my friends thought. I see now that i just had no back bone. I couldn't Man Up, because i was a pansy. I thought i was the man when really i was a punk follower. You want to be strong, be different.
I like the parable about the Lamp, because it means alot to me. When ever i give a message as a guest speaker, 9 times out of 10 it will be about reflecting Jesus. I normally use this parable, because it calls us to be light to the world and not to hide or try to be covered. But it turns out the parable means so much more. My youth pastor, Bary Russle, Did a series about being in the dark. And just a cool thing that i picked up is that the definition of Dark is the absence of light. If you have a pich black room, and you shine a laser pointer in the room, it's called penatration. Darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, it just can't. So to me this parable can be so hopeful. We can't be stuck in the dark, JESUS LIVES. No matter how down "in the bacement" you are, your never in the dark. When you allow the light in your life, nothing can hide. When you turn on the lights in a dark room, i promise you bugs hide. That can't happen inside of you. When you accept the light of Jesus in you life, sin can't escape. It blows my mind how much my Jesus loves me, and it's crazy cool how much he loves you to!
Jesus calms the storm. Thats rad already. I just picture Jesus laying on a hamach (spelled wrong) with his dreadlock, just passed out asleep during this storm. And i can see his disciple running around with buckets trying to get the water out of the boat and screaming at Jesus to wake up. And Jesus just pokes one eye open tells them whats up, calms the storm and goes back to sleep.
My Jesus is so rad. I seriously see that every time i think of that. Just how humble he is and how powerful he is, it's amazing. I can't fathom it. And i love it when the desciples are like "who is this dude." I don't know, i just wish i could have been there, cus i would have peed myself, it just sounds funny to me.
Jesus heals a demon possesed man. Thats cool. Jesus once again touches the untouchable. He once again shows his love to someone hated/feared by everyone else. And what else can someone do after Jesus fixes them except for worship him.
Another thing that is cool to me is how scared the demons are. They are freaking out. So Jesus does what any one else would do, he sent them into the pigs and they drowned --love deviled ham :)--! The people who witnessed this were scared, i would have been to cuz if i saw some guy tell demons to go into pigs, and then all the pigs die, i would freak out.
But one thing really sticks out and it is this "37And all the people in the region of Gerasense begged Jesus to go away and leave them slone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jeus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake."
That confuses me. I have this friend who lost God, he's just convinced that Jesus dosn't love him. And it kills me, so me and one of my friend's, Jeremy, love on him all we can. Last night he cussed Jeremy out. So i'm wondering if since left these people alone when they told him to leave, it Jeremy and i should leave our friend alone. I really don't know, so i'm going to ask that 'yall pray for jeremy and i, as well as our friend.
In the next section Jesus does another cool thing, crazy right it's almost like Jesus love to do awesome thing:). He goes to heal this girl, and on his way he walks through a big crowed, and a women who had been bleading touched him and she was healed. Jesus's reaction is priceless, "who touched me." Thats a funny question cus your walking through an enoumess crowd. plus you the son of God and you already know, come on Jesus what are trying to teach us hear. I think what your trying to tell us is to be intentional when we want you. And i think that when Jesus said that he felt healing powers leave him, he didn't really mean it the way some of us might take it. What i think is that He wants the women to know the he is looking for her, and that he knows what she did. I don't think that it is Jesus's robe that saved the women, i think that it was her faith. (After reading the Bible, i came to a conclusion that Jesus's was a big dude, because everyone is scared of him. Just sayin)
Also Jesus was a funny guy. You have to be funny to go to a funeral and say that the girl isn't dead. Eather funny or crazy awesome, or both. And i love that he brings her back to life and then he said, get her somthing to eat. Yeah, if i was dead and i came back to life i would be pretty hungary.
There is somthing on my heart tonight. Like a said earlier, my friend has lost God. I was him tonight, and it broke my heart. I saw him from behind and i was so stoked to see him. But then he turned around and i could see no life is his eyes. His eyes are dead. everytime i saw him i was on the verge of tears. He had cuts down his rist and that was just twisting the knife, because this kid used to have such faith, and now it's gone. Jeremy and i wanted him to stay for the service, but he left.
But it just scares, because i now see what happens when you let the devil get a foothold on you. The devil is such a pansy. He finds your weekness and he attacks it, then while your down he will beat you. This kid now thinks that Jesus dosn't love him, he looks completely dead on the inside. So I just want everyone reading to pray for him, and for everyone to shine God onto him. I don't know what i can do except for love on him. Please just pray for him.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed 4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[a] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’[b]
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. 12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
Parable of the Lamp 16 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. 17 For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.
18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”
The True Family of Jesus 19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you.”
21 Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
Jesus Calms the Storm 22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man 26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes,[c] across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil[d] spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.[e]
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Heals in Response to Faith 40 On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. 42 His only daughter,[f] who was about twelve years old, was dying.
As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. 43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding,[g] and she could find no cure. 44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”
50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”
51 When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother. 52 The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”
53 But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died. 54 Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” 55 And at that moment her life[h] returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.
