Author: newlifenarrabri

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-21

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Scripture

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold onto what is good.

Observation

We must honour those who lead in the Lord’s work. We should show them respect and love.

We should rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. We must not stifle the Holy Spirit nor scoff at prophecies. Instead we must test what is said and hold onto what is good.

Application

There are people who, with no scriptural foundation at all, assert that the spiritual gifts ended when the New Testament was completed.

Here Paul tells us to not stifle the Holy Spirit nor scoff off at prophecies. This means that we should welcome all the works of the Holy Spirit, including those that make us feel uncomfortable.

We, that is leaders in the church, must work at making people feel comfortable in using the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12. If we hem these gifts in with too many rules and regulations, or criticise people, then we are stifling or quenching the Holy Spirit.

When a person prophesies, they are claiming to speak God’s word. We need to listen carefully, swallowing the meat and spitting out of the bones. When a person is speaking by their own spirit, or worse still, an evil spirit, then the church needs to be ready to correct what is wrong.

All of this does not mean we should abandon prophecy. No, we need to hear and discern the words of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, please forgive us for rejecting your gifts when they do not come in the package we expect. Help us to grow in your gifts and facilitate them in our meetings. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

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Scripture

Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him for ever.

Observation

We do not need to know when Christ will return. He will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. Disaster will all on those who deny the truth of Christ’s return.

We are children of the day and of the light, not of the darkness and of the night. We need to be alert, and live as children of the light.

Jesus saved us so that, whether we are alive or dead when He returns, we will live with him forever.

Application

The good news is that we will live with Christ for ever. Whether the day of his return is today or another thousand years away, we will all be raised to live with Him.

Nobody who loves Jesus will miss out on the resurrection. For this reason, we should not worry too much about “end times” teaching. It is far more important that we live as followers of Jesus in the present.

If we are faithful to Christ, He will be faithful to us. If we follow him all the way to our death, then we will join Him in eternal life.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for this wonderful promise that every believer will join you and live with you forever. Amen.

Quote for the Day

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Certain New Testament descriptions of evil spirits unmistakably point to an intelligent, conscious spirit entity. For example, certain passages straightforwardly present Jesus in an adversarial stance and in conversation with an evil/unclean spirit, with no hint that Jesus was “playing along” with a deluded, mentally ill individual who only thought he was possessed. Michael Heiser

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 4:9-18

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Scripture

The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. First the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

Observation

The Thessalonians don’t need to be taught about loving one another because they already do it.

They should live a quiet productive life. that way, non-Christians will respect the way they live.

The believers who have died will be raised to life. When Jesus returns, those who are dead will rise, and the Christians who are still alive will be caught up to be with the Lord forever.

Application

This passage (vs. 15-17) is often used to justify the erroneous doctrine of the Rapture.

This is not about a snatching up of the Christians prior to the Great Tribulation. No, this is the Resurrection of the Saints. When Jesus returns to the earth, all the Christians – both those wo are dead and those who are alive – will be lifted up to be with Him forever.

This is our hope. Regardless of where we and our loved ones live in the time frame of history, we will live forever in heaven, in the presence of God.

This is a physical resurrection in the same way that Jesus’ resurrection was physical. We will have a new body that is incorruptible and untouched by sickness or death.

What a happy day they will be!

Prayer

Come, Lord Jesus, come. May I be ready to meet with you on that day. Amen

Quote for the Day

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All who are members of the kingdom of Jesus are no longer under the curse of death. By definition this means Satan’s kingdom (and the curse of death) no longer has any hold upon them. The “accuser of our brothers” (Rev 12:10) remains active in the world until the final judgment, blinding the minds of people to prevent them from joining the kingdom of Jesus, but he has no accusation to bring against those who belong to Christ.  Michael Heiser

ROMA WATERMAN: PROPHETIC DREAM OF THE NEW WINESKIN

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A few weeks ago, I had a dream I was wearing an old business suit. It was baggy and didn’t fit right. The Lord was standing in the room with me, so I questioned him about this. As I did, he pointed at me, and the suit immediately tightened to completely fit my body like a second skin.
 
However, initially, this tightening was too tight… it felt painful, so I asked the Lord: “What is this? What is going on? This feels uncomfortable and too tight!”
I began to move around. As I did, this new outfit began to expand to fit my shape. But it didn’t become baggy like before; rather, it fit perfectly.
 
The Lord then said to me: “This suit represents my new wineskin. At first, it will feel uncomfortable, but as you walk in it, it will fit just right and become more comfortable”.
 
I believe the Lord was revealing four things in this dream:
 
IT IS NO LONGER BUSINESS AS USUAL
 
The business suit I was wearing didn’t work on my body any more. Same with Christ’s body – we don’t need outdated metrics, paradigms, branding and numbers to build His church! He is doing something new!
 
A MOMENT OF RESTRICTION BEFORE A NEW SEASON OF EXPANSION
 
Old wineskins will burst with new wine poured into them because, in the process of new wine fermenting, the old skin is incapable of holding in the gasses -or rather, the transformation of the new wine. However, when new wine is poured into new wineskins, the skin will eventually EXPAND to adapt to the aging of the wine.
 
There is a season of expansion as the new wine emerges. We are in a season where the Lord is enlarging us, and sometimes it will feel like we don’t fit in. In this season, it would be easy to run from this, but if we trust the process of expansion, and try not to get too overwhelmed by growth, eventually, we will adapt and fit into the new thing the Lord is doing. 
 
IT IS TIME TO MOVE
 
The new transition, although greatly desired, may also be uncomfortable, but it will only be for a moment. You may feel in a current season where finances are tight, or family or work is restricted, and you can’t move forward. But the key to the expansion in my dream was movement. I hear the Lord saying: “Keep moving! The restriction is not for failure or wrongdoing but for refining and becoming comfortable in the new”!
 
IT IS BOTH NEW…AND OLD
 
When we talk about new wineskins, we often think God is doing away with the old completely. But the new wineskin embraces the good things of what has come before, yet reshapes and remoulds it to fit the new shape of the body. It does away with the unnecessary fabric of the past that is now in excess – the things maybe, as a church, we added that God didn’t ask us to. IT BECOMES A HYBRID OF LEGACY, ANOINTING AND FRESH FIRE.
 
True kingdom living is one of apostolic legacy and honour. We can look back and carry forward powerful anointings and mantles of the past but wear them in a new way for a new era.
This also means no matter what age you are; the new wine is ready and waiting for you! You can be fresh in every season when you are willing to move and shift as God asks, and do not remain in old thinking and mindsets!
Lord, we say we are ready! And we will move with you!
 
Mark 2:22
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”