1 Peter 1:1-2

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!
    1 Peter:1 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

   First, Peter starts out saying his name, of course Peter, and then states he is an "apostle of Jesus Christ".  He does not hesitate or add words like "by the will of God" as did Paul; he tells you who he is.  If you notice in the Bible you will not find missionaries of Jesus Christ; evangelists of Jesus Christ; or prophets of Jesus Christ; ONLY "APOSTLES OF JESUS CHRIST".  This shows their importance and authority to share the good news.

   Next we see "to the strangers scattered throughout".  Different versions of the Bible may say: travelers, sojourners, pilgrims, and others; however, the idea here is this is written to the Gentiles, yet referring to them as they did the Jews when they were conquered by Bablyon and scattered through out the world.

   Now why did it mention  Pontus , Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia?  These were the places Christianity has first spread after the beginning of the church, "the WAY".  When messengers were sent out these were more likely to be the routes then took the letters from Peter.  The letters written were intended for all Christians, not just some in one area.

  1 Peter 1: ² Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

   First, Peter says the "elect"  and we may read this as those chosen by God.  Then, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father" meaning this choosing is not random or a shot in the dark.  God already knows who is open and will accept His calling.  God knows who will accept Him and who will not.
  After being of the "elect" comes sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience.  Sanctification means to be set apart, to be made Holy, and by being made Holy we will follow in obedience.  However, since we will fall short of being Holy, then sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin; and now Holy in God's sight.
       First, a covenant is formed, then we are ordained as priests to Him (God), and finally we are cleansed from our corruption and sin. Each one of these things is ours through the work of Jesus on the cross.  Wow, how great a gift from God, our Father in Heaven.
    Grace to you and peace be multiplied: Peter brings a greeting that had become common among the Christians, combining elements from Greek culture (Grace) and Jewish culture (peace).

  May this study be of interest to you.  Tomorrow 1 Peter 1:3-?; we'll see how far we get. Love you all.

Gloria Deo Soli

Johnny

Peter - Who was he?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Peter - just who was he and what kind of man was he?  Let's study 1 Peter and see what he has to say.  First, let us look at his missionary journeys.  Where did he start?
  

First, Peter started in Jerusalem at the day of Penecost in 30 A.D.  Three thousand (3,000) were saved that day and you can read this in Acts 2:14-41.

   Now, as we move into Peter, please realize that Peter was mentioned more than any other apostle that was with Jesus.  3,000 converts the day of penecost; heals a lame man; he and John arrested and told not to preach; leader of the church in Jerusalem; confronted Ananias and Sapphira when they lie about the money they gave; Peter is the spokesperson when arrested with another apostle; goes with John to Sebaste in Samaria to pray for the new Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit; and on and on.

   Peter is dominant with the apostles; however, he had to be humbled by Jesus before he became a strong leader and believer.

   Jesus speaks to Peter more than any other apostle.  Here are a few things to know about Jesus and Peter:
1. Jesus rebuked Peter more than any other disciple.
2. Peter was the only disciple who dared to rebuke Jesus.
3. Peter confessed Jesus more boldly and accurately than any other disciple.
4. Peter denied Jesus more forcefully and publicly than any other disciple.
5. Jesus praised Peter more than any other disciple.
6. Peter alone among the disciples was addressed by Jesus as Satan.

Peter was mentioned in all 4 gospels. Here are a few references if you care to view them:

Mark 1:35-39; Luke 5:1-11; Matthew 10:1-42; Matthew 14:24-33; John 6:68-69; Matthew 17:1-9; Matthew 18:21-35; and many more.

   So, now you have a little information about Peter, tomorrow we will begin with 1 Peter 1:1-2.

Studying Daniel, if you read yesterdays lesson, here is the link for the test to Lesson 1.

Thank you my fellow Christians for reading with me today. May your day be blessed with God's gifts.  Love you all.

Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny

The future - can it be predicted?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Zeal - we all have zeal, and lots of it.  The Problem - we have to be interested in what we have zeal in.  For some it is football, others basketball, maybe fishing or golf; to some it is more intellectual; and today - to many it is politics.

   People burning signs of other candidates; mud-slinging; people have loud and hateful discussions about the next president.  We must remember who is in control.

   First, you are in control of your emotions. So, where do you want your energy (zeal) to go - politics?  For me, I would prefer my energy be devoted to God.  PRAYER   BIBLE STUDY  DEVOTION GOD!!

