"A Measure Of Faith"

One thing you will discover as you study God's Word, is that God is a God of order; in other words, He holds all things together by balance. The thing that struck me by what Glenn said, was not that there was a curse, but that many do not yet know they will be taking a stand. The reason that this struck me so hard, is because I believe that God has been showing me the same thing; that there are thousands upon thousands of God's people (including myself) which do not yet realize the Faith that they have been given; but they soon will. If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you might have gathered that I make much to do about making choices. Making choices is what our time consist of; we make a choice to sleep in, or to wake up; we make a choice to go left, or to go right. For the most part, many of the choices we make do not involve Faith, or at least, we do not involve Faith in the choices that we make. But the time is coming, and may already be upon us, where nothing we do will be done without involving Faith. Now, the reason that we do not know it yet, is because we have not yet been pressed. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul writes about 'being pressed out of measure', or beyond balance. This 'pressed' used here by Paul is the word 'Bareo' which means weight, burden; to be burdened, weighed down. The word 'measure' that is used is the word 'Huperbole' which means to throw beyond, surpass; exceeding, exceedingly, in the highest possible degree. However, when we are trusting in Jesus, there is something which will take place in the heart of the Believer when they are pressed in the highest degree possible: Faith kicks in! And when I say Faith, I mean Faith like we have never known before. How do we know this to be true? Because, Jesus said so; In Matthew 11:30, Jesus says, "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Which tells us that the more Faith we need, the more Faith we will be given. Which means, the more we are pressed as a Body, the more we will have Faith, not only as individuals, but as a body of Believers; depending more and more upon each other, as well as depending more upon the Lord. Now then, what do you think will happen then? God's Love will abound!!! "For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came upon us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead;" (2 Corinthians 1:8 & 9)

"A Call To Honour"

There is something that took place in our nation's capital this weekend, which drew hundreds of thousands of people who came to participate in, and it was called "Restoring Honour". This event was put on by Glenn Beck, and I believe it speaks to the changes we are about to see in, not only God's people, but in those that are apposed to God. In other words: 'Lines are being drawn in the sand, and the people of God are going to have to take a stand'. While watching a show on Fox News the Glenn did prior to this event, I heard him say something which was really quite profound. He was talking about a new book that he is working on, where he will try and illustrate how that being a Believer in Jesus Christ is both a Blessing and a curse. To hear him say it, it goes something like this: 'The Blessing is knowing Christ and all that comes with knowing Him; but the curse is, that once you know Him, and all that He has done for us, then we are obligated to take a stand for Him.' And then he said something which I thought was real interesting, and is something which I believe very much also; he said that there are tons of people all over who will be taking a stand, they just don't know it yet. Yes, you could say that we are under somewhat of a curse, but it is our flesh that is bound to the curse of obedience; much the same way that Jesus was bound to the curse of the cross, we are now bound by our command by Him, to pick up our cross and follow Him. In Galatians 3:13, Paul writes, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." This is the big difference in the way some come to understand what took place on the cross; for Christ has liberated us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us. Therefore, we are not bound by a curse, but we are bound by Love; love for God, and for our brothers and sisters; and it is this Love of God, which if you could call it a curse, then it would be for the cursing of the flesh; because in reality, what it really does is to liberate our souls. As I have said before, this flesh is doomed for destruction, and really is still under the curse; in other words, it is going to pass away, which means die; but our soul shall live, and is really who we are, we just don't know it, nor can we realize, separate or distinguish the difference in the two; but we shall upon parting, and then we will realize just how temporal this body was. In the 21st chapter of Acts, Paul is headed for Jerusalem, and is being lead by the Spirit to go there; back in chapter 20, Paul says this about his need to go, "And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God."(Acts 20:22-24) And after many had tried to persuade Paul otherwise, he was still determined all the more to go; and in chapter 20:13, Paul says this: "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Believe it or not, that is the curse that Glenn was referring to; but for Paul, it was not a curse, but rather a privilege; actually, it was something which he was bound to do; why? Because Paul was bound by the LOVE of GOD!!!

"Being Right With God" - 2

"And the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) Some things just do not make sense, and I sure had something happen last night that did not. While praying myself to sleep and thinking about God's Peace and what I was going to share this morning, all of the sudden a song popped into my head, "Blue Suede Shoes"; talk about weird. And then I spent the next hour or so trying to figure out why, or what these things had in common. For some things, you must live it, to even begin to understand it; The Peace of God is one of those things. This is one of the most profound treasures that the Lord Jesus gives to those that are His. It comes to us primarily because we have been made right with God by what Jesus has done for us; because there is no longer any condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. And because there is no longer any condemnation, we can enter into a relationship with God that is truly out-of-this-world. This peace that we are given in Jesus is beyond this world; which is why the world cannot know it, nor can the world give it. Yet, those that are in Christ Jesus can live it; and we realize that it truly does pass all understanding. One of the titles given unto our Lord Jesus Christ, is 'The Prince Of Peace', and to the Believer, Christ is our Peace. This Peace that we have been given is based upon what we shall be after this life; which is not based upon this world that is passing away. And because it is not based upon this world, we are not to be moved by the things of this world, nor by the things which this world may put upon us. In other words; we are to be content with whatever our lot is in this world, knowing that no matter what, we have a much better life waiting for us; kind of like, "You can do anything you want to do" to me, but you cannot take me from my Eternal Home! (I think I get it!!!) "Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

"Being Right With God"

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1 & 2) 'Condemnation': the result of judgement; which is what judgement we were previously under as the result of the Law; which, because we could not keep, nor, could not free ourselves from, had us condemned in sin and in death. But, there is a new judgement that has been established, which was the judgement of Jesus Christ in the flesh; which was a judgement of righteousness, leading to Life. In other words; because Jesus was here, in the flesh, which is the corruptible flesh which we all are in; yet He was able to remain without sin, and was thus judged sinless; which made the Way for the flesh to be set free from the condemnation of sin. And yet, He was crucified on the cross for our sin, being found without sin within Himself; which then established the satisfaction of the judgement for all the sin of the flesh, which was under the Law. Therefore, what could not be satisfied by the flesh, was satisfied by His flesh, which was the perfect sacrifice unto God to satisfy the judgement of sin, and to remove the condemnation of death in the flesh. Did you get any of that? Okay, maybe I should just say this: Even though we are still in this flesh, which is still corrupted by sin, that sin has been removed by the righteousness that Jesus fulfilled while He was in the flesh. And yet, the sin which we might commit in this flesh, as long as we are walking in the Spirit, is no longer condemning us, because we have been set free from the judgement which that sin was under. Does that mean we are free to sin? No! But when we do sin, we are to ask forgiveness for the sin that we might commit, and continue to walk in the Spirit, knowing that there is no condemnation to us for that sin which was manifested by the flesh, because the sin of the flesh has been dealt with once and forever by Jesus Christ. "For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:3 & 4)

