New Orleans Mission Trip

Reflect Bible Study:John 2:1-12

As we study through John the book seems to become more and more precious as the Spirit shows us more of Jesus. 

After Jesus is filled with the spirit and begins his ministry by picking his first disciples we see Jesus perform his first miracle. Turning water into wine which at first glance seems to be a small miracle in comparison but as we discovered is and was incredibly important and symbolic. 

This small miracle performed only for a few servents gives us a clear picture of Jesus intentions and purposes were. 

Jesus in turning water into wine is making a Comparison of Himself  to Moses. Moses first plague was similiar but much different in turning water of the nile into blood. 

Moses/Lawgiver

Jesus/Grace Giver

River/into Blood

Water/wine 

Law/Always bloodies things up

Grace/Always brings Joy

Understanding the Heart of Legalism is important because it is how the world defines the church. We must understand what it is to live in Grace and to share it with the world. 

Reflect Bible Study:John 1:35-51

This past week at reflect Bible study we studied Jesus as He began to pick people for ministry. 

He had just been empowered for Ministry by the spirit and began with choosing his first converts. 

1. John 2.Andrew 3. Simon 4. Nathanael 5. Phillip 

The Question we asked ourselves was "why these men?". 

1. John "son of thunder" a seemingly angry person

2. Simon "shifting sand" Faith was constantly challenged

3. Andrew "brother of Simon" Andrew is not even a strong enough personality to be mentioned outside the context of his brother in the entire scope of the Bible. 

The answer can be found in Mathew 13:44-46 were we see the Saved as described as a pearl of Great price the God would sell all He had for. 

You see God gets determine your value not man, and we were bought with a High price and paid in full. The father sold all He had, you and I were bought with the blood of His son. 

We are a Pearl of Great Price to the Lord. 

Reflect Bible Study:John 1:29-34

The baptism of Jesus is a unique picture that shows us the Humanity of God and is a perfect module of what we can hope for. 

Leviticus 8 describes a priests threefold anointing. 

1. Water baptism

2. Oil anointing

3. Blood anointing

Jesus fulfills two of these in this chapter. 

First Water baptism which was an example for us because Jesus knew no sin. Second in a sense an oil anointing which is a picture of the Spirit for us. As Jesus is being baptized the Spirit falls on Jesus and stays on him. 

Jesus shows us what it is to live a life in the Spirit, and that Jesus in the flesh needed to be filled with the Spirit as do we. Immediately afterwords Jesus begins his public ministry. In this we can also understand that one of the works of the Spirit is for the empowerment of ministry. Acts 1:1-8 confirms that Jesus Spirit filled life and the Power He received, as well as Jesus being the first fruits of the Baptism of the Spirit. 

If we are not experiencing Christ exalting Power in ministry, as in lives being changed, and people being saved. Then we should turn to Lord in repentance and ask to be filled and baptized in the Spirit. 

Reflect Bible Study:John 1:19-28

The testimony of John the Baptist was this, "I am not Jesus". 

John the Baptist gives us a unique picture of what it was to be a "voice". It is an especially important passage for the evangelist to which we all are called in a time when there are so many voices out there. 

John witnessed in the "I am not"

1. I am not your King

2. I am not your Healer 

3. I am not your Judge

 

In approaching witnessing from the perspective of John the baptist we are able to Elevate  Christ and move ourselves out of the picture. 

This is a brief introduction to How we are begining to get vision 

for the CSU college ministry 

Birthday of Tragedy

Its my Birthday tommorrow and I get a little nervous around this date because of the mass amount trajedy's on or around my birthday. 

April 19th 

-Start of the revolutionary war with the "shot heard around the world" 

-the ship the Iowa blowing up and killing 47 soldiers

-the Waco fire when David Koresh and his followers killed themselves 

-the Oklahoma City Bombings

-Getting mentioned the movie 23 as a tragic date, cursed the movie

April 20th

-Prophet Muhammads Birthday

-Hitlers Birthday

-Columbine

This Year Passover on the Jewish Calender starts on April 19th sundown 

is this all coinciedence who knows? 

Peace with you all tommorrow.