Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I've got a secret, it is that....
I’ve Got A Secret: it is that!
There was a TV game show back when TV was a child, back in the late 1950’s. A guest came with a secret, an unusual job, or a sports record or had made a scientific discovery, and a panel of show biz stars asked questions in turns trying to be the one to guess the secret. It was entertaining, hilarious at times. And I think now, why do we not ask God more questions about God, about Jesus, about the Holy Spirit?
Children get to be a certain age and they begin to ask a very, very important question: “Why?” God forbid that we as parents or adults ever quench the spirit of that question. We ought to guide and temper the spirit by the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but we ought to guard the integrity and the liveliness of the child’s curiosity. If we are skillful we will direct the child to God, who gives better answers than we do.
God is the Author of life, of your life and my life and every human life. We believe that. We know that He created man and woman in His image and then let them fall from His grace. Yes, He did. He subjected the entire creation to vanity, to futility, in hope!
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Romans 8:20
When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God they became alienated and separated from God. They were separated from the power of God, from that power of an endless life which can only be found in God. The “Second Adam”, the second “Man” (for Adam means man) came to rejoin man to God, to reconcile Man to Himself. In doing so God was also reconciling the whole world to himself.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2Corinthians 5:17-19
A most wonderful thing to know about God is that he has a plan, he has effectively for us always had a plan, He has always succeeded in His plan, and will always succeed in it until it is completely and forever finished. It is a magnificent and an amazing plan. God is a magnificent and amazing Being. We at the present moment see through a glass darkly, we live in a fallen world, a temporary condition; we are suspended for a short moment between eternity past and eternity future. What we as born again creatures would like to see and experience is the fullness of the immortality God has saved us to have. We are not quite there yet! But we are so much closer than we may now imagine!
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:19-25
When children, and when we as grown spiritual children of any age begin to ask: “Why?” let us also always remember to ask: “Who?” The context for all our seeking must reasonably include, yes even begin with “Who?” When our children ask us: “Why?” we must direct them to “Who?”: to God. If we do not we are failing to do what the Lord commands us:
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Human lives, children’s lives which are presently lived out in the midst of the vanity (futility) in which all creation groans in pain must find their way out of that vanity into the liberty of God’s love and salvation. We can do no other thing except remain separated from God and die and remain eternally separated from Him. Hell is real, and the second death is real. Thank God, Thank You Lord Jesus for overcoming the world, and the grave, and death and hell!!!
Now it is very true that God’s part is to save us. He does all the heavy lifting. But when have been awakened by God to His love and to His truth, to His Authority and His Power, we simply must respond in agreement with all His plan. God will not fail to do the thing He has planned to do! When we come to know that He desires in love to include us in His Kingdom of Love we simply must not refuse His gift of redemption in Jesus Christ the crucified. Doing that might be like a baby refusing to leave its mother’s womb. Such a baby would die doing so.
Now born again parents do not have the responsibility to save their children, but they are certainly charged to educate and to edify them. A parent of God must become him/herself the child of God, asking “Why” and also now asking: “How?”
I’ve got a secret? God certainly has some secrets. Many things of God are just “above our pay grade.” We will never know, and we don’t need to know and should not want to know everything God knows. We could wish Adam and Eve never knew what a certain fruit tasted like. Yet there are things we need to know, and most importantly there are people we need to know. And God is people; He is “good people.” It has been said that “it’s not what you know but who you know.”
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. Exodus 34:6-7
Compassionate, gracious, longsuffering (slow to anger, patient), merciful, truthful, faithful (to keep His promises) and forgiving is our Lord! This is the answer to the question: “Who?” Do I know this? Do I trust God to be as He has said? Do I know Him; the One Who has this character? He spoke those words (Exodus 34:6-7) to Moses. (He also warned us that our iniquity, our bad habits of sin, would be found in our children. The obvious need is to forsake iniquity and sin). He revealed Himself to Moses. He shared His secret with Moses and thank God He shared it with us too!!! It might well be that our greatest need as humans is simply to know our Creator “up close and personal.” Moses talked with God as a man speaks with his friend, “face to face.” Abraham is called the friend of God. Our genuine faith in God the Lord brings us into the grace, the favor of God, and that favor is that we may know God personally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit!!!
As Bob Mumford notes God is self revealed. If God did not reveal Himself to us, we could not discover Him. It must be this that makes the prayer: “God if you are there, show me yourself to me” a prayer God has delighted to answer for so many people. Can it be that God does have a secret but that He is just dying to share it with the world? Or is it that He actually did die to share it with the world? Since Jesus died on that Judean hillside two centuries ago, the secret has been revealed in a way that cannot be denied by those who will ask “Why?” and “Who?” and “How?” For those of us to whom God has revealed Himself, our greatest need is to ask God now: “What is it that you have planned for me to be and to do in life.” To discover this will bring our faith into the full, real, and true context of His great plan of Life.
If Paul, the mighty man of God, the apostle of Christ, the student of the risen Savior could write from his Roman prison the following words, how much more ought we in our freedom embrace them as the greatest response of gratefulness to our God and Savior?
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14
“…that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus…”
As Mumford teaches, “that” is the very thing, the very secret which God desires us to seek. If we will ask Him what that is, he will tell us, and we should then move toward the fullness of life in which He has always intended for us to live. It (that) will be pleasant to us and to Him. Jesus came to do “that.” For Jesus that was summed up in this word:
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. Luke 4:16-21
That also included:
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end (that) was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
John 18:37
And that included His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:2-3
Sacrifices and grain offerings you don't want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don't demand. Instead, you have given me open ears; so then I said, "Here I am! I'm coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about me. Doing your will, my God, is my joy; your Torah is in my inmost being. Psalm 40:6-8 [Complete Jewish Bible]
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come (that): (as) in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:6-8 [KJV]
The will of God seems to be a “secret” and not known to so many today who name the name of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Apart from a calling to “five-fold” ministry there are callings we are all called to as believers. We are called to be obedient to God’s commandments. Whenever we introduce obedience into the mix we encounter resistance to that. There is something about our natures as sinners that resists being told what to do. We have all gone our own way like sheep astray from the Shepherd. The really surprising thing seems to be also a secret: that it is actually, truly a joy to do that, the will of God. “Doing your will, my God, is my joy.” Psalm 40:8
It is not so much that we must stop sinning as it is that we start doing God’s will. Experience should have taught us that though pleasant at the first, sinning always ends in pain and sorrow. That pain and sorrow can be very, very deep, bitter and full of regrets. Yet if we simply stop sinning something else must be done, and “nothing” is not a viable option. Sin will leap back into nothing (idleness) quicker than you can say “Jack be nimble.” It will be difficult, near impossible to find that until we begin to stop sinning, that is: until we begin to change our thinking and acting. It will be difficult to repent until we learn what that which we are all called to do is. It seems as if we are trapped on a circular track just going around and around, and as Bro. Mumford teaches this is exactly how our lives play out in part. The habits of sin lead us in a circle so that we come back to our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances to change how we behave. I regret to say that it has been the 15933rd chance on some sins that seems perhaps to have wearied me enough to begin to change.