"Apprehended Of Christ Jesus" -3

"Arise, shine; for the Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His Glory shall be seen upon thee." (Isaiah 60:1 & 2) Regurgitate and chew it some more; that is what we must do as we get our nourishment for our souls from God's Word. This portion of Scripture was used before to show our need to be a Light to the world, but now it is being referenced to show our deliverance from the darkness. Dreams of perfection in the flesh would be little entertained if we kept clearly in view the distinction between what we are in Christ and what we are in ourselves. To be in Him is to be saved once and forever from the condemnation of sin, but not immediately from the presence and the inworking of sin, as the lives of the highest and the lowest Saints alike will testify. We are saved from the guilt and power of sin, but not from it's presence while in this body and world. Christ had sin upon Him, though there was no sin in Him; therefore, he that is in Christ has no sin upon him (in the sense of condemnation), though he still has sin in him in the form of the sin-nature in the mortal body. And just in proportion to the completeness of the Believer's abiding in Christ by communion and obedience, he will be free from sin within him as he is free from sin upon him. In other words; the Believer is unconditionally saved from sin and is conditionally saved from the power of sin; victory is conditioned in proportion to the Believer's unequivocal obedience to Christ and His command. The Light has come upon us!!! Which really means that there is no sin upon us, because of what Jesus has done. Now, what we must do is to walk in His Light (newness of life in Christ, free from the condemnation of sin), just as He was in the Light (He had no sin within Him); which is our daily goal and the thing which we try to apprehend in Christ Jesus. And we continue to press forward, knowing that we have not attained it, nor are we in any means made perfect in trying to achieve it; but that pressing forward will cause us to count more and more upon Him, and will strengthen our abiding in Him. With this goal in mind, our light that is shinning forth from within us, should match the Light that is shinning upon us; which is what we are pressing towards. "I press toward the 'Mark' for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His Glorious Body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." (Philippians 3:14-17 & 20-21)

"Apprehended Of Christ Jesus" -2

Like I said before: There is no contradiction in God's Word! There might seem to be, because, on the one hand there is nothing that we can do to attain, but on the other hand we must strive to attain; but really, it all has to do this physical life verses the Spiritual life. 'Katalambano': from the word 'Kata' which expresses a motion towards or away, and even to come upon; and from the word 'Lambano' which means to take, accept or receive. The main meaning of the word 'Katalambano' is to apprehend, attain, obtain, find; to lay hold of, seize, with eagerness, suddenness; to obtain the prize with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion; figuratively, to seize with the mind, to comprehend. What Jesus did by His apprehension of us was to pull our souls out of darkness; which is where our souls were prior to coming to Him. They were condemned already, and separated from God; trapped in darkness and condemned to eternal separation from God. This redemption of our souls is the apprehension of Christ Jesus that can only be, and is only based upon what He has done; however, our flesh, it is not going to be glorified, nor will it be with us in Glory. We shall all be transformed; whether by death, or during the Rapture, we will all receive a new Glorified body, which will not be corrupt. In the mean time, we are trapped within this earthen vessel, that is corrupt, and is of this earth. It is because we are trapped within this corrupt body that we must strive to attain what has already been attained by Christ Jesus. In other words, what has happened already in the Spiritual realm, is now our responsibility to conform in the physical. But, we have been given a Helper!!! Which is what the Holy Spirit dwelling within us does; He helps us be conformed to Jesus Christ! Why? Because we can not do it on our own; and it is His Spirit within us, that conforms our physical life to Jesus Christ. So then, what is our responsibility to do? Yield to the Spirit, that's what! With eagerness, and to obtain the prize with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion; Why? Because, we are at war: the flesh and the Spirit are constantly at war, one with the other. This flesh is, and will be of this earth; but we must conform this flesh to the Light while our souls are taking up residence within it; which means, that we are to not walk in darkness, which is where our flesh wants to dwell. "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and deliver unto you, that God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at All. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us of All sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins, and to Cleanse us from All unrighteousness." (1 John 1:5-9)

"Apprehended Of Christ Jesus"

"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) Do you know why a cow is always chewing and chewing? It is because they have something like seven stomachs, and they just keep regurgitating their food, and re chewing it, over and over. This is how we must take in God's Word; to get all that it has for us; all the layers upon layers of information which is needed for every portion of our daily lives. There is something which had happen when we first came to Christ, which is rather important for us to remember, and that is that we were apprehended by The Light. It really is not just a little thing, because, before we came to Christ, we were trapped in darkness; but as soon as we received Jesus into our hearts, we were instantly transformed, and delivered from the darkness, and into His Glorious Light. Now, because we are still here, in this mortal flesh, we must continually still deal with the darkness, for we are still surrounded by the darkness; but within us, we have been given the Light. What this actually means for our daily life in Christ, is that we are constantly having to deal with the darkness; but it does not rule over us. Why? Because: "Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world". This is something which we must believe and practice as we deal with issues of darkness, even those issues which we have within our own lives. We have been apprehended by the Light of Jesus Christ; and as such, we must press forward, through the darkness, and into His Light. That might sound a little confusing, but really, it all has to do with this mortal body that still holds us here on this earth. Because we are held here in this body of corruption, we are still going to be held in some form of darkness; in other words, there is still always going to be a battle between our flesh and the Spirit. The flesh will always want to be in darkness, because that is where it has fellowship; the things of the flesh are comfortable in the darkness; but the Spirit does not fellowship with the darkness; and in fact, will cause the darkness to flee, because it is Light. Therefore, we must pursue the Light, which we have been apprehended by, in order to overcome the darkness which is still present in our lives. It is kind of like chewing and chewing... "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the Only Begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:17-19)

"Conformed To God" - Really?

Sometimes we just need to stop and chew on God's Word for a moment or two, to really let it sink in. Now let me ask you a simple question: How are we conformed to God? The question might seem simple, but the answer; well, let's put it this Way: We Are! Excuse me? Listen; our being conformed to God, which actually is being conformed to the Image of His Son Jesus Christ, is not something that we do, nor can we undo; but what we can do, is to willfully disregard our conformity to satisfy the desire of our flesh. You see; when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, there is a transformation that takes place within us, and in that instant, we are conformed to God, to the Image of His Son. And it is by the power of His Son Jesus Christ that we have been conformed; By His Life, By His Death, And By His Resurrection. So then, does that mean we need to do nothing? No! We can do nothing to be, or not be conformed; but we must live out the conformity which has been manifested within us. And it is really not that we must, because our salvation depends upon it, but rather, we must, because it is now who we are in Christ. To not live out Christ in our lives is now contrary to the way we have been conformed to be. I hope you got that? What this really means is this: If our lives are not Living out Christ, then we have not really been conformed to His Image; which really means, that when we do really meet Jesus, the chances are, we will hear Him say, "I did not know you". So how do we know that we have been conformed to the Image of Jesus Christ? By the Fruit of our conformity; By the Love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts; By the desire within us to do His Will, and the heartache we feel when we don't. It is not based upon what we do that we are conformed to His Image; we do what we do, and don't do what we must not do, because we have been conformed to the Image of the Living God!!! "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: For ye are not under the Law, but under Grace." (Romans 6:11-14)

"Conformed To God" -3

So what am I saying: Is our faith dependent upon our works? No way! On the contrary, our faith is demonstrated by our works. We are not His children because we obey, we obey because we are His children. It is not our will that is being established in our obedience, but His will for us, that is being perfected in us. Then am I saying that all we need to do is Believe, and that's it? No way! On the contrary, we will know that we truly believe by the fruit of His Love. If we have no fruit, we better check ourselves. There is no contradiction within the Word of God, only layers upon layers of the revelation of who He is, and how much He loves us. Any contradiction which may appear to be found, is only because man has not interpreted His Word properly, or has misunderstood the meaning of what is being said. What John does within these 5 short chapters of the book of 1st John, is to set some things straight: First, that we must live the Love of God, if we say we Know God; and second, that there is only One Righteous, and that is Jesus Christ. John dissolves two erroneous doctrines which from his time until now have been prevalent: Antinomianism and Perfectionism. Antinomians contend that the covenant of Grace is not established on conditions; therefore, nothing of performance is required on man's part to give him any interest in it. In other words, that all that is required is for man to believe that he is justified, and that there is no need for anything else. The problem with this line of thinking, is that there is no Fruit, or proof of a man's heart being changed, and no requirement thereof. "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him." (1 John 2:4) Instead: It is our Believing in Jesus Christ that will cause a change within us, which is then demonstrated by our Love, and our works toward God. The so-called Perfectionists believe that the sin nature is eradicated from them as though surgically removed as a cancer. The serious problem with this line of thinking is that there is No Proof of that in their mortal bodies; besides, our sin nature is attached to this fleshly vessel. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) Instead: It is the Power of God's Love through Christ Jesus which enables us to be delivered from our sinful nature, not that the sin nature has been removed, but that it no longer has dominate control of our lives. This is why we must be Conformed to God; which means that we must be conformed as children of God, to the image of His Son Jesus Christ!!! "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called: And whom He called, them He also justified: And whom He justified, them He also glorified." (Romans 8:29 & 30) Now then; to address our physical conformity to His Body of Glory: "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through Faith of Christ, the Righteousness which is of God by Faith: That I may know Him, and the Power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (Philippians 3:8-11)

