This we know

These last few days have been a bit of a fog physically. Mentally. I have so much on my heart that I don’t want to forget. All that the Lord is teaching me and growing me.

Let’s start with Sunday. Is that only yesterday? Oy. I’ve been reading in Acts for a study I’m in. I’ve been speaking with others who hurt physically and mentally and when i came across this passage in Acts chapter 5, my mind held onto this. I’m not completely there yet, but here’s the passage.

“The Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) took his advice; and after summoning the apostles, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them. So they left the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy [dignified by indignity] to suffer shame for [the sake of] His name. And every single day, in the temple [area] and in homes, they did not stop teaching and telling the good news of Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭40‬-‭42‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/act.5.40-42.AMP

They left the council, rejoicing. Just stop right there. Read the line above, flogged and ordered. THEN they rejoice. This is something i think we are not taught very often. We are taught to expect God to do this when we pray. Do that. And if your request is not met by your standards of time, then the focus turns to you. What sin do you have in your life? What wrong have you committed?

God is not having that conversation. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m actually actually quite certain that we absolutely need to reckon with our sin and the consequences.) But here? Peter and John rejoice because of the suffering. It is in his name, for his glory.

Here is what amazes me. They rejoiced because that had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the sake of HIS name. What if i began to look at my pain in this light? Give God glory for the things He has done. In pain, may my life be a sacrifice.

Today, I continue my monthly reading of the gospels. This month, all the readings are chronological so we hear the same story from different perspectives and stories that are included in just one book. Everything Jesus did was wonderful.

They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything [Jesus} does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.
Mark 7:37 NLT - Bible.comBible.comhttps://www.bible.

And the other highlight for me is the stories of feeding the 12,000 people. (5,000 men) Before Jesus showed his miraculous feeding, he gave thanks for what they had. That preaches to my heart. Rather than all my worries and fretting, I want to give thanks for all i have. And always remember everything Jesus did here while on earth was wonderful.

Lastly was this afternoon’s study over 1 John. I was going to teach tonight and the hubs advised continuing to rest and recuperate. And i began to realize there was a phrase.

“And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.2.3.AMP

You know what’s coming…A list!

This we know…

• And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).” 1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭AMP‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.2.3.AMP
• “But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.” 1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭AMP‬‬. https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.2.5-6.AMP
• “By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers.” 1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭AMP‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.3.16.AMP

There are more, but this is a start. And i wanted to write this all down of how god is leading and speaking to me through his word. See ya tomorrow.