Daily Bread 11-18-16

Luke 9:51-56

51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him.

53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

55 But he turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56 For the son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

ref. - Mk 16 - And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.........

Acts 1:2 - Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

1K 18:38 - Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

2K 1:10,12 - And Elijah answered and said to the captain of the fifty, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Matt 9:13 - But go ye and learn what that meant, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

John 3:17 - For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but through him the world might be saved.

Today we learn a lesson in temperance. patience, and God's will. When Christ was not accepted in a city the disciples asked him if he would destroy that city like those that came before him. Although he had the power, this was not what he was here for. He was an ambassador of peace. Instead of having a confrontation, he gathered his disciples and moved on to the next town. He was showing them that he would not cause war nor would he turn to destruction to solve the problem. For him to destroy the people would not help them. His mission was not to come and tear the place up but to show the people by example, and by the power of the Holy Ghost, that there was a better way to handle things. As many people as there are in the world, when one rejected him or two, he would just move on. If the ways of the first covenant would have been effective there would have been no need for Christ to come and change it up. He was so very near to being taken up into heaven to be with God that he wanted to show them a better way even when rejected. Sure, he had told them of their gifts and he had told them of their power in the Holy Ghost. Why, they even were gaining knowledge and wisdom. But not to use these things for destruction but to build up. So, in this instance, he was showing them how to properly be rejected. Today we need to pay close attention because many fail every day in this subject. When rejected they either turn it into an argument where they know more and the others know little, or they keep hounding and begging them to come and see their side. We need to start following the Master. There is a reason why he is called Master, you know. Even though we may have knowledge, a little wisdom, and we may even have the power in the Holy Ghost, we must know how to use them all. Our mission on this earth is not to destroy. It may be to tear down the building and help rebuild, but not to destroy. That judgment is only in God's hands and Christ himself as he walked the earth did not even use that power. The word of God says that if a place does not accept you, shake the dust off of your feet as a testimony against them and move on. Every aspect of this relies on the Holy Ghost. This is what we have today to lead and guide us so that we do not take on things that do not belong to us. In example, judgment and destruction. That is coming but it is not in our hands. Our job is to help others to prepare for the judgment and destruction that is to come. If people do not accept it, move on. There will be another around the corner that will accept it. Our time is too short and our gifts are too precious to be dwelling in one place too long. Move on and bring the gospel to others. No need to address those who we are leaving behind, move on. A lot of whom we leave behind will follow anyhow because they will realize that they are not as important as they thought. But to do this is wisdom and it can't come from man, it must be from God. So let us follow in the footsteps of Christ and dwell within the commandments that were given to his disciples. After all, if we follow him, he will make us fishers of men!!! Have a great day!!!