Bro. Mumford also teaches of the “eros prison.” The eros prison is the place we may find ourselves in when our “self referential”, self absorbed, autonomous desires lead us off the path with God and onto a sidetrack, a rabbit trail in search of what is false. “…narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life," Matthew 7:14 When we go after that which is of the world, flesh or devil God continues to love us, and loves us enough to resist us: he send us in circles. Here we need to hear a word from God to bring us out of ourselves, out of the falsehood, away from the deceptions back into that which He has called us to. He does so by speaking a word to us. I pray I will have a keener ear for there is a need for sharp hearing in this present life.
Certainly a good and very edifying part of that which we are all called to is what are called the means of grace. Among them are prayer, worship, bible study, fellowship and outreach. In my estimation bible study is very important. God loved us while we were still sinners and had a book written to reveal Himself to those who will read it and believe in Him. It seems to me that in the year 2010 the virtues of the Holy Bible ought to be the subject of more preachers and sermons than ever before. Everyone who has a Bible has a treasure that is (figuratively?) written in the blood of the Savior and His prophets. It cost many men of God the revelation of their lives in a public manner, a manner we might not want to be applied to our lives (I can hear the amens rolling in!). How would you like to be Samson and have your sins recorded for all to read about? Or Jonah, or Judah or Jacob? But if we are to stay on the path Bro. Mumford calls the Agape Road, we will help ourselves greatly by knowing and understanding God’s book. I think Bible Study is certainly a part of that for everyone. Today’s bible software programs are awesome tools which the average person can use to read, and study the Word.
We need to act on what we are shown by God (the Bible is a means by which God’s shows us that), and we can do this confidently knowing He is motivated by His love to do us only good. We can trust God. We need desperately to admit that God’s ways are not our ways. God’s love is different than a sinner’s love. Yet by the efforts of our faith and by placing our confidence in God’s loving gift of salvation we can begin to think, act and love as God loves! God cannot sin against us; He cannot harm us, for He cannot sin at all, ever! What He can do is manage the mess of sins we and our fellow men do commit in such a way as to move us toward Him. He would prefer we not persist in sins, but when we do He knows how to move the chess pieces on our board (in our neighborhood) in a way that humbles us and brings our willing change of mind and deeds. Eventually by God’s providence of our circular experiences in life we learn that His ways are far better than ours.
Now obedience to God’s commandments is by the grace of God and by the power of God no longer a burden. But it cannot be emphasized strongly enough that the joy of obedience cannot be appreciated well apart from knowing God intimately. Compassionate, gracious, longsuffering (slow to anger, patient), merciful, truthful, faithful (to keep His promises) and forgiving is our Lord! Do I really know this? I have not yet had a face to face with Jesus. Peter did, and John did, and Paul did. Oh, I want one!!! Notwithstanding it is by faith not by sight we now walk out the life we live. And the Holy Spirit is also God "compassionate, gracious, longsuffering (slow to anger, patient), merciful, truthful, faithful (to keep His promises) and forgiving." When we really see the Father, our Father in Heaven as He is, and we see Him in Jesus, then we can walk on the water, that is we can obey God even and especially when what we are commanded seems so opposite to all we were taught by the world and the devil. God’s righteousness is a gift we are to receive, unwrap, discover, trust, internalize, experience, depend on and behave in. It is brought to us by Jesus in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells.
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? John 14:9
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2
We are being transformed from sin and from sinning into that.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:9-20
I think if the Catholics are right about praying to the saints I would pray to Saint Paul, Saint John, and Saint Peter.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1John 5:3-5
It is a simple and obedient act to believe God, to trust Him, to have faith that He will keep His promises, all of them. That it is!
...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all (that)these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28-29
Believing God is a work of God!!! That it is! It is the will of God.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
By believing God, and receiving God gives us His authority (power) to become His own sons and daughters.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:20-23
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:29-31
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1John 5:1-15
Believing God is obeying God. Believing God actively leads to life in God. From faith to faith and glory to glory...
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. John 15:1-17
Abraham is called the father of our faith, for He believed God and did not stagger in his belief. He obeyed God from the platform of faith in God. God is gracious to love even the ignorant unsaved sinner, but requires faith to unlock to door to His promises of salvation. Moses and Abraham were friends of God, and the proof of it was that they did as He commanded them. It is amazing to me that they were so very close to God. It is just beyond my present experience to have God say to me such things as He said to them. But they were charged with things that we know were done so that all who came after them might know God more intimately by there doing! No one will again be called to go down into Egypt to deliver the children of Israel. No one will again be called to return from Babylon and build the second temple. There are yet “heros” of the faith to come, and there are even heroes in the earth today. The question remains for me and for you is:
What is “that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus…?”
For I was so happy when some brothers came and testified how faithful you are to the truth, as you continue living in the truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in all the work you are doing for the brothers, even when they are strangers to you. They have testified to your love in front of the congregation. You will be doing well if you send them on their way in a manner worthy of God, 3John 1:3-6 Complete Jewish Bible
This scripture certainly gives a fuller view of the simple things we can do to accomplish that. God shows us that that has everything to do with how we receive and assist brothers who are also doing that.
Are there some things of which God seems to yet be saying: “I’ve got a secret.” ????? His secrets are to be revealed for we who love Him and are called according to (that) His purpose!
May we gain and exercise the heart, mind, soul and strength to love God enough to ask Him what that is and to do just that. Amen
There was a TV game show back when TV was a child, back in the late 1950’s. A guest came with a secret, an unusual job, or a sports record or had made a scientific discovery, and a panel of show biz stars asked questions in turns trying to be the one to guess the secret. It was entertaining, hilarious at times. And I think now, why do we not ask God more questions about God, about Jesus, about the Holy Spirit?
Children get to be a certain age and they begin to ask a very, very important question: “Why?” God forbid that we as parents or adults ever quench the spirit of that question. We ought to guide and temper the spirit by the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but we ought to guard the integrity and the liveliness of the child’s curiosity. If we are skillful we will direct the child to God, who gives better answers than we do.