"Conformed To God" -2

Now then, because the propitiation (hilasmos) of Christ is what John says it is, the explanation of God's love, we are both liberated and held captive. We are liberated from sin and the death that is associated with it, but we are held captive by God's love and the magnitude of it's expression. For this reason, John says in chapter 4:8, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is Love." In other words, God's love is the expression of who He is, and those that are His, have seen and have been given the virtue of His love; which means, that His love, of which we previously did not know or posses, has been imported within us, and is now a virtue of who we are in Christ. We are now held captive by His love, which then obligates us to love also; in other words, it is not a choice, but is the fabric of who we are in Jesus Christ. This is the reason that the Love and the Propitiation become interchangeable realities necessary of one another; we can not have one without the other. So what does this mean? Simply this: He that loveth not, has not truly accepted God's forgiveness; which then comes right back to Faith, and the importance of Believing. Now, about our 'Old Man', that old sin nature; what must take place in the Believer's life is a conforming to God's Love. It is the Love of God, by God, and for God that enables us to be able to override our sinful nature. This is because of what Christ has done, not what we have the ability to do on our own. In other words, it is the combination of the cleansing from sin and the Love of God that is required for our lives; both of which are the achievement and the expression of who Jesus was, is, and always will be. Our sinful nature is actually still there, and very much alive; it is a part of who we are in this earthen vessel; but yet, because of God's Love, our desire is towards Him, and no longer towards the things of the flesh. Does that mean that we will no longer sin?; No; but what it does mean, is that sin will no longer rule our lives; we will not sin habitually, deliberately, easily, or maliciously as Cain did out of hatred of goodness. "And hereby we do know that we Know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not the commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." (1 John 2:3-6)

"Conformed To God"

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2: 1 & 2) The word for 'Propitiation' which was found in Romans 3:5 is 'Hilasterion', and it is equivalent to the word use here in 1 John 2:2, which is 'Hilasmos': It is the means of putting away sin and establishing righteousness. This word 'Hilasmos' is only found here in 1 John 2:2 and in 1 John 4:10. Remember, God is never presented as changing His mind toward the sinner, or the sin that estranged the sinner from Him. Man is never able to appease God with any type of offering, or by his works. Man is incapable of offering anything to appease God, because He is a Righteous God, and in order for Him to accept a sinful man, it was necessary for God, not man, to do something to deliver man from his sin. This is the reason, in 1 John 2:1, we find Jesus Christ presented as the Righteous One. It is Christ Himself, therefore, who becomes 'Hilasmos', the means which is acceptable to God to satisfy His righteousness or justice. In 1 John 2:2, the virtue of propitiation extends beyond the subjective experience of those who actually are made partakers of Grace; here, he presents the propitiation of Christ as vividly personal; where the Life of Christ, as well as His Death is involved, His person as well as His work. John refers not only to the atonement, but also to it's final achievement as a fact, "His Blood is cleansing us from all sin". It is more than a completed act; the propitiation abides as a living, present energy residing in the personality of Christ Himself. According to John, therefore, the propitiation is the cleansing from sin rather than merely the work of justification before God, or the acceptance of the sinner as if he had never sinned. Paul associates Christ's propitiation as more closely connected with the righteousness of the Law; in John, Love and propitiation become interchangeable realities necessary to one another, with one explaining the other; even lost in one another. John defines love by propitiation, and propitiation by love: "In this have we come to know what love is, that He for us laid down His life". When John speaks of God as Love, he refers to Him as the means of reconciliation of man to God. "Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that He Loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

"Reconciled To God" - 3

What happen in the Garden that day when Adam sinned, was not just that a sin had been committed, but that man had 'Fallen', and took on a 'Sin Nature'. There was another Sacrifice that was offered, and it was done once a year on 'The Day of Atonement'. This sacrifice was performed by the High Priest, and involved taking the blood of a special sacrifice, and sprinkling in on the lid or covering of the ark of the covenant, which was called the Mercy Seat, made of pure gold. This was performed by the High Priest to insure that God would meet His people, which otherwise, He could not do because of their sin nature. What this sacrifice would do is to allow God to 'Wink at' or pass over the sinful nature of man for a season, which would then allow there to be fellowship with God and His people. Now, what Jesus did on Calvary's Cross, which was in fact a representation of the lid of the ark of the covenant sprinkled with His blood, was to make an atonement for not only our concrete sins, but also for our sin nature. And unlike the sacrifice which was chosen by man, Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb which was chosen by God the Father before the world even began, to be the sacrifice for our sinful nature, as well as for our sins. This radical change in man's fallen state was symbolized by the rending of the veil which separated the Holy of Hollies from the rest of the temple, at Christ's death on the cross. What this means for us is that, not only have we received the forgiveness of our sins by Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, but we have also been restored from the 'Fallen' state which was established when Adam sinned in the Garden. Which means that we can now have Fellowship with God permanently!!! By putting our Faith in God's Sacrificial Lamb Jesus Christ, and the Atonement which He made for us on Calvary's Cross, we now can be delivered from our fallen state and our sinful nature. This newness of life that we have been given ensures that we now have fellowship with a Holy God, because not only are we washed from our sins, but we have been made New, just as if we never had sin within us!!! "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God; being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His Righteousness: that He might be Just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:20-26)

"Reconciled To God" - 2

There is one thing that we must know about our Reconciliation to God: God does not move, and He never did; it was man's position that changed. The word "reconciliation" is the Greek word 'Katallage', and it involves a change which is brought about through the death of Christ. The blood of Christ satisfied God's justice, and through Faith, this death of Christ changes man, making him a friend without any compromise of God's holiness. God does not change; His holiness does not make way for our sinfulness. It is us (man) that must be changed, which is what the death of Jesus Christ provide for us (man); to satisfied God's justice, so that, instead of God rightly demonstrating His wrath toward sinful man, He demonstrated His mercy. Jesus Christ is spoken of as The High Priest, who in the fashion of the Old Testament sacrifices, gave Himself, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; which then causes God to be propitious or merciful toward sinful man. What Christ did in sacrificing Himself for our sins, showed Him to to be Merciful and Faithful; His sacrifice as the God-Man, is what satisfied God's justice. Christ is the High Priest who offers Himself, becoming at once, both victim and priest, thus satisfying the justice of God, and at the same time procuring forgiveness of sins, whereby reconciled man is offered access to and communion with God. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ as the High Priest, did not appease God in any way, but instead, to make possible the taking away of the sins of the people without violating God's holiness; which means that it is not the nature of God that changed from one of hatred to one of love toward man, but it is the nature of man that is changed. There is a close connection with this word "reconciliation" to the three Livitcal offerings which were intended to reconcile God and a sinning people. These offerings were closely connected to propitiation: the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; each of which were geared toward reconciliation. The burnt offering required the offerer to put his hand upon the offering's head; which indicated the identification between the offerer and the offering; then when the offering died, it did so as a substitute for the guilty offender, and accomplished atonement. The sin offering applied to those who sinned inadvertently, and as with the burnt offering, the offerer placed his hand upon the head of the sacrifice, and then the blood played the important part of the offering. The trespass offering differed from the sin offering, in that it stressed the harm done by the offerer, and required restitution be given; there is also no mention of placing the hand upon the head of the offering, as it is with the others. The point being, is that the propitiation offered by Christ is capable of dealing with every kind of sin barrier between God and man, not just with sins of ignorance and infirmity alone, but with His death, blood, and His being who He was, He abolished all, any, every kind to sin that could be committed against God; He was the Perfect Sacrifice, which perfects the imperfect, abolishes the typical, and lifts the whole significance of propitiation from the circle of legal and ceremonial ideas, into the realm of abiding ethical and spiritual realities. Therefore, Jesus, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God, becomes the author of eternal salvation; a salvation whose characteristic is finality! "But God commandeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son; much more, being reconciled we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the Atonement. " (Romans 5:8-11) (Disclosure: much of this post is quoted by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates)

