Parable Of Faithful and Unfaithful Servant
1-30-11
The Faithful And The Unfaithful Servant
We don’t know when the Lord Jesus will come. No man, not even the angels in heaven, know the hour when the Son of man come, only the Father (Matthew24:36).
Jesus warns us in parables, so that we have no excuse on the day of judgment, to be watchful for the end. To not become slothful, thinking that Jesus won’t come for a long time. It is when we don’t expect Him to come, that He will. There are a lot of signs Jesus gives us that will let us know the end is near. Are we a faithful servant, awaiting His arrival or are we unfaithful to Him? Are we abiding in Him or being as a harlot with the world which He says will pass away?
There are good, faithful servants of His. They are watchful unto Him. They keep their focus and eyes on Him always. They are ready, in whatever hour He comes, using their talents He has given wisely. Doing as He commands in the life He has given him. The reward of this servant is great; He will make him ruler over all His goods, blessed is He. This is an Eternal Being, Jesus, saying that this man is blessed, this is Eternal Blessing.
There are also evil servants of His. They think in their heart, the Lord is not coming soon, He will delay His coming. They smote their fellow servants, ate and drank with the drunken. They are not sober, watching for the Lord, waiting upon Him, they count their servant hood to Him a common and unholy thing. The Lord will come in a day that he is not aware. And the Lord shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
He is counted the same as the hypocrites! Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites, and He woes them much in the Scriptures. That woe is an eternal woe just like the blessings of the Eternal Being are everlasting, so are the woes.
Notice that the evil servant fares sumptuously everyday just like in Luke 16:19. And this man spent eternity in hell. Just like this evil servant. They have the same fate. This evil servant was drinking with the drunkards and thought nothing of it. Mingling in with the world, very light hearted, having no sobriety, just loving the world, thinking he can have both the Lord and these things. He was greatly deceived and paid an eternal penalty.
One other thing to notice, that the evil servant IS a servant of the Lord. This evil servant, just like the faithful servant has the Lord that is capable of casting him into hell. It does not call this servant the servant of the devil, or an unsaved person. This servant is just the evil servant who does evil, then expects when the Lord comes He will not reward him according to his deeds done in the body. But He will. He is a just God. This is why Jesus warns so often to fear God, to abide in Him, giving us parables and straight up commands. This is for our own good, for our eternal good. Because some will be cast out who did not do His will. Who thought they knew Him but in actuality, according to the Lord, did not. This is fearful.
(Matthew 24:42-51)
We don’t know when the Lord Jesus will come. No man, not even the angels in heaven, know the hour when the Son of man come, only the Father (Matthew24:36).
Jesus warns us in parables, so that we have no excuse on the day of judgment, to be watchful for the end. To not become slothful, thinking that Jesus won’t come for a long time. It is when we don’t expect Him to come, that He will. There are a lot of signs Jesus gives us that will let us know the end is near. Are we a faithful servant, awaiting His arrival or are we unfaithful to Him? Are we abiding in Him or being as a harlot with the world which He says will pass away?
There are good, faithful servants of His. They are watchful unto Him. They keep their focus and eyes on Him always. They are ready, in whatever hour He comes, using their talents He has given wisely. Doing as He commands in the life He has given him. The reward of this servant is great; He will make him ruler over all His goods, blessed is He. This is an Eternal Being, Jesus, saying that this man is blessed, this is Eternal Blessing.
There are also evil servants of His. They think in their heart, the Lord is not coming soon, He will delay His coming. They smote their fellow servants, ate and drank with the drunken. They are not sober, watching for the Lord, waiting upon Him, they count their servant hood to Him a common and unholy thing. The Lord will come in a day that he is not aware. And the Lord shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
He is counted the same as the hypocrites! Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites, and He woes them much in the Scriptures. That woe is an eternal woe just like the blessings of the Eternal Being are everlasting, so are the woes.
Notice that the evil servant fares sumptuously everyday just like in Luke 16:19. And this man spent eternity in hell. Just like this evil servant. They have the same fate. This evil servant was drinking with the drunkards and thought nothing of it. Mingling in with the world, very light hearted, having no sobriety, just loving the world, thinking he can have both the Lord and these things. He was greatly deceived and paid an eternal penalty.
One other thing to notice, that the evil servant IS a servant of the Lord. This evil servant, just like the faithful servant has the Lord that is capable of casting him into hell. It does not call this servant the servant of the devil, or an unsaved person. This servant is just the evil servant who does evil, then expects when the Lord comes He will not reward him according to his deeds done in the body. But He will. He is a just God. This is why Jesus warns so often to fear God, to abide in Him, giving us parables and straight up commands. This is for our own good, for our eternal good. Because some will be cast out who did not do His will. Who thought they knew Him but in actuality, according to the Lord, did not. This is fearful.
(Matthew 24:42-51)
Parable Of The Vineyard
1-28-11
PARABLE OF THE
LORD OF THE VINEYARD
Mat 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
-Jesus
The labor that the laborers had done in the vineyard was not supposed to be to the glory of themselves. For if it were, then these who were in the vineyard first would have been rewarded more than those who came last. The laborer gets angry with the Goodman, his lord, but the lord rebukes him, saying “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” That is a pretty strong rebuke from the Lord. The labor in the vineyard is not about the laborer but about the householder, their lord, the Goodman who does whatever he pleases. Just like God in heaven doing whatever He pleases. It is to his glory, so too with Christians, it is not about our labor we are doing for the Lord, as we should expect some great gift from God or something, it is about Him and His Kingdom, His glory!
There is NO partiality with God. God gave to the men who have “borne the burden and the heat of the day” and those who worked for a short time all the same pay. This may seem unfair and even contradictory to other stories in the Scripture that speak of getting rewards and being given according to how much you labored. But I think God puts this in here for a very special purpose, I think the Lord is evening out the Scripture putting this in here. To bring in some humility where there may be much focus on rewards etc. God makes it impossible for the flesh to boast.
This is also in complete opposition to how the world works here, the Kingdom is very contrary to our world we live in. Think about how it works at your job. Those who have been “laboring” or working there the longest get the biggest pay check. Those who have only been there for a short while get paid little, and as they progress, as they work over time the pay goes up. The people who have been there the longest also seem to have the greatest favor with the “householder” or boss. Well, this is not how God works J. With God there is no partiality. Someone who has just begun working for Him, and someone who has been working for Him for years are both precious in His eyes and neither is glorified above the other if they are both obeying and walking with Him.
God keeps us humble. Believers that have been walking with the Lord for years gain a new brother. They are able to receive him with meekness and humility knowing they are no better than he is. God even says that “the last shall be first and the first last.“ So knowing this in itself can keep us from being puffed up about the time we have spent laboring for the Kingdom. It is all about the Kingdom and love for the brethren.
I think of the thief on the cross next to Jesus, how Jesus said Today you will be with Me in paradise. This thief got saved! He repented, (he agreed with how wretched his sin was, how deserving of the cross he was and how undeserving Jesus was of such a death turning from his wicked thoughts that got him there to begin with), and he reproved the works of darkness even. But he didn’t have any time to labor for the Kingdom. But He got the only thing he could ever want, that anyone could ever want whether laboring for a short or long time, to be in paradise with Jesus. The penny was Jesus, in a sense, as well. We who are born again will all get the Penny, no more, no less, He is all we want, all we need. This creates a desire to labor all the more!
I find it interesting the householder agreed with the first laborers on how much they would make, a penny. The next laborers to come in though, at all hours, being added, did not even agree to a certain payment! They were thankful, glad to be hired! They didn’t care what the payment was, it was something! They knew they had nothing. I think these were desperate lost people, they were called and they just came. It reminds me of the people in the parable of the wedding feast in chapter 22. Since the original ones invited didn’t come, the servants went to the highways, and as many as they could find they were told to take with them to the wedding feast. Jesus came for the lost sheep, not the ones who have stipulations, expectations, and pride. These people were glad to have been called, since no other man had hired these laborers. They were desperate and humble, trusted the Goodman that he would give them what was right and received the same as those who were laboring before them.
Since this parable is likened to the Kingdom of heaven, it is interesting to note, the lord of the vineyard went out to find all who were idle, and put them to work. This ruins any false belief of what heaven will be like. We won’t be sitting there on a cloud with harps doing nothing all day. We will be at rest, with the Lord, yes, singing to Him probably all the time, yet He will give us labor, yet there it won’t be laboring. It won’t be strenuous, it won’t come with thorns and thistles from the fall. It will be beautiful, and He will give us lots to do, and we will love every ounce of it if it could be measured!
PARABLE OF THE
LORD OF THE VINEYARD
Mat 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
-Jesus
The labor that the laborers had done in the vineyard was not supposed to be to the glory of themselves. For if it were, then these who were in the vineyard first would have been rewarded more than those who came last. The laborer gets angry with the Goodman, his lord, but the lord rebukes him, saying “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” That is a pretty strong rebuke from the Lord. The labor in the vineyard is not about the laborer but about the householder, their lord, the Goodman who does whatever he pleases. Just like God in heaven doing whatever He pleases. It is to his glory, so too with Christians, it is not about our labor we are doing for the Lord, as we should expect some great gift from God or something, it is about Him and His Kingdom, His glory!
There is NO partiality with God. God gave to the men who have “borne the burden and the heat of the day” and those who worked for a short time all the same pay. This may seem unfair and even contradictory to other stories in the Scripture that speak of getting rewards and being given according to how much you labored. But I think God puts this in here for a very special purpose, I think the Lord is evening out the Scripture putting this in here. To bring in some humility where there may be much focus on rewards etc. God makes it impossible for the flesh to boast.
This is also in complete opposition to how the world works here, the Kingdom is very contrary to our world we live in. Think about how it works at your job. Those who have been “laboring” or working there the longest get the biggest pay check. Those who have only been there for a short while get paid little, and as they progress, as they work over time the pay goes up. The people who have been there the longest also seem to have the greatest favor with the “householder” or boss. Well, this is not how God works J. With God there is no partiality. Someone who has just begun working for Him, and someone who has been working for Him for years are both precious in His eyes and neither is glorified above the other if they are both obeying and walking with Him.
God keeps us humble. Believers that have been walking with the Lord for years gain a new brother. They are able to receive him with meekness and humility knowing they are no better than he is. God even says that “the last shall be first and the first last.“ So knowing this in itself can keep us from being puffed up about the time we have spent laboring for the Kingdom. It is all about the Kingdom and love for the brethren.
I think of the thief on the cross next to Jesus, how Jesus said Today you will be with Me in paradise. This thief got saved! He repented, (he agreed with how wretched his sin was, how deserving of the cross he was and how undeserving Jesus was of such a death turning from his wicked thoughts that got him there to begin with), and he reproved the works of darkness even. But he didn’t have any time to labor for the Kingdom. But He got the only thing he could ever want, that anyone could ever want whether laboring for a short or long time, to be in paradise with Jesus. The penny was Jesus, in a sense, as well. We who are born again will all get the Penny, no more, no less, He is all we want, all we need. This creates a desire to labor all the more!
I find it interesting the householder agreed with the first laborers on how much they would make, a penny. The next laborers to come in though, at all hours, being added, did not even agree to a certain payment! They were thankful, glad to be hired! They didn’t care what the payment was, it was something! They knew they had nothing. I think these were desperate lost people, they were called and they just came. It reminds me of the people in the parable of the wedding feast in chapter 22. Since the original ones invited didn’t come, the servants went to the highways, and as many as they could find they were told to take with them to the wedding feast. Jesus came for the lost sheep, not the ones who have stipulations, expectations, and pride. These people were glad to have been called, since no other man had hired these laborers. They were desperate and humble, trusted the Goodman that he would give them what was right and received the same as those who were laboring before them.
Since this parable is likened to the Kingdom of heaven, it is interesting to note, the lord of the vineyard went out to find all who were idle, and put them to work. This ruins any false belief of what heaven will be like. We won’t be sitting there on a cloud with harps doing nothing all day. We will be at rest, with the Lord, yes, singing to Him probably all the time, yet He will give us labor, yet there it won’t be laboring. It won’t be strenuous, it won’t come with thorns and thistles from the fall. It will be beautiful, and He will give us lots to do, and we will love every ounce of it if it could be measured!
