Monday, February 15, 2016

Blessed Thoughts About Jesus


     Today we will discuss several blessed thoughts about our Lord Jesus. First remember that only in Jesus are we complete and fully blessed. Don't allow anything to sidetrack you from the complete blessings in our Lord Jesus. Pictured above we see that Colossians 2:9 says For in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him (Jesus), which is the head of all principality and power. Right now receive a complete blessing and get saved. Get saved, repent, decide to stop sinning, confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel that Jesus died on the cross for you, was buried, and rose again.

     Note that the supreme experience is to get past all lesser experiences to Jesus Himself. Most people stop short of the Giver Jesus because they are forever seeking this or that gift. Many a saint can testify to years of being occupied with this doctrine or that, this blessing and that, but coming one day into a larger place of resting in Jesus Himself, finding in Jesus their reward and portion. Anything short of Jesus is fractional, immature, and incomplete.

     We are complete in Jesus only, not in any experience or favorite doctrine. Jesus is the experience that excels all experiences because Jesus includes them all. The whole is greater than any of the parts. Don't allow anything to remove your focus from Jesus, the cross of Calvary, and the blood of Jesus daily. Daily say I am crucified with Jesus Christ and covered by the blood of Jesus. Let the devil know daily that the blood of Jesus has overcome him, evil must pass over me, and my sins are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Jesus said at Luke 9:23 If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.


     Pictured above, we see yet another scripture saying that with Jesus alone we have everything we need and a complete blessing. 1 Corinthians 3:21 says Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. Whatever is lost in this world, if we have Jesus, in Jesus we have everything. All things are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

     Getting through to Jesus is simply arriving at the blessed point where we rest in the Blesser Jesus and not in any lesser blessing. Instead of majoring on the gift, major on the Giver Jesus. Instead of majoring on the blessing, major on the Blesser Jesus. Accept Jesus and receive rest because Jesus promised at Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. All Jesus asks is that we come to Him and Jesus will not cast us out. John 6:37 says All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.


     Next let's learn how our Lord Jesus encouraged saints to be servants and wash one another's feet. The picture above is found at John 13:3 and says Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. Even though Jesus owned everything, Jesus humbled Himself and washed the disciples' feet. Instead of magnificence, Jesus chose meniality. Instead of sublimity (excellence, grandeur, and beauty), Jesus chose service.

     Jesus went on to say at John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. Jesus promised happiness to saints choosing to be servants saying at John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. But most people come to church to sit instead of going out to serve. Instead of being nominal disciples who only agree with the theories stated by Jesus, let's become servants and care about the needs of our fellow saints. Jesus spoke a lot about being a servant. Just look in any concordance and see how many columns it takes to list all the serve, servant, and service references.


     For our next blessed thought about Jesus, Brother Bob asks all my friends everywhere Is Jesus your salvation and strength, or just a song? Many singers sing with plenty of art but a lack of heart. Their songs lack the presence of our Lord Jesus. Isaiah 12:2 encourages singers to remember the Lord Jesus when they sing their songs saying Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Not just a song, but a Saviour and a song.

     After Jesus lifted us out of the miry clay and put our feet on the Rock Jesus, then he also put a song in our mouth. Psalm 40:2 says He (Jesus) brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. This scripture says to sing about how the Lord Jesus saved our lives to be effective witnesses and save souls for our Lord Jesus. Remember, not just a song, but a Saviour and a song.


     For our last thought today we see Joshua pictured above wondering if the Lord Jesus had any more blessings for him during his old age. Joshua 13:1 says Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord Jesus said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

     God didn't tell Joshua to throw in the towel but encouraged him that there was more blessings beyond. God didn't say ne plus ultra (no more beyond) that was a warning on the pillars of Hercules to sailors and mariners to not sail from Spain or Portugal to America. Christopher Columbus ignored ne plus ultra and sailed from Portugal and Spain to discover the more beyond called America. Because Columbus left behind him the gray Azores (mountains of Portugal) and the gates of Hercules, many Americans today are living on the more beyond today.

     And saints everywhere, there lies many more blessings beyond for us all in new heavens, a new earth, and the kingdom of God. Let's all be like Christopher Columbus and ignore the ne plus ultra on the gates of Hercules while we all say On, Sail On, Sail On to our blessings beyond in the new heavens, new earth, and in the kingdom of God. Be encouraged because God says at Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. 2 Peter 3:13 says Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

     I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes everywhere with great joy, peace, and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 746-7071. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.   