"Reconciled To God"

There is something that will be revealed to us all one day, that will be so mind-blowing, we will just be in awe of how Great and Mighty is our God. When you really take the time to just think about how awesome He is; to actually just sit there and meditate upon His spectacular creations, it is really more than we can take in. Now, to take it to the Next Level, try and think on how we are Chosen in Him before the foundations of the earth, and then link that with being reconciled back to Him. When you really start thinking about it from an eternal perspective (as if we could) you get to a point where your brain just starts swirling, and you are actually in a whirlwind of thought; to much to comprehend! But, He is eternal, and because He is, there is no variance in time; which is something that we can not comprehend. And because there is no variance in time, He knows our coming and our going, before we even came and went; weird isn't it? Okay, maybe this is too out there; but it actually is relevant information for us to know, because, knowing it, we can be assured that He has our best interests in mind, and that because He has chosen us, He knows what He is doing, even though we may not know we are chosen. What? Okay, let me put it another way: We are reconciled to God, because we were separated from God because of Sin; which means that prior to being separated from Him, we were One with Him, because our soul is eternal, just as He is eternal. (I can almost put my hand on it, but it just keeps slipping away!) In other words; eternal means eternal; so there is a special kind of metamorphose that takes place with the creation of our soul, where it is designed and engineered with actual properties of God's eternal Spirit; that is what makes it eternal, because He is eternal. Now then, because it is eternal, it was meant to be eternally connected with Him; but it was separated from Him because of sin; but Now has been reconciled back to Him by Jesus Christ. So, in essence, we who were once attached to God, but were once removed, have been reattached through Christ, and have been made whole again, because the sin that separated us has been removed. (Don't spend to much time on that!) Well, what does this actually mean? In a nut-shell: That those that are His, always were His to begin with; they just did not know it, but now they do!!! "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given 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. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us : we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

"Because He Loves Us"

You know that song that you may have sang as a kid: "Jesus Loves me, This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little Ones to Him belong, They are weak, But He is Strong. Yes, Jesus Loves Me. Yes, Jesus Loves me. Yes, Jesus Loves me. The Bible tells me so." It really is something that we must hold onto with all of our might. Because when we see ourselves in comparison to Him, we are very, very, very tiny; I mean, way, way, way small; really, really, really Little. Think about this concept for a moment; Here we are on this little ball that is called earth, and millions and billions of Light Years away, more and more Galaxies are being discovered all the time; and to think that Jesus was the Creator of all of that; how tiny do you feel compared to Him? Yet, as tiny as we are, He knows us by name, and He loves us all; each and everyone the same. Now then; I want you, just for a moment, to think about that discarded stone I mentioned the other day. Don't ask me how this works, because I can't tell you; but the stone that was discarded, was hand picked by Him in the first place; so then, wouldn't you think that the Lord of all the universe, that hand picked a tiny stone, which He had created originally, could find a place for it somewhere within the building of His Temple? I Do! In fact; I believe that He will do everything He can to make that Little Tiny Stone, that He has chosen, fit into His Glorious Building. Oh, it may require a little modifying, or a little chipping, or chisel here or there; but He will make it fit one way or another; Why? Because HE LOVES US!!! And like I said, I don't know how it works, but He picked us before we were even formed in our mother's womb; which means, that He picked us before we had a chance to even commit our first sin; and yet because we were born into sin, He died on the cross, that we could be Reborn, without no sin; and All The While, It Is Because He Has Chosen Us!!! How else can I say this: He Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself; and you don't think He has your Little Life in the Palm of His Hand? Think Again!!! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath Blessed us with All Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ: According as He hath Chosen us in Him before the foundations of the world, that we should be Holy and without blame before Him in Love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the Good Pleasure of His Will, to the praise of the Glory of His Grace, wherein He hath made us Acceptable in the Beloved:" (Ephesians 1:3-6)

"LIVING STONES" - 3

In case you did not catch my meaning, the main point I was trying to make, is that Believing is Everything! Do you believe that? But what about the rest, like repenting and being holy? Well, yes, those things are Truly important also; but, before you can Truly perform any of those other things which we are called to do, we must Fully Believe. Okay, so maybe you don't see it that way, that's okay; some people don't think you are really saved until you are baptized either. But this is how I see it: First and Foremost, we must Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with all of our heart; then the rest will follow Naturally, but Supernaturally. Because once we Believe, several things will take place, the first of which, is that we will become a New Creation in Christ Jesus, and all the former things will pass away, "Behold, All things will be New". The things that we use to live for, will now be replaced with a New desire to Live for Jesus. Then, almost simultaneously, we will receive the Holy Spirit, which will take up residence within us, as a Helper; to instruct us, guide us, and strengthen our New Walk in Jesus Christ. And then, and this one is a little more complex, but as long as we continue to Believe on Jesus, then He will fulfill the rest. 'He is our portion!' He is our Deliverer!' 'He is our Salvation!' 'He is the Rock upon which we stand!' It really comes down to us Believing on Him; and if we fail, it is because we have stopped Fully Believing on Him, and that He is the Lord of All. What am I saying? Without Christ, we can co nothing, that's what! Oh, we might think we can do this or that, as if to say, "I got this"; but when we do that, it is a receipt for failure. When we enter into His Kingdom, which is what happens when we first believe, then He must be accepted as Lord of All, because that is what He is! And because He is Lord of All, when He is the Lord of our lives, then He replaces our unrighteousness with His Righteousness. Does that mean that we can keep on sinning? NO!!! Like Paul said, just because Grace abounds, does not mean we are at liberty to sin; but what it does mean, is that we have an Advocate in Jesus Christ, who will intercede for us on our behalf, to place His Righteousness between us and the Father; which means, that our unrighteousness is replace by His Righteousness. So pretty much, all that is required of us, is to Believe, and then the rest will follow! However, we must abstain from the things which war against our soul, for they will cause our hearts to faint; and you remember what happens when we faint: Doubt!!! "Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the Head of the Corner. And a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His Marvellous Light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the People of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;" (1 Peter 2:6-11)

