We concluded in the previous lessons that the earth was the reason for the creation of the universe. And, the reason for the earth and everything in it, was man. Why, then was man created? Some have stated that man was created to worship God. Others have said that God just needed servants, so He created man. It is true that we worship God, but that's not why man was created.
The angels worship God on a full-time basis and are servants of God, so why make man to do what's already being done and what's always been done? To understand the reason for man, we must understand the heart of God. If all of creation was made for man's benefit, then what is man to God? Why create all of the universe, the earth and everything God placed on the earth, if not for man? Without man being on the earth, everything here would have been created simply for the beasts and animals. Man was the inspiration for all of creation.
We now come to the part of God's creation that has been overlooked for a long time, which is the Father's heart. Ephesians 1:4-5 (Amplified) says, "Even as (in His love), He chose us (actually picked us out for Himself as His Own) in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated, and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love." Verse 5 goes on, "For He fore ordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His Own children through Christ Jesus, in accordance with the purpose of His will (because it pleased Him and was His kind intent)."
Before creating the entire universe with its heavens and earth, mankind was marked out for sonship in God's heart and dreams. Man was to hold the place as family in the Father God's love. Man was to be the answer to the Father's desire for family and children according to Romans 8:15-17 (Amplified) which says, "For (the Spirit) which you have received (is) not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption (the Spirit producing sonship) in (the bliss of) which we cry Abba (Father) Father!" Verses 16-17 says, "The Spirit Himself (thus) testifies together with out own spirit, (assuring us) that we are children of God. And if we are (His) children, then we are (His) heirs also; heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (sharing His inheritance with Him); only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory."
Many use Ephesians 1:4-5 as a doctrine for predestination for you future. Some have used this to say that your whole life was laid out in the very beginning. They believe that some persons were destined to be saved while others were predestined to be lost and that God planned it that way. This is a false teaching that relives man of ever having to believe in Christ at all. These false teachings would have you believe that if you are lost, then it was God's plan for you and if you are saved, then that's God's plan for you.
Why bother preaching the Word to anyone if God has predestined everyone's future? What happens if I don't want to be lost and called on the Name of the Lord to save me? If my number didn't come up, then would God deny me salvation? What this scripture is saying is that God had desired for man to be His children and family before He created the heavens and earth. When Adam fell into transgression, God lost His family. Satan became the spiritual father of man because of this transgression. The Father would never leave His children in bondage and would pay the highest cost (ransom) to bring them home.
Because we never saw the true reason for creation, we actually viewed man as a minor part of what God created. Our spirits were separated and alienated from God by Adam's sin. Because of this separation, we failed to see through our sense realm, that the Father longed for His children along with the joy having man in His Own Image created. God gave man the authority and dominion over creation, but we saw Him as a harsh, controlling and almost impossible to please God.
We invented sayings like, "You never know what God will do" because of a complete lack of understanding of our Father. We got stuck in the rut of unbelief and formulated prayers like, "Lord, if it be Thy will" because we didn't see His heart. Because we didn't see God's heart and understand His great love, we were quick to believe the worst about Him. He was blamed for everything from the death of innocent children to the hell and heartache of the world. We became so separated in our spiritual being that we only understood by religious acts and rituals.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Lesson 3 The Reason for Creation
People all over the world search for the reason and purpose for creation and life when God's Word opens the first chapter of Genesis with that reason and purpose. God has always revealed creation and the reason for creation. There are very few things left to know for those who believe the Word of God.
The reason for creation, is this earth that we live on. Everything in the universe was created to minister to and provide for this planet. When I look at pictures of earth that were taken from space, I am always awed by the power of God's Word. Hebrews 11:3 (Amplified) says, "By faith we understand that the worlds (during the successive ages) were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, So that what we see was not made out of things which are visible."
It's one thing to stand in my backyard at night and look up at the moon, but it's something else altogether, to look from space where my backyard is. When I look at the sky, I don't see any cables, pillars or foundations holding it in place. The Word of God alone keeps it in orbit like it should be.