   This brings me to what I am studying at this time - Daniel in the Bible and prophecy.  Could Daniel see the future?  NO!  Does God know the future?  YES!  And.......could got reveal the future through Daniel?  YES!  And this he did.  Take a look at Daniel and see if you like this study. Here is the link.   This is titled Bad happens but God provides. I will post the link daily at the end of my study.  Please let me know what you think of the link.  The study will take a few minutes, so you may want to do it when you have more time.

   Please give feedback. P L E A S E !  Love you all.
Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny

Who replaces Judas Iscariot? Paul or Matthias?

Good morning everyone. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Here is the question: Who replaced Judas, the traitor?  Was it Paul who met Jesus on the road to Damascus?  Or, was it Matthias whom the apostles themselves had chosen?

   This is an interesting controversy among many theologians.  My opinion is does it really matter?  To some - yes; while to others - no.

  The disciples came up with the requirements that the man had to have been with them the entire time of Jesus’ ministry, and to have been a witness of the resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:21-22).  At this time 2 men came to the forefront: Act 1:23 "23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias"

   Now, in trying to decide they prayed about it, then cast lots and the job fell to Matthias.  This is good; or is it?   Was this truly God's choice? Look at what Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (KJV) ⁸ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

   Soooo, did the disciples jump the gun in selecting Matthias?  Note that Matthias is not mentioned again in the new testament.  However, along comes Saul (Paul); the persecutor of Christians.  Paul is much more prominent in the new testament and only Peter and John has as much notoriety.

   Does this mean the disciples were wrong?  No, not at all. Casting lots was permitted and accepted Biblically allowed - Proverbs 16:33 " The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord."

    Also, when we think Matthias is not mentioned any more in the new testament, think about many of the other disciples; they were rarely mentioned also. Paul, Peter and John tend to be the main characters new testament wise.

   Matthias did die as a martyr for Christ and is said to be buried at the Roman fort of Gonio in Adjara, Georgia.

    However, when you consider all the apostles, Matthias and Paul - Paul was the most prominent of the time.  He was zealous for Jews, against "the Way" and went forth with great vigor; then he met Jesus Christ on the road; and later became just as zealous for Christ.

   God is sovereign and had it not been His will, Matthias would never have been chosen. However, we do believe that it was God's perfect will (desire) that they wait for Paul and nowhere in the Bible is Matthias condemned for being an apostle.

   Maybe this is our "baker's dozen" of apostles - counting Matthias and Paul we get 13. LOL

Let me know what you think and how you come to your conclusion.  When it all boils down to it, does it really make a difference?  Love you all.

Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny

Thomas Didymus? Twin!?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Thomas was his Hebrew name, Didymus was his Greek name. Sometimes he was called Judas (not Iscariot). He, like 10 other apostles (not Judas) lived in Galilee. The name Thomas means Twin, and there is speculation that he may have been a twin; or she was very short and they would ask where the other half was.  Didymus in Greek also means twin.

    Thomas is a sort of pessimist and said he would believe Jesus came back when he could put his finger in the nail prints in his hands and in his side. He was a man of courage, loyal and devoted. However, he was one who would want to see himself before he believed; therewith comes the name "Doubting Thomas".

   Thomas' home life was not exactly stellar. His parents were not happy, a couple who argued and quarreled frequently.  From this, Thomas was a questioning and quarrelsome type of individual.  The other apostles were not necessarily fond of him at first.  He had a very analytical mind and was one of the first to say let's go.  He fought depression, was married, and his wife enjoyed the times he went with the apostles so she could have some peace. All of this helps us to see him in a different light. However, after the crucifixion and resurrection, his doubt turned to STRONG FAITH upon seeing Jesus.

   When he did see Jesus, he proclaimed My LORD and My God and all doubt turned to faith. After this, Thomas went forth, sharing the word with great intense and courage; bringing many to "the Way".  He was in India when he was martyred and killed with a spear for his LORD, Jesus Christ. Just a few weeks before his death he had begun the writing of the life and teachings of Jesus. Here is a link where you can hear about the apostles if you wish.

  There is also what is called the 5th Gospel, or Gospel of Thomas.  This is said to give more insight into Jesus' life, even some secret words.  May you be blessed this wonderful day; take time in your quiet place whether in the morning, at break, at lunch, at home, or in the car; just take time to visit and share with God. God wants to hear from YOU!  Love you all.

Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny

Simon the Zealot - a hater of the Romans and Taxes

Hello all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Simon was 28 years old when you joined the apostles.  He was a fiery man and many times spoke without thinking.  He was a hater of the Romans and specially a tax-hater.  He was an active fanatical Jewish Nationalists.  He was a Canaanite and lived in Galilee.

