Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It originated as a harvest festival. The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621. Although, what Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving"
celebrated by the
Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621,
Thanksgiving services were a part of life and were celebrated in in
Jamestown, Virginia in 1610. Their purpose was to have a yearly and
perpetually holy day of thanksgiving to Almighty God. Thanksgiving has been celebrated in the United States on and off since 1789, with a proclamation by George Washington after a request by Congress. However, Thomas Jefferson chose not to observe the holiday, and its celebration was intermittent until the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Under Lincoln's Presidency, Thanksgiving became a federal holiday in 1863. Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "In everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1
Thessalonians 5:18) Taken from the Greek, the word everything means; all
things; every kind or variety; in the highest degree; the maximum; with
all boldness. The Holy Spirit is our helper and comforter (John 15:26)
and no matter what circumstances of life we may find ourselves facing,
let us remember that He is with us always. The attitude of giving thanks
for every believer should go beyond Thanksgiving Day. Simply put, Thanksgiving is
not just a holiday every fourth Thursday in November where believers
join with family and friends and share what they are thankful for, but
everyday ought to be Thanksgiving Day for believers and as Paul tells us
"In everything give thanks."
Honestly, we can always find something to be thankful for, especially the good things that come our way. But Paul is not saying, "in every good thing give thanks." As difficult as it may seem at times, believers are to have an attitude of thanksgiving at all times. Why? Every person, especially believers, owe a debt of gratitude to God for what He has accomplished for humanity through Christ. The Bible records Paul telling the church at Corinth of his trials, "In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?" (2 Corinthians 11:23-29)
These things do not sound like they are something to be thankful for, nevertheless, he was a man who was thankful in all things. The Apostle Paul was a man who had learned the meaning of true thanksgiving, even in the midst of great adversity. Earlier, when he had been imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20). Think about the last part, "giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." He does not tells us to give thanks only in what we consider the good times, but, "giving thanks always for everything," that is, no matter what the circumstances may be. Thanksgiving for the Apostle Paul was not a once-a-year celebration, but a daily reality that changed his life and made him a joyful person in every situation.
Giving thanks to God in all things, should be one of the most distinctive marks of every believer. We must not allow a heart of ingratitude to have place in our lives, for it could effect our relationship with God and with others in a negative way. Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. Whereas, nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true attitude of thanksgiving. Sometimes believers take for granted God's blessings, because we tend to look at, and think about the adversities of life above the blessings. Believers may even find themselves taking people for granted, or even complain and become angry because they do not meet our every wish. But we need to give thanks for those around us; our spouses, our children, our relatives, our friends and yes, even those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Even though we may draw back from difficulties, yet, not one of us is exempt from the trials that come in this life. In many parts of the world it is dangerous even to be a Christian because of persecution, and yet, in the midst of those trials we can thank God, because we know that He has promised to be with us and that He will help us. (Isaiah 41:10) We know that He can use times of suffering to draw us closer to Himself. The Apostle James tells us, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)
Look at the benefits that we can receive by "counting it all joy when you fall into various trials...
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" PTL. Let us always remember, God has given us the greatest Gift of all, His Son, who died on the cross and rose again so that we can know Him and have eternal life. (2 Corinthians 9:15; 1 John 2:25) Also, the day you and I came to Christ, it was not the end, but the beginning of a whole new life! God is with us, and He wants to help us follow Him and His Word. In ourselves we do not have the strength that we need to live the way God wants us to live. But the more we turn to Him daily, we will discover, "For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13 AMP). "Now
to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at
work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do
superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]." (Ephesians 3:20 AMP) It is the wonderful gift of grace. So, "In everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Monday, November 19, 2018
Monday, November 12, 2018
Not By Sight
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) Of course we understand that the Christians life is one of grace through faith, but walking by faith is a little more involved than a simple intellectual approach to life. To walk, in the Scriptures often denotes to live, to act, or to conduct ourselves in a certain way. It infers that life is a journey, or a pilgrimage, in the sense that as Christians, we are traveling to another country. This life is to be "walked out" with reference to the things which are unseen, and not with reference to the things which are seen. Therefore, to walk by faith, is to live in the confidence that the things that are unseen are more real than the things seen.
In other words, the people of this world are influenced by the things that are seen. They live for wealth, honor, praise, for the objects which this world can furnish, as if there were nothing which is unseen. But believers, on the contrary, have a firm conviction of the reality of heaven; the reality that our Redeemer is there to receive us; the reality that there is a crown of glory that awaits us; the reality that the power of God in miracles, signs and wonders are real today in this life; and that we live and act as if these things are as real, even more real, than the seen world around us. To walk by faith and not by sight simply means that we are not influenced, governed or controlled by the things which we see, but by the things unseen. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Looking back we can see why so many people, even believers find it difficult to walk by faith. Before the Fall, man had perfect fellowship with God. He lived in the realm of the spirit, but when he disobeyed God's one commandment he was driven from the presence of God and he became dependent upon his five senses for everything. His spirit became the slave of his senses and when the senses gained the supremacy, man lost all real knowledge of spiritual things, he was now carnal, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Throughout the history of man, even under the Covenant with Abraham, until the glorification of Jesus, man lived in the natural realm by his senses. Yet, in the realm of the senses, Abraham believed God. His faith is the true type of the faith of a believer today.
The good news for believers, as the Holy Spirit through Paul declares, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:12) Our recreated spirits, receive life from God, are able to know the things of God, while the natural minds, dominated by the senses, are unable to know the things that are freely given to us in the redemptive work of Christ. The natural man does not understand the expressions "in Christ, in Him, in Whom." Now we can see that one of the greatest needs of the present day church is the renewing of the minds of believers, and of the education and development of the recreated spirit.
