HOLY

(John 2:1)

1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,

Okay, here's a little something about Mary, mother of Jesus. Growing up I had always thought that Jesus was actually the DNA son of Mary. But as I got older and began to study a little about the uniqueness of the blood of Christ, I came upon some very cool revelations. I know there are a million, gah-zillion theories on the matter, but here's the one that makes sense to me.

Consider (Hebrews 10:5-6)

5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.

When we remember from John 1, how that Christ is eternal, that he has always existed as God, that he was with the Father at the creation of the earth and of mankind... it becomes evident that Emmanuel (God with us) prepared a physical body on this earth, and entered into it as a Spirit Being dwelling inside an earth suit.

Wow, behold the mystery of the incarnation. Almighty God, existing beyond the universe and within it, suddenly focuses his presence in the tiny speck of dust of a human body, a man. God become man. All God in who he is, all man existing in the physical world, God become Man. You just can't explain or describe that effectively.

So here is the science that I have come to understand about blood and pregnancy. I always wondered, what makes the blood of Christ so unique. If he was born of Mary, from her DNA, wouldn't he still inherit the sin gene like the rest of us. How is his blood pure and clean, without blemish, and untainted?

It's all about pregnancy -- specifically -- surrogacy.

In preganancy, the mother's blood never mingles with the baby that she carries. Food is filtered to the baby thru the umbilical cord, but not the blood. So the baby gets nutrition, but none of the mother's blood. Normally if you put one type of blood in someone of a different blood type, it will kill them. But a baby can be born with an entirely different blood type than the mother and neither of them gets sick, because their blood always remains separated.

That is where surrogacy comes into play. A sperm and egg come from parents and an embryo is formed, then it is implanted in the womb of a woman that is not connected to the baby by DNA. Her body will accept the embryo and respond in a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. She gives the baby no DNA, only nutrition so it can grow and develop.

So here is the key of how the Blood of Christ remains pure. God prepared a body for Jesus to enter into. The Holy Spirit placed a divine embryo in Mary's body, it spoke to nothing and caused a cell to appear in her womb. Then it spoke life to the cell and caused it to multiply. In that instant when life entered that cell, the Spirit Being that is Jesus entered into it. Jesus brought Life from the moment that Emmanuel was manifested among us. Both Physical and Spiritual Life in so many many ways.

So the Blood of Christ remained pure. It was never mingled with Mary's. It was uniquely prepared by God to be blameless, untainted, and Holy. The only worthy sacrifice, far above the blood of any other man, of any other sacrifice, whether plant, animal, or mankind. It was pure and Holy both physically and spiritually.

(John 15:12-14)
12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.

The sacrifice of our fallen heroes moves us and is worthy of love, respect, and honor. How much more is the sacrifice of our God. Christ knows how precious a life is. That's why he gave his own to save ours. The Blood of Christ is an incredible thing, full of Power, full of Cleansing, full of Healing, full of Love in the purest form <3

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We Win, Woo-Hoot!

(recap of I Sam 17)

I just wanted to do one last run through of this passage before moving on to John 2, because the symbolism speaks so powerfully to the church today. Not the church as in the machine as much as to the church -- you and me.

37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

The lion represents the devourer. Satan is called a roaring lion that seeks to devour us. So many times we picture that as meaning that some little guy in a red suit is going to rise up out of the floor like Beetlejuice and scream BOO! But the reality of it all is that Satan needs people to work his destruction. He preys upon our weaknesses and character flaws to use us as instruments to wound and cripple and destroy one anther. We become puppets on his hand, weapons in his control to maim and consume with everything contrary to the plan and heart of God.

Do you think that it was the plan of that friend that betrayed you to destroy your walk with Christ. No. They just wanted to lash back at you for something you did. Or they were just too caught up in their own selfish desires. It was the devourer whispering in their ear, prodding them to go ahead, to not think of anyone but themselves, to sin against God and you, to get that rush of satisfaction for one fleeting moment.

Never realizing that as that brief moment passes, they will stand in the middle of a circle of destruction that they were used to reek. Their life will cower in shame, broken and twisted and crippled as will the many lives they devoured to fill the greed of their belly. Satan is the devourer, but he needs us to sin to accomplish the destruction he craves. He wants to make us look like him rather than Christ.

The same with the bear. It is a symbol of violence. If there was ever such a stench in the air of the world of violence, it is today. Bears are brutes, they maul and taunt and rip you apart as though it is a game. They enjoy the process of the kill, more than filling their belly. Although they like that too.

God gave David victory over the lion and the bear at a very young age, early in his walk, to train him for his future. He will do the same for you. That crisis that the enemy has wrought in your life, that you stumbled thru and somehow managed to survive, was to prepare you to face the giant. Don't think for a moment that when one crisis passes, that the battle is over. When Christ was tempted, Scripture says that Satan left Him until a more opportune time.

