We can define grace as, the free unmerited favor of God to the undeserving and ill-deserving. Grace cannot be earned, it cannot be worked for, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8) God is able to make His favor, His strength, His ability, His energy, His grace, flow in abundance in and through us, and that we are being so perfectly supplied by Him that we have all sufficiency in all things.
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter says it this way, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:2-4 ) Therefore, let’s rid ourselves of reasoning and exercise our faith giving God’s Word the right-of-way in all things.
Paul also tells us, "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God." (2 Corinthians 9:10-11) The fruits of righteousness are not only right conduct, that’s a given, the fruits of righteousness are also the very same kind of fruit that we see in the four gospels which reveal the ministry of Jesus in His Words and actions. For believers to increase the fruits of your righteousness in their lives they must have a superiority complex rather than an inferiority complex meaning. This means letting go of all guilt, condemnation, unworthiness, and inferiority and letting God’s Word loose in us to transform us. As God's Word is loosed in us, it will reveal who we truly are in the mind and eyes of our heavenly Father. It will free us from the old things, the old ungodly habits, thoughts and actions and we will live in true freedom, as His New Creation sons and daughters.
Our Heavenly Father desires, “the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:18-23)
Everything God did in Christ is ultimately for the benefit of the church, every believer. The Apostle John tells us, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16) Our confession is no longer of weakness, lack and or failure which is contrary to what God has made us when He recreated us. Instead, we confess, God is my Father and I am His child; Satan's dominion over me has been broken and I have the very Nature and Life of the Son of God in me now; I am a partaker of the Divine Nature; I have passed out of death into Life; I know I am a child of God which makes me an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ; I can stand in Gods presences without guilt, shame, condemnation, unworthiness and or inferiority because He has declared me the righteousness of Himself in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews encourages us in saying, "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21) What a tremendous Word of encouragement. How liberating this can become to the one who dares to confess what he is in Christ; what Christ is in him/her and knows without wavering, just how wonderful the Father truly see us. Our Heavenly Father has a exceedingly great inheritance for His children, so let Him live His Life in and through us so we can enjoy our share of our inheritance in Christ. Shout, THANK YOU LORD!!!
Monday, June 3, 2019
Monday, May 27, 2019
Complete Freedom
Today, is the fourth Monday of the month of May and in the United States it is a national holiday entitled, Memorial Day. It is a day in which Americans remember the service men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives so that others may have freedom. They did not give their lives for the United States alone, but as they fought and died in the numerous conflicts throughout the world, they did it to bring an end to demonized dictators who enjoy(ed) killing, like Satan their father, have only one desire, to have power. They fought and died to turn back these satanic ruled people whose only objective was to steal, kill, destroy and or hold in bondage to slavery their fellow man in efforts to promote their tyrannical reign. Let us never forget those in the armed forces who have gone before and those today who are ready to do what it takes to defend and protect the citizens of the United States of America.
In a similar way, believers celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ also paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life to save (redeem, heal, deliver, make whole) all humanity from Satan, the most evil, murderous tyrant known to man. The Bible reveals to us, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38) and "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
When we consider what Jesus did for mankind the mind can hardly comprehend it. The apostle Paul reveals to us through the Holy Spirit, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12) and speaking of the state of all men since the fall, “…having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) This means that not one person in all of mankind had the ability to provide redemption. God Himself must provide man’s redemption. God must redeem man from the dominion of Satan. Death must be destroyed and man’s authority over the Satan must also be restored. We also must keep in mind that God is just, "…God is abundant in justice…” (Job 37:23) and therefore mankind could only be redeemed on absolute legal grounds. Even though God's love for man is unfathomable and the fact that He is also sovereign, He could not redeem man outside the realm of justice.
God would have to provide a substitute who would not have man’s satanic fallen nature but would be like Adam. He could not be mortal or immortal, but a perfect man as Adam was before the fall. He must fulfill the entire Mosaic Law, withstand the onslaught of all the devils attacks without sin, meet the demands of justice, (meaning that He would have to pay the penalty for man’s crimes against God) by suffering in man's place by becoming sin, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Being make sin the Redeemer would be separated from the presence of God by going to hell, which is the ultimate penalty for sin, until mankind had been fully and legally acquitted for their crime. In other words, Deity must suffer for humanity.