There is a way that we can help these brothers and sisters, and that is to teach them how to take their place in Christ, to become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, because faith comes by getting acquainted with the Father through His Word. Not simply studying the Word alone, but by actually living the Word; doing the Word; practicing the Word, and letting the Word live in us. So, let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes and walk by faith as father Abraham did, "who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, So shall your descendants be. And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:18-21) Amen...
In other words, the people of this world are influenced by the things that are seen. They live for wealth, honor, praise, for the objects which this world can furnish, as if there were nothing which is unseen. But believers, on the contrary, have a firm conviction of the reality of heaven; the reality that our Redeemer is there to receive us; the reality that there is a crown of glory that awaits us; the reality that the power of God in miracles, signs and wonders are real today in this life; and that we live and act as if these things are as real, even more real, than the seen world around us. To walk by faith and not by sight simply means that we are not influenced, governed or controlled by the things which we see, but by the things unseen. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Looking back we can see why so many people, even believers find it difficult to walk by faith. Before the Fall, man had perfect fellowship with God. He lived in the realm of the spirit, but when he disobeyed God's one commandment he was driven from the presence of God and he became dependent upon his five senses for everything. His spirit became the slave of his senses and when the senses gained the supremacy, man lost all real knowledge of spiritual things, he was now carnal, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Throughout the history of man, even under the Covenant with Abraham, until the glorification of Jesus, man lived in the natural realm by his senses. Yet, in the realm of the senses, Abraham believed God. His faith is the true type of the faith of a believer today.
The good news for believers, as the Holy Spirit through Paul declares, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:12) Our recreated spirits, receive life from God, are able to know the things of God, while the natural minds, dominated by the senses, are unable to know the things that are freely given to us in the redemptive work of Christ. The natural man does not understand the expressions "in Christ, in Him, in Whom." Now we can see that one of the greatest needs of the present day church is the renewing of the minds of believers, and of the education and development of the recreated spirit.
There is a way that we can help these brothers and sisters, and that is to teach them how to take their place in Christ, to become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, because faith comes by getting acquainted with the Father through His Word. Not simply studying the Word alone, but by actually living the Word; doing the Word; practicing the Word, and letting the Word live in us. So, let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes and walk by faith as father Abraham did, "who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, So shall your descendants be. And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:18-21) Amen...
Monday, November 5, 2018
Research and Development
One of the questions that believers ask is, "how can I develop and grow spiritually?" Naturally, spending time in God's Word is by far the best way. But it goes beyond simply reading the Bible. When Moses died and Joshua was commissioned to lead Israel into the Promised Land, the Lord spoke to him these words, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do
according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8) Notice the first thing that God commanded Joshua to do, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth..." In other words, Joshua was to be prepared every moment of every day to speak God's Word. Jesus said it this way, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) God's Word is spirit and life.
Solomon says it this way, "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) The next thing that the Lord tells Joshua is, "...you shall meditate in it day and night..." This is the best way to get God's Word in our heart which, in turn, will flow in a natural way from our mouth. Next, the Lord tells Joshua, "...observe to do according to all that is written..." Believers will never grow in grace, faith and the knowledge of our Lord unless we act on God's Word. In open combat with the devil, Jesus reveals a very important thing that all believers should embrace and apply daily, "...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) Now that we see the great premium that God puts on His Word and how believers should do the same, there is one more thing that I believe will undoubtedly help believers grow spiritually.
It is in the last verse of first Corinthians chapter twelve and in the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians that we find the answer. We begin with, "But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way." (1 Corinthians 12:31) From here we will see the love that Jesus brought to earth, which is the very love that has been pour out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, (Romans 5:5), which is also the first thing mentioned concerning the "fruit of the spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23) "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul is showing us how empty spiritual gifts, faith, human knowledge and the highest development of the natural man are absolutely worthless and meaningless in comparison to agape, love, that is, the God kind of love. Next, we see the God kind of love revealed, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a) Now we can understand what Paul meant when he said, "And yet I show you a more excellent way." The other way that we develop our spirit man is by walking in love. Now we can understand this fact, that to develop our recreated spirit, it is necessary that we walk by faith and love.
If we could learn to walk in love and make it the business of our lives, we would solve many of the problems that we face in our relating to one another. Looking at the life of Jesus as our example, we find that He lived in the realm of love. His words were love filled. His acts and deeds grew out of love. Healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, never condemning was the love of God in word and deed, in Christ. If we could have our spirits developed in love like that, then we would be the most wonderful reflection of our Savior to a lost world. Jesus told His disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
The Apostle Paul tells us, "to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19) You see, it is possible to build the very life of Jesus into us through God's Word, because Paul tells us that we can know the love of Christ which passes human understanding and also be filled with all the fullness of God. However, we will never be like Jesus until the Word becomes a part of us and we act on it. Paul also tells us,"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6) Again, we see the Christian life is one of being filled with the Word which builds our faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) And the God kind of love, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal,
you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 10:8-10)
So, let us develop our recreated spirits in faith and the God kind of love so the world will know that we belong to Jesus. Grace and peace be unto you...
Solomon says it this way, "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) The next thing that the Lord tells Joshua is, "...you shall meditate in it day and night..." This is the best way to get God's Word in our heart which, in turn, will flow in a natural way from our mouth. Next, the Lord tells Joshua, "...observe to do according to all that is written..." Believers will never grow in grace, faith and the knowledge of our Lord unless we act on God's Word. In open combat with the devil, Jesus reveals a very important thing that all believers should embrace and apply daily, "...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) Now that we see the great premium that God puts on His Word and how believers should do the same, there is one more thing that I believe will undoubtedly help believers grow spiritually.