We will face many lions and bears along the way. But as we look to God and praise Him and defend the things that are close to his heart -- honesty, courage, truth, love, mercy, and JUSTICE -- we will mature and gain strength/wisdom. We will reach a place where lions and bears are easily taken down, and we will be sent by God to stand against giants that threaten way more than just us. We will stand appointed by God to save many. To reflect Christ, we must take on his character, we must discipline ourselves to be like him, we must learn from every test and trial to reflect his image... even to the point of being that sacrificial lamb, that savior, that lion of Judah (willing to attack evil and to devour the plan of Satan in the name of Christ).

So many things, so many parallels.

David was saved from the PAW of the lion and of the bear. They didn't even get to lay a hand on him. Christ gave him the strength and skill and wit to come out of each attack without a scratch -- not even smelling like smoke (as the three Hebrew children experienced as well). Sometimes we must endure wounds from the battle, but not always. And when wounds are necessary, God is quick to bring healing. The scars that remain are a testimony of what God saved us from, and of our faithfulness to Him.

"Go and the Lord be with you."

Those words remain as true and powerful today, and will only continue to gain strength as eternity moves us all forward. God with us. It is the key to every battle. Every lion we face, every bear, every giant, every lie, every heartbreak, every betrayal, every disappoint, every lonely road... We will never be alone, the presence of God embraces us and shields us and heals us and empowers us. Our Dad is AWESOME!

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

Much of this we have already discussed, but let me come back to the other three things that David carried into battle. The wooden shepherd's staff was symbolic of the cross and the authority given to us because of it. A staff represents a person's authority, their heritage, the power handed to them thru their family line and all that they have inherited along the way. Christ became a man, and he passed his authority to David, to us. We enter into battle with the authority of our God, because of the price Christ paid on the cross.

I heard a quote from someone on the worship munchies thread, "Is what you're living for, worth Christ dying for?" Much has been given to us, entrusted to us. How can we be anything but faithful to that heritage, to give all, if we truly love Christ as completely as we claim? What kind of people are we? Are we the image of our Father or not?

Five smooth stones: five is symbolic of Grace, meaning it is a fistful, it is enough. "It is finished," remember those words, remember that moment on the cross? Stones are symbolic of the law, of order, of justice. We have been conditioned for so long to see the ten commandments as harsh and cold. But Christ said from the beginning that he did not come to do away with the law, he came to fulfill it. Without the law, without obedience to the commands of God, chaos would run wild and disorder would open the floodgates of pain and misery. Christ came to offer mercy, to clean up the mess of the disorder that Adam/Eve unleashed and that we continue to embrace.

What a picture of the fulfillment. What a picture of where the law connects to the mercy of God. It is the setting in order of all things so that there is completeness, rest, peace, and joy. Five stones made smooth by the presence of His Spirit that has come along side of us to polish us and to make the law/obedience to God a beautiful thing -- a powerful thing, a thing that can take down every giant that tries to stand in the way of the people of God. Our Father not only rushes in to stand beside us, he trains and equips us to stand beside Him. We are family. We are one, united, grafted in... we are treasured and valued and loved.

Finally the sling. The piece of leather made from some animals hide. Does that make you think of anything? Fig leaves were replaced by animal skin, something died to cover our nakedness, our sin, our failure. But like the shepherd's bag, Christ can transform our shame into something that equips us in the battle. Not just to guard us and keep us safe, but to make us deadly to the enemies of God. Something died to undo our sin, now that we are free from that sin, we are able to snuff the life out of our enemies -- arrogance, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, envy, lies, everything contrary to the character and nature of our God. Something must die alright... our sin.

We are made warriors, armed, and set on victory. No turning back. No settling for less. We will win this thing because God has made us able.

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

The enemy, the world, the ungodly, see us as small and insignificant. They are amused or disgusted for whatever reason, but they despise us all the same. We will always appear as foolish children or clowns to them, but what does it matter? What does it matter what they think or how much they despise us? We win.

We must never get caught up in sizing up the enemy and comparing ourselves to them. If we do, we'll become like Peter and we will begin to sink. No. Our eyes must remain on Christ, our ears must hear His voice, our heart must trust in Him, and our mouths must express our Praise of all that He has promised. Whether we see it in this moment or the next, we must know that the Truth of the matter, of every situation, is not always visible in the physical world. We often have to see into the spiritual, grab a hold of it, and pull it into the here and now with force. That is Faith.

45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

What are the weapons of our warfare? The Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony... a shepherd's staff, five smooth stones, a shepherd's bag, and a sling.

Don't you just love that ^_^

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.

David didn't size up this giant. He saw the size of His God and that's all he was concerned with. If we could just see with such a heart, with such a faith, the enemy would never be able to intimidate us with waves of a storm as we walk on the water, or with lions and bears in the field, or with giants that tower over us and spit in our face. God is not mocked. With him standing beside us, we can do anything. We can make him proud, we can be on his team, we can look just like our Dad. We can win.

