Message: A new
heart with renew spirit 1/7/2018 & 2/9/ 2022
by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts
Ministries : Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music
Happy
New Year 2018! My friends, in this New Year may Lord renews our spirits, our
hearts, and our vision in Christ. May Triune God: Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy
Spirit, continually guide us and lead us into His perfect will, and fulfill His
purpose on this earth as it is in heaven.
My friends, do you give up or walk away from your
faith in Christ because earthly sorrows, worries, burdens, and sickness wear
you down? Or Words of God are too hard to understand and too difficult to be
perfect like Jesus? When Jesus explicitly stated,
“I tell you the truth, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you
have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal
life, and I will
raise him up at the last day.” (Jh9:53:54).
Many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching,
who can accept it?” and they were grumbling about this. Jesus affirmed his
disciples, “What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was
before! The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The
Word I have spoken to you, are spirit, and they are life”. (John6:62-63).
There were twelve disciples did not forsake nor walked away from Jesus, and
Simon Peter confirmed, “the Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life.”(Jh.6:68). Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, one of
twelve, was later to betray the Jesus for money. Jesus didn’t entrust himself in
men, for he knew He came to the world to fulfill the will of Father and the
testimonies about Jesus as follows, He stated,
1) The Father who sent me has himself
testified concerning me. (Jh.5:37) Father vindicated Jesus is Son of God by
raised him from death at Calvary. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the
desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes
in him may have eternal life. (Jh.3:14) In Gen.3 Satan, the serpent,
injected his nature into man’s flesh. When the children of Israel sinned
against God, they were bitten by serpents (Num.21:4-9) God told Moses to life
up a bronze serpent on their behalf for God’s judgment, that by looking upon that
bronze serpent all might live. The Lord Jesus applied that type to Himself,
indicating that when he was in the flesh, He was in the likeness of the flesh
of sin (Rom.8:3), which likeness is equal to the form of the bronze serpent. Christ
was made in the likeness of the flesh of sin, but he did not participate in the
sin of the flesh (2Cor.5:21). When he was lifted up in the flesh on the cross,
by His death Satan, the old serpent, was dealt with. [1] When
a man is regenerated with the divine life in Christ, his satanic nature is annulled
or abolished. Jesus redirected Nicodemus who needed to be born again. Because
Nicodemus might have considered himself a moral and good man, but he needed the
Lord not only to be the Lamb of God to take away his sin, but also to be in the
form of the serpent that his serpentine nature might be dealt with on the cross
and that he might have eternal life.
2) The Word Jesus has spoken to us are spirit, and they are life”. (John6:62-63). Many Jews did research the scriptures to gain the knowledge as literature understanding. But, their hearts didn’t open up to the Lord Jesus; they needed to contact the spirit of God directly. For God is spirit, the Spirit gives life, flesh count for nothing. In John 6:62-63 Jesus affirmed his disciples, “The Word, I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life”. Jesus convicted Jews, “you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that be them you possess eternal life, there are the scriptures that testify about me, yet, you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John5:40). Jesus indicated that they needed to contact the spirit of God directly, not only do the research to satisfy the literature knowledge. For God is Spirit, and the Spirit gives life.
3). “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (Jh.4:34). Jesus refused to become a political revolutionist. After people saw the miraculous sign two fishes and five loaves fed the five thousand people, many people intended to come and make Jesus to be a king by force. “Jesus had to escape from the enthusiasm of the crowd, which would have forced Him to lead them in revolt against the Roman government. Jesus refused to become a political revolutionist.”[2] He withdrew again to a mountain by himself. And urged his disciples “do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (John2:27). And He said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (Jh.4:34). He inspired his disciples, Messiah ministry will be sustained by the ministry, and they should not worry about what to eat or what to drink? seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, all their needs, father will add upon it.
4). If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. (John5:46). Jesus didn’t accept praise, nor glory from men, in contrary; he did everything to please Father alone. Jesus unveiled Jews’ hearts and motivation. They love the praise and glory from men and pursue to be popular in the public acts. Yet, Jesus urged them, “I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your heart. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me, but someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.” (John5:41-43). If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say? (Jh.5:41-47).
5). Jesus unveiled himself as coming Messiah Christ to Samaritans woman. Jesus had conversation with Samaritans woman directly, and redirected her, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (Johm4: 21, 23-24). Samaritans woman who knew that Messiah He who is called Christ, Jesus affirmed her, “I, who speak to you, am He” (Jh.4:26)
My friend! Does your heart longs for God and earnestly seek God? Do you research all the scriptures for literature assignments; yet, neglect to contact Jesus in Spirit? Do you like Samaritans woman who had tasted the worldly passion through five husbands; yet, she had never contented nor satisfied, until she drank the living water that savior Jesus provided? Do you pursue worldly successful as a good man- Nicodemus, but you need born again? Or you are like Simon Peter, love Lord and want to finish the work? Or maybe because of money you betray Jesus as Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot? No matter, what roles are described you? My friend! You need renew heart, renew your spirit and refresh your vision. You need to open your heart to Jesus, contact Jesus directly in Spirit. Jesus ensured his disciples, “He who believes in me, as the Scripture had said, “Stream of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant Spirit…” (John7:37-39). In Greek “ποταμοι” literally, interpret as “of flowing water river, stream.” Metaphorically, interpret as “of the water of life as a flowing river”, signifying “fullness of life from God.” therefore, “ποταμοι υδατος ζωντος” in John 7:38 can be interpreted as Rivers of the water of life. It’s same the river of water of life in Rev.22:1 “ποταμον υδατος ζωης”. It symbolizes that God in Christ as Spirit flowing himself into his redeemed people to be their life. In another words, to experience fullness of life from God, we need to be redeemed by Christ Jesus and by believe in Him, open our hearts to the Spirit of Christ, worship and contact God in Spirit. For the Spirit gives life, flesh count for nothing. The Words Jesus has spoken to us are spirit, and they are life”. (Jh.6:62-63). To contact Jesus Christ in Spirit, simply call upon His name “O Lord Jesus; O ΄Ιησους Χριστου; 主耶穌” Moreover, reading the Word of God daily basis, from the book of John each chapter. Asking God unveils His truth, refreshes, and renews His vision to you. The Lord will speak to your heart; you will taste the stream of living water, the river of water of life, and experience God in Christ as Spirit flowing himself into your inner most being, and enjoy fullness of life from God till eternity. And you heart will be filled with satisfaction and no long thirsty. Amen!
Bibliography,
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Bruce, Katherine L. “weekly
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Orlando, FL: Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts, 2014.
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Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon
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