  Simon was a loyal man, yet very material minded.  Jesus was quite patient with him, working with him until he became spiritually minded. A work in progress. Hmm! Does this sound like you---a work in progress.

   Simon admired Jesus for many reasons, a few of which was his calmness, his assurance, poise, and inexplicable composure.  This was a big change for Simon, who would have killed willingly to keep Israel pure; and now, he followed a man who did not use violence or force to share the word.

   Simon was a very effective teacher and preacher and follower of Jesus.  He enjoyed debates, when it came to dealing with the legalistic minds of the educated Jews or the intellectual nit picking of the  Greeks, the task was always assigned to Simon.

    It appears he and Matthew, the tax-collector, became close; whereas prior to Jesus, Simon had a strong hatred for taxes.  Simon, too, was martyred. It is not clear where he died and some authorities say he was martyred by either crucifixion or hacked to death.  Where? One authority says a governor in Syria had him killed or martyred.  Again, it is interesting that only John died of old age.

   Search all this out for yourself and see what you can find.  If you find more I would enjoy hearing from you. Love you all.

Soli Deo Gloria

Johnny

Philip! An apostle - is he in the Bible? Yep - dedicated and loyal

Good morning all. 
God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

    Philip - what do we know about him?  It is indicated that he had a warm heart, yet pessimistic attitude.  He wanted to do for others, but was not certain it could be done or how to do it.

   He came from Bethsaida, where Peter and Andrew came and it is speculated he was probably a fisherman.  After Jesus came out from being baptized by John and was leaving Bethany (John1:28), he called unto Philip to follow him (John 1:43-46).

    When Jesus was before the 5,000 he asked Philip a rhetorical question of how to feed them. Read John 6:5-7 for the response.  Philip tended to take an active role in the discussions Jesus would have with his disciples, however, like the other disciples, he often did not understand Jesus' sayings.

   There is not a lot about Philip, but if you search him you may find some more interesting facts.  Philip preached in Phrygia and died a martyr at Hierapolis.  Philip died by being hung.  While he was dying, he requested that his body be wrapped not in linen but in papyrus for he was not worthy that even his dead body should be treated as the body of Jesus had been treated.  

     Philip was all in for Jesus, when he was called by Jesus he was 100% a God man.  May we all be as devoted as Philip.  Love you all.

Deo Soli Gloria

Johnny

Simon? or is it Peter? The Rock (not Dwayne Johnson)

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Well we have read about the apostles: Andrew, Bartholomew, James (Elder), James (Lesser), John, Judas, Jude, Matthew - now what about Peter?

    First, who is Peter?  His original name was Simon (meaning "hearer") and he lived in Bethsaida and Capernaum.  He is the son of Jonah or John and he was married. He resided mainly in Capernaum, of where Jesus did teach and minister and probably stayed with Peter when there (speculation). Simon was a fisherman and a Galilean.

   It was said of the Galilean's of this time that they were quick tempered, yet very chivalrous men.  They were more anxious for honor than for gain; impulsive, emotional, easily aroused by adventure, and loyal to the end.

   Simon ( his Greek name), in Hebrew, his name was Cephas (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:22; 9:5 and Galatians 2:9). The Greek meaning of Simon is rock. The Arabic meaning of Cephas is also rock.

    Of the 12 Apostles, Peter did tend to be the leader and stand out.  You see this in some of Paul's writings as well. Simon and Andrew were brothers and were partners with John and James.  He was not a poor man living in a shack by the sea, but had a rather large house with his mother-in-law and did entertain Jesus and the disciples in his home. Simon, or Peter - was probably between 30-40 when Jesus called him to ministry.

    The interesting thing here is Peter (Simon) and his brother Andrew were being prepared for their call by God prior to Jesus.  How?  They were followers of John the Baptist, UNTIL, the LORD Jesus Christ called them. How cool is that?!?

     They did not become disciples on Jesus' first calling, During the first calling, Peter and the other disciples just thought the LORD was their teacher, BUT, on the second calling, Mark3:13-19, they were called into service as Jesus' apostles.  Please read this account slowly and absorb what it is really saying.  Jesus picked 12, and Simon he surnamed Peter (the Rock).

