Jesus taught a lot about the Kingdom of God. They highly anticipated this occurring in their lifetime. After all, they have seen Jesus. They saw Him heal the lame, raise the dead, teach righteousness, and they believed the Kingdom of God was imminent. They had heard of this their whole life from the Old Testament Prophets. The Kingdom was referred to from the beginning and alluded to throughout history. This was true from the moment God told the serpent, the seed of the woman would crush His head. It has weaved its way through the days of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and every generation as time marched on.  

Furthermore, the Kingdom was spoken of in 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2, Isaiah 2, 11, 30, 35, and 65. Also in Jeremiah 23, 31, and 33; Ezekiel 34 and 40-48. Plus the Kingdom of God is mentioned in Daniel 2 and 7. As well as in Hosea 3, Joel 3, Zephaniah 3, and Zechariah 14. That is only to mention a few.  

This mystery they did not understand. Jesus, born of a virgin, would die to pay the penalty for our sin. Then He would be raised again, conquering death. Without this there was no redemption for sin. Although, this was also all foretold in scripture. But they did not want to hear that.  

Jesus Taught Often and Much About the Kingdom of God 

He taught them of the Kingdom of God in many parables in Matthew 13. Also, He taught them to pray, “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done.”  I want to dissect these a little here in this section. When Jesus spoke in a parable about the Sower and the seeds, the apostles asked Him why did He spoke in parables? He Answered,  

“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ¹² For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 

‘You shall keep on listening, but shall not understand; 
And you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive; 
15 For the heart of this people has become dull, 
With their ears they scarcely hear, 
And they have closed their eyes, 
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, 
Hear with their ears, 
Understand with their heart, and return, 
And I would heal them.’ 

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Matthew 13 (NASB)

Their hearts were dulled. They did not want to truly hear or see. Their only desire was to experience miracles and gain the comforts of life. They desired the gifts, not the giver of gifts.  

The Parable of the Sower Explained 

¹⁸ “Listen then to the parable of the Sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. ²⁰ The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away.

²² And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³ But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces Matthew 13 (NASB) 

Through this Jesus was already telling his disciples, their labor of spreading the word would be hard. There would be many obstacles and they must not be discharged if it appears the harvest is few.  

Parable of the Wheat as It Pertains to the Kingdom of God 

²⁴ Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. ²⁶ And when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. ²⁷ And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 

 ²⁸ And he said to them, an enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he *said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” Matthew 13 

Jesus Explains: 

³⁶ Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.  

⁴⁰ So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13 (NASB) 

When the shoots are little, it is hard to distinguish the wheat from the weeds. They sometimes look the same. That is true of our churches today. The chaff hidden among the true wheat.

Further Parables Regarding the Kingdom of God 

The Mustard Seed 

³¹ He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field; ³² and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.” Matthew 13 

One might say “Wow, a seed of truth grows into a magnificent tree.” We misinterpret this as the church spreading good everywhere. After all the first Universities and Hospitals came because of Christian influence. Also, the abolishment of slavery began among the Christians. Then the emancipation spread both in England and the United States. Much good has come from the followers of Jesus and the church He established.   But note the warning hidden as well. Birds were considered unclean. Scripture spoke of the birds snatching away the seeds. Therefore, as the church grows, there will be evil influences also that light within her branches.  

The same would be true of the leaven. The same would be true of the leaven. Elsewhere in scripture refers to an evil influence. It could slip in and destroy.  

The Leaven 

³³ He spoke another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three Sata of flour until it was all leavened.” Matthew 13  

Then in Matthew 19: Jesus Speaks of the Kingdom of God 

When speaking of the rich, young ruler came to Jesus asking how to be saved. He had done all the law requires. Or so he thought. But Jesus saw his heart and knew that his wealth was of greater importance than God. Therefore, he had failed to keep the first commandment—to love the Lord Your God above everything else. When he had gone away Jesus commented that it is harder for a rich man to be saved than a camel going through the eye of a needle.  

When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁶ And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19 (NASB) 

²⁷ Then Peter responded and said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” ²⁸ And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms on account of My name, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last; and the last, first. Matthew 19 (NASB) 

The Kingdom of God on Earth 

Did you get that? They did. “The regeneration when the son of Man sits on his throne of glory.”  The Kingdom of God on earth will be during the millennial reign of Christ. The apostles all understood that.  

