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Hello my name is Jerral Campfield and this web site is dedicated to Moral Recognition Therapy using Biblical principles. Please come back often to join me in understanding Gods hands are outstretched still to forgive. |
GOD IS WILLING TO HELP US! |
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Contributed by Jerral Campfield
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Friday, 26 June 2020 |
Gods is willing to help us! John 7: 14-18 14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” 16 [c]Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority. In this 14 verse we see Here, I. Christ’s public preaching in the temple (John 7:14): He went up into the temple, and taught, according to his custom when he was at Jerusalem. His business was to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and he did it in every place He could. His sermon is not recorded, because, probably, it was the same reason with the sermons he had preached in Galilee, which were recorded by the other evangelists. For the gospel is the same to the plain and to the polite. But that which is observable here is that it was about the midst of the feast; the fourth or fifth day of the eight days they celebrated. Whether he did not come up to Jerusalem till the middle of the feast, or whether he came up at the beginning, but kept private till now, is not certain. But, you might wonder, Why did he not go to the temple sooner, to preach? Answer, 1. Because the people would have more leisure to hear him, and, it might be hoped, would be better disposed to hear him, when they had spent some days in their booths, which they did during the feast of tabernacles. 2. Because he would choose to appear when both his friends and his enemies had done looking for him; and so give a specimen of the method he would observe in his appearances, which is to come at midnight, Matt. 25:6. But why did he appear thus publicly now? Surely it was to shame his persecutors, the chief priests and elders. (1.) By showing that, though they were very bitter against him, yet he did not fear them, nor their power. See Isa. 50:7, 8. “For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. 8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is [a]My adversary? Let him come near Me. Isn’t it strange how we are in the beginning of the end of days as we know it and we have so much to contend with as Satan is out to sicken and destroy what we have become as a Nation and even a Church. For now, we can’t be together, but have to wear mask and meet outside. What is this doing to our mind sent requires us to make sure our trust is in God, for He certainly is in control as we let Him care for His own. (2.) By taking their work out of their hands. Their office was to teach the people in the temple, and particularly at the feast of tabernacles, Neh. 8:17, 18. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made [a]booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner. But they either did not teach them at all or taught for doctrines the commandments of men, and therefore he goes up to the temple and teaches the people. When the shepherds of Israel made a prey of the flock it was time for the chief Shepherd to appear, as was promised. Ezek. 34:22, 23; 22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. Thank the Lord Mal. 3:1. The Coming Messenger has come! 3 “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts II. His discourse with the Jews here is reducible to four areas of leadership.
1. Concerning his doctrine. See here, (1.) How the Jews admired it (John 7:15): They marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Observe here, [1.] That our Lord Jesus was not educated in the schools of the prophets, or at the feet of the rabbi; not only did He not travel for learning, as the philosophers did, but did not make any use of the schools and academies in his own country. Moses was taught the learning of the Egyptians in Pharaohs house hold, but Christ was not taught, so much as the learning of the Jews; having received the Spirit without measure, he needed not receive any knowledge from man, or by man. At the time of Christ’s appearing, learning flourished both in the Roman empire and in the Jewish church more than in any age before or since, and in such a time of enquiry Christ chose to establish his religion, not in an illiterate age, lest it should look like a design to impose upon the world; yet he himself studied not the learning then in practice. [2.] That Christ had letters, though he had never learned them; was mighty in the scriptures, though he never had any doctor of the law for his tutor. It is necessary that Christ’s ministers should have learning, as he had; and since they cannot expect to have it as he had it, by inspiration, they must take pains to get it in an ordinary way. [3.] That Christ’s having learning, though he had not been taught it, made him truly great and wonderful; the Jews speak of it here with wonder. First, Some, it is likely, took notice of it to his honour: He that had no human learning, and yet so far excelled all that had, certainly must be endued with a divine knowledge. Secondly, Others, probably, mentioned it in disparagement and contempt of him: Whatever he seems to have, he cannot really have any true learning, for he was never