Words of Jesus Podcast - Programmed A.I. or Free Will

Episode Date: January 26, 2024

What God wants is almost irrelevant because of man's will. The Bible is full of broken Scriptures. So much is in our control. We do what we want to do, which may or may not be God's will. God does not intervene because of our prayers. We are allowed (and required) to partner with God to affect outcomes in this life. Christians are "more-than" when we develop our relationship with God; not because we say it, but, because we obey. We are afraid of the consequences of being sold out to the Word of God in our ear. ***62: Jesus Is Attacked In JerusalemJohn 10:22-39Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Dedication, which occurred in the winter time. While he walked on Solomon’s Porch, a part of the temple, the Jews came around him and said:            “How long dost thou make us doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.”            Jesus answered them saying:            “I told you, and ye believe not. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”            Those around him picked up stones to hurl at Jesus, who said:            “Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?”            They answered Jesus:            “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”            Jesus replied to them:            “Is it not written in your law, ’I said, “Ye are gods”’? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him, who the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest’; because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’ If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”            Thereupon the authorities sought to arrest Jesus, but he eluded them.

Think Red Ink Ministries presents The Words of Jesus Series with Don C. Harris Hello friends and welcome once again to the Words of Jesus series. I'm Don Harris, your host. Thank you so much for being a part of the show. If you were watching last time, we were talking about the word God. In relation to the way the scriptures actually use the word, you're going to find that there are actually two definitions of God.

You can, if you wish, deal with a capital G God or a lowercase God, but you know the fact is that over the years, we have come to believe that like little tiki gods or little carved gods or pagan gods, they're all little g gods. And our God is a capital G God. Well, I'm afraid what you're doing is you're leaving the word God in the category of a supernatural being. And I want you to know that that's not necessarily the case. It has to be determined by context and by usage. There is such a thing as a God on the earth which is a man elevated above other men. I gave the example of our president is a God.

This is not an endorsement of the president. This is just saying that we elevated him to that point. He has incredible power over us, and he is a God to us. I know this is, even to say this is, you know, it doesn't sit right with us because the word God has turned into a supernatural being. I just want you to know that the scriptures just don't make that distinction that clear. There are such a thing, I mean, the prime minister of countries, you know, kings of countries, they are, they're gods. They're gods in the earth. And the Bible calls some of them princes.

They're essentially gods. I know, I know. We're just going to have to work through this because if you went around saying that our president is a god, you're going to get in trouble with somebody. So you can't do that. Jesus was trying to say that, well, actually what he was saying is, is you really need not even fear this, this word whatsoever. He's saying, I said, I'm the son of God. You're all bent out of shape about this. But, you know, I didn't say that I was Jehovah. I said I was the son of Jehovah.

What are you all worried about this God thing anyway? I mean, we use the term all the time. Every person that has power over other people in this earth are gods. I even said you're gods unto whom the word of God came. Wouldn't it be nice if that were true? No, not Jesus' statement being true or false, but wouldn't it be nice if people actually received the word of God and understood that it does indeed elevate children of God to a status that actually gives them status and power over the earth. This is all Jesus was saying. And the portion that I wanted to talk to you about today was in this very scripture, and I want you to listen carefully

as this is being said. Now this particular translation, though it claims to be King James, is not. One of the characteristics of the King James Bible is that there are no quotation marks. And so it's kind of difficult to find out who said what and to whom if you're not following the story. It's one of the reasons why the red letter edition Bible was made. Well because there were no quotation marks. And Klopsch, or Klopish, I don't know how his name is pronounced, the man who actually

instituted the Red Letter Edition, he went to great pains to make sure that what he was deciding needed to be read was indeed the words of Christ and hired theologians to examine his work so that he didn't make a mistake in that area. But as I read this, I want to give you the punctuation so that you can put into proper perspective the words that Jesus said. When they said, you know, we're not stoning you for a good work, we're stoning you for blasphemy because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Let me reiterate before we go on. There was a time when a man in authority spoke to a crowd and the crowd was chanting, this is the voice of a God and not a man. It is the words and not a man that makes it clear that they were saying he was a supernatural being. And this, of course, is very displeasing to God. I mean, he's known for his jealousy. And this was a very severe indictment against him and the other people. And this man was struck. And it turned out to be a bad situation. But I want you to know, it wasn't the word God that caused the problem. It was, and not a man. Here Jesus is making that distinction again.