The Two Blind Men
1-29-11
The Two Blind Men
Mat 20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
Mat 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
This brings to mind the hymn, “Pass me not, O Gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; while on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by. Let me at Thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief; kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief. Trusting only in Thy merit, would I seek Thy face, heal my wounded broken spirit, save me by Thy grace. Thou the spring of all my comfort, more than life to me, whom have I on earth besides Thee? Whom in heaven but Thee?”
As Jesus was passing them by, they heart that He was passing them, and CRIED OUT!! They didn’t care what the crowd would think, they needed the Savior! The healer! They were blind. They were blind just like anyone is without Jesus. They didn’t know Him, but they had faith to cry out to Him.
Mat 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
The multitude rebuked them, hold your peace! Why do you cry out? Stop crying out, be at peace, you are fine! When you cry out to the Lord, save me! And He has not yet come, don’t let the multitude quiet you, don’t let anyone quiet you until He has stood still and come to you Himself! They were not quieted or given a peace from people, they needed to see Jesus! They wouldn’t settle! They cried all the more!! Confessing Him before all men, not even thinking or caring of the cost!
Mat 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
Mat 20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
Mat 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
This brings to mind the hymn, “Pass me not, O Gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; while on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by. Let me at Thy throne of mercy find a sweet relief; kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief. Trusting only in Thy merit, would I seek Thy face, heal my wounded broken spirit, save me by Thy grace. Thou the spring of all my comfort, more than life to me, whom have I on earth besides Thee? Whom in heaven but Thee?”
As Jesus was passing them by, they heart that He was passing them, and CRIED OUT!! They didn’t care what the crowd would think, they needed the Savior! The healer! They were blind. They were blind just like anyone is without Jesus. They didn’t know Him, but they had faith to cry out to Him.
Mat 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
The multitude rebuked them, hold your peace! Why do you cry out? Stop crying out, be at peace, you are fine! When you cry out to the Lord, save me! And He has not yet come, don’t let the multitude quiet you, don’t let anyone quiet you until He has stood still and come to you Himself! They were not quieted or given a peace from people, they needed to see Jesus! They wouldn’t settle! They cried all the more!! Confessing Him before all men, not even thinking or caring of the cost!
Mat 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
Jesus heard them! He STOOD STILL for them, these blind and beggarly men He called to them! Jesus Himself called to them! I am sure the multitude, all others, would tell them, Jesus is not going to listen to you, He will not stoop down to you, get over it. But HE DID stand and call to them and ask them what they wanted Him to do!
Mat 20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
They cried to Him, calling Him Lord, that they might see Him! That our eyes be opened! They knew they were undeserving, they also knew that they needed Him! They wanted to see Jesus!
Mat 20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
The Lord is compassionate, His compassions fail not, He touched them. No one would touch them, they were lowly and beggarly, disabled, not any man would have had compassion on them in that day they lived. But Jesus was not a respecter of persons, He was humble and meek and loving. He had mercy upon them that cried out to Him. Anyone who cries out to Him, calling on His name, seeking Him He will in no wise cast out. Anyone who is persistent like these blind men, zealous to reach the Lord though they could not see! Jesus gave them sight!! With these blind men His timing was immediately. Not with everyone does He give immediately to, yet they were broken and desperate, this was good soil. He came to them and gave them their petition. Who else has the words of eternal life? Where else would they go? They followed their Savior.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Matthew 15:1-11 What Defiles A Man
Mat 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
The Pharisees were so concerned with looking at other people's "faults", when they should remove the plank in their own eye, that they might see clearly. They did not realize that Jesus is the God of the Sabbath, not the law. They miss the point: For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.(Matthew 12:8) And that: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. These Pharisees were men that everyone looked on as "holy" and if anyone were going to heaven, it was them (by appearance to most men). But God sees their heart, and Jesus who is God come in the flesh sees their hearts, they are white washed tombs, the outside looks great and right but their insides are like dead mans bones. They condemn the guiltless to uphold their form of righteousness and to make all others subject to this righteousness that they establish themselves which is not righteousness. For righteousness can only come from God, and is through God, in Him.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
The Pharisees were seen as living out the law perfectly, but in actuality by their self righteousness and by establishing their own righteousness by their "good works" they are transgressing the commandments of God, not upholding them!! Traditions can squash the work of the Spirit, grieve the Spirit, though He is sovereign and will ultimately have His way, the work of the Spirit can still be hindered. Traditions of men, things that were taught by the church all your life can be hindrances to the work of God just like the Pharisees were a hindrance to Jesus. Notice though how Jesus does not shy away from being complete bold, blunt and honest no matter what men thought, He called them out in their sin, He reproves the works of darkness! Only He has power to do this, and for true believers with Him in them, they are able to do this as well for truth to reign and God to be glorified.
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Jesus simply states the commandment of God, to honour father and mother, then compares the Pharisees who claim to do this, but in actuality this is what they were doing...which is not pleasing to God at all...
Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, [It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me];
It is a gift? Who do they think they are? The Pharisees are saying that anything they do for their father or mother is a gift, it is not a command of God that is expected of me, to take care of my parents when they can't, etc, it is just a gift that they might profit by me. How prideful of them! Are we like this? Is this our heart? We are not expected to take care of father and mother, we are not expected to take care of them because it is pleasing to God, no, any time I honor them it is just simply a gift from me and they should cherish it, because of what a good person I am. That is Pharisaical, prideful, ridiculous. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Their tradition just made the commandment completely ineffective!
Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
These men who do not draw near God, they do not honor God, these are the men in the high place of teaching people the commandments, and how to worship God. When God says that they worship Him in vain, they aren't worshiping God, not with their heart, not in Spirit and in truth as God is pleased.
Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Out of the mouth the heart speaks. It is what comes out that defiles him.
I need to meditate further on this, but wow, this is a heavy passage, think about these things.
Mat 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
The Pharisees were so concerned with looking at other people's "faults", when they should remove the plank in their own eye, that they might see clearly. They did not realize that Jesus is the God of the Sabbath, not the law. They miss the point: For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.(Matthew 12:8) And that: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice. These Pharisees were men that everyone looked on as "holy" and if anyone were going to heaven, it was them (by appearance to most men). But God sees their heart, and Jesus who is God come in the flesh sees their hearts, they are white washed tombs, the outside looks great and right but their insides are like dead mans bones. They condemn the guiltless to uphold their form of righteousness and to make all others subject to this righteousness that they establish themselves which is not righteousness. For righteousness can only come from God, and is through God, in Him.
Mat 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
The Pharisees were seen as living out the law perfectly, but in actuality by their self righteousness and by establishing their own righteousness by their "good works" they are transgressing the commandments of God, not upholding them!! Traditions can squash the work of the Spirit, grieve the Spirit, though He is sovereign and will ultimately have His way, the work of the Spirit can still be hindered. Traditions of men, things that were taught by the church all your life can be hindrances to the work of God just like the Pharisees were a hindrance to Jesus. Notice though how Jesus does not shy away from being complete bold, blunt and honest no matter what men thought, He called them out in their sin, He reproves the works of darkness! Only He has power to do this, and for true believers with Him in them, they are able to do this as well for truth to reign and God to be glorified.
Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Jesus simply states the commandment of God, to honour father and mother, then compares the Pharisees who claim to do this, but in actuality this is what they were doing...which is not pleasing to God at all...
Mat 15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, [It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me];
It is a gift? Who do they think they are? The Pharisees are saying that anything they do for their father or mother is a gift, it is not a command of God that is expected of me, to take care of my parents when they can't, etc, it is just a gift that they might profit by me. How prideful of them! Are we like this? Is this our heart? We are not expected to take care of father and mother, we are not expected to take care of them because it is pleasing to God, no, any time I honor them it is just simply a gift from me and they should cherish it, because of what a good person I am. That is Pharisaical, prideful, ridiculous. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Their tradition just made the commandment completely ineffective!
Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
These men who do not draw near God, they do not honor God, these are the men in the high place of teaching people the commandments, and how to worship God. When God says that they worship Him in vain, they aren't worshiping God, not with their heart, not in Spirit and in truth as God is pleased.
Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Out of the mouth the heart speaks. It is what comes out that defiles him.
I need to meditate further on this, but wow, this is a heavy passage, think about these things.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Were You Saved? Were You Born Again?
I know the Lord quickens verses and you are moved at times, God
bringing you to Himself, but was it salvation? Were you changed? Were
you born again at that moment? Were you born again at any moment that
you can remember? The moment you were granted faith to believe that
Jesus shed His blood for YOU? That every Word of God is living and it
was all written specifically for YOU? When did He become REAL to you?
Did you ever seek for Him with all your heart and keep seeking,
seeking, knocking until He came? Did you seek for Him to confirm you?
Were you given true faith to believe? Does your spirit testify with
His Spirit you are His? (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6)
There is a growing belief in our churches today that says if you say a prayer, have a spiritual experience, or feel a "peace" then you are saved. Why does the gate seem so wide, not narrow, not difficult as the bible says it will be? (Matthew 7:13-14) Many say a prayer, go to church, do ministry, but it's more of a social club. Their lives remain unchanged though they claim Christ now. (Matthew 7:21-23)
There are many who have said a prayer and taken the assurance from a pastor, teacher, friend, or family member that they are saved, all the while never receiving the assurance from God. If you are saved you will be able to assure your heart before Him. (1 John 3:19) And if you cannot, if your heart condemns you He is greater than your heart, how much more will He condemn you? If God has saved you, isn't He capable of confirming you as well? But instead when anyone doubts their salvation they go to men instead of humbling their hearts and life before God and seeking Him for assurance they are His. (Hebrews 10:22) Seek Him with your whole heart. (2 Chronicles 15:4; Deuteronomy 4:28-31) This will mean asking Him to show you sins. It is inevitable when you seek Him in truth He will show you sin, because He is holy and this is what separates us from Him, our sin. (Isaiah 59:2) There may be many you didn't even see, but His Spirit will show you if you ask. If you step into the Light, because He is light, He exposes all sin, the heart. If He shows you the sins then you have the chance to agree with Him about your sin, to be broken over sin and humble yourself before Him. (James 4:6) If He shows you this then you can be free. Does your heart condemn you before God? (1 John 3:20-21)
If you think He does not condemn you, if you say "I am saved", do you have fruit? (Matthew 7:16-19) You shall know by the fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit, that being bad fruit or no fruit he will be cast into the fire. Examine yourself, ask God to examine you, see if your heart or He condemns or assures you, this is biblical and God honors this. He will either confirm you and you can rejoice or He will convict you of the truth and then you can seek Him for faith and grace and granting of repentance, this is honorable to Him as well. (Psalm 26:2; 2 Corinthians 13:5, Psalm 25:5)Have you ever been lost? (Matthew 18:11; 1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 3:12; Matthew 19:17) or have you "always" been saved? Have you been granted repentance? (Matthew 9:13; Luke 3:3; Luke 5:32) Do you love the brethren? (1 John 3:4) Do you love the lost? (Matthew 5:44, Romans 10:1) Do you love reproof? (Proverbs 15:31, Proverbs 10:8) Do you keep His commandments that He gives to you specifically in your walk with Him? (1 John 5:2) Has He quickened His Word to you and does He do this most days, giving you your manna for the day as He says He will? (Psalm 119:107, Romans 8:11) Do you delight in and love the Word of God? (Psalm 1:2) Have you and are you convicted of sin? (John 16:8) Have you seen the wickedness of your sin or is it not that bad to you? (2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16) Have you suffered persecution? (2 Timothy 3:12) Do you hate your life? (Luke 14:26,33) Have you denied yourself? Do you deny yourself? (Matthew 16:24; Luke 14:27) Have you died? (Colossians 3:3)
This is difficult to swallow, but search the verses, search the Scriptures. I believe this to be the true Gospel, not the "gospel" in the churches today but biblical Christianity, when one is born again, truly. Why would I ask all of this? How do I know? From experience and from reading the Scriptures plainly, humbly and honestly. In the next post I will post my testimony, this will shed more light I think.