at the university, nor took his degree. Thirdly, Some perhaps suggested that he had got his learning by magic arts, or some unlawful means or other. Since they know not how he could be a scholar, they will think him a conjurer. (2.) What he asserted concerning it; three things:— [1.] That his doctrine is divine (John 7:16): My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. They were offended because he undertook to teach though he had never learned, in answer to which he tells them that his doctrine was such as was not to be learned, for it was not the product of human thought and natural powers enlarged and elevated by reading and conversation, but it was a divine revelation. As God, equal with the Father, he might truly have said, My doctrine is mine, and his that sent me; but being now in his estate of humiliation, and being, as Mediator, God’s servant, it was more congruous to say, “My doctrine is not mine, not mine only, nor mine originally, as man and mediator, but his that sent me; it does not centre in myself, nor lead ultimately to myself, but to him that sent me.” God had promised concerning the great prophet that he would put his words into his mouth (Deut. 18:18), to which Christ seems to here to refer. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. Note, It is the comfort of those who embrace Christ’s doctrine, and the condemnation of those who reject it, that it is a divine doctrine: it is of God and not of man. [2.] That the most competent judges of the truth and divine authority of Christ’s doctrine are those that with a sincere and upright heart desire and endeavour to do the will of God (John 7:17): If any man be willing to do the will of God, have his will melted into the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. Observe here, First, What the question is, concerning the doctrine of Christ, whether it be of God or not; whether the gospel be a divine revelation or an imposture. Christ himself was willing to have his doctrine enquired into, whether it were of God or not, much more should his ministers; and we are concerned to examine what grounds we go upon, for, if we be deceived, we are miserably deceived. Secondly, Who are likely to succeed in this search: those that do the will of God, at least are desirous to do it. Now see, 1. Who they are that will do the will of God. They are such as are impartial in their enquiries concerning the will of God, and are not biassed by any lust or interest, and such as are resolved by the grace of God, when they find out what the will of God is, to conform to it. They are such as have an honest principle of regard to God, and are truly desirous to glorify and please him. 2. What is the reason we are to know of the truth of Christ’s doctrine. (1.) Christ has promised to give knowledge to such; he hath said, He shall know, and he can give an understanding. Those who improve the light they have, and carefully live up to it, shall be secured by divine grace from destructive mistakes. It is amazing how today we do not know what we are doing that is causing so much injustice? As if there is a degree of injustices like putting a knee on the neck choking, preventing them from breathings is worse than stealing and burning down and destroying images of the past. What is worse lying or stealing? Destroying others property or a person reputation? Wrong is wrong for it is missing the mark Of what God expects of us. (2.) They are disposed and prepared to receive that knowledge. Give it away, throw it out, even sell it — these are all ways to dispose of that awful shirt. The verb dispose comes from the Latin word disponere, meaning “put in order,” “arrange,” or “distribute" — like when you dispose volunteers to collect trash at a park. He that is inclined to submit to the rules of the divine law is disposed to admit the rays of divine light. To him that has shall be given; those have a good understanding that do his commandments, Ps. 111:10. Those who resemble God are most likely to understand him. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. I hope and pray that everyone here not only hears my voice, but hears the Spirit of Gods will, so you can become impowered by God to imagine Gods Best for you, so your conscience can be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus at Calvary, as your memory remembers who created you for Gods good will, that your reason for doing what you’re doing is a blessing to all you come in contact with, as you show the affection needed to be an ambassador for the King of Kings, that is God His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Yes, we as Christian do not like what we are seeing for Satan is showing his power to control people to destroy all God created for our good. Lord help us to see God wants to empower us by His Holy Spirit to withstand falling victims of his lies against God truth. God gave His life to saves us from the addictions of sin that is running out of control to day with Coronaviruses and destroying of law and order. All we have to do is come to the Lord and let Him rule and reign in our hearts so we can be cleansed by the Precious blood of the Lamb of God. We either submit to God or we are forced to obey Satan’s addiction for lusting for evil. |
Copyright 2005 Jerral Campfield, All rights reserved.
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