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“Today Excitingly Savior's Truth Identify, Following Yeshua!
(T.E.S.T.I.F.Y)”
By Ramesh
C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard
August 28,
2008
Editors Note: The devotional has a background song which can be heard if you use Internet
Explorer.
SCRIPTURE:
“The beginning of the gospel about Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will
send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" "a voice of
one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight
paths for him.” (Mark 1:1-3, NIV)
Observations:
I asked myself who are the CHARACTERS
mentioned directly or indirectly in these 3 verses?
1. Jesus Christ, the Son of God
2. Isaiah, the prophet
3. I [God]
4. Messenger
5. Lord
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what are the CLAIMS being
made about Jesus Christ?
1. The beginning of the gospel which is about Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ is referred to as Lord.
Interpretations:
I asked myself the significance of v. 1-3?
I found it very interesting that the Gospel of Mark starts out with
‘The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ,
the Son of God’ and moves right into prophesy. I decided to look
at prophesy before looking at what 'The beginning
of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God' means!
I was reminded of what expert witnesses who are called into court to
testify have to do. They give their credentials to why the jury, who are
ordinary citizens, should believe what they have to say. After their
credentials are given, they testify to what they were called in for.
In this case, in the Gospel of Mark the readers are reminded about
the Old Testament, especially regarding the prophesy given to Isaiah to
set up the credentials for the Gospel of Mark. Now the credentials that
have been given in Isaiah become a reality in the New Testament as the
testimony is given.
Observations:
I asked myself what is written in Isaiah the
prophet?
Isaiah, the prophet mentions God’s conversation with Jesus Christ
as a prophesy message which the Gospel of Mark reveals. This is evidenced by:
"A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway
for our God." (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
"I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will
prepare your way"-- "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the
way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" (Mark 1:2-3, NIV)
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself who the phrases in these verses
refer to?
I decided to take a closer look at the above verses:
1. “I will send” refers to God speaking to
Jesus Christ.
2. “my messenger” refers to God’s
messenger.
3. “ahead of you” refers to Jesus Christ
4. “who will prepare” refers to messenger
5. “your way” refers to Jesus Christ
6. “a voice of one calling in the desert”
refers to messenger
7. “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight
paths for him.” refers to Jesus Christ
Point 1:
“I will send” refers to God speaking to
Jesus Christ.
I was very excited to know this because it tells me that Jesus Christ
existed during the Old Testament too! What we know is that God was speaking to
Jesus Christ giving that prophesy to Isaiah.
Jesus
is referred to as God in Isaiah which is evidenced by
"prepare the way for the LORD; make straight
in the wilderness a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3, NIV)
Point 2:
“my messenger” refers to God’s messenger.
Jesus is told that a messenger will come but no name is given.
Point 3:
“ahead of you” refers to Jesus Christ.
Jesus is told that this messenger will precede His coming which tells me
that Jesus would not come until the messenger foretold by God came
first.
Point 4:
“who will prepare” refers to messenger.
Jesus is told that this messenger will prepare.
Point 5:
“your way” refers to Jesus Christ.
Jesus is told His way will be prepared.
Point 6:
“a voice of one calling in the desert”
refers to messenger.
Jesus is told this messenger will be 'a voice of one calling in the
desert.'
Point 7:
“Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths
for him.” refers to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is referred to as Lord! Throughout the Old Testament only God
Almighty, the 'I AM' is referred to as Lord. Now this same title is
being given to Jesus speaking of His Deity and Divinity. The name of the
messenger is revealed too!
"And so John came, baptizing in the desert region
and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark
1:4, NIV)
The messenger to precede Jesus would be John. He was
“a voice of one calling in the desert”
which is evidenced by “And so John came, baptizing
in the desert region”
(To be continued)
IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life by looking at these verses. The most
important thing that stuck out to me was the divinity of Jesus Christ
and prophesy. It made me see how prophesy can validate the
beginning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It also made me see how
important the Old Testament is even for Christians if we want to get to
know Jesus of the Bible. God spoke to Jesus in the Old Testament through
a prophesy revealed to Isaiah. Both Old and New Testament are God's
message for all people and not just a select few.