It is in the last verse of first Corinthians chapter twelve and in the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians that we find the answer. We begin with, "But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way." (1 Corinthians 12:31) From here we will see the love that Jesus brought to earth, which is the very love that has been pour out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, (Romans 5:5), which is also the first thing mentioned concerning the "fruit of the spirit." (Galatians 5:22-23) "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul is showing us how empty spiritual gifts, faith, human knowledge and the highest development of the natural man are absolutely worthless and meaningless in comparison to agape, love, that is, the God kind of love. Next, we see the God kind of love revealed, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a) Now we can understand what Paul meant when he said, "And yet I show you a more excellent way." The other way that we develop our spirit man is by walking in love. Now we can understand this fact, that to develop our recreated spirit, it is necessary that we walk by faith and love.
If we could learn to walk in love and make it the business of our lives, we would solve many of the problems that we face in our relating to one another. Looking at the life of Jesus as our example, we find that He lived in the realm of love. His words were love filled. His acts and deeds grew out of love. Healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, never condemning was the love of God in word and deed, in Christ. If we could have our spirits developed in love like that, then we would be the most wonderful reflection of our Savior to a lost world. Jesus told His disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
The Apostle Paul tells us, "to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19) You see, it is possible to build the very life of Jesus into us through God's Word, because Paul tells us that we can know the love of Christ which passes human understanding and also be filled with all the fullness of God. However, we will never be like Jesus until the Word becomes a part of us and we act on it. Paul also tells us,"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6) Again, we see the Christian life is one of being filled with the Word which builds our faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) And the God kind of love, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal,
you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 10:8-10)
So, let us develop our recreated spirits in faith and the God kind of love so the world will know that we belong to Jesus. Grace and peace be unto you...
Monday, October 29, 2018
Redeeming the Time
As time goes by, it seems that most people, even believers, have less time. Of course every person has the same amount of time every day, every week, every year. However, how do we make use of the time we have? The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "See then that you walk circumspectly, (careful consideration of all circumstances ) not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17) To redeem the time is, "making the most of your (the) time...making the most of every opportunity...laying hold of, and understanding the special significance of life as a whole." Notice, that Paul does not say "time," but "the time." Believers are to apprehend the significance of every moment of time as an opportunity for a special work for building God's Kingdom.
When the Apostle Paul looked around at the world, he saw that he was living, (as believers also live today), in evil times. All matter of evil and wickedness surrounded Paul, as they also surround us. The evil of these days can cause opportunities to do good to slip away and be consumed unless we act. It’s as if we have to rescue and redeem these opportunities from the clutches of an evil world. It may seem that we are in a tug-of-war where opportunity is in the middle, and we are struggling, pulling one way while the evil days are pulling the other way. However, the reality is, opportunity is not in the middle. Paul is telling us that opportunity is in hostile territory, because the days are evil. The opportunities we have to do good and to bring glory to God are on a course to be swallowed up by busyness and our worldly mindsets. Believers can no longer just “go with the flow” of our culture. If we do, we will find ourselves wasting time and always saying, "I don't have enough time."
Honestly, redeeming the time involves sacrifice. Our top priority should always be, spending time, having fellowship, with the Father and the Son. (1 John 1:3) So, we must look at our lives and see what can be adjusted or even cut out to make time available for God. We must take a candid look at how we spend our time and learn to maximize our daily time with God. Again, this means cutting out the non-essentials in our routine and arrange things so we can spend profitable time every day with the Father and the Son. This requires a change of thinking. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)
You may be thinking, "well I have a spouse, children, a job that requires much of my time." Know this, God knows the importance of a job to supply for ourselves and family and also know, that family is very important to Him. God is the author of family, and we were created to become part of His divine Family. Therefore, family time should be a high priority in our lives. However, we can find ourselves faced with two dilemmas when it comes to family. Sometimes we can become so busy, we tend to place family time on the back burner. On the other hand we can become so consumed with family we miss the point of what quality time with our family truly is. For those working full time jobs, (especially stay home moms), those in ministry, and or in ministry working a full time job, scheduling a regular weekly family day and or night to enjoy one another is a priority. (Keep in mind I am not saying that we can only spend one day or night with family, but scheduling time is important or time will slip away).
My wife and I have lived most of adult lives working full time jobs, (my wife being a stay home mom for many of those years) and being in ministry with a full time job. So I offer some things that we have found to be successful quality family time. First, we purposefully scheduled a regular weekly family day and or night to enjoy one another and did everything possible to keep it. We did Bible studies; took walks together; went to parks, playgrounds; played games; and enjoy other activities, (to many to list). But most important communicating with each other. Our objectives were to have our children know their importance and value to us, the importance and value of family, their importance and value to God, their importance and value to God's Kingdom, and to have a balanced, productive life as children of God for His glory. (Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 5:16)
Finally, another important aspect of redeeming the time. Everyone needs some “space” now and then, that is, some time to be alone; time to slow down, rest and recuperate. We all need to take some solitude time to think and meditate on what is truly important in life, which includes what God's divine purpose is. Jesus is our example of this very thing, "However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." (Luke 5:15-16) Jesus also had His disciple do the same, "And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves." (Mark 6:31-32)
It is important to God and should be for us also, to live a balanced life. There is a time to commune with the Father and the Son, a time to be with family, a time to work, a time for ministry, a time to play, and a time to be alone. The good news is, the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit, has given us unlimited resources to redeem these opportunities from the clutches, the mindsets, of the world. (John 16:13-15) Through Him we can seize these opportunities, and through Him we can act on them. The evil days don’t stand a chance with the Holy Spirit working in and through us. So, to redeem the time, we must apply the words of Jesus to our daily lives, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (opportunities, if you will) shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) This means that we may need to make some adjustment to accomplish these things. However, if we live by Matthew 6:33, God will show us how to redeem the time. The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.