That was good. Jesus did alot in this passage, and i didn't realize it untill the second time reading it. Like in the first part when the women followed Jesus. This is just another instance when Jesus decides to forget about the barriers of society. First off it tells us the He casted out 7 deamons from Mary Magdalene. That means that she was possed, and now she is hangin out with the son of God. That tells me there that no matter how nasty i am, no matter how many things i have done, Jesus loves me and he isn't ashamed of it.
I like the parable about the farmer scattering seeds. I've read it tons of times but i just started looking at it in the right way. I used to think that God put the seeds on the path, or on the rocks, or in the torns. But i just realized he just spreads the seeds, it's up to us where they land. The way i see it is that God wants all of us to land in fertile soil, if he didn't why would he give us his awesome word?? Beats me.
I just want to take a minute and think about where we land somtimes. I think that I would land in the thorns. It seems that after i read some awesome stuff, i will forget about it soom after, or i will worry about what people think about me. It's not 'till reasantly that i started being really bold with my faith. I've read the Bible, and have been going to church all my life.But i never changed. I would think that it was awesome when i heard it (I only read the Bible when i was in trouble, cuz my mom would make me copy it down.) but after words i would just go on living like hell. It's not because i would hear lies from the devil, but because i cared about what my friends thought. I see now that i just had no back bone. I couldn't Man Up, because i was a pansy. I thought i was the man when really i was a punk follower. You want to be strong, be different.
I like the parable about the Lamp, because it means alot to me. When ever i give a message as a guest speaker, 9 times out of 10 it will be about reflecting Jesus. I normally use this parable, because it calls us to be light to the world and not to hide or try to be covered. But it turns out the parable means so much more. My youth pastor, Bary Russle, Did a series about being in the dark. And just a cool thing that i picked up is that the definition of Dark is the absence of light. If you have a pich black room, and you shine a laser pointer in the room, it's called penatration. Darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, it just can't. So to me this parable can be so hopeful. We can't be stuck in the dark, JESUS LIVES. No matter how down "in the bacement" you are, your never in the dark. When you allow the light in your life, nothing can hide. When you turn on the lights in a dark room, i promise you bugs hide. That can't happen inside of you. When you accept the light of Jesus in you life, sin can't escape. It blows my mind how much my Jesus loves me, and it's crazy cool how much he loves you to!
Jesus calms the storm. Thats rad already. I just picture Jesus laying on a hamach (spelled wrong) with his dreadlock, just passed out asleep during this storm. And i can see his disciple running around with buckets trying to get the water out of the boat and screaming at Jesus to wake up. And Jesus just pokes one eye open tells them whats up, calms the storm and goes back to sleep.
My Jesus is so rad. I seriously see that every time i think of that. Just how humble he is and how powerful he is, it's amazing. I can't fathom it. And i love it when the desciples are like "who is this dude." I don't know, i just wish i could have been there, cus i would have peed myself, it just sounds funny to me.
Jesus heals a demon possesed man. Thats cool. Jesus once again touches the untouchable. He once again shows his love to someone hated/feared by everyone else. And what else can someone do after Jesus fixes them except for worship him.
Another thing that is cool to me is how scared the demons are. They are freaking out. So Jesus does what any one else would do, he sent them into the pigs and they drowned --love deviled ham :)--! The people who witnessed this were scared, i would have been to cuz if i saw some guy tell demons to go into pigs, and then all the pigs die, i would freak out.
But one thing really sticks out and it is this "37And all the people in the region of Gerasense begged Jesus to go away and leave them slone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. So Jeus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake."
That confuses me. I have this friend who lost God, he's just convinced that Jesus dosn't love him. And it kills me, so me and one of my friend's, Jeremy, love on him all we can. Last night he cussed Jeremy out. So i'm wondering if since left these people alone when they told him to leave, it Jeremy and i should leave our friend alone. I really don't know, so i'm going to ask that 'yall pray for jeremy and i, as well as our friend.
In the next section Jesus does another cool thing, crazy right it's almost like Jesus love to do awesome thing:). He goes to heal this girl, and on his way he walks through a big crowed, and a women who had been bleading touched him and she was healed. Jesus's reaction is priceless, "who touched me." Thats a funny question cus your walking through an enoumess crowd. plus you the son of God and you already know, come on Jesus what are trying to teach us hear. I think what your trying to tell us is to be intentional when we want you. And i think that when Jesus said that he felt healing powers leave him, he didn't really mean it the way some of us might take it. What i think is that He wants the women to know the he is looking for her, and that he knows what she did. I don't think that it is Jesus's robe that saved the women, i think that it was her faith. (After reading the Bible, i came to a conclusion that Jesus's was a big dude, because everyone is scared of him. Just sayin)
Also Jesus was a funny guy. You have to be funny to go to a funeral and say that the girl isn't dead. Eather funny or crazy awesome, or both. And i love that he brings her back to life and then he said, get her somthing to eat. Yeah, if i was dead and i came back to life i would be pretty hungary.
There is somthing on my heart tonight. Like a said earlier, my friend has lost God. I was him tonight, and it broke my heart. I saw him from behind and i was so stoked to see him. But then he turned around and i could see no life is his eyes. His eyes are dead. everytime i saw him i was on the verge of tears. He had cuts down his rist and that was just twisting the knife, because this kid used to have such faith, and now it's gone. Jeremy and i wanted him to stay for the service, but he left.