   Peter was one of the first to:  who asked how often he must forgive.
                                                  inquired about the reward for all of those who follow Jesus,
                                                  confessed Jesus and declared Him as the Son of the Living God,

                                                  Mount of Transfiguration (if you are not sure of what this is, click the link)
                                                  saw Jairus' daughter raised to life,
                                                  who denied Christ before a maiden,

                                                  be told "get thee behind me Satan" (Matthew 16:22-24)

     However, He was an Apostle and a missionary who laid down his life for his Lord. He was loyal to the end and was martyred by crucifixion. He requested to be crucified upside down as he said he was not worthy to die as his LORD had died.

   Peter, the Rock, was a loyalist to Jesus Christ and did make errors in his zeal. However, the was a leader and trust worthy man of God. May we all have his zeal and commitment.  Love you all.

Deo Soli Gloria

Johnny

Jude? Thaddeua? Lebbeus? Judas the Zealot? Is this one person?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Jude, as we refer to him was also known as Thaddeus or Thaddaeus, Lebbeus, and was the son of Alpheus or Cleophas and Mary.  Thaddeus' surname is Lebbeus, which means "heart".   He is known as Jude, Judas the Zealot, Thaddeus and Lebbeus. 

   The experts believe he is the author of the book Jude; whereas some disagree and think it was Jesus' brother who wrote the book of Jude. Here is some interesting information: Jerome called Jude "Trinomious" which means "a man with three names." In Mark 3:18 he is called Thaddeus. In Matthew 10:3 he is called Lebbeus. His surname was Thaddeus. In Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 he is called Judas the brother of James. Judas Thaddeus also was called Judas the Zealot. Some say the apostle with 4 names; does it matter?

   One tradition says Jude founded a church at Edessa which is also where he was martyred. It is believed he was killed by an axe or club; and to have been martyred in Persia or Syria around 65 A.D. Here he healed and ministered to many in the name of the Master, Jesus.  Another belief is that he was killed by arrows at  Ararat.  So where and how he was killed is not perfectly clear, but we do know he was martyred for Jesus!!

   Matthew referred to Jude as brethren in Matthew 13:55 - and typically when referred to as brethren this is a relative of some sort, indicating a blood relative.  Jude preached in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). He traveled with Simon and preaching, bringing many to Christ in places like Mesopotamia, Libya, Turkey, and Persia.

    He was thought to be the leader of the Church in the East and wrote the book of Jude around 60 a.d. In Jude he warns against false teachers, perverting of the gospel, and encouraged them to remain in the love of Jesus and remain loyal to what they were taught by the disciples.

   His strengths were the fact that he believed strongly in Jesus Christ and spent his life sharing the word. Of course, a weakness was at the time of crucifixion he temporarily abandoned Jesus (in fear) as did the other apostles.  He was thought to come from a farming background by some experts; others don't know.

   He did ask Christ why he showed himself to  the apostles, and not set up as the ruling king, this can be found in John 14:22.  Jesus did reply and you can read this, just go to the link.  The book of Jude is short, only 25 verses; click on the link and take time to read it.  Jude is an interesting man of the Bible, a follower of Christ, yet very obscure in gathering a lot of information about him.  You may find other "experts" who believe he lived and died in various other places; however, we do know 1 thing for certain:  He was a true believer of our LORD and saviour - JESUS CHRIST!  AND, he died in martyrdom for our LORD!  Hope you enjoyed this. I am gaining a wealth of knowledge just learning about the apostles. Love you all.

Deo Soli Gloria

Johnny

Judas - exactly who was he?

Good  morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Judas, just who was he anyway.  Interestingly enough all the disciples were from Galilee EXCEPT Judas, who was from Judah. A town, Kerioth, in southern Judah.
   Here is the history of the name Judas: The name Judas is the Hellenized version of the Hebrew name Judah, and the name Judah comes from the Hebrew root-verb ידה, meaning "to praise".

  AND, I thought it interesting that we have come to know "Judas" as a traitor or betrayer rather than to praise.  I did find another definition that Judas meant a peephole in a door.  I guess this could fit. LOL 

   Judas Iscariot is the son of Simon Iscariot.  Some authorities believe the Iscariot comes from the Latin sicarius meaning small sword or dagger. One thought is that Judas was a violent Jewish Nationalist. These men were basically mercenaries who were opposed to the Romans and would remove political opponents.  They were hired assassins.

  Judas was one of the chosen disciples by Jesus, yet it appears Judas was driven more by selfishness and greed that by the spirit of God.  He was the treasurer of the disciples and did not mind "dipping into the pot" occasionally.  One example was the perfume when Jesus' feet were washed and wiped clean.  He said they could sell it and help the poor. Hmm!  Did he really mean it?  Probably not.