For those who struggle with the truth of God's Word, there can be no understanding, according to Romans 1:19-20 (Amplified) which says, "For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God (Himself) has shown it to them for ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiwork). So (men) are without excuse (altogether without any defense or justification)."
As you struggle with the existence of God, you are confronted with the question of why and what you are and where you came from. In his dismissal of God, man has invented evolution, alien beings made us and the Big Bang theory as substitutes. Personally, all of these things require more faith to believe than God's Word does.
The reason for creation is this planet we live and the reason for this planet is man. All the things God put on this planet are to please and take care of man. When God had made and seen that "All things were pleasing to Him," then God said in Genesis 1:26 (Amplified), "Let Us (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our Image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth." Genesis 1:27 (Amplified) says, "So God created man in His Own Image, in the Image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Thus, we see that the reason for creation was the earth and the reason for the was was man. Man was the heart of the Father Who longed for and desired to have a family of children made in His likeness and Image. The Father walked in the Garden where He had placed His son Adam and fellowshipped with His new family. Genesis 3:8 (Amplified) says, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife his themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the Garden."
When Adam transgressed against the command of God in the Garden, he was instantly separated from God in his spirit and was at that time forced to live only by his five physical senses. God could no longer walk with His children in the Spirit like He had intended from the beginning. From that very day, God set in motion the plan of redemption to restore His family back to Him like He had always intended. Genesis 3:14-15 (Amplified) tells us, "And the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this; you are cursed above all (domestic) animals and above every (wild) living things of the field; upon your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust (and what it contains) all the days of your life." Verse 15 goes on, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He will bruise and tread your head under foot, and you will life in wait and bruise His heel."
After losing His family, God never ceased in His purpose of restoring His children to Him. Day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, He began speaking His plan of redemption into the world. He would have lost His man and his wife in the Garden, if God had only done it there. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, He could legally restore all that was lost in the Garden.
The reason for creation, is this earth that we live on. Everything in the universe was created to minister to and provide for this planet. When I look at pictures of earth that were taken from space, I am always awed by the power of God's Word. Hebrews 11:3 (Amplified) says, "By faith we understand that the worlds (during the successive ages) were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, So that what we see was not made out of things which are visible."
It's one thing to stand in my backyard at night and look up at the moon, but it's something else altogether, to look from space where my backyard is. When I look at the sky, I don't see any cables, pillars or foundations holding it in place. The Word of God alone keeps it in orbit like it should be.
For those who struggle with the truth of God's Word, there can be no understanding, according to Romans 1:19-20 (Amplified) which says, "For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God (Himself) has shown it to them for ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiwork). So (men) are without excuse (altogether without any defense or justification)."
As you struggle with the existence of God, you are confronted with the question of why and what you are and where you came from. In his dismissal of God, man has invented evolution, alien beings made us and the Big Bang theory as substitutes. Personally, all of these things require more faith to believe than God's Word does.
The reason for creation is this planet we live and the reason for this planet is man. All the things God put on this planet are to please and take care of man. When God had made and seen that "All things were pleasing to Him," then God said in Genesis 1:26 (Amplified), "Let Us (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our Image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth." Genesis 1:27 (Amplified) says, "So God created man in His Own Image, in the Image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Thus, we see that the reason for creation was the earth and the reason for the was was man. Man was the heart of the Father Who longed for and desired to have a family of children made in His likeness and Image. The Father walked in the Garden where He had placed His son Adam and fellowshipped with His new family. Genesis 3:8 (Amplified) says, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife his themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the Garden."
When Adam transgressed against the command of God in the Garden, he was instantly separated from God in his spirit and was at that time forced to live only by his five physical senses. God could no longer walk with His children in the Spirit like He had intended from the beginning. From that very day, God set in motion the plan of redemption to restore His family back to Him like He had always intended. Genesis 3:14-15 (Amplified) tells us, "And the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this; you are cursed above all (domestic) animals and above every (wild) living things of the field; upon your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust (and what it contains) all the days of your life." Verse 15 goes on, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He will bruise and tread your head under foot, and you will life in wait and bruise His heel."
