Into The Cloud (Celebrating Rosh Hashanah!)

 

In His Service,
Tyrone & Cynthia Palmer

Have You Been With Jesus?

Acts 4:8-14 

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,  let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.  This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it."

The only way that anyone is going to be able to stand in these last days is to be full of the Spirit, wisdom, grace, and truth of God! And the only way to receive any of these supernatural gifts is to go through the Door, The Way, The Truth, and The Life, JESUS!

Peter and John spent three and half years with Jesus before He was crucified, and then another forty days with Him after His resurrection, they were also considered pillars of the first century church. They had the honor of being chosen as apostles of Christ and were with Him just about everywhere He went, they saw the miracles, and heard the words He spoke which came directly from the Father in Heaven. They had been with Jesus!

It seems all of Jerusalem had gathered the next day after Peter and John were imprisoned for preaching and healing in Jesus name. The elders, rulers, scribes, Annas the High Priest and all his family came to hear by what power and through what name did Peter and John evoke to do this great work. 

Then Peter empowered and lifted up by the Spirit of God, started to speak to the rulers and elders of Israel that is was by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that the man was made whole.

When all in attendance saw and heard the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unschooled and untrained men they marveled, they were amazed and they remembered these men had been with Jesus! 

They would have had no power, no boldness, no truth, no wisdom, no preparation, no understanding, and no Holy Spirit indwelling them, if they had not been with Jesus! Many disciples turned away from Him and followed Him no more! Have you been with Jesus? Have you spent time with Him? Studying His teachings and applying them to your life?

So many believers try to get around Jesus, go through back doors, and other ways, they don't want to let go of their lives in this world, they don't want to completely submit and surrender their lives to the Lord, for correction and teaching, and training. Because Jesus will expose the evil in you, He's not going to let you walk in darkness and then it will be your choice what you do with that revelation.

Luke 10:38-41

"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Martha was like so many today, worried about the cares of this world, finances, education, politics, the opposite sex, etc..... but Mary chose what was better, she was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to His word. Whose word are you listening to today? The words of Jesus are spirit and life!

The apostles of Jesus understood that they could do nothing of themselves, they knew that they needed Jesus for everything, He was their life, their reason for living, their hope and their salvation, He should be the same for us today!

2nd Corinthians 3:4-6

"And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Jesus Himself said that apart from Him we can do nothing! We can't do anything of Heavenly value and worth without Jesus working in us and through us by His Spirit!

John 15:5

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

Jesus said FOLLOW ME and I WILL make you fishers of men!

Jesus didn't say go to seminary school and they will make you my ministers, He didn't say the professors of bible college will empower you, anoint you and train you to take the gospel to ends of the earth. So why do men try and replace the Master Teacher, The Chief Apostle, The High Priest Of Heaven, and Our Wonderful Counselor? Have you been with Jesus? Do you follow Him, being led by His Spirit? Or do you follow men? 

Too many believers are considering men more highly than they ought and placing men and some women on pedestals they don't belong. 

Jesus said He was our Teacher and those in Him are all brothers and sisters!

Matthew 23:8-12

"But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Have you been with Jesus?

In The Lord's Army,

Tyrone