Ray Ruppert's Blog, page 3

Why Pray

For truly in this city there weregathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, bothHerod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to takeplace. 29 And now, Lord,look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word withall boldness, 30 while you stretchout your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name ofyour holy servant Jesus. (Acts4:27-30)

After Peter and John have been warned not to preach in thename of Jesus they are released and they, with other believers prayed. First,they acknowledged God's sovereign plan, using Pontius Pilate, Herod, the Jewsand Gentiles to crucify Jesus.

So, stop there and consider that they see that Godpredestined all this to happen. No doubt about who is in control from agespast. With that in mind they then ask God to do miracles through them in thename of Jesus and to be able to speak boldly.

Why did they pray this way? Look at what God already predictedand brought into being. Wouldn't he also predetermine their miracles andboldness? Why ask God for what He has already predetermined?

I'm just amazed that this passage is an example I can useto answer people who ask questions like that. The Apostles knew all aboutpredestination and they didn’t hesitate to ask God to do something. They knewthat God wants us to pray and pray according to His will. They knew it betterthan most of us do. So they did. And I need to follow their example. Lord, helpme pray according to your will.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Steadfast and Loyal

And a man lame from birth was beingcarried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called theBeautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. (Acts 3:2)

This is a familiar passage because the lame man was healed inthe name of Jesus by Peter. What would have happened if the man had not beenthere on that day? People would not have come running and not heard the goodnews about Jesus Christ.

The ones I noticed in today's reading are the ones whocarried the man every day to the temple. Without them, we wouldn't have hadthis miracle. At least two unnamed men took time from their work to carry thisguy to the temple. They did it every day, except maybe on the Sabbath. Theydidn't get a reward, they weren't Uber drivers, no tips. They could have beenfriends or relatives, it doesn't matter, they were loyal and steadfast.

So, help me Lord to be like these, steadfast in yourcalling. Doing the daily things I need to do to help others. I don't know whatthe results will be, but like them, it could be anything from bringing someoneto church or posting a blog that someone reads. Maybe it results in a miracle.

Most helping hands are in the background and are supportingmiracles. #helpers #steadfast #loyal #helpinghands #miracles #lameman

 

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

My Righteousness

Is it possible for me to be righteous before God? 

24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, accordingto my cleanness in his sight. (2 Sam 22:24-25)

When I read this passage or similar ones in the Psalms, Ithink that David must have written this before his affair with Bathsheba. Otherwise,how could he declare that he is blameless or kept from guilt? How could hepossibly think the Lord would reward him according to his own righteousness.What righteousness did David think he had? And then he considers that Godcounts him clean in His sight?

This song of David appears long after his sin with Bathsheba.Then it hit me. After David was confronted with his sin, the Lord toldhim that his sin had been put away. (And Nathan said to David, “The LORDalso has put away your sin; you shall not die” 2 Sam12:13).

This is a huge lesson and very hard for us to learn when wehave been struggling with sin or when our past sin comes to haunt us. The Lordputs away our sin and we are counted as righteous. Why shouldn’t we speak asDavid did about our life in Christ? I am blameless in his sight. I didn’t keepmyself from guilt, but He did, and He will. I have God’s righteousness, not myown. When He sees me, He see the cleanness of Jesus. He will also keep me thatway. So I need to tell myself (or Satan the Accuser) this when the past triesto get me down.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to presentyou blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (Jude 24).

 #righteousness#davidandbathsheba #cleanbeforegod #pastsins #satanaccuses 

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Presumption

Acts 1:15-26: Peter concluded that theyneeded to replace Judas as the twelfth Apostle. It leads to a lot of questions.Did God require this to happen? Peter thought so as he took Psalm 109:8 tojustify his reasoning. But look at who and how he was chosen. First, only twopeople were selected by the group. Were there not others who met Peter’squalifications? This is before the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost. Didthe Holy Spirit direct them to choose these two or was it Peter’s presumption? Justbecause Scripture records what happened, it doesn’t mean that it was what theLord wanted. There is disagreement among scholars about this.