To Clear up One Confusing Point 

Jesus at one point did say to the Pharisees, the Kingdom of God is in your midst. Here and now. Or some even translated these Greek words as in you—but that is not accurate. The truth is the while Jesus was on earth, to that degree it was already in their midst. He was healing the sick, enacting justice and righteousness—albeit to a smaller degree as to when He takes His throne.  

²⁰ Now He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, and He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs that can be observed; ²¹ nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”     Luke 17: (NASB). 

Empowered to Do Kingdom Work—until the Kingdom of God Arrives 

Now that I have finished the introduction, let us jump into the lesson for today. 

1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, ² until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. ³ To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of things regarding the kingdom of God. ⁴ Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 

⁶ So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority; ⁸ but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.” 

We Are to Tell Everyone of the Kingdom of God 

Not only are we to tell everyone of the Kingdom of God, but we are also to live a life reflecting the glimpses of Glory we have been given. We are for the moment dual citizens who have not yet seen our true home. Born in a foreign land, anticipating and longing to go to our home. We are given glimpses of that home. As to our security it is as though we are there. The Holy Spirit indwells us, guiding us always forward. 

Since Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us within His Father’s house, we are to be the beacon of light into this darkened world. Our task is to show the world His love, His joy, and His glory that they by some slim chance might desire Him.  

And we, like Paul should be able to say, 

⁹ For you recall, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship: it was by working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, that we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly and rightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; ¹¹ just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, ¹² so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 

¹³ For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brothers, and sisters, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, ¹⁵ who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. I Thessalonians 10 

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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Why the Depth of Agony in the True Passion of Jesus Christ

DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

CreditsNew King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Photo licensed from Goodsalt.com

How often is this all that we want to hear? We so desire everlasting joy and gladness. Every day we see surrounding us and within us a depth of agony unbearable. We moan beneath the weight of sorrow, grief, sickness, and pain. My niece grieves over the sorrows surrounding her. Daily she feeds a homeless mute. She provides care to many suffering dogs and cats injured in the streets in Mexico. Meanwhile she weeps. Her grief drives her to sacrifice and give what she can. But she is overwhelmed by the numbers, knowing that she cannot save them all.  

Then there is my stepson who is in agony as he watches his mother weaken, her body and mind failing. That in addition to all he has suffered before now. His father who became lost in addiction while battling bipolar disease, and ultimately took his life. A stepfather consumed with cancer and died in his arms. And a cousin who once stood by faith, now lost in a world of schizophrenia. So, how are we to face such depth of agony surrounding us? How can we still proclaim the good news of the gospel? Facing, living, and seeing such depth of agony. How do we present Jesus as our hope and our joy even here and now? 

Yet, we know that Jesus walked that same path. He lived among the sorrowful of this world—the sick, the lame, the hungry, and the outcasts.  

He was despised and rejected by men, 
    a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;   
and as one from whom men hide their faces  
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3 (ESV) 

Marching Toward His Destiny-the Depth of Agony Lay Ahead 

Though Jesus tried to tell His Apostles of what was to come, they did not want to hear it. So desirous to believe His Kingdom was now. They wanted the suffering to all end. They closed their ears to the truth and could not see it. He had to die, or there would be no salvation for anyone. The final sacrificial lamb would have to die to pay the price of salvation. It was the only way to satisfy the wrath of perfect righteousness against sin. Evil could not be removed otherwise. The promise of salvation gone. The world never cleansed.

Yet, there it was. Jesus had once more told them as He broke the bread and passed forth the wine, He was going away. They were to do this in remembrance of Him. This is not what they wanted. Sorrow filled their hearts. They did not fully understand. Not yet at least.  

Judas had left to betray Jesus to the chief priests. As they walked toward the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed. This was that prayer. A prayer not for Himself, but for His Disciples and for each of us who would believe.  

Before the Depth of Agony-He Thought of Us  

Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, ²just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. ³And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed. 

He so wanted to be with the Father again. Yet He knew this was the only way to save all these who would be His.  

He Loved Us Too Much to Walk Away from the Depth of Agony

⁶“I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word. ⁷Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You; ⁸for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.  

⁹I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours; ¹⁰and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. ¹²While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. (John 17, NASB). 

