I would like to talk with you today about the event that occurred in which Jesus feed five thousand men with a young man’s dinner, five barley loaves and two fish. This event is the only miracle recorded in all four gospel accounts of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Given that I am memorizing “The Gospel According to John” it is that account that I am referencing to today, (John 6:1-14). It is very interesting that John chooses to include this account that Matthew, Mark, and Luke all included because typically He did not set out to simply record the same account that everyone else did, nor, set out to record a different account, his account is deep and personal. John was close to Jesus and his account of the gospel shows this closeness, John includes in his gospel account deep and personal things. Things that were said directly to the apostles by our Lord, John includes Jesus ministry in Judea prior to the ministry in Galilee, he does not really talk much about Jesus’ ministry in Galilee because the other three gospel accounts record in detail the things He did and said in Galilee. John’s account focuses mainly on the interaction and conflict that occurred between our Lord and the Jewish leaders (Pharisees) at the Jewish feasts in Jerusalem; that is the first half of the gospel account, then the second half of the gospel is a detail account of Jesus’ last week leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection, particularly His personal interaction with and teaching given to His disciples in private. There was much conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leaders and it was after one of these that John records the event of the feeding of five thousand men with five barley loaves and two fish.
In John five the Jews sought to kill Jesus because He broke their Sabbath (not God’s)by healing a man who was sick and could not walk, then they sought to kill Him because He called “God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:18). Not only did He not deny that He was equal with God, but the remainder of chapter 5 is a long discourse in which Jesus adds to that thought, “so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father” (John 5:23). With that in mind, and looking at John’s stated purpose for writing this gospel, “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31), we can then understand why John includes this miracle of feeding five thousand men with five barley loaves and two fish.
This miracle as well as Christ turning water into wine shows Jesus as the creator God; both of these are miracles of creation and show Him as the creator. In both accounts He made something that was not previously there, matter had to be created. They are so similar in fact, that while I was memorizing this, when I got to (John 6:11) “Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted”, I would often revert to re-sighting John chapter 2 saying, “Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ So they filled them to the brim” (John 2:7). Other miracles; healing blind men, healing leprosy, healing the lame, are miracles in which He took matter that was already there and reformulated it; but both turning water into wine and feeding of the five thousand, matter that did not previously exist was created; showing Jesus Christ as the Creator God.
"Repent and believe in the gospel"
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
I Need to Pray with People
Yesterday afternoon I was spending time in the word of God and read John chapters 6-8. After reading I began to pray and while in prayer I had this overwhelming compulsion to go out with the cross. Earlier I had been thinking about doing just that, but was unsure of weather I would or not because of time constraints. The church I am attending is Sylvania Church in Tyler, TX and on Wednesday nights they have a dinner from 5:00-6:00 pm; prayer and bible study from 6:00-7:00 pm and I really wanted to attend, it just so happens that the bible study this week was on (loving your neighbor). The time, when I had finished reading my bible and praying was about 4:15, and I needed a shower before departing home, but had this compulsion to go out with the cross. So I took a shower and got dressed, by this time it was 4:40, so I really was out of time. So I got into my truck and continued to have this compulsion to go out with the cross and particularly, on a corner I had gone to a couple of times before, but have not been to for about a month. The last time I was on this corner the environment was hostile to the gospel and even wound up leading to a conversation that I had previously written about. I spent time in prayer while driving and decided that I would stay on the corner until 5:15 then go to the church dinner.
I arrived at my destination at 4:55, took up my cross and headed to the corner of Loop 323 & Paluxy in Tyler, TX near Starbucks. The environment was much different than the last time I was there; many people were waving and I didn’t notice any insults. If you have ever done any street evangelism this is very strange. I had planned to stay until 5:15, so I was looking at the time, it was 5:13, and a car with a young woman age 24-30 pulled up behind me and began calling me to her. I walked over to her car and she said, “Are you here with a church?” I told her, “I go to Sylvania Church in Tyler, TX but I was out on the street as an individual witnessing for Christ”. She said, “I just wanted to thank you for what you are doing, my mother died in a car accident six weeks ago and my niece was with her and both of her legs are broken. Will you pray for her?” I assured her that I would, handed her a John 3:16 gospel tract, she departed, and I went back to the corner. The remaining time on the corner I spent in prayer calling out to God on behalf of this young women; praying for her salvation as I did not know her heart, praying for the Holy Spirit to give her comfort over the loss of her mother, and asking the Lord to heal her niece’s legs.