But it just scares, because i now see what happens when you let the devil get a foothold on you. The devil is such a pansy. He finds your weekness and he attacks it, then while your down he will beat you. This kid now thinks that Jesus dosn't love him, he looks completely dead on the inside. So I just want everyone reading to pray for him, and for everyone to shine God onto him. I don't know what i can do except for love on him. Please just pray for him.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Monday, April 20, 2009
Acts 2
I know that i've been doing Luke, but I'm doing a lesson on Acts 2 at my club tomarrow. I just figured that i could let yall know what i'm talking about
Pentecost 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine.[b]"
Peter Addresses the Crowd 14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'[c]
22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him: " 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'[e]
29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,[f] that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." '[g]
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "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. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers 42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Thats some good word. In the beginig, it talks about how the aposles were just sitting around, just chillin and all of a suddon fire comes down onto them and they start speaking languages they don't under stand. No big deal that happens all the time, jk. I know a couple people who go to Churches that speak in tounges and stuff, and they talk about how they've seen people being filled with the holy spirit, and doing stuff like that. I personally havn't but i think that i would freak out if i did, and probally call an ambleance. It just blows my mind how powerful the holy spirit is. It made the people talk in languages they didn't understand, but the people they were near understood.
I kind of laughed when the person said that they were drunk when they were talking in tounges. Mainly because that stuff happends to me all the time. I was at a dance and i started bootydacing with these girls. I just thought it was the funniest thing ever, and they thought i was wasted. So i straightend out and tried to act sober. I don't know if you have ever been sober and had to try to act sober, but it was really hard. The crazy thing is, is that i had to take a breathalizer test in order to get into the dance, and i had only been at the dance for about 5 minutes when these girls started accusing me of being drunk. That same the happend to them. Peter is just like "theres no way there drunk this early, its only like 9 o'clock." So i just think that it's cool that im not the only sober guy getting called drunk.:)
Not only did Peter defend them by using the time and saying it's too early for them to be drunk, he uses scripture. No better way to make people beleive than by using the Bible, take my word for it. He tells them about what Joel said about the Holy Spirit. And to me what that mainly meant is that the power of God is not lemmated to one or two people, and that it lives in us.
Then he tells us the AWESOME truth about Jesus. And how God is so rad!!
I love the quote from king David. I also love how Peter tells me what it means so that i don't have to search all over the place for it. There isn't much i can say about that, because Peter does an excellent job of doing that.
This is just the part that got me most stoked. 3000 PEOPLE WERE SAVED. 3000 saved, baptized, and added to the Church, IN ONE DAY. AMEN that is the most excing thing in the world to me. I belive with all my heart, that this number and all the things that happend are limited to this one passage. I beileve that we as a group of Christ followers can make this happen, and i am so stoked to see it happen in my generation.
I love fellowship. I think that it is the best thing ever. Nothing is better than a bunch of people geting together praising, and growing in God. There is nothing better. This passage is a grewat example of how we have got to stay together. As a whole. We need to stay together as one, all helping eachother to grow. Nothing is better than that. seriously, it's Rad.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
P.S. This post was pretty bad, but the scripture is awesome. If my post messed you up, just forget what i said. I'm just really tired and it is really hard for me to stay consentrated right now. So if you hated the post, then im really sorry. But if you liked it and you learned, that thats awesome. I love all of you.!
Pentecost 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine.[b]"
Peter Addresses the Crowd 14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'[c]
22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him: " 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'[e]
29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,[f] that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." '[g]
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "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. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers 42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Thats some good word. In the beginig, it talks about how the aposles were just sitting around, just chillin and all of a suddon fire comes down onto them and they start speaking languages they don't under stand. No big deal that happens all the time, jk. I know a couple people who go to Churches that speak in tounges and stuff, and they talk about how they've seen people being filled with the holy spirit, and doing stuff like that. I personally havn't but i think that i would freak out if i did, and probally call an ambleance. It just blows my mind how powerful the holy spirit is. It made the people talk in languages they didn't understand, but the people they were near understood.
I kind of laughed when the person said that they were drunk when they were talking in tounges. Mainly because that stuff happends to me all the time. I was at a dance and i started bootydacing with these girls. I just thought it was the funniest thing ever, and they thought i was wasted. So i straightend out and tried to act sober. I don't know if you have ever been sober and had to try to act sober, but it was really hard. The crazy thing is, is that i had to take a breathalizer test in order to get into the dance, and i had only been at the dance for about 5 minutes when these girls started accusing me of being drunk. That same the happend to them. Peter is just like "theres no way there drunk this early, its only like 9 o'clock." So i just think that it's cool that im not the only sober guy getting called drunk.:)
Not only did Peter defend them by using the time and saying it's too early for them to be drunk, he uses scripture. No better way to make people beleive than by using the Bible, take my word for it. He tells them about what Joel said about the Holy Spirit. And to me what that mainly meant is that the power of God is not lemmated to one or two people, and that it lives in us.