He Asks for Their Joy Amid the Depths of Agony to Come 

¹³But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. ¹⁴I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. ¹⁸Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. ¹⁹And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 

²⁰“I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17, NASB) 

One Day when the Depth of Agony is Past, but for now Love 

²²The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. ²⁴Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 

²⁵“Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; ²⁶and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17 (NASB) 

The Depth of Agony in the Garden  

Jesus knew precisely why this must be. Yet, as the hour approached, He knew He must pray for strength. He was about to face a depth of agony that we cannot comprehend. He who is perfect righteousness. The very one who stands in perfect union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Now He must endure all the eternities of wrath against sin and evil. How can perfect righteousness bare all the shame, guilt, and wrath of all the sins of the world? Nothing could have prepared Him for what was to come. It was nearly unthinkable, even though, He knew it must be. Yet, the depth of agony was nearly more than He could bear, even knowing the reason. 

³⁶Then Jesus *came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and *told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him and began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” 

And So, He Prayed

³⁹And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and He *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

⁴²He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink from it, your will be done.” ⁴³Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Get up, let us go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!”  Matthew 26 (NASB). 

The Depth of Agony Displayed Even More Vivid in Luke’s Account 

Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground]. ⁴⁵When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow Luke 22 (NASB) 

He had told them that His suffering was so severe that He felt He would die from the depth of agony and grief He felt. His sorrow was so great that even with an angel there to strengthen Him—His sweat became blood as all the capillaries in His body became so engorged from the depth of agony He felt. Yet, despite this: note He was concerned for them and would go to check on them. He knew their sorrow was so deep as well. Urging them to pray, He still had compassion and concern for them. He knew that only prayer could strengthen them. But they were too sad to even pray, sleep was all they could manage at that moment. So, He prayed.  

Strength to Stand 

After spending the night in agonizing prayer, Jesus was ready to face the depth of agony that lay before Him. We cannot even imagine how hard this must have been. Yet, He walked forward to face His destiny.  

³So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, *came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and *said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” ⁵They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.

⁶Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷He then asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁸Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.” ⁹This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” ¹⁰Then Simon Peter, since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?”  John 18 (NASB). 

The Value of Prayer in Moments of Agony

Should we not also learn the need for prayer during our moments of agony? Even in those moments when it seems too painful to pray, we know that the Holy Spirit is there to help as promised in Romans 8:26 

²⁶Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8 (NASB). 

God Keeps His Promise for the Salvation of Man  

And this is at the agonizing cost for His Son—but without this all of humanity was condemned to Hell for eternity. And because of this, one day we will know everlasting joy when all the pain and suffering will pass away. Yet, for the truth in Isaiah 51 to be realized, Isaiah 53 had to be completed. 

Who has believed our report? 
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 
²For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, 
And like a root out of dry ground; 
He has no stately form or majesty 
That we would look at Him, 
Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him. 
³He was despised and abandoned by men, 
A man of great pain and familiar with sickness; 
And like one from whom people hide their faces, 
He was despised, and we had no regard for Him. 

⁴However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, 
And our pains that He carried; 
Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, 
Struck down by God, and humiliated. 
⁵But He was pierced for our offenses, 
He was crushed for our wrongdoings; 
The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, 
And by His wounds we are healed. 
⁶All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, 
Each of us has turned to his own way; 
But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all 
To fall on Him. 

⁷He was oppressed and afflicted, 
Yet He did not open His mouth; 
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, 
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, 
So He did not open His mouth. 
⁸By oppression and judgment He was taken away; 
And as for His generation, who considered 
That He was cut off from the land of the living 
For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due? 
⁹And His grave was assigned with wicked men, 
Yet He was with a rich man in His death, 
Because He had done no violence, 
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. 

¹⁰But the Lord desired 
To crush Him, causing Him grief; 
If He renders Himself as a guilt offering, 
He will see His offspring, 
He will prolong His days, 
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. 
¹¹As a result of the anguish of His soul, 
He will see it and be satisfied; 
By His knowledge, the Righteous One, 
My Servant, will justify the many, 
For He will bear their wrongdoings.

Isaiah 53 NASB

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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How the Labor Pains Worsen and the World Groans in Fear for Jesus 

How to Find Joy in the Ultimate Promises of God for Tomorrow

DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

CreditsNew King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Photo licensed from Goodsalt.com

Now as to the periods and times, brothers, and sisters, you have no need of anything to be written to you. ²For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. ³While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” Then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they will not escape. ⁴But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness. So that the day would overtake you like a thief. ⁵For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness. ⁶So then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.

⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. ¹¹Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing. I Thessalonians 5: (NASB) 

Labor Pains Intensify With Time

It was six weeks before I was due and my third child, as I awakened with labor pains.   I groaned deep within, mumbling and wondering.  Could I tolerate the pain?  After all it might last all day. My mother was suddenly in a position where she would be driving me 50 miles to a higher risk hospital in Southeast Missouri.  (She had never driven on the interstate before this and had little experience.)

At the same time, my husband was still in El Paso, TX preparing to move our things.  All planned, he would arrive before the baby.  Or so we thought.  As we headed toward the hospital, my labor pains worsened both in frequency and intensity.  I breathed with 4 pants and one blowing exhale, as I had trained other mothers to do.  Still the pain was intense and came every 3 minutes. The labor pains worsened, my world groans in fear, and I wonder if I can tolerate the wait.  I also wondered if all would be ok? Would my baby be safe?

  I sighed with worry, concern, and even a little fear.  It was too soon, although Melissa had done fine seven weeks early and Berto four weeks before his due date.  Meanwhile my mother is driving faster each time she hears me panting.  I arrived barely in time, delivering my son within 1 hour of arrival to the hospital.  Seeing him was worth every moment of pain I had endured. 

And the Labor Pains of Life

I believe we one day we will say the same when we finally see Jesus.  He told us He would return and that we would rejoice.  There are days when I find I breathe with pants and deep sighs as I see the trials, pain, and sorrows around me. Furthermore, He taught us that the world would get worse.  The trials would intensify and worsen until that day when He would return for us.  After He returns for us, the true labor pains for this world will further intensify throughout the tribulation.  For now we see the world preparing for this.   Pains, groaning, fears, tremors and stress surround us in this world now. But this is the earth groaning in fear, needing the Savior. The earth itself groans beneath the weight of it all.  

JESUS SPEAKS WITH PROPHETIC WORDS 

Just shortly after Christ’s triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, His disciples come to Him while sitting on the Mount of Olives to ask Him when He will set up His Kingdom.  They believe it is imminent.  Despite His telling them that He must first die, they believed He would very swiftly set up His Kingdom. The Old Testament Prophets told them about The Messiah coming.  Even though there were many prophecies that Jesus would take upon Himself all of God’s wrath against sin for us and that He would die—particularly in Isaiah and in Daniel, people only wanted to hear about His Kingdom coming.  They knew that would be trials and desecration of the temple.  So, it was with these thoughts and having lived with so many trials from the possession of Israel by other nations, they became very excited as they heard Jesus say. 

Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. ²But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” ³And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”  Matthew 24 (NASB) 

LABOR PAINS BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS 

⁴And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people. ⁶And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.  Matthew 24 (NASB).  

You say, but this is already happening.  Yes, it is. But no where nearly as bad as when the true labor pains begin after the rapture.  All that is going on now is the world marching headlong toward that day.  As you look around, it is obvious that everything is moving rapidly toward all the things we never before even could understand.  We now have news capable of being broadcast throughout the world instantaneously.  AI is moving forward.  Evil is increasing, spreading, and growing; while humans believe themselves righteous.  Spirituality overtakes true faith.  Truth is called lies and lies are called truth.     

The True Labor Pains Begin When the Restrainer is Removed 

Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2. 

 Now we ask you, brothers, and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, ²that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

³No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. ⁵Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ⁶And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed. 

The restraining force is the Holy Spirit which indwells every believer.  When the Spirit is withdrawn, evil will flourish and abound to a level we cannot now even imagine.  So, until we are removed, the Anti-Christ will not be revealed.    The first three and one-half years will be severe birth pains; but nothing to compare to the last 3 and one-half years.   

There will be many saved during that time; but they will have to endure to the end.  Their faith will be their earthly destruction. 

Matthew 24:  

⁹“Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. ¹²And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. ¹³But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. ¹⁴This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. 

In this Jesus is referring to those saved during the tribulation.  Even though this is happening now and has since the beginning church, it will intensify during the tribulation and most will have to sacrifice their life to be a believer of Christ.   

True Labor Pains begin when the Lawless one is Revealed. 

⁸Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; ⁹that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, ¹²in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2 (NASB) 

So, what are we to do now? 

Stand Firm Despite the Labor Pains

¹³But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers, and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. ¹⁴It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. 

¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, ¹⁷comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2 (NASB). 

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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How to Find Joy in the Ultimate Promises of God for Tomorrow

DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.CreditsNew King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com

How often do we get so caught up in the here and now?  We believe that if only? Then we would be happy.  If only God would do this or if we could have that.  Maybe a better house or better friends.  If only He would act now, then I could be happy. I could find Joy if only things were different.

