December 22, 2024 Recap

As Jesus continues on His journey, according to Luke 11:1, He stopped at a certain place to pray. His disciples waited for Him to finish and requested that He teach them to pray. His response is the same model that He gave in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6.

“When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

When I was preparing for this week's lesson and following the Reese Chronological Bible  outline of Scripture, I read the prayer in Luke 11:1-4 and meditated on it several days. Knowing that I was going out of town, my plan was to study the text, Luke 11:1-13 and put together my thoughts for Sunday morning. Well, in the packing, I forgot my laptop charger. Oh no...I can not study without my laptop! (insert eyeroll) So I decided to focus on the prayer and try to make it fit in the Christmas Story. On the eight hour ride home I settled into the verses that I knew, BUT the LORD spoke to me, "If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father give the Holy Spirit to them who ask." That is wonderful, The Father not only has given us the GIFT of Jesus, His Son, we've also been given the GIFT of His Spirit. I love it!!

When I got home, I went to my study, opened my Bible only to discover that The Father had spoken to me a verse that was part of our text, Luke 11:13. How could that be? How could that happen? How did He put all this together right on time? There's no way I could have lined it up. So, here's the message He gave me, at Christmas we are reminded that The Father gave the GIFT of His Son. But, this Christmas, He reminded me that He gave the GIFT of His Holy Spirit as well.

As parents we want to give good gifts to our children. We want to bless them and when they ask for something, we work hard to give it to them because we love them and want to see them happy. How much more does our Father love us and want to give us good GIFTS when we humbly ask in prayer according to His will? He has plans to bless us all the days of our life. We can ask, seek, and knock knowing that He hears and will answer. But, the Greatest GIFT He gives is the Spirit of His Son. Through the GIFT of His Spirit that dwells in us, we are filled with His Power, Acts 1:8, and His Fruit, Galatians 5. In John 14, Jesus tells us that the Spirit is our Comforter, Helper, Truth, Teacher and Reminder. He intercedes for us and when we don't know how we should pray, He Himself prays with groanings that are too deep for words Romans 8:26. And, when we are filled with His Spirit, He gives us supernatural GIFTS for ministry, according to I Corinthians 12.

So this Christmas, I pray that we will seek the presence of the Spirit of Jesus and remember that He is the GIFT that keeps on GIVING!

XVI. G. Perean Ministry 2.a.

December 15, 2024 Recap

Yesterday's WORD was both timely and appropriate! I love when the LORD brings everything together and confirms to us that we are in His will in a specific moment.

Our scripture, John 10:22-38 is a continuation of the what we read in John 9 and the healing of the blind man and John 10:1-21 and Jesus' I AM statements. We end this section of text with Jesus being in Solomon's Porch for the Feast of Dedication otherwise known as Hanakkah. He was in Jerusalem for the celebration of Lights and remembered the Maccabean defeat of Antiochus Epiphanes in 168AD. Antiochus is the 'little horn" in the prophecy of Daniel 11. This evil ruler wanted to stop Jewish worship in the Temple and he did it by defiling every part of it, save one small amount of oil that would keep the flame burning for eight days until more oil could be purfied.

Jesus was there for this Feast of Dedicaiton on December 14-15, 28AD and He was gathered with the nation at the Temple when some Jews came to him and asked one of the most important questions in all of Scripture.

How long will you make us wait? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.

Are.You.The.Christ?

The Christ is translated from the Hebrew word Messiah. Many Old Testament prophecies tell us that the Anointed One will come and rescue the nation of Israel from oppression and bondage. This Servant Warrior will deliver them from foreign rule and the nation will live in prosperity and freedom. There is no Messianic Prophecy greater and more often quoted that the one given to Isaiah in 730BC.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Jesus then answers them PLAINLY!

John 10:25 - The works I do in His Father's Name, they bear witness of Me. He is the obedient Son and does the will of His Father in order to honor and glorify Him. That is true for each of us as well. The works I do testify to who I am and to whom I belong.

John 10:27 - I will give eternal life to those who follow Me and no one is able to pluck them out of My hand. He is our Mighty God and the LORD of Hosts. He is the King of the Kingdom. and when we hear His voice and follow Him, He is our Eternal Father.

John 10:30 - Jesus tells them, "I and My Father are One." He pronouces His Diety and Unity with the Father in this one statement. Jesus is The GOD-MAN, the Immanuel, God Incarnate. He came as a man that we may hear, see, and touch Him. God put on flesh and dwelt among us. At no time are we more focused on this truth than in the Christmas Season. A child was born to us. This Child was the Son of God and Son of man!

May Jesus fill your heart with His eternal Light and lead you into Everlasting Life!

XVI. G. Perean Ministry 1.h.2.a.

The Menorah for Hanukkah

December 15, 2024

There are times when the LORD confirms to you that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. This week is one of them. Sunday we will read John 10:22-42. Jesus is in Jerusalem for Hanukkah and has a mic-drop moment with the Jews.

December 8, 2024 Recap

Yesterday was a wonderful day in the WORD! Studying and discussing GOD's truth builds our faith and unity. It's a true blessing.