There is a growing belief in our churches today that says if you say a prayer, have a spiritual experience, or feel a "peace" then you are saved. Why does the gate seem so wide, not narrow, not difficult as the bible says it will be? (Matthew 7:13-14) Many say a prayer, go to church, do ministry, but it's more of a social club. Their lives remain unchanged though they claim Christ now. (Matthew 7:21-23)
There are many who have said a prayer and taken the assurance from a pastor, teacher, friend, or family member that they are saved, all the while never receiving the assurance from God. If you are saved you will be able to assure your heart before Him. (1 John 3:19) And if you cannot, if your heart condemns you He is greater than your heart, how much more will He condemn you? If God has saved you, isn't He capable of confirming you as well? But instead when anyone doubts their salvation they go to men instead of humbling their hearts and life before God and seeking Him for assurance they are His. (Hebrews 10:22) Seek Him with your whole heart. (2 Chronicles 15:4; Deuteronomy 4:28-31) This will mean asking Him to show you sins. It is inevitable when you seek Him in truth He will show you sin, because He is holy and this is what separates us from Him, our sin. (Isaiah 59:2) There may be many you didn't even see, but His Spirit will show you if you ask. If you step into the Light, because He is light, He exposes all sin, the heart. If He shows you the sins then you have the chance to agree with Him about your sin, to be broken over sin and humble yourself before Him. (James 4:6) If He shows you this then you can be free. Does your heart condemn you before God? (1 John 3:20-21)
If you think He does not condemn you, if you say "I am saved", do you have fruit? (Matthew 7:16-19) You shall know by the fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit, that being bad fruit or no fruit he will be cast into the fire. Examine yourself, ask God to examine you, see if your heart or He condemns or assures you, this is biblical and God honors this. He will either confirm you and you can rejoice or He will convict you of the truth and then you can seek Him for faith and grace and granting of repentance, this is honorable to Him as well. (Psalm 26:2; 2 Corinthians 13:5, Psalm 25:5)Have you ever been lost? (Matthew 18:11; 1 Timothy 1:15; Romans 3:12; Matthew 19:17) or have you "always" been saved? Have you been granted repentance? (Matthew 9:13; Luke 3:3; Luke 5:32) Do you love the brethren? (1 John 3:4) Do you love the lost? (Matthew 5:44, Romans 10:1) Do you love reproof? (Proverbs 15:31, Proverbs 10:8) Do you keep His commandments that He gives to you specifically in your walk with Him? (1 John 5:2) Has He quickened His Word to you and does He do this most days, giving you your manna for the day as He says He will? (Psalm 119:107, Romans 8:11) Do you delight in and love the Word of God? (Psalm 1:2) Have you and are you convicted of sin? (John 16:8) Have you seen the wickedness of your sin or is it not that bad to you? (2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16) Have you suffered persecution? (2 Timothy 3:12) Do you hate your life? (Luke 14:26,33) Have you denied yourself? Do you deny yourself? (Matthew 16:24; Luke 14:27) Have you died? (Colossians 3:3)
This is difficult to swallow, but search the verses, search the Scriptures. I believe this to be the true Gospel, not the "gospel" in the churches today but biblical Christianity, when one is born again, truly. Why would I ask all of this? How do I know? From experience and from reading the Scriptures plainly, humbly and honestly. In the next post I will post my testimony, this will shed more light I think.
From My Journal
Some things the Lord, in His mercy, has quickened to me over the past few days:
1-17-11
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now life in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.-Galatians 2:20
1-19-11
Hebrews 9 revelation: Moses used to make the remission of sins in the physical way, sprinkling the people, tabernacle and vessels of ministry with the blood of calves and goats, water, scarlet wool and hyssop sprinkled the book, the covenant, so this is the picture physically of what would happen. But this could not purge the conscience, like the spiritual sacrifice, in heaven. In heaven this same ceremony must take place, the shedding of blood, The better sacrifice. Christ did not enter the earthly holy place as Moses did, BUT, the real thing Moses was representing in heaven Christ became the Lamb of God in order to purge and cleanse us. He appears in heaven before God FOR US! He became man so a man can appear before Him, only a perfect man could do it. Only Christ come from heaven to make the perfect Sacrifice once and for all! Moses was a shadow of things to come! Thank You Jesus Christ for being the perfect Lamb of God! For bearing out griefs and sins and scars even now.
The blood of goats and calves could do it before because they are of the earth life we are. But they had to be offered over and over again, never cleansing the conscience of sin. So to make an end of all sin once and for all it takes something earthly like we are, like the priest was so he could understand our infirmities, yet also something perfect and holy who held eternal life. This takes being an eternal being as well. No other one was qualified or is to take away sins but Christ our Lord who became both man and IS GOD!
1-21-11
Romans 5:19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous: This is speaking of Christ but... so much truth in obedience to God many come to righteousness, salvation. A sister in the Lord I know submitted to the authority that God had set over her for her protection, even though she didn't understand why. She just submitted unto the Lord in this, and as a result her best friend was saved at the same moment in time. Completely separate from her, she didn't even know it until days later and she realized this was the moment she submitted to the Lord in a certain area of her life. After we submit to Christ's authority He puts over us, righteousness springs forth! Life springs from that! He is so faithful!
1-22-11
Seeing God produce fruit inwardly is a joy(because it's not me!): I see the grace of God work through me because He is truly the author of my faith. I had this written in my journal this day:"When I sin it is like automatic for my heart and soul to be at rest saying, wash me in the g blood, Jesus. I am sensitive to sins I had not even seen before, I can see my flesh is very Pharisaical by nature. It's terrible and wicked, and I can repent continually BY the GRACE of God. I have such a joy in being with my brothers and sisters in the Lord, also by the grace of God!! I want to do anything they ask of me, anything I can for them just as He said would happen as a child of God, laying down your life for one another in 1 John! Last thing the Lord is showing me about this new heart He has given me, I have a love and desire to come under my husband, to let him be my covering. Haha, this is in total opposition of the flesh who wants to rule over him (Gen 3:16). Submitting to him is my delight, though my flesh rebels, walking in the Spirit I can put this flesh to death and I joy in submitting. I can boast in my weaknesses because He is the strength of my heart!!
1-17-11
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now life in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.-Galatians 2:20
1-19-11
Hebrews 9 revelation: Moses used to make the remission of sins in the physical way, sprinkling the people, tabernacle and vessels of ministry with the blood of calves and goats, water, scarlet wool and hyssop sprinkled the book, the covenant, so this is the picture physically of what would happen. But this could not purge the conscience, like the spiritual sacrifice, in heaven. In heaven this same ceremony must take place, the shedding of blood, The better sacrifice. Christ did not enter the earthly holy place as Moses did, BUT, the real thing Moses was representing in heaven Christ became the Lamb of God in order to purge and cleanse us. He appears in heaven before God FOR US! He became man so a man can appear before Him, only a perfect man could do it. Only Christ come from heaven to make the perfect Sacrifice once and for all! Moses was a shadow of things to come! Thank You Jesus Christ for being the perfect Lamb of God! For bearing out griefs and sins and scars even now.
The blood of goats and calves could do it before because they are of the earth life we are. But they had to be offered over and over again, never cleansing the conscience of sin. So to make an end of all sin once and for all it takes something earthly like we are, like the priest was so he could understand our infirmities, yet also something perfect and holy who held eternal life. This takes being an eternal being as well. No other one was qualified or is to take away sins but Christ our Lord who became both man and IS GOD!
1-21-11
Romans 5:19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous: This is speaking of Christ but... so much truth in obedience to God many come to righteousness, salvation. A sister in the Lord I know submitted to the authority that God had set over her for her protection, even though she didn't understand why. She just submitted unto the Lord in this, and as a result her best friend was saved at the same moment in time. Completely separate from her, she didn't even know it until days later and she realized this was the moment she submitted to the Lord in a certain area of her life. After we submit to Christ's authority He puts over us, righteousness springs forth! Life springs from that! He is so faithful!
1-22-11
Seeing God produce fruit inwardly is a joy(because it's not me!): I see the grace of God work through me because He is truly the author of my faith. I had this written in my journal this day:"When I sin it is like automatic for my heart and soul to be at rest saying, wash me in the g blood, Jesus. I am sensitive to sins I had not even seen before, I can see my flesh is very Pharisaical by nature. It's terrible and wicked, and I can repent continually BY the GRACE of God. I have such a joy in being with my brothers and sisters in the Lord, also by the grace of God!! I want to do anything they ask of me, anything I can for them just as He said would happen as a child of God, laying down your life for one another in 1 John! Last thing the Lord is showing me about this new heart He has given me, I have a love and desire to come under my husband, to let him be my covering. Haha, this is in total opposition of the flesh who wants to rule over him (Gen 3:16). Submitting to him is my delight, though my flesh rebels, walking in the Spirit I can put this flesh to death and I joy in submitting. I can boast in my weaknesses because He is the strength of my heart!!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Submission
Jordan and I just got out of a prayer
meeting, having to leave early because of his work. I cannot express in
words the joy and compete rejoicing I have in my heart for my brothers
and sisters!! His Spirit, The Spirit of Truth, testifying with my
spirit, even through my brothers and sisters. My heart, as I listen to
them share concerns, truth, reproving the works of darkness, light, and
prayer, is just screaming "Amen! Yes! Amen! Truth! Truth! Hallelujah! I
have never ever ached like I do now, for any people, until now. And it
is not the people that it is about though they are absolutely precious
and wonderful, this is not an overwhelming love I have from myself nor
is it to a respecter of persons. It is the Holy Spirit IN ME!!! And
that our love abounds one for another in the body of Christ through Him!
It is not of us, in us no good thing dwells, but in Him is life and
peace!! As a product of walking with and in Him with His children,
there is fellowship, TRUE fellowship!! "And the Lord make you to
increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even
as we do toward you" (1 Thess 3:12), "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 His Son cleanseth us from all sin."(1 John 1:7) My
heart is filled with gratitude toward the Lord of lords, King of kings,
The True and Living God! He is so so good! He is gracious! He is
wonderful! He hath done great things and yet more to be done!!
So now I am at Starbucks at Jordan's work, that I might be here for him, by him, a comfort to him, in prayer, and to be able to write on my blog what the Lord is showing me to His glory. I guess there are a few things that are on my heart and I will just start typing my heart, forgive me if that means a few different subjects that might have little to do with one another but I believe He is leading me as well :).
I wanted to just share a little bit about submission and what the Lord is teaching me (Reteaching me really). What authority He has set up in His Word. And What submission brings, what obedience has done in my life...
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. (1 Peter 3:1-6)
The Lord has been teaching me to grow in godliness, in meekness, in quietness of spirit, in adoring Him, making my adornment subjection to my husband as he is subject to Him. Being adorned not in my own ways of what I think is right but being adorned in submission joyfully I might add. The flesh hates it but the flesh must die, as we are crucified with Christ so we may live and experience a clear conscience before God and joy and peace! We are daughters of Sara (daughters of the Promise) ARE YE AS LONG AS YE DO WELL in submission like he is talking about. Wow, we know we are Sara's daughters when we submit to our husband, and this is pleasing to the Lord! These are the Lord's commands, that is fearful and beautiful! Never have I had more joy than I do now in doing so!!!
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. (1 Timothy 2:9-15)
Something I want to note, Adam was formed from the dust, Eve was formed from Adam for a specific calling, to be a helpmate to Adam. (Gen 3:6) He has made both equal, yet each have their part, their calling, the way the Lord designed them for His purposes. Coming out of this order, when the woman comes out of the covering of man in no longer submitting to His godly leadership she is going out of God's protection He has set up for her, and she is in danger of being deceived just like Eve was. But being under the protection and cover of her husband her husband has the responsibility to follow God and to fellowship with godly men to guidance, it is on his shoulders unless the woman goes out of his covering and does not submit to him.
