Meditation

11/30/2020

“Then Jesus replied, ‘Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!’” (John6:70)

Jesus created the circle of twelve disciples to serve His special purposes, not the purposes of he disciples. Like the twelve, we are to serve Jesus’ purposes, not those of our own invention.

Beloved, close relationships to God’s people and their activities does not guarantee salvation. Even one of Christ’s closest followers proved dedicate to Satan rather than to God.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, You have seen many, many people over the centuries, who have tried so hard to circumvent the process of becoming one of Your children. People may say, “Oh, he is such a good guy” or “She is always volunteering for community projects.” Abba, Jesus told us that we must profess Him as our Lord and Savior and also confess our sins, to seek the salvation that You provided for us. It’s not about donation/actions/ good words/etc., for in reality it is all those things, once we have accepted Christ into our hearts. Then, and only then, do we find eternal salvation, and even then, we must maintain our walk with Him and stay in prayer with You both, that we find the “peace that passes all understanding.” It is in Jesus’s name that we ask all this by You. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Your words are the windows of your heart.”

KNOWING GOD:

“When morning came he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” (Luke 6:13)

Major decisions in Jesus’ life were preceded by prayer. Before He chose the twelve, He prayed all night. Important decisions should calls us to long, extended prayer periods.

An apostle is a person commissioned to act with full authority for another. Jesus chose the twelve apostles from His larger group of followers so hey could learn His ways and teaching from their closer fellowship with Him. He could then empower them to work in His name and extend His ministry in Israel. They preached His message of the coming of the kingdom and were given the necessary power—-authority over demons—-to fulfill their task. Because the apostles were His agents, those who responded to the apostles were, in effect, responding to Jesus Himself.

I AM

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.” (Mark6:30)

Jesus ministered to and taught the masses. He also devoted time to withdrawing from the crowds to pray, teach His disciples, and prepare for His forthcoming death. His God-given mission included both public and private times, but the crowds often interrupted His attempts at privacy.

Messengers cannot consider themselves greater than their message of the One who sent them. The apostles had been authorized by Jesus to share in His work and were required to give an account of their work to Him. Apart from Him, they were nothing.

SECOND THOUGHT of the DAY:

“He called the twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew10:1)

Jesus was sent to renew the people of Israel. Jesus chose twelve men from the wider group of disciples to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. God began His people Israel with twelve sons of Jacob and twelve tribes.

He began the church with twelve apostles as witnesses to the saving activity of Jesus. The twelve were chosen to present Jesus to Israel through their preaching and healing. They proclaimed that in Jesus the Messianic Age had dawned upon Israel and the world.