God is the Author of life, of your life and my life and every human life. We believe that. We know that He created man and woman in His image and then let them fall from His grace. Yes, He did. He subjected the entire creation to vanity, to futility, in hope!
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Romans 8:20
When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God they became alienated and separated from God. They were separated from the power of God, from that power of an endless life which can only be found in God. The “Second Adam”, the second “Man” (for Adam means man) came to rejoin man to God, to reconcile Man to Himself. In doing so God was also reconciling the whole world to himself.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2Corinthians 5:17-19
A most wonderful thing to know about God is that he has a plan, he has effectively for us always had a plan, He has always succeeded in His plan, and will always succeed in it until it is completely and forever finished. It is a magnificent and an amazing plan. God is a magnificent and amazing Being. We at the present moment see through a glass darkly, we live in a fallen world, a temporary condition; we are suspended for a short moment between eternity past and eternity future. What we as born again creatures would like to see and experience is the fullness of the immortality God has saved us to have. We are not quite there yet! But we are so much closer than we may now imagine!
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:19-25
When children, and when we as grown spiritual children of any age begin to ask: “Why?” let us also always remember to ask: “Who?” The context for all our seeking must reasonably include, yes even begin with “Who?” When our children ask us: “Why?” we must direct them to “Who?”: to God. If we do not we are failing to do what the Lord commands us:
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Human lives, children’s lives which are presently lived out in the midst of the vanity (futility) in which all creation groans in pain must find their way out of that vanity into the liberty of God’s love and salvation. We can do no other thing except remain separated from God and die and remain eternally separated from Him. Hell is real, and the second death is real. Thank God, Thank You Lord Jesus for overcoming the world, and the grave, and death and hell!!!
Now it is very true that God’s part is to save us. He does all the heavy lifting. But when have been awakened by God to His love and to His truth, to His Authority and His Power, we simply must respond in agreement with all His plan. God will not fail to do the thing He has planned to do! When we come to know that He desires in love to include us in His Kingdom of Love we simply must not refuse His gift of redemption in Jesus Christ the crucified. Doing that might be like a baby refusing to leave its mother’s womb. Such a baby would die doing so.
Now born again parents do not have the responsibility to save their children, but they are certainly charged to educate and to edify them. A parent of God must become him/herself the child of God, asking “Why” and also now asking: “How?”
I’ve got a secret? God certainly has some secrets. Many things of God are just “above our pay grade.” We will never know, and we don’t need to know and should not want to know everything God knows. We could wish Adam and Eve never knew what a certain fruit tasted like. Yet there are things we need to know, and most importantly there are people we need to know. And God is people; He is “good people.” It has been said that “it’s not what you know but who you know.”
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. Exodus 34:6-7
Compassionate, gracious, longsuffering (slow to anger, patient), merciful, truthful, faithful (to keep His promises) and forgiving is our Lord! This is the answer to the question: “Who?” Do I know this? Do I trust God to be as He has said? Do I know Him; the One Who has this character? He spoke those words (Exodus 34:6-7) to Moses. (He also warned us that our iniquity, our bad habits of sin, would be found in our children. The obvious need is to forsake iniquity and sin). He revealed Himself to Moses. He shared His secret with Moses and thank God He shared it with us too!!! It might well be that our greatest need as humans is simply to know our Creator “up close and personal.” Moses talked with God as a man speaks with his friend, “face to face.” Abraham is called the friend of God. Our genuine faith in God the Lord brings us into the grace, the favor of God, and that favor is that we may know God personally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit!!!
As Bob Mumford notes God is self revealed. If God did not reveal Himself to us, we could not discover Him. It must be this that makes the prayer: “God if you are there, show me yourself to me” a prayer God has delighted to answer for so many people. Can it be that God does have a secret but that He is just dying to share it with the world? Or is it that He actually did die to share it with the world? Since Jesus died on that Judean hillside two centuries ago, the secret has been revealed in a way that cannot be denied by those who will ask “Why?” and “Who?” and “How?” For those of us to whom God has revealed Himself, our greatest need is to ask God now: “What is it that you have planned for me to be and to do in life.” To discover this will bring our faith into the full, real, and true context of His great plan of Life.
If Paul, the mighty man of God, the apostle of Christ, the student of the risen Savior could write from his Roman prison the following words, how much more ought we in our freedom embrace them as the greatest response of gratefulness to our God and Savior?
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14
“…that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus…”
As Mumford teaches, “that” is the very thing, the very secret which God desires us to seek. If we will ask Him what that is, he will tell us, and we should then move toward the fullness of life in which He has always intended for us to live. It (that) will be pleasant to us and to Him. Jesus came to do “that.” For Jesus that was summed up in this word:
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. Luke 4:16-21
That also included:
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end (that) was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
John 18:37
And that included His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:2-3
Sacrifices and grain offerings you don't want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don't demand. Instead, you have given me open ears; so then I said, "Here I am! I'm coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about me. Doing your will, my God, is my joy; your Torah is in my inmost being. Psalm 40:6-8 [Complete Jewish Bible]
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come (that): (as) in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:6-8 [KJV]
The will of God seems to be a “secret” and not known to so many today who name the name of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Apart from a calling to “five-fold” ministry there are callings we are all called to as believers. We are called to be obedient to God’s commandments. Whenever we introduce obedience into the mix we encounter resistance to that. There is something about our natures as sinners that resists being told what to do. We have all gone our own way like sheep astray from the Shepherd. The really surprising thing seems to be also a secret: that it is actually, truly a joy to do that, the will of God. “Doing your will, my God, is my joy.” Psalm 40:8
It is not so much that we must stop sinning as it is that we start doing God’s will. Experience should have taught us that though pleasant at the first, sinning always ends in pain and sorrow. That pain and sorrow can be very, very deep, bitter and full of regrets. Yet if we simply stop sinning something else must be done, and “nothing” is not a viable option. Sin will leap back into nothing (idleness) quicker than you can say “Jack be nimble.” It will be difficult, near impossible to find that until we begin to stop sinning, that is: until we begin to change our thinking and acting. It will be difficult to repent until we learn what that which we are all called to do is. It seems as if we are trapped on a circular track just going around and around, and as Bro. Mumford teaches this is exactly how our lives play out in part. The habits of sin lead us in a circle so that we come back to our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th chances to change how we behave. I regret to say that it has been the 15933rd chance on some sins that seems perhaps to have wearied me enough to begin to change.