I have to tell you that I felt a little overwhelmed and taken back, I realized that God put me on that corner for that young woman. Now I must admit to you some mistakes I made, and have repented from; the Lord taught me much through this encounter. First of all, I didn’t get her name, her mother’s name, or her niece’s name because I didn’t ask. Secondly I should have prayed with her, I am very standoffish towards women when out evangelizing, when I will boldly talk with men, out of fear of falling into temptation. Thirdly and fore mostly I should have talked with her about the Lord, all though I did give her a tract. From now on, if you ask me to pray for you, I will ask you for your name and will pray with you, and I will also talk with you about the Lord no matter who you are.
Now, to this young woman; the Lord loves you, He sent His Son to die in your place. The love we express as people in this world is faulty, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:8-9). I am committing myself to go to the Lord in prayer on your behalf everyday for the remainder of the month of June, today is June 21, 2012. I will be praying for your salvation that you may know the Lord, I will be praying for the Lord to give you comfort in your loss, and for the Lord to heal your niece. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”. (Jesus)
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
I arrived at my destination at 4:55, took up my cross and headed to the corner of Loop 323 & Paluxy in Tyler, TX near Starbucks. The environment was much different than the last time I was there; many people were waving and I didn’t notice any insults. If you have ever done any street evangelism this is very strange. I had planned to stay until 5:15, so I was looking at the time, it was 5:13, and a car with a young woman age 24-30 pulled up behind me and began calling me to her. I walked over to her car and she said, “Are you here with a church?” I told her, “I go to Sylvania Church in Tyler, TX but I was out on the street as an individual witnessing for Christ”. She said, “I just wanted to thank you for what you are doing, my mother died in a car accident six weeks ago and my niece was with her and both of her legs are broken. Will you pray for her?” I assured her that I would, handed her a John 3:16 gospel tract, she departed, and I went back to the corner. The remaining time on the corner I spent in prayer calling out to God on behalf of this young women; praying for her salvation as I did not know her heart, praying for the Holy Spirit to give her comfort over the loss of her mother, and asking the Lord to heal her niece’s legs.
I have to tell you that I felt a little overwhelmed and taken back, I realized that God put me on that corner for that young woman. Now I must admit to you some mistakes I made, and have repented from; the Lord taught me much through this encounter. First of all, I didn’t get her name, her mother’s name, or her niece’s name because I didn’t ask. Secondly I should have prayed with her, I am very standoffish towards women when out evangelizing, when I will boldly talk with men, out of fear of falling into temptation. Thirdly and fore mostly I should have talked with her about the Lord, all though I did give her a tract. From now on, if you ask me to pray for you, I will ask you for your name and will pray with you, and I will also talk with you about the Lord no matter who you are.
Now, to this young woman; the Lord loves you, He sent His Son to die in your place. The love we express as people in this world is faulty, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:8-9). I am committing myself to go to the Lord in prayer on your behalf everyday for the remainder of the month of June, today is June 21, 2012. I will be praying for your salvation that you may know the Lord, I will be praying for the Lord to give you comfort in your loss, and for the Lord to heal your niece. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”. (Jesus)
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Father’s Day and Gay Marriage
The word Father in English derived from the Middle English word fader – the word means to beget, to be the founder, producer, or author of, and to accept responsibility for (Merriam-Webster). God is called our father in heaven - He Beget creation, He is the author and sustainer of all life. The One who created us and sustains us came in human flesh and lived as a man. Jesus said: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). The word Father is translated from the Greek word – πατήρ pronounced in English patér phonetically: (pat-ayr') from the root, pa; literally, nourisher, protector, upholder (Strong’s concordance, 3962).
The word Husband in English derived from the Middle English word husbonde – the word means master of a house. “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The word Husband is translated from the Greek word - ἀνήρ pronounced in English anér phonetically (an'-ayr) defined as - a male human being; a man, husband. So if a woman were to say this is my husband, what she is quite literally saying is, (this is my man, the one who is master over my household).