After losing His family, God never ceased in His purpose of restoring His children to Him. Day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, He began speaking His plan of redemption into the world. He would have lost His man and his wife in the Garden, if God had only done it there. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, He could legally restore all that was lost in the Garden.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Lesson 2 The Reason for Creation
When we understand how man is the sole reason for creation, then it all seems to come together. Science and the study of the heavens, has revealed how everything in our universe is there to minister to the earth. Even science doesn't deny the fact that every planet, sun, moon or star in our universe has its influence upon on earth.
Our sun is approximately ninety-three million miles away, but it causes climatic conditions of light, heat, rain and winds that make this planet capable of sustaining life for humans, animals and plants. We even have our own protection by the transparent atmosphere around earth.
The ocean's tides are influenced by the heavenly bodies. We can predict the seasons of spring, summer, winter and fall by the signs of the planets. We can predict storm and frost and even heat waves months in advance by the position of the heavenly bodies. All of the planets and heavenly bodies were created to minister to the earth. In Genesis 1:14-19 (Amplified), we see the plan of creation which says, "And God said, let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be signs and tokens (of God's provident care) and (to mark) seasons, days, and years. And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light upon the earth. And it was so. And God made the two great lights-the greater light (the sun) to rule the day and the lesser light (the moon) to rule the night. He also made the stars." Verses 17-19 go on, "And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. To rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good (fitting, pleasant) and He approved it. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day."
For all of its searching, science hasn't found another planet in our known universe that does, or can, support life. Our planet is so small compared to all of the creation in our universe, which makes no sense if it weren't made so in order to provide for God's family. Our planets are a perfect timepiece. We use them to know exactly when each will pass another or to precisely predict when a comet will pass through the skies.
If it wasn't for man being on this earth, then all these things would be useless. Even the vegetation and waters which act as thermostats to control the earth's temperatures, would be meaningless if not for the sustaining of human life.
It takes more faith to believe in the Big Bang theory than it does creation. It's difficult to believe that an explosion in outer space by a great stroke of luck, happened to place our planet in such a perfect position. That theory still doesn't explain how all those things occurred without the orchestration from a creator.
Our little planet is so small that a thousand of them could fit and become lost in the sun, but is the epicenter and purpose of all creation. The Great Master Who designed all of the heavens, made all things to minister to the earth. Then He Himself set about ministering to His man that He placed in the midst of His masterpiece.
So, now we know that earth is the reason for creation and that man was the reason for earth. Genesis 1:1 shows us how God created everything and when He had perfected the heavens and the earth, He placed the greatest and highest of all His creations in the earth. God only rested from His work after He created man and set him in the center of all His creation. After God placed man in the midst of His creations, everything worked to provide for him.
Isaiah 45:18 (Amplified) says, "For thus says the Lord-Who created the heavens, God, Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited-I am the Lord and there is none like Me."
This scripture sums up the reason for the universe is for the earth and the reason for the earth is for man. Man has been scratching his head for thousands of years asking, "Why am I here?" "Where did I come from and what am I?" Even David pondered these questions in Psalm 8:4-6 (Amplified) saying, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of (earth born) man that You care for him? Yet You have made him but a little lower than God (or heavenly beings) and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; and have put all things under his feet."
Our sun is approximately ninety-three million miles away, but it causes climatic conditions of light, heat, rain and winds that make this planet capable of sustaining life for humans, animals and plants. We even have our own protection by the transparent atmosphere around earth.
The ocean's tides are influenced by the heavenly bodies. We can predict the seasons of spring, summer, winter and fall by the signs of the planets. We can predict storm and frost and even heat waves months in advance by the position of the heavenly bodies. All of the planets and heavenly bodies were created to minister to the earth. In Genesis 1:14-19 (Amplified), we see the plan of creation which says, "And God said, let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be signs and tokens (of God's provident care) and (to mark) seasons, days, and years. And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light upon the earth. And it was so. And God made the two great lights-the greater light (the sun) to rule the day and the lesser light (the moon) to rule the night. He also made the stars." Verses 17-19 go on, "And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth. To rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good (fitting, pleasant) and He approved it. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day."