Bro. Mumford also teaches of the “eros prison.” The eros prison is the place we may find ourselves in when our “self referential”, self absorbed, autonomous desires lead us off the path with God and onto a sidetrack, a rabbit trail in search of what is false. “…narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life," Matthew 7:14 When we go after that which is of the world, flesh or devil God continues to love us, and loves us enough to resist us: he send us in circles. Here we need to hear a word from God to bring us out of ourselves, out of the falsehood, away from the deceptions back into that which He has called us to. He does so by speaking a word to us. I pray I will have a keener ear for there is a need for sharp hearing in this present life.
Certainly a good and very edifying part of that which we are all called to is what are called the means of grace. Among them are prayer, worship, bible study, fellowship and outreach. In my estimation bible study is very important. God loved us while we were still sinners and had a book written to reveal Himself to those who will read it and believe in Him. It seems to me that in the year 2010 the virtues of the Holy Bible ought to be the subject of more preachers and sermons than ever before. Everyone who has a Bible has a treasure that is (figuratively?) written in the blood of the Savior and His prophets. It cost many men of God the revelation of their lives in a public manner, a manner we might not want to be applied to our lives (I can hear the amens rolling in!). How would you like to be Samson and have your sins recorded for all to read about? Or Jonah, or Judah or Jacob? But if we are to stay on the path Bro. Mumford calls the Agape Road, we will help ourselves greatly by knowing and understanding God’s book. I think Bible Study is certainly a part of that for everyone. Today’s bible software programs are awesome tools which the average person can use to read, and study the Word.
We need to act on what we are shown by God (the Bible is a means by which God’s shows us that), and we can do this confidently knowing He is motivated by His love to do us only good. We can trust God. We need desperately to admit that God’s ways are not our ways. God’s love is different than a sinner’s love. Yet by the efforts of our faith and by placing our confidence in God’s loving gift of salvation we can begin to think, act and love as God loves! God cannot sin against us; He cannot harm us, for He cannot sin at all, ever! What He can do is manage the mess of sins we and our fellow men do commit in such a way as to move us toward Him. He would prefer we not persist in sins, but when we do He knows how to move the chess pieces on our board (in our neighborhood) in a way that humbles us and brings our willing change of mind and deeds. Eventually by God’s providence of our circular experiences in life we learn that His ways are far better than ours.
Now obedience to God’s commandments is by the grace of God and by the power of God no longer a burden. But it cannot be emphasized strongly enough that the joy of obedience cannot be appreciated well apart from knowing God intimately. Compassionate, gracious, longsuffering (slow to anger, patient), merciful, truthful, faithful (to keep His promises) and forgiving is our Lord! Do I really know this? I have not yet had a face to face with Jesus. Peter did, and John did, and Paul did. Oh, I want one!!! Notwithstanding it is by faith not by sight we now walk out the life we live. And the Holy Spirit is also God "compassionate, gracious, longsuffering (slow to anger, patient), merciful, truthful, faithful (to keep His promises) and forgiving." When we really see the Father, our Father in Heaven as He is, and we see Him in Jesus, then we can walk on the water, that is we can obey God even and especially when what we are commanded seems so opposite to all we were taught by the world and the devil. God’s righteousness is a gift we are to receive, unwrap, discover, trust, internalize, experience, depend on and behave in. It is brought to us by Jesus in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells.
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? John 14:9
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2
We are being transformed from sin and from sinning into that.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Colossians 1:9-20
I think if the Catholics are right about praying to the saints I would pray to Saint Paul, Saint John, and Saint Peter.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1John 5:3-5
It is a simple and obedient act to believe God, to trust Him, to have faith that He will keep His promises, all of them. That it is!
...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all (that)these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28-29
Believing God is a work of God!!! That it is! It is the will of God.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
By believing God, and receiving God gives us His authority (power) to become His own sons and daughters.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:20-23
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20:29-31
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1John 5:1-15
Believing God is obeying God. Believing God actively leads to life in God. From faith to faith and glory to glory...
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. John 15:1-17
Abraham is called the father of our faith, for He believed God and did not stagger in his belief. He obeyed God from the platform of faith in God. God is gracious to love even the ignorant unsaved sinner, but requires faith to unlock to door to His promises of salvation. Moses and Abraham were friends of God, and the proof of it was that they did as He commanded them. It is amazing to me that they were so very close to God. It is just beyond my present experience to have God say to me such things as He said to them. But they were charged with things that we know were done so that all who came after them might know God more intimately by there doing! No one will again be called to go down into Egypt to deliver the children of Israel. No one will again be called to return from Babylon and build the second temple. There are yet “heros” of the faith to come, and there are even heroes in the earth today. The question remains for me and for you is:
What is “that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus…?”
For I was so happy when some brothers came and testified how faithful you are to the truth, as you continue living in the truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in all the work you are doing for the brothers, even when they are strangers to you. They have testified to your love in front of the congregation. You will be doing well if you send them on their way in a manner worthy of God, 3John 1:3-6 Complete Jewish Bible
This scripture certainly gives a fuller view of the simple things we can do to accomplish that. God shows us that that has everything to do with how we receive and assist brothers who are also doing that.
Are there some things of which God seems to yet be saying: “I’ve got a secret.” ????? His secrets are to be revealed for we who love Him and are called according to (that) His purpose!
May we gain and exercise the heart, mind, soul and strength to love God enough to ask Him what that is and to do just that. Amen
Friday, January 29, 2010
Faith, Love, and the Spirit
Faith, Love and the Spirit ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ January 29, 2010
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17
It seems that my Christian life has been supercharged by the Lord through the leading of one scriptural theme. I discovered it more than a few years ago, but was unaware of the power of it until recently. In it is all the potential, all the potency for a life of peace with God. It is this:
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:35-40
When I first read this I am sure I understood the second commandment. But how do I do the first? How can I love someone I cannot even see? He is not on earth as a man anymore. God is in heaven. How wrong I was. God is in the earth today. The Holy Spirit is with us. John 14.26; John 15.26, 27; John 16.7-15; John 20.22; Acts 1.4, 5; Acts 2.1-4.
We walk by faith not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5.7 If we walk by faith with God whom we cannot see, then we are also able to love him by that same faith. Faith is a mystery to those without faith, and (for persons like me) it may remain much a mystery even after it has opened the gates of salvation in Jesus for us.
The thing that has helped me most is to believe, to believe Jesus and to really believe that what God has commanded I am able to do. I may not have ever done it before or have the first idea of how to start doing it now. But would God command anyone to do something and then leave them unable to do it? That would be a cruel, frustrating, embittering and purposeless waste of everyone’s time even God’s. God is not cruel; He is Love. He is not frustrating; He is enabling. He is not embittering; He gives us peace, joy, and patience. If He asks of us, we can give it. If He commands us, we can do it. If He promises to us, we will receive it. God does know we will fail in our own strength, and He will allow it, and will use our failure to move us to desperation to discover His grace and truth, that in Him we will live and love forever and ever.