So why all the definitions; because these definitions of Father and Husband are not popular in America, in fact for many years now there has been outright hostility in this country against them. I am going to make a statement here that will make some of you angry. I do not say this from the point of view of a hater of America; I say this having served this country as a Sergeant in the U. S. Army for a period of 5 years. America is not a Christian country! Not only is America not a Christian country, America is outright hostile to Biblical Christianity, and outright hostile to Fatherhood, Marriage, and in particular Husbands. Why; because these represent in a physical way, God and the Church.
Television and all of entertainment in America display fathers and husbands as; foolish, self seeking, lustful, unfaithful, childish liars serving themselves and putting their own selfish desires ahead of the needs of those in his household; while portraying the children as the one who corrects the father and portrays the mother/wife as strong leader in the household, I for one have had enough of this. A father is strong; he stands up for his children and protects them both spiritually and physically. A father disciplines his children when they step off the correct path and is their guide along the correct path. A father teaches his children right from wrong so that when it comes time for them to make decisions for themselves they will know which path to take. A husband loves his wife and forsakes his own desires for her needs. A husband is faithful to his wife both mentally and physically; he is yoked to her with an unbreakable covenant. A husband and father are willing to lay down his life for the sake of his wife and children.
Given that America is not a Christian God fearing country, and is outright hostile towards Biblical Christianity; that for years now in popular culture the idea of marriage, husbands, and fathers has been completely emasculated; why is it so surprising that this culture would redefine marriage, husbands, and fathers to be what whatever they wanted it to be, especially in this post modern mind set. I have a few more definitions for you. The Ten Commandments or Decalogue given to Moses on two stone tables are the summary of the moral law of God; it is the standard by which all men are to live. What is sin? “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4), lawlessness is defined as such – not regulated by or based on law, not restrained or controlled by law, unruly (Merriam – Webster). Sin says; I don’t care God what your law says not to do, I’m going to do what I want to do. The 7th Commandment of God says do not commit adultery. To understand God’s law we first need to understand God’s not society’s definition of adultery. The Bible has defined marriage as between one man and one woman for life. “And He (Jesus) answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6). Adultery is sex with anyone outside of this bond that God has put together, anyone! Doesn’t matter how you feel about it, doesn’t matter if you like it, doesn’t matter how much you are attracted to or love the other person; “What therefore God has joined together let no man separate”, it doesn’t matter how right it may feel or what may be acceptable to society; God is the creator and sustainer of life and He has defined marriage as being between one man and one woman for life. Sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend is adultery, if you are a woman sex with another woman is adultery, if you are a man sex with another man is adultery. I work around a lot of 20 something’s, I have noticed something that has become common amongst this age group. When they get engaged to be married they move in together, they don’t wait until the marriage day to move in together, they move in together based on a decision to become married before they actually do. Listen up, unless you have been joined together for life by a covenant before God and the witnesses of men you are not married. Jesus brought this sin of adultery to even more light, which it goes beyond the physical. Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). Sexual sin is so important to God that if you even think it, you have committed adultery. Yet we live in a society that flaunts and parades sexual sin. Woman are encouraged to wear as little clothing as possible, men laugh and joke about sexual sin and are proud of their lust. Men and woman have no Covent bond; they hop from one bed and marriage partner to another regularly. Friend, no matter how you feel about it, no matter wether you are in agreement about it, this is lawlessness. “Therefore God gave them over in the lust of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them” (Romans 1:24). Why is anyone surprised that this county and this society who has total disdain for God’s law, for marriage, for husbands, and fathers would redefine marriage? Why would anyone be surprised that this society would redefine marriage as being between two men or two women, it has already been given over to a debased mind? All sexual sin is lawlessness, and all sin is death.
I once was a slave to sin and particularly sexual sin, through hearing the word of Christ God saved me, I was born again and saw my sin for the first time in the light of Jesus Christ. God gave me His spirit causing me to repent and trust alone in Jesus Christ, justified by His blood, and saved from the wrath of God through Him. If through reading this you realize that you are living in sexual sin, repent come out of your sexual sin. There is forgiveness for all sin. Jesus the only begotten son of God died on the cross as payment for our sins, and then He was buried, and then He was raised from the dead on the third day forever defeating sin and death. Sin = death. Jesus = life. Run from sin, I mean run and never look back run into the arms of the only one who can save you from death, Jesus Christ. There is forgiveness for sin for all who repent and put their faith solely in Jesus Christ, but if you remain in your sin you will die in your sin. I beg you on behalf of Christ, run and never look back, repent and believe the gospel.