As Adam die both spiritually and physically ("a death you shall die," or, "dying you shall die." Genesis 2:17 Hebrew) and "and they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death..."(Isaiah 53:3 deaths, plural, in the Hebrew) Jesus too would have to experience both to reverse Adam's transgression. If Jesus' physical death was all that was required to redeem humanity, then sin is nothing more than a physical condition. If physical death deals with the sin issue, then every person that physically dies pays the penalty of his/her own sin. If sin is only a physical condition and can be dealt with through physical death, then we must conclude that God has no right to send someone to hell (although He really doesn't, it is an individuals choice to receive or reject Jesus) because the physical death of every person would be sufficient to satisfy justice and give them a pass to eternal life.
However, we know that this is not true. Jesus must suffer in both realms, physically and spiritually. Physically because that is the only way that spiritually dead humanity could eliminate the Son of God; spiritually, because it’s the only way that God could legally redeem man taking away Satan’s claim to humanity. It also stops man from accusing God of being unjust when they reject His way of redemption. Jesus indeed went to hell and suffered as a substitute for all mankind. His physical death was infinitesimal to what He suffered in the spiritual realm. If humanity could have been redeemed apart from Christ, then Jesus becoming a substitute for humanity and being sent to hell would have become the most heinous crime ever committed in all of creation.
But thanks be to God who was willing to take upon Himself man's liability by suffering an incomprehensible death in two realms as man's substitute. So, let us never forget what the Father did through Jesus to give humanity complete freedom from Satan's power. Let us never forget and rejoice continually on our Memorial Day, the day you and I were born again. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...
In a similar way, believers celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ also paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life to save (redeem, heal, deliver, make whole) all humanity from Satan, the most evil, murderous tyrant known to man. The Bible reveals to us, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38) and "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)
When we consider what Jesus did for mankind the mind can hardly comprehend it. The apostle Paul reveals to us through the Holy Spirit, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12) and speaking of the state of all men since the fall, “…having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) This means that not one person in all of mankind had the ability to provide redemption. God Himself must provide man’s redemption. God must redeem man from the dominion of Satan. Death must be destroyed and man’s authority over the Satan must also be restored. We also must keep in mind that God is just, "…God is abundant in justice…” (Job 37:23) and therefore mankind could only be redeemed on absolute legal grounds. Even though God's love for man is unfathomable and the fact that He is also sovereign, He could not redeem man outside the realm of justice.
God would have to provide a substitute who would not have man’s satanic fallen nature but would be like Adam. He could not be mortal or immortal, but a perfect man as Adam was before the fall. He must fulfill the entire Mosaic Law, withstand the onslaught of all the devils attacks without sin, meet the demands of justice, (meaning that He would have to pay the penalty for man’s crimes against God) by suffering in man's place by becoming sin, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Being make sin the Redeemer would be separated from the presence of God by going to hell, which is the ultimate penalty for sin, until mankind had been fully and legally acquitted for their crime. In other words, Deity must suffer for humanity.
As Adam die both spiritually and physically ("a death you shall die," or, "dying you shall die." Genesis 2:17 Hebrew) and "and they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death..."(Isaiah 53:3 deaths, plural, in the Hebrew) Jesus too would have to experience both to reverse Adam's transgression. If Jesus' physical death was all that was required to redeem humanity, then sin is nothing more than a physical condition. If physical death deals with the sin issue, then every person that physically dies pays the penalty of his/her own sin. If sin is only a physical condition and can be dealt with through physical death, then we must conclude that God has no right to send someone to hell (although He really doesn't, it is an individuals choice to receive or reject Jesus) because the physical death of every person would be sufficient to satisfy justice and give them a pass to eternal life.
However, we know that this is not true. Jesus must suffer in both realms, physically and spiritually. Physically because that is the only way that spiritually dead humanity could eliminate the Son of God; spiritually, because it’s the only way that God could legally redeem man taking away Satan’s claim to humanity. It also stops man from accusing God of being unjust when they reject His way of redemption. Jesus indeed went to hell and suffered as a substitute for all mankind. His physical death was infinitesimal to what He suffered in the spiritual realm. If humanity could have been redeemed apart from Christ, then Jesus becoming a substitute for humanity and being sent to hell would have become the most heinous crime ever committed in all of creation.