   It is hard to understand someone who saw so many miracles and heard so much of the Master's teaching could ever betray him into the hands of his enemies.  Satan was at work in him with self, greed, covetous, and self satisfaction.

  If you will look at Matthew 26:20-25 

The Last supper; Jesus sat to eat with his disciples and said one of you will betray me.  11 of the disciples said "LORD is it I", BUT  Judas Iscariot said "Rabbi is it I" (or Master in some versions) and Jesus replied to Judas, "Thou hast said."  How often do we miss this in the Bible? He did not refer to Jesus as LORD, but Rabbi or teacher. Did Judas just not know?  Was he so self-absorbed he couldn't recognize the Messiah? Wow!

  However, it is important to remember that it was not Judas who put Jesus on the Cross, but the sins of the people, my sins, your sins, from the time of Adam and Eve.

   I do hope you learned some more here as I did. Love you all.

Johnny

  

James the Lesser??? (the Just) Who????

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   James the Lesser or Younger was called so because he was, in height, smaller than James the Greater. He was also called "the Just".  This James was the son of Alpheus, (Cleophas) and Mary, lived in Galilee. He was the brother of the Apostle Jude.  He is considered the cousin of the LORD through both Mary and Joseph.

  In some texts James is thought to be the brother of Jesus; and in some he is referred to as brother and cousin in parenthesis.  So, do I know exactly which James this is? No, but from most of what I have read he would be considered the brother of Jesus.

    His writing is broke up into 5 parts. First of testing of faith(ch 1&2); then the reality of faith tested by the tongue (ch. 3:1-18); rebuke of worldliness (ch 4:1-17); warning to the rich (ch 5:1-6) and then strongly advising Christians (ch 5:7-20). 

     James is a short read, but don't "read" it but "STUDY" James.

   After the resurrection and before the ascension, Jesus appeared to the disciples and James is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15: ⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ⁷ After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
⁸ And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time.
  James was a religion, legal and ceremonial man.  He was a man of strongy character and a "spit fire" when delivering the word.  James speaks out in Act 15 starting at verse 13; again in Acts 21:18. He is an interesting figure in Christiandom and worth you investigating further. 
   Here is a quote from one "expert", biblehub: "James seems to have been a man of good common sense, with a well balanced judgment, who piloted the little vessel of the Jerusalem church through the Judaeistic breakers with a skillful hand, gradually weaning her from ceremonial observances without giving offense and recognizing the greater freedom of the Gentile churches. He was highly respected by the whole Church for his great piety and whole-hearted devotion to the saints."
   Last part is how did he die?  I could not find a concrete fact on his death. One says he was sawed into pieces, thus his apostolic symbol was the saw; another says he was thrown from the temple by the scribes and Pharisees, then stoned, and his head was bashed with a club.
    I do hope you garnered something from my study. Love you all.
Deo Soli Gloria
Johnny

James the Elder (or Greater)?? Huh? Who is he?

Hello All. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

    Okay, there are 2 James; James the Elder (or Greater) who is a brother of John, son of Zebedee and Salome. He was the nephew of James the Less, who was the brother of Salome. He, also, was a fisherman and resided in Bethsaida, Capernaum and Jerusalem.

   So??? Who is he?  He was one of the inner circle of Jesus along with John and Peter.  In Acts 12 James was beheaded by Herod, thus being the first disciple martyred for Jesus Christ. 

12 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

² And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
³ And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.

   Peter was with him as well and we will talk about him later.  When Herod beheaded James, the Elder it pleased the Jews. Hmmm! They did not like the leaders of "The Way" and enjoyed their punishment.

    Again, James was the first of the disciples to be martyred.  He was a strong follower of Jesus, a man of courage, a man of forgiveness, and he lived in the shadow of John.  However, he and John (and Peter) were constant companions in their spreading of the gospel.  As you study the Bible, there are 5 James' listed and it is important to be able to distinguish which one you are reading.

    This is James the Elder or James the Greater.  Hope you enjoy reading about the men of the Bible. Love you all.

Johnny

Bartholomew or Nathanael - a disciple of Christ

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Bartholomew Nathanael is a rather obscure disciple of Jesus.  We don't know a lot about him. Nathanael means a gift of God; Bartholomew means son of Talmai.  Who?  Talmai was the king of Geshur, and his daughter, Maacah, was the wife of David, mother of Absolom. He is the only one of the disciples to be believed that came from noble blood.