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
The word Husband in English derived from the Middle English word husbonde – the word means master of a house. “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The word Husband is translated from the Greek word - ἀνήρ pronounced in English anér phonetically (an'-ayr) defined as - a male human being; a man, husband. So if a woman were to say this is my husband, what she is quite literally saying is, (this is my man, the one who is master over my household).
So why all the definitions; because these definitions of Father and Husband are not popular in America, in fact for many years now there has been outright hostility in this country against them. I am going to make a statement here that will make some of you angry. I do not say this from the point of view of a hater of America; I say this having served this country as a Sergeant in the U. S. Army for a period of 5 years. America is not a Christian country! Not only is America not a Christian country, America is outright hostile to Biblical Christianity, and outright hostile to Fatherhood, Marriage, and in particular Husbands. Why; because these represent in a physical way, God and the Church.
Television and all of entertainment in America display fathers and husbands as; foolish, self seeking, lustful, unfaithful, childish liars serving themselves and putting their own selfish desires ahead of the needs of those in his household; while portraying the children as the one who corrects the father and portrays the mother/wife as strong leader in the household, I for one have had enough of this. A father is strong; he stands up for his children and protects them both spiritually and physically. A father disciplines his children when they step off the correct path and is their guide along the correct path. A father teaches his children right from wrong so that when it comes time for them to make decisions for themselves they will know which path to take. A husband loves his wife and forsakes his own desires for her needs. A husband is faithful to his wife both mentally and physically; he is yoked to her with an unbreakable covenant. A husband and father are willing to lay down his life for the sake of his wife and children.
Given that America is not a Christian God fearing country, and is outright hostile towards Biblical Christianity; that for years now in popular culture the idea of marriage, husbands, and fathers has been completely emasculated; why is it so surprising that this culture would redefine marriage, husbands, and fathers to be what whatever they wanted it to be, especially in this post modern mind set. I have a few more definitions for you. The Ten Commandments or Decalogue given to Moses on two stone tables are the summary of the moral law of God; it is the standard by which all men are to live. What is sin? “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4), lawlessness is defined as such – not regulated by or based on law, not restrained or controlled by law, unruly (Merriam – Webster). Sin says; I don’t care God what your law says not to do, I’m going to do what I want to do. The 7th Commandment of God says do not commit adultery. To understand God’s law we first need to understand God’s not society’s definition of adultery. The Bible has defined marriage as between one man and one woman for life. “And He (Jesus) answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’? “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6). Adultery is sex with anyone outside of this bond that God has put together, anyone! Doesn’t matter how you feel about it, doesn’t matter if you like it, doesn’t matter how much you are attracted to or love the other person; “What therefore God has joined together let no man separate”, it doesn’t matter how right it may feel or what may be acceptable to society; God is the creator and sustainer of life and He has defined marriage as being between one man and one woman for life. Sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend is adultery, if you are a woman sex with another woman is adultery, if you are a man sex with another man is adultery. I work around a lot of 20 something’s, I have noticed something that has become common amongst this age group. When they get engaged to be married they move in together, they don’t wait until the marriage day to move in together, they move in together based on a decision to become married before they actually do. Listen up, unless you have been joined together for life by a covenant before God and the witnesses of men you are not married. Jesus brought this sin of adultery to even more light, which it goes beyond the physical. Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). Sexual sin is so important to God that if you even think it, you have committed adultery. Yet we live in a society that flaunts and parades sexual sin. Woman are encouraged to wear as little clothing as possible, men laugh and joke about sexual sin and are proud of their lust. Men and woman have no Covent bond; they hop from one bed and marriage partner to another regularly. Friend, no matter how you feel about it, no matter wether you are in agreement about it, this is lawlessness. “Therefore God gave them over in the lust of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them” (Romans 1:24). Why is anyone surprised that this county and this society who has total disdain for God’s law, for marriage, for husbands, and fathers would redefine marriage? Why would anyone be surprised that this society would redefine marriage as being between two men or two women, it has already been given over to a debased mind? All sexual sin is lawlessness, and all sin is death.