We can rush out onto that battlefield, into the face of any giant, without fear or intimidation, without arrogance or selfish ambition... we can stare down any enemy when we see Christ and Christ only. He is our strength and our guide, our commander and our defense. We win every time. We win no matter the appearance of things. We win because of Him.

We win -- you and me and God
woo-hoot!
^_^

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You gotta walk on your own dirt.

(I Samuel 17:38-51)

... so yeah, sometimes we must face a real enemy. Sometimes it's not all in our head or in our "damaged emotions" or simply the whining of a drama king or queen. Sometimes the battle is very real as we wrestle and bleed and sweat while those around us briefly look in our direction, scowl and shake their head as they trot off picking flowers.

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off.

People want to dress us up in their reality, in their garb, thinking if we would just think happy thoughts and go with the flow and handle ourselves on the battlefield like they do... we wouldn't be bothered by the insults shouted about the people we love or the giant threatening to take our life or the attack against the Kingdom of our God.

They want us to approach the unlovely things that are sometimes life as they do, much like Saul tried to equip and prepare David. Ignoring the fact that their method failed against the conflict at hand. What they wore, what was tailor-made for them, is not always what God has planned for you to wear. And God's will and plan for each specific thing that we face in life must be the method we seek, not a method based on the vision of men.

How do you tell the head honcho that you need to approach the situation differently? How do you tell him that his method doesn't feel right, that you can't succeed in the task at hand if you wear what he has determined to put upon you? How do you say such a thing to a king, to your pastor, to your mentor or teacher or family? What do you do when people in authority over you are speaking contrary to what God is speaking?

How should a king receive such a response? How should your pastor take it when a young up-start rejects his advice and wisdom and feels that it is necessary to do things differently to succeed in what they have been challenged by God to do? How do you as a leader or the elder or the one with seniority -- take your hands off of someone under your authority, and step back and not be offended by (or abusive to force your will upon) the situation and the people involved?

40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

ahhhh... there it is... what God absolutely moved me with the other day. Here is David, the unimportant little shepherd, the baby, the nobody... the one with the seemingly least experience to be standing on the battlefield and approaching a giant adversary that was known for striking terror into the heart of entire armies. What would be David's method? What defense could he possibly have? What weapon?

... a shepherd's staff, some stones from the water, his shepherd's bag, and a piece of leather.

All four items hold such powerful significance. It is no coincidence that there are four. Four is symbolic of the World... and the love of the world is our enemy. Satan is the instigator, the liar, the murderer... but it is the world that is the true temptation. It is the world that Satan offered to Christ on that pinnacle of the temple. To rule it, to be praised by it, to be like a god.

We fight against the enemy with the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Here again, we see the Word of God at work in the reality that is life. I'm running out of time, but let me quickly mention the shepherd's bag because that is what Christ drew my attention to so strongly as he opened this passage up to me.

The shepherd's bag represents David's past. It was the thing that carried the stones as he entered into battle. It was the bag that he used in the field when he tended the sheep -- when he felt so forgotten and overlooked and small. As he "rushed to face the giant" it was David's past as a shepherd that he drew from to win the battle, to slay the giant that defiantly shouted insults at the Almighty God and the people that were loved by Him.

So many times we see our past, the life that we have walked, as time wasted, as a mess that robs us of our hope. But in God's reality, it is merely an arsenal, five smooth stones (five symbolizes GRACE), purchased by Christ, polished by the water of His Spirit, and made available to us so that we can take down any giant that comes against us. You are loved by God. He loved you when you were forgotten in the field, and he loves you as you stand face to face with that giant that is spitting insults out at you right now. You are not alone. He remains with you always.

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

Your life has purpose. Then and now. All of it. The pain caused by a fallen creation and a cursed world was never part of God's plan for you. But he promises to take ALL THINGS and use them to bring GOOD THINGS to your life. David's life as a shepherd was rewarding, but being a shepherd boy also caused him some shame and frustration. It made him a target even by his family, but in the end it trained him for greatness.

Your life -- whatever shame or frustration it contains, is no different. God can use it to train you for greatness. The pain wasn't His plan, but the victory is His promise.

Don't feel like you have to wear what people want to put upon you. Sometimes you gotta say what David said and tell them that you just can't wear it. Then you gotta take it off.
You are not them, and the path that they are walking with Christ (though laid out beside yours) is not the same dirt that is under your feet. You gotta walk on your own dirt. There is a bond with their's, a precious and essential connection, but there is a uniqueness... God designs beautiful things.

Love People, be respectful, be thankful, be gracious, be kind, but
Love God Most.
Let Him be your favorite.

Value the dirt that God specifically put under your feet, and praise him like a crazy person when he uses you to make giants fall facedown in it.