  Is that not the same thing the Sadducees and Pharisees wanted? The crowds cheered when they thought Jesus had come to provide all they needed here, now.  Even the apostles fell prey to this ideology until they found the truth after Jesus appeared to them after the resurrection.  Then they were willing to suffer here while remaining joyful, knowing He had saved them.  All of this is but a moment in time, a blink of an eye compared to eternity.  They discovered how to find joy in the ultimate promises of God for tomorrow, regardless of how bad the here and now became.  

John 16-Find Joy Despite the Coming Trials

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.² They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.³ And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

⁴ But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.⁵ But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?⁶ But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you.⁸ And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. ⁹ Of sin, because they believe not on me.¹⁰ Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more. ¹¹ Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Find Joy in the Holy Spirit–the Spirit of Truth

¹² I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself. But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. And he will shew you things to come.¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.¹⁵ All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

¹⁶ A little while, and ye shall not see me. And again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.¹⁷ Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us? A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me. And, Because I go to the Father?¹⁸ They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.¹⁹ Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? John 16 (NASB)

Though Sorrow Will Come in the World

²⁰ Verily, verily, I say unto you. Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.²¹ A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.²² And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again. Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

²³ And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.²⁴ Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.²⁵ These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs. But the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs. I shall shew you plainly of the Father.²⁶ At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you.

Find Joy-Jesus Overcame the World

²⁷ For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.²⁸ I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.²⁹ His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.³⁰ Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

³¹ Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?³² Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.³³ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Why is this Important to remember, particularly today as we watch so many things unfold on this earth.  There is anger, hatred, and wars. 

Romans 1–Find Joy Regardless of the World

¹⁷ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, The just shall live by faith.¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. Neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. ²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves. ²⁵ Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Because of Their Sin-God Gave them what they asked For

²⁶ For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:²⁷ And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;²⁹ Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,³⁰ Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,3¹ Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:³² Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

So, how are we to live?  The just shall live by faith.

HEBREWS 12–Find Joy in Jesus

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Consider and ponder ways of keeping your eyes on Jesus during the sad times of this world.  Nothing in this world will bring you joy apart from Him.  Nothing can satisfy the longing of your soul, except Him

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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The Ultimate Priceless Worth of One Soul Revealed by Jesus. How?

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.CreditsNew King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

PICTURE Licensed from Goodsalt.com

God spoke everything into being, except man and woman. Instead, he formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils. He then formed woman from the man. Every human being has one soul that will spend eternity either with God (in heaven) or in eternal separation from God (hell).

²⁶ Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it Genesis 1: (NASB).

So, what made man different from all the other creatures? He was made in the image of God as a triune being of body, soul, and spirit. As such, he had consciousness, complex emotional and thought processes. Furthermore, he was given the choice to obey His Glorious Creator as an act of worship and gratitude for all he was given or to disobey, seeking his own glory. We know what happened, He chose to disobey and thrust all humanity into a broken world. The spirit of humans which connected them to God died. Therefore, without a new birth of the spirit from God to man; there was no hope of salvation. The soul would remain in a continuous dying state; unless God provided a means of salvation by grace while still holding tight to His own Word, His Justice, and His Righteousness. He cannot be untrue to Himself.

How Much Does God Consider the Worth of One Soul

¹ Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

³ And so He told them this parable, saying, ⁴ “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.  Luke 15 (NASB)

Jesus Also Said

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every person according to his deeds. Matthew 16 (NASB)

So, what is the Value of One Soul?

Jesus Christ was willing to take upon Himself the full wrath of God the Father, the Spirit and even Himself against sin. Sin is an absolute abhorrent to God. Why? It is sin that destroys all that is good, right, and beautiful. Sin is that which separates us from God because we choose separation from Him, believing that we the creature know better what we need than He who created us. Currently there is some common grace covering our world just enough that we might see the difference from evil to good and desire good which can only be truly found in God. He is the only true source of hope and joy for us.

While here on earth, Jesus went into areas where no one else wanted to go in search of sinners.  He reached out to the Samaritan woman at the well in a time when no respectable Jew would be found in Samaria.  His ministry reached out to the tax collectors, prostitutes, outcasts, undesirables, unclean, the lame, the sick, and the blind.  One could say, He reached out to the deplorables of this world.  His was a mission of love, compassion, and gentleness as no one had ever seen before.  At the same time, He never compromised on the truth of God.  He told each one to “Go and Sin No More”

Today I want to highlight one such case.  Jesus had just finished teaching the crowds and the disciples.  It was now time to show them the power of who He was, so they might understand.  The mission they were being called to would have hardships, storms, and impossible challenges.  Therefore, they needed to lean hard into His power.  But before they could do that, they needed to understand His power. 