But thanks be to God who was willing to take upon Himself man's liability by suffering an incomprehensible death in two realms as man's substitute. So, let us never forget what the Father did through Jesus to give humanity complete freedom from Satan's power. Let us never forget and rejoice continually on our Memorial Day, the day you and I were born again. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...
Monday, May 20, 2019
Let's Be Imitators
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "I say then: walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18) This is the struggle that exists within every believer who does not dedicate their body for God’s service and renew their mind. (Romans 12:1-2) It is the struggle that goes on and on between the believers recreated spirit with their unregenerate soul, (mind, will, emotions) and body, until and unless they apply faith and rely on the Holy Spirits guiding.
Paul goes on and tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-25) These nine wonderful attributes are instantly downloaded, if you will, into our recreated spirit the moment one is born again. Look closely at what Paul tells us, "and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Walking in the spirit and living in the realm of the fruit of the spirit has absolutely nothing to do with self will or feelings, but recognizing our new identity in and with Christ. Of course this takes faith.
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1) Our heavenly Father's desire is not to simply dwell in us but to reproduce Himself in us. When you think about it, the very genius of Christianity is the ability of God to build Himself into us through His Word, so that in our daily walk we live like Jesus did when He walked this earth. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you." (Galatians 4:19) Although the process of building Christ into us may be slower than we desire, nevertheless, it makes Jesus men and women out of us. We must not only keep in mind, but also confess that, we are created in Christ Jesus. We are His Creation, and until Christ is formed in us, the world cannot see anything but religion in us.
The fact is, the Father is actually building His Love, His righteousness, His strength, His wisdom, His very self into our spirits. But are we letting Him do it. Are we convinced in our oneness with Him. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Are we convinced that, "...as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17) As we study and meditate on the tremendous revelation given to Paul revealed in His Epistles, we become convinced that the ultimate quest of every one of those Epistles is the building of the life of Jesus in every believer. If you are not absolutely sure that the Father is at work in us, then takes some time and meditate on these facts. Know that the Father loves us more than we love ourselves. He is more ambitious for our success than we are and He is, “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20) We are made fruitful when we come to the reality that His ability is at work in us. Again, God's Word only becomes a reality when we receive it and act upon it through faith.
For many it has been somewhat difficult to comprehend that God is at work in us. Therefore we need to practice being God inside minded. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) We need to remind ourselves daily that we have God in us, and that He is there to build Christ into us, to build His Word in us, transforming us to be more like Him. If we simply accept His Word without prejudice, let it take root, be implanted, become a part of us, remembering that Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God's Word is living and powerful, then we will not struggle with who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us and be imitators of God. As believers apply faith to these realities, they will never again talk doubt, fear, unbelief, sickness, lack or failure. Grace be with you...
Paul goes on and tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-25) These nine wonderful attributes are instantly downloaded, if you will, into our recreated spirit the moment one is born again. Look closely at what Paul tells us, "and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Walking in the spirit and living in the realm of the fruit of the spirit has absolutely nothing to do with self will or feelings, but recognizing our new identity in and with Christ. Of course this takes faith.
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1) Our heavenly Father's desire is not to simply dwell in us but to reproduce Himself in us. When you think about it, the very genius of Christianity is the ability of God to build Himself into us through His Word, so that in our daily walk we live like Jesus did when He walked this earth. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you." (Galatians 4:19) Although the process of building Christ into us may be slower than we desire, nevertheless, it makes Jesus men and women out of us. We must not only keep in mind, but also confess that, we are created in Christ Jesus. We are His Creation, and until Christ is formed in us, the world cannot see anything but religion in us.
The fact is, the Father is actually building His Love, His righteousness, His strength, His wisdom, His very self into our spirits. But are we letting Him do it. Are we convinced in our oneness with Him. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Are we convinced that, "...as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17) As we study and meditate on the tremendous revelation given to Paul revealed in His Epistles, we become convinced that the ultimate quest of every one of those Epistles is the building of the life of Jesus in every believer. If you are not absolutely sure that the Father is at work in us, then takes some time and meditate on these facts. Know that the Father loves us more than we love ourselves. He is more ambitious for our success than we are and He is, “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20) We are made fruitful when we come to the reality that His ability is at work in us. Again, God's Word only becomes a reality when we receive it and act upon it through faith.
