The high priests, religion scholars and leaders demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?" And Jesus responded, "First let me ask you... about John the Baptist- who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me." The leaders refused to answer because they are afraid of the people. They didn't believe in John, so they cannot say that John got the authority from heaven, and if they said that he got the authority from the humans, then the people will be up against them because the people believed that John is a prophet.
I love hearing my mom's stories about what God did for her in her life as I grew up. She once told me that she once was asked by the people about her degree. Since she didn't graduated from Gallaudet University, she withdrawed after failing one of the classes. However, she answsered, "Holy Spirit is my degree" and she didn't know where she got this idea from! That's right! If you would like to look at John, he was filled with the Holy Spirit when he was in the womb, before he was known as a prophet! Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to the nations before God shaped him in the womb! And you and me!
Jesus told them, "Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preening in the radiance of public flattery, basking in prominent positions, sitting at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get."... then He went on to explain that, "the truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss, she gave EXTRAVAGANTLY what she couldn't afford- she gave her all."
Who cares how much money we got, how much education we got, how much skills we got, always remember that we have the Holy Spirit degree. Your GPA is how much we love God by EXTRAVAGANTLY using up all of our passion, prayer, intelligence, and energy that we have for Him! If you have "zero", then give Him all of your "zero"... that is 100%!
I enjoyed your post, it is true, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us, and be open to the direction He gives. If we are not, then we miss out on the blessing God would have given us. Like the Pharises and Saducees; they didn't listen to the Holy Ghost, so they missed the opportunity to embrace the Christ that they proclaimed to be waiting for.
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