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Vol. 3 ... #22
Jesus seeks those who are cast out
Jesus seeks those cast out for the Word's sake.
Here are some examples.
John 9 ... 1 And as Jesus passed by, HE saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And HIS disciples asked HIM, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of HIM that sent ME, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.
6 When HE had thus spoken, HE spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and HE anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
12 Then said they unto him, Where is HE? He said, I know not.
13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, HE put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, THIS MAN is not of God, because HE keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of HIM, that HE hath opened thine eyes
He said, HE is a prophet.
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that HE was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
25 He answered and said, Whether HE be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
26 Then said they to him again, What did HE to thee? how opened HE thine eyes?
27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be HIS disciples?
28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art HIS disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. 29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for THIS FELLOW, we know not from whence HE is.
30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence HE is, and yet HE hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him HE heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this MAN were not of God, HE could do nothing.
34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when HE had found him, HE said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is HE, Lord, that I might believe on HIM? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen HIM, and it is HE that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped HIM.
When Jesus heard this man was cast out of the synagogue for his testimony of Christ's works, Jesus went looking for this man who had been cast out.
Pam Padgett, of our little church group, gave a remarkable testimony of being cast out of the singles group at a church she once attended. A divorced woman, set about to find a husband. She found a man in the church group and he was going to marry this divorced woman. Pam went to this divorced woman telling her if she remarried after divorced she would commit adultery. Pam showed her scripture saying this, the woman who remarries after divorce commits adultery. This woman said she didn't care what the Bible says. This was a woman sitting in a NT church group.
Pam went to the man who was planning to marry this divorced woman. Pam showed him the scripture saying the man who marries her who is divorced, commits adultery.
Mt. 5:32 ... Jesus said ... 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
The man listened to Pam and he said he would consider what Pam and Jesus (Bible) said, but he continued in plans to marry the divorced woman.
Pam knew the woman who was going to be maid of honor. Pam went to this woman telling her if they married it would be adultery.
This woman said she knew it was wrong for this couple to marry but they would marry regardless and therefore she was going to be maid of honor anyhow.
Bible says: I Tim. 5:22 ... neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
None of these church people showed any regard at all for what Bible said.
After this, Pam went to the main service at that church. The singles made practice of sitting together at the service. Pam sat in area where the singles usually sat. None of the singles came to sit there. Pam turned and saw them sitting in another area of the building.
The next time Pam attended church, she went to sit in the new area where the singles had sat the previous service. The singles sat in the old area.
The next service, Pam saw the singles sitting together and she went there and sat down. Without saying a word, they got up and moved away from Pam and sat in another section of the building.
Pam cried out to God ... "Have I done something wrong?"
A few weeks later, a woman came to Pam at the church service and said she had a word from God for her. God knows the way the singles are treating you and you need to know it is because of the word you spoke concerning this divorced woman remarrying (divorce-remarriage-adultery) ... And God wants you to know you spoke what HE wanted you to speak.
*****
The apostle Paul said ... I Thess. 3 ... That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
*****
II Tim. 3 ... 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing OF WHOM thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
*****
In the 1980's, I was on radio in several cities in USA. God had given me some judgment messages concerning some big-time radio-TV ministers who were committing various sins. I could not get the message directly to the minister because these ministers all surrounded them with "body guards" so church people could not approach them.
Even though I was relatively well known in church circles at that time, I couldn't get messages to these big-time ministers. God persuaded me to give these messages on my radio broadcasts, naming by name the minister, telling of the minister's wrong doing. Then the messages I had been given got to these big-time ministers.
I was having a meeting in Seattle for radio audience. Outside the meeting room door, the Seattle radio station manager was waiting for me. He said, "Joan, you have many wonderful messages. Just speak those essages. If you continue to speak these judgment messages I don't know what is going to happen to you. We might have to put you off the air."
Without any thought whatsoever, the Holy Spirit spoke the following words through me.
If I don't speak the message, I believe to be from GOD, then I don't have a messages and I may as well be off the air.
I continued to speak and they put me off the air. About 1/2 of my stations in USA continued to allow me to broadcast.
*****
The following happened to a man in our little church group.
His daughter was about to commit a sin. I think it was remarriage after divorce. Joseph went to this daughter and told her what the Bible said ... She became very angry and told him their relationship was over... Joseph said it hurt very much ... But he said he was glad he told her.
It is not unusual for this to happen.
Jesus said ... Mt. 10 ... 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than ME is not worthy of ME: and he that loveth son or daughter more than ME is not worthy of ME. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after ME, is not worthy of ME. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life FOR MY SAKE shall find it.
This is a part of suffering for Christ, suffering for The Word.
*****
The apostle Peter said ...
I Peter 4 ... 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when HIS glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
... 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
*****
Lk.18 ... 28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed THEE.
29 And HE (Jesus) said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
*****
Concerning rejection by men for the Word's sake ...
Isaiah 53 ...
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For HE shall grow up before HIM as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:
HE (The Word) hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see HIM, there is no beauty that we should desire HIM.
3 HE (The Word) is despised and rejected of men; A MAN OF SORROWS, and acquainted with grief:
and we hid as it were our faces from HIM; HE was despised, and we esteemed HIM not.
4 Surely HE hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem HIM stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But HE was wounded for our transgressions, HE was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM; and with HIS stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord hath laid on HIM the iniquity of us all.
*****
Concerning Jesus ... John 1 ... 11 HE came unto HIS own, and HIS own received him not. 12 But as many as received HIM, to them gave HE power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on HIS name (The Word) : 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jesus understands our rejection and suffering for the Word's sake. Turn to HIM. Jesus sits at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us.