For many it has been somewhat difficult to comprehend that God is at work in us. Therefore we need to practice being God inside minded. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) We need to remind ourselves daily that we have God in us, and that He is there to build Christ into us, to build His Word in us, transforming us to be more like Him. If we simply accept His Word without prejudice, let it take root, be implanted, become a part of us, remembering that Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God's Word is living and powerful, then we will not struggle with who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us and be imitators of God. As believers apply faith to these realities, they will never again talk doubt, fear, unbelief, sickness, lack or failure. Grace be with you...
Monday, May 13, 2019
Pleasing the Father
Jesus said, "I always do the things that are pleasing to my Father." (John 8:28 ) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of
His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians
1:9) I can honestly say that there are many believers who truly crave living the kind of life that is always pleasing to our Heavenly Father. However, it does not come simply because it is a craving or desire. It comes with a cost. Although, in the Father's eyes, by being born again, we are pleasing to Him, still, in order to have a deeper walk with the Master, we must look to God's Word. There we find how to live a life that is pleasing to the Father in all that we do.
The Apostle Paul reveals things that the believer must do to have that deeper walk with the Lord. There is a "putting off and a putting on" by faith, the old sinful, fallen, demonic nature that we all had prior to our conversion in Christ. Paul tells us, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth…" (Colossians 3:5) "...and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." (Colossians 3:10) "...be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:23-24) Believers, by faith, are to put off the old man, and by virtue of being a new creation in Christ, we are to put on the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
We see, the new man was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Unfortunately, many believers are kept from coming to a true liberating sense of their new creation identity because they are fed a diet of sermons that promote guilt, condemnation, unworthiness and or inferiority rather than righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Not only this, but some believers continue to look at their past sins and or failures and then inflict themselves with the same. Paul exhorts us to, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:11) "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) "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)
We do these things through the Word of God. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16) Look what the Word of God is doing in the believe as we look to it. It is releasing God's wisdom, as well as teaching and admonishing us and most importantly, it also increases our faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
God has prepared every believer to walk in His will. His ability has been given to every believer. His strength is at our disposal. The good deeds that He would have us perform are within
the range of our ability, that is, the ability that He has given to us. "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who
is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the
power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (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) Let us allow the Word of God go to work in and through us renewing our mind and increasing our faith. The more we do, to more we will be living in this wonderful realm of grace pleasing the Father in all we do. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...
The Apostle Paul reveals things that the believer must do to have that deeper walk with the Lord. There is a "putting off and a putting on" by faith, the old sinful, fallen, demonic nature that we all had prior to our conversion in Christ. Paul tells us, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth…" (Colossians 3:5) "...and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." (Colossians 3:10) "...be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:23-24) Believers, by faith, are to put off the old man, and by virtue of being a new creation in Christ, we are to put on the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
We see, the new man was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Unfortunately, many believers are kept from coming to a true liberating sense of their new creation identity because they are fed a diet of sermons that promote guilt, condemnation, unworthiness and or inferiority rather than righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Not only this, but some believers continue to look at their past sins and or failures and then inflict themselves with the same. Paul exhorts us to, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:11) "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) "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)
We do these things through the Word of God. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16) Look what the Word of God is doing in the believe as we look to it. It is releasing God's wisdom, as well as teaching and admonishing us and most importantly, it also increases our faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
As our faith grows, believers who have struggled with the old nature will find that their recreated spirit will dispossess the old man with all the condemnation, guilt, inferiority as well as the arguments and thoughts that have permitted the condemnation, guilt, inferiority to have place. Look what our Father says concerning the believer, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) The New Living Translation says it this way, "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created
us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long
ago." (Ephesians 2:10)
Monday, May 6, 2019
The Hidden Man
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter describes the man’s spirit as “the inward man of the heart.” (1 Peter 3:4). It is the inward man who gives this outer man his appearance. Spiritual things are revealed to the "hidden man of the heart" not the mind, the intellect. The Holy Spirit makes His home in the "hidden man." It
is very important that we understand that it is our recreated spirit
that understands spiritual things, whereas it is our conscience that is
the voice speaking to our reasoning faculties. So when we read the words, in Him, in Whom, in Christ, it is God’s Word for us now.
Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) The branch is a part of the vine as the vine is a part of the branch. The two are one. This becomes a reality in us the moment we confess Christ as Lord and take Him as our Savior. We immediately receive eternal life, the Nature of the Father which makes us new creations. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ."