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Seven Blessings Experienced During The Presence Of Our Lord Jesus


     Let's learn the seven blessings that occur during the presence of our Lord Jesus. You might want to write these seven blessings down. They are a searching presence to convict, a saving presence to convert, a separating presence to consecrate, a settling presence to calm, a supplying presence to comfort, a satisfying presence to celebrate, and a sanctifying presence causing humility.

A Searching Presence To Convict

     John 16:8 says And when He (Jesus) is come, He will reprove (convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. The Lord Jesus searches and sees everything. Proverbs 15:3 says The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Luke 12:2 says For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Hebrews 4:13 says Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

     We can't hide our sins from Jesus. Amos 9:2 says Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them.

     If Jesus sees everything, let's repent and turn from our sins to live with Jesus daily. Get saved, repent, decide to stop sinning, confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel that Jesus died on the cross for you, was buried, and rose again. Every day say I am crucified with Jesus Christ and covered by the blood of Jesus, rejoicing that the blood of Jesus has cleansed and removed your sins forevermore. 1 John 1:7 says But if we walk in the light (Jesus), as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.


A Saving Presence To Convert

     Pictured above the Samaritan woman at the well was converted and saved by the presence of our Lord Jesus. Note that when Jesus reproved this prostitute for being with five men and committing fornication with a sixth man, the Samaritan woman repented and got saved by confessing that Jesus is God to the men she had slept with. This woman rejoiced, leaving her waterpot saying she didn't need water from Jacob's well because she found the living water Jesus. This prostitute's testimony to hundreds of men led them to the Lord Jesus and salvation. The Samaritan woman told the men at John 4:29 Come see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto Him.

     Jesus went to sinners and not self righteous religious folk to offer salvation. Jesus said at Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus visited the home of a tax collector named Zacchaeus. The saving presence of Jesus converted and saved Zacchaeus, who repented and gave half of his goods to the poor and restored fourfold anything stolen from his customers. Zacchaeus said at Luke 19:8 Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Finally the saving presence of Jesus converted Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus who got saved and became a great gospel preacher named Paul.


A Separating Presence To Consecrate

     Psalm 31:20 explains how the presence of the Lord Jesus separates christians unto consecration saying Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of men: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion (tabernacle) from the strife of tongues. Isaiah 32:2 says And a man (Jesus) shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. After anyone is in the presence of our Lord Jesus, they will consecrate and separate themselves unto holiness. They will no longer be found in the bars sipping the suds or at the casino rolling the dice and gambling.


A Settling Presence To Calm

     The Lord Jesus said at Exodus 33:14 My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Pictured above the settling presence of the Lord Jesus on a ship calmed a great storm. Mark 4:39 says And He (Jesus) arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?


A Supplying Presence To Comfort 

     Acts 3:19 says Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The Lord Jesus truly is refreshing. Proverbs 3:5 says Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel (calm your nerves), and marrow to thy bones (like a refreshing cup of cold water to a thirsty soul).


A Satisfying Presence To Celebrate

     Psalm 16:11 says Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 1 Peter 1:8 says Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 


A Sanctifying Presence Causing Humility

     1 Chronicles 16:29 says Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 1 Corinthians 1:26 says For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence (the sanctifying presence of Jesus causes humility). That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.


     Notice Pontius Pilate pictured above releasing and setting free Barabbas instead of our Lord Jesus. Pilate asked the chief priests and elders at Matthew 27:21 Whether of the twain (Jesus or Barabbas) will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let Him be crucified.

     Before Barabbas appeared before the people to be released, Barabbas was sitting in a jail 200 yards away from Pilate's judgment seat. Barabbas could hear everything the crowd said but could not hear Pilate. All Barabbas heard was the crowd saying Barabbas let him be crucified; Barabbas let him be crucified. 

     Think how Barabbas felt when the guards came to him at the jail. Barabbas thought the guards are coming to crucify me. But to Barabbas' surprise, the guards said Barabbas you're a free man because a man named Jesus is going to die in your place. The robber was released instead of the Redeemer. The murderer was released instead of the Master. The criminal was released instead of Christ. The seditionist was released instead of the Sovereign God. And like Barabbas, christians have been released and set free because Jesus died for their sins on the cross of Calvary.

     I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes everywhere with great joy, peace, and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 746-7071. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.