Tag: awake when He comes

14.y.

John 3:8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Ecclesiaasties 11:5  As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

1 Corinthians 12:11   All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

  Job 37:10-13   By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast.  He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.  They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.  Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.

  Isaiah 40:28    Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

Romans 11:33   “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

Jesus’ idea to Nicodemus was “You don’t understand everything about the wind, but you see its effects. That is just how it is with the birth of the Spirit.” Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know that he didn’t have to understand everything about the new birth before he experienced it.  The same can be said about Creation, God’s love, mercy, and grace, God’s wrath, anger, and judgment, time and eternity, Holy Trinity (God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit), Redemption, salvation, and forgiveness, Earthly and heavenly, etc….we do not fully understand it but we see the effects.  The root of the problem of not seeing or denial of these seeing effects (of God) is the lack of or limited faith in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  The lame were able to walk.  The dead were raised back to life.  The deaf were able to hear. The sick were healed. Demons were cast out. Water was turned into wine. The sea was calmed.  Seas were parted. Armies defeated.  Creation (earthly and heavenly). God’s Word.  The birth of Jesus. All of this and so much more are the many mysteries and wonders of God.  We do not need to fully understand them to see the effects and glorious power, wisdom, and might of God.  The writer of Hebrews tried to explain this when he said; “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is the key to beginning to understand things of God, creation, and His grace, mercy, and love.  Without this beginning faith creation will be seen as nothing more than a big bang, people healed will be nothing more than a coincidence, the work of the Holy Spirit will be attributed to man’s ability to change, the Word of God will be seen as writings of men, and the wonderful glorious, power, might, strength, and unsearchable wisdom and knowledge of God will be seen as nothing more than a chance and coincidence of nature.  Look around with new eyes of faith and begin to see the Hand of God in all of its wonder, glory, and majesty.

6.l. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door

Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Luke 12:36    and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

John 14:21-23    Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Notes from Reggie A. Braziel: Who is that is standing at the door of the human heart?  It is JESUS CHRIST who stands at the door of our heart and knocks. Its not the preacher. Its not the pope. Its not the president. It is JESUS CHRIST, the Son of the living GOD.  It is the DIVINE One knocking on the door of the HUMAN.  It is the SINLESS One knocking on the door the SINFUL .  It is the INNOCENT One knocking on the door of the GUILTY.

Many have believed this is a picture of Christ knocking on the heart’s door of the unsaved wanting to come in and bring salvation. But we must remember these verses in their proper context. Jesus spoke these words at the end of His letter to the “lukewarm” Church at Laodicea. So it isn’t the heart’s door of unbelievers Jesus is standing at, its the heart’s door of lukewarm , self-sufficient Christians.

You and I are “the keepers of our own heart’s door.” We decide who we will let into our heart and who we will keep out. We decide who we will accept into our heart as a friend and who we will reject as an enemy or a stranger.  Jesus wants “full access” to our heart, not some of it, not most of it, He wants access to all of our heart. He wants to be our LORD…….and our KING……and our VERY BEST FRIEND. But how much access He has to your heart and mine is entirely dependent upon us.

Jesus is pleading for our attention! He is pleading for us to “Hear His voice!” How do we hear the voice of Christ? Does He speak to us audibly? Does He speak to us through signs? How do we hear His voice? We hear His voice through THE HOLY SPIRIT who communicates to us through the word of GOD.  Do you ever struggle with a sense of dissatisfaction in your spiritual life as though you aren’t where you ought to be in your walk with Christ? Do you ever get the sense that you are stuck in a spiritual wilderness and your Christianity has become dry and barren? Do you ever come under the conviction that your life isn’t as “fruitful” and “productive” as it ought to be? Do you ever come under the conviction that Christ is calling you into a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Him?

Hearing is NOT enough! There must also be ACTION.  Jesus will never barge through the door to your heart.  You must listen, open, and invite Him in.  The life of a Christian without desiring Christ in your heart, mind, and soul results in a lukewarm life that is not worthy of the price that was paid for your sin.