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I just wanted to insert this passage about David and Goliath, because it just encouraged me so much during the prayer time I mentioned above. God seems to be speaking against discouragement. So many of us are looking at our lives and feeling like failures and thinking the things in our past, and the messy walk we have stumbled thru so far, is just too messy or just too boring or just too -- whatever -- for God to do anything with. We are left feeling like our lives are a waste of everyone's time, that we squandered it or that it was stolen from us, and we are left with nothing to show for having ever been born.

But I feel like we are in an excellent place, poised to strike back against the discouragement and lies that the enemy has caused us to believe. Lying in the grass, whispering to our thoughts with all subtlety, he has convinced us that we don't matter, that we can't make a difference, that there is no hope for us, no hope for this black world -- that we may as well just sit down and watch everyone parade past us.

But God is saying to rise up. Return to that childish faith that trusts him completely no matter the circumstance. Call the devil a liar, and tell him to slither back into the weeds and the dirt with his lies and his discouragement. Our God is the giver of HOPE and FAITH and LOVE, and as his children -- we are born to victory!

so consider this...

Training Season

(I Samuel 17:37-50)

37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
      Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

The first time that bear or lion attacked, I'm sure David trembled with fear. I'm sure as it growled and stalked him and the sheep that he loved, he must have felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as a cold shiver crept down his back. It was a test of his courage, would he stand and fight, or would he surrender all to the beast and cower in the shadows? He stood, He fought, and He won.

Not only did he win the battle with the beasts in the field, he won the battle against fear and intimidation that the enemy brings against us. Doubt in ourselves, doubt in God. David was tempted, but he resolved to resist the temptation. And each time he stood his ground, it trained him in the physical for what he chose to believe in the spiritual... and in his heart.

It was a season of testing, it was a season of preparation. A time spent buried in the ground, when his faith was only a tiny seed, where no one could see the blackness of the weight upon him, no one could see the breaking, the loneliness he felt, the sweat upon his brow -- the tremble in his limbs as he stepped out in faith and slung that first stone back at a real enemy.

(I'm out of time, but I'll be back to finish the story...)
*hugs*

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Under the Fig Tree

(John 1:43-51)

43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Once again we are reminded that Jesus did not begin in a manger as a baby. Rather, he was before even Moses, before the Law was carved into stone tablets. He was before the beginning. And here, Philip makes the correlation between the One Promised and Jesus of Nazareth. I don't know the history and the timeline. I'm sure someone has an answer, but it makes me wonder how this declaration of Philip is different from the declaration that Peter makes later in the Gospels. That statement of faith that Jesus is the Christ. Perhaps someone with more knowledge than me can enlighten us :o)

Perhaps it has to do with the fact that when Peter proclaimed it, it was the first time that Jesus acknowledged that it was true. Or that it was the right time (God's Timing) for it to be declared publicly as Truth rather than whispered quietly as a thought or possibility.

Either way, it remains that Philip heard about Jesus and told Nathanael.

46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

48"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

This is interesting to me, because upon hearing the news and excitement of Philip -- Nathanael immediately responds with skepticism. For whatever reason, he does not relate Nazareth with being an appropriate place for a holy man to emerge from.

Here is what is funny... Jesus didn't hear Nathanael make that remark, yet he greets him as though he did.

Basically, as Nathanael approaches, Jesus describes him as a man that speaks his mind, that is unafraid to voice his opinion because he strives to only speak what is true and relevant. We all know people like that. People that cause us to gasp at their boldness (not boldness in a rude sense, but boldness spoken rightly and with wisdom). They always manage to catch us off guard as they make comments seemingly from left field. Comments that sometimes rub us the wrong way, but that make sense after we painfully contemplate the depth of what they've said. Then we just kind of grin as we reluctantly shake our head in agreement, because we know that it's the Truth and needed to be said.

By the same token, Nathanael is quick to admit that Jesus has pegged his personality to the Tee. He knows that he is an annoyingly blunt man... BUT he wonders how Christ knew it.

1) First, he agrees to go and see this Jesus because he is intrigued that a holy man could come out of Nazareth and make such an impression on Philip, his trusted friend -- a relatively sensible man.

2) Now, he is almost stopped in his tracks as he approaches and is met with Jesus telling him all about himself. You can almost see the wheels turning in Nathanael's mind trying to figure out who this Jesus is and how He knows his business. Being the transparent man that he is... unafraid to inquire when a question comes to mind... Nathanael asks Jesus how he knows him.

3) Jesus shocks Nathanael for a third time by telling him that he saw him only moments earlier, even when Nathanael had no idea that He was anywhere around -- that moment when Nathanael thought he was all alone. Perhaps he sat under that tree in his loneliness, or in his sin, or in his thankfulness... talking to God in his thoughts about the things that were in his heart or weighing on his mind.

Whatever the expression in the eyes of Jesus, whatever the tone of His voice, as He told Nathanael that He saw him... Nathanael knew that Jesus knew exactly what was on his mind as he sat under that tree.

