Might Be Displayed

John’s 9:1-3 (ESV Strong's)

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

We are all blind from birth to the light of Jesus Christ. We can see the sun, but not the Son of God. He draws us to Him so that the works of God might be displayed. 

Being born in the darkness allows mankind to choose the light. Being created in the light allows the angels to choose to abide in the darkness. The inhabitants of heaven and earth both can choose to abide with God. 

Your Everlasting Light

Isaiah 60:19 (ESV Strong's)

The sun shall be no more

your light by day,

nor for brightness shall the moon

give you light;

but the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your glory.

The Lord will reside in Jerusalem. Isaiah says it and Revelation confirms this to be the case. 

Revelation 21:23

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

What Is Man

Psalms 8:3-4 (ESV Strong's)

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Man is the only creature in all of creation who can receive and abide with the Spirit of God. He is the only one who can enter in an intimate relationship with God. 

Linen Cloths

John 20:6-10 (ESV Strong's)

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger as a baby when He came to save this world. Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a tomb as a man crucified and dead to save the world. 

He came out of the swaddling clothes when He was resurrected and rose from the grave. The face cloth for the grave was no longer needed. Now when we see Him face to face, we will see Him as He truly is and we will be like Him. 

He began this journey in the Spirit to enter the flesh of man. We begin our journey in the flesh of man and enter the Spirit of God. We meet in the middle of the union of heaven and earth. 

The Sour Wine

John 19:28-30 (ESV Strong's)

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The sour wine is the tainted blood of our sin filling the cup of His sacrifice on our behalf. The blood of the sacrifice was usually sprinkled with hyssop. The word of God drank from the cup of God’s wrath for our sin. 

The Holy Spirit had already departed. Jesus the man was left to die on that cross alone. 

In Spirit And Truth

John 4:24 (ESV Strong's)

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

If God is Spirit, then it makes sense the way to Him is through His Spirit. Jesus was sent by God and came by the Spirit into the Son of man. He opened the way back for our flesh to God the Father by the gift of the Holy Spirit. The unity of His Spirit seals us in His life. 

Jesus had to leave before we could receive the Holy Spirit because only the body of Christ is the temple and dwelling place of His Spirit. 

Turn Aside

Exodus 3:2-3 (ESV Strong's)

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

The light of God reveals itself in the darkness of the man who is looking and turns aside. It is the answer to the why and the meaning of life. 

The fire of God will consume or refine. 

As Much As They Wanted

John 6:11 (ESV Strong's)

Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

Jesus is the bread from heaven. Fish are those who have come from the waters of mankind. This meal signifies the union of heaven and earth as they are eaten together. 

Were Foolish

Matthew 25:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

Is it possible to believe in Jesus, to be cleansed of sin as a virgin in Christ, and yet not be ready for His return? What did Jesus say? What would you say?

Upon The Seas '

Psalms 24:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

A PSALM OF DAVID.1 The earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein,

2 for he has founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

From the darkness of the the sea of mankind, the Lord cast His light and revealed the earth of man. This is the ground Adam was to tend and work before it was cursed for his disobedience. 

The word of God is sown in the hearts of mankind and a great harvest will take place. 

If You Forsake Him

2 Chronicles 15:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

1 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

True then and true today. We can follow Him or turn back. It is always up to us. 

The Work And Presence

We are made in God’s image when we enter the body of Christ because He took our body for His. This is the work and presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Work Of My Hands

Isaiah 60:21-22 (ESV Strong's)

21 Your people shall all be righteous;

they shall possess the land forever,

the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,

that I might be glorified.

22 The least one shall become a clan,

and the smallest one a mighty nation;

I am the LORD;

in its time I will hasten it.

Israel is the olive tree from whom the branch of the Lord grows into the tree of life. The Bride of Christ is grafted into that tree as wild olive branches who are supported by the the root of Israel. This is done for and by the glory of God. 

This will happen in its time. 

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The Ancient Path

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV Strong's)

Thus says the LORD:

“Stand by the roads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way is; and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

The ancient path is prepared from the foundation of the world. Those who choose its way are predestined to be with the Lord. 

Your Husband

Isaiah 54:5-8 (ESV Strong's)

5 For your Maker is your husband,

the LORD of hosts is his name;

and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called.

6 For the LORD has called you

like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,

like a wife of youth when she is cast off,

says your God.

7 For a brief moment I deserted you,

but with great compassion I will gather you.

8 In overflowing anger for a moment

I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”

says the LORD, your Redeemer. 

God the Father is the husband of Israel. God the Son is the Bridegroom of the Bride of Christ: the Church. 

The Lord of Hosts and our Redeemer are one. 

All These Things

Isaiah 45:7 (ESV Strong's)

I form light and create darkness,

I make well-being and create calamity,

I am the LORD, who does all these things.

The creation account begins with darkness and light. 

The Garden of Eden contained both the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. 

They both represent the same thing and pertain only to man and his relationship to God. These are necessary to create man in the image of God. It is the Lord who is doing this new thing with us. All things work to the good for those who love the Lord. 

They Know Not

Isaiah 44:18 (ESV Strong's)

They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

Every idol is made by someone who can’t see or comprehend the light, and thus remain in the darkness. They can only make what they know and reflect who they are. 