(2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Weymouth) and "This we recognize, that our former self was nailed to His cross with Him, so that that body which was the instrument of sin might be made impotent for evil, so that we could not any longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6 Ways Version)
Notice carefully that the part of us that was recreated, made new, was our spirit, which Peter calls "the hidden man of the heart" and Paul calls "the old man." This old man was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was not our physical body, not our soul, that is, the mind, will, emotions and intellect, our reasoning faculties, but our spirit. "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." (Colossians 3:9-10) When Christ was raised from the dead a "new man" was raised with Him. That new self is the recreated human spirit, the hidden man of the heart. Now the physical body, which is the home of the five senses, and the soul, must be brought into conformity with Christ, who is the Head of the Body. As it was with Adam, before the fall, the body and soul must become subject to our recreated spirit.
The Apostle Paul says it this way, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2) Let’s be honest, there is not much on going teaching on the subject in regard to devoting our bodies to God’s service and the necessity of a renewed mind. We need to understand that all the knowledge acquired prior to being born again comes from the five senses which are a part of the physical body and can never be renewed. They can be brought into subjection; they can be controlled, but they cannot be renewed. Our spirit is recreated, but the mind, our brain, receives its knowledge from the five senses, and can be brought into subjection to God’s Word. The mind slowly but surely as it feeds on the Word, meditates in the Word, practices and lives the Word, will eventually come into align with the recreated spirit.
Here in Romans 12:1-2 Paul is addressing what the believer must do concerning the two parts of our being, body and soul, that were not recreated when we became born again. The first thing is to bring our body, the five senses into subjection to the recreated human spirit. Next, renew our mind which is accomplished through the Word of God. Although a person becomes born again, he/she still possess the same mind and body that had been under the dominion of the devil. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10) There are only two families on earth and every person is part of one or the other. If one is not born again, they are a child and under the dominion of the devil.
This is the reason that it is so important for believers to daily present their bodies to God and to continuously renew the mind and bring them into harmony and subjection with the recreated spirit, the new self. This is also the reason why many believers struggle with “the weights and sin that so easily ensnare.” They do not know who they are in Christ, who Christ is in them and how the Father sees them, Why? Their minds are not being or have never been renewed. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For the Logos of God is a living thing, active and more cutting than any sword with double edge, penetrating to the very division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, scrutinizing the very thoughts and conceptions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
It may be difficult for your mind to assimilate this, that is, to allow the Word to utterly dominate, but that must come or else believers are going to live in a sort of semi-spiritual darkness. But the more the mind is renewed, the better we will come to know the will of the Father and eventually we will not be satisfied with good and the acceptable will of God, but only want the perfect and the well-pleasing will of the Father. To God be all the glory, Amen...
Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) The branch is a part of the vine as the vine is a part of the branch. The two are one. This becomes a reality in us the moment we confess Christ as Lord and take Him as our Savior. We immediately receive eternal life, the Nature of the Father which makes us new creations. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ."
(2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Weymouth) and "This we recognize, that our former self was nailed to His cross with Him, so that that body which was the instrument of sin might be made impotent for evil, so that we could not any longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6 Ways Version)
Notice carefully that the part of us that was recreated, made new, was our spirit, which Peter calls "the hidden man of the heart" and Paul calls "the old man." This old man was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was not our physical body, not our soul, that is, the mind, will, emotions and intellect, our reasoning faculties, but our spirit. "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." (Colossians 3:9-10) When Christ was raised from the dead a "new man" was raised with Him. That new self is the recreated human spirit, the hidden man of the heart. Now the physical body, which is the home of the five senses, and the soul, must be brought into conformity with Christ, who is the Head of the Body. As it was with Adam, before the fall, the body and soul must become subject to our recreated spirit.
The Apostle Paul says it this way, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2) Let’s be honest, there is not much on going teaching on the subject in regard to devoting our bodies to God’s service and the necessity of a renewed mind. We need to understand that all the knowledge acquired prior to being born again comes from the five senses which are a part of the physical body and can never be renewed. They can be brought into subjection; they can be controlled, but they cannot be renewed. Our spirit is recreated, but the mind, our brain, receives its knowledge from the five senses, and can be brought into subjection to God’s Word. The mind slowly but surely as it feeds on the Word, meditates in the Word, practices and lives the Word, will eventually come into align with the recreated spirit.