As well as God wants us to be shamefaced, to want to draw no attention to ourselves. In the world women want to be noticed by other men, this is not godly. The Lord says that we are to be shamefaced. This does mean without joy, but instead this brings joy, being in the dust, for the Lord's glory.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (Ephesians 5:21-31)
There is an order, there is an authority He has set up in the church, in His body of Christ, it is Christ, then the man, then woman. It is not the woman, then man, then God. Neither is it man then God then woman! It is clear submission to Christ is first, then submission to husband is next. If a woman is without a husband she would submit to her father, the father is the head if she is unmarried, and if she is without godly father she would submit to the elders in the church. This is for protection, for the safety of her soul.
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)
The other morning I woke up with just Scripture after Scripture, His Word just flowing through my mind, many many verses, I have never had anything like it, He was confirming me that I am His. As well as Him showing me in the way in which I should walk to follow Him, to stay close to Him! One of those verses was the first one of that last section of Scripture ("Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."). It was powerful, because I had read these Scriptures, yes, and knew this was His command and the way He ordained things to be, but never had they been real like they are now! Shortly after that someone random asked me about submitting to my husband, and I knew it was the Lord's faithfulness to show me FIRST so that I was learning from Him and not from men, then men can ask me after He gently told me my calling :). He doesn't have to do it that way, but in His grace He did, to give me a willing heart. He is my head, my husband, (my covering!), He must protect and nourish and lead me, as a follower of Christ who is his Head. How amazing is that truth!
I know in a past post I did bring out some of these Scriptures, (at that point the Lord was establishing His standard to me. Now that HE has given me understanding and instruction He has given me things to submit to through my husband and ultimately Him, leading me to carry out what He has taught me, giving me opportunity to follow and obey). This is very weighty, if you read it plainly as it is written.
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:4,5)
These are beautiful adornments for the woman of God to put on! It is shocking that if a woman of God does not do these things that she could be making the word of God in vain to others, it may even be blasphemed by others if they watch her and she does not have these qualities!! That is heavy!! That is fearful! But the beautiful thing is, flesh cannot do this by it's strength, this is something that only the Holy Spirit can produce in a woman, only the woman who truly knows Christ and His Holy Spirit is in her working through her can she be this person! She can then bring glory to the word of God!! Without the Lord this is impossible though! In our own flesh we will fail, but in the Spirit this is a joy and truly reason to rejoice, to get to walk in this as a woman! This is a great calling! A privilege! This is of great price to the Lord of hosts! He delights in this!
The greatest comfort in submission to me so far has been that Christ Himself led a life of submission! He submitted to the Father's will! He was fully in the flesh, yet fully God as well, but He suffered the subjection of being in the flesh, carrying around this body of flesh. Yet He submitted to the Father, even submission to death on the cross! He struggled with the flesh, asking Father is there any other way besides death on the cross!!! It was clear there was NO other way, so He submitted!!!
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34). Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:7,8)
We ought to submit to the authority God gave us as Christ did submit to His Father in all things, learning submission and obedeince.
As the Lord is showing me to submit, if I simply obey in faith, though in my flesh I do not want to submit nor obey, the Spirit helps me to just do it. I am weak in the flesh, but He is the source of strength. And after submitting to whatever it is He puts before me to obey, I am then filled with joy in the Spirit. I am then filled with excitement and joy and peace in submission. I delight in those things that He has asked of me, a joy to walk in them. Crucifying the flesh is so important, obeying in faith. He delights in obedience, this HE desires. As I submit He fills me. I literally have hymns and spiritual songs coming out of me, from His Spirit if I am walking in obedience to the light He has given me, to the things He has asked of me, or Jordan has asked of me. I have learned that doing as Jordan asks of me I can trust him because he is following Christ as I follow him. As the holy women of faith revered their husbands, this is no different today! Submission is of the same importance to God today as it was then. I have seen such blessing from submitting to my husband, it actually unleashes a river of desire and respect for my husband I have never had! A desire to want him to be my covering, a comfort in coming under the covering God has graciously given me. I have seen just total conviction of heart if I come out of that covering and disrespect him even in the smallest way. But as soon as I repent and ask for forgiveness from God and him and then go back under the covering I am given peace to walk again. It is wonderful and fantastic watching what God says in His word just play out in reality!! It is the Living Word of God!!! I praise God for the grace to submit! I praise God for the great calling He has given me! I praise Him for the sisters and people He has put in my path that have been used of the Lord to grow me in this area and find great joy!
Something recently that I have addressed in my life (purely by His leading in the word and conviction of heart) is as I have said in a past post... clothing. I have submitted that area to the Lord, and to my husbands decision. And recently those standards have been even more altered which the flesh hated, but the Spirit gave me willingness of heart, praise Him.
Some thoughts:
As a wife and bride of my husband, do I want other men weather that be brothers or anyone else looking at my shape and my form?
In the bible there are very sacred parts of the body that are in our culture made very common. In our culture the chest, butt, waist, even the neck and collar bone, and thighs are just a part of being shown at all times, anytime, no matter who is around. Low cut shirts, tight shirts showing off figure, skinny jeans, even bigger jeans showing off the shape of your butt, short shorts and skirts, leggings being used as pants, and many other different forms of clothing, why are we not convicted by the Spirit of God about these? But they are all very private, sacred and not to be just displayed for all to see. They were for the husband's eyes only in the bible. This is how Song of Songs can be such an intimate book in times past and in other cultures where women cover up much more. God smited me recently on this! God is renewing my mind in these things!!! And oh how I needed it!
What if my husband was the only one to see my form, my shape, my body, that no other man would see this, it was just for him only? Well, this is my desire from now on, that only my husband sees the sacred parts of the body. This is powerful, because this is saying that the only man in the whole world who gets to see these things is my husband. This is then a gift and not something I flash around for all to see. The Lord has shown me the way to walk in this. I think as women of God we need an open mind to the Spirit of God in EVERY area of our lives, and clothing is not a small area, ask Him to examine you. Ask Him if your clothing glorifies Him and sets you apart from the world or if it makes you look just like the world, alluring men's flesh. It's very important, if indeed you do know the Lord, He will show you. He is gentle and merciful, but He is also just and He reproves, corrects and rebukes as necessary.
We are to transform our minds by the word of God, not let them be conformed by the world's standards to the world's image.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord and touch no the unclean thing; and I will receive you.(2 Corinthians 6:17) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
So now I am at Starbucks at Jordan's work, that I might be here for him, by him, a comfort to him, in prayer, and to be able to write on my blog what the Lord is showing me to His glory. I guess there are a few things that are on my heart and I will just start typing my heart, forgive me if that means a few different subjects that might have little to do with one another but I believe He is leading me as well :).
I wanted to just share a little bit about submission and what the Lord is teaching me (Reteaching me really). What authority He has set up in His Word. And What submission brings, what obedience has done in my life...
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. (1 Peter 3:1-6)
The Lord has been teaching me to grow in godliness, in meekness, in quietness of spirit, in adoring Him, making my adornment subjection to my husband as he is subject to Him. Being adorned not in my own ways of what I think is right but being adorned in submission joyfully I might add. The flesh hates it but the flesh must die, as we are crucified with Christ so we may live and experience a clear conscience before God and joy and peace! We are daughters of Sara (daughters of the Promise) ARE YE AS LONG AS YE DO WELL in submission like he is talking about. Wow, we know we are Sara's daughters when we submit to our husband, and this is pleasing to the Lord! These are the Lord's commands, that is fearful and beautiful! Never have I had more joy than I do now in doing so!!!
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. (1 Timothy 2:9-15)
Something I want to note, Adam was formed from the dust, Eve was formed from Adam for a specific calling, to be a helpmate to Adam. (Gen 3:6) He has made both equal, yet each have their part, their calling, the way the Lord designed them for His purposes. Coming out of this order, when the woman comes out of the covering of man in no longer submitting to His godly leadership she is going out of God's protection He has set up for her, and she is in danger of being deceived just like Eve was. But being under the protection and cover of her husband her husband has the responsibility to follow God and to fellowship with godly men to guidance, it is on his shoulders unless the woman goes out of his covering and does not submit to him.
As well as God wants us to be shamefaced, to want to draw no attention to ourselves. In the world women want to be noticed by other men, this is not godly. The Lord says that we are to be shamefaced. This does mean without joy, but instead this brings joy, being in the dust, for the Lord's glory.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (Ephesians 5:21-31)
There is an order, there is an authority He has set up in the church, in His body of Christ, it is Christ, then the man, then woman. It is not the woman, then man, then God. Neither is it man then God then woman! It is clear submission to Christ is first, then submission to husband is next. If a woman is without a husband she would submit to her father, the father is the head if she is unmarried, and if she is without godly father she would submit to the elders in the church. This is for protection, for the safety of her soul.
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)
The other morning I woke up with just Scripture after Scripture, His Word just flowing through my mind, many many verses, I have never had anything like it, He was confirming me that I am His. As well as Him showing me in the way in which I should walk to follow Him, to stay close to Him! One of those verses was the first one of that last section of Scripture ("Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."). It was powerful, because I had read these Scriptures, yes, and knew this was His command and the way He ordained things to be, but never had they been real like they are now! Shortly after that someone random asked me about submitting to my husband, and I knew it was the Lord's faithfulness to show me FIRST so that I was learning from Him and not from men, then men can ask me after He gently told me my calling :). He doesn't have to do it that way, but in His grace He did, to give me a willing heart. He is my head, my husband, (my covering!), He must protect and nourish and lead me, as a follower of Christ who is his Head. How amazing is that truth!
I know in a past post I did bring out some of these Scriptures, (at that point the Lord was establishing His standard to me. Now that HE has given me understanding and instruction He has given me things to submit to through my husband and ultimately Him, leading me to carry out what He has taught me, giving me opportunity to follow and obey). This is very weighty, if you read it plainly as it is written.
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:4,5)
These are beautiful adornments for the woman of God to put on! It is shocking that if a woman of God does not do these things that she could be making the word of God in vain to others, it may even be blasphemed by others if they watch her and she does not have these qualities!! That is heavy!! That is fearful! But the beautiful thing is, flesh cannot do this by it's strength, this is something that only the Holy Spirit can produce in a woman, only the woman who truly knows Christ and His Holy Spirit is in her working through her can she be this person! She can then bring glory to the word of God!! Without the Lord this is impossible though! In our own flesh we will fail, but in the Spirit this is a joy and truly reason to rejoice, to get to walk in this as a woman! This is a great calling! A privilege! This is of great price to the Lord of hosts! He delights in this!
The greatest comfort in submission to me so far has been that Christ Himself led a life of submission! He submitted to the Father's will! He was fully in the flesh, yet fully God as well, but He suffered the subjection of being in the flesh, carrying around this body of flesh. Yet He submitted to the Father, even submission to death on the cross! He struggled with the flesh, asking Father is there any other way besides death on the cross!!! It was clear there was NO other way, so He submitted!!!
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34). Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:7,8)
We ought to submit to the authority God gave us as Christ did submit to His Father in all things, learning submission and obedeince.
As the Lord is showing me to submit, if I simply obey in faith, though in my flesh I do not want to submit nor obey, the Spirit helps me to just do it. I am weak in the flesh, but He is the source of strength. And after submitting to whatever it is He puts before me to obey, I am then filled with joy in the Spirit. I am then filled with excitement and joy and peace in submission. I delight in those things that He has asked of me, a joy to walk in them. Crucifying the flesh is so important, obeying in faith. He delights in obedience, this HE desires. As I submit He fills me. I literally have hymns and spiritual songs coming out of me, from His Spirit if I am walking in obedience to the light He has given me, to the things He has asked of me, or Jordan has asked of me. I have learned that doing as Jordan asks of me I can trust him because he is following Christ as I follow him. As the holy women of faith revered their husbands, this is no different today! Submission is of the same importance to God today as it was then. I have seen such blessing from submitting to my husband, it actually unleashes a river of desire and respect for my husband I have never had! A desire to want him to be my covering, a comfort in coming under the covering God has graciously given me. I have seen just total conviction of heart if I come out of that covering and disrespect him even in the smallest way. But as soon as I repent and ask for forgiveness from God and him and then go back under the covering I am given peace to walk again. It is wonderful and fantastic watching what God says in His word just play out in reality!! It is the Living Word of God!!! I praise God for the grace to submit! I praise God for the great calling He has given me! I praise Him for the sisters and people He has put in my path that have been used of the Lord to grow me in this area and find great joy!
