February 12, 2022
ABIDE Devotionals
Abide – Good Morning
The Deceptions of Feelings
https://abide.co/prayer/c1hjue
In Matthew 26:33-35 NLT says, “33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” “34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.”
Although all the disciples protested our Lord Jesus Christ’s words (Matthew 26:35), Peter, always ready to speak up, declared that his allegiance to our Lord Jesus Christ would prove to be much stronger than that of all the other disciples. He knew that our Lord Jesus Christ had said to him, “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), and may have assumed that he would be immune to such faithlessness.
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s words to Peter were solemn. Instead of being the only loyal disciple, Peter would in fact prove to be more disloyal than the other ten. Not only would he desert our Lord Jesus Christ, but he would also deny him three times before the night was over, that is before the rooster crowed at dawn’s first light.
Peter did not think it possible for him to actually deny any relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only Peter, but all the disciples, declared that they would die before denying our Lord Jesus Christ. A few hours later, however, they all would scatter.
All the disciples declared that they would die before denying our Lord Jesus Christ. A few hours later, however, they all scattered. Talk is cheap. It is easy to say we are devoted to our Lord Jesus Christ, but our claims are meaningful only when we are tested in the crucible of persecution. How strong is your faith? Is it strong enough to stand up under intense trial?
You may stop, wait, and read the ABIDE – Good Night, until before you go to bed to have a restful and peaceful sleep.
Abide – Good Night
In the Quiet Place
https://abide.co/prayer/cd8t4b
In John 12:23-24 NLT says, “23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels – a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s words to Philip and Andrew and perhaps to the other disciples as well were not addressed to the crowd. The crowd (probably including the Greeks) is not mentioned again until verse 29. Jesus explained, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory” through death and resurrection. The “whole world” had gone after our Lord Jesus Christ (John 12:19); even the Greeks wanted to see Him (John 12:20ff).
Yet it is exactly at this point, when by human standards our Lord Jesus Christ was in a perfect position to consolidate His forces and overwhelm the opposition, that He faced the heart-troubling time that was upon Him. Until this moment, the “time” had always been a future event. But here our Lord Jesus Christ declared that it had arrived. The picture of a kernel of wheat reveals the necessary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, it actually dies before becoming a mature blade producing many new kernels. In the same way, our Lord Jesus Christ, by His death, produced more fruit than could have been gained had He become the king of Israel on an earthly throne. Indeed, by being lifted up on the cross, our Lord Jesus Christ would draw all people to Himself. In His picture of the dying grain, Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke directly about His own life. He does not necessarily require us to literally give up our lives in sacrificial death as the only way to be fruitful. God does call some believers to die for Him. But He calls many more to stay alive for fruitful service (see Romans 12:1-2).
This concludes our Daily Devotional Good Morning & Good Night today as of 02/12/2022.
Our home church is https://bridge.church.
Being Born-Again Christian Believer
Please continue to scroll down if you have not experience of being Born-Again in Spirit as our Lord Jesus Christ said in these passages of John 3:3-8 NLT, and I quoted below;
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” 5 Jesus replied, “I assure you; no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Let’s meditate and look for the life application of these passages.
What did Nicodemus know about the Kingdom? From the Bible he knew it would be ruled by God, it would be restored on earth, and it would incorporate God’s people. Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to this devout Pharisee that the Kingdom would come to the whole world (John 3:16, see The Gospel – The Good News), not just the Jews, and that Nicodemus wouldn’t be a part of it unless he was personally born again (John 3:5). This was a revolutionary concept: The Kingdom is personal, not national or ethnic, and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual rebirth. Our Lord Jesus Christ later taught that God’s Kingdom has already begun in the hearts of believers (Luke 17:21). It will be fully realized when our Lord Jesus Christ returns again to judge the world and abolish evil forever (Revelation 21–22).
The Words > “Of water and the Spirit” could refer to (1) the contrast between physical birth (water) and spiritual birth (Spirit), or (2) being regenerated by the Holy Spirit and signifying that rebirth by Christian baptism. The water may also represent the cleansing action of God’s Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). Nicodemus undoubtedly would have been familiar with God’s promise in Ezekiel 36:25, 26. Our Lord Jesus Christ was explaining the importance of a spiritual rebirth, saying that people don’t enter the Kingdom by living a better life, but by being spiritually reborn.
Who is the Holy Spirit? God is three persons in one – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man in Jesus Christ so that Jesus Christ could die for our sins. Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead to offer salvation to all people through spiritual renewal and rebirth. When our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, His physical presence left the earth, but He promised to send the Holy Spirit so that His spiritual presence would still be among humankind (see Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit first became available to all believers at Pentecost (Acts 2). Whereas in Old Testament days the Holy Spirit empowered specific individuals for specific purposes, now all believers have the power of the Holy Spirit available to them. For more on the Holy Spirit, read John 14:16-28; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; and 2 Corinthians 1:22.
Our Lord Jesus Christ explained that we cannot control the work of the Holy Spirit. He works in ways we cannot predict or understand. Just as you did not control your physical birth, so you cannot control your spiritual birth. It is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 6).
Let me encourage you to visit this page link An Invitation to Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ | HOME FELLOWSHIP CHURCHES in how you can experience of being Born-Again Christian Believer. Amen!
The Gospel – The Good News
In John 3:16-17 NLT says, “16 “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”
The message of The Good News – The Gospel comes to a focus in these verses. God’s love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships – when we love someone dearly, we are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay. Our Lord Jesus Christ accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that He had bought for us. When we share the Good News with others, our love must be like our Lord Jesus Christ’s – willingly giving up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God’s unconditional love.
In John 14:6-7 NLT says, “6 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had really known Me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!”
This is one of the most basic and important passages in Scripture. How can we know the way to God? Only through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Way because He is both God and man. By uniting our lives with His, we are united with God. Trust our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit to take you to our Father God, and all the benefits of being God’s child will be yours.
Home Fellowship Churches Services
We are glad to invite you all to join us in person at our church, and/or in our Zoom Services; Evangelism, Leadership & Discipleship at 5 pm every Sunday except some holidays and important events of the month, Bible Studies on Tuesday at 7 pm, and Praise & Worship/Karaoke on Friday at 7 pm Central Time (CT). Karaoke location TBA or call/text/email us. Our home church is at https://bridge.church.
To Join our Zoom Meetings, just click the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7354863381?pwd=aFJXV0g4S0NZcUNVeGtZZ0NsTHVZUT09
Meeting ID: 735 486 3381
Passcode: 718522
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please don’t hesitate to send them to:
Email: trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org
Podcast Messages & Bible Studies Topic: Fruit of the Holy Spirit, God’s Promises for All Our Every Needs, Books of Leviticus, the Gospel Books (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John), Revelation and Romans, Pastor/Chaplain Elias’ books – “From the Words and Thoughts to the Swords and Battlegrounds”, and “From the Battlegrounds and Wars to the Overcoming and Victories” portions (to be published soon).
Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples,
Pastor/Chaplain Elias Aguilar Busuego Jr PhD DTM
Small Group Leader – https://bridge.church > ENCOURAGE > ENLIGHTEN > EMPOWER
Founding Pastor – Home Fellowship Churches – https://homefellowshipchurches.org
Chaplain – American Legion (AL) District 10 – Texas, AL Post 302 Hutto, TX, formerly at AL Post 447 Round Rock, TX
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