Well, at least the Pharisees are making the distinction here, that you are saying that you are a God, you make yourself to be God and not a man. Jesus said, that's not true at all that's that's that's not so at all um and he says is it not written in your law i said ye are gods question mark quote ye are gods is it not written in your law i said quote ye are gods. Is it not written in your law? I said, quote, ye are gods, question mark. If he called them gods, this is a small g, if he called them gods unto whom, and I want to add the word unto whom

merely the word of God came. He's trying to make a point here that there are such a thing as gods on the earth and you call them gods and everybody calls them gods and you're mad at me because I said I'm the son of God? Can't you give me the benefit of that at least? No, they were just looking for a reason to hate him and and in this particular case a reason to stone him and he says and if and if he called them gods unto whom the word of god came and here's the one i want to talk about today

and the scripture cannot be broken there are many people, and I'll finish the sentence and then continue. And the scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, thou blasphemest? Because I said, I am the Son of God? Do you see how this is coming together? Jesus is saying, you're getting all bent out of shape about nothing. You can't even give me the benefit of the doubt that I am, in this world, a God?

I am superior to you. I was sent by the Father, and you're upset with me because I said I'm the Son of God? I didn't even claim to be God, and you're mad at me. So I want to deal with, not to just talk about what we talked about last time, but I want to deal with this idea, and the Scripture cannot be broken. I'm asking you, is that true? Is that true? That he's saying the scripture cannot be broken. He did not say the word of God. He said the scripture. There is a difference between the scripture and the word of God. I know there's

not in a lot of people's minds, and perhaps you use the word synonymously, Word of God, Scripture, Bible, Word of God, Bible, Scripture, Word of God. I know. We've all done that. I did it for years, until I realized, oh my goodness, the Word of God is not ink on paper. The Word of God God is Jesus Christ some people like to play with the idea well he's the living word of God and this is the written word of God well living is not the opposite of written if you if he's the living word of God, what does that make this? The dead word of God. It's just an excuse to continue to do what we've always done, continue to use the words and the vernacular that we're all familiar with. We don't have to change anything.

But unfortunately, this is the word of God, and you own it. You think you have the word of God and you own it, you think you have the word of God, when in reality, you don't. The word of God is Jesus Christ's voice in your ear. It is, and that's figuratively speaking, because I don't believe that we're talking about anything audible here. But, you know, when I try to tell you that one of the things that we need to practice on a daily basis is is sitting before the lord in quietness and hear his voice to our spirit

you know what you're encountering there the word of god and essentially nothing else. I mean, that's what that is. And we are to be guided by the Word of God and led by it and taught by it. All my children, the prophecy says, will be taught of the Lord. This is where this really becomes a wonderful and beautiful thing, whereas it becomes a very rudimentary thing when we say that we are taught of the scriptures. Most people have the attitude about the scriptures that the Bible is essentially a magic book. Okay, they don't use that word, but they certainly treat it like that. They treat it like a book of incantations, because I read in here, you know, blah, blah, blah. Therefore, that's true.

And the scriptures cannot be broken. What does that mean? What does it mean to people? Do you think that the scriptures cannot be broken means that if the Bible says so, it's true? Many people love to say, the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it. It doesn't settle it at all. It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not.

But when the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it. Well, the Bible actually quotes very, very wicked men from time to time. The Bible actually has the words of Satan in it. Does that mean that those scriptures cannot be broken, that they are indeed true because they're in the Bible? Well, nobody with any sense would answer that question, yes. Well, I'm asking you, where do you draw the line? You see, there are no lines to be drawn here.

