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Showing posts with label Nicodemus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nicodemus. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Gather and Scatter

 Meditation John 7:41-53


1. Many people said that CHRIST is truly a prophet. (V41)
2. Some questioned CHRIST must come from Bethlehem being the seed of David according to the scriptures but he is coming from Galilee. Thus there was division among the People. (42,43)
3. No man laid their hands on him though they wanted to take him. (V44)
4. The  priests and Pharisees asked the officers why they could not take him? For which they said No man spoke like him. (V45,46)
5. The Pharisees asked them if they were deceived too. They told them they are cursed as they knew not the law. None of the Pharisees or the rulers believed in him. (V48,49)
6. For this Nicodemus the ruler who had an encounter with Christ in the night said that the law does not judge anyone before hearing or knowing what that person does. (V50,51)
7. They answered and told him to look as no prophet arises from Galilee and everyone went to their own house(V52, 53)

LIFE APPLICATION::
And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
John:7:44

Here in our meditation today there Is a huge group of people gathering behind Christ.

 1. One group wanted to really know who Christ was, if he really was a prophet. (V40)
2. Another group opposed even the idea of it. (V41-43)
3. Some of them wanted to take him and kill  him, but they couldn't.  (V44-46)
4. Some of them plotting and convincing everyone that he is not CHRIST.  (V47-49)
5. In the same group there were few who have met CHRIST and spoke for his cause too. (V50-52)

PEOPLE GATHER AGAINST THE RIGHTEOUS:

Today we are going to meditate why  people gather against us and how God is going to raise us up amidst them.
and fight the battle for us.

1. Why do people gather against the righteous and the godly.?

A. Because their thoughts are evil.

Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
Psalm:56:5

B. They gather against the soul of the righteous and to condemn the innocent blood.
They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
Psalm:94:21

C. They gather to battle  against God and his saints.

And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Revelation:20:8

2. What do the wicked do against the godly?

A. They speak deceitfully against the righteous with a lying tongue.

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
Psalm:109:2

B. They speak words of hatred.

They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
Psalm:109:3

C. They slay the broken in heart.

Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
Psalm:109:16

D. They curse the righteous:

Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
Psalm:109:28

E. They condemn the soul of the righteous .

Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
Psalm:109:28

F. They plot against the just and gnash their teeth.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
Psalm:37:12

G. They lay snares against the righteous.

They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
Psalm:38:12

How does GOD help us to deal with wicked people gathering against us?:

Let's meditate a few of God's promises.

A. We can fall seven times but still we shall rise.


Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

Proverbs:24:15

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Proverbs:24:16

B. The candle of the wicked shall be put out.


For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Proverbs:24:20

C. God delivers our soul from the wicked. He preserves our soul.


Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Psalm:97:10

D. The horns of the wicked will be cut off.


All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm:75:10

E. When the enemy gathers against us  the Lord himself scatters them with his lightning.


Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

Psalm:18:14

F. Nations can encompass us. But we will take victory because of our Lord.


All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.

Psalm:118:10

They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

Psalm:118:12

G. Fire will come down from heaven to destroy them in the day of battle.


And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Revelation:20:9

Dearly beloved saints of the most high God....

We have a heavenly father who speaks for us and fights on our behalf.

 We battle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in darkness... against spiritual wickedness in high places.


For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians:6:12

They will gather but God will scatter them that their weapons can never be repaired anymore.


Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.

Psalm:59:11

Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

Psalm:144:6

Dear Child of God,


No weapon formed against you shall ever prosper. No tongue that rises in judgement against can prosper either. This is our heritage as the servant of God.


No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Isaiah:54:17

You may in the position as David said, encompassed by enemies in all sides,


Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

Psalm:22:12

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

Psalm:22:16

Even the sorrow of death can compass you.


The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

Psalm:18:4

But cry out to the Lord your shield and shelter, he will hear from his mighty heavens. He will incline his ears to hear your cry and to deliver you from trouble.


In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Psalm:18:6


He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

Psalm:18:17

This is the experience of David.... and so will be yours.


Also God sends us people who will speak for us as Nicodemus did... Let not your hearts be troubled.

Your soul is not going to end up in hell. Some of you have lost all your hope as the enemy both physical and spiritual are more stronger than you.

Some of you are under the grips of guilt beating yourself, thinking you are responsible for your own problems


Dear loving child, you are not a cast away.

 Your heavenly father loves you still and you are STILL the Apple of his eye. Cry out to him... and see the salvation of the Lord. May God bless you.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

An encounter with God - a Meditation on John 3: 1-8



Hi all, I thought of making three parts of this meditation on John 3:1-8, due to the volume of the study. Kindly follow up.

1. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He was a man of a very high order and a teacher of the scriptures.  (V1)
2. One night Nicodemus comes to meet Jesus with his own enquiries.  He had inferred Jesus to be a Teacher came from God and he was moved by the miracles Christ performed. (V2)
3. Jesus replied to him that if a man is not born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ( v3)
4. Nicodemus asked Christ how it is possible for a man when he is old to go back into his mother's womb to be born again. (V4)
5. Then Jesus goes a step further and explains that if a person is not born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ( v5)
6. He said what is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is of the spirit. ( v6)
7. He told him not to marvel on what he told about being born again. ( v7)
8. Jesus also said, those who are born of the spirit are like wind that blows, of which we can hear it's sound but do not know where it came from and where it goes. ( v8)

Life Application:
Who was Nicodemus?
1. Nicodemus was a teacher of the Jews. (V1)
2. He was also a ruler of the Jews and was a man of a very honourable position (v1)
3. This is his first encounter with the Lord the night when he met him.
4. He has seen Christ from far... and created his own impressions of him as a great teacher who came from God and as a  Miracle worker( v2)

Few thoughts to ponder... what do you think who Christ is?
It depends on how personal you get to know him. God calls us for a closer walk with him. The more closer we get....  The more we come to know about him.

This is what David says,
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Psalm:34:8

What are your personal impressions about Christ?
 Do you create impressions of what other people tell about Christ or have you ever had a personal encounter with him?

We will see below some live examples of people who had a personal encounter with God from the scriptures.

1. Moses' encounter with Christ:
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
Exodus:3:3
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
Exodus:3:4

2. Encounter of Gideon with God:
And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
Judges:6:11
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.
Judges:6:12

3. Encounter of Nathaniel with Christ:
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
John:1:48

4. Encounter of zaccheus with Christ:
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
Luke:19:5

Encounter of Saul with Christ:
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts:22:7

This bible is full of people who had encounters with God. I am sure of one thing, if you are person who had an encounter with the most high God, you can never be the same again.

1. Are you like Moses coming closer to God out of curiosity to know what is there the other side?
2. Are you like Gideon waiting for God to interfere in your hopelessness?
3. Are you like Nathanael waiting for a God to look right through into your heart?
4. Are you like zacchaeus  lost in sin, but trying to see if Christ can help You?
5. Are you like saul, who have persecuted the church?

Whoever you may be,
Christ calls you to have a personal encounter with him. After that, I can assure from personal experience and from the Holy Scriptures that you will never be the same.

Now, let me also explain to you how the life of Nicodemus changed after his encounter with Christ.
Nicodemus speaks in public defending Christ after his personal encounter with Christ.

Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
John:7:50
Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
John:7:51

He doesn't stop there. He had a very important role in the burial of CHRIST.

And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
John:19:39

Questions to ponder for the day:
Have you ever had a personal encounter with Christ?
How much your life has changed after that incident?

Please feel free to share with me that we can glorify God together.

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