I once was a slave to sin and particularly sexual sin, through hearing the word of Christ God saved me, I was born again and saw my sin for the first time in the light of Jesus Christ. God gave me His spirit causing me to repent and trust alone in Jesus Christ, justified by His blood, and saved from the wrath of God through Him. If through reading this you realize that you are living in sexual sin, repent come out of your sexual sin. There is forgiveness for all sin. Jesus the only begotten son of God died on the cross as payment for our sins, and then He was buried, and then He was raised from the dead on the third day forever defeating sin and death. Sin = death. Jesus = life. Run from sin, I mean run and never look back run into the arms of the only one who can save you from death, Jesus Christ. There is forgiveness for sin for all who repent and put their faith solely in Jesus Christ, but if you remain in your sin you will die in your sin. I beg you on behalf of Christ, run and never look back, repent and believe the gospel.
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
All Souls Belong to the Lord God
"Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4), men act as if life were their own. They say; "It's my life I can do whatever I want to do with it". Men sin because they want to make themselves God. The Lord God is the Creator and Sustainer of life; no life exists outside of Him, He is life. Jesus said: "I lay down My life for the sheep" (John 10:15). "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” (John 10:18). Jesus had life to give because He is life; we have no life in and of ourselves. We cannot give life when we want to nor take it up again when we want to, because we have not life, it belongs to the Lord God. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the prophet and said; "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die." (Ezekiel 18:4). All lives, all life, all persons, all souls belong to the Lord God. Men fight against this with all kind of futility; they create for themselves false gods who do not nor cannot have authority over them; what are some of the first words out of a child's mouth? No and mine! Men begin in sin taking what does not belong to them and claiming it as their own, but the futility ends when God takes what is righteously His; every life, every person, every soul is the Lord God's.
"Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period— if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully— he is righteous and will surely live,” declares the Lord God." (Ezekiel 18:4-9).
I know of only one Man that lived that way and He deserved to live and we deserve to die. He died in our place so that we might live in Him. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21). His name is Jesus, all who repent of their sins and have faith in Jesus will surely live. No mater how much you deny it, life is not yours it belongs to the Lord God. You sin, you die, "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live"" (Ezekiel 18:31-32). Jesus said: "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47).
In Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
"Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. “But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period— if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and man, if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully— he is righteous and will surely live,” declares the Lord God." (Ezekiel 18:4-9).
I know of only one Man that lived that way and He deserved to live and we deserve to die. He died in our place so that we might live in Him. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21). His name is Jesus, all who repent of their sins and have faith in Jesus will surely live. No mater how much you deny it, life is not yours it belongs to the Lord God. You sin, you die, "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live"" (Ezekiel 18:31-32). Jesus said: "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47).
In Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Monday, June 4, 2012
Getting Back on Tract with; The Gospel According to John
Nearly one year ago on June 12th of 2011 through the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit of God I began to memorize “The Gospel According to John”. As I memorized this wonderful Gospel account of my Lord I would weekly write about Him in relation to this gospel in-particular; as the year wore on I kept memorizing “The Gospel According to John” but drifted away from writing about my Lord through this gospel. Other things in scripture began to grab my attention particularly the gospel and Romans chapter 3. Then, after that I began to write about whatever I felt like, mainly my exploits in evangelism. Lately I have felt like I have lost something, like I have lost an old friend. Some of this stems from the fact that my wife and I left our church of ten years and began attending another church with a different body of believers. We have left much behind in that fellowship and a large chunk of our hearts as well, but I do believe that the move was what the Spirit wanted us to do, in fact the Lord has been telling us to move for quite some time; but still the change and loss of friendships is difficult. This feeling of loss also stems from the fact that I have stopped doing what the Lord had originally led me to do one year ago in memorizing the gospel of John, writing about Him and sharing with you what the Lord has shown me in meditating on His life with us through “The Gospel According to John”. When I began this journey with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I was reading the (NKJV) of the Bible and have changed to the (NASB); the reason, the (NASB) is the most literal word for word translation in the English language, I wanted to be as close to the original text as an English speaking believer can be. As you may or may not know the scriptures were primarily written in Hebrew and Greek.