We are to be taught of the Spirit of God. Now, had Jesus said that the Word of God cannot be broken, I wouldn't even be talking about this. I'd say amen and move on but when he says and the scriptures cannot be broken you have to understand that this is within a questioning sentence he's i mean question mark question mark question mark uh it's all throughout this sentence he's saying that do you remember let me give you an example um there are many people talking about the sabbath day there are many people who say well i've got an ox in the ditch and what is so

what does that mean well what does that mean to you well jesus said we can work if we have an ox in the ditch no no he never said that why are you saying he said that well over here you know and they they find where he says you know you have an ox in the ditch or you lead them away to watering or whatever else he's saying that this is the way you live this is what you say is true and for you it's okay to get an ox out of the ditch but for me to heal this woman who's been bound over in the middle lo these these 18 years, this daughter of Abraham, and you say that I can't heal her on the Sabbath day. You have more care for the animals in your barn than you do for this poor daughter of Abraham.

So what was he saying? He was saying, you say that if you have an ox in the ditch, it's okay. You say that if your animal needs water, that it's okay to lead them to watering. This is the life that you live, and you don't even judge me by that? Okay, here he is doing essentially the same thing. You say that the scriptures cannot be broken.

The scriptures say, I said you're gods. So get on with it, boys. At least give me that kind of respect. You're saying that you're willing to lay down your idea of gods that are quoted in the scripture as I said you are gods unto whom the word of God came and you claim that the scriptures cannot be broken like they are some kind of a prophetic thing that just you know it can't happen any other way than what the Scriptures say. I assure you, there are many Scriptures in the Bible

that if broken means that it's not going to necessarily happen the way the Scriptures say, the Bible's full of broken Scripture. Full of them. Now, does that discourage you? Well, here's the wonderful thing. That the word of God cannot be broken. If he wills a thing to happen,

if it does not involve the will of man, it pretty much will happen. But if it does involve the will of man, chances are it's going to be messed up from the outset. There are people who believe that if it's the will of God, it will happen. Not true. Not true at all, especially when it involves the will of mankind. It's the will of that? Almost none. Almost nil. And why is that? Because mankind's will is involved. And he just doesn't trample on our will.

It's our will that determines within us that we're going to be children of God. It's our will that we're going to be children of God. It's our will that we're going to disobey God. And by that very will, we're going to be justified, or by that will, we're going to be condemned. And it has little to do with the will of God in that situation. A lot of times the word will is used in the American mind as it's stronger than want.

It's like when someone makes a will. This is what I want to happen. Well, no, this is what I will to happen with my possessions or with my land or with whatever I'm leaving behind on the earth. This is my will. And I think that if we understood that when the Bible says that it's the will of God that none should perish, he's simply telling us it's not his will that any should perish. As a matter of fact, it's

written that way. And so we have here an opportunity to understand that there's a desire in God about a certain thing. And for us to label it as his will makes it irrefutable, unchangeable, immutable, and it will happen. That's not true at all.

I hear people pray, when I hear them say it, I think, man, you are destined for disappointment. If this isn't your will, God God I pray that you would stop it or stop me you ever heard that you gotta be kidding me is is living for God really that easy okay so I get up in the morning and say well lord you know i've got a whole day ahead of me if there's anything that i want to do that's not your will i pray that you stop me so if you believe that every time you open your mouth god hears you and every time you ask him for something that he gives it to you then you're pretty much free to do whatever you want to do. Well, God didn't stop me.

He didn't stop me from committing adultery. So it must be His will. Well, see, nobody's going to push it to that degree. Nobody's going to push it to that nth degree like that and claim that gross and heinous sin is the will of God. But wow, man. Really? If you don't want me to marry this guy,

if you don't want me to marry this woman, then I pray that you stop it. Guess what? You're getting married. Guess what? You're going to do what you want to do. And you're going to do what you want to do and you're going to do it with the false notion that it's the will of god because he didn't stop it got to be one of the most ignorant things we could ever say it just can you show me any example where this would happen

okay you can find examples where the lord god decided this will not happen but you're not gonna you're not gonna find him thwarting the will of god or your desires or your lust even in life you are free to do whatever you want to do i do you see i kind of like it that way i don't know why people want to they really want to be robots um i don't think you'd want to be a robot more than 15 minutes just performing your program and having no will or mind of your own but that's what we do when we ask him to stop us. You're wasting your time. He's not going to stop you. Why don't we pray that some horrible leader of some country who's murdering millions of Christians over there,

say, Lord, if that's not your will, I pray that you would stop it. You know what his answer was to Gideon? Get up off your tail and go do something about it yourself. That's what you need to do. You know that's not my will. Be a man, stand up, put your britches on. Go get your sword. Do what you gotta do.