   He is thought to be a missionary in Armenia. Nathanael overcame his scoff where he said in John 1:46 "And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him - Come and see."

  When Jesus saw Nathanael he said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"  Nathanael questioned Jesus and asked how he knew him.  Jesus replied (John 1:48) "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." At this Nathanael retorted: "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." Then Jesus said, "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these."  Then Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

    The tradition passed on is that he was a great searcher of the Scripture and a scholar in the law and the prophets. He developed into a man of complete surrender to the Carpenter of Nazareth, and one of the Church's most adventurous missionaries. He is said to have preached with Philip in Phrygia and Hierapolis; also in Armenia. The Armenian Church claims him as its founder and martyr.

   Nathanael died as a martyr for Jesus Christ and how?  He was flayed alive with knives.  Another story is that he was crucified upside down. Yet another story believes he was in India at the time of his death.  If anyone has proof of his death please share.
     He came from Cana in Galilee.  It is believed that his first name is Nathanael and his second name is Bartholomew.

   He was there at Jesus' ascension when Jesus called the 11 disciples together.  Here he is referred to as Bartholomew.  He went to the mission field after the ascension of Jesus and spread the gospel.  Interesting, but hard to find out a lot about him.  Thank you for reading. Love you all.

Deo Soli Gloria

Johnny

Who was Andrew? A discple of Jesus?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Andrew!  Just who is he?  Did he do anything?  What?

Andrew in Greek means "manly" or "of valor".  He is the son of Judah.  Where was he born?  Bethsaida in the province of Galilee.  Galilee?  Oh, that is where he was a fisherman with his brother, Simon Peter.  Who? We'll talk about him later.

  Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, UNTIL, the time when John Baptized Jesus and pointed Jesus out as the Messiah.  At this time he left John, followed Jesus and took his brother to follow Jesus.

   However, Andrew and Simon Peter returned to their occupation of being fishermen until Jesus came.  Matthew 4:18 King James Version (KJV)¹⁸ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

 Okay, then, Jesus saw them casting their nets, and.........????? 
¹⁹ And he (Jesus) saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
²⁰ And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
  Notice, Jesus called them, they did not say wait I need to tell .........; or can you come back tomorrow........; or whatever.  They immediately dropped their nets and followed Jesus.  Is your faith that strong?
  Andrew brought people to Jesus, first was his brother, then he brought many others.  And when they fed the 5 thousand - Andrew was the one who brought the boy with the 5 loaves and 2 fish (which resulted in a miracle).
  Andrew, during the Passover Feast, was the one who brought the Greeks to see Jesus.  This prompted Jesus to say: "when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself.”
  The last time we see Andrew is in Acts where he witnessed the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. 
  Andrew seemed to know Jesus came to save, not just the Jews, but all the world.  So, Andrew seems to be quiet but quite instrumental in spreading the word of Jesus Christ, saviour of the world.
   He was said to have preached in Achaia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia and even Scythia (modern day Russia) which was a land inhabited by barbarians (Col. 3:11). 

  So, what happened to him? It is said he was crucified on a  cross in the shape of an X and that he was tied (instead of nailed) and that he was on the cross for 2 days before dying. 

During those two days he preached the Gospel to everyone who passed by. 

   This I found and thought was very interesting. 
In 345 AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine (who was a Christian) had Andrew’s bones carried to the far northwest to modern day Scotland which is why the X shaped cross on which Andrew died became Scotland’s national flag in the year 1385

Hope this gives you an idea of who Andrew is/was!  Love you all.

Johnny

The original (disciples) apostles

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   Can you name all the disciples?  Many people will start out with Matthew, Mark, Luke, John - BUT, if we look Mark and Luke are not apostles. And some Apostles just "did what Jesus called them to do" with no great recognition.  Andrew, Bartholomew, the James', Jude, Thomas - really, how much do you know? 

    For some reason I believe this is where God is leading me.  There are links to the following you can view if you wish, but tomorrow each one will be viewed in greater depth (if possible).  Thank you for reading.  One of the sources and links below comes from "What Christians Want to Know".

  Here they are in alphabetical order with links about them:

1. Andrew
2. Bartholomew or Nathanael
3. James, the Elder
4. James, the Lesser or Younger
5. John
6. Judas
7. Jude or Thaddeus
8. Matthew or Levi
9. Peter or Simon Peter
10. Philip
11. Simon the Zealot
12. Thomas

Deo Soli Gloria
Johnny