Thursday, July 29, 2010

A True Israelite

By Cynthia R. Palmer,

Praise God for one more opportunity to share the word of God with all of you,

I would like to share a word that really amazes me in the Scriptures. Those who read and study the word of God know that the Scriptures talks about all sorts of false things and people, for example:
False Accusation, False Apostles, False Christs, False Brothers, False Vows, False Tongue, False Masters, False words, False Prophets, False Witnessing, False Vision and it goes on and on. But there is a passage that talks about a man, a Israelite named Nathanael that really makes me think about. Let us see it together:

John 1: 43-51

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.”  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”  Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter[j] you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Isn't it wonderful to be known by Jesus Christ even before we ourselves knew Him? Isn't it wonderful to hear what Nathanael heard from Jesus Christ, the Savior , that there was no deceit in him, that there was nothing false in him and that he was a very true israelite? Think about it! That is an amazing statement Jesus made to that man who even did not know him yet. But also it is for all of us to think that there is nothing we can hide from Jesus Christ who is Onipotent and Onipresent! You can hide your lifestyle from everybody around you and surrounding you, but NOT from the Lord Almighty! Jesus knows where your feet step, where your eyes direct, what your thoughts think and what your tongue speaks!

If you have been hiding things in your life to people, it is time to stop deceiving yourself and being true to God who can save you from this sinful life. Confess your sins to God and turn away from them, give it all to Christ, He is the only one who can save you, who can baptize you with water and Spirit and transform you in a new creature in Christ and mature your faith and purify your soul as His bride. You do not need to be hiding from everybody because your lifestyle is a deceit.

And if you are living a life with nothing hidden ,today Jesus is saying to you: "Behold, a true follower of Me, in whom there is no deceit". And my advice is for you to keep living this life as a wise virgin full of the oil that will keep your lamp lit ,for you do not know the day or the time that the Son of Man will come!

I hope this message encouraged you not to hide anything else from the Lord or from people and live an open life in Christ and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit , being a witness to the Lord in this earth and also for those who are Nathanaels , please keep living a life of truth and openess with the Lord and with the brethen for the Lord is pleased with those who worship Him in spirit and in Truth.

May God bless you all,
In Christ,
Cynthia R. Palmer

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Being Perfected Through Suffering

May the grace of God be upon you,

I would like to share some words that really touched my heart today while I was reading the word of the Almighty God. I hope these words may also lift you up and encourage you during times of sufferings in your flesh or in your spiritual man. All suffering has a profit to you IF your life is on the hands of God. Humble yourself under the mighty hands of the Lord and He will exalt you in due time, but accept what He has for you first for your own profit, growth, strength and perfection.

1 Peter 5:10 - But may the God of all grace, who called us  to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

See how wonderful this is: Suffering is NOT eternal with the Lord, the sufferings He makes us pass in this life they have a limit date, they have an end, but we must be tested and proved as well, but after a while, these sufferings will bring : perfection in our inner man, He will establish us, He will strengthen us, and He will settle us!!! This sanctification process is amazing! I know that sometimes is not joyful when you are corrected, when you are purged, when you are exhorted, but it produces much fruit afterwards. And we can be witness of His mighty work in us and glorify His Holy name.

You know that it is easy to be reading the Scriptures every single day, all day long like a book? Or even be listening to preachings in churches or internet all day as well? But, if the things that you read or listen about the gospel of the kingdom are not believed, they will profit you absolutely NOTHING! Pay attention to these scriptures below:

Hebrews 4:2 -For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

You must believe that sufferings will profit your soul and your growth in the Lord, you must stand firm in the faith when they reach you, for the Lord corrects and purges those who He loves. Your faith is the element that touches the Heart of God. Faith always moved the heart of God and will always do!

Why would we be different from our Lord? Look at all the sufferings Jesus Christ had to pass through to learn obedience as well, and the scriptures says:

Hebrews 2:10 - For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

(Amazing Scriptures right here to be meditated upon every single day) Hebrews 5: 5-11 -So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “ You are My Son,Today I have begotten You.”  As He also says in another place:“ You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”; who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,  called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.


I pray that these words may encourage you and lift you up in much faith that all sufferings are temporary and profitable and that your faith is the element that will move you forward in everything the Lord has for you!

May the Lord of peace and rest be with you always,
Cynthia R. Palmer