Something recently that I have addressed in my life (purely by His leading in the word and conviction of heart) is as I have said in a past post... clothing. I have submitted that area to the Lord, and to my husbands decision. And recently those standards have been even more altered which the flesh hated, but the Spirit gave me willingness of heart, praise Him.
Some thoughts:
As a wife and bride of my husband, do I want other men weather that be brothers or anyone else looking at my shape and my form?
In the bible there are very sacred parts of the body that are in our culture made very common. In our culture the chest, butt, waist, even the neck and collar bone, and thighs are just a part of being shown at all times, anytime, no matter who is around. Low cut shirts, tight shirts showing off figure, skinny jeans, even bigger jeans showing off the shape of your butt, short shorts and skirts, leggings being used as pants, and many other different forms of clothing, why are we not convicted by the Spirit of God about these? But they are all very private, sacred and not to be just displayed for all to see. They were for the husband's eyes only in the bible. This is how Song of Songs can be such an intimate book in times past and in other cultures where women cover up much more. God smited me recently on this! God is renewing my mind in these things!!! And oh how I needed it!
What if my husband was the only one to see my form, my shape, my body, that no other man would see this, it was just for him only? Well, this is my desire from now on, that only my husband sees the sacred parts of the body. This is powerful, because this is saying that the only man in the whole world who gets to see these things is my husband. This is then a gift and not something I flash around for all to see. The Lord has shown me the way to walk in this. I think as women of God we need an open mind to the Spirit of God in EVERY area of our lives, and clothing is not a small area, ask Him to examine you. Ask Him if your clothing glorifies Him and sets you apart from the world or if it makes you look just like the world, alluring men's flesh. It's very important, if indeed you do know the Lord, He will show you. He is gentle and merciful, but He is also just and He reproves, corrects and rebukes as necessary.
We are to transform our minds by the word of God, not let them be conformed by the world's standards to the world's image.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord and touch no the unclean thing; and I will receive you.(2 Corinthians 6:17) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
Friday, January 21, 2011
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."-Romans 5:19
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live in him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto 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. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."-Romans 6:1-15
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."-1 John 3:9-10
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live in him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto 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. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."-Romans 6:1-15
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."-1 John 3:9-10
Monday, January 17, 2011
The blessings from following, from moving.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and the rest shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
I did not include any other references to these verses that are in this writing, because I want to exhort you that you would search the Scriptures and find things that are true, Jesus' words, His promises. Don't put a time on seeking Him, let Him keep you there for as long as it takes to search His word, to ask Him to speak to you, show you, quicken you. He is merciful and has great and precious promises He longs for any willing heart to hear.
Moving:
My flesh and doubts from the enemy kept me for a long while from seeing what His will was.
But the Lord in His goodness strove with me, not letting me go, instead speaking to my heart.
When I was finally willing to receive His direction, He answered.
In a moment I knew His will.
Even so, I was not prepared for the opposition that came to follow.
The appearance by sight, looking bleak.
But standing, yet wavering a few times at advice from others, only for Him to press even more on my heart to confirm His will, GO, still standing on where I knew He was leading, no matter the opposition that may come.
There is an adversary that opposes one who is willing to walk after Christ.
Many saying to seek comfort and security, knowing this is thinking and reasoning of the world not of Christ, not godly wisdom, but worldly wisdom no matter the source or the motive and sincerity of the source.
Listen to the call Jesus puts on His followers: Does this sound like comfort and security in this world that so many think you need?
Deny yourself, take up your cross daily.
Lose your life for My sake.
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Leave your dying father and come after Me-Follow Me and let the dead bury their dead.
There is no place for the Son of Man to rest His head-The Son of man hath not where to lay his head. If He had no place to rest His head what makes us think that we can have this and follow Him? We must bear the reproach of Him.
When He was filled with the Spirit He was led into the wilderness to be tempted. As we are many of the time.
Everyone seeking to live righteously will experience persecution and tribulation in this world.
If they persecuted Me they will also persecute you.
Do not marvel, My brethren, if the world hate you.
Go forth unto Him outside the camp to bear His reproach.
I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Strait(difficult,narrow) is the gate, narrow(afflict,suffer,tribulation,trouble) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. That rules out our modern day, world-loving and blending in with, cultural Christianity, now doesn't it?
Whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in His own glory.
If we suffer with Him we shall reign with Him.
All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
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.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.
Counteth the cost.
These are hard sayings, yes, but search the Scriptures, THIS IS Jesus.
But if it is Him that is asking, what does it matter what possible cost there is? Where else will one go? He has the words of eternal life! He IS eternal life! What else is there to do but follow Him? Nothing in this world could compare to HIM!!
What makes us think that if the Son of Man bore these things and asked them in biblical days to do such things that we as Christians now can save our life and have Him as well. Is He not the same God today? What makes us think that real true Christianity now escapes the things Jesus said would come to him who is following Him?
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said I go unto My Father: for my Father is greater than I. If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared a city for them! This is so wonderful! These are the things that God is saying to those who are His!! Who continue with Him!! Who love Him!!! None of the world can even compare to this, to Him!
Moving Continued:
Leaving all for Him, where He was leading, no matter the cost.
Leaving behind any furniture (which was not much but whatever we had) and packing the car up, the rest tossing or selling.
Leaving behind family and friends.
Not sure how we will make it, not sure what He has there for us, but trusting in the Lord who is faithful.
Now here, the Lord has shown Himself FAITHFUL.
He has provided a FULLY furnished apartment completely by His free provision. The ability to show hospitality to whomever comes over.
Almost everyday He literally provides free food for us.
He has given us a family, brothers and sisters who love us dearly and are such a display of His love toward us, friends, discipleship. I LOVE our the precious family He has given us here. Everyday we are invited to fellowship, to pray, to worship, to sing hymns to the Lord, and to eat with our new family.
He has shown us what it is to truly follow Him leaving all things behind. How to seek Him.
He has delivered us from the world, and into His hands, He has received us because of His great mercies.
He is teaching us and growing us daily, breaking us, loving us, proving His faithfulness over and over again.
He has blessed us richly and abundantly, giving us joy and peace and fullness of life.
He is GREATLY to be PRAISED!!!
We can offer the sacrifices of praise! And of thanksgiving to Him who is Worthy!
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears! Psalm 18
I did not include any other references to these verses that are in this writing, because I want to exhort you that you would search the Scriptures and find things that are true, Jesus' words, His promises. Don't put a time on seeking Him, let Him keep you there for as long as it takes to search His word, to ask Him to speak to you, show you, quicken you. He is merciful and has great and precious promises He longs for any willing heart to hear.
Moving:
My flesh and doubts from the enemy kept me for a long while from seeing what His will was.
But the Lord in His goodness strove with me, not letting me go, instead speaking to my heart.
When I was finally willing to receive His direction, He answered.
In a moment I knew His will.
Even so, I was not prepared for the opposition that came to follow.
The appearance by sight, looking bleak.
But standing, yet wavering a few times at advice from others, only for Him to press even more on my heart to confirm His will, GO, still standing on where I knew He was leading, no matter the opposition that may come.
There is an adversary that opposes one who is willing to walk after Christ.
Many saying to seek comfort and security, knowing this is thinking and reasoning of the world not of Christ, not godly wisdom, but worldly wisdom no matter the source or the motive and sincerity of the source.
Listen to the call Jesus puts on His followers: Does this sound like comfort and security in this world that so many think you need?
Deny yourself, take up your cross daily.
Lose your life for My sake.
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Leave your dying father and come after Me-Follow Me and let the dead bury their dead.
There is no place for the Son of Man to rest His head-The Son of man hath not where to lay his head. If He had no place to rest His head what makes us think that we can have this and follow Him? We must bear the reproach of Him.
When He was filled with the Spirit He was led into the wilderness to be tempted. As we are many of the time.
Everyone seeking to live righteously will experience persecution and tribulation in this world.
If they persecuted Me they will also persecute you.
Do not marvel, My brethren, if the world hate you.
Go forth unto Him outside the camp to bear His reproach.
I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Strait(difficult,narrow) is the gate, narrow(afflict,suffer,tribulation,trouble) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. That rules out our modern day, world-loving and blending in with, cultural Christianity, now doesn't it?
Whoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in His own glory.
If we suffer with Him we shall reign with Him.
All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
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.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.
Counteth the cost.
These are hard sayings, yes, but search the Scriptures, THIS IS Jesus.
But if it is Him that is asking, what does it matter what possible cost there is? Where else will one go? He has the words of eternal life! He IS eternal life! What else is there to do but follow Him? Nothing in this world could compare to HIM!!
What makes us think that if the Son of Man bore these things and asked them in biblical days to do such things that we as Christians now can save our life and have Him as well. Is He not the same God today? What makes us think that real true Christianity now escapes the things Jesus said would come to him who is following Him?
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 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. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said I go unto My Father: for my Father is greater than I. If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared a city for them! This is so wonderful! These are the things that God is saying to those who are His!! Who continue with Him!! Who love Him!!! None of the world can even compare to this, to Him!
Moving Continued:
Leaving all for Him, where He was leading, no matter the cost.
Leaving behind any furniture (which was not much but whatever we had) and packing the car up, the rest tossing or selling.
Leaving behind family and friends.
Not sure how we will make it, not sure what He has there for us, but trusting in the Lord who is faithful.
Now here, the Lord has shown Himself FAITHFUL.
He has provided a FULLY furnished apartment completely by His free provision. The ability to show hospitality to whomever comes over.
Almost everyday He literally provides free food for us.
He has given us a family, brothers and sisters who love us dearly and are such a display of His love toward us, friends, discipleship. I LOVE our the precious family He has given us here. Everyday we are invited to fellowship, to pray, to worship, to sing hymns to the Lord, and to eat with our new family.
He has shown us what it is to truly follow Him leaving all things behind. How to seek Him.
He has delivered us from the world, and into His hands, He has received us because of His great mercies.
He is teaching us and growing us daily, breaking us, loving us, proving His faithfulness over and over again.
He has blessed us richly and abundantly, giving us joy and peace and fullness of life.
He is GREATLY to be PRAISED!!!
We can offer the sacrifices of praise! And of thanksgiving to Him who is Worthy!
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears! Psalm 18
"The Love Of The Father Is Not In him"
I knew I would write in my blog today and I ask the Lord to use it to His glory, not mine, and I was led of Him to write this. I had no idea what I would write about, but while I was on facebook I went to put in a status and this all began to flow, verse after verse and what I believe is His heart and His words, so I just changed over to type it here instead so,
Lord
have mercy upon me as I write what I believe You are leading me to
write, have grace upon the readers and speak to the readers soul and
heart, let them come to You, be led into truth if they are without, and
if any heart is deceived by the enemy have mercy and by Your grace will
you carry them to humility and the ability to SEE with eyes of true
faith, Jesus thank You for your cross, thank You for your redemption,
for peace, for joy, for favor, for Your words that well up in me as I am
led by You, thank You there is no good thing that dwells in me, that
You ARE my righteousness, my Great High Priest. Give me boldness. Give
grace to the reader. In sweet precious Jesus' name. Amen.
Do you love the world? The things in the world? Do you love yourself? "Not every one that saith unto Me (Jesus speaking) Lord Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord Lord have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? and then will I (Jesus) profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" Matthew 7:21-23. Take heed to the warning here. If you do the love the world the love of the Father is NOT in you! Many say "Lord, Lord" yet they don't truly know Christ nor the Father. If the love of the Father is not in you you cannot be Christ's, you never knew Him. Don't be deceived, "NO man come to Me(Jesus speaking), except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father." John 6:44-46. "Therefore said I unto you (Jesus says unto us) that no man can come unto Me except it were given unto him of My Father."John 6:65. So if the love of the Father is not in you then you cannot have the Son, because to have the Son is to have the Father but if you love the world and things in the world His love is not in you, therefore you do not have the Father, you have not known the Father, if you have not known the Father you have not known the Son, because to get to the Father you must have the Son. "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him, He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin." Isaiah 53:10. The Father put His Son to grief and He was given as a Sacrifice once and for all for remission of sins for US. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me" John 14:6. We cannot know the Father without the Son, and we cannot know the Son without the Father. They are one. Do you have the love of the Father in you? Are you doing the will of God? Will you abide forever? Examine yourself. "Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time"1Peter5:6. All things are naked and open before Him, He sees and knows all things, Hebrews 4:13. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God" Hebrews 10:31. But "he that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will manfiest Myself to him." John 14:21.