When the Apostle Paul looked around at the world, he saw that he was living, (as believers also live today), in evil times. All matter of evil and wickedness surrounded Paul, as they also surround us. The evil of these days can cause opportunities to do good to slip away and be consumed unless we act. It’s as if we have to rescue and redeem these opportunities from the clutches of an evil world. It may seem that we are in a tug-of-war where opportunity is in the middle, and we are struggling, pulling one way while the evil days are pulling the other way. However, the reality is, opportunity is not in the middle. Paul is telling us that opportunity is in hostile territory, because the days are evil. The opportunities we have to do good and to bring glory to God are on a course to be swallowed up by busyness and our worldly mindsets. Believers can no longer just “go with the flow” of our culture. If we do, we will find ourselves wasting time and always saying, "I don't have enough time."
Honestly, redeeming the time involves sacrifice. Our top priority should always be, spending time, having fellowship, with the Father and the Son. (1 John 1:3) So, we must look at our lives and see what can be adjusted or even cut out to make time available for God. We must take a candid look at how we spend our time and learn to maximize our daily time with God. Again, this means cutting out the non-essentials in our routine and arrange things so we can spend profitable time every day with the Father and the Son. This requires a change of thinking. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)
You may be thinking, "well I have a spouse, children, a job that requires much of my time." Know this, God knows the importance of a job to supply for ourselves and family and also know, that family is very important to Him. God is the author of family, and we were created to become part of His divine Family. Therefore, family time should be a high priority in our lives. However, we can find ourselves faced with two dilemmas when it comes to family. Sometimes we can become so busy, we tend to place family time on the back burner. On the other hand we can become so consumed with family we miss the point of what quality time with our family truly is. For those working full time jobs, (especially stay home moms), those in ministry, and or in ministry working a full time job, scheduling a regular weekly family day and or night to enjoy one another is a priority. (Keep in mind I am not saying that we can only spend one day or night with family, but scheduling time is important or time will slip away).
My wife and I have lived most of adult lives working full time jobs, (my wife being a stay home mom for many of those years) and being in ministry with a full time job. So I offer some things that we have found to be successful quality family time. First, we purposefully scheduled a regular weekly family day and or night to enjoy one another and did everything possible to keep it. We did Bible studies; took walks together; went to parks, playgrounds; played games; and enjoy other activities, (to many to list). But most important communicating with each other. Our objectives were to have our children know their importance and value to us, the importance and value of family, their importance and value to God, their importance and value to God's Kingdom, and to have a balanced, productive life as children of God for His glory. (Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 5:16)
Finally, another important aspect of redeeming the time. Everyone needs some “space” now and then, that is, some time to be alone; time to slow down, rest and recuperate. We all need to take some solitude time to think and meditate on what is truly important in life, which includes what God's divine purpose is. Jesus is our example of this very thing, "However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." (Luke 5:15-16) Jesus also had His disciple do the same, "And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves." (Mark 6:31-32)
It is important to God and should be for us also, to live a balanced life. There is a time to commune with the Father and the Son, a time to be with family, a time to work, a time for ministry, a time to play, and a time to be alone. The good news is, the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit, has given us unlimited resources to redeem these opportunities from the clutches, the mindsets, of the world. (John 16:13-15) Through Him we can seize these opportunities, and through Him we can act on them. The evil days don’t stand a chance with the Holy Spirit working in and through us. So, to redeem the time, we must apply the words of Jesus to our daily lives, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (opportunities, if you will) shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) This means that we may need to make some adjustment to accomplish these things. However, if we live by Matthew 6:33, God will show us how to redeem the time. The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.
Monday, October 22, 2018
Give Thanks Always
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Do you remember the last time that you sat down during your prayer time and did not ask the Lord for anything, but simply offered Him thanks? What Paul is saying is believers can always find something to be thankful for, in times of prosperity as well as times of and adversity. Why? Let us keep in mind, "that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) Therefore, good times or difficult times will be equally helpful to us.
The Apostle Paul also tells us, "Not that, as to coming short, I am speaking, for, I, have learned, in whatsoever circumstances I am, to be, independent. I know [what it is] even to be kept low, and I know [what it is] to have more than enough, in every way, and in all things, have I been let into the secret both to be well fed, and to be hungering, both to have more than enough, and to be coming short. I have might, for all things, in Him that empowers me." (Philippians 4:11-13 REB) This is a passage to encourage us to live for Christ and be independent of the circumstances, especially those that create anxiety and or worry which steal life from us. When we find ourselves needing divine help, we simply respond to the Holy Spirits invitation, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
The Apostle Paul understood where true unwavering strength came from, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Holding on to the grace of God, that is, His strength, His ability, His favor in all times, like Paul tells us, is allowing the power of Christ to take over to put us over any circumstance that we may face. Also, let us never forget what Jesus did for us. When Jesus conquered Satan and stripped him of his authority, in the mind of the Father it was as though we had done it. When Jesus defeated Satan, it was our victory also. Before becoming born again, Satan was our master, but now in Christ we are Satan's master. What does this mean to us today? It means we have been given the mastery over all the works of Satan. It means the end of defeat and failure. It means it is time that we appreciated what God has done for us in Christ and appreciated being a member of the body of Christ. It means we are now the righteous victors. It means Satan cannot lord it over us any longer. It means disease is under our feet. So, let us thank Him and go out and enjoy the fullness of this marvelous Redemption that the Father has provided through Christ.