Very special promises and blessings were given to the chosen people. As a gentile who has faith in God, I believe, I know my destiny in God to be very similarly blessed when God fulfills the promises He has made. Jesus has walked with his disciples in flesh:
…beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:1, 2
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Acts 11:17-18
… Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Acts 15:7-9
God’s blessings come to us through the Jews.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. John 4:21-22
And having received the Messiah and the Holy Spirit of God, what thing that God commands us to do will He not also empower us to do? I challenge the reader to name one thing!
Tremendous peace and assurance has begun to flood into my soul by simply believing I can, I REALLY CAN love God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind and all my strength. Just trusting Him in this, for this is an act of loving Him, is an exercise of faith which pleases Him.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6
If it is impossible to please Him without faith, is it possible that faith will always please Him? I think so. I have faith, that is: I trust Him to be the teacher, and the scriptures to be His primary text.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2Timothy 3:16-17
James writes that faith is not our mere mental assent. We can't simply answers true when asked “Jesus, true or false?” and continue to live as we please. That is not faith. Faith has to have works to live. Just as muscles atrophy when not used, faith does weaken and even appear dead when not exercised.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28-29 (Chapter 6 is awesome)
Jesus calls believing on Him work, that is: faith in Him is a work. Faith exercised will keep faith alive, but what is the exercise of faith? One exercise of faith is its application to the scriptures. My faith was very weak toward God until I believed, trusted, had faith that the Bible was altogether true and reliable AND read and studied it. It shows me I can love God with my all, and I can be successful, that is: pleasing in His sight by loving Him and my neighbor!
The following scripture draws a perfect summary of the whole theme:
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6
Paul in his faith “driven” work of love (of God and the Galatians) is drawing the Galatians back from dead works, rote works of the law. To what does He draw them? To faith in the Gospel and the Savior God of the Gospel, and particularly the Spirit of Holiness who empowered their lives in the Gospel. The miracles the apostles and disciples did were possible by faith because they all were all baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The simplicity (2Co 1:12; 2Co 11:3) of Jesus is so marvelous, and His love so pure; His Spirit so perfect and so Holy, and so very Powerful. Faith in God moves mountains. The power and strength of flesh are entirely unable to move them. “But by my Spirit” saith the Lord.
Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2Corinthians 3:17-18
I, we have peace that passes understanding and with joy unspeakable and full of glory. There in none like our Savior. He is able to move every obstacle thrown in our path and make us to also move them in the Power of His Might that is: In the Holy Spirit. I pray that your faith be wed to the courage of God by faith of God that works through Love, through Love which never fails, that is: Love which never fails YOU (and me). We are loved by God. If we follow His DOABLE commands in His Faith He will pour out that blessing that we cannot contain.
And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God; Mark 11:22 Young’s Literal Translation
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. Mark 5:36
But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. Luke 8:50
and now there doth remain faith, hope, love--these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1Corinthians 13:13 YLT
Faith (believing trust) Hopes (expects the promise to be kept) and it works through Love (which never fails).
There is T shirt going around which says: P U S H ~ Pray Until Something Happens.
Faith is pushy in a good way. Faith pleases God, and faith hears God. Faith follows God and Faith obeys God.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1John 5:3
The love of God exists in the keeping of His commandments, His doable commandments, which are not a grief to His people. Obedience is the context of living in God, in living in His faith. Loving God with your all, and Loving your neighbor as yourself will release us from faith to faith and from glory to glory.
Hebrews 11
1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
We can walk each day as Abraham did.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Hebrews 11:8
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Galatians 3:2
The works of the law will not ever accomplish the will of God. But our faith and our prayer with our understanding and with the Spirit will accomplish it!
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62:6-7
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:1-8 KJV
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me [Paul], do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:4-9
A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together: Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good. Psalm 122:1-9
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2Corinthians 1:20
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:25-36
God will send Jesus back to us when all His ancient chosen people are restored to Him. Between now and that time my first goal is to do the will of God:
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12.29-31
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
It has become very clear that those who advance themselves by denominational creeds do risk. and some deny that which is needed to do God's will: the Spiritual power and simplicity of the Messiah and Holy Spirit for faith which worketh, even worketh signs and wonders... by Love! Do we not need to return to a faith that gives back possible things, all possible things? In three gospels we see the rich man depart from faith because of his attachment to his possessions.
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9.17-24
The Message reads: 23 Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." 24 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!" Mark 9
And that is where we are in our humanity. But if we are as many are also baptized in the Holy Spirit, why do we not do the works and greater works than Jesus did? I fear it is because we are still focused on the cares of this life.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. Luke 8:14
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Luke 21:34
The cares of this life grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. I have learned how personal the Holy Spirit is: He is sensitive and very gentle. It is His power that Jesus had, and in His hometown where they rejected Him they almost entirely quenched the Spirit's power. Very few were heal and deliver. (Healing and deliverance from demons were the works most often done. Miracles were fewer.)
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57, 58
Unbelief means that had no faith in Him. Faith worketh by love, so it is likely they had no love for Him. That would grieve Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They were too busy with other things, cares of this present life. The Messiah they expected was the one they wanted for what? For Israel to be delivered from Rome, not from Satan.
As it was in their day it is in ours in America. Many Christians want God, not to prepare them for heaven, but want God to restore America to the governance she had from 1776 to 1860. "Good luck with that." "How's that workin' for you?" We are not going backwards, and we need to understand that God is moving the faithful forward to purity and maturity, to Holiness and Perfection, to become His Bride without spot or wrinkle. We cannot be primarily interested in returning to the "good old days" of the American dream. That dream never saved us and never will. We are so adverse to suffering in the flesh. But why? What does the scripture say about suffering?
Paul rejoice to suffer purposefully in love:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Colossians 1:23-25
Paul gave us a promise, an axiom:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 3:12
He warned us against those political and false brethern who wanted an easy prosperous life:
Those who want to make a good impression and a fine show in the flesh would try to compel you to receive circumcision, simply so that they may escape being persecuted for allegiance to the cross of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Galatians 6:12
He gave us another guarantee, another axiom:
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2 Timothy 2:12
Peter teaches us that suffering as Christ suffered will bring us to a very full repentance.
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1, 2
Suffering will expose us. No one wants to suffer. But would we rather deny our Lord and Savior? I pray we would not, not ever. Peter knew what denial was, and I do to. It is hiding my light under a basket, it is remaining silent in the face of satanic lying. It is prefering the pleasures of the flesh, that very thing Moses rejected. I have done these things, and I am sick of them. They have brought me nothing but dis ease, an guilty conscience and a broken heart. May God heal me and prepare me for His purpose and pleasure, to be an even bolder and humbler voice in to His people. May He prepare you as well for the marriage supper of the lamb. May you do your part in the revival and the awakening and the preparation of the Bride.