{The majority of the Old Testament in Hebrew, but a few chapters in the prophecies of Ezra and Daniel and one verse in Jeremiah was written in a language called Aramaic. Aramaic was the common language spoken in Israel during Jesus’ time. The New Testament however was written in Greek in the Gospels a few Aramaic words were used, but the New Testament was almost entirely in Greek. Greek was the language of scholarship during the years the New Testament was written, thus the New Testament was written in Greek, but a common form of Greek was used. The spoken language after the exile had changed from Hebrew to Aramaic so there were very few who could read Hebrew. The Old Testament was translated from the original Hebrew to Greek beginning in 300 B.C. and was completed in 200 B.C. ~Source: Biblica.}
The point I am making, (All though the (KJV) only people may try and disagree!)is that the Bible was not written in English, all English Bibles are translations from the original languages of Hebrew, Greek, and some Aramaic words. There is a long history of the Bible being translated into English by Many brave brothers in Christ, who lost their lives getting the Word of God into the hands of English speaking people; the first was John Wycliffe in the 1380’s. If you are interested in the history of the Bible being translated into English click this link, (English Bible History). It is fascinating, many brothers in Christ lost their lives getting the bible into the hands of the common English speaking person, now men and women everywhere can read the Word of God in their own language for themselves and I for one think God for this. I was not intending to make this into a history listen, but the point is the English Bible is a translation, so I wanted to read the Bible as close as possible to the original text as I can get in the English language, and after much research that turned out to be the (NASB) translation.
By the grace of God I have memorized the first 5 chapters of “The Gospel According to John” and have started on the 6th chapter. My plan, God willing, is to get back to memorizing and meditating on this wonderful Gospel of our Lord and writing about what the Lord has revealed to me through His word each week. Remember this, I am not a theologian, I have no formal Bible training, I did not go to seminary; what am I? A Believer of the Way in Jesus Christ who loves the LORD, so next time I write, Lord willing, I will be writing about my Lord in chapter 6 of “The Gospel According to John”; looking forward to getting back on tract on this Journey with Jesus, God bless.
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
{The majority of the Old Testament in Hebrew, but a few chapters in the prophecies of Ezra and Daniel and one verse in Jeremiah was written in a language called Aramaic. Aramaic was the common language spoken in Israel during Jesus’ time. The New Testament however was written in Greek in the Gospels a few Aramaic words were used, but the New Testament was almost entirely in Greek. Greek was the language of scholarship during the years the New Testament was written, thus the New Testament was written in Greek, but a common form of Greek was used. The spoken language after the exile had changed from Hebrew to Aramaic so there were very few who could read Hebrew. The Old Testament was translated from the original Hebrew to Greek beginning in 300 B.C. and was completed in 200 B.C. ~Source: Biblica.}
The point I am making, (All though the (KJV) only people may try and disagree!)is that the Bible was not written in English, all English Bibles are translations from the original languages of Hebrew, Greek, and some Aramaic words. There is a long history of the Bible being translated into English by Many brave brothers in Christ, who lost their lives getting the Word of God into the hands of English speaking people; the first was John Wycliffe in the 1380’s. If you are interested in the history of the Bible being translated into English click this link, (English Bible History). It is fascinating, many brothers in Christ lost their lives getting the bible into the hands of the common English speaking person, now men and women everywhere can read the Word of God in their own language for themselves and I for one think God for this. I was not intending to make this into a history listen, but the point is the English Bible is a translation, so I wanted to read the Bible as close as possible to the original text as I can get in the English language, and after much research that turned out to be the (NASB) translation.
By the grace of God I have memorized the first 5 chapters of “The Gospel According to John” and have started on the 6th chapter. My plan, God willing, is to get back to memorizing and meditating on this wonderful Gospel of our Lord and writing about what the Lord has revealed to me through His word each week. Remember this, I am not a theologian, I have no formal Bible training, I did not go to seminary; what am I? A Believer of the Way in Jesus Christ who loves the LORD, so next time I write, Lord willing, I will be writing about my Lord in chapter 6 of “The Gospel According to John”; looking forward to getting back on tract on this Journey with Jesus, God bless.
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
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