"LIVING STONES" - 2

Here is the thing about Living Stones: They are Alive! You've heard the saying, "It's not over until the Fat Lady sings"; well personally, I do not know where that saying comes from; but maybe it could mean something like this: The Fat Lady is the Earth, and every time another Soul is planter within her belly, she sings; but that is just my guess. But really, it is not over until we are dead: 'You live once, and then judgement'. Which means, that there is still hope for the 'Five Foolish Virgins'; but unfortunately, there is not still hope for the 'Goats'. Why is this? Because the 'Five Foolish Virgins' were still alive, but the 'Sheep' and the 'Goats' had already died, and were standing before 'The Judgement Seat of Christ'; the Sheep on His right hand, and the Goats on His left. The 'Five Foolish Virgins' had missed the Rapture, and were Left Behind; but they were still alive, at least for now; because now they would be going through The Great Tribulation. And guess what; chances are, that what ever was holding them back before, from surrendering their hearts to Jesus, has now been resolved; and what do you think that was? One thing, and one thing only: Doubt! Oh yes, it is that simple; and it is more True than we realize!!! Only a heart that Truly Believes can be fully surrendered to Jesus Christ, because a heart that has doubt will not fully surrender. Do you understand what doubt will do? Yes, No, Maybe So? Exactly That! What? That; That's What! The 'Yes, No, Maybe So' attitude of the heart is what; it is an attitude of the heart, that says, "Maybe it is True". We must believe in Jesus Christ with all of our heart; otherwise, we will still hold those things within our hearts that are of the world, and are contrary to the the Truth. Those things that say that He is not 'The Way, The Truth, and The Life'; even those things which say that there is no God, could still be lurking within our hearts. So then, why would I say that they have now resolved this issue? Because, like 'Doubting Thomas', many will need physical evidence that He is Real, before they they will Truly Believe and surrender their hearts completely to Him. And what better evidence will they need, or will be given, than the Rapture of His Church? Ouch! That's going to leave a Mark; well, let's hope not! Okay then; here is a little something to ponder: Some of you may have wondered why I closed yesterday's blog with Psalms 118:22; because it speaks about Jesus as the Head Stone of the Corner (Chief Cornerstone), and yet I was talking about those of us that might be discarded, and being redeemed. But you have to remember something that is real good to know: Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of Our Faith; and He has been given that Title for a Reason... "The Lord hath chastened me sore: but He hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the Gates of Righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: This Gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise Thee: For Thou hast heard me, and art my Salvation. The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the Corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the Day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I beseech Thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be He that cometh in the Name of the Lord: we have blessed You out of the House of the Lord. God is the Lord, which hath shown us Light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the Horns of the Altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is Good: For His Mercy Endureth For Ever." (Psalms 118:18-29)

"LIVING STONES"

"Ye also, as Lively Stones, are built up a Spiritual House, a Holy Priesthood, to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, Acceptable to God By Jesus Christ". (1 Peter 2:5) There is nothing that can take the Place of Jesus Christ to provide Holiness for us; Absolutely Nothing! Yet, sadly, there will be many that will try to enter in another way, without surrendering All of their lives to The King Of Glory. These 'Stones' mentioned above from 1 Peter 2:5, are not just ordinary stones; but they are hand picked by the Lord for the building of His Temple; The Church. Each one is fit within a certain place by the Master Builder; to be locked in place; as if it was meant to fit where it goes. I have heard it said, and have actually repeated it myself, 'that if the Lord can not use you as a Stone in His Temple, then you will be ground up for the mortar'. However, I do not think that there will be any mortar; just stone upon stone. The more I study His Word, the more I believe that there is no 'half way', or partial surrender; it is 'All or nothing'! And if the Lord cannot use a particular Stone in His building of His Temple, then it is Discarded. Am I saying that we must be perfect? No! Only He is perfect; in All His Ways!!! But what I am saying, is that we must be surrendered to Him; believing that He is Lord. We can try to be perfect all of our lives, but if He is not the Lord of our lives, then it is all for nothing. The Bible says, "Our righteousness is filthy rags to God"; which means, that because only Jesus can wash away our sins, our trying to wash our sin with righteousness does not work. It is like taking a clean rag, and rubbing it on our filthy bodies, and then trying to present that dirty rag to God. However, once we have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb, any righteousness done, is then acceptable unto God, and worthy in His sight. As we read on a little further in 1 Peter 2, we will see in verse 9, that Peter lays down some Awesome Good News, "But ye are a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, that ye should show forth the praise of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His Marvellous Light." This he proclaims after making some very interesting comments about 'The Chief Cornerstone'. There is something that you must know about our God: He is so Merciful!!! For now, I will only say this: 'God can redeem the Discarded Stone!' "The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the Corner." (Psalms 118:22)

"The Lamps And The Oil" - 2

So, How are we doing? To start off with, and to clear up any confusion from yesterday: whether or not all Ten Virgins had 'Vessels' is not the question, because they all had a vessel; but rather that they had 'Vessels' worthy of the 'Oil', that is a different matter. In case you did not figure it out, the 'Vessels' are our physical bodies; and they all had bodies; but only five of them had bodies that were able to contain the 'Oil' that was needed to keep their 'Lamps' lit. In other words, five of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and five were not. And when I said that five of them did not have their 'Vessels', what that meant was, that those five did not have 'The Vessels' required for the Holy Spirit to inhabit. We must remember something that is vitally important, the Holy Spirit is God, and God cannot fellowship with darkness; which means that He will not take up residence within a 'Vessel' that is not Holy. But you might say, 'Then how can we be filled with the Holy Spirit?' That is really quite simple: When Jesus is our Lord, then our body is One with His; which means, that because He is Holy, so are we; which then makes way for the Holy Spirit to take up residence within us. This is the reason that the Holy Spirit had to be sent after Jesus was Glorified; because after He ascended and was glorified, in essence, so were we. Although we will not receive our eternal glorified bodies until we leave this earth, in the mean time, we have these bodies which have been glorified in Him; which have also become a dwelling place for His Spirit. So then; Why did the five Foolish Virgins not have the proper 'Vessels' required for the Holy Spirit to dwell within? Because they did not have a 'Personal Relationship' with Jesus Christ! Which also meant that the 'Light', or their 'Lamp' was a false light; which was one that was actually lit by their relationship with the church, but not by a 'Personal Relationship' with Jesus Christ. Which is why, after getting their proper vessels, it was to late, because the door had been shut; and yet when they stood at the door and cried out, 'Lord, Lord', and it says, "But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not". (Matthew 25:12) The Holy Spirit can 'come upon us', speak to us, and even soften our hearts; but in order to Dwell Within us, we must first have a 'Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ'. This 'Vessel of Clay' must be a worthy dwelling place for God, and only Jesus can make that happen; and it is our relationship with Him that allows for it to happen. Our relationship with the church will not allow it, but merely makes us think that we are okay; which then brings us to the illustration of "The Sheep and The Goats". The 'Sheep' were those that have a 'Personal Relationship' with Jesus, but the 'Goats' do not; however, the 'Goats' were under the illusion that they were well equip all the way up to the 'Judgement Seat of Christ'; but the 'Five Foolish Virgins' had realized they were lacking at His Coming. This is a critical time that we are living in, and we must make sure that we are ready!!! "Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 25:13)

"The Lamps And The Oil"

It may be a little complicated to illustrate what I believe 'The Lamps' represent, because in the illustration that is given by Jesus in Matthew 25 of the Ten Virgins, the 'Lamps' are perceived as something that is external, or outside the body. These 'Lamps' that are depicted here would be better translated as 'Torch'. In eastern countries, the torch, like a lamp, is fed with oil which is carried in small vessels constructed for the purpose and called 'aggela', as in Matthew 25:4, "But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." This word 'Aggela' means a vessel or container which is used to carry solid substances; a vessel made of wood, clay, shell, gold, silver, or copper; and it also means the body of a man in contrast to his soul. There are two Greek words that translate 'Lamp' in the gospels, 'Lamoas', and 'Luchnos', which is sometimes translated "candle". In Matthew 6:22, the eye, as the source of light or organ by which light is received, is called the "lamp (luchnos) of the body". The word 'Lampas' means to light, shine; a torch, lamp, lantern; a lamp fed with oil. These were the usual means of lighting a house, or any other building, or dark area; for example, when they came for Jesus that night in the garden, they carried torches so as to identify who He was. 'Lampas' comes from the word 'Lampo', which means to shine, give light; in an absolute sense, and metaphorically. Now then, the 'Oil' is easier to distinguish, for we all know that the 'Oil' represents the Holy Spirit; at least that is how it is perceived to be. The real question is what the 'Lamps' and the 'Vessels' represent; because all Ten Virgins had their 'Lamps', but only five of them had their 'Vessels'. So then, given what is listed for the meaning of 'Lamp', it is fairly easy to determine the 'Lamp' means to shine, or to give off light; which all Ten Virgins had in their possession. In other words, all Ten Virgins possessed the ability to shine, but only five of them had the 'Vessels' required to hold the 'Oil' which makes The True Light Shine; because without the 'Oil', only the wicks in their 'Lamps' would burn, which really is not adequate Light. My question to you is this: What are the "Vessels"? Here is a clue: The Vessels are Holy! And here is another clue: This illustration goes right along with the illustration of "The Sheep and The Goats"; the difference being, that the five Foolish Virgins knew they were lacking, but the Goats did not...

