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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Friday, October 18, 2024
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :The Apostles Commissioned Bible Verse:John 20:19-23 (NKJV) "Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” " Message:
The apostles have “gone to the mattresses”; they are hiding out. Jesus has been killed, and they reasonably fear for their lives. He appears to them and breathes on them; by this gesture, they receive the Holy Spirit, as Christ had promised they would after his death.
Then he says something that men have used, ever since, to fight and divide themselves over, something that probably has caused uncountable death and suffering, and has bitterly divided Christians for centuries. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven . . .”
The more hierarchical and liturgical communions, especially the Catholic and Orthodox churches, claim this saying as proof that only a priest, who has been ordained by a bishop in an unbroken line back to St. Peter, can grant forgiveness of sins. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus says this to Peter specifically and includes the famous phrase, “the keys to the kingdom of God.” The lineage back to St. Peter (or one of the other apostles in some churches) is called apostolic succession.
Other churches, while not denying that the apostles were given such power, believe that the power was not exclusive to them. They point out that Jesus did not say “only” if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven, etc. There are other contrary arguments, as well. (As I understand it, the Catholic Church does not claim a Biblical basis for the doctrine.)
The wolf will live with the lamb
I am not equipped to say what exactly Christ meant. What I am sure of, however, is that Christ would not want his believers to hate and fight and kill each other over an arguable interpretation of his words. He certainly, and without any room for interpretive differences, commanded his followers to love one another. He did not pronounce many of his teachings as literal commandments, so we should pay special attention when he tells us that something he says is a commandment, and these two could not be any clearer: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-39.)
Nor can one say that someone else is not his neighbor because he interprets a somewhat ambiguous phrase in the Bible differently. The very important parable of the Good Samaritan was precisely intended to show that every person is your neighbor, whether or not he shares your religious beliefs. Moreover, we are told: “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.” (Romans 14:1, ESV.)
We each have been given free will by God himself, and each of us should worship Christ as our minds, hearts and souls tell us. If we believe that our worship is the only correct one, we are deluded. If we reject, deprecate, despise, and even kill others who profess Christ, we mire ourselves in a terrible sin. We become, not disciples of Christ, but hypocrites who preach love of Christ while disobeying his most fundamental teaching.
Meditation : Prayer : Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made me one with your saints in heaven and on earth. Grant that in my earthly pilgrimage I may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know myself to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. I ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.............Amen |
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