I think that if the Lord wanted areplacement at this time, He would have let them know. He would also have castlots among all who were qualified, not just the two chosen by men. In addition,I believe Paul was the chosen replacement, it was in God's timing not man's.History is either silent or confused about what happened to Matthias. If hewere indeed God’s chosen Apostle, I would think it would be clearer.

Lesson: it is easy to run ahead of God inmaking our decisions. I know I’ve done that many times. It is easy to give Godtwo choices about what we want and think God wants one over the other and wewant Him to decide. However, it is most likely He has something completelydifferent in store. Instead of asking God what He wants, we ask God to blessour choices instead of accepting or even looking for His choice. That is the sinof presumption.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Steady Path

Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
(Ps 119:133)

I need steadysteps. Keep on keeping on. Heading in the right direction. Slow and steady.While Paul and Hebrews talks about the Christian life as a race Psalm 119:133 makes me think of a trek.Get up every morning and ask the Lord to fulfill his promise to keep me goingaccording to his plan. His plan to bring to completion the work he began in me (Phil1:9).

A big part of thatplan is to make sure that no inequity get dominion over me. Hebrews 12:1 tellsme to get rid of sin that entangles me. But here in Psalm 119:33 is a prayerthat it doesn't entangle me in the first place, or maybe after escaping it,never again to let it entangle me.

Make no mistake, ifit entangles, it will dominate. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving me yourpower to untangle my sin and keep it from coming back to dominate me.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Who Is in Control

Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward andsaid to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” … 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (John18:4-6)

Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. Notjust the next few minutes but the next three days. However, the next minutesare intriguing. When Jesus says, “I am” (Greek ego eimi), the same as inExodus by which God identifies himself, the soldiers fall down. God is in control;Jesus is in control. It's a wonder that after saying it again, they didn't falldown again and again and again. And they would have except for what Jesus toldPeter after he cut off Malchus's ear, “shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11).

Look also at the fact that even after Peter’s brazen act,the disciples were able to flee. That also shows who is in control to fulfillthe word of God as John 18:9 says.

Application: trust that Jesus is I Am and know he is incontrol of all our circumstances. Rest in that, be comforted, be courageous, beobedient, be whatever is needed in the moment.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Branches in the Vine

  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does notbear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, thatit may bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2).

There has been a lot of thoughts and commentaries written onthese two verses. But the big question for me has always been the fact that theverses say that every branch in me, he either takes away or prunes.Notice the ones that are taken away are in him. Jesus is the vine, andthose branches are in him. It seems to me that if a branch is inChrist he is saved and therefore can never be lost. Jesus says a whole lotabout that elsewhere. I understand completely the idea that if I am bearingfruit, he will prune me so that I will bear more fruit. That's the whole ideaof discipline, correction, and growth in Christ.

But if I am in Christ and I do not bear fruit that is anoxymoron. How can I be in Christ and not bear fruit? So, I did some research onthis once and found this:

E. W. Bullingerproposes as he examines the Greek word for “take away.” The Greek word, airo,which is also used to mean “lift up” explains that the branch is lifted up fromthe ground so that it can bear fruit. He went on to comment about how a vinedresser will pick up vines that have dropped down into the dirt. That way theycan bear fruit. (E. W. Bullinger, “John 15:6,” in Figures of Speech Used in the Bible)

However, that doesn't help when it comes to the followingverses where Jesus says the branches that don’t abide in Jesus are thrown inthe fire (verse 6).