"A Glorious Bride"

When we truly think about what we shall become, it must cause us to want to prepare ourselves; for we shall be a Glorious Bride. And the greatest mystery of all is how we shall all be adorned. This is going to be so glorious, and so spectacular, that words will not be able to express it. I have shared with you before about the vision I had earlier this year; it was very brief, but I believe it was just a portion of the Train of a Bride's Dress; and for a very split second, there I was looking back through the fabric of the garment. I will never forget it; yet to envision it now, the impact is not the same as it was that morning; which is really understandable, because, just like God's Word will effect us, so do the dreams and visions that we have. Sometimes just a single word from His Word can cause us to quake, and then later we will go back to that same passage, and wonder why it did, or how we can get it to do it again. This is really not that uncommon, and has much to do about the Holy Spirit, and how He speaks to us; it kind of goes back to one of the meanings for Isaiah 55:6, "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near"; and what Jesus was trying to explain to Nicodemus in John 3:8, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: So is every one that is born of the Spirit". But I believe this is going to intensify within our churches, very soon. Why do I say that? Because it will be so; just as God has said in His Word that He would, He will; because He has said in His Word, that in the Last Days, He would pour out His Spirit upon the earth; and these are the Last Days (But don't take my word for it; watch). Currently there is a stirring taking place within the Body of Christ, which I believe will cause the Body to draw closer together. What I believe will bring about this moving will be 'Small Group Fellowships'; which many Pastors and Leaders within various churches are currently hearing from God's Spirit; some, more than others; but God is speaking it, nonetheless. This is no little thing for a Senior Pastor to consider, but many are; and God's Spirit is moving them in that direction. What will this do for our churches? Well, for one, it will cause there to be more intimacy within the Body; where people will come together to not just hear God's Word, but to proclaim God's Word. This is much the same way as the early church began; where groups came together all over, throughout the week, and then came together as a larger group on Sunday to celebrate what the Lord was doing within the Body. So it shall be again as we prepare for His soon return. It is time to get our Lamps filled with Oil, for the Bridegroom is coming. Will you be ready? Will your Lamp be full? Just like any wedding, there is a preparation which must take place; and I believe that the Holy Spirit is right now beginning to prepare the Bride for that Glorious Day!!! "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation, He hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh Himself with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." (Isaiah 61:10 & 11) (These two verses come right before 62!)

"A City Set On A Hill" -2

If you think about it; really stop and ponder, (that means to give it a lot of thought), you will see that the Lord had a Glorious City on His mind. This really was something that was driving Him to the cross: The Glorious City, which is His Church; which is what we are!!! But maybe I am getting ahead of where I am to be? Back to the 'city that is set on a hill'. When you look throughout the Bible for all the different references to 'city', you will discover that there are a lot; in fact, I was quite surprised just how many there were; almost half as many as 'children'. Yet there is one city that keeps coming up as glorious, and that is Jerusalem. This is something that we must come to realize as Believers in Jesus Christ: We are now a part of His Holy City. That's right; when we give our life to Christ, this is what we become; and as His Holy City, we are to be Holy; as odd as that may sound, because many will say, "But we are not Holy"; True, True. But then again we are Holy; Why??? Because He is Holy, and because we are the Body of Christ, that makes us Holy too! This will all come out in the wash, you can count on it; but for now, let's just see where He is leading us. Anyways, when you look at the scriptures before this 'City on a Hill' passage, you will see that the Lord is talking about how we are to act; which means, how people are to see us. The reason that this is important, is because, how people see us, is how people will see Him. This is really not that had to grasp; we are His Church, which means that technically, spiritually, and eternally we are the Body of Christ. How people see the Body of Christ matters! So how are we doing? Not so good I think. I can't help but wonder what non-believers think, as they watch us fight, and bicker, and moan, and complain; because who wants to be a part of that? Maybe you don't think they are looking? Maybe your right; because maybe it has gone on for so long, that they don't really look for the Light to be there anymore. However; God is Bigger than we know, and He will restore His Church!!! I believe this, and really think that we are all in for something really powerful to take place in our churches; very soon! Why do I say that? Because I believe that we are living in the last days, and that our God is so very Merciful, that He will not let His Church, this City that is Set upon a Hill, be the cause for any to perish in this time of His coming. What I am trying to say is that the closer He gets, the Brighter we will shine; we just don't realize that yet, but it's coming...Just wait and see!!! "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness there of go forth as brightness, and the salvation there of as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all the kings thy glory: And thou shalt be called by a New Name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be crowned of glory in the Hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of thy God." (Isaiah 62:1-3)

"A City Set On A Hill"

"Ye are the Light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." (Matthew 5:14) Alrighty then, let's get busy; there are a couple different ways to view the second portion of this scripture; either way you look at it, it has the meaning of 'for all to see'. However, if we look at it in the context of what was previously said, I believe that there might be a little more to it. The previous verse was the verse that was with the one above at the end of Saturday's post; you might remember, that was the crappy day. The first part of 5:14, is very cut and dry; 'Ye are the Light of the world.' This is easy enough to understand: As Believers in Jesus Christ, He has given us the Holy Spirit, which dwells within us, and shines the Light of Jesus into and through our lives. God is Light, and the presence of God in us, brings Light into a dark world; however, we are still required to let our light shine. Which then takes us to the next portion of the scripture, "A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid"; this can be looked at in a couple different ways. The first way to look at it, is pretty much to accept that it is speaking about the need for us to be a city on a hill, so that our light is not hid. This might be what our Lord meant when He said it; or, maybe, just maybe He meant something else. Maybe what He was saying, was to imply that we are the Light of the world, and that we cannot be hid. Okay, maybe you did not get that? In the context of what Jesus is saying in all the previous 12 verses, which are not only the Beatitudes, but also in verses 10-12, Jesus speaks about those that are persecuted for His sake, and how they need to Rejoice and be exceeding Glad; that makes this pretty much a fact: We are marked by God; and as such, we are like a city that has been placed upon a hill for all to see. Now then; because we are a city on a hill, we must let our light shine for all to see; because if we do not let that light shine, we are still a city on the hill, but just one that has no luster; which is like a dingy city that no one wants to go to. What I believe that the Lord is saying, is kind of like a wait and see declaration; where He is describing what the effect of being the Light of the world will be; for all to see. In the next passage, verse 15, "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but put it on a candlestick: and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."; this verse I believe is connected more to verse 13 then it is to verse 14. The reason that I believe that is because it has the same basic meaning as the 'Salt' that is good for nothing; a light put under a bushel is also good for nothing. Okay, maybe you are not convinced, and that is alright; but this is what I see being said: When we become a Child of God, a Follower of Jesus Christ, we are now in the cross hairs of the enemy; but we are also in the sight of non-believers to see also; and you can bet that they will be looking; if not just for the sake of seeing what we do. This is exactly what the world did to Jesus; why would it be any different for us? The world will look upon us, because we are a city that is set upon a hill, for all to see; and because we are a city that is placed upon a hill for all to see, we must make sure what they see is Light; a radiant city that shines with the glory of God. (But maybe I'm wrong?) "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