Nathanael was a man that spoke and lived and breathed Truth. He recognized Truth when he heard it or saw it. In that moment, he knew that Jesus was somehow there under that tree only moments earlier -- there in his thoughts -- there in his heart. Only God could have known what Jesus knew about him. It took Nathanael less than an instant to put two and two together, and so he cried out,

"You are the Son of God, the King of Israel!"

50Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

What an amazing moment!

When we acknowledge the little things that God does, he pours out even more. Just like a loving parent, he gets excited when he sees us get excited. It's like he loves to fill us with awe and wonder, to bless us beyond anything we could imagine, to not only let us drink in His beauty and wonder, but to actually participate in the fulfillment of it, to not just witness it, but to touch it and handle it for ourselves. To live it.

God with us...

it's so much more than what it seems. It's Truth, it's a dream come true, it's the answer to every question and any question, the fulfillment of every desire or need, it's being able to not just witness God but to experience Him, to experience all the amazing and indescribable facets of His nature, His personality, His love. To really know Him

... to be with Him.

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Your Weird Little Ways

(John 1: 40-42)

40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

So here we have two brothers, Andrew and Simon Peter. Later we will learn more about their personalities, and that Peter is the more passionate and expressive of the two. I love the portrayal of him in the movie JESUS OF NAZARETH. It seems to be exactly as I pictured him as I read the Scriptures.

He is a man of extremes: extremely angry or extremely loving or extremely sorry. I know several people that remind me of his personality, even one of my children. I remember seeing the passionate expression emerging when they were only a baby, and asking God then to harness that passion like He did for Peter and to focus it for His Glory.

Christ changed Simon's name to Cephas, meaning Petra, meaning Peter... the Rock. Christ knew the passion of this man, and that even now his character reflected that he would be solid in his faith and a pillar in the church. It would be Peter that would first make the statement of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised One of Israel.

I love that Andrew was the go-between. Perhaps, because of his passionate character, Peter was caught up in the discouragement of the time as Israel remained in bondage to Roman occupation. Perhaps, Peter was fed up with religion and the church of the day and had lost his Hope. How many of us can relate to such a sense of depression and discouragement in our own lives -- today -- as things seem to press in from all sides -- even within the framework of the church? As Christ began to call the disciples, they were not so different than you and me.

Andrew seems to have been a man more consistent and not one to waiver between extremes. It would seem apparent that the wisdom of God orchestrated the conversion of Andrew first, because Peter's faith had become one committed to family, friends, and community more than to God. Perhaps, Peter was more open to hearing and responding to his brother Andrew rather than to another holy man teaching the very same things that the Sadducees and Pharisees had burnt him out on hearing.

Perhaps, we would do well to ask ourselves about our own committments. Are we in church because our family expects us to be? Are we dependant solely on a social hour and a network of people to hang out with or to make business connections with? Are we serving and helping and ministering in the name of Christ merely to protect and establish our own reputation within our communities and towns?

I truly believe that the Lord is pulling back the masks that each of us have worn for so long, and asking us to be real with ourselves and with the people in our life. The time has come to stop coasting along and walking the walk on auto-pilot. It is time for Christians to truly examine themselves and the reason they do every little thing they do. The alarm is buzzing and it's time to wake up and clean up. A very important day is dawning in the Church and there is much to do.

It would be Andrew's influence in Peter's life that would be the voice that Peter would be willing to hear. There are people in your life that will only hear the Gospel from you. They like your personality, they like your weird little ways, they can relate to the things you say that seem unacceptable to some but that are part of who you are.

You speak their language.

You may be a Peter. You may be a man of extremes that is needed to be the rock.
Or you may be an Andrew, a man of calm consistency, that is needed to be the go-between, the communicator.
But either way, you are needed. Only YOU can go and compel those certain and specific souls to come to Christ with zeal -- with a willingness to hear Him without hesitation. All things are being made ready and the final days are upon us. Christ is calling. He is sending people into your life and across your path that are waiting for you to speak into their lives.

Everything is pulling you toward what you already know in your heart.
Emmanuel... You hear Him. You feel Him.
You know what He is asking you to do,
and you know that the very lives of people are in the balance.
YOU are important.
You and your weird little ways <3

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If Only I Could See Him

(John 1:37-39)

37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

Which two disciples?... verse 40 tells us that one of them was Andrew (the brother of Simon Peter). I'm not sure that the second disciple is ever identified. Perhaps, he was a follower, but not as committed. Or perhaps, he was just not among the twelve that were to be specifically called and mentioned. Either way, the focus remains upon the calling and listing of the twelve.

The other Gospels refer to John being imprisoned and beheaded before the twelve are actually called to follow Christ. Some people like to call that a contradiction within the Word, but we must remember that not all details are included in Scripture. As with any eyewitness account, only so many details can be given at any one moment by any one person. So John shares only what the Holy Spirit moved his heart to write as necessary parts of his testimony.

