In the depths of the earth, there exists a place called hell, where the souls of both the damned and the redeemed once resided. However, after Jesus' death on the cross, He descended into these depths to deliver the souls of the redeemed from the side of hell known as Paradise. The souls of the damned remain in the side of torment, awaiting their final judgment. At the White Throne Judgment, they, along with hell itself, will be cast into the lake of eternal fire. King David understood the magnitude of his deliverance from hell, and I, too, am grateful for mine. If you comprehend the depths of your own deliverance, you will praise the Lord God with all your heart and glorify His Name.
Psalms 86:12-13 KJV I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
The enemies of Christ know where the people of Christ gather. Do not be surprised when they infiltrate such places.
John 18:2 KJV And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
Three times, Jesus declared to His enemies, 'I Am.'
John 18:4 KJV Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
John 18:5 KJV They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
John 18:6 KJV As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
John 18:7 KJV Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
John 18:8 KJV Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
There is a physical application in that none of Jesus' disciples were killed up until the time of His arrest. Given all the attempts on Jesus' life up until this point, it is miraculous in itself.
John 18:9 KJV That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
Many have a zeal not according to knowledge. Thank God, He protects us even from our zealous stupidity.
John 18:10 KJV Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
John 18:11 KJV Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Caiaphas saw Jesus' death merely as a means to maintain a fragile peace with Rome, devoid of any spiritual significance. Similarly, many today exploit Jesus' sacrifice for their own selfish purposes, exemplified in what I have learned to be consumer and commercial Christianity, for starters.
John 18:14 KJV Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Many are burned by the very fire they warm themselves with. Thankfully, Peter repented. Therefore, when he later preached repentance, he knew exactly what it meant.
John 18:17 KJV Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
John 18:18 KJV And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
Peter did not understand Jesus' arrest. It caused him to question his faith. Later, he would be martyred for the very faith he once doubted.
John 18:25 KJV And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
John 18:26 KJV One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
John 18:27 KJV Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
The antichrists will defame you with many things, but they will not call you a liar.
John 18:22 KJV And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
John 18:23 KJV Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
In other words, if we, the Jews, label someone an antisemite and a criminal, that's all the explanation needed - no further charges or justification are required.
John 18:29 KJV Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
John 18:30 KJV They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
Pilate asked a question about truth and then ironically answered it himself with a profound statement of truth.
John 18:38 KJV Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
Wherever the Spirit of God is moving, the cup will overflow. This is why I often say that my cup overflows. God has always provided for the work He has called me to do, even if it has been in unconventional ways.
Exodus 36:5 KJV And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
Exodus 36:6 KJV And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
Exodus 36:7 KJV For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
The intelligence of man thinks artificial intelligence will give them the answers to life and the universe. God laughs, and I laugh with Him.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 KJV As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.