Now, every believer has a two-fold oneness with Christ. First, His oneness with our sin on the cross. Second, our oneness with Him in His glory on the throne. He became one with us in death, that we might be one with Him in life. He became as we were, so that we might become as He is. He became weak to make us strong; He suffered shame to give us glory. He was made sin to make us righteous. He was made sick in order that healing might be ours. He was made a curse to make us blessed. He was condemned in order to justify us. He died so that we could live. He was cast out from the presence of God in order to make us welcome there. He went to hell in order to take us to heaven. His triumph over Satan, death and hell, is ours to celebrate.
His resurrection from the dead gives us newness of life. His seating at the right hand of the Father is our position in Him. He has given us His name in which every knee will bow. His authority is ours over all the works of Satan. He has given us abundance of grace to carry out His will. He has given us His Word that is as powerful today as it was when first spoken. He has given us the Holy Spirit to go forth in His anointing and power. He is in us and we are in Him. We are new creations the old has passed away. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Hallelujah!!!
So, let us be a thankful people knowing that Jesus has not left us to live on our own, that He is living His life in us, that He is acting in us, through us, and with us. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:15) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...
The Apostle Paul also tells us, "Not that, as to coming short, I am speaking, for, I, have learned, in whatsoever circumstances I am, to be, independent. I know [what it is] even to be kept low, and I know [what it is] to have more than enough, in every way, and in all things, have I been let into the secret both to be well fed, and to be hungering, both to have more than enough, and to be coming short. I have might, for all things, in Him that empowers me." (Philippians 4:11-13 REB) This is a passage to encourage us to live for Christ and be independent of the circumstances, especially those that create anxiety and or worry which steal life from us. When we find ourselves needing divine help, we simply respond to the Holy Spirits invitation, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
The Apostle Paul understood where true unwavering strength came from, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Holding on to the grace of God, that is, His strength, His ability, His favor in all times, like Paul tells us, is allowing the power of Christ to take over to put us over any circumstance that we may face. Also, let us never forget what Jesus did for us. When Jesus conquered Satan and stripped him of his authority, in the mind of the Father it was as though we had done it. When Jesus defeated Satan, it was our victory also. Before becoming born again, Satan was our master, but now in Christ we are Satan's master. What does this mean to us today? It means we have been given the mastery over all the works of Satan. It means the end of defeat and failure. It means it is time that we appreciated what God has done for us in Christ and appreciated being a member of the body of Christ. It means we are now the righteous victors. It means Satan cannot lord it over us any longer. It means disease is under our feet. So, let us thank Him and go out and enjoy the fullness of this marvelous Redemption that the Father has provided through Christ.
Now, every believer has a two-fold oneness with Christ. First, His oneness with our sin on the cross. Second, our oneness with Him in His glory on the throne. He became one with us in death, that we might be one with Him in life. He became as we were, so that we might become as He is. He became weak to make us strong; He suffered shame to give us glory. He was made sin to make us righteous. He was made sick in order that healing might be ours. He was made a curse to make us blessed. He was condemned in order to justify us. He died so that we could live. He was cast out from the presence of God in order to make us welcome there. He went to hell in order to take us to heaven. His triumph over Satan, death and hell, is ours to celebrate.
His resurrection from the dead gives us newness of life. His seating at the right hand of the Father is our position in Him. He has given us His name in which every knee will bow. His authority is ours over all the works of Satan. He has given us abundance of grace to carry out His will. He has given us His Word that is as powerful today as it was when first spoken. He has given us the Holy Spirit to go forth in His anointing and power. He is in us and we are in Him. We are new creations the old has passed away. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Hallelujah!!!
So, let us be a thankful people knowing that Jesus has not left us to live on our own, that He is living His life in us, that He is acting in us, through us, and with us. "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:15) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...
Monday, October 15, 2018
Setting the Captives Free
I believe one of the greatest needs in the church today is believers receiving a pure revelation of God's Word as to, Who they are in Christ; Who Christ is in them and how the Father truly sees them. In other words, believers must come to truly know and believe what it means to be a new creation in Christ, that is, their new identification in Christ. Once believers have a solid understanding of their identification in Christ, they will then know that they can stand in the Father presence without guilt, condemnation, unworthiness, shame or inferiority as well as stand and face Satan and his evil forces as triumphant victors; as more than conquerors. They will come to know the authority that has been given them to uphold and enforce what the Father accomplished through Christ.
With this revelation knowledge believers will no long confess failure, weakness, doubt, fear or unbelief, but humbly stand by grace through faith in the power of His might in the face of any circumstance no matter how large or small it may seem. The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Therefore, living in the light of what God’s Word reveals as the believers new and true identification, we see that it is based upon their faith in the integrity of God’s Word or put another way, not simply knowing facts about God, but knowing God Himself. To know God is to know His will, and to know His will is to know His Word for they are one and the same. (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7)
One of the greatest examples of an ordinary man who flat out believed God was Abraham, "Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21) Keep in mind that Abraham did not have God's Word written in what we call the Bible available to him, but, we see in this scripture that Abraham completely apprehended the will of God. There was no question concerning God’s will. Two things arise from this; First, Abraham's faith prevented doubt, fear and unbelief to find place; second, this caused Abraham to be completely obedient to God. Therefore, when believers truly apprehend their identity with Christ, doubt, fear and unbelief fade away, obedience is normal and exercising true authority exists. So, what is the authority that every believer has the right to in Christ?