Then he tells us the AWESOME truth about Jesus. And how God is so rad!!
I love the quote from king David. I also love how Peter tells me what it means so that i don't have to search all over the place for it. There isn't much i can say about that, because Peter does an excellent job of doing that.
This is just the part that got me most stoked. 3000 PEOPLE WERE SAVED. 3000 saved, baptized, and added to the Church, IN ONE DAY. AMEN that is the most excing thing in the world to me. I belive with all my heart, that this number and all the things that happend are limited to this one passage. I beileve that we as a group of Christ followers can make this happen, and i am so stoked to see it happen in my generation.
I love fellowship. I think that it is the best thing ever. Nothing is better than a bunch of people geting together praising, and growing in God. There is nothing better. This passage is a grewat example of how we have got to stay together. As a whole. We need to stay together as one, all helping eachother to grow. Nothing is better than that. seriously, it's Rad.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
P.S. This post was pretty bad, but the scripture is awesome. If my post messed you up, just forget what i said. I'm just really tired and it is really hard for me to stay consentrated right now. So if you hated the post, then im really sorry. But if you liked it and you learned, that thats awesome. I love all of you.!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Luke 7
The Faith of a Roman Officer 1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer[a] was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”
6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son 11 Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” 17 And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.
Jesus and John the Baptist 18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[b] or should we keep looking for someone else?”
20 John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”
21 At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 23 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.[c]’”
24 After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 25 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. 26 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 27 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’[d]
28 I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”
29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right,[e] for they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.
31 “To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them? 32 They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t weep.’
33 For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man,[f] on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.[g]”
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.[h] 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver[i] to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
I LOVE JESUS, just to let you know. This passage was pretty cool to me. It took me 3 days to look and fully understand this passage. I know you hate to hear it, but i'm not going to be sharing everything that i've discovered. But if you want to hear what i think, e-mail me at bigcharlierebel@yahoo.com.
When Jesus helped the Roman soldier, the Jewish community got kind of angry about it. They couldn't understand why a Jew whould help a Gentile(old wine skins). But all in this story Jesus brings a Jewish leader, a roman soldier, and the son of God together. This shows us how Jesus isn't restricted, and that he will break down the barriers of this world to get to us.
Jesus shows compasion for us when we are in pain. He dosn't ignore our sour feelings, and he will love on us and help us through it.
The people thought that he was a prophet because he proclaimed the word of God, and Prophets from the old testament; Elijah and Elisha, raised people from the dead. The prople were right about him being a prophet, but they didn't realize that he was so much more than that.
John the Baptist doubted Christ. This is understandable, because he didn't know the guy to well. So Jesus explained to him who he was in a way that John would under stand.
When Jesus said that John was the best in the world, but every one in heavan was better than he was, he wasn't insulting John. John lived his life exactly like God intended him to, and did all that was needed from him, so he was the best in the world. But even the worse person in heaven knew that Jesus was the son of God so that made them better.
I would have loved to be the woman who washed Jesus's feet. To have Jesus defend me like he defended her would be awesome. When the world was judging the woman, Jesus said that all her sins were forgiven. That is awesome to me because i had that reputation. I was the kid that everyone thought was the worst. And in the depths of my Deepest sin Jesus died for me. And he told me that my sins are forgiven.
And we all know that our faith has saved us. And nothing can take that away from us.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son 11 Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” 17 And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.
Jesus and John the Baptist 18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[b] or should we keep looking for someone else?”
20 John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”
21 At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 23 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.[c]’”
24 After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 25 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. 26 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 27 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’[d]
28 I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”
29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right,[e] for they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.
31 “To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them? 32 They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t weep.’
33 For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man,[f] on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.[g]”
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.[h] 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver[i] to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
I LOVE JESUS, just to let you know. This passage was pretty cool to me. It took me 3 days to look and fully understand this passage. I know you hate to hear it, but i'm not going to be sharing everything that i've discovered. But if you want to hear what i think, e-mail me at bigcharlierebel@yahoo.com.
When Jesus helped the Roman soldier, the Jewish community got kind of angry about it. They couldn't understand why a Jew whould help a Gentile(old wine skins). But all in this story Jesus brings a Jewish leader, a roman soldier, and the son of God together. This shows us how Jesus isn't restricted, and that he will break down the barriers of this world to get to us.
Jesus shows compasion for us when we are in pain. He dosn't ignore our sour feelings, and he will love on us and help us through it.
The people thought that he was a prophet because he proclaimed the word of God, and Prophets from the old testament; Elijah and Elisha, raised people from the dead. The prople were right about him being a prophet, but they didn't realize that he was so much more than that.
John the Baptist doubted Christ. This is understandable, because he didn't know the guy to well. So Jesus explained to him who he was in a way that John would under stand.
When Jesus said that John was the best in the world, but every one in heavan was better than he was, he wasn't insulting John. John lived his life exactly like God intended him to, and did all that was needed from him, so he was the best in the world. But even the worse person in heaven knew that Jesus was the son of God so that made them better.