Stop it. You stop it. I've given you the power to stop it. You're a mighty man of valor. And if you like one, well, it's because you're out here cutting sheaves of barley instead of using your sword to ward off these Midianites. So there is so much that is in our control that we don't do anything about. Frankly, I don't think it's because we don't want to i think it's because we want to do something else i certainly don't believe it's because we can't did i not say you're gods unto whom the word of god came. You are superior. I know it's very undemocratic in this world to

talk about, you know, different levels or classes of people, but you'd really have to be kind of ignorant not to know that there are people that are more talented than you. It would be like saying nobody's prettier than anybody else. It would be just that silly. Sure, there's people more talented than you are. There are people that are stronger, people that are more mentally alert, people that are capable of leadership, people that are capable of war.

Some people are capable of technical advancement. There's a lot of people that are smarter than you. You might be smarter than them in some other class and in some other category, but there are different levels in this earth. But there is a level that I think that has just kind of gone by the way because we're afraid of this word.

But the children of God in this earth that are led of the word of God, they're gods. Notice that he said, ye are gods unto whom the word of God came. And then when he started talking about, you know, scriptures not being broken, he didn't use the word of God at all. He didn't use the word or the term word of God at all. Because there's a difference you might think

that you're stronger you know i know you go to the seminars you go you listen to the preachers that they talk about we're more than conquerors in christ jesus and they they try to you know build you up or make you feel like you have power over all the enemy and over all the earth and you can move mountains and these kind of things it's all based on scripture not on the word of god see there's a huge difference you're bound for failure just bound for failure i can't think of anything more important in your life than to hear the word of god for yourself and don't be surprised if the word of God doesn't sound anything like what your preacher's been telling you all these years. You might find

out you're not more than a conqueror. And you better stay away from Satan or he's going to kick your butt all over town. Because you're not where you belong. You're not where you need to be. You're not the person that I've created you to be yet. There's a lot of work to do here. There's a lot of things that need to be accomplished. A lot of things need to be changed. This is what the Word of God sounds like when you spend time before Him.

It's nothing like what you hear over the pulpit, and a scripture pulled from here and one from... Now turn over in your Bibles to whatever. It's nothing like that, that pick and choose smorgasbord, kind of a I'm going to make you feel good about yourself kind of a sermon. It doesn't sound anything like that. I wasn't disappointed, by the way. I expected him to sound a lot like my dad.

And I grew up understanding what correction was by my superiors. My dad was a god in my life. Have you got over that yet? Have you got over that word yet? But he was superior to me. He controlled me. He told me the way things needed to be. And he left me with the choice of doing what he said to do

or not doing what he said to do. Very much like our relationship with our Father. We need to quit playing games with this. This is not a hocus-pocus. It's not voodoo. It's not incantations, it's not witchcraft. This is a relationship with our God. And we don't have license to take the Bible apart and use every little piece of ink on paper to try to get what we want or whatever.

You're just going to be disappointed. But let me ask you this. What do you think? Do you think there are more people, there are more Christians out there that receive from the pages of their Bible or more people that are disappointed? Tells a lot about the way you feel

about your own Christianity. Because there are people out there that they love to invent miracles, they love to put God's name on everything that's good in their life, put the devil's name on everything that's bad, and they feel like they've got some kind of control, they feel like they understand life.

But truth is, you don't. You just don't. If you're not hearing the word of God for yourself every day, clearly, you're not hearing the word of God for yourself every day, clearly, you're not where you belong. That's where you need to be. You're a child of God. You are to be taught of the Lord.

All right, until we see you again, think ready, my friend. Bye-bye. You've been listening to Don C. Harris of Think Red Ink Ministries. Email don at thinkredink.com. That's thinkredink.com. Join us again for the next episode in the Words of Jesus series. you