You cannot have BOTH, the world and the things of the world AND Jesus Christ. He WON'T allow it. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" Matthew 6:24. Mammon is riches, wealth. God hates a double heart, one that serves Him and wealth, it is impossible to do. So if you are convicted that this is possibly you, know that this is not only impossible to do, you are deceived by your own heart, if you are serving wealth and comfort for yourself and not losing your life but holding onto it know that you are not in fact serving the Living God as well. He asks for repentance, to turn from all else and serve Him, to turn to God from serving idols to serve the Living and True God. He will not strive with men forever, don't harden your heart to Him in the day that His Spirit is speaking to you. Leave all else and flee to Him if He is calling you out, to seek Him, go to Him! Ask Him for the faith, true faith that is a gift from Him, ask Him for grace that is also a gift of God, He will never turn away a broken and contrite heart, He opposes the proud but comes near to the lowly and humble in heart. Humble yourself before Him, in His presence is fullness of joy. Seek Him who is perfect and holy and forgiving and merciful and long-suffering and just. Ask for faith to believe, ask Him to cleanse you in the blood of Jesus Christ who has given Himself for us for the remission of sins, for the cleansing of our sinful flesh, to deliver us from hell, sin and the devil. He came to seek and save those who are lost. Is that you? Ask Him.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Do You Love The Word Of God?
Do you love the Word of God? I mean LOVE it. Do you have a hunger
and a thirst for the Word of God that must be quenched by reading and
spending time in it with the Lord? Is it your delight? Or is it a
thing you just do in passing?
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalm 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
The Word of the Lord is pure and perfect. Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
It is exalted higher than His own name. Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
The Word of God IS Jesus. Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Is the Word of God something that you just read religiously? Maybe you read it everyday, in the midst of your other morning tasks, but never really actually open up your heart to the Living God, just reading words on a page. Or do you just open your bible at a bible study or sermon, not spending time in the Word yourself? Not letting Him come into your heart and making Him your delight and His law your delight. Examine yourself, ask Him, am I really spending time with YOU LORD or am I adding to my intellect with more facts about God or studying the Bible like it is a text book? If you are not being transformed, if Scripture is not actually being quickened to you because it is the Living Word and it should be, ask God WHY? Ask Him what is hindering this and seek Him for a true real deep relationship with the Living God who is merciful and wonderful, beyond religion, so much more beyond just intellectual assent. Anyone that comes to Him in truth He will in no wise cast them out. Be honest with Him, He already knows all things, He knows if His Word is a burden to you or if His Word is precious to you. All things are open and naked before Him, mens hearts are open to Him who knows all things, come to Him in honestly, He is pressing upon your heart if you are at all convicted by this, this is His Spirit lovingly drawing you outside the camp, to really know Him.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalm 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
The Word of the Lord is pure and perfect. Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
It is exalted higher than His own name. Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
The Word of God IS Jesus. Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Is the Word of God something that you just read religiously? Maybe you read it everyday, in the midst of your other morning tasks, but never really actually open up your heart to the Living God, just reading words on a page. Or do you just open your bible at a bible study or sermon, not spending time in the Word yourself? Not letting Him come into your heart and making Him your delight and His law your delight. Examine yourself, ask Him, am I really spending time with YOU LORD or am I adding to my intellect with more facts about God or studying the Bible like it is a text book? If you are not being transformed, if Scripture is not actually being quickened to you because it is the Living Word and it should be, ask God WHY? Ask Him what is hindering this and seek Him for a true real deep relationship with the Living God who is merciful and wonderful, beyond religion, so much more beyond just intellectual assent. Anyone that comes to Him in truth He will in no wise cast them out. Be honest with Him, He already knows all things, He knows if His Word is a burden to you or if His Word is precious to you. All things are open and naked before Him, mens hearts are open to Him who knows all things, come to Him in honestly, He is pressing upon your heart if you are at all convicted by this, this is His Spirit lovingly drawing you outside the camp, to really know Him.
Friday, January 14, 2011
True Gospel, False. Salvation. Promises Of God.
I have met the Lord God who is a jealous God, turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God by His grace. But there is a gospel
that says you can worship Jesus, be saved, while at the same time you
can love the world and the things in the world, you can have idols, you
can live in the sins of your heart, you can receive Christ without
repentance-(turning your back on sin, any and all kind of sin). This
is not the true Gospel, for the Gospel of Christ Jesus calls for all men
everywhere to repent(turn from their sin-even sins of the heart no one
else sees) and follow Christ Jesus, the true Gospel says that you must
be born again. He is a jealous God and will not allow you to worship
the world, idols, other gods that are not gods at all, and at the same
time worship Him. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who
were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,
and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ(Jude 1:4).
God does not allow us to presume upon His grace using it to excuse and
justify your sin, this is not grace. This is the grace of God, For the
grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly
righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ(Titus 2:11-13). This is true grace of the bible, it (He) equips
us and gives us the power to live godly to take away sin and live in
it no longer.
The Lord has been reteaching me His Word, I have gained knowledge but it was not knowledge from Him, I was not humbly reading the Word, willing to learn what He has to say. Casting aside anything that religion, teacher, traditions of men or myself has taught me before, seeking Him in humility to speak His Word alone. The Holy Spirit can teach us all things and He will. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 1John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. I am not saying that teachers are unnecessary but instead to take what anyone teaches you from the Word and go before God yourself and humble yourself before the Lord and seek to know the answers from Him, to bring before Him what you learned and ask of Him what is the truth and is this correct? If we can only be taught by sermon, by teachers who are men, by other Christians but not be taught by God ourselves in the Scriptures, do we really have the Spirit of God dwelling in us? If we are born again then we do have the Spirit of God and He will teach us all things.
Something the Lord has really been illuminating in the Word and teaching me as I allow the Holy Spirit to reteach me things. I have been taught to believe in eternal security. But as I am reading and reading and seeking God He is bringing Scriptures to my mind that are unavoidable and my thinking on it must be altered and surrendered to Him.
Is it possible that if you were once saved, that you can fall away and not be brought back again to Christ?
I realize this is a huge controversial topic, but I really don't want to debate I just want to simply record what I believe the Lord Jesus has been showing me. Mostly I have Scripture that He has brought to me that cannot be explained away or justified which I do not want to do such either, I just want to know the truth. I have been learning that if one has a willing mind to just receive whatever the Lord wants to say or reveal He will show you truth. What He has been showing me has really brought a fear of the Lord I believe He is instilling in me that I have never had before. How many times does the Scripture testify to the fear of the Lord being a good and necessary part of walking with Him?
So, back to the question: Is it possible that if you were once saved, that you can fall away and not be brought back again to Christ? Or is there just eternal security with no conditions or questions about it? Doesn't being saved involve a continual obedience to Him or can you fall from obedience from Him and still be fine? I don't know about you but I do not want to fall short of the grace He has given me, nor do I want to overlook Scripture taking Scripture for what it simply says, not trying to make it say what I want it to say. Scripture on salvation and men's faith:
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.
Hebrews 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
The Israelites were hardened, because of the deceitfulness of sin, in their heart against the Lord, and because of this all but two were not able to go into the Promise Land, only two were saved, the rest were not permitted to enter into the rest of God.
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
This is why we need to ask of mercy in our time of need, because we could so easily fall into unbelief. And most are ashamed when they fall, they don't want to come to His throne room and ask, having been torn in their confidence in themselves, while all the more they need mercy in the time of need because it is by His mercy alone that we are even walking in the grace of God, in obedience in the first place. It has nothing to do with us, so how much more when we fall we come to Him for cleansing and plead the blood of Christ. We need to come to Him and ask for belief, for faith to believe, for everything we could ever need He has already given us, but to lay hold of those promises, to claim those, He is pleased by this, when we remind Him. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
John 15:2 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.
John 15:6 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.
1Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Corinthains 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
These next ones really gripped me with of fear of Him but an excitement as well, knowing what He is showing me, because He is a HOLY and PERFECT and JUST GOD. How jealous and protective He is toward His Son in which He poured His wrath upon for us. God is serious, He means business:
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Hebrews 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
2Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
1Th 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
Colossians 1:23 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;
There are some very strong warnings in all of these verses, and I am sure there are many many more, but I won't spend any more time writing on this, for the Word of God already recorded will speak volumes in itself, even if there had just been one verse, God's word does not go void but it shall accomplish what it sets forth to, for His glory and purpose.
Every man of God, born again, in His righteousness will fall. There is a difference between falling and falling away. If you fall as many great men of the bible did in some way or another, will you come back to Him in and plead His mercy and His sacrifice? Samson fell greatly in his weakness which was women, but the LORD in his weakness made him strong! David fell in his sin as well, but came back with tears and was a man after God's own heart, he came with repentance and God had mercy upon him and used him mightily! There are many others like this, some of which are in the hall of fame in Hebrews 11. I could recall all of the sin, but I would rather not, I think the point is made. God will use even our weaknesses if we are truly His, not as an excuse to sin or make a mockery of His name like some do, but instead to glorify Him further because there is no strength in man, none, all are weak but in Christ we are strong. He is the only strength there is, all others fail.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Our job is to abide in Him, stay in Him according to His grace.
He has given us so many promises, within a few short hours of spending with Him seeking Him on His promises this is some I have read. The promise of abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, He will give you the desires of your heart, He will be a faithful Refuge, a Fortress, He will deliver you, protect you, no evil will befall you, He will set you on high, He will be with you in trouble, He will establish the work of your hands, thou shalt be fed, sustained, never be suffered to be moved, preserved, with loving kindness drawn to Thee, His Father will love you, will come unto you and make His abode with you. These are all very great and precious promises. But if you look, most of His promises given to us through the Word have a condition. Some of these conditions I have found searching the Scriptures are abiding in Him, being in Him, dwelling in the secret place, delight yourself in Him, trust in Him, making Him our habitation, know His name, call upon Him, being of a contrite and broken spirit, do good, cast thy burden upon Him, call upon His Name, love Him, sing with gladness, go up to Zion, keep His words, abide in Him completely.
(1 John 2:24)(Romans 8:1)(Psalm 91)(Psalm 90)(Psalm 37)(Psalm 55)(Psalm 145)(Jeremiah 33)
This is very beautiful! He wants us to worship Him! Him alone! He is God, He must be praised and if we don't shout His praises the rocks will cry out! He is a jealous God and wants our heart, He simply wants our whole heart, worship, because He is greatly to be praised! He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy! He is with the brokenhearted and poor in spirit, with the broken He is near, the broken sinner He comes near and beckons. But the prideful hard hearted sinner He will not come near. All these conditions He asks of us all add up to one thing, simply loving Him, He is Creator and Savior, He wants our love, that is all, our heart which He fashioned anyways, so He deserves that and so much more that we could never give! His promises are so great and He is able to keep you, and keep them for those who continue til the end.
If we decide not to abide in Him, to disobey Him, and continue in this disobedience, He will strive with us for a time because He is gracious and long-suffering, but there is a point when He does give us over to a reprobate mind and we cannot come back to grace on account of the Scriptures above. Lets abide in Him! Lets put everything on the altar! Hold nothing back! Let's keep everything on the altar, surrendering fully to Him, clinging to His cross! Crucifying the deeds of the flesh! Mortifying our members, hating our life, hating all in comparison to Him! Everyday come to the cross for cleansing! Everyday be crucified with Christ, so that we may live with Him! Let us continue in Him! Let us remain steadfast in Him, in the faith! Let us run the race! Let us rejoice in tribulations and persecutions for His name's sake!