I would have loved to be the woman who washed Jesus's feet. To have Jesus defend me like he defended her would be awesome. When the world was judging the woman, Jesus said that all her sins were forgiven. That is awesome to me because i had that reputation. I was the kid that everyone thought was the worst. And in the depths of my Deepest sin Jesus died for me. And he told me that my sins are forgiven.
And we all know that our faith has saved us. And nothing can take that away from us.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Monday, April 6, 2009
i'm leaving
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (matthew25:44-45)
I'm leaving for atl. with my youth group in a couple minutes. And before i left i wanted to prepare my self for what i am about to do. We are going to stay in a homless shelter in Atl. and we are going to just love on/help out the homless there. I just ask that you pray for me, and my yourth group. And i will post back somtime around thursday.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (matthew25:44-45)
I'm leaving for atl. with my youth group in a couple minutes. And before i left i wanted to prepare my self for what i am about to do. We are going to stay in a homless shelter in Atl. and we are going to just love on/help out the homless there. I just ask that you pray for me, and my yourth group. And i will post back somtime around thursday.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Saturday, April 4, 2009
luke 6
A Discussion about the Sabbath 1 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. 2 But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”
3 Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5 And Jesus added, “The Son of Man[a] is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath 6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles 12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), 16 Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
Crowds Follow Jesus 17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil[b] spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.
The Beatitudes 20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,
“God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. 21 God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.
22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.
Sorrows Foretold 24 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. 25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. 26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
Love for Enemies 27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Do Not Judge Others 37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”
39 Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40 Students[d] are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
41 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[e] when you have a log in your own? 42 How can you think of saying, ‘Friend,[f] let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The Tree and Its Fruit 43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Building on a Solid Foundation 46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
good word, good word. I love it when Jesus speaks to me. I'm jsut so thankful that he hasn't left me in the desert with no map, and no compass.
When the pharisees stop Jesus and critisize him for harvesting on the sabath, and reminds me of how the world will do everything to point out a Christ follower's problem. Whe in reality, they aren't looking at what is really happening. expessially when they don't know what they are talking about.
It reminds me of the wineskins that i talked about yesterday. that same older lady was judging me for being loud, and just way out there. And you could tell that she thought that since i wasn't the "cookie cutter christiian" i should proclaim who my Jesus is. But in reality she is like an old wineskin.
That is the same thing that the parisees were telling Jesus. The just couldn't understand that he didn't have to comform to their traditions. The creator is allways greater then the creation.
Very similar with the time that Jesus healed the man on the Sabath. But this time he is telling us that we can always to good deeds, no matter what the world thinks. No matter where we are, no matter when it is, there is never a place or a time where we should do evil. We should always be working for and with Jesus. In everything that we do!
When Jesus gives the beattitudes, there are tons of ways to look at them. "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours." In that time, rich people were looked to as having great favor from God. So Jesus goes out and says, God loves you especially when you are poor and when you hunger for righeousness. When Jesus tells us, "God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satified." I look at that as those who hunger for him. He is saying that if you want to be just like Jesus, one day you will.
"What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you folow the Son of Man." That is awesome. If you are following Jesus and people don't look at you different, or everyone just thinks you are the coolest person, then you are doing something wrong. I hang out with what most people would call the bad kids. And i was hanging out with them when they were drinking and stuff like that, and they just couldn't that i wasn't drinking, or hooking up with girls, or doing any thing except for playing guitar hero. And when they asked me and i told them that it was because of my love for Jesus, the entire atmasfeir of the party changed. I was getting weird looks, and they were calling me a buzz kill and all of that stuff, and i thought of this verse and i was so stoked. When they started treating different, it made my day. Although i'm never going back to another party with my friends, i know that i am going to be blessed.
If you are only trying to find what makes you complete through material things, your screwed. That is all that i can say about what Jesus says in the next little sectioin. Because ritcheousness dosn't come from the material things of this world, they only come from Jesus Christ.
Jesus then goes on to tell us to love our enimies. Jesus challenges us all the time, but this is one of the hardest ones. Last night this women came over to my house, because her husband beat her. Let me tell you somthing, i don't love that man. I drame about me standing over his motionless body. And that is not a good place to be when you are trying to love Jesus. I would love to tell you that i am at the point that i love that guy, but i can't tell you that yet.
Don't judge others. I used to be the most judgemental person you have ever met. When i first started claiming the name of Jesus, i was a punk. If you did somthing that i didn't like, i would rape my Jesus to make you feel like a jerk, just so i can look like the man. When really all i was doing was digging a whole. Thank God that i am now over that phase, because i lost about 99% of my friends when i was going throught that little phase.
So don't judge people. I can't tell you how many kids i have talked to who said they don't want to be Christians because Christians are mean and judgemental. When we look down on other people, we are destroying our relationship with God, and theirs.
Plus we know that no one is better than anyone else. Never act like your the best, because then you will be broken down. And we can't help people when we need help our selves with the same thing, it just dosen't work.
When we have the love of Christ in our hearts, we will show love to others. If we don't have it, we're jerks.
When we obey God it is like we have a good, solid foundation. When we live like our flesh wants us to live, we just built on sand. When good times are coming, we don't notice our foundations. But when that storm or crises hits, it hits hard, and if you built on sand, your going to get blown away. But when that foundation is strong you will holdfast, and you will be safe.
