Monday, February 17, 2014

That Very Hour

Luk 12:12 NKJV  For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Joh 14:26 NKJV  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

For the last two weeks I have been on this "witnessing" kick. I can’t explain it, or can I deny that God keeps speaking to me about it and through it. The other day at work a fellow Staff Sergeant (SSgt) and I were talking about the U.S. government, and what we think needs to change to fix it. WOW! what a big never ending topic to talk about. nevertheless me and this SSgt enjoy our time of talking about such matters. In our time of working together he has made it clear that he is not Christian. In fact he makes it known how much he disagrees with such beliefs. on the other side it has been made known that I love Jesus, and am a Christian. Well it was during our time about talking about the government that God began to open a door for me to share the gospel with him. It started out so small, but soon led to talking about the judgment to come, to repentance, to redemption, to His blood and the atonement in it, to grace, and finally to forgiveness. I think we spend 1.5 hours talking. I do not say boast or to say look at me. I say this because in my life I have never had such great time speaking about the gospel to a non-believer. It was truly God breathed.

It was after we brought this gospel talk to a close that I went to my room (we sleep at the Fire Station). Where I began to pray about the whole thing. It was then that I was reminded of Luk_12:12. You see during my time of witnessing many things that I have been getting from God began to come out. One in particular is forgiveness. (I plan on writing out what God has given me.) It’s kind of funny how God speaks to me at times. In short, when I drive to and from work I have about 20 minutes to pray. During those times of prayer sometimes I get caught up in "preaching" to the air. I know it sounds funny but I really let it loose. Over the years these times of "practice preaching" have become quit fun, and they allow me to exercise that spiritual muscle. You see God brings about a word in me, brings me to preaching it (by myself), then I know it well enough to minister it. why? because He is teaching me that very hour!

I say all of this to only now get to the main point J .... What does it mean "hour"? Does it mean literally within the hour? Or does it mean in that time and season? I think it can mean both! let us look at a few scriptures.

Mat 8:13 NKJV  Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.

Mat 10:19 NKJV  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

Mat 25:13 NKJV  "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Mat 26:45 NKJV  Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Here you can see that Jesus did things at different times, talked about different times, and even talked about prophecy was being fulfilled in the "hour".

I say all of this to come back to ministering and/or witnessing. It is vitally important that we are in His word every day, praying continually, and even fellowshipping often (and if you are up to it, "preaching" to yourself J ). Why? because during these times of feasting God is brining a word to us in that "hour." And being led by His Spirit we will be given the platform to minister that word to others! In fact that is one of the primary reasons God brings words to us! Yes, we grow from them, and we are suppose to. But it’s not to stop there, we are to minister those word to others too. For we have freely received so we should freely give Mat_8:10.

I encourage you to begin stepping outside of your box and begin to exercise those things God is ministering to you. Try writing them out, preaching to the air, talking with your wife about them, meeting up with a brother in Christ and share with him. find a way to cultivate and grow that word in you, so that you may minister it to others!

If you choose to write these words out let me know, and you can send them out in our group as a mini-check-in. I am sure that you are tired of always hearing from me J

To bring this to a close let us look at the verse we first started out with. For God is saying here, that when He brings us to witness the good news of Jesus, He will teach us before what to say. He will teach us and lead us even as we are speaking. For the Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance all those things that Jesus has ministered to us! so let us close with being lifted up in His word:

Luk 12:12 NKJV  For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Joh 14:26 NKJV  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Your Brother in Christ
Grace and Peace be with you
Nate Cook, Setting Captives Free Team Member

And Jesus said to me:

Eze 3:10b-11a  "...Receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears, and go, get to the captives..."

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