There
are those that believe if you are a Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jew,
Atheist, Agnostic, etc, that the Bible does not apply to you. But God's
Word is Eternal and His message from Genesis to Revelation is for
anyone. God gave us His Word so through the message, we can come to Him
to have a relationship with Him as we read, study, and meditate upon His
Word. All 66 books of the Bible are for anyone to read whether believer
or unbeliever.
Yes,
each book of the Bible is addressed to a specific people at the time it
was written but if it was just for them alone, we would not have Bibles
in the 21st century in thousands of languages. We would not even have
Wycliffe translators who go to remote parts of Africa, etc to translate
the Word of God, so tribes can understand it in their own language.
It is
exciting to know the Bible is the Word of God and that is what we should
live our lives by instead of believing 'the Bible contains the Word of
God' or 'the Bible becomes the Word of God'. O
Only
the first statement is the Absolute Truth. The problem with the second
and third statement is that it allows human beings to pick and choose
what they like to be the Word of God and if they don't like a command or
saying then to dismiss that as not being the Word of God. This is the
danger we are facing in the 21st century with liberal seminaries and
liberal theology. The entire Bible as we have it from Genesis to
Revelation is the Word of God.
Jesus
said that He did not come for the healthy but for the sick. By sick,
Jesus meant spiritually sick. In other words, Jesus came for those who
were missing the mark, those separated from God because of their sins,
and not for those who think they are righteous already. Jesus' words
even apply in this age where Bibles are sent to so many unbelievers so
that they may read it and come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
One
of the ways, I have seen people come to Christ is by reading the Word
and hearing the Word. You cannot believe if you don't know what you are
believing in. Believing in itself is the Work of the Holy Spirit
and His grace as the Word of God is taken in. So read both the Old
Testaments and the New Testaments allowing God's message to speak to
you. He will!
When
you read God's Word, don't be bound by the idea that you have to only
read the King James Version to get the Truth of God's Word. Those
that tell you that King James Version is the only Bible to read and all
other versions of the Bibles are wrong, need to be asked:
"Does that mean those who read Bibles in
different languages other than in English (KJV) are not actually reading
the Word of God?"
In
essence that is what they will be saying because they believe KJV
version is the only true Word of God.
God's
Word is infallible and incorruptible which is inspired by God and useful
for teaching, correcting, rebuking, that the man of God maybe thoroughly
equipped to do good works regardless of the translation a person is
reading.
That
needs to be understood to read the Old Testament and New Testament with
confidence. Regardless of what language or translation you read the
Bible in, you will come to realize that the prophesies in the Old
Testament still come true in the New Testament. God's Word is still
God's Word and it will bring forth fruit.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my
ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the
rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without
watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it
yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that
goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will
accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
(Isaiah 55:8-11, NIV)
APPLICATION:
I ask you now dear friend, how seriously do you testify about prophesy?
Dear friends, prophesies in the Bible have always come true and
will continue to come true. If you take prophesy seriously, let God’s
Word speak to you not only through the New Testament but also through
the Old Testament realizing the New Testament makes so much more sense
and becomes exciting to read when we realize most of the events that
took place in the New Testament were prophesized in the Old Testament
revealing why Jesus Christ came to earth!
Prophesy still matters today and the Book of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel,
Revelations and other books of the Bible have prophesies that have come
true in the past and that will come true in the future. The key is that
none of them have been proved to be false.
Predictions can be true or false but when God gives prophesy it will
always come true.
I
personally know of an atheist who gave his life to Jesus Christ to be
His Lord and Personal Savior because he was shown all the prophesies in
the Old Testament about Jesus that were filled in the New Testament.
We were proud to invite him to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to
speak to our students few years ago.
Now
he goes around testifying about prophesy. Testifying about prophesy is
not ignoring the Gospel for within prophesy the Gospel is revealed too.
Isaiah 53 is an example!