This is the first time that i have looked at this scripture, as more than just words. I would read this, and pass over it thinking that it isn't that big of a deal. But in actuallity, every single bit of the word of God, is the WORD OF GOD, and we can always get somthing from it.
If you have been reading my blog, i hope you have been geting somting from it. And thank you so much for reading in the first place. I hape that you are keeping your foundation strong.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
3 Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5 And Jesus added, “The Son of Man[a] is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath 6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles 12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), 16 Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
Crowds Follow Jesus 17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil[b] spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.
The Beatitudes 20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,
“God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. 21 God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.
22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.
Sorrows Foretold 24 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. 25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. 26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
Love for Enemies 27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Do Not Judge Others 37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”
39 Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40 Students[d] are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
41 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[e] when you have a log in your own? 42 How can you think of saying, ‘Friend,[f] let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The Tree and Its Fruit 43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Building on a Solid Foundation 46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”
good word, good word. I love it when Jesus speaks to me. I'm jsut so thankful that he hasn't left me in the desert with no map, and no compass.
When the pharisees stop Jesus and critisize him for harvesting on the sabath, and reminds me of how the world will do everything to point out a Christ follower's problem. Whe in reality, they aren't looking at what is really happening. expessially when they don't know what they are talking about.
It reminds me of the wineskins that i talked about yesterday. that same older lady was judging me for being loud, and just way out there. And you could tell that she thought that since i wasn't the "cookie cutter christiian" i should proclaim who my Jesus is. But in reality she is like an old wineskin.
That is the same thing that the parisees were telling Jesus. The just couldn't understand that he didn't have to comform to their traditions. The creator is allways greater then the creation.
Very similar with the time that Jesus healed the man on the Sabath. But this time he is telling us that we can always to good deeds, no matter what the world thinks. No matter where we are, no matter when it is, there is never a place or a time where we should do evil. We should always be working for and with Jesus. In everything that we do!
When Jesus gives the beattitudes, there are tons of ways to look at them. "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours." In that time, rich people were looked to as having great favor from God. So Jesus goes out and says, God loves you especially when you are poor and when you hunger for righeousness. When Jesus tells us, "God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satified." I look at that as those who hunger for him. He is saying that if you want to be just like Jesus, one day you will.
"What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you folow the Son of Man." That is awesome. If you are following Jesus and people don't look at you different, or everyone just thinks you are the coolest person, then you are doing something wrong. I hang out with what most people would call the bad kids. And i was hanging out with them when they were drinking and stuff like that, and they just couldn't that i wasn't drinking, or hooking up with girls, or doing any thing except for playing guitar hero. And when they asked me and i told them that it was because of my love for Jesus, the entire atmasfeir of the party changed. I was getting weird looks, and they were calling me a buzz kill and all of that stuff, and i thought of this verse and i was so stoked. When they started treating different, it made my day. Although i'm never going back to another party with my friends, i know that i am going to be blessed.
If you are only trying to find what makes you complete through material things, your screwed. That is all that i can say about what Jesus says in the next little sectioin. Because ritcheousness dosn't come from the material things of this world, they only come from Jesus Christ.
Jesus then goes on to tell us to love our enimies. Jesus challenges us all the time, but this is one of the hardest ones. Last night this women came over to my house, because her husband beat her. Let me tell you somthing, i don't love that man. I drame about me standing over his motionless body. And that is not a good place to be when you are trying to love Jesus. I would love to tell you that i am at the point that i love that guy, but i can't tell you that yet.
Don't judge others. I used to be the most judgemental person you have ever met. When i first started claiming the name of Jesus, i was a punk. If you did somthing that i didn't like, i would rape my Jesus to make you feel like a jerk, just so i can look like the man. When really all i was doing was digging a whole. Thank God that i am now over that phase, because i lost about 99% of my friends when i was going throught that little phase.
So don't judge people. I can't tell you how many kids i have talked to who said they don't want to be Christians because Christians are mean and judgemental. When we look down on other people, we are destroying our relationship with God, and theirs.
Plus we know that no one is better than anyone else. Never act like your the best, because then you will be broken down. And we can't help people when we need help our selves with the same thing, it just dosen't work.
When we have the love of Christ in our hearts, we will show love to others. If we don't have it, we're jerks.
When we obey God it is like we have a good, solid foundation. When we live like our flesh wants us to live, we just built on sand. When good times are coming, we don't notice our foundations. But when that storm or crises hits, it hits hard, and if you built on sand, your going to get blown away. But when that foundation is strong you will holdfast, and you will be safe.
This is the first time that i have looked at this scripture, as more than just words. I would read this, and pass over it thinking that it isn't that big of a deal. But in actuallity, every single bit of the word of God, is the WORD OF GOD, and we can always get somthing from it.
If you have been reading my blog, i hope you have been geting somting from it. And thank you so much for reading in the first place. I hape that you are keeping your foundation strong.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Friday, April 3, 2009
Luke 5
The Calling of the First Disciples 1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a]with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch."
5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
The Man With Leprosy 12While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[c] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
13Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.
14Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."
15Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Jesus Heals a Paralytic 17One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. 18Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
The Calling of Levi 27After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, 28and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus Questioned About Fasting 33They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."
34Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."
36He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' "
I don't know if i am the only one that thinks it's cool that Jesus went out on a boat to teach people on land. I just think that Jesus must of had a pretty loud voice for everyone on land to hear him. Just saying (that's not really relavant, i just thought it was cool)
i love how Jesus desides to take every thing that he does and channel it into a way to glorify God. He went from telling Simon to go and cast out in deep water, to telling him he will be a fisherman of men. That just totaly blows my mind, just think of all the things that God could be telling you to do, and how it will change you forever.
Just to let you know, one of the things that i do that tick me off the most, is how i just pass over when jesus heals people. I just think, it talks about that every chapter, it gets pretty redundent. But in actuallity, we can see how Jesus has purified us just as he purified the man with leprosy. We need to do what Jesus tells us to do and go show the world how we've been changed.
Jesus heals a paralyzed Man, WOW. This is my favorite "stick it to the man" man story. Because when the pharasees are hating on Jesus, and doubting him, Jesus slams it in their face. I can just picture him standing over this paralized man and telling him to pick up his mat and walk home. He just showed the pharisees whats up.
And the same way that Jesus showed the pharisees whats up, we need to show the world. We need to reflect what Jesus does to us, to the world. We don't need to keep held in and tuck our tails between out legs. We need to be radical!!!
I love it when Jesus eats with scum. All of the tax collectors were looked on like the scum of the Earth and Jesus loves them soooooo much. It shows me that when i was going through the low part of my life, that Jesus was sitting with me and showing me more love than i can understand. And it blows my mind how he says that he came for me, not for the people who think their perfect.
I never looked at the parable about the wineskins like i just did. I just thought that it was a like a awquard space filler, but it really has a good meaning for Christians. So many people look down on people who are radical for God. It reminds me of when this older women was talking to me at lunch about how the contempory churches are disrespectful to God. And i was just talking about how i loved it, and how it loves Jesus, and how i love Jesus so it worked for me. But i wish what i knew then what i know now. Because the old wineskins would get crusty, and they couldn't hold any wine. And the new wineskins are flexible and can hold better wine, and more of it. And when we allow our selves to get stone hard in traditions we can't get everything that God wants to pour into us, to revolutionize our soul.
So i just pray that we will be renewed in Jesus every day, and we will alow him to flow through us, without any hold ups. i pray that we would remain humble, so that Jesus can be with us at an intament level. I pray that we would stop being stagnant, and that we would show the world who Jesus is, and share his radical message. I pray that we would become pure, and stay that way. Just that we would remain blameless in the eyes of the Lord, my God. And i pray that we will open up to hear what Jesus is telling us to do, and be fishermen of men. I just pray that we would build your army and strengthen each other.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch."
5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
The Man With Leprosy 12While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[c] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
13Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.
14Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."
15Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Jesus Heals a Paralytic 17One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. 18Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."
21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
The Calling of Levi 27After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, 28and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus Questioned About Fasting 33They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."
34Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."
36He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' "
I don't know if i am the only one that thinks it's cool that Jesus went out on a boat to teach people on land. I just think that Jesus must of had a pretty loud voice for everyone on land to hear him. Just saying (that's not really relavant, i just thought it was cool)
i love how Jesus desides to take every thing that he does and channel it into a way to glorify God. He went from telling Simon to go and cast out in deep water, to telling him he will be a fisherman of men. That just totaly blows my mind, just think of all the things that God could be telling you to do, and how it will change you forever.
Just to let you know, one of the things that i do that tick me off the most, is how i just pass over when jesus heals people. I just think, it talks about that every chapter, it gets pretty redundent. But in actuallity, we can see how Jesus has purified us just as he purified the man with leprosy. We need to do what Jesus tells us to do and go show the world how we've been changed.
Jesus heals a paralyzed Man, WOW. This is my favorite "stick it to the man" man story. Because when the pharasees are hating on Jesus, and doubting him, Jesus slams it in their face. I can just picture him standing over this paralized man and telling him to pick up his mat and walk home. He just showed the pharisees whats up.
And the same way that Jesus showed the pharisees whats up, we need to show the world. We need to reflect what Jesus does to us, to the world. We don't need to keep held in and tuck our tails between out legs. We need to be radical!!!
I love it when Jesus eats with scum. All of the tax collectors were looked on like the scum of the Earth and Jesus loves them soooooo much. It shows me that when i was going through the low part of my life, that Jesus was sitting with me and showing me more love than i can understand. And it blows my mind how he says that he came for me, not for the people who think their perfect.
I never looked at the parable about the wineskins like i just did. I just thought that it was a like a awquard space filler, but it really has a good meaning for Christians. So many people look down on people who are radical for God. It reminds me of when this older women was talking to me at lunch about how the contempory churches are disrespectful to God. And i was just talking about how i loved it, and how it loves Jesus, and how i love Jesus so it worked for me. But i wish what i knew then what i know now. Because the old wineskins would get crusty, and they couldn't hold any wine. And the new wineskins are flexible and can hold better wine, and more of it. And when we allow our selves to get stone hard in traditions we can't get everything that God wants to pour into us, to revolutionize our soul.