Church of Baltimore: prepare to meet your God.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17
It seems that my Christian life has been supercharged by the Lord through the leading of one scriptural theme. I discovered it more than a few years ago, but was unaware of the power of it until recently. In it is all the potential, all the potency for a life of peace with God. It is this:
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:35-40
When I first read this I am sure I understood the second commandment. But how do I do the first? How can I love someone I cannot even see? He is not on earth as a man anymore. God is in heaven. How wrong I was. God is in the earth today. The Holy Spirit is with us. John 14.26; John 15.26, 27; John 16.7-15; John 20.22; Acts 1.4, 5; Acts 2.1-4.
We walk by faith not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5.7 If we walk by faith with God whom we cannot see, then we are also able to love him by that same faith. Faith is a mystery to those without faith, and (for persons like me) it may remain much a mystery even after it has opened the gates of salvation in Jesus for us.
The thing that has helped me most is to believe, to believe Jesus and to really believe that what God has commanded I am able to do. I may not have ever done it before or have the first idea of how to start doing it now. But would God command anyone to do something and then leave them unable to do it? That would be a cruel, frustrating, embittering and purposeless waste of everyone’s time even God’s. God is not cruel; He is Love. He is not frustrating; He is enabling. He is not embittering; He gives us peace, joy, and patience. If He asks of us, we can give it. If He commands us, we can do it. If He promises to us, we will receive it. God does know we will fail in our own strength, and He will allow it, and will use our failure to move us to desperation to discover His grace and truth, that in Him we will live and love forever and ever.
Very special promises and blessings were given to the chosen people. As a gentile who has faith in God, I believe, I know my destiny in God to be very similarly blessed when God fulfills the promises He has made. Jesus has walked with his disciples in flesh:
…beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:1, 2
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Acts 11:17-18
… Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Acts 15:7-9
God’s blessings come to us through the Jews.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. John 4:21-22
And having received the Messiah and the Holy Spirit of God, what thing that God commands us to do will He not also empower us to do? I challenge the reader to name one thing!
Tremendous peace and assurance has begun to flood into my soul by simply believing I can, I REALLY CAN love God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind and all my strength. Just trusting Him in this, for this is an act of loving Him, is an exercise of faith which pleases Him.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6
If it is impossible to please Him without faith, is it possible that faith will always please Him? I think so. I have faith, that is: I trust Him to be the teacher, and the scriptures to be His primary text.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2Timothy 3:16-17
James writes that faith is not our mere mental assent. We can't simply answers true when asked “Jesus, true or false?” and continue to live as we please. That is not faith. Faith has to have works to live. Just as muscles atrophy when not used, faith does weaken and even appear dead when not exercised.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28-29 (Chapter 6 is awesome)
Jesus calls believing on Him work, that is: faith in Him is a work. Faith exercised will keep faith alive, but what is the exercise of faith? One exercise of faith is its application to the scriptures. My faith was very weak toward God until I believed, trusted, had faith that the Bible was altogether true and reliable AND read and studied it. It shows me I can love God with my all, and I can be successful, that is: pleasing in His sight by loving Him and my neighbor!
The following scripture draws a perfect summary of the whole theme:
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6
Paul in his faith “driven” work of love (of God and the Galatians) is drawing the Galatians back from dead works, rote works of the law. To what does He draw them? To faith in the Gospel and the Savior God of the Gospel, and particularly the Spirit of Holiness who empowered their lives in the Gospel. The miracles the apostles and disciples did were possible by faith because they all were all baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The simplicity (2Co 1:12; 2Co 11:3) of Jesus is so marvelous, and His love so pure; His Spirit so perfect and so Holy, and so very Powerful. Faith in God moves mountains. The power and strength of flesh are entirely unable to move them. “But by my Spirit” saith the Lord.
Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2Corinthians 3:17-18
I, we have peace that passes understanding and with joy unspeakable and full of glory. There in none like our Savior. He is able to move every obstacle thrown in our path and make us to also move them in the Power of His Might that is: In the Holy Spirit. I pray that your faith be wed to the courage of God by faith of God that works through Love, through Love which never fails, that is: Love which never fails YOU (and me). We are loved by God. If we follow His DOABLE commands in His Faith He will pour out that blessing that we cannot contain.
And Jesus answering saith to them, `Have faith of God; Mark 11:22 Young’s Literal Translation
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. Mark 5:36
But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. Luke 8:50
and now there doth remain faith, hope, love--these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1Corinthians 13:13 YLT
Faith (believing trust) Hopes (expects the promise to be kept) and it works through Love (which never fails).
There is T shirt going around which says: P U S H ~ Pray Until Something Happens.
Faith is pushy in a good way. Faith pleases God, and faith hears God. Faith follows God and Faith obeys God.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1John 5:3
The love of God exists in the keeping of His commandments, His doable commandments, which are not a grief to His people. Obedience is the context of living in God, in living in His faith. Loving God with your all, and Loving your neighbor as yourself will release us from faith to faith and from glory to glory.
Hebrews 11
1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
We can walk each day as Abraham did.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Hebrews 11:8
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Galatians 3:2
The works of the law will not ever accomplish the will of God. But our faith and our prayer with our understanding and with the Spirit will accomplish it!
I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62:6-7
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:1-8 KJV
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me [Paul], do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:4-9
A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together: Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good. Psalm 122:1-9
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2Corinthians 1:20
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:25-36
God will send Jesus back to us when all His ancient chosen people are restored to Him. Between now and that time my first goal is to do the will of God:
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12.29-31
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
It has become very clear that those who advance themselves by denominational creeds do risk. and some deny that which is needed to do God's will: the Spiritual power and simplicity of the Messiah and Holy Spirit for faith which worketh, even worketh signs and wonders... by Love! Do we not need to return to a faith that gives back possible things, all possible things? In three gospels we see the rich man depart from faith because of his attachment to his possessions.
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9.17-24
The Message reads: 23 Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." 24 No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!" Mark 9
And that is where we are in our humanity. But if we are as many are also baptized in the Holy Spirit, why do we not do the works and greater works than Jesus did? I fear it is because we are still focused on the cares of this life.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. Luke 8:14
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Luke 21:34
The cares of this life grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. I have learned how personal the Holy Spirit is: He is sensitive and very gentle. It is His power that Jesus had, and in His hometown where they rejected Him they almost entirely quenched the Spirit's power. Very few were heal and deliver. (Healing and deliverance from demons were the works most often done. Miracles were fewer.)