It is God’s sovereign right to give commands, make decisions, have jurisdiction, have control, to take charge, or to rule over that which opposes or is contrary to His Will, that is His Word. God’s throne is established on His authority, therefore, all of His acts issue from His throne. All physical laws of the universe are maintained by His authority. We see this revealed in Hebrews, "God in these last days has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power." (Hebrews 1:2-3) God’s Word is His power from which emanates His authority. Therefore, God's authority represents God Himself and His power is revealed by His acts, "Then God said...and it was so." (Genesis 1)
We also see God's authority released through the earth ministry of Jesus as the Son of Man, "for Jesus taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:29) God alone is authority in al1 things. We also see this revealed in the affairs of man on earth, "...For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.." (Romans 13:1) Here we see that all the authorities of the earth are instituted by God. Because God’s authority is such a tremendous thing in the universe, we need to understand that absolutely nothing overshadows it. Therefore it is imperative for us who desire to serve God to know the authority of God. Why?
For the sake of time, I am not going to read the account of Lucifer’s fall in Isaiah 14 or the account of the king of Tyre (the law of double reference used for Lucifer) in Ezekiel 28 but will comment on the accounts. Isaiah 14:12-15 deals with Satan violating God’s authority while Ezekiel 28:13-17 emphasizes his trespassing against God's holiness. To offend God's authority is a rebellion far more serious than that of offending God's holiness. Offending God’s holiness or sinning is a matter of conduct, whereas offending God’s authority is a matter of principle. Jesus said it this way, "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." (Matthew 12:31-32 )
In context with this passage, Jesus was casting out demons by the authority vested in Him through the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees rejected this and said that Jesus’ authority was through Beelzebub, that is Satan. The first part of the passage above is sin against God’s Holiness the latter is rebellion against God’s authority. So, Isaiah reports that is Satan's intent of setting his throne above the throne of God was a violation against God's authority. So, it was not the act of sinning that caused Satan's fall, it was his act of rebellion against God’s authority. It was rebellion which God condemned. This brings us to the controversy of the universe. Who has the authority? Although believers have the authority over Satan and all of his forces, any conflict that we may have with Satan is the direct result of our attributing all authority to God. With this in mind, we can look back to the Garden of Eden and see Satan’s approach to the first man and woman and see that Satan's attack on believers is the same as it was in the Garden of Eden. He makes his appeal to the flesh, that is, the five senses, trying to turn believers from the truth that all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and earth, which has been given to the church, all believers. (Mark 16:17-18; Ephesians 1:22-23)
With that said, let us remember this. Satan is not afraid of believers who preach God’s Word. His greatest fear is those who are completely subject to God’s authority. God has purposed to manifest His authority to the world through the church, through each and every believer. God uses His power to maintain His authority, therefore, His authority is the hardest thing to come up against. So, as long as we continue living on planet earth, let us humbly remember, as members of the Body of Christ, we can exercise our authority in Christ in the same manner as He did, "For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." (Mark 1:27) In doing so, we are setting the captives free through the authority vested in us by Jesus Himself.
With this revelation knowledge believers will no long confess failure, weakness, doubt, fear or unbelief, but humbly stand by grace through faith in the power of His might in the face of any circumstance no matter how large or small it may seem. The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Therefore, living in the light of what God’s Word reveals as the believers new and true identification, we see that it is based upon their faith in the integrity of God’s Word or put another way, not simply knowing facts about God, but knowing God Himself. To know God is to know His will, and to know His will is to know His Word for they are one and the same. (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7)
One of the greatest examples of an ordinary man who flat out believed God was Abraham, "Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21) Keep in mind that Abraham did not have God's Word written in what we call the Bible available to him, but, we see in this scripture that Abraham completely apprehended the will of God. There was no question concerning God’s will. Two things arise from this; First, Abraham's faith prevented doubt, fear and unbelief to find place; second, this caused Abraham to be completely obedient to God. Therefore, when believers truly apprehend their identity with Christ, doubt, fear and unbelief fade away, obedience is normal and exercising true authority exists. So, what is the authority that every believer has the right to in Christ?
It is God’s sovereign right to give commands, make decisions, have jurisdiction, have control, to take charge, or to rule over that which opposes or is contrary to His Will, that is His Word. God’s throne is established on His authority, therefore, all of His acts issue from His throne. All physical laws of the universe are maintained by His authority. We see this revealed in Hebrews, "God in these last days has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power." (Hebrews 1:2-3) God’s Word is His power from which emanates His authority. Therefore, God's authority represents God Himself and His power is revealed by His acts, "Then God said...and it was so." (Genesis 1)
We also see God's authority released through the earth ministry of Jesus as the Son of Man, "for Jesus taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:29) God alone is authority in al1 things. We also see this revealed in the affairs of man on earth, "...For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.." (Romans 13:1) Here we see that all the authorities of the earth are instituted by God. Because God’s authority is such a tremendous thing in the universe, we need to understand that absolutely nothing overshadows it. Therefore it is imperative for us who desire to serve God to know the authority of God. Why?