The book of John gives us 7 I AM statements that Jesus teaches about Himself. John 10:1-21 we learn that Jesus says He is The Door and The Good Shepherd when He is talking to those who just witnessed the healing of the man born blind in John 9. The blind man's neighbors and the Pharisees ask lots of questions and to answer them He responds with a parable about sheep!!

In these 21 verses we learn that the sheep know the voice of the Shepherd and will follow and obey Him. The True Shepherd enters in The Door that is opened by the Doorkeeper. Many have speculated about the Doorkeeper. In the context of this parable, it makes sense that He is The Father, sending His Son, the Shepherd. Jesus makes two definitive statements about Himself saying I AM the Door and I AM the Shepherd. And any man entering in through The Door will be saved. This man will know the voice of The Shepherd and be led to pasture. Jesus is the way to the sheepfold. All who came before Him to lead the sheep are thieves and robbers. The thief comes to kill and destroy but the True Shepherd gives abundant life. In 10:16 Jesus says He has other sheep which are not of the fold. He will bring them in as well and they will be one flock. What an amazing truth and one that angered the Jews. Jesus is prohecying that the other sheep are the Gentiles. We know from earlier study that Gentiles were defiled and considered dogs. Jesus gathers them in and they will become His sheep. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Praise the LORD!

Here is a trustworthy statement... Jesus is the only way to salvation and He gives an abundant life to those who follow Him!

XVI. G. Perean Ministry 1.g.

December 8, 2024

Good afternoon ladies! Sunday we will be in John 10:1-22 as Jesus gives another "I AM" statement .. He testifies in verse 9 I AM THE DOOR and if anyone enters through Him, they will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. He wants to give us an abundant life!

I AM Statements

December 1, 2024 Recap

Our Scripture yesterday was from John 9 and Jesus' healing of a blind man on the Sabbath.  Verse one says that Jesus passed by and saw him.  The man could not see Jesus but Jesus saw him!!  So many times I have found myself in situations that felt dark, hopeless, or impossible (sometimes all three) but this single statement reminds me that Jesus sees me!!  He is El Roi, the God who sees.  Like Hagar who saw no options for her and her young son, she discovered the GOD who sees!  Jesus saw this man that was blind from birth.  His disciples then asked what they thought was a very important question, "Who sinned that this man is blind?".  We want to know who to blame, why, and how to avoid the same outcome.  Jesus' answer is very satisfying, "It's for God's glory!"  This is one of the primary reasons that we see suffering and bad things happening to good people, it's for His glory!  He can receive honor no matter what the circumstance.  And when we are facing the challenges of life, we can intentionally give Him glory.  

Jesus then approaches the blind man, spits on the ground, and makes clay to apply to the man's eyes.  While studying these verses earlier, I asked, "why spit?"  There is nothing more degrading or offensive than to spit on someone.  Jesus chose spit and dirt as a physical sign to bring about healing.  He didn't have to do that.  He could have touched him or just spoken a word.  Yesterday, Vickie Wade said it worked because it was His spit.  Because it was His, it was holy. What a revelation!  He took the nastiest, most vile thing you can do, spit in someone's face, and receive glory from it.  Isn't that what He does?  The sin that entangles us, those horrible things that we have said or done, when He frees us, He receives the glory!  Praise God!!  Then after touching the man, He sends him to the Pool of Siloam.  This may be because Jesus was traveling near Jerusalem and His time had not yet come and wanted the man to wash in the ceremonial pool.  Similar to the man He healed of leprosy.  He told him in Mark 1:44 “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”   Or Jesus may have wanted the man to be seen traveling around, showing people that he had been healed so they would ask and God would be glorified.  Either way, we know that it was not the clear water from the Pool of Siloam that healed him.  It was the spit in the eye from Jesus!

The man's neighbors then start with the doubting questions.   Is this really him?  Isn't he the one who used to beg?  How can he now see?  Where is the Man who you say anointed your eyes?  All those questions amount to one thing, they doubted that he had gained his sight from supernatural healing.  When Jesus performed the miracle of sight, He testified of Himself that He is the Light of the world. He is the Light of Genesis 1:3.   And John 1:4 tells us that in Him is life and His life was the Light of men.  He is the Light in the darkness.  This physical truth is the picture of an even greater, more wonderful spiritual truth that He taught the Pharisees who presented to Him the woman caught in adultery in John 8:12, when we follow Him, we will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.  Physical darkness is temporary and confined to this world, but spiritual darkness holds true in this life and the life to come.  

The Pharisees are then brought to the man and their questions begin.  And their questions were not only for this man but his parents as well. Not only do they doubt the miracle of sight but they are accusing Jesus of being a sinner because this miracle occurred on the Sabbath.  They are more concerned with the rule of law than the love for man.  Their hearts are hardened to the needs of the people and want to earn their righteousness by checking the boxes.  The dos and the don'ts that seem so important are the very things that keep us from loving or helping our neighbor.  They then bombarded him with the same questions he had answered earlier.  However, they went farther by saying a sinner could not perform such signs. 

All of the questions finally lead to the man giving Jesus the glory for his sight. He was being pressured to change his testimony and recount what happened to him because they adamantly believed that Jesus was a sinner.  He then answers these powerful men,  “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”   and  said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.  Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

And just like that, just as Jesus said, this man was blind so that God would be glorified.  Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”   May you walk in the Light as He is in the Light,Sonya