Application: I don't really have to worry about what wouldhappen if I don't bear fruit. The fruit is the fruit of the Spirit, not leadingpeople to Christ, as some people mistakenly think is the fruit in these verses.I don't have to worry about what would happen if I do not abide in Jesus. TheBible tells me that I am in Christ, if I obey Jesus, if I obey his commands, ifI love him, all the things that have preceded and are also included in thesepassages. Now if I'm not obeying, if I don't have any love for Jesus or the Father,I'm in big trouble. I will be thrown away.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Loving Jesus

Keeping Jesus’ commands or his words is the proof of ourlove of Jesus. Jesus repeats this three times in today's reading in John 14:15-31.The first is, “If you love me,you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If I loveJesus I will keep his commandments, no wiggle room.  John 14:21 turns it around “Whoever has my commandments and keepsthem, he it is who loves me.”Whoever, and that's me, has his commandments and keeps them loves Jesus. Thencomes “If anyone lovesme, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him” (John 14:23). Anyone, that'sme again, who loves Jesus will keep Jesus’ word. “The word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s” (John 14:24).  So there is no loophole for not obeyingall of God's word or commandments.     

“Whoever has my commandments andkeeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by myFather, and I will love him” (John 14:21). When I love Jesus, the Fatherwill love me. It is interesting that this is not. “God loves everyone,” butonly those who love Jesus and keeps his commands. (That is something foranother day.) Back to John 14:16, “He [the Father]will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.”  When I love and obey, I get another helper,the Spirit of Truth to be with me forever. So according to this and John 14:20,“In that day youwill know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you,” I havethe Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit when I love and obey. I also must rememberit isn't me who is able to love Jesus, but he first loved me (1 John 4:19) andthat was while I was a sinner (Romans 5:8).

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me. Help me show my love byobeying you. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to enable me to love andobey you. Help me, Holy Spirit, to listen to Jesus and rely on You for thepower to obey and love Jesus.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Martha and Mary

[image error] Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, fif you had been here, my brotherwould not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will giveyou.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in theresurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives andbelieves in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believethat you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John11:21-27)

 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at hisfeet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not havedied.” (John 11:32)

Why is Jesus and Martha's conversation covered by six versesand Mary's statement to Jesus is only one verse? As I ponder this and thinkback to the previous time Martha and Mary were with Jesus, Mary sat at Jesusfeet learning from him while Martha was busy serving and not happy about Mary’sdevotion to Jesus. Now, Martha is the first to rush to Jesus and says the samething to Jesus as Mary, but Jesus takes the time to make sure Martha knows whatMary probably already knows.

The message is for us also, because we often forget whoJesus is as we rush through Scripture. It is also for those who don't yetbelieve and have eternal life. Martha gets it, sort of, but when it comes toputting her faith into action, she tells Jesus that Lazarus stinks (John 11:39).Does she really get it?

Then there is Mary. She says the same thing to Jesus, butshe falls at his feet. She is not blaming Jesus as it appears Martha did. Sheis grieving and Jesus grieves with her. No teaching. No rebuke. Just tears (John11:35).

May I have a faith that is like Mary's when troubled to cometo Jesus and fall at his feet.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert

Assurance of Salvation Because Jesus is God

    

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, andthey will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them tome, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’shand. 30 I and the Father are one. (John10:27-30)

    The Jews answered him, “It is notfor a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you,being a man, make yourself God.” (John 10:33)

Some people believe they can lose their salvation sostrongly that when they read these passages they rationalize it away by sayingthey can jump out of the hands of Jesus or the Father. But if that were so, itwould mean they are greater than the Father. Believing that the elect can fallaway diminishes the Father to being no more powerful than a man. But thatshouldn't be surprising because the same people claim that a human is able toveto God's election.

Another part of this passage is Jesus’ statement, “I and theFather are one,” only means they are one in purpose, not that Jesus is claimingto be God. If that were true, then Jesus should have corrected the Jews whounderstood that Jesus was claiming to be God. Instead, Jesus doubled down inverse John 10:38 saying the Father is in him and he is in the Father. Whoeversaid Jesus never claimed to be God has been blinded so they can't see the truthin Scripture.

Application: I can be sure of who Jesus is and because he isGod my eternal security is sure. If I were not sure, then what else in theBible would I doubt? I would have no assurance that anything in the Bible wascorrect. That would be pretty scary and should question all of reality. I wouldhave to depend on myself to make sure I’m saved and that is really bad personto trust for salvation.

Copyright by Ray Ruppert