For the sake of time, I am not going to read the account of Lucifer’s fall in Isaiah 14 or the account of the king of Tyre (the law of double reference used for Lucifer) in Ezekiel 28 but will comment on the accounts. Isaiah 14:12-15 deals with Satan violating God’s authority while Ezekiel 28:13-17 emphasizes his trespassing against God's holiness. To offend God's authority is a rebellion far more serious than that of offending God's holiness. Offending God’s holiness or sinning is a matter of conduct, whereas offending God’s authority is a matter of principle. Jesus said it this way, "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." (Matthew 12:31-32 )
In context with this passage, Jesus was casting out demons by the authority vested in Him through the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees rejected this and said that Jesus’ authority was through Beelzebub, that is Satan. The first part of the passage above is sin against God’s Holiness the latter is rebellion against God’s authority. So, Isaiah reports that is Satan's intent of setting his throne above the throne of God was a violation against God's authority. So, it was not the act of sinning that caused Satan's fall, it was his act of rebellion against God’s authority. It was rebellion which God condemned. This brings us to the controversy of the universe. Who has the authority? Although believers have the authority over Satan and all of his forces, any conflict that we may have with Satan is the direct result of our attributing all authority to God. With this in mind, we can look back to the Garden of Eden and see Satan’s approach to the first man and woman and see that Satan's attack on believers is the same as it was in the Garden of Eden. He makes his appeal to the flesh, that is, the five senses, trying to turn believers from the truth that all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and earth, which has been given to the church, all believers. (Mark 16:17-18; Ephesians 1:22-23)
With that said, let us remember this. Satan is not afraid of believers who preach God’s Word. His greatest fear is those who are completely subject to God’s authority. God has purposed to manifest His authority to the world through the church, through each and every believer. God uses His power to maintain His authority, therefore, His authority is the hardest thing to come up against. So, as long as we continue living on planet earth, let us humbly remember, as members of the Body of Christ, we can exercise our authority in Christ in the same manner as He did, "For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." (Mark 1:27) In doing so, we are setting the captives free through the authority vested in us by Jesus Himself.
Monday, October 8, 2018
Alive For Evermore
The Bible clearly reveals the believers new and continuous identification of their life in Jesus Christ. It reveals the legal side of our redemption, that is, what God did in Christ for us, from the Cross, until He sat down on the right hand of the Father. However, there is another side of identification. This is known as the vital side of redemption. That is, what the Holy Spirit through God’s Word, is doing in the believer now. Because we have not differentiated between the legal and the vital sides of redemption, there seems to arise some confusion. One school of theology has magnified the legal side, and another, the vital side. One is the courthouse aspect, while the other is the experiential aspect.
The legal part of redemption is the portion enacted by God when a sinner confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and accepts Him as his Savior. The following reveals some of the many aspects from God's Word, concerning the legal side of redemption, that He has provided for every believe through the meritorious work of Jesus Christ. The persons sins are remitted, wiped out as though they had never been (Acts 2:38); He/she is legally justified, that is, declared righteous or set right with God (2 Corinthians 5:21); He/she is legally reconciled to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18); He/she is legally adopted by God (Romans 8:15); He/she legally become a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:18); Jesus publicly confesses him/her before the Father (Matthew 10:32); His/her name is written in the Book of Life (Luke 10:19); God becomes his/her Father (John 20:17). All these are the legal side of redemption and are instantaneous upon one's repentance, confession and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Now that these steps have been taken, the new believer, has a legal right to the Father's protection (2 Thessalonians 3:3); He/she has a 1ega1 right to Jesus' intercession (Hebrews 7:25); He/she has a legal right to the Advocacy of Christ (1 John 2:1); He/she has a legal right to the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38); He/she has a legal right to be in God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9); He/she has a legal right to a child’s inheritance (Acts 2:32); He/she has a legal right to the use of Jesus' Name…(Mark 16:17) Let us keep in mind that when we overlook the legal side of redemption, we will find ourselves building an experiential structure without a foundation, and the building will surely fall (Matthew 7:24-27). This is the reason that so many who teach only the vital side of redemption have so many failures among the believers they teach and why some many believers are out of fellowship.
Now, let us look at some of the many aspects of the vital side of redemption which is the work that the Holy Spirit does in the believer through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit indwells him/her (Acts 2:38); The Holy Spirit imparts to his/her spirit the Nature of God, life as God has it, eternal life (2 Peter 1:4); The Holy Spirit makes him/her alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1); The peace of God which passes all understanding floods his/her soul (Philippians 6:7); The Holy Spirit witnesses with his/her spirit that he/she is a child of God (Romans 8:16); The love of God is poured out in his/her heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5); He/she has passed from death into life (John 5:24); He/she loves the brethren (1 John 3:16); The fruit of the Spirit fills his/her recreated spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); He/she is an heir with God and joint heir with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17); He/she can be immersed, baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4).
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) Therefore, the main thing to keep in mind concerning both the legal and vital sides of redemption is that they are both accomplished by God alone, by His great amazing grace. These things should show us why it is of great importance for believers to have a balance. If believers only have the legal side of the plan of redemption, it would lead into lifeless formalism. It would make doctrines, out of Truth resulting in intellectualism. If believers only have the vital side of the plan of redemption, it will lead into fanaticism, magnifying experiences above God’s Word.