"INDESCRIBABLE LOVE"

"For God so Loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life." (John 3:16) There is something which must be the motivational factor in our ability to forsake all: It is the Love of God. And it is not that we first loved Him, but that He first Loved us; with all of our imperfections, and even sometimes a hatred for Him, He Loves us. It is because of this love that He has for us, that we in response, love Him back. This is the reason that I said 'Ye Love' within the passage of 1 Peter 1:8 was the key to our ability to withstand during a trial. What Jesus did in going to the cross, He did out of His love for the Father, and to do the Father's will. And that night in the garden, as He sweat blood anguishing over the task before Him, He concluded, "Not My will, but Thine will be done". He forsook All; the pain, the agony, the humiliation, the separation; everything for the sake of us, to please the Father. This He did because of His love for the Father, and the Father's love for Him; but more importantly for us: Because of the Father's Love for us. It is this kind of Love, which we did not have, but now possess, that enables us 'To pick up our cross and follow Him'. Which is the primary reason that I have said, 'That for the sake of others we must do those things that are pleasing in His sight'; which include those things which may be contrary to what we feel like doing. We may feel like sitting on the ground, covered in ashes, agonizing over our situation; but He would have us girding up our loins, standing, and giving Him praise. This is the bottom line: We that believe in Jesus, will not perish, and have Everlasting Life; but those that are without, are perishing, and need the Testimony which we possess of God's Love, to be convinced that He is real, and that He loves them. Our love for the Lord, especially through adversity, is a reflection of God's Love; and when that love we have for the Lord is darkened by despair, it hinders the sight of how those, that do not know His Love, see God's Love for them. This I believe is one of the main reasons, that within our church families today, the next generation is not sensing The True Love of God... "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. Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that He Loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1 John 4:9-11)

"For The Sake Of Others"

So again: For what reason do we need to persevere through our trials? I believe that the answer to that question is found in the very next verse, Luke 14:27, "And whosoever doeth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple." This is also stated in Matthew 10:38, "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." Now then, let me ask a question: Is this taking of our cross to be looked at as a burden? That might be one way to look at this passage; but I don't think that is what Jesus meant; because within the text of all that He is saying here, it is more of a goal, or actually a major part of the main goal. And how does that work? Basically it works like this: 'To forsake all for the sake of others.' Why is it that? Because that is exactly what Jesus did when He came from Heaven and went to the cross; He forsook all for us; which was the major part of His goal to redeem man unto Himself. This is clearly defined in verse 33, "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple." Then to better understand what I mean by a goal, which if you know anything about goals, and what is required to have a goal, we can see from the Scriptures that are between verse 27 and 33, that there must be a predetermined acceptance within our hearts to forsake all. In those passages, Jesus speaks about two different plans; one has to do with planning to build, the other is planning to go to war. Both of which require 'counting the cost', or weighing the money in your bag for what you are setting out to do. Which basically means that we must be prepared to forsake all for Him; it is the cross that we bear. And then; the reason that I believe that it is 'For The Sake Of Others' is found in the following two verses, 34 & 35, "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Okay, let me try and paraphrase this statement in the text of all that was said, (hopefully without offending), 'If our testimony of the Lord does not hold up through a trial, then it is not worth crap.' I know what your thinking; but really, this is pretty much what our Lord was saying; He just put it in holier terms. But it is like this: We are called to be 'Salt' and 'Light', and for what reason are we called to be that? For the sake of others; that we may win others to Christ. That our testimony will be such, that others will be drawn to the Lord; and if the testimony that we put forth about our eternal life that we have been given, is such that anything of this world matters more, then that testimony of the eternal life we have been given isn't worth the dunghill. "Ye are the Salt of the earth: but if salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the Light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." (Matthew 5:13 & 14)

"Love Jesus More Than All !"

There was a little portion of the closing Text in yesterday's blog that is easily overlooked; two little words that are kind of buried within 1 Peter 1:8, "Ye Love". This is placed here within the Text as if it is common knowledge; but, in the context of the passage, the subject, and how we are to remain strong through a trial, it is the Key. Whatever we are going through; whatever we have lost; whatever we are suffering in, even to the point of death, we must Love Him More; more than even life itself; more than we even love ourselves. If we take a look at Luke 14:26-35, we will see that there is great cost involved in our service to the Lord; however, Do Not mistake this 'Cost' with reckless abandonment; that is not how it is meant. For example, in verse 26, Jesus says, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." This word 'hate' here in this text means exactly that: Hate; that might seem a little harsh for words, yes? But really, the Greek word is 'Miseo', which means: To hate; however, in the text above, it really means 'To Love Less'. The point is this: That compared to the Love we have for Jesus, God in the flesh, our love for anyone else, including ourselves, will seem like hatred. This is made clear in Matthew 10:37, "He that loveth father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." So, when it comes to counting the cost, and the 'Talents' which we spoke of yesterday: In order to spend what you are spending on what you are purchasing, you would have to weigh your money to determine how much it was worth; which then determines how much you could buy. What this means is that there must be a predetermined allotment of money in your bag for what you are trying to purchase; otherwise, you come up short. What exactly does that mean? In other words; we have to make our commitment to the Lord such, that not even life itself will sway our love for Him. It is something that is settled within our hearts; that everything, or everyone else counts as nothing compared to Him. Otherwise, when something, or someone else is lost, we will come up short! "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." (Matthew 22:37 & 38)

"Faint Not; For The Sake Of Others"

A talent; 'Talantiaios' or 'Talanton': A weight of measurement; something weighed; The scale of Balance. An actual Talent of money, or gold, would have weighed about seventy pounds; but whatever it's exact value, in the reference of what Jesus was speaking, it meant a large sum of money. When we are given a 'Talent', or 'Talents' from our Lord, these are valuable gifts or things of value which we are given to be used for His Kingdom. Some are given much, and some are given little; but each is required to use these 'Talents' for the sake of others. In other words, what we are given is meant to be shared; and in so doing, they are then multiplied. Now, when it comes to the question of whether a trial can be considered as a Talent, I have no doubt in my mind that it is so; because, for some people, that is all they are given; How so? Well, I have met, read about, and have heard about people who have suffered tremendously, or who might have been even born with major disabilities; who have nothing else to share except the Hope they have in Christ through their adversity. This is their testimony of Christ to others! And people take notice! People who might only have the gleam in their eyes to express the Joy in their hearts, and the Hope that they process. So for those, the Talent that they have been given is the trial that they have been dealt. Now, when it comes to the rest of us, our witness of our Faith is measured by our reaction to the trials that we face. This really is not that hard to understand. There is a point at which we are given a testing of our Faith, by whatever circumstance that may be; but it is enough to make us count more upon Jesus than we would have otherwise counted on Him. And it is during this testing that our 'Talent' or Talents' are weighed; which, if you know your history, this is the way money was exchanged in those days, by weight. In order to spend what you were spending on what you were purchasing, you would have to weigh your money to determine how much it was worth; which then determined how much you could buy. This is why I believe that a trial is worth far more than we can even imagine; because there is Power in the testimony which is manifested in us as we proclaim the Hope we have in Christ through a trial; no ifs, ands, or buts! "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the Salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:7-9)

"Faint Not; For He Is Our Strength"