Perhaps some time (hours, days) passed from the time John made that second shout. Perhaps the two disciples began at that moment to shift their heart/focus to following Christ and only later made the physical transition after John was imprisoned. We will never know the exact details of how it happened until we are able to ask Christ face to face some day... But the fact of the matter is that it simply doesn't matter right now. All we need to know is that Christ began to gather the twelve men that were called for specific purpose during His ministry on this earth, and they chose to follow Him.

I find it interesting to ponder such gaps, but ridiculous to invest great amounts of time and energy debating theories that move no one closer to the Commission. It's worth a little investigation, but not worth a heated debate, imo.

38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

I love so many things about these verses. I love that these two disciples began following behind Jesus as he walked along. They were drawn to him, but kept a bit of a distance, unsure if he would allow them to approach and follow him as disciples/students. The Holy Spirit had rested on Jesus at his baptism and immediately began it's ministry of drawing all men to the Christ. How cool is that?!

Jesus turns around and asks them what they want. He already knew I'm sure. He knew they were students of John, searching for the will and plan of God. He knew that they were wanting to learn from the one that John referred them to before he was imprisoned.

Every question Jesus asks or comment he makes carries a deeper meaning than just what appears on the surface. His thoughts are not like ours. He remains omniscient at all times, understanding that we are so limited in grasping all that He wants to say to us. So he asks a simple question that fits the moment and waits for us to understand the depth of what He is saying layer by layer.

"What do you want?" he asks the only two people in the crowd that followed Him that day.
"What do you want?" he continues to ask each of us today.

...They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

I don't know what time of day the tenth hour was. I'm sure it holds some significance because God included it in the Scriptures. But at the moment, I find it something to google later. For now, my heart is so fixed and moved by the first part of this passage --

When the disciples asked where Jesus was staying, it was kind of like a child asking someone he admires... "can I go with you?" Jesus didn't answer the question by telling them what town he was from or whose house he was sleeping at. He understood what was in their heart, he took the time to pay attention to them and to discern/realize what they were actually asking. It didn't really matter where he was from or where he was going, they just wanted to know if they could hang out with him.

And so he responds by telling them to come with him and see. Perhaps, he meant so much more than just the fact that they would see where he was staying. Perhaps he meant something that they would only come to realize much later -- that they would see and understand the heart/plan of God. Perhaps it was a promise that the questions they hadn't even spoken yet, would be answered... that they would receive the insight they were craving and seeking of God... Perhaps they themselves didn't even get the depth of his response.

"Come and you will see," may have been all they heard in that moment, because they were clearly excited and relieved at not being rejected and sent away. It must have seemed like the answer they were hoping for, the acceptance they were seeking, the permission to be one of his students/disciples.

I just wonder if Christ saw the child-like innocence in their hearts, the openness and pureness of hungering to know the Truth, to truly search for and encounter God -- and it pleased Him. I wonder if He and the Spirit of God and the Father in heaven smiled to themselves as they thought ahead to the words Christ would speak in Matt 5...

5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled...

8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

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The Second Shout

(John 1:30-36)


30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'

When you think about it, John was born six months before Jesus... and John began to preach and teach before Jesus... yet here he is saying that Jesus was before him. Again, that clues us in on the fact that Jesus was God from BEFORE the beginning, before the creation. Just as we discussed earlier. He always was and will always be. Jesus did not suddenly exist when he was born as a baby in a manger.

31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

I'm not sure if John grew up knowing Jesus. I have many cousins that I have never met. So it could be that they had never actually met, though that is doubtful. I think this is referring more to the fact that John knew he was sent to announce that Messiah had arrived, but he wasn't told who it would be. He was following direction from God with the promise that Messiah would be revealed to all and that John would be the one to announce it -- if only he would speak and do all that God instructed. John's walk was no different than ours, his walk was one of Faith. God speaks to us all, with specific direction, and we each make our own choices as to what we will believe and to what extent we will obey. And God rewards us according to our faithfulness.

32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.

John saw something in the spiritual realm. He saw something that was probably like an airy dove fly down from the heavens and rest upon Jesus. Such visions often occur like a dream, or something you see in your mind's eye (though sometimes they are seen with the physical eye as well). Sounds freaky to those that have never experienced such a thing, but it's really not so strange a thing in Scripture or in current times.

A dove is a gentle creature that lands gently and flutters about softly. It is symbolic of peace and gentleness, much like that nurturing spirit of a mother that warmly guides her children. Or like the gentle leading of a good shepherd. That is one of the personality traits of the Holy Spirit. He comes alongside of us and converses and communes with us like the most intimate friend or companion. Giving us advice and wisdom, reminding us of all that God has spoken, revealing what is true and right because He is the Spirit of Truth.