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57, 58
Unbelief means that had no faith in Him. Faith worketh by love, so it is likely they had no love for Him. That would grieve Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They were too busy with other things, cares of this present life. The Messiah they expected was the one they wanted for what? For Israel to be delivered from Rome, not from Satan.
As it was in their day it is in ours in America. Many Christians want God, not to prepare them for heaven, but want God to restore America to the governance she had from 1776 to 1860. "Good luck with that." "How's that workin' for you?" We are not going backwards, and we need to understand that God is moving the faithful forward to purity and maturity, to Holiness and Perfection, to become His Bride without spot or wrinkle. We cannot be primarily interested in returning to the "good old days" of the American dream. That dream never saved us and never will. We are so adverse to suffering in the flesh. But why? What does the scripture say about suffering?
Paul rejoice to suffer purposefully in love:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Colossians 1:23-25
Paul gave us a promise, an axiom:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 3:12
He warned us against those political and false brethern who wanted an easy prosperous life:
Those who want to make a good impression and a fine show in the flesh would try to compel you to receive circumcision, simply so that they may escape being persecuted for allegiance to the cross of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Galatians 6:12
He gave us another guarantee, another axiom:
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2 Timothy 2:12
Peter teaches us that suffering as Christ suffered will bring us to a very full repentance.
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1, 2
Suffering will expose us. No one wants to suffer. But would we rather deny our Lord and Savior? I pray we would not, not ever. Peter knew what denial was, and I do to. It is hiding my light under a basket, it is remaining silent in the face of satanic lying. It is prefering the pleasures of the flesh, that very thing Moses rejected. I have done these things, and I am sick of them. They have brought me nothing but dis ease, an guilty conscience and a broken heart. May God heal me and prepare me for His purpose and pleasure, to be an even bolder and humbler voice in to His people. May He prepare you as well for the marriage supper of the lamb. May you do your part in the revival and the awakening and the preparation of the Bride.
Church of Baltimore: prepare to meet your God.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Home
Home is where the heart is. If you have a heart you have a home. But where is your heart? That is where does your heart long to be? My apartment is small. I long for a big house. My neighbors are annoying at times. I long for good, peaceful neighbors. I think we all see "greener grass" than that in our own front yard, if we have a front yard.
But we are talking about "this" life. We all know that this life will end. I'll be sixty one in April. Or will I? I might be pushing daisies in March. We don't have to be old to go. Several young men have been murdered in my neighborhood recently. I would like a home where murder was not ever heard of again. I would like a home where death was never heard of again. Is there such a place to move to and call home? Yes, there is. God is bringing His children home to Himself. Is your heart with Him? Do you long for King Jesus to be the King you bow to forever? Do you want His Father as your own dear Father forever? Perhaps you know Jesus as your Lord, your Savior, your King, and His Father as your own dear Father. If so there are several very important questions I want you to consider:
Do you want your loved ones to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
Do you want your friends to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
Do you want your neighbors to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
Do you want your enemies to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
If you can answer yes to all these questions, I think you will agree with me that Jesus commands us to love, and to do good, and to pray for all our loved ones, friends, neighbors and enemies. Love does no harm. Love may be tough, it may be taken as an intention to harm, but love cannot sin. Not the God kind of love. The God kind of love never fails to work for the good of others.
The Bible is God's love letter to mankind. It is the history of God's execution of His plan to reconcile, to redeem and to provide an everlasting home for all who trust Him. Do you trust Him? Do you trust that no matter what happens to your body in this life God will take your soul home when your body dies? If you are sure it is so, wouldn't that assurance free you to lay down your life for your friends? Jesus laid His life down for His friends. And because He rose again from the dead we trust that He will raise us to everlasting life in His Home, His Kingdom. But if you do not trust Jesus can you be at Home in His Heavenly Home? No you cannot. To mistrust the truth is to love a lie. Jesus is the way the truth and the Life. He said so.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
No one can be at Home with Jesus Father without going through Jesus. The is one mediator, one "go between" God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Jesus died that you might live forever, and that your loved ones, friends, neighbors and even your enemies might also live forever. He died for your friends in Baltimore, your neighbors, your loved ones and your enemies God loves everyone of them just as much as he loves you. Jesus died for everyone of them. He did it so they could have life in heaven.
Luke 15:7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
We will know the love of God when we begin to be grieved that our loved ones, our friends, our neighbors and our enemies do not trust God and His Only Son. We are qualified for God's Kingdom because we believe and trust that His Son is able to save us. We trust that Jesus loves us and that He came from the comfort and safety of heaven to become a man of flesh so that He might take the punishment of death we deserved for our sins against Him. If we are not deeply disturbed that others all around us do not trust Him for everlasting life, we do not know that God loves them and is suffering today and every day that they remain apart from His eternal trust. It is the great commission that the gospel be taught to every man, woman and child. And there can be no more worthy occupation than to teach the gospel. Jesus said to the apostles "go and make disciples of all the nations."
What will you do to help those who are not disciples of Jesus to become disciples? To be a disciple means to be a student. Students learn their subjects. Jesus is the "subject" whom the apostles knew, He was the one whose words and teachings they had learned, He was the subject they were sent to teach the nations. They did as He commanded them, and because they did, the ones they taught taught others, and others taught others and those eventually taught you and me. Now it is our turn to teach those who have not yet been made students of the Master Jesus. If we are not to teach them directly, we are to help those who teach them. We will not lose the reward for helping the Lord's teachers in any way we can. Could it be a better thing if we ask God to make us teachers, to make us shepherds (Pastors), to make us evangelists, to make us prophets, to make us apostles? God will make us what we are able to be! He is able to place His ability in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. Man was meant for these occupations. Will we all become these things? Perhaps not these things, but if we simply do what God wants us to do, we will be rewarded mightily in the age to come. Deacons are very needed in the church today.
Being what God has made us to be will mean doing what God commands us to do.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
To keep, to do His commandments is what He loves for us to do. He loves all men, and He loves that some (we) do what He commands! And He does not command us to do hurtful heart breaking things, He commands us to do good. Love and good do not harm others. The truth will sometimes, even many times, (some say every time) seem negative when it first appears. Jesus is the Truth and almost without exception everyone on earth who heard Him rejected Him when they first heard His truth. We need to trust Him, when He says He loves us, and when He says we must love the smelly man on the bus.
Love is the best teacher. God is Love.