Friend, you have the opportunity to study prophesy in the Old Testament
and the New Testament. The Word of God is near you and able to transform
you. Pick up the Word and read it. Ask the Lord to let it speak to you.
If psychics, tarot cards, crystal balls, etc maybe fascinating to you,
they do not have the answers to life. Many times people hear someone
predict something about themselves and it plays in their head. Without
realizing, they themselves many times make that happen and think wow,
he/she told me that it would happen and it did. Now they get more sucked
into the occult. Predictions and prophesies are not the same.
Predictions don't always come true. Prophesy from God's Word always
comes true.
Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Universe knows the plans for you friend
and they are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a
hope. Yes, He does! We need not know what the future holds for us if we
take the present as a gift and allow Him to guide us daily. The future
is not a mystery with the Lord. Claim the promises God has for you that
you can claim for your future. There are prophesies in the Bible that
have proven to be true! That is exciting to know for you and
I to confidently testify about prophesy. Yes, it is!
Jesus testifies to His love for you based on being born on Christmas day
as God-incarnate so one day He could rescue you and deliver you, not
just you but all humanity who takes refuge in Him. Even Jesus' birth was
prophesized. If you take prophesy seriously, you will come to believe in
the Word of God as you ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you.
CALL TO COMMITMENT:
You
can do that right now friend! Repent of your sin and confess them to the
Lord. Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse you with His precious
cleansing blood to wash you clean. Believe that He rose on the third day
to give you Eternal Life. Acknowledge that He is the Lord of the
universe who you and I have the privilege of serving and being His
children. This is exciting to know! He will dwell in your heart if you
ask Him!
Won’t you come to Jesus this FALL of 2008 if
you do not know Him personally?
Won’t you testify about prophesy and the love of Jesus in your
life for He desires to give you a new identity?
You can live your life over. Though the years have gone by and you feel
your life looks like its going nowhere, you can still have a new
identity and a new start. Maybe you have messed up badly and feel like
your life will never change, maybe you have been hurt so badly and feel
like it cannot get any worse, maybe you have been stepped on all your
life and feel like you cannot get up anymore. Even if you feel your
future seems futile, I want you to know there is hope. Not the kind of
hope that's wishful thinking but a real inspiring hope.
How many wonderful opportunities you have missed, it's not too late for
you to change your life around. If you are discouraged and think, there
is no way I can have my life changed around, I want you to know that
with Christ all things are possible. Jesus loves you so much more than
anyone can love you. We have limits on love based on what others do for
us but Christ's love for you is unconditional. For unto us a child was
born, unto us a Son was given and His Names are Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace! If we do so
much for those we love and our love is limited, think about how much
Jesus will do for you whose love is unlimited. HE LOVES YOU! HE LOVES
YOU! HE LOVES YOU!
Whether or not you have a job, a boy or girl friend, family, fame, fun,
or fortune, etc that's not what Christ sees in you. He sees you as being
so precious and special in His sight! He wants to take care of you. No matter where you have been
or what you have done, you can come to the Savior and make Him Lord of
your life. He wants to be your Lord and Savior if you ask Him to! Your age does not
matter as the Lord can make an impact in your life. He reaches out to
you with His helping hands.
You have a golden opportunity to start this FALL of 2008
with the Lord Jesus on your side no matter what happened before. Let me
assure you, the transformation you will see in your own life. When
Christ touches the hearts of those who come to Him, there life will
never be the same again, never be the same again. You will have a
totally new perspective on life as you spend daily time with Him
praying, reading & studying the Bible meditating on its precepts, and
being plugged into a Bible believing fellowship of believers.
I
would like to invite you to Oakland International Fellowship if you are
looking for a church community to be part of. I want to also invite you
to Living Acts cell group which meets on Friday nights. You can contact
me at 412-720-4579 for more information.
Even as
you face the storms of life, the winds cannot shake you for you will
have a firm foundation on the Jesus
Christ, the Rock of Ages!