33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

So here was John obeying and preaching in the desert, seemingly a little out of his mind, a rural country boy claiming that he had a fresh and urgent word from God. He is watching with anticipation waiting to see what God said he would see... the revelation of who Messiah would be.

John knew what it was to be baptized. He was dunking all kinds of people in the river. He knew what it was to encounter the Holy Spirit. He was conversing with Him personally and hearing directly from Him. Now, he is told that there is a baptism into the Holy Spirit.... a dunking, an immersion, a complete saturation of the Spirit of God upon a person. No wonder John was so zealous to obey -- such a baptism would be miraculous thing. John wanted to see such a miracle, so he obeyed all to the letter. He had gotten a taste of interacting with the Spirit of God and he wanted more.

35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

John had already declared this to the crowds, and no doubt had been preaching it and declaring it since the day before when it was revealed. Word had spread, people had already heard. As John said it this time, it was for a different purpose. The first time was to reveal Messiah, the second time was to direct the people and his disciples to begin to follow Jesus instead of himself. This becomes more evident in the verses that follow.

Many times I think people hear the first shout that reveals that Jesus is our Savior who has come to earth because of his great love for us. And they stop short. They never take the time to really hear that shout the second time, they never really consider that it's not enough to hear that Jesus came to earth to save us -- but each of us must make a decision to believe it -- to own it as Truth.

We often think that hearing something means we automatically believe it. But they are actually two separate acts. We can hear the Truth all day long, but whether we choose to believe it is another matter. We hear the shout as the Holy Spirit draws us to what is True. Then we must make the decision to follow Him. That is the moment that we truly become his disciple, his student, a follower, a believer, a Christian.

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Out of the Foxhole

(John 1:24-29)

24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

The church leaders were concerned about John because the people were moved by his teachings. He was teaching the Scripture, but there was something new in how he presented it. It was real and fresh and alive, no longer laws written in stone merely to impress and oppress. The Holy Spirit was stirring something in the hearts of men, he was drawing them to the heart of the law -- the heart of God -- and preparing them for Christ to set all things in order. The ground was being broken so the seed could take root in their hearts. It was the groundwork for a transformation from a dead faith to a LIVING faith.

John openly told them that there was someone among them, someone now on the earth, that was about to affect the world far more than he had. He was telling them that this person was about to be revealed, and that John's ministry was so much less important than His would be.

John was letting them know that not only was he unable to fill the shoes of the One that was coming, but he wasn't even worthy enough to touch His feet or to untie His shoes. John was trying to help them understand that the One who was coming was Messiah, the holy One, so much greater than himself that to even compare John to Him was crazy.

John understood that he wasn't worthy to bow at the feet of the One who was coming -- or to even serve him. He was humbled at being the one to announce His arrival, and he wanted to be sure that all glory remained His.

28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

The next day after declaring that this person was among them, the man is revealed to John. In that moment, he shouts the declaration that defined his calling, the one thing he was sent to teach and preach and announce... the sacrifice had arrived, the time of cleansing and pardon and restoration had come. The fulfillment of the promise made in Gen 3 mentioned earlier had come to restore all. God had sent Him, and He was finally here among us. Immanuel.

It makes you wonder if the people who heard John make this declaration were a little confused by it. What did he mean that this man was the LAMB OF GOD, how could a man 'take away their sin?' The mindset was that a lamb from their herds was to be taken to the priests and offered up on the altar of God. And suddenly, this man walks up, the One that John had raved about for so long, and He is referred to as the Lamb of God. What might have flashed thru their minds in that moment...

It must have felt like quite a time of transition. It must have had an air of shakiness as the focus shifted from John to Jesus. For so long now, the people had flocked to the desert to hear John, to be baptized, to be a part of the movement.... and now suddenly the whole dynamic was changing and shifting. Perhaps that is a word for us today as well. Many of us find ourselves in a place of transition as the Church is entering into a new Phase. I wonder what great thing the Lord will lead us into next. Transition is a scary thing, but a necessary thing. No one can live in a foxhole forever -- who would want to?

Whatever He has planned... I know that it will only bring us one step closer to home <3

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the best man

(John 1:20-23)

20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."

I love that John was quick to point out that he was just as plain and average as any other man. That he was not the Christ, he was not the one who would represent God or the Messiah. Today in the church world, it seems that power and influence and fame have eaten up the integrity of many leaders and prophetic people and ministries. Any credit or glory added to a man's name is quickly grabbed like we were greedy dogs or something. God have mercy on us. May he open our eyes and teach us to discern between false humility for a show -- and true humbleness that zealously seeks the will of God above our own.

21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

It had been predicted that Elijah and/or Enoch or some other great prophet was to appear on the scene. The reasoning was that Scripture teaches, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Heb 9:27). It was believed that since Elijah and Enoch were taken to heaven in a chariot of fire and a whirlwind (escaping physical death) that they would return at some point. Because of the anointing that John seemed to carry as he taught the Scriptures, and the miraculous events surrounding his birth, some wondered if he was Elijah come back to earth.