Appointed

Isaiah 44:7-8 (ESV Strong's)

7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.

Let him declare and set it before me,

since I appointed an ancient people.

Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.

8 Fear not, nor be afraid;

have I not told you from of old and declared it?

And you are my witnesses!

Is there a God besides me?

There is no Rock; I know not any.”

The word of the Lord was delivered by the Jews, by Israel. They are the appointed people to give witness to God. The ultimate manifestation of the word was the Son of Man who is God among us in the flesh of man, who came through the flesh of the Jewish nation. 

He is the Rock who became a stone of stumbling and ultimately the cornerstone of the risen church. This rock is the firm foundation that cannot be shaken. It is the stepping stone into the kingdom of heaven. 

Have Chosen

Isaiah 44:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

1 “But now hear, O Jacob my servant,

Israel whom I have chosen!

2 Thus says the LORD who made you,

who formed you from the womb and will help you:

Fear not, O Jacob my servant,

Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

Israel has been chosen from the womb to be the servant to God in bringing His light into the world. They were predestined for this honor and burden. 

The Church is formed after rebirth from above and transforming into the image of Christ. We are not chosen, but called. We choose to receive His life for our own. He welcomes all who will come. 

A New Thing

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV Strong's)

18 “Remember not the former things,

nor consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

The new thing is that the living waters rain down from heaven through the Holy Spirit who shows the way out of the wilderness and quenches the thirst of man for the word of God. 

In The Sea

Isaiah 43:16 (ESV Strong's)

Thus says the LORD,

who makes a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,

Moses parted the Red Sea for Israel to escape Egypt and Pharaoh’s army. 

Jesus has made the way through the waters of mankind to escape the darkness of man for the light of God. He is the ark of our salvation that will come to rest on a new earth. 

Making And Baptizing

John 4:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples),

The baptism with water is a sign of man confessing and coming to Jesus. It signifies making our hearts ready for the Lord, making His path straight through the wilderness of our hearts. It is something we do to acknowledge our faith in Him to cleanse us from our sin. 

Jesus baptizes with the fire of the Holy Spirit that takes a ready heart and begins to transform us into new creations in the image of God with His abiding presence. 

My Witnesses

Isaiah 43:10-11 (ESV Strong's)

10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,

“and my servant whom I have chosen,

that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me.

11 I, I am the LORD,

and besides me there is no savior.

The word was given to the Jews and they have witnessed and been witnesses of the Lord’s coming into the world. They were the voice crying out in the wilderness of the world preparing the way and we are now witnesses to the way. 

Everyone Who Is Called

Isaiah 43:6-7 (ESV Strong's)

6 I will say to the north, Give up,

and to the south, Do not withhold;

bring my sons from afar

and my daughters from the end of the earth,

7 everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.”

These words to Israel also apply to the children of the light. Israel has returned to the promised land from far and near and the ends of the earth, reforming the nation after almost 2000 years. 

It’s getting close to the time when the body of Christ will be called home from the ends of the earth. We are called by His name, created for His glory, and made in the image of Christ. 

In A Way

Isaiah 42:16 (ESV Strong's)

And I will lead the blind

in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known

I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,

and I do not forsake them.

Isaiah speaks of Israel, but the words apply to us today. He forsakes no one, wishing everyone would be saved. The way has been made. Come and see. 

The New Thing

Isaiah 42:8-9 (ESV Strong's)

8 I am the LORD; that is my name;

my glory I give to no other,

nor my praise to carved idols.

9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth

I tell you of them.”

Jesus Christ is the new thing, the new creation which springs forth from the earth of man. 

His coming was declared from the beginning and the end is foretold. 

My Servant

Isaiah 41:8-9 (ESV Strong's)

8 But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

Israel is the friend and servant chosen by God to bear His light into all the earth. 

The Church is the Bride of Christ who choose His Son and become children of the light and sons of God. 

Israel is the cultivated olive tree whose roots are in the earth. The Bride of Christ is grafted into that tree who are reborn from above. This is the tree of life. 

Your Resting Place

2 Chronicles 6:41-42 (ESV Strong's)

41 “And now arise, O LORD God, and go to your resting place,

you and the ark of your might.

Let your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,

and let your saints rejoice in your goodness.

42 O LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one!

Remember your steadfast love for David your servant.”

King David’s son Solomon built a magnificent temple for the the Lord to rest among His people, but it would not last. 

King David’s Son Jesus is building a magnificent and living temple for the Lord to rest among His people. He is the cornerstone of the everlasting temple whose beauty is beyond imagination. It will be served by a royal priesthood clothed with garments of the righteousness of Christ. His face will ever shine as the morning star on the people of the earth. The New Jerusalem will be His resting place when His work is done. 

What Likeness

Isaiah 40:18 (ESV Strong's)

To whom then will you liken God,

or what likeness compare with him?

The exact image of God in creation is Jesus Christ. In Him the flesh of man is joined with the Holy Spirit. This is the abundant life of which Jesus spoke and is the result of God’s word bringing light into the darkness of man. 

The Fruit

The fruit of the Spirit is most readily manifest in our everyday life, in our interactions with our brothers and sisters. Where two or more are gathered, He is there and seen in our lives.