The Jewish Elders Were Astounded That Jesus Could Speak With Such Profundity Despite Having Never Studied With Any of the Famous Rabbis of the Day. Man Places a High Value on His Own Educational System, With Each Generation Believing That Theirs Is the Only Accurate and Complete One. Wrong Again!
John 7:16-18 16 Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 17 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
The Jewish elders were astounded that Jesus could speak with such profundity despite having never studied with any of the famous rabbis of the day. Man places a high value on his own educational system, with each generation believing that theirs is the only accurate and complete one. Jesus makes no mention of His miraculous birth, hours of study, or eternal existence. He says exactly what we need to hear. Our instruction should not be our own. It must come from the One who has sent us. Do we hear His voice? Is the Word made alive to us by the Holy Spirit?
How do you go from a man's perspective and his pride in his brain cells to someone whose ear is opened to the Spirit of God? Make the decision to do God's will. Choose to exalt God rather than yourself. If you want to do God's will, you must first set aside your ego and your right to autonomy. That is carrying your cross. When your will is committed to your Creator, His voice can be heard. You are no longer looking for your own glory, but rather the glory of the One who sent you. When you do His will, you learn that His ways are the most fertile and productive, even though the world does not comprehend them. Your eyes are enlightened to a design that goes beyond the obvious.
This distinguishes a speaker from a preacher. The speaker may arouse your emotions, but a Spirit-led Gospel preacher will bring honor to God rather than himself. You will leave thinking that the speaker is a lovely person, but you will leave thinking about God's glory.
Remember: When born-again souls slide into self-exalting expressions, the Holy Spirit will place His finger over their lips.
The Great Tribulation
It is our belief that the Great Tribulation referred to in the New Testament Book of Revelation (chapters 6-11) is unfolding before our eyes. In the near future, we will devote the "Tribulation" tab on our "Trending" menu to this emerging reality. As people continue to unplug from mainstream media, our commitment is to present the truth and encourage our audience to understand current events from a Biblical perspective. Click here to begin the journey.
The Watchman
In the Bible, the Watchman is responsible for keeping watch and warning others of potential danger or impending judgment. The role is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, particularly in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 33:6, God says to the prophet Ezekiel, "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand." Click here to begin the journey.
Will Putin Attack Israel?