Jesus alludes to this later in the Book of John. For now, the point is that John denied being any such great prophet or messiah. He kept himself as simple and as human as possible.

22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

John knew his destiny and purpose. No doubt he spent much time in prayer and conversing with God as he sought direction for what he was to teach and preach. He didn't just appear in the wilderness and start affecting the hearts of men because he was zealous and simply decided to do it. No. Rather, he was born, and called, and trained, and destined to prepare the hearts of the people to be watching for the coming Messiah promised from the beginning... promised way back in Genesis 3:15

15 And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel."

John was the messenger that God said would be sent (Isaiah 40:2-3)

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.

3 A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.

In the Jewish wedding ceremony, their was a huge celebration announcing the engagement/betrothal. The couple was considered as committed to one another as tho they were already married. The bridegroom would return to his father's house and prepare a home for them (either building a room onto the father's home or adding an apartment).

The bride would remain with her family constantly watching and waiting for the bridegroom to return to whisk her away for the wedding ceremony. She had to keep all her things packed and in a state of readiness, she had to keep herself groomed and in the right frame of mind.

Suddenly without warning, the bridegroom would send his best man and groomsmen ahead of him. They would sound the alarm and yell "the bridegroom is coming! the bridegroom is coming!" The Bride would have to drop everything, grab her things, and her procession would stand ready to meet the bridegroom who arrived just behind the groomsmen.

John the Baptist is like the best man. The guy who shouts the alarm that the BRIDEGROOM COMETH ^_^

He is quick to point out that he is not the bridegroom. He is merely the friend of the bridegroom who has been sent as the messenger. In so many ways, on a personal level we are to be like Christ. But here is a picture of where we should be like John the Baptist, in that we must never lose sight that we are mere messengers and friends. Jesus is the Bridegroom. He is the focus, the one worthy of praise, the one the world and the church waits for to deliver them and to enter into covenant with them for LIFE.

Allow me to get a little ahead of myself, as John himself expounds on this analogy later in the book of John.

28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:28-30)

No wonder Christ states that he loved this John so much <3
If only we could serve and love with such pureness of heart and complete devotion to Christ.

Help us Lord.

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John who?.....

(John 1:19)

19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.

So here is John. We asked earlier, John who? If we are to consider this testimony, then we need to have some kind of understanding of who is speaking. What is his integrity? What is his story? Why should we consider what he has to say? How did he end up as a key player at this pivotal moment of history?

Obviously, he was someone unique, someone that was able to appear in the rural areas and to cause the hearts of men to examine themselves before God. Not only to examine themselves inwardly but to actually get up and do something outwardly to show that something had seriously changed in them.

He was so charismatic, so convincing and thought-provoking in the things that he said and taught that word of him spread and crowds gathered. Naturally, the church leaders of the day are going to investigate this man, especially when their congregations are buzzing about him and his teachings.

Many in John's day were curious about him, much like we are today. Who was this man? Some in his day had - no doubt - already heard about him before he was even born. His birth was foretold, and strange and miraculous events happened as his mother carried him during her pregnancy. Many wondered what kind of child this would be. What kind of man -- even tho his mother went into seclusion and the pregnancy was kept as quiet as possible.

And now here he was speaking with such passion, with such conviction, with such an anointing that cut thru the religion of the day straight to the hearts of men and women.

John was the cousin of Jesus.

To fully understand the connection and the miraculous events of his birth, we must divert to Luke, chapter 1. Luke was a physician who lived around or just after the time of Christ. He set about interviewing the people that had witnessed the events, and being the man of science and faith that he was, he wanted to record a factual record of all that happened. God inspired him, and the Holy Spirit led him to pen the most detailed of all the Gospels in Scripture. Here is what he said about the birth of John, cousin of Jesus.

(Luke 1:1-45, 56-66, 80)

1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

(The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold)

5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

8Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

18Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God."

38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her....

(Mary Visits Elizabeth)

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."

61They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."

62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.....

(Zechariah's Song)

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

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Answer the Question

(John 1:15-18)

15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ") 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only [Son], who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

John began to tell people all about this guy -- this God made into a living, breathing man walking around with us on the earth. He starts "crying out" -- that means he started publically declaring and explaining with passion and boldness for people to pay attention to this guy.

John had become a pretty popular teacher according to later writings, and he was letting people know that God had revealed to him that someone incredible was going to appear on the scene. Someone sent directly from God himself -- someone that God said would come.

Crowds of people, mulititudes, came out to hear John explain the things that God had spoken in his word and thru the prophets of old. Here was a nobody teaching about such things, and thousands of people rushed to hear him -- rather than to hear the church leaders of the day who were teaching the very same Scriptures. What was it