The Lord has been reteaching me His Word, I have gained knowledge but it was not knowledge from Him, I was not humbly reading the Word, willing to learn what He has to say. Casting aside anything that religion, teacher, traditions of men or myself has taught me before, seeking Him in humility to speak His Word alone. The Holy Spirit can teach us all things and He will. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 1John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. I am not saying that teachers are unnecessary but instead to take what anyone teaches you from the Word and go before God yourself and humble yourself before the Lord and seek to know the answers from Him, to bring before Him what you learned and ask of Him what is the truth and is this correct? If we can only be taught by sermon, by teachers who are men, by other Christians but not be taught by God ourselves in the Scriptures, do we really have the Spirit of God dwelling in us? If we are born again then we do have the Spirit of God and He will teach us all things.
Something the Lord has really been illuminating in the Word and teaching me as I allow the Holy Spirit to reteach me things. I have been taught to believe in eternal security. But as I am reading and reading and seeking God He is bringing Scriptures to my mind that are unavoidable and my thinking on it must be altered and surrendered to Him.
Is it possible that if you were once saved, that you can fall away and not be brought back again to Christ?
I realize this is a huge controversial topic, but I really don't want to debate I just want to simply record what I believe the Lord Jesus has been showing me. Mostly I have Scripture that He has brought to me that cannot be explained away or justified which I do not want to do such either, I just want to know the truth. I have been learning that if one has a willing mind to just receive whatever the Lord wants to say or reveal He will show you truth. What He has been showing me has really brought a fear of the Lord I believe He is instilling in me that I have never had before. How many times does the Scripture testify to the fear of the Lord being a good and necessary part of walking with Him?
So, back to the question: Is it possible that if you were once saved, that you can fall away and not be brought back again to Christ? Or is there just eternal security with no conditions or questions about it? Doesn't being saved involve a continual obedience to Him or can you fall from obedience from Him and still be fine? I don't know about you but I do not want to fall short of the grace He has given me, nor do I want to overlook Scripture taking Scripture for what it simply says, not trying to make it say what I want it to say. Scripture on salvation and men's faith:
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.
Hebrews 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
The Israelites were hardened, because of the deceitfulness of sin, in their heart against the Lord, and because of this all but two were not able to go into the Promise Land, only two were saved, the rest were not permitted to enter into the rest of God.
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
This is why we need to ask of mercy in our time of need, because we could so easily fall into unbelief. And most are ashamed when they fall, they don't want to come to His throne room and ask, having been torn in their confidence in themselves, while all the more they need mercy in the time of need because it is by His mercy alone that we are even walking in the grace of God, in obedience in the first place. It has nothing to do with us, so how much more when we fall we come to Him for cleansing and plead the blood of Christ. We need to come to Him and ask for belief, for faith to believe, for everything we could ever need He has already given us, but to lay hold of those promises, to claim those, He is pleased by this, when we remind Him. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
John 15:2 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.
John 15:6 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.
1Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Corinthains 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
These next ones really gripped me with of fear of Him but an excitement as well, knowing what He is showing me, because He is a HOLY and PERFECT and JUST GOD. How jealous and protective He is toward His Son in which He poured His wrath upon for us. God is serious, He means business:
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Hebrews 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Hebrews 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
2Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
1Th 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
Colossians 1:23 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;
There are some very strong warnings in all of these verses, and I am sure there are many many more, but I won't spend any more time writing on this, for the Word of God already recorded will speak volumes in itself, even if there had just been one verse, God's word does not go void but it shall accomplish what it sets forth to, for His glory and purpose.
Every man of God, born again, in His righteousness will fall. There is a difference between falling and falling away. If you fall as many great men of the bible did in some way or another, will you come back to Him in and plead His mercy and His sacrifice? Samson fell greatly in his weakness which was women, but the LORD in his weakness made him strong! David fell in his sin as well, but came back with tears and was a man after God's own heart, he came with repentance and God had mercy upon him and used him mightily! There are many others like this, some of which are in the hall of fame in Hebrews 11. I could recall all of the sin, but I would rather not, I think the point is made. God will use even our weaknesses if we are truly His, not as an excuse to sin or make a mockery of His name like some do, but instead to glorify Him further because there is no strength in man, none, all are weak but in Christ we are strong. He is the only strength there is, all others fail.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Our job is to abide in Him, stay in Him according to His grace.
He has given us so many promises, within a few short hours of spending with Him seeking Him on His promises this is some I have read. The promise of abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, He will give you the desires of your heart, He will be a faithful Refuge, a Fortress, He will deliver you, protect you, no evil will befall you, He will set you on high, He will be with you in trouble, He will establish the work of your hands, thou shalt be fed, sustained, never be suffered to be moved, preserved, with loving kindness drawn to Thee, His Father will love you, will come unto you and make His abode with you. These are all very great and precious promises. But if you look, most of His promises given to us through the Word have a condition. Some of these conditions I have found searching the Scriptures are abiding in Him, being in Him, dwelling in the secret place, delight yourself in Him, trust in Him, making Him our habitation, know His name, call upon Him, being of a contrite and broken spirit, do good, cast thy burden upon Him, call upon His Name, love Him, sing with gladness, go up to Zion, keep His words, abide in Him completely.
(1 John 2:24)(Romans 8:1)(Psalm 91)(Psalm 90)(Psalm 37)(Psalm 55)(Psalm 145)(Jeremiah 33)
This is very beautiful! He wants us to worship Him! Him alone! He is God, He must be praised and if we don't shout His praises the rocks will cry out! He is a jealous God and wants our heart, He simply wants our whole heart, worship, because He is greatly to be praised! He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy! He is with the brokenhearted and poor in spirit, with the broken He is near, the broken sinner He comes near and beckons. But the prideful hard hearted sinner He will not come near. All these conditions He asks of us all add up to one thing, simply loving Him, He is Creator and Savior, He wants our love, that is all, our heart which He fashioned anyways, so He deserves that and so much more that we could never give! His promises are so great and He is able to keep you, and keep them for those who continue til the end.
If we decide not to abide in Him, to disobey Him, and continue in this disobedience, He will strive with us for a time because He is gracious and long-suffering, but there is a point when He does give us over to a reprobate mind and we cannot come back to grace on account of the Scriptures above. Lets abide in Him! Lets put everything on the altar! Hold nothing back! Let's keep everything on the altar, surrendering fully to Him, clinging to His cross! Crucifying the deeds of the flesh! Mortifying our members, hating our life, hating all in comparison to Him! Everyday come to the cross for cleansing! Everyday be crucified with Christ, so that we may live with Him! Let us continue in Him! Let us remain steadfast in Him, in the faith! Let us run the race! Let us rejoice in tribulations and persecutions for His name's sake!
Monday, January 10, 2011
If Our Heart Condemn Us
So over the years my heart has condemned
me constantly and I would run to this verse particularly and read 1
John 3:20 which says "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than
our heart and knoweth all things." I had thought that this verse meant,
my heart that condemns me as I read the Scripture much of the time and
just in general, but God is greater than my feeble heart that condemned
me, meaning my heart might do so, but God does not condemn me at all and
if I am condemned that it doesn't matter because God can see that I am
not condemned. But the other day when one of my brothers mentioned this
verse (not even explaining it at all, he just simply quoted the verse, I
don't even remember what he was talking about) my eyes were opened as
to what this verse really meant! In the past I had never been able to
justify myself with it if I were to read this verse in context with
those verses around it, I had to take it as a separate verse out of
context. BECAUSE, if you read it in context it says as the whole...
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."-1 John 3:18-24
The understanding that I have received on this from the Lord as He has quickened it to my heart is this. That if our heart condemns us, God who is even greater than our own heart that would seek to justify itself, knows all things, He knows our hearts so much better than we ever could know our heart. So if we see condemnation how much more Him that sees all things sees our condemnation in full. It follows by saying BELOVED, IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US NOT THEN WE HAVE CONFIDENCE TOWARD GOD. If our heart is confirmed and we are washed and our conscience sprinkled and cleansed then our hearts will be assured before Him, they will not condemn us but we will have confidence because of His grace to come to Him. If it were to mean that we might feel condemned but we are not (like I thought in the past) then beforehand it would not say if we are of the truth we shall assure our hearts before Him, (you cannot assure your heart before Him if you are condemned) as well as afterward saying if our hearts condemn us NOT then we have confidence toward God!
If we are justified and saved and cleansed by Him then the Word will not condemn us, our hearts will not condemn us! His Spirit will testify with ours that we are His, He will give us assurance rather than condemnation. But if our heart condemns us, don't ignore this warning from the conscience the Lord has given you, be honest with God! Maybe you have confessed Christ but don't hesitate to examine your heart. If you feel condemned, this is judgment and your heart is telling you where you are really at with God. No amount of men can uncondemn you, only God, though you can receive false assurance from men, a false peace, to let the condemnation subside for a while, but why stay where you are if this is true of you? He has let you see this for a reason, tell Him! Be honest with yourself, with God, don't let your pride convince you to remain as so. Plead with Him for mercy! Seek Him in humbleness of heart, seeking to be justified and assured before Him by the Blood of the Lamb, for justification, for mercy and grace, for assurance rather than condemnation!! Ask Him to show you what following Christ really looks like in your heart and outside practically. If your heart is burning reading this, take it to heart, don't take my word but bring it before Him. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, be honest with Him, ask Him to show you and reveal to you where your heart really is with Him. He knows all things. He is merciful and gracious, He dwells in heaven as well as with the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), with the contrite in spirit, if you come to Him He will in no wise cast you out (John 6)! Seek Him, for Christ Jesus to give you true belief and true cleansing for your soul! He desires for no one to perish but all to come to salvation. He created you. He knows you better than you could imagine knowing yourself.
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."-1 John 3:18-24
The understanding that I have received on this from the Lord as He has quickened it to my heart is this. That if our heart condemns us, God who is even greater than our own heart that would seek to justify itself, knows all things, He knows our hearts so much better than we ever could know our heart. So if we see condemnation how much more Him that sees all things sees our condemnation in full. It follows by saying BELOVED, IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US NOT THEN WE HAVE CONFIDENCE TOWARD GOD. If our heart is confirmed and we are washed and our conscience sprinkled and cleansed then our hearts will be assured before Him, they will not condemn us but we will have confidence because of His grace to come to Him. If it were to mean that we might feel condemned but we are not (like I thought in the past) then beforehand it would not say if we are of the truth we shall assure our hearts before Him, (you cannot assure your heart before Him if you are condemned) as well as afterward saying if our hearts condemn us NOT then we have confidence toward God!
If we are justified and saved and cleansed by Him then the Word will not condemn us, our hearts will not condemn us! His Spirit will testify with ours that we are His, He will give us assurance rather than condemnation. But if our heart condemns us, don't ignore this warning from the conscience the Lord has given you, be honest with God! Maybe you have confessed Christ but don't hesitate to examine your heart. If you feel condemned, this is judgment and your heart is telling you where you are really at with God. No amount of men can uncondemn you, only God, though you can receive false assurance from men, a false peace, to let the condemnation subside for a while, but why stay where you are if this is true of you? He has let you see this for a reason, tell Him! Be honest with yourself, with God, don't let your pride convince you to remain as so. Plead with Him for mercy! Seek Him in humbleness of heart, seeking to be justified and assured before Him by the Blood of the Lamb, for justification, for mercy and grace, for assurance rather than condemnation!! Ask Him to show you what following Christ really looks like in your heart and outside practically. If your heart is burning reading this, take it to heart, don't take my word but bring it before Him. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, be honest with Him, ask Him to show you and reveal to you where your heart really is with Him. He knows all things. He is merciful and gracious, He dwells in heaven as well as with the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), with the contrite in spirit, if you come to Him He will in no wise cast you out (John 6)! Seek Him, for Christ Jesus to give you true belief and true cleansing for your soul! He desires for no one to perish but all to come to salvation. He created you. He knows you better than you could imagine knowing yourself.