Here in Romans 12:1-2 Paul is addressing what the believer must do concerning the two parts of our being, body and soul, that were not recreated when we became born again. The first thing is to bring our body, the five senses into subjection to the recreated human spirit. Next, renew our mind which is accomplished through the Word of God. Although a person becomes born again, he/she still possess the same mind and body that had been under the dominion of the devil. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10) There are only two families on earth and every person is part of one or the other. If one is not born again, they are a child and under the dominion of the devil.
This is the reason that it is so important for believers to daily present their bodies to God and to continuously renew the mind and bring them into harmony and subjection with the recreated spirit, the new self. This is also the reason why many believers struggle with “the weights and sin that so easily ensnare.” They do not know who they are in Christ, who Christ is in them and how the Father sees them, Why? Their minds are not being or have never been renewed. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For the Logos of God is a living thing, active and more cutting than any sword with double edge, penetrating to the very division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, scrutinizing the very thoughts and conceptions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
It may be difficult for your mind to assimilate this, that is, to allow the Word to utterly dominate, but that must come or else believers are going to live in a sort of semi-spiritual darkness. But the more the mind is renewed, the better we will come to know the will of the Father and eventually we will not be satisfied with good and the acceptable will of God, but only want the perfect and the well-pleasing will of the Father. To God be all the glory, Amen...
Monday, April 29, 2019
Completely New
Becoming a New Creation in Christ is not the work of psychology, philosophy, theology or of any human ability. It is a work of God Himself. "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13) I labor this because most believers have been preached at for so many years that they are poor, miserable creatures that are unworthy and unfit to please God, because after all you are nothing more than a sinners saved by grace. It has created sin consciousness, a sense of unworthiness that has taken root to where God’s Word has little to no effect to transform the believer.
However, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) These things can only be believed when we look at God’s Word without prejudice and through a heart of faith. For example, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Hebrews 11:3) We believe this simply because God’s Word says it is so. We do not question it with any prejudice, but fully accept it, though we were not present during creation.
Think about this way, if you are born again, do you wake up every morning and question whether or not you are saved? No! Why not? Because one day, you responded to the Holy Spirit and God's Word that says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10) You have accepted this truth without prejudice, therefore you are saved. There is absolutely no difference when it comes to who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us. We simply accept these truths without prejudice because God’s Word says these things are so. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) "Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)
Our approach towards God’s Word should always be the Father speaking to us. It should never be like the message from an ordinary book. It should be as real to us as though the Lord is standing in the room speaking to us personally. The Word is filled with the very life of God. The writer of Hebrews records, "For the Logos of God is a living thing, active and more cutting than any sword with double edge, penetrating to the very division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, scrutinizing the very thoughts and conceptions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
Because God’s Word is a living thing, it feeds our recreated spirit and imparts faith to our recreated spirit also. To have faith in the Father and to have faith in Christ is to have faith in His Word. The Word has the authority of God in it then, now and forever. It has the Righteousness of God in it, it has the power to save the unsaved, heal the sick and feed our hungry spirit. Jesus said, "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) So, I want to admonish us as Paul did, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." (Colossians 3:16) Therefore, the more we apply faith to God's Word and act upon it, the more it will become real to us and the more freedom we will experience in Christ. "...man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3) So, let us feed on God's Word daily...
However, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) These things can only be believed when we look at God’s Word without prejudice and through a heart of faith. For example, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Hebrews 11:3) We believe this simply because God’s Word says it is so. We do not question it with any prejudice, but fully accept it, though we were not present during creation.
Think about this way, if you are born again, do you wake up every morning and question whether or not you are saved? No! Why not? Because one day, you responded to the Holy Spirit and God's Word that says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10) You have accepted this truth without prejudice, therefore you are saved. There is absolutely no difference when it comes to who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us. We simply accept these truths without prejudice because God’s Word says these things are so. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) "Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)
Our approach towards God’s Word should always be the Father speaking to us. It should never be like the message from an ordinary book. It should be as real to us as though the Lord is standing in the room speaking to us personally. The Word is filled with the very life of God. The writer of Hebrews records, "For the Logos of God is a living thing, active and more cutting than any sword with double edge, penetrating to the very division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, scrutinizing the very thoughts and conceptions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
Because God’s Word is a living thing, it feeds our recreated spirit and imparts faith to our recreated spirit also. To have faith in the Father and to have faith in Christ is to have faith in His Word. The Word has the authority of God in it then, now and forever. It has the Righteousness of God in it, it has the power to save the unsaved, heal the sick and feed our hungry spirit. Jesus said, "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) So, I want to admonish us as Paul did, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." (Colossians 3:16) Therefore, the more we apply faith to God's Word and act upon it, the more it will become real to us and the more freedom we will experience in Christ. "...man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3) So, let us feed on God's Word daily...