Understanding the Power and Compassion Needed to Reach One Soul

Jesus had healed the sick, feed the hungry crowds, and done many miracles before the disciples.  That had not fully prepared them for what was about to happen.  Jesus had been teaching the crowds at the seashore all day in parables.  Meanwhile the crowd pressed forward, and He stood in the boat while teaching.  Then evening came.

¹⁸ Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea.  Matthew 8 (NASB)

Therefore, the apostles must have thought Jesus is tired and needs some rest.  As was He custom, He just needed some time alone and then to explain the parable to them They did exactly as they were told.  Little did they realize there was another purpose in all of this.

Facing A Storm to Save One Soul

a fierce gale of wind *developed, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling with water. ³⁸ And yet Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. ⁴⁰ And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ⁴¹ They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”  Mark 4 (NASB)

He has the power to stop the storm. He did so with a simple command, “Hush, be still.” Jonathan Pokluda, a pastor in Waco pointed out something else crucial here.  This was not an ordinary storm.  We realize that when Jesus reaches His mission on the other side.  This was a demonic storm that desired to destroy Jesus and His apostles before Jesus could fulfill His mission on the other side and later at Calvary. 

One Soul in Desperate Need

They came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes. ² When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him. ³ He lived among the tombs; and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain, ⁴ because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains and cutting himself with stones. ⁶ Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him.  Mark 5 (NASB).

Now, imagine this scene. 

This nude (as we are told in Luke) demon possessed monstrous man, so strong that no chain could hold him came running toward Jesus.  Sometimes the sin in our own life grows until it is enormously in control of all we do or say.  Our addictions, angers, or desires cannot be chained as well.  But back to the story.  Remember they had crossed the sea and landed at a Gentile port.  Hence the pig farmers.

But the man did not harm Jesus, instead, he bowed at His feet.  What?  The Pharisees criticized Him.  His disciples feared Him at times and were awed by Him.  Sometimes they understood Him and at other times not.  The apostles believed He was the Messiah and would usher in His Kingdom.   The crowds wanted miracles from Him.  Yet, this man filled with demons bowed before Him. The demons within him knew who Jesus was and why He came.

Bowing before Him, they cried out, saying, “What business do You have with us, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29 NASB.

MARK 5 NASB

⁶ Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; ⁷ and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” ⁸ For He had already been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

⁹ And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged Him earnestly not to send them out of the region. ¹¹ Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding nearby on the mountain. ¹² And the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us into the pigs so that we may enter them.” ¹³ Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

Notice that Matthew’s account included “before the time.” They know their time is coming; but hope they can still thwart God’s plan.  Or bring as many with them into the abyss as they can.  Misery does love company. 

But Some Cared More About Profit than One Soul

⁴ Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ And then they *came to Jesus and *saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had previously had the “legion”; and they became frightened. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the pigs. ¹⁷ And they began to beg Him to leave their region.  Mark 5 NASB

The town was more worried about the money just lost than the one soul that was saved.  Furthermore, they wanted nothing to do with Jesus.  What else might He ask them to sacrifice to follow Him.

One Soul Saved Becomes the First Gentile Missionary

Jesus had crossed the sea, faced the storm to save one soul.  Then he got in His boat to sail back across the sea.  Mission accomplished.  Did the apostles realize that?  Do we realize the storms and hardships we must face for the salvation of one soul?  I understand it some because of my life with Pete and all that God allowed for the salvation of one soul.  If I had known, maybe I would have traveled that road with less grumbling, less sorrow, and fewer tears.  But God knew exactly how to unfold the story of my life so my heart would learn of His Magnificent Grace in all of it. 

¹⁸ And as He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him. ¹⁹ And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” ²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.  Mark 5 (NASB)

I wonder if even the apostles understood what had just happened.  Jesus had launched His ministry to the Gentiles.  It would be years later when Paul would be called to be the Missionary to the Gentiles.  But this demon possessed man, tormented for years before being saved led the way and paved the path for the missionaries to come.

So, my final question.  What are you willing to face or endure for the salvation of one soul?

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

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Do You Know King Jesus and Desire Him First in Your Heart?

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.CreditsNew King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

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