Month: September 2024

Matthias

by leekierdorf

Today, we have Matthias in the studio. You were there for everything right?

Yes, that is true. I saw Jesus after his resurrection . I saw him ascend to heaven.

I’m not gonna lie to you. We tried to get Phillip, but he had to leave town.

That’s fine, he’s a great guy.

Now, you were not chosen by Jesus to be an apostle.

No. I was chosen by lot.

Who is Lot? I never heard of him.

No, they cast lots to see if it was me or Joseph or Barsabbas.

Why did they cast lots? Why not pray?

That’s a good question. We don’t follow that old method anymore. But we used to use it to make decisions where we asked God to give the result he wants. It goes back to Moses and Aaron.

Interesting. Now, they were one short of twelve and they wanted a replacement.

We might as well say it. It was to replace Judas who betrayed Jesus for money.

So, you won the Replace Judas lottery.

Something like that. Judas was not coming back. He had killed himself.

Moving on. In your ministry, has it been like with Phillip? Miracles?

Yes, there have been miracles. But what I really want to say…

What about healings?

Sure, but it’s really about…

What about speaking in tongues?

Without a doubt, but I came here to say something. All these remarkable things happen because God is showing that this is the continuation of the ministry of Jesus.

Right.

Jesus called these happenings evidence that he was sent from God.

Oh. I see what you mean. I came in after all this. After Pentacost. I never saw Jesus personally, My cousin did.

Here is what is my focus: To tell the gospel of Jesus clearly and simply.

But what about these other things, these works of power?

Who does these things?

The Holy Spirit, I suppose.

Right. Now what does the Holy Spirit want to do in your life?

To make me a good person.

To empower you to be like Jesus. The power of the Spirit is to change you inside. The Law worked from the outside to make us act good. But the Spirit works from the inside.

We don’t have much time left. Do you know Paul?

I met him once. He’s in prison now.

But he’s more famous. He writes letters, I hear.

That’s right. They let him write to people. What else can he do? You just can’t stop the guy. There is a downside to being well known.

What do you mean?

They kill you sometime like James, John’s brother. They imprison you, like Paul. That’s why you didn’t get Phillip. He moves around a lot. As do I. Thanks, gotta run.

Oneness

by leekierdorf

Have you received the Holy Spirit? What is your evidence? Some say speaking in tongues. This is one manifestation of the Spirit but there are others. We focus on this because of the mystery and drama of it.

Paul says love is above the gifts or manifestations of the Spirit. It is greater than faith and hope. Faith and hope are pretty big. Love is greater. Why?

Faith will be replaced by sight. We will see that which we now believe by faith. Hope will be realized in a new reality in the future. But, Love. Love is eternal. It is more than eternal. It is timeless. Love was before time. Love exists now beyond the reach of time.

So Love is beyond time. Do you exhibit divine love? Timeless love inside of time on earth. Now this is evidence of what is beyond time itself. This is the evidence of the Spirit of God.

You know, it’s rather easy to speak in tongues. To speak in a language you never learned. You can do it in your car. You can do it walking down the street. But loving another person with divine love is quite a different thing. It involves action. It involves your body and soul, all of you. Even if it is a prayer for another offered to God on their behalf.

It may involve a conflict. It may involve a hard choice. It may be the rejection of a selfish act for a kind one. It may be to deny yourself and give to another. It may involve doing something for another that they don’t even know about. Or it maybe they do and are not grateful for it. What about that?

That is divine love. Kindness to the ungrateful. Jesus said God gives rain on the crops of people who don’t regard him at all. God is kind to the ungrateful no matter what you have heard. Like he wants to punish sinners. He does not. He wants to forgive his enemies. He wants to reconcile them to himself. He does not want even one to perish.?

Jesus quoted a common saying, love your friends, hate your enemies. That makes sense. But I say, love your enemies. How can that be? Really? Love your enemies? Like how? Pray for them. Hmm. Do not resist them. If they demand your coat, give them your hat.

Now this is the amazing advice of Jesus who gave his time and energy to people who went away and never thanked him. Cured of leprosy? On their way to a good life. No goodbye.

He did what he said. I didn’t come to condemn anyone. Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. Father, forgive them…

This is the evidence of receiving the Spirit of God: you act like him. Impossible? No, expected by Jesus. This receiving the Holy Spirit must be really big. A change within. Your hard hearts become real human hearts the prophet said. The human heart that loves God and does his will is what God intended when he made us in his image. The heart that is one with others in Christ is the intent of God from the beginning.

Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness. I and the Father are One. Yes. like that.

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