Fellowship, The Lord my Teacher Teaching His Word To me
Oh, how do I ever put into words all of
the things that have been going on. The Lord has been completely and
overwhelmingly faithful to us, asking us to "GO" He has come through
with provision for us, with friends and family, with so many things,
showing us so much about Himself! HE IS FAITHFUL AND GOOD. HE IS
JEHOVAH-JIREH. Coming here I found out that a few of the girls here,
dear sisters, were praying for babies! LOL. (There are...four? five...
married couples in the body of believers here) so they were expecting
one of them to become pregnant in answer to that prayer and desire, but
instead He brought us in :). We have lots of babysitters, which I did
not expect, I thought before coming, I don't think that I would trust
anyone really with watching my baby, but in the Lord's discernment I
know that I know I can trust these precious sisters here more than
almost anyone. We are barely home these days too :) because we have
great brothers and sisters in the Lord here that like to spend hours
upon hours with us and seeking the Lord together. It has been such an
encouragement, exhortation and such a great fulfilling time, we are
blessed beyond measure! Exhorting each other daily for the days are
evil. The church of Arlington has been an unbelievable testimony of our
Savior's love, praise the Lord He is greatly to be praised and to have
mercy upon men and dwell with and in them. In word and deed, in life I
see of them this (not of their own accord but of the mercy and grace of
our Lord)... "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."-John 15:12,13. "Bear ye one another's
burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."-Galatians 6:2.
Some of what the Lord was teaching me this morning, first just reading Hebrews 11. Some things that stood out as I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me. Enoch's testimony: that he pleased God. Oh how I desire this to be my testimony as well. No great explanation or story of what Enoch had done but simply that he walked with God! And he pleased God!! But without faith it is impossible to please Him. Abraham obeyed. Trust and obey, there is no other way, he simply obeyed the Living God even when God asked of him HIS OWN SON! Who in their right mind would hear of what Abraham was going to do and counsel him that this was right and he should do this, no one! BUT GOD still asked this of him and HE OBEYED! THEN GOD PROVIDED HIMSELF A LAMB!! :)))) He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Oh, how I long for this City. Sara judged Him faithful who had promised. When we see with eyes of faith that God IS faithful we are able to obey and believe His promises. These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having sent them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: For if they were of the world God would be ashamed to be called their God, He would have no such thing for He is holy! for He hath prepared for them a city. He that had received the promises offered up His only begotten son, accounting that God was able to raise him up. Total trust in God, despite what it appeared to be by sight, instead by faith! By faith Jacob, when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff. This is so precious! He WORSHIPED, not even in his strength of any sort, he did not have any confidence in the flesh, for God touched his hip and it came out of socket and he still needing his staff, God had broken him so that he may not boast in anything but the Lord. Though he had a disability He still all the more worshiped Him who is faithful! Moses was not afraid. There was much to fear by sight for Moses yet he feared not, just as the Lord commanded so many times in His Word, DO NOT FEAR. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt. Egypt is one in the same with the world, in which we are to forsake as Moses did.
Who is the One who gives faith? God! So it's really a memorial to all thing things that He did! Since He is the giver of faith, we must ask Him for faith. I believer, Lord help my unbelief we might ask of Him. It's beautiful.
So in all of this I read, how can one be partaking in the things of the world, while walking with God, which requires forsaking all and a walk of faith, not sight, when all this world offers is seen by sight? When Jesus was filled with the Spirit He was drove into the wilderness and there Satan tempted Him with the things of the world, in which of course our perfect Savior resisted all temptation and remained perfect. But what was it that the enemy used to tempt Him? The world. Then how can we have one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom? God is perfect and holy, He will not accept anyone who loves the world or the things in the world, only those who are made perfect in Christ. By grace He gives us the ability to live a life of godliness to abstain from worldly lusts, He has given us all we need in life in godliness to be pleasing to Him. How can one love the world and the things in it, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and pride of life, and at the same time love God?! This is impossible!
If the followers of Christ in the bible did not enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season but instead forsook Egypt, why is it that "christians" now think enjoying the pleasures of sin and eternal life can both be theirs? Eternal life is with the Person who hates the world, who hates and cannot excuse sin! Eternal life IS a Person! The Lord Jesus Christ! How can you lay hold of the world and lay hold of Jesus all at once? You cannot! What profit is there if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? (Matthew 16:24-28) This implies that gaining any of the worlds goods or worldliness is wicked, or it would not cause you to lose your own soul if you gain it! The world is crucified unto me! (Galatians 6:14). Be not conformed to this world! (Romans 12:2). Love not the world, if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him! (1 John 2:15-17)
I am learning what the Lord hates, what the Lord loves, who He truly is in His perfect holiness, how He is greatly to be feared! How He is greatly to be adored! He is showing me not just on paper like reading the bible as a text book but He instead of merciful enough to quicken His Word to my heart, to show me these things in the heart bringing me to surrender all things on the altar to Him for He is worthy to be praised!!! He is a merciful God but is also just and cannot overlook sin. (Exodus 34:5-8) "And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there and proclaimed the NAME OF THE LORD. 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 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 open the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped."
Yes Jesus paid for all of our sins, and cleansed us from all sin, yet we cannot still remain in them, we are made new. If we are His. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9)
Some of what the Lord was teaching me this morning, first just reading Hebrews 11. Some things that stood out as I asked the Holy Spirit to teach me. Enoch's testimony: that he pleased God. Oh how I desire this to be my testimony as well. No great explanation or story of what Enoch had done but simply that he walked with God! And he pleased God!! But without faith it is impossible to please Him. Abraham obeyed. Trust and obey, there is no other way, he simply obeyed the Living God even when God asked of him HIS OWN SON! Who in their right mind would hear of what Abraham was going to do and counsel him that this was right and he should do this, no one! BUT GOD still asked this of him and HE OBEYED! THEN GOD PROVIDED HIMSELF A LAMB!! :)))) He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Oh, how I long for this City. Sara judged Him faithful who had promised. When we see with eyes of faith that God IS faithful we are able to obey and believe His promises. These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having sent them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: For if they were of the world God would be ashamed to be called their God, He would have no such thing for He is holy! for He hath prepared for them a city. He that had received the promises offered up His only begotten son, accounting that God was able to raise him up. Total trust in God, despite what it appeared to be by sight, instead by faith! By faith Jacob, when he was a dying blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff. This is so precious! He WORSHIPED, not even in his strength of any sort, he did not have any confidence in the flesh, for God touched his hip and it came out of socket and he still needing his staff, God had broken him so that he may not boast in anything but the Lord. Though he had a disability He still all the more worshiped Him who is faithful! Moses was not afraid. There was much to fear by sight for Moses yet he feared not, just as the Lord commanded so many times in His Word, DO NOT FEAR. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt. Egypt is one in the same with the world, in which we are to forsake as Moses did.
Who is the One who gives faith? God! So it's really a memorial to all thing things that He did! Since He is the giver of faith, we must ask Him for faith. I believer, Lord help my unbelief we might ask of Him. It's beautiful.
So in all of this I read, how can one be partaking in the things of the world, while walking with God, which requires forsaking all and a walk of faith, not sight, when all this world offers is seen by sight? When Jesus was filled with the Spirit He was drove into the wilderness and there Satan tempted Him with the things of the world, in which of course our perfect Savior resisted all temptation and remained perfect. But what was it that the enemy used to tempt Him? The world. Then how can we have one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom? God is perfect and holy, He will not accept anyone who loves the world or the things in the world, only those who are made perfect in Christ. By grace He gives us the ability to live a life of godliness to abstain from worldly lusts, He has given us all we need in life in godliness to be pleasing to Him. How can one love the world and the things in it, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and pride of life, and at the same time love God?! This is impossible!
If the followers of Christ in the bible did not enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season but instead forsook Egypt, why is it that "christians" now think enjoying the pleasures of sin and eternal life can both be theirs? Eternal life is with the Person who hates the world, who hates and cannot excuse sin! Eternal life IS a Person! The Lord Jesus Christ! How can you lay hold of the world and lay hold of Jesus all at once? You cannot! What profit is there if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? (Matthew 16:24-28) This implies that gaining any of the worlds goods or worldliness is wicked, or it would not cause you to lose your own soul if you gain it! The world is crucified unto me! (Galatians 6:14). Be not conformed to this world! (Romans 12:2). Love not the world, if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him! (1 John 2:15-17)
I am learning what the Lord hates, what the Lord loves, who He truly is in His perfect holiness, how He is greatly to be feared! How He is greatly to be adored! He is showing me not just on paper like reading the bible as a text book but He instead of merciful enough to quicken His Word to my heart, to show me these things in the heart bringing me to surrender all things on the altar to Him for He is worthy to be praised!!! He is a merciful God but is also just and cannot overlook sin. (Exodus 34:5-8) "And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there and proclaimed the NAME OF THE LORD. 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 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 open the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped."
Yes Jesus paid for all of our sins, and cleansed us from all sin, yet we cannot still remain in them, we are made new. If we are His. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9)
Friday, January 7, 2011
Lose Your Life To Find It
What would you trade for your own soul? A bowl of pottage like Esau in Genesis 25? For riches like the certain ruler in Luke 18:19? To please men instead of God in which Galatians 1:10 speaks of? To appear righteous before man like the Pharisees? This is in vain since Jesus warns in Matthew 5:20 that if your righteousness does not exceed Pharisees and Scribes who appear perfect before men you will not inherit the Kingdom. For fornication? For idolatry? For adultery? For abuse? For stealing? For covetousness? For drinking? For extortions? (1 Corinthians 6) All these things can steal the kingdom of God away from you if you so choose.
Don't be afraid of conviction! If God convicts your soul in the Scripture, AMEN! Don't ignore it! His Spirit is revealing to your heart something. This is a privilege for your heart to be soft to the point of having conviction! You cannot change your own heart, confess that. If you see sin, confess that! To the One who can make you clean! Jesus has paid the price, He voluntarily went to the cross just to set you free! To forgive you for your sins! Matthew 4:16-17 "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Repent, turn from your sin, turn your eyes to the Son. Seek Him, plead with Him the blood He shed on the cross! Seek deliverance. Be convicted. Be desperate! Seek the Living Lord to reveal Himself to you! Seek the Scriptures, read, ask God for honesty of heart, to reveal you your sin, to by grace through faith forgive you and set you free! Only He can stir in your heart repentance and grant you such. Only He can save!
John 12:25 "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."
Matthew 10:16-22 "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
Matthew 10: 31-33 "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Romans 8:13 "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
Psalm 101: 3 "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."
I realize those things that I have been blogging about lately are not easy to swallow, nor are they pleasing to the flesh. They are opposed by many, but they are in fact what I believe the Lord has been putting on my heart to record. They are straight out of the Bible, the Word of God, unrevised, no sugar coating, straight up what God, what Jesus says, what He calls His disciples to, what through the Spirit is more than possible. The Spirit gives life, but the flesh brings death. I desire to write on those things that last, those things which God has made that cannot be removed. The only things worth thinking on, that our conversation may be in heaven and not on this earth. Setting our minds on things about, on Him, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, He is eternal life.
Not many preach those things that Jesus preached and still does preach in Spirit. He is not a coward, He is not afraid, He doesn't know fear, He gives truth in boldness, He is a Great High Priest, Warrior, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, He is strength and comfort, He is bold and will boldly declare His Word through any who will receive Him in truth. He says to lose your life, to hate your life, and that you will be hated, to set no wicked thing before your eyes. To set Him before your eyes. What do you set before your eyes? To have zero confidence in your flesh, but to be filled and led by His Spirit. To know in your flesh no good thing dwells, but in the Spirit you can kill the flesh and it's deeds. And by this you may have Life. Why meddle in those things which are of no value, that would take your eyes off of Christ and put them on vain things that will pass away at any hour the Father chooses? Why settle for pottage when a great feast is standing by? Why desire to be something in this world, to desire to be well liked rather than to please the Living God? Why have any confidence in our accomplishments, glory in our own works, putting eyes on self which is soon to be gone? Our life is but a vapor, but He will never fade, there is no end to Him. By losing your life to Him you will gain eternal life.
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