Monday, April 22, 2019
Never Forget
Though resurrection Sunday was celebrated yesterday, let us never forget the great price that our wonderful Savior paid to save humanity from the grips of the devil. Let's begin by turning to the four gospels, it is there we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that He would ever face. We see Him arrested, taken to the High Priest Caiaphas; insulted and struck; He is taken before Pilate, then Herod; He was mocked; see Him scourged, His back laid open, blood flowing, His flesh torn as the cruel blows fall mercilessly upon His bared back by the awful Roman lictor. His own clothes replaced with the mock garment of kingly authority; a mock crown of thorns pressed deep upon His brow; more mocking comes and His own clothes are placed roughly about Him, and He is started out for Golgotha, staggering beneath His own Cross. We see Him fal1under its weight, and Simon of Cyrene is compelled to bear it.
Weakened by the loss of blood from the merciless beating, He staggers blindly up the mountain side, surrounded by soldiers who encircle Him. He is laid roughly down upon the cross on His back, and the Roman soldiers with cruel hate drive the spikes into His hands and feet; then He is lifted up naked, and the Cross is dropped into a hole to support it. Jesus the Nazarene is crucified! We watch the mob as it surges backward and forward about the cross. We hear the chief priest's hurling their bitter taunts in the face of the suffering Son of God. We hear the mob in their bitter denunciation, led on by their priesthood. Such a horrific sight. It was not a sight for angels, or for men, but for demons only, and yet the worse was yet to come for the suffering Substitute.
Jesus, who is God the Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14) is now man's sin Substitute. He has taken Man's place. The whole human race is now represented in Him, as He hangs there under judgment on the accursed tree. (Galatians 3:13) God takes your sin and mine, yes, the sin of the whole world and places it upon Jesus until the sin of the world has entered into His very being. Jesus, nailed to the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, has become the outcast of heaven and earth. From the cross the Son of God cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me." (Matthew 27:46) Finally, the time had come when "Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last." (Mark 15:37) As mentioned before, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that he would ever face, it was finally here.
Not only was it the Father's plan for His sinless Son to die on the cross and His blood be shed for all humanity, but he was to go to hell itself to pay the full penalty of man's sin. God in His justice could not have acquitted humanity so that he could stand in His presence through eternity, until every charge against him had been wiped off the books. (Isaiah 43:25) Only then could man stand before God as clean and as free as though he had never sinned. God could not pardon man until an adequate sacrifice had been made. Jesus tells us, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) Peter quotes David the king, "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2:27) The story unfolds.
Peter tells us, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18) Notice that He was made alive in spirit. He would not have been made alive in spirit had not He died in spirit. As it was with Adam, so it was with Jesus. Jesus died in spirit on the cross, before He died in the flesh. Peter declares that Jesus not only died in the flesh, physically, but that He also died in spirit, spiritually, and therefore His resurrection was a double resurrection. He was made alive, first in spirit, and then in the flesh, His spirit being raised from the dead and re-united with His body. The Apostle Paul tells us, "He put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) Here is a picture of Christ in hell, with the whole host of demons attempting to keep Him there, but when the penalty of our sin had been paid in full, Satan had no power to hold Him.
Paul tells us, "Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25) The very moment the sin problem was settled, the moment Jesus
Christ was legally justified, was made alive in spirit once more, He cast off the hosts of demons, and became the Master of hell by taking from Satan the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:8) Jesus died as our sacrificial Lamb, but He rose as Lord, as Master of death, of hell and of the grave. The matchless, mighty Son of God had gone into the strong mans house, bound him and took his spoils. (Matthew 12:29) Jesus has taken from Satan all his authority, his dominion and now offers it to fallen man through His matchless name and grace. What does this mean to humanity?