Okay, here is the deal: The Lord is our Strength! Now then; because He is our strength, we are expected to be strong. So then, what gives us the ability to be Strong in the Lord? Anybody...You got it yet??? It is our Faith!!! In order to facilitate the Strength of the Lord through a trial, we MUST Believe that He is able to accomplish the good through our situation. Does that mean that He won't if we don't? No! What it does mean is that we will not stand through our trial if we don't, but He will still see us through it, regardless of our actions; we will just be made to look weak (sitting on the ground, covered in ashes, and scraping our boils). However, what should take place is that He is glorified during our trial; not just at the end of our trial. Which brings me back to 'The Talents' and 'The Slothful Servant'; What is to say that our trial is not a Talent? We are given an opportunity to Let Our Light Shine by our circumstances, as we are going through them. A slothful servant will take that opportunity and waste it by burying it, and waiting for the outcome to give God the glory; instead of investing that testimony which is made available to demonstrate during the trial. Yet when we have the faith to believe that He will accomplish good though our situation, then we should be demonstrating that faith as we are going through it. And how do we do that? By counting it all joy! As odd as that may sound, it is true. The Joy of the Lord is our Strength; that means exactly what it says; We Must Choose Joy! For example: Acts chapter 16; in verses 22-34, Paul and Silas are imprisoned after being beaten. In verse 25, it says, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: And the prisoners heard them." This was an opportunity to rejoice through a trial, and as they did, God showed up. In verse 26, it says, "And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: And immediately all the doors were opened, and every man's bands were loosed." And what was the outcome of this? Many came to the Lord and were saved; even the Jailer and all his household! This is the True Power of God; and it was brought forth through a trial. Now, imagine what would have happened had Paul and Silas just sat there in that cell and cried, complained, and anguished over their situation; Do you think there would have been the same outcome? Well, I can tell you one thing for sure: The fellow prisoners that heard them, would have heard something else. God may have still shown up, but the testimony that they had given their fellow inmates would have been lost. In fact, there may have been some jailbreaks; but there were not; Why? Because there was Joy! As odd as that may sound! "I will love Thee, O Lord, my Strength. The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Strength, in Whom I will Trust; my Buckler, and The Horn of my Salvation, and my High Tower." (Psalms 18:1 & 2)

"Faint Not; For He Is Strong" 2

Say, 'Hey Rich, you seem like you are being a little harsh?' No, I don't think so. I feel as though I am getting to the point. So what is the point? It's like this: Our God is Big, really Big! And He is Strong; more stronger than we know. Yet for some reason His strength is forgotten about as soon as there is adversity. Why do I say that? Okay; for example: If there are the same ratio of divorces among Christians as there are among the rest of the world, there is something wrong. You might say, 'What does that have in common with adversity?' Okay, let's go back to this word 'Faint' in Proverbs 24:10; one of the meanings of that word was 'letting go of someone'; or 'To let someone go'; which basically is the root cause for many divorces: They simply 'Let Go' of the commitment which was made in the marriage. So then, is it any wonder that if they can let go of the marriage so easily, that they will also let go of their faith during adversity? Which one is easier to hold onto? Really; think about that for a moment. Marriage is just one example, and is one that is easy to compare with that of the world. But there are many others, and they all have one thing in common: To let go of our grip; or To slack the hand. Because a valiant warrior will tighten his grip upon his weapon as the battle intensifies, not loosen it! Besides; we really are only as strong as our God is! What does that mean? Well, the reason that God demands that we be Big and Strong, is because He is Big and Strong. Okay: When we are His child, we are joint-heirs with Christ; which means, that the strength of our God is our strength. Did that make any sense? Maybe I should try another: When Jesus said, "If you had the faith of a mustard seed", what He meant was that the little strength we have, when it is placed in Him, can do Big things. What do you think that faith really means? It is the strength of our belief! And although our faith is in that which is not seen, our faith must be seen!!! Because without the proof that we believe there is no faith; Ouch! "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that Faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19 & 20)

"Faint Not; For He Is Strong"

"If thou faint in the day of Adversity, thy strength is small." (Proverbs 24:10) Okay now; this word 'Faint' here in Proverbs 24:10 is taken from the Hebrew word 'Raphah', and it means: To be slack, remiss, or idle; to be weak, to be feeble; to be despondent, to be disheartened, to be lazy. Much of what was meant for the two faints of the New Testament are combined here; but this one puts out a little more punch. Because it also means: To let fall, to let drop; to withdraw, to let alone, to abandon, to desert; to let down the hand; to let someone go. This verb appears 43 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, and has a basic meaning of relaxing the hands; which denotes a lack of courage. However; and this is big; it also can mean to discourage. As I have said, There are people around us, who put our Faith in Jesus Christ, that are watching our lives; and when we are going through something, which should cause most to faint, they watch harder, real hard; I am talking: look deep in your eyes kind of hard. You may not even realize that they are, but they are; they want to know if what you say you believe is real; do you really mean it! But what happens when we faint? Well, sadly, we end up discouraging them; and the not so funny part is, we won't even realize that we have; Why? Because they will put it off into their 'I guess he was just a Fanatic' place in their hearts and move on; meanwhile, you will no doubt recover from your ordeal, however, you may have some trouble convincing them again that you are sincere in your Faith. It is really, really important for our Testimony of the Strength of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that we stay strong; Why is this??? Because, it really comes down to our Faith, which means: How Much Do You Believe??? How much do you believe in God's ability to perform all that He said He will do? God said He would care for you; Do you believe it? God said He would not leave you or forsake you; Do you believe it? God said that All things will work toward the Good; Do you believe it? These are the questions that those watching you want answered in your life; 'Let's see how Big this guys God really is'; that is what they say; and where do you think they will get that answer? And, more importantly; What happens to those that are discouraged when we faint? "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?" (Proverbs 24:11 & 12)

"Faint Not, Saint"

"Gird up thy loins now like a man"; (Job 38:3 & 40:7) This word translated 'Man' in the Hebrew is 'Ghever' which pictures man at his Best and Proudest moments. When God first spoke to Job in chapter 38, and before He said, "Gird up thy loins", He said, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" Oh, what little we truly know; Really! Most of the things which we see, and think we do know, are all explained and made known by theories. In fact, it is said that nothing is certain except death and taxes; but death is even questioned. However, with God, there are no theories, just Truth; there is only Light and dark, and as soon as God shows up there is only Light. As soon as man thinks he has something figured out, something comes along and blows holes in his theory. Just imagine how much more there is to know when you factor in the things that are not seen. Now concerning this word 'Ghever': To be Strong; to be a valiant man, a warrior. It is commonly associated with warfare and had to do with the strength and vitality of the Successful Warrior. It may have been a technical term for Nobility. A 'Ghever' was a male at the very peak of his natural strength. Okay then; What can we take from this, and apply to our current position in Jesus Christ? If we look to the Book of Ephesians, which happens to be based on our Position in Christ and on Warfare, we will find that the peak of our natural strength in Christ is to be a Saint; which technically is Nobility in Heaven. Remember, the Greek word for 'Saint' is 'Hagios', which means: Holy, set apart, sanctified, sharing in God's purity. It is because of this position which we have in Christ that we are able to stand; to be strong in the Lord. The first piece of 'The Armor of God' is to gird up thy loins about with Truth. The first thing we must do in order to gird up our loins with the Truth is to believe that it is Truth, otherwise, our girding won't do much good. So, if we believe that we are His Saints, that the battle is His, and that we have a much better place waiting for us; we can then gird up our loins with that Truth and Stand with Nobility. There is one more thing that God added after both statements "Gird up thy loins now like a man", and it was "For I will demand of thee". The word 'demand' is not the same as 'command'. A captain issues commands, but demands attention. In other words, it is expected of us to be strong, because He is Strong! He is either God, or He isn't!!! (Okay, I am done picking on Job...)