Even in your sufferings and pain, He will strengthen you as He
has our own family when our beloved dad and my mom's beloved husband of
38 years passed away before Christmas of 2007.
If
you would like to invite Jesus Christ to come and dwell in your heart and make Him a
daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be
alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them
come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to
wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as
you pray the prayer below, meaning it in your heart and believing. Yes, you can!
During my dad's illness, my mom and all of us have seen the Lord's
wonderful miracles throughout and His grace being imparted upon our dad
even before he passed away. Now he is in a better place in Heaven with
Christ the Lord who offers His free gift of grace even to you. This
means you don't have to earn Salvation but accept it as a gift of His
love. Today excitingly, Savior's Truth identify following Yeshua!
"Today Excitingly, Savior's Truth Identify Following
Yeshua!” (T.E.S.T.I.F.Y)/"How seriously do you testify about prophesy?”
Prayer:
Dear
Lord Jesus, it was prophesized in the Old Testament in the Book of
Isaiah that you will come to earth. Thank you for coming to earth for
us, to die for our sin on a rugged cross where your blood was shed to
save us! Then you came back to life and now sit at the right hand of the
Father. There are so many prophesies about you Jesus that are fulfilled
in the New Testament that were prophesized in the Old Testament. Thank
you Jesus!
And now Lord, my sin has made me dirty on
the inside and attacks of Satan have wounded me. I have gone astray and
have done my own thing. My sin has separated me from you. You in your
Holiness God cannot allow sin to enter your presence so you sent Christ,
the Lord to become the bridge for us to be reconciled to you if we
believe what Jesus was sent for and what He did.
I do believe Father God for all that Jesus did
for me. Jesus, I know you care for me and laid down your life for
me on the cross to give me new life as you shed your blood for me to
wash away all my sins. Your Blood became the transfusion for those
of us wounded by Satan. I accept the transfusion! Your blood heals all the wounded areas to give us a
new life cleansing us of our sin.
I want that new life that you offer so I turn to you now as a sheep that has
gone astray and ask for your forgiveness of all my sins! Wash me in your
precious cleansing blood. Thank you for washing me in your Blood.
Please come dwell in my heart and save me
Jesus. Deliver me Oh Good Shepherd! Thank you for your free gift of
grace! I know you can save me when I turn to you and ask you to be my
Good Shepherd. I want to hear your voice in my heart as I stay with you.
I want you to stay with me Jesus in my heart and make my heart your home
so I can always have you as my Good Shepherd with me guiding my path as
my God and my Savior. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit
and lead me in the right paths when I go the
wrong way, leading me to green pastures. I love you Jesus! Thank you for
making my heart your home, for living in me Jesus and I will live for
you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you for loving me so much that you were born in a
stable in Bethlehem so one day you could become my Good Shepherd.
I acknowledge you as my Lord and
Personal Savior believing in my heart that you were raised from the dead
and sit at the right hand of the Father. You are my Lord. Thank you for being the Lamb of God. Thank you for being my Lord and Personal
Savior and changing me. Thank you for filling me with the Holy Spirit
and I believe you who began a good work in me will finish it to
completion. I give myself to you, all that I am and ask you
to make something of my life. Thank you Jesus so much. Thank you have heard my prayer and
answered me. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
No matter what you feel in your heart,
know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To
make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him
as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the
Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into
prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel
of John or Gospel of
Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord
show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to
help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches
the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our
crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help! But
beware of churches who do believe in the Word of God completely but
there is no freedom in Christ but legalism involved.
As a student, it is not too late to join a fellowship on campus too
this blessed FALL of 2008! May the Lord's presence and peace fill you with His
love now and forever! Amen!
Friend, if you have prayed this
prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and
all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may
feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your
new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave
you nor forsake you! Amen!
Spend time in His word and let the Lord
speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out
the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through.
Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church
fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be
part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the
Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in
Bible Live Eternally!
Feel free to email me at
reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible,
pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My
number is 412-720-4579
"This is my
work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work
within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)
Love in Christ,
Ramesh
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