So i just pray that we will be renewed in Jesus every day, and we will alow him to flow through us, without any hold ups. i pray that we would remain humble, so that Jesus can be with us at an intament level. I pray that we would stop being stagnant, and that we would show the world who Jesus is, and share his radical message. I pray that we would become pure, and stay that way. Just that we would remain blameless in the eyes of the Lord, my God. And i pray that we will open up to hear what Jesus is telling us to do, and be fishermen of men. I just pray that we would build your army and strengthen each other.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
luke 4
1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'[a]"
5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
8Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'[b]"
9The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[c]"
12Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[d]"
13When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."[e]
20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "
24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27And there were many in Israel with leprosy[f] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."
28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit 31Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
33In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil[g]spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34"Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
35"Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" 37And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
Jesus Heals Many 38Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.[h]
42At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." 44And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea
I'm not going to lie, this scripture really cought my eye. First off this is where Jesus was tempted in the wildernes by the devil. When ever i read this, it reminds of a song that i can play on the harmonica, the song states "no power of hell, no fear of man, can ever pluck me from his hand." And Jesus shows us that we can overcome the devil himself, just as long as we stay in his words. I say only if we stay in his word, because the way that Jesus denied the devil was by using scripture, and thats the only way that we could ever win the battle over sin, and thats if we have God in our courner.
Another thing that i find eye caching is when Jesus goes back to his home town. He starts off telling them that he is going to fullfill the prophecies, and that he is going to save every one. Then he just tells them that he knows that he wouldn't be accepted in that society. I really like that part. I, coming from a pretty bad background, am not taken seriously by my pears alot of time. And Jesus said that, that's the way it's going to be. A prophet is accepted everywhere exept for at his home, and that is true. So many of you may be coming from a bad background your selves, and you friends will tell you that there is no way that you can belong to Jesus, and let me tell you that, thats the biggest lie that the Devil will ever tell followers of Christ. The 2 lies that destroy people that the devil tells is 1"your saved" when your not, and "you not saved" when you are. So many people will doubt you, but don't let that hender your walk with God.
When Jesus is talking about how Elijah, and Elisha went out to forigners, that pissed the people off so much because what Jesus was saying is that God will save Gentiles just as he saves jews, and they didn't like hearing that. So they did the most reasonable thing and tried to throw Jesus off of a giant wall, and Jesus is resuced, and somhow manages to get to the otherside of the crowd uninjured. That alone is pretty amazing.
Jesus ends by saying that he has to move around, because it's what he has to do. Just as Jesus must go out of his community, out of his confort zone, so must we go into the world and share the good news.
Just to end on a high note, to go with Us going out into the world. Jesus says that we will be like sheep among wolves, but he will go with us. So just when you go out for your Jesus, just know that your not alone.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'[a]"
5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
8Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'[b]"
9The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[c]"
12Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[d]"
13When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."[e]
20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "
24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27And there were many in Israel with leprosy[f] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."
28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit 31Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
33In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil[g]spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34"Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
35"Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" 37And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
Jesus Heals Many 38Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.[h]
42At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." 44And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea
I'm not going to lie, this scripture really cought my eye. First off this is where Jesus was tempted in the wildernes by the devil. When ever i read this, it reminds of a song that i can play on the harmonica, the song states "no power of hell, no fear of man, can ever pluck me from his hand." And Jesus shows us that we can overcome the devil himself, just as long as we stay in his words. I say only if we stay in his word, because the way that Jesus denied the devil was by using scripture, and thats the only way that we could ever win the battle over sin, and thats if we have God in our courner.
Another thing that i find eye caching is when Jesus goes back to his home town. He starts off telling them that he is going to fullfill the prophecies, and that he is going to save every one. Then he just tells them that he knows that he wouldn't be accepted in that society. I really like that part. I, coming from a pretty bad background, am not taken seriously by my pears alot of time. And Jesus said that, that's the way it's going to be. A prophet is accepted everywhere exept for at his home, and that is true. So many of you may be coming from a bad background your selves, and you friends will tell you that there is no way that you can belong to Jesus, and let me tell you that, thats the biggest lie that the Devil will ever tell followers of Christ. The 2 lies that destroy people that the devil tells is 1"your saved" when your not, and "you not saved" when you are. So many people will doubt you, but don't let that hender your walk with God.
When Jesus is talking about how Elijah, and Elisha went out to forigners, that pissed the people off so much because what Jesus was saying is that God will save Gentiles just as he saves jews, and they didn't like hearing that. So they did the most reasonable thing and tried to throw Jesus off of a giant wall, and Jesus is resuced, and somhow manages to get to the otherside of the crowd uninjured. That alone is pretty amazing.
Jesus ends by saying that he has to move around, because it's what he has to do. Just as Jesus must go out of his community, out of his confort zone, so must we go into the world and share the good news.
Just to end on a high note, to go with Us going out into the world. Jesus says that we will be like sheep among wolves, but he will go with us. So just when you go out for your Jesus, just know that your not alone.
In Christ,
Stewart Ryall
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