For all of its searching, science hasn't found another planet in our known universe that does, or can, support life. Our planet is so small compared to all of the creation in our universe, which makes no sense if it weren't made so in order to provide for God's family. Our planets are a perfect timepiece. We use them to know exactly when each will pass another or to precisely predict when a comet will pass through the skies.
If it wasn't for man being on this earth, then all these things would be useless. Even the vegetation and waters which act as thermostats to control the earth's temperatures, would be meaningless if not for the sustaining of human life.
It takes more faith to believe in the Big Bang theory than it does creation. It's difficult to believe that an explosion in outer space by a great stroke of luck, happened to place our planet in such a perfect position. That theory still doesn't explain how all those things occurred without the orchestration from a creator.
Our little planet is so small that a thousand of them could fit and become lost in the sun, but is the epicenter and purpose of all creation. The Great Master Who designed all of the heavens, made all things to minister to the earth. Then He Himself set about ministering to His man that He placed in the midst of His masterpiece.
So, now we know that earth is the reason for creation and that man was the reason for earth. Genesis 1:1 shows us how God created everything and when He had perfected the heavens and the earth, He placed the greatest and highest of all His creations in the earth. God only rested from His work after He created man and set him in the center of all His creation. After God placed man in the midst of His creations, everything worked to provide for him.
Isaiah 45:18 (Amplified) says, "For thus says the Lord-Who created the heavens, God, Himself, Who formed the earth and made it, Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited-I am the Lord and there is none like Me."
This scripture sums up the reason for the universe is for the earth and the reason for the earth is for man. Man has been scratching his head for thousands of years asking, "Why am I here?" "Where did I come from and what am I?" Even David pondered these questions in Psalm 8:4-6 (Amplified) saying, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of (earth born) man that You care for him? Yet You have made him but a little lower than God (or heavenly beings) and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; and have put all things under his feet."
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Lesson 1 The Reason for Creation
For as long as man has been here, he has questioned about where creation came from and why was everything created. The world's greatest minds have struggled with this question for millions of years. Scientist and professors have sought answers to this question and have tried explaining it with evolution and the Big Bang theory.
This question should never arise with the child of God. Men questioning the spirit realm because they cannot see it, would be like a fish believing the entire world is underwater because they've never lived on land. We are made in the Image and likeness of our Heavenly Father, God, Who is a Spirit. The spirit realm should be as familiar to us as it was to Jesus.
The reason the earth and the vast universe was created was for man. If you omitted man from the equation, then there would be no need for the vast provisions earth provides. All of it's beauty and resources would be wasted on the animals of earth. Our Father created and prepared a place that would please His children, just like a couple expecting a baby would prepare a nursery with pleasing and necessary provisions for that child.
Man was never supposed to be separated from his Heavenly Father. Man's body was to be immortal and his spirit eternal. Sickness, disease and death were never part pf God's plan for His children. The disobedience and high treason that occurred in the Garden of Eden caused man to die in his spirit and be separated from the life coming from his connection to God, Who is our life. Jesus came to do away with that spiritual death and bring restoration to God's family.
If man hadn't died spiritually, then he would never died physically. Spiritual death came first and then the life of God was gone from man and his body began dying. It took satan 930 years to teach Adam to die. Adam had only known life until that time in the Garden. We're taught to die after only 85-90 years, today and simply accept that. All of the misery and heartbreak that death has wrought to humanity was never in the Father's plan Whose heart longed for a family.
Even today, as we pray, "Our Father," we still hold back from a Father and son/daughter relationship with God. It must greatly hurt the heart of God when He sees His children being afraid and distant from Him. We still stand afar off in the outer courts instead of in the throne room of His grace. Even after God gave His Own Son as a sacrifice for us, we feel unworthy and unclean in His presence. All that God did through Jesus still seems not to have been enough to cleanse our conscience from our guilt and shame. This keeps us away from the great heart of Love Who gave it all to gain us back.