But we are talking about "this" life. We all know that this life will end. I'll be sixty one in April. Or will I? I might be pushing daisies in March. We don't have to be old to go. Several young men have been murdered in my neighborhood recently. I would like a home where murder was not ever heard of again. I would like a home where death was never heard of again. Is there such a place to move to and call home? Yes, there is. God is bringing His children home to Himself. Is your heart with Him? Do you long for King Jesus to be the King you bow to forever? Do you want His Father as your own dear Father forever? Perhaps you know Jesus as your Lord, your Savior, your King, and His Father as your own dear Father. If so there are several very important questions I want you to consider:
Do you want your loved ones to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
Do you want your friends to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
Do you want your neighbors to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
Do you want your enemies to be home with you in Jesus Kingdom?
If you can answer yes to all these questions, I think you will agree with me that Jesus commands us to love, and to do good, and to pray for all our loved ones, friends, neighbors and enemies. Love does no harm. Love may be tough, it may be taken as an intention to harm, but love cannot sin. Not the God kind of love. The God kind of love never fails to work for the good of others.
The Bible is God's love letter to mankind. It is the history of God's execution of His plan to reconcile, to redeem and to provide an everlasting home for all who trust Him. Do you trust Him? Do you trust that no matter what happens to your body in this life God will take your soul home when your body dies? If you are sure it is so, wouldn't that assurance free you to lay down your life for your friends? Jesus laid His life down for His friends. And because He rose again from the dead we trust that He will raise us to everlasting life in His Home, His Kingdom. But if you do not trust Jesus can you be at Home in His Heavenly Home? No you cannot. To mistrust the truth is to love a lie. Jesus is the way the truth and the Life. He said so.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
No one can be at Home with Jesus Father without going through Jesus. The is one mediator, one "go between" God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Jesus died that you might live forever, and that your loved ones, friends, neighbors and even your enemies might also live forever. He died for your friends in Baltimore, your neighbors, your loved ones and your enemies God loves everyone of them just as much as he loves you. Jesus died for everyone of them. He did it so they could have life in heaven.
Luke 15:7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
We will know the love of God when we begin to be grieved that our loved ones, our friends, our neighbors and our enemies do not trust God and His Only Son. We are qualified for God's Kingdom because we believe and trust that His Son is able to save us. We trust that Jesus loves us and that He came from the comfort and safety of heaven to become a man of flesh so that He might take the punishment of death we deserved for our sins against Him. If we are not deeply disturbed that others all around us do not trust Him for everlasting life, we do not know that God loves them and is suffering today and every day that they remain apart from His eternal trust. It is the great commission that the gospel be taught to every man, woman and child. And there can be no more worthy occupation than to teach the gospel. Jesus said to the apostles "go and make disciples of all the nations."
What will you do to help those who are not disciples of Jesus to become disciples? To be a disciple means to be a student. Students learn their subjects. Jesus is the "subject" whom the apostles knew, He was the one whose words and teachings they had learned, He was the subject they were sent to teach the nations. They did as He commanded them, and because they did, the ones they taught taught others, and others taught others and those eventually taught you and me. Now it is our turn to teach those who have not yet been made students of the Master Jesus. If we are not to teach them directly, we are to help those who teach them. We will not lose the reward for helping the Lord's teachers in any way we can. Could it be a better thing if we ask God to make us teachers, to make us shepherds (Pastors), to make us evangelists, to make us prophets, to make us apostles? God will make us what we are able to be! He is able to place His ability in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. Man was meant for these occupations. Will we all become these things? Perhaps not these things, but if we simply do what God wants us to do, we will be rewarded mightily in the age to come. Deacons are very needed in the church today.
Being what God has made us to be will mean doing what God commands us to do.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
To keep, to do His commandments is what He loves for us to do. He loves all men, and He loves that some (we) do what He commands! And He does not command us to do hurtful heart breaking things, He commands us to do good. Love and good do not harm others. The truth will sometimes, even many times, (some say every time) seem negative when it first appears. Jesus is the Truth and almost without exception everyone on earth who heard Him rejected Him when they first heard His truth. We need to trust Him, when He says He loves us, and when He says we must love the smelly man on the bus.
Love is the best teacher. God is Love.
1 John 4:7
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
If we trust Jesus, he will make us lovers of men. We will not be able to harm anyone when we are walking in love. The surest sign that our hearts are moving away from fellowship with God will be a desire in our being to harm someone or even to harm our self. Mankind was not made to sin nor to be sinned against. Yet we know that all have sinned. Therefore the command to repent, to stop sinning and begin doing good makes perfect sense.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
This is the nature of our Redeemer, to do good. As sinners it is not often and even sometimes never in our nature to do good. If we are honest, even after we are saved we find ourselves unable to do the good we ought to do. Thanks be to God for His mercy endures forever.
To be a good teacher we must do good to our students. Our students can be almost anyone who shares our "space." Why? Because we are always learning things from the things we observe. If someone sees you doing good, the good that Jesus would do, and you are able to give the credit for your good deed to the Name of Jesus, you may have made a disciple. You may have planted the seed of Jesus in their thinking that one day will sprout and grow into a towering oak tree of faith. We need to give the credit to Jesus at every opportunity by speaking His name.
It is essential that those who live on your street know you to be one who trusts Jesus and is born again. How will they know this except you say it and demonstrate it by doing what Jesus Commands? The same in your work place. The supermarket you shop at and the McDonald's you eat are filled with people who need to see you doing good. Just to see that may provoke them to ask why you are acting so selflessly. Then you can explain how Jesus loves it when we love others.
As a young teenager it is written of Jesus:
Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
No matter how old we are, if we believe in Jesus, if His word dwells in our hearts and we dwell in His, we can ask to increase in wisdom and stature as believers and in favor with God and man. Why is this a good thing? Because we will be making people see that Jesus is someone to be reckoned with, someone who deserves our attention. We will be influencing men in a good way. Would God not want this very thing to be done in us? I pray now that in every corner of the globe those who have received the trust of Jesus increase in wisdom and stature, that they find favor with God and with man, and that those who observe their lives become believers through the influence of their example.
We are warned by the apostle Paul:
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
It must be so that the opposite is true, that good company encourages good habits, and discourages bad habits. Will you join with me today in setting your heart to be good company for whom ever you meet? Even set your heart to do just one selfless act of loving kindness for someone each day. I am sure that eventually some one will ask why you do these things and open the door for your testimony. I'm also sure that doing these things will strengthen your heart in love and faith. I am one who learned late in my life the truth the marvelous and joyful truth of these words of the Savior:
Acts 20:35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
If we want Jesus to bring Baltimore home, we must begin to love one another, and to love everyone we meet in our daily journeys.
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