When we understand the balance, we find that what is legally ours becomes vitally ours by the work of the Holy Spirit in us through God’s Word. In other words, it comes down to this. It comes down to what we believe about God’s will, nature, character, purpose and plan as revealed in scripture. Many believers will say that God’s Word is true; that there are no discrepancies; that it is infallible and inerrant, but they dispute these very statements with doctrines, creeds and rituals that nullify God’s Word. Jesus said, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down." (Mark 7:8-13
So, there are three main actions that believers should embrace daily if they want to know without doubt what their true identity in Christ is. First, be saturated in God’s Word; second, confess God’s Word; third, have intimate fellowship with the Father. Doing these things will result in knowing who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us, that is, our identification in Christ. The more we receive, understand and live in our new and true identity, the more we will live in the realm of the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-18) The Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1) So, we must ask the question, "How can believers be imitators of God if they do not know God nor who they truly are in Christ, who Christ is in them and how the Father sees them? The Holy Spirit through the Prophet Hosea tells us, "My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me." (Hosea 4:6 NLT)
The answer to this question based on this scripture is clear. If believers have an unbiblical perspective or knowledge of God then it stands to reason that they will have, at best, a limited knowledge of their identity, and may never come into the victorious, abundant life that Christ has provided. However, the New Testament is filled with the realities of both the legal and vital side of redemption. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." (Ephesians 1:3-5) As we see in this revelation given to the Apostle Paul, man was marked for sonship before the foundation of the world. In other words, before the foundation of the world God the Father purposed a family, and man was and is the answer to that purpose.
So, let us no longer grow weary with an unbiblical understanding of our new and true identity in Jesus Christ. Why? "...because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)
The legal part of redemption is the portion enacted by God when a sinner confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and accepts Him as his Savior. The following reveals some of the many aspects from God's Word, concerning the legal side of redemption, that He has provided for every believe through the meritorious work of Jesus Christ. The persons sins are remitted, wiped out as though they had never been (Acts 2:38); He/she is legally justified, that is, declared righteous or set right with God (2 Corinthians 5:21); He/she is legally reconciled to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:18); He/she is legally adopted by God (Romans 8:15); He/she legally become a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:18); Jesus publicly confesses him/her before the Father (Matthew 10:32); His/her name is written in the Book of Life (Luke 10:19); God becomes his/her Father (John 20:17). All these are the legal side of redemption and are instantaneous upon one's repentance, confession and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Now that these steps have been taken, the new believer, has a legal right to the Father's protection (2 Thessalonians 3:3); He/she has a 1ega1 right to Jesus' intercession (Hebrews 7:25); He/she has a legal right to the Advocacy of Christ (1 John 2:1); He/she has a legal right to the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38); He/she has a legal right to be in God’s royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9); He/she has a legal right to a child’s inheritance (Acts 2:32); He/she has a legal right to the use of Jesus' Name…(Mark 16:17) Let us keep in mind that when we overlook the legal side of redemption, we will find ourselves building an experiential structure without a foundation, and the building will surely fall (Matthew 7:24-27). This is the reason that so many who teach only the vital side of redemption have so many failures among the believers they teach and why some many believers are out of fellowship.
Now, let us look at some of the many aspects of the vital side of redemption which is the work that the Holy Spirit does in the believer through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit indwells him/her (Acts 2:38); The Holy Spirit imparts to his/her spirit the Nature of God, life as God has it, eternal life (2 Peter 1:4); The Holy Spirit makes him/her alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1); The peace of God which passes all understanding floods his/her soul (Philippians 6:7); The Holy Spirit witnesses with his/her spirit that he/she is a child of God (Romans 8:16); The love of God is poured out in his/her heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5); He/she has passed from death into life (John 5:24); He/she loves the brethren (1 John 3:16); The fruit of the Spirit fills his/her recreated spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); He/she is an heir with God and joint heir with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17); He/she can be immersed, baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4).
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) Therefore, the main thing to keep in mind concerning both the legal and vital sides of redemption is that they are both accomplished by God alone, by His great amazing grace. These things should show us why it is of great importance for believers to have a balance. If believers only have the legal side of the plan of redemption, it would lead into lifeless formalism. It would make doctrines, out of Truth resulting in intellectualism. If believers only have the vital side of the plan of redemption, it will lead into fanaticism, magnifying experiences above God’s Word.
When we understand the balance, we find that what is legally ours becomes vitally ours by the work of the Holy Spirit in us through God’s Word. In other words, it comes down to this. It comes down to what we believe about God’s will, nature, character, purpose and plan as revealed in scripture. Many believers will say that God’s Word is true; that there are no discrepancies; that it is infallible and inerrant, but they dispute these very statements with doctrines, creeds and rituals that nullify God’s Word. Jesus said, "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down." (Mark 7:8-13
So, there are three main actions that believers should embrace daily if they want to know without doubt what their true identity in Christ is. First, be saturated in God’s Word; second, confess God’s Word; third, have intimate fellowship with the Father. Doing these things will result in knowing who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us, that is, our identification in Christ. The more we receive, understand and live in our new and true identity, the more we will live in the realm of the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-18) The Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1) So, we must ask the question, "How can believers be imitators of God if they do not know God nor who they truly are in Christ, who Christ is in them and how the Father sees them? The Holy Spirit through the Prophet Hosea tells us, "My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me." (Hosea 4:6 NLT)
The answer to this question based on this scripture is clear. If believers have an unbiblical perspective or knowledge of God then it stands to reason that they will have, at best, a limited knowledge of their identity, and may never come into the victorious, abundant life that Christ has provided. However, the New Testament is filled with the realities of both the legal and vital side of redemption. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will." (Ephesians 1:3-5) As we see in this revelation given to the Apostle Paul, man was marked for sonship before the foundation of the world. In other words, before the foundation of the world God the Father purposed a family, and man was and is the answer to that purpose.
So, let us no longer grow weary with an unbiblical understanding of our new and true identity in Jesus Christ. Why? "...because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)
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