The whole of creation was to be a blessing of love and a nursery for God's family. He left nothing undone in His quest for the things that would please us. If we dive to the deepest parts of the ocean, there are a wealth of unknown fish and creatures of great beauty to amaze us. God didn't simply crate one bird, but He make thousands of different birds to please every one of us. God didn't just make one type of dog, but He made hundreds of different breeds to please different persons. He made thousands of varieties of flowers for the pleasure of various persons.
All of creation was just to be a pleasant place for His family to live. God declared that "everything was very good" before He created man to live among it. Everything was to be subjected to God's man, including animals and birds and the fish of the sea. Jesus proved all of this to be true during His earthly walk. As the "Last Adam," Jesus was like the first Adam except Jesus didn't succumb to the tests and trials of the enemy. Jesus did all of what God's children were born to do in the beginning. He had dominion over the elements, the laws of physics, demon spirits, the laws of gravity and even then fish of the sea. Jesus made the fish fill Peter's nets until the boat nearly sank under the load.
This is how all of God's children were to walk and live in the abundance of His creation. This is the place that Jesus came to deliver back into our hands for the Father. Through Him we were to be reconciled back to son ship rights with our Father. We were made to be in right standing and righteous by our faith in His completed work,. All the authority given to Adam was restored back to us in Jesus. His Name is our power of authority to all His inheritance.
We keep waiting to go to heaven for these things to be regained again. In His death and resurrection, Jesus has already done everything needed to deliver us from the bondage of the first Adam and bring us back to be one as He and the Father are One. When Jesus said that, "It is finished" on the cross, He meant it. There is no more debt to be paid under the Law of sin and death.
.
This question should never arise with the child of God. Men questioning the spirit realm because they cannot see it, would be like a fish believing the entire world is underwater because they've never lived on land. We are made in the Image and likeness of our Heavenly Father, God, Who is a Spirit. The spirit realm should be as familiar to us as it was to Jesus.
The reason the earth and the vast universe was created was for man. If you omitted man from the equation, then there would be no need for the vast provisions earth provides. All of it's beauty and resources would be wasted on the animals of earth. Our Father created and prepared a place that would please His children, just like a couple expecting a baby would prepare a nursery with pleasing and necessary provisions for that child.
Man was never supposed to be separated from his Heavenly Father. Man's body was to be immortal and his spirit eternal. Sickness, disease and death were never part pf God's plan for His children. The disobedience and high treason that occurred in the Garden of Eden caused man to die in his spirit and be separated from the life coming from his connection to God, Who is our life. Jesus came to do away with that spiritual death and bring restoration to God's family.
If man hadn't died spiritually, then he would never died physically. Spiritual death came first and then the life of God was gone from man and his body began dying. It took satan 930 years to teach Adam to die. Adam had only known life until that time in the Garden. We're taught to die after only 85-90 years, today and simply accept that. All of the misery and heartbreak that death has wrought to humanity was never in the Father's plan Whose heart longed for a family.
Even today, as we pray, "Our Father," we still hold back from a Father and son/daughter relationship with God. It must greatly hurt the heart of God when He sees His children being afraid and distant from Him. We still stand afar off in the outer courts instead of in the throne room of His grace. Even after God gave His Own Son as a sacrifice for us, we feel unworthy and unclean in His presence. All that God did through Jesus still seems not to have been enough to cleanse our conscience from our guilt and shame. This keeps us away from the great heart of Love Who gave it all to gain us back.
The whole of creation was to be a blessing of love and a nursery for God's family. He left nothing undone in His quest for the things that would please us. If we dive to the deepest parts of the ocean, there are a wealth of unknown fish and creatures of great beauty to amaze us. God didn't simply crate one bird, but He make thousands of different birds to please every one of us. God didn't just make one type of dog, but He made hundreds of different breeds to please different persons. He made thousands of varieties of flowers for the pleasure of various persons.
All of creation was just to be a pleasant place for His family to live. God declared that "everything was very good" before He created man to live among it. Everything was to be subjected to God's man, including animals and birds and the fish of the sea. Jesus proved all of this to be true during His earthly walk. As the "Last Adam," Jesus was like the first Adam except Jesus didn't succumb to the tests and trials of the enemy. Jesus did all of what God's children were born to do in the beginning. He had dominion over the elements, the laws of physics, demon spirits, the laws of gravity and even then fish of the sea. Jesus made the fish fill Peter's nets until the boat nearly sank under the load.
This is how all of God's children were to walk and live in the abundance of His creation. This is the place that Jesus came to deliver back into our hands for the Father. Through Him we were to be reconciled back to son ship rights with our Father. We were made to be in right standing and righteous by our faith in His completed work,. All the authority given to Adam was restored back to us in Jesus. His Name is our power of authority to all His inheritance.
We keep waiting to go to heaven for these things to be regained again. In His death and resurrection, Jesus has already done everything needed to deliver us from the bondage of the first Adam and bring us back to be one as He and the Father are One. When Jesus said that, "It is finished" on the cross, He meant it. There is no more debt to be paid under the Law of sin and death.
.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Lesson 17 The Character of Christ
The character of Christ is the very personality of the Father and is spoken about in many scriptures like John 10:30 (Amplified) which says, "I and the Father are One." Hebrews 1:3 (Amplified) says, "He is the Sole expression of the glory of God (the Light Being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine) and He is the perfect imprint and very Image of (God's) nature,upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty Word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the Divine Majesty on High."
The Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 is the very nature of Jesus Who is the very Image of God's nature. When we make the same decision that Jesus made to listen to the Holy Spirit within us, we also will be able to reveal this nature of the Father. This doesn't mean that we can act any way we choose until God makes us act correctly because He will not. Only by yielding to His Spirit within us can we do what Jesus did and act like Jesus acted.
We can only produce the real character of Christ by yielding to and listening to the Holy Spirit. We've made some progress in not acting like we did before being saved through our own efforts. We inherently knew we should stop cussing and brawling and drinking. All these things should rightly be shut down in our lives, but did we stop them in order to become righteous before God or did we stop them because we have become righteous before God?
The first reason to stop these things is of the flesh and the other is of the Spirit. One is by Law and the other is by grace. One is to gain a place in Christ and the other is to receive your place in Christ. According to 2Corinthians 5:17-21 (Amplified), we have already been "declared righteous in Christ Jesus." And, now that we've been made righteous in Him, we simply allow His Holy Spirit to bring forth fruit of His righteousness.
Our old nature, the training and educating of our flesh and mind, must be renewed and brought into subjection by the Word and His Spirit. 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Amplified) says, "Every scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin; for correction of error and discipline in obedience (and) for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action) So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Most of us have never looked at the Word as a power to change, but a rule to live by. Without the Holy Spirit to bring about the power of change through the Word, it once again becomes Law to the hearer and a source of condemnation and shortcomings. Somehow, we fail to see what we are in Christ and struggle to become what He has already made us to be. As a result, we failed to produce the character of Christ in our lives.
Once we receive by faith what grace has already made us to be in Him, it becomes so much easier to walk in the Fruit of the Spirit. So long as we continue seeing ourselves as we were instead of who He made us to be, we cannot portray the character of Jesus. One of satan's most powerful tools against the child of God, is convincing us that we are still unworthy and unrighteous.
The character of Christ must come from within us and not from rules. As long as satan can convince you that you're unworthy and a sinner, how can you ever hope to conduct yourself in the joy and peace of Christ?
John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Peace I leave with you; My (Own) peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled)."
Jesus reveals to us in this scripture how we can walk in the Fruit (or character) of the Spirit. His peace is "the peace that passes all understanding" and is available to us by faith in Jesus' sacrifice. The only way of receiving this peace is by faith in His grace. It has nothing to do with who you were, but only who you are now. Only those who have been made righteous can walk in His character.
The Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 is the very nature of Jesus Who is the very Image of God's nature. When we make the same decision that Jesus made to listen to the Holy Spirit within us, we also will be able to reveal this nature of the Father. This doesn't mean that we can act any way we choose until God makes us act correctly because He will not. Only by yielding to His Spirit within us can we do what Jesus did and act like Jesus acted.
We can only produce the real character of Christ by yielding to and listening to the Holy Spirit. We've made some progress in not acting like we did before being saved through our own efforts. We inherently knew we should stop cussing and brawling and drinking. All these things should rightly be shut down in our lives, but did we stop them in order to become righteous before God or did we stop them because we have become righteous before God?
The first reason to stop these things is of the flesh and the other is of the Spirit. One is by Law and the other is by grace. One is to gain a place in Christ and the other is to receive your place in Christ. According to 2Corinthians 5:17-21 (Amplified), we have already been "declared righteous in Christ Jesus." And, now that we've been made righteous in Him, we simply allow His Holy Spirit to bring forth fruit of His righteousness.
Our old nature, the training and educating of our flesh and mind, must be renewed and brought into subjection by the Word and His Spirit. 2Timothy 3:16-17 (Amplified) says, "Every scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin; for correction of error and discipline in obedience (and) for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action) So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Most of us have never looked at the Word as a power to change, but a rule to live by. Without the Holy Spirit to bring about the power of change through the Word, it once again becomes Law to the hearer and a source of condemnation and shortcomings. Somehow, we fail to see what we are in Christ and struggle to become what He has already made us to be. As a result, we failed to produce the character of Christ in our lives.
Once we receive by faith what grace has already made us to be in Him, it becomes so much easier to walk in the Fruit of the Spirit. So long as we continue seeing ourselves as we were instead of who He made us to be, we cannot portray the character of Jesus. One of satan's most powerful tools against the child of God, is convincing us that we are still unworthy and unrighteous.
The character of Christ must come from within us and not from rules. As long as satan can convince you that you're unworthy and a sinner, how can you ever hope to conduct yourself in the joy and peace of Christ?
John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Peace I leave with you; My (Own) peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled)."
Jesus reveals to us in this scripture how we can walk in the Fruit (or character) of the Spirit. His peace is "the peace that passes all understanding" and is available to us by faith in Jesus' sacrifice. The only way of receiving this peace is by faith in His grace. It has nothing to do with who you were, but only who you are now. Only those who have been made righteous can walk in His character.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Lesson 16 The Character of Christ
Galatians 5:22-23 (Amplified) tells us, "But the Fruit of the (Holy) Spirit (the work which His presence within accomplishes) is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self control (self restraint, continence) against such things there is no law (that can bring a change)."
The Fruit of the Spirit, "the work which His presence within accomplishes," is producing the very character of Jesus the Christ within us. Apart from the Holy Spirit, we can never produce this character. We've tried to produce His character throughout the years through the actions of the flesh and the old, carnal man. Mostly, we've been only able to produce the same self-righteous spirit that was present in the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day and became critical, judgmental and condemning.
This isn't what we wished to produce, but it was all the flesh could do. The character of Christ can only be revealed to the world through us by our yielding to the Holy Spirit. This very thing keeps today's Church divided even now.
Paul spoke about this in 1Corinthians 1:11-13 (Amplified) saying, "For it has been made clear to me, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions and wranglings and factions among you." Verses 12-13 go on, "What I mean is this, that each one of you (either) says, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas (Peter), or I belong to Christ. Is Christ (the Messiah) divided into parts? Was Paul crucified on behalf of you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?"
We have local churches we attend and each has a pastor in them. We should have a local body in which to worship and learn, but not to party factions like Galatians 5:20 (Amplified) says, "Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies)."
The Body of Christ will only unify if she yields to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to live through us. Many of us differ in some of the things we believe from the Word, but different isn't always wrong...it's just different. If I believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues, then does that mean I'm not of the faith?
Or, if I don't believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the speaking of other tongues, then does that mean I'm not of the faith? When we believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and that He and He alone has cleansed us of our sin and iniquities, then doesn't this make us one body?
1Corinthians 3:10-15 (Amplified) says that, "According to the grace (the special endowment for my tasks) of God bestowed upon me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid (the) foundation, and now another (man) is building upon it. But let each (man) be careful how he builds upon it." Verses 12-13 go on, "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is (already) laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). But if anyone builds upon the foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw. The work of each (one) will become (plainly, openly) known (shown for what it is) For the day (of Christ) will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done." Verses 14-15 say, "If the work that any person has built on this foundation (any product of his efforts whatever) survives (this test) he will get his reward. But if any person's work is burned up (under the test) he will suffer the loss (of it all, losing his reward) though he himself will be saved, but only as (one who has passed) through fire."
We argue in the Church over such things as healing, tongues, prosperity, the gifts of the Spirit, the rapture of the Church and other items. Whatever we have built on the foundation (Jesus and Him Crucified) will be tested for truth. Even though some of our doctrines might be burned by trials, the foundation of Jesus Christ will stand firm.
In these last days, we will discover that some of what we teach and believe was wrong according to the real truth of God. The One thing that all Christians have in common is that we all believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Much of what we argue over will be dissolved as we yield to the Fruit and character of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit leads us, many of the things that have divided and separated us, don't matter anymore. We can all still rejoice in forgiveness and thanksgiving to Him Who died and rose again for us.
The Fruit of the Spirit, "the work which His presence within accomplishes," is producing the very character of Jesus the Christ within us. Apart from the Holy Spirit, we can never produce this character. We've tried to produce His character throughout the years through the actions of the flesh and the old, carnal man. Mostly, we've been only able to produce the same self-righteous spirit that was present in the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day and became critical, judgmental and condemning.
This isn't what we wished to produce, but it was all the flesh could do. The character of Christ can only be revealed to the world through us by our yielding to the Holy Spirit. This very thing keeps today's Church divided even now.
Paul spoke about this in 1Corinthians 1:11-13 (Amplified) saying, "For it has been made clear to me, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions and wranglings and factions among you." Verses 12-13 go on, "What I mean is this, that each one of you (either) says, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas (Peter), or I belong to Christ. Is Christ (the Messiah) divided into parts? Was Paul crucified on behalf of you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?"
We have local churches we attend and each has a pastor in them. We should have a local body in which to worship and learn, but not to party factions like Galatians 5:20 (Amplified) says, "Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies)."
The Body of Christ will only unify if she yields to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to live through us. Many of us differ in some of the things we believe from the Word, but different isn't always wrong...it's just different. If I believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues, then does that mean I'm not of the faith?
Or, if I don't believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the speaking of other tongues, then does that mean I'm not of the faith? When we believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and that He and He alone has cleansed us of our sin and iniquities, then doesn't this make us one body?
1Corinthians 3:10-15 (Amplified) says that, "According to the grace (the special endowment for my tasks) of God bestowed upon me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid (the) foundation, and now another (man) is building upon it. But let each (man) be careful how he builds upon it." Verses 12-13 go on, "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is (already) laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). But if anyone builds upon the foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw. The work of each (one) will become (plainly, openly) known (shown for what it is) For the day (of Christ) will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done." Verses 14-15 say, "If the work that any person has built on this foundation (any product of his efforts whatever) survives (this test) he will get his reward. But if any person's work is burned up (under the test) he will suffer the loss (of it all, losing his reward) though he himself will be saved, but only as (one who has passed) through fire."
We argue in the Church over such things as healing, tongues, prosperity, the gifts of the Spirit, the rapture of the Church and other items. Whatever we have built on the foundation (Jesus and Him Crucified) will be tested for truth. Even though some of our doctrines might be burned by trials, the foundation of Jesus Christ will stand firm.
In these last days, we will discover