We can once again use our sanctified imaginations... It is about 99.9% chance that he spent all night in prayer up there.
We see that he did pray all night before in
Luke 6--
"12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
If the one and only begotten Son of God needed it, how much more do we need to see the importance of prayer...
John 15:7 lets us know that abiding in Jesus is top priority
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Phil. 4:6,7
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Jer. 33:3 is God's phone number, so to speak.
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Matt. 21:22-
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
I Thess. 5:16-22-
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Going to faith for a minute...
Faith is one of my favorite subjects in the bible...
We need to see what faith is, how to get faith, and what happens to our fellowship with God if we don't have faith and don't operate in it...
FAITH
Heb.11:1, Romans 10:17, and Heb.11:6 tells us what faith is, how to get faith and you can't please God without faith.
Eph.2:8,9 tells us that we are saved through faith.
Col.2:6 tells us to walk in Christ as we received him...
"6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:"
Rom.1:17 says the just (righteous) shall live by faith...
"17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
Cf. II Cor. 5:21..."21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
II Cor. 4:13 let's us know if we believe (truly believe) we will be speaking it.
"13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;"
James 1:6 says "to ask in faith" then by the time you get to v.8 you know not to doubt, a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and won't receive anything from the Lord.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 2:17 shows us that faith without works is dead (stagnant, unproductive), it is not doing you or anybody else any good.
"17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."
Rom. 14:23 tells us that whatever "is not of faith is sin" in the last half
"23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
James 5:15,16 closes with the prayer of faith and also praying for one another that we may be healed.
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
John 8 Cont.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
The bible makes it plain that he WROTE in the ground. He did not draw pictures or build a sand castle, he wrote something.
John 8 Cont.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
I am going to use my sanctified imagination here a little bit since the word does NOT tell us what he wrote. I want to share some thoughts with you based on what the religious leaders did. I lean towards that he was writing things like adulterer, fornicator, liar, thief, cheat and maybe he looked up at each person that fit what he was writing and one by one they walked off.
John 8 Cont.
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Jesus did NOT say, "Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin SOME more."
John 8 Cont.
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Think about it. He told the woman to go and sin no more THEN he says these words. He is the light of the world and as we look to him and walk in him there is no darkness, sin with us or around us, we are walking in his life, his love, his Spirit. That is a moment by moment, day by day experience.
John 8 Cont.
13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
Jesus also told them at another time that the Father bears record to him also. They are always in agreement, so to speak.
Jesus came as Saviour the first time and he DID NOT come to judge but to free, heal, deliver, save BUT when he comes again, he is coming as Judge and he MOST certainly will be judging the world.
John 8 Cont.
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
Talking about a man, NOW Jesus is a man with "NO FEAR". He knows they tried to kill him time and time again but he just walked out of their midst. He was NOT going to die until his appointed time. He said in
John 10
"17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
John 8 Cont.
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
I must keep repeating Jesus came to die for our sins BUT if we reject that gift of salvation then it is not ours.
John 8 Cont.
25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day didn't want to be confused with the facts. Jesus told them over and over who he was and he showed it to them by his works.
John 8 Cont.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Now I want to share something the Lord taught me in these verses years ago. I was reading v36 and I said, "Lord, there is no if to it. you set me free. The Lord spoke to my spirit and told me to read it in context. I backed up to v 31 and started reading again. This is when he showed me that he sets me free by and through his word as verses 31,32 shows plainly. I shall know the truth and the truth shall make me free and the more I know of the truth, the freer I become.
John 8 Cont.
37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
I thought this was very interesting. Jesus said if they were the children of Abraham, they would do the works of Abraham. The works of Abraham were before the law, he was a faith walker, he believed God without the works of the law. I want to take you to a few scriptures now to back up my points.
Rom. 4
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.
3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
6 Even as David also pronounceth blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works,
7 [saying], Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom, the Lord will not reckon sin.
9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness.
10 How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision:
11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;
As I keep saying to people, we enter the rest of God as we walk in faith as the father of the faith, Abraham did. That was his works BEFORE the law was given and he pleased God.
Gen 15
1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
2 And Abram said, LORD God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
He believed God and that pleases God in basically the same way a parent is pleased when their children trust and obey them.
As I think about Abraham's work, my mind goes to Heb 4 and let's look at labour in that chapter.
Heb 4
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Think about this, we are to labour to enter into the rest of God and what is the labour, it MUST be faith, we are to walk in faith, submitting to God and resisting the devil to walk in the overcoming, victorious life. Faith is a work of God so we crease from our labour or work as we walk in faith by his anointing, his power. The Lord gives every man a measure of faith and we build on that faith as we feed on the word of God.
Rom 10:17
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 8 Cont.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
This fits a lot of religions and if we do not love God when he came in human flesh then how can we claim we know him now. He is the one and same God. When a person rejects Jesus then he rejects God. Jesus said it in many different ways, such as in seeng him they were seeing God (John 14:9) in believing in him they were believing in God (John 12:44) in receiving him they were receiving God (Mark 9:37) in honoring him they were honoring God (John 5:23) in hating him they were hating God (John 15:23).
John 8 Cont.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
Jesus said if a man keep my saying…. He did not say, "sayings" which is plural, he said saying which is singular. He also did NOT say Jehovah God's saying but his saying showing once again that he is Jehovah God in the flesh. This takes my mind to
John 6 when Jesus said,
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
ALSO
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 8 Cont.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
V 58 Jesus is making another super clear claim to deity and they knew it and since they knew it was in the law they could legally stone a man who claimed to be God so they tried again BUT he went through their midst as he had before. He was telling them that he is the great I AM of
Exodus 3:14 which says,
"14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
God is showing that he is the ever present God, he does not live in time, he created time for us. Jesus DID NOT say, "Before Abraham was I have been" or anything like it. He was telling the Jews that he is the great "I am", the ever present God with no beginning or no ending in regards to his deity.