1.
The
last article was on the SELECTION, still under the topic: JUDAS:
The Miracle Worker. We will continue from there in this article.
THE SECLUSION
Mark
3:14 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
14 And
He appointed twelve to continue to be with Him, and that
He might send them out to preach [as apostles or special messengers]
Mark
3:14-15 Living Bible (TLB)
14-15 Then
he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions and to go out to preach
and to cast out demons.
I
need you to quickly check this closely. No matter what you become in God’s
hand, do not let the grandeur of achievements break you away from the primary
purpose – KOINONIA. God cherishes intimacy more than
anything. I mean, why did He have to create man in the first place. Some
people get carried away with what is in the Father’s hand and neglect what is
the father’s heart. Jesus, in spite of the demands on Him, did not
allow attending to thousands of people shift His focus from the “Audience of
One”. His routine is well captured in these scriptures;
Luke 5:16 (TLB)
16 But he often withdrew to
the wilderness for prayer.
Mark
6:46 (NLT)
46 After telling everyone
good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.
EMPHASES
1. OFTEN: It
was regular
2. UP
HILL: It was a sacrifice (voice note) even if you have to pace up and
down a staircase or put your foot in cold water
3. AFTER
TELLING EVERYONE: He was alone
WHY
DOES GOD REQUIRE THIS?
You
may want to ask, what is the need for the seclusion?
If
you do get a new employment, it is imperative that you meticulously contemplate
on the terms, policies and code of conducts of the company. Especially, if you
are in the marketing, you cannot afford to b in the dark as regards to any of
the product or services you render. In fact, you need to have a foresight about
your potential consumers not to leave out the greatest competitors you have in
the market else. A full knowledge of these will definitely help you pitch well.
This is similar to the subject matter. What does Jesus wants us to know?
HIS
NATURE: Love, Strength and Power
God
desires intimacy so He can share with us what makes Him God. Very briefly and
in no particular order, I would like to mention 3 aspects of God’s nature;
§ LOVE: Jesus
wanted the disciples to learn love from the source. God is Love and no better
way to learn about Love than from Love personified. He showed them that through
their selection, through the way he attended to people’s spiritual and health
needs amongst others. You can imagine this incidence in Luke 9;
Luke
9:54-55 New King James Version (NKJV)
54 And when His
disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want
us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just
as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked
them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.
This
was what they were expecting from a “MESSIAH”. But He showed them a different
approach. Even at Jesus’ arrest, one of the disciples still cut off someone’s
ear. That’s not love way. No! That’s not our rule of engagement as believers.
Doesn’t this amaze you?
Matthew
5:43-48 (NKJV)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You
shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, love
your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of
your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who
love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet your brethren
only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax
collectors do so?
48 Therefore you shall be
perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 18:22 New
King James Version (NKJV)
22 Jesus
said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to
seventy times seven.
John 14:15 (NKJV)
“If you love Me,
keep My commandments.
These and many other scriptures were instances where Jesus was
trying to show them that it is not just about performing signs and wonders. Its
expedient that your heart is overwhelmed with love.
Lastly on this;
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
In the article, we mentioned this scripture, saying that, the
issue with Judas was predicated on love. If he hadn’t commit suicide, Judas
would have been asked the same question. What is that thing that you can’t give
up for God? What thing/ person is contending for your attention leaving your
relationship with God to suffer? Money? Position? Fame? If you are not careful,
that same thing will take you to a high cliff and tell you to jump that angels
will come running to catch you. Ask yourself, who will give the command to the
angels?
Some
guys called 'the Sons of Sceva' have a testimony
they want to share:
13 Then some of the itinerant
Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord
Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the
Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Also there were seven sons
of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
15 And the evil spirit
answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
16 Then the man in whom the
evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed
against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:13-16 (NKJV)
They
were more interested in being a MIRACLE WORKER than in being in tune with the
master and they did got served.
We
will continue from here in the next article.
Thank
you.
Gabriel
Obasa
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