Dan’s Corner
Random Write ups #2
#1.) "Those who are forgiven much also love much."
“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
Luke 7:41-43, 47 NKJV
There's not a time yet where I've read these verses and not been convicted because Jesus makes it very clear to us...do we want to be able to love those in our lives like He loves?? Then we need to pray for more and more revelation of how deviant we truly were so that more and more we can become aware of just how much He truly did forgive us which in turn will make us more and more grateful and therefore more and more filled with His love to give to others.
The ONLY thing then that limits how much love i have for both God AND my brother would be my fear of facing just how truly sinful and lost I was and how much I'm still trying to hang on to my "old man!!" It's a powerful litmus test...have we fully died to self yet and truly presented ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice or are we still just playing at being one of His disciples??
#2.) Did the apostles support themselves??
And although many of them had trades (you claim all BUT what did Nathanael, Philip, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus and Judas his brother do for a living) they did not work those trades when they evangelized. How do we know?? Because Scripture tells us so!!
And to prove that a disciple is NOT greater than his master we see that Jesus too did NOT work and lived off the money of others as well...specifically in His case it was even ALL women!!
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing IF WE REAP YOUR MATERIAL THINGS? Even so THE LORD HAS COMMANDED that THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL SHOULD LIVE FROM THE GOSPEL. (And compare this verse in the NET, NLT, NIV, HCSB, NASB, and even the ESV...they ALL make it painfully clear..."recieve/get/earn their living from the Gospel!!")
I Corinthians 9:11, 14 NKJV
Do WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO EAT AND DRINK? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also THE OTHER APOSTLES, THE BROTHERS OF THE LORD, AND CEPHAS? Or is it only Barnabas and I WHO HAVE NO RIGHT TO REFRAIN FROM WORKING? Who ever goes to war AT HIS OWN EXPENSE? Who plants a vineyard and DOES NOT EAT OF ITS FRUIT? Or who tends a flock and DOES NOT DRINK OF THE MILK OF THE FLOCK?
I Corinthians 9:4-7 NKJV
and CERTAIN WOMEN who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and MANY OTHERS WHO PROVIDED FOR Him FROM THEIR SUBSTANCE.
Luke 8:2-3 NKJV
#3.) Here are some more scriptures and historical references that support the Early Church’s decision to start observing the Lord's Day on Sunday instead of the Sabbath on Saturdays anymore:
# Scriptural References
1. Matthew 28:1-10: Jesus' resurrection on the first day of the week.
2. Mark 16:1-8: Jesus' resurrection on the first day of the week.
3. Luke 24:1-49: Jesus' resurrection on the first day of the week.
4. John 20:1-21:25: Jesus' resurrection on the first day of the week.
5. Acts 2:1-47: The apostles gather on the day of Pentecost, which was on the first day of the week.
6. Acts 20:7-8, 11 NKJV
[7] Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. [8] There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.
[11] Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.
7. I Corinthians 16:1-2 NKJV
[1] Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: [2] On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
8. Revelation 1:10 NKJV
[10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
# Historical References
1. Didache (circa 90-120 AD): This early Christian text instructs believers to gather on the Lord's Day (Sunday) to break bread and give thanks.
2. Ignatius of Antioch (circa 110 AD): In his letter to the Magnesians, Ignatius writes, "If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day."
3. Justin Martyr (circa 150 AD): In his Apology, Justin writes, "But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead."
These scriptures and historical references demonstrate that the early Christian church observed Sunday as the Lord's Day, commemorating Jesus' resurrection.
#4.) So why should we believe that all of the Bible is truly indeed ALL about Jesus??” For me the answer was as simple as because Jesus said so!!
The Bible is literally “His-Story” in which He is revealed to those who, as our brother Huntley was teaching us this morning have been blessed with the gift of having eyes to see!!
You SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES, for in them you think you have eternal life; AND THESE ARE THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME. [He did NOT say "some of them testify" but that "THEY testify" of Him!!]
John 5:39 NKJV
Jesus answered them, “IS IT NOT WRITTEN IN YOUR LAW, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? If He called them gods, to WHOM THE WORD OF GOD CAME (and the SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN),
John 10:34-35 NKJV
Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For IF YOU BELIEVED MOSES, YOU WOULD BELIEVE ME; FOR HE WROTE ABOUT ME. But if you DO NOT BELIEVE HIS WRITINGS, HOW WILL YOU BELIEVE MY WORDS?” [Here Jesus makes the claim that Moses's words were Jesus's words and to not believe one is to not believe the other because they're one and the same!!]
John 5:45-47 NKJV
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And BEGINNING at MOSES AND ALL THE PROPHETS, He EXPOUNDED TO THEM IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF.
Luke 24:25-27 NKJV
And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and WHILE He OPENED THE SCRIPTURES TO US?” Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that ALL THINGS MUST BE FULFILLED WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN the LAW OF MOSES and the PROPHETS and the PSALMS CONCERNING ME.” And HE OPENED THEIR UNDERSTANDING, THAT THEY MIGHT COMPREHEND THE SCRIPTURES. Then He said to them, “THUS IT IS WRITTEN, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, [Jesus gets even MORE specific and says the things written about Him in the Law, the Prophets, AND the Psalms are about the things HE must fulfill!!]
Luke 24:32, 44-46 NKJV
He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH ” (which is translated, the Christ). 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.”
John 1:41, 45 NKJV
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 NKJV
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying NO OTHER THINGS THAN THOSE WHICH THE PROPHETS AND MOSES SAID WOULD COME — that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Acts 26:22-23 NKJV
So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, PERSUADING THEM CONCERNING JESUS FROM BOTH THE LAW of MOSES AND THE PROPHETS, from morning till evening.
Acts 28:23 NKJV
#5.) And how are we instructed to properly handle His Word??
We must not just simply read it as if it’s just another book to sit on a shelf and collect dust afterwards but instead understand it’s meant to be ate…as a meal specially sent to sustain His saints (think John 6 UNLESS you eat My flesh…)…and we’re taught in Joshua 1 that the way one does this is by meditating on and praying over His Word every chance we can find!!
And so believe it or not I've actually only memorized 1 Bible verse my entire life (John 3:16), and that was when I was 9 yrs old and at a Christian summer camp and everyone who could do it won a prize for that day!!
And yet I've come to find that I’ve been blessed with a pretty solid handle on His Word and I am fully convinced the reason for this was because early on in my walk this Truth was revealed to me and thankfully our Lord had already humbled me to the point where I was able to faithfully be obedient to the teaching instead of trying to reason in with my own understanding!!
PS "Mastication" (the word AW Pink uses in the supporting article I attached to the end of this just means to continuously chew something, as in like a cow with its cud lol!
Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV
Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.
Ezekiel 3:1-3 NKJV
So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
Revelation 10:9-10 NKJV
as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
I Peter 2:2-3 NKJV
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Psalms 34:8 NKJV
Meditating on God's Word truly has become my "default setting" and asking the Holy Spirit questions about the Scripture I've just read has become a constant in my 1 on 1 time with Him and His Word!!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
Psalms 1:2 NKJV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8 NKJV
And reading and learning are absolutely great, but UNTIL we experience them in our lives there is NO transformation!!
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22-25 NKJV