It means that every person who turns from their sin, confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and takes Him as their Savior, stands legally acquitted in the presence of God, free and clear of all charges against them. It means that God is vindicated, He has taken advantage of no one. He can now save believers and judge the sinners for rejecting His way to freedom. It means that Satan is defeated, and man can be free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty, death and all the works of the devil. (Romans 8:37) It means that man is legally justified, declared righteous (Romans 5:1) and is an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17). It means that man, through faith in Christ receive the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2:25) It means that man can become a child of God and have all the privileges as sons and daughters. (John 1:12-13) It means that heaven is legally the home of God's children. (John 14:1-4)
So, let us look beyond "Resurrection Sunday" and live in the triumphant, abundant life that Jesus has given to us. "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Remember, we are no longer imprisoned or enslaved by the god of this world. So, let us never forget the cross, that is, what Jesus has done for us!!! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always....
Weakened by the loss of blood from the merciless beating, He staggers blindly up the mountain side, surrounded by soldiers who encircle Him. He is laid roughly down upon the cross on His back, and the Roman soldiers with cruel hate drive the spikes into His hands and feet; then He is lifted up naked, and the Cross is dropped into a hole to support it. Jesus the Nazarene is crucified! We watch the mob as it surges backward and forward about the cross. We hear the chief priest's hurling their bitter taunts in the face of the suffering Son of God. We hear the mob in their bitter denunciation, led on by their priesthood. Such a horrific sight. It was not a sight for angels, or for men, but for demons only, and yet the worse was yet to come for the suffering Substitute.
Jesus, who is God the Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14) is now man's sin Substitute. He has taken Man's place. The whole human race is now represented in Him, as He hangs there under judgment on the accursed tree. (Galatians 3:13) God takes your sin and mine, yes, the sin of the whole world and places it upon Jesus until the sin of the world has entered into His very being. Jesus, nailed to the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, has become the outcast of heaven and earth. From the cross the Son of God cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me." (Matthew 27:46) Finally, the time had come when "Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last." (Mark 15:37) As mentioned before, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that he would ever face, it was finally here.
Not only was it the Father's plan for His sinless Son to die on the cross and His blood be shed for all humanity, but he was to go to hell itself to pay the full penalty of man's sin. God in His justice could not have acquitted humanity so that he could stand in His presence through eternity, until every charge against him had been wiped off the books. (Isaiah 43:25) Only then could man stand before God as clean and as free as though he had never sinned. God could not pardon man until an adequate sacrifice had been made. Jesus tells us, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) Peter quotes David the king, "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2:27) The story unfolds.
Peter tells us, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18) Notice that He was made alive in spirit. He would not have been made alive in spirit had not He died in spirit. As it was with Adam, so it was with Jesus. Jesus died in spirit on the cross, before He died in the flesh. Peter declares that Jesus not only died in the flesh, physically, but that He also died in spirit, spiritually, and therefore His resurrection was a double resurrection. He was made alive, first in spirit, and then in the flesh, His spirit being raised from the dead and re-united with His body. The Apostle Paul tells us, "He put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) Here is a picture of Christ in hell, with the whole host of demons attempting to keep Him there, but when the penalty of our sin had been paid in full, Satan had no power to hold Him.
Paul tells us, "Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25) The very moment the sin problem was settled, the moment Jesus
Christ was legally justified, was made alive in spirit once more, He cast off the hosts of demons, and became the Master of hell by taking from Satan the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:8) Jesus died as our sacrificial Lamb, but He rose as Lord, as Master of death, of hell and of the grave. The matchless, mighty Son of God had gone into the strong mans house, bound him and took his spoils. (Matthew 12:29) Jesus has taken from Satan all his authority, his dominion and now offers it to fallen man through His matchless name and grace. What does this mean to humanity?
It means that every person who turns from their sin, confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and takes Him as their Savior, stands legally acquitted in the presence of God, free and clear of all charges against them. It means that God is vindicated, He has taken advantage of no one. He can now save believers and judge the sinners for rejecting His way to freedom. It means that Satan is defeated, and man can be free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty, death and all the works of the devil. (Romans 8:37) It means that man is legally justified, declared righteous (Romans 5:1) and is an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17). It means that man, through faith in Christ receive the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2:25) It means that man can become a child of God and have all the privileges as sons and daughters. (John 1:12-13) It means that heaven is legally the home of God's children. (John 14:1-4)
So, let us look beyond "Resurrection Sunday" and live in the triumphant, abundant life that Jesus has given to us. "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Remember, we are no longer imprisoned or enslaved by the god of this world. So, let us never forget the cross, that is, what Jesus has done for us!!! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always....
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