This verse always makes me smile! John being touched and talked to by what could be a ghost was what was making him afraid! We do not know if John had had visions before, but this one was very real, and the beginning of it caused John to faint.
This is a warning from Paul to Timothy that being a believer in the end times will not be easy. It seems as though all churches since that time in the first century have needed this warning, so many have rebelled in some way against the generation of their parents.
It is very clear that there is no alternative. What God starts He brings to completion. He sent Jesus to begin the destruction of the enemy powers working on the earth under the influence of satan, and Jesus accomplished that mission by destroying death when He rose from the grave.
Many Christians will say that they were not confident to speak to others until Holy Spirit touched them. God is moving across the earth in our day, and we can be encouraged that things are not as bad as the secular news media would have us believe.
These are the words of Jesus. His desire was what inspired John to write his gospel which is so different to the others. John seems much more interested in helping us to understand who Jesus was, more than what He did which was the emphasis of the other gospel writers.
The bread and wine has been one of the factors that has created divisions in the church of Jesus! Some churches say that anyone can take it, while others will only allow people who have been baptised or confirmed. Still others say that it cannot be given to young children.
Sadly many of us know of at least one family where there is one member who does not have a good relationship with another, whether because of inheritance issues or marriage breakups. In my limited experience, this is much more common with richer families than with poorer ones.
That Jesus knew where He was to hold this meal was no surprise to the disciples, they had learned to listen and obey. Ask yourself today if you have learned to do that too. Pray for more clarity in what Jesus is asking of you, and be prepared to obey.
It is hard for us to imagine God, an eternal spiritual being, and even harder to know His plan, and the fact that before the world began He existed and had the blue print for everything that would happen on this little planet in its position in the universe.
Realise afresh the importance of praying for and witnessing to all those who have not yet met Jesus, who have unknowingly made idols of people, and other spiritual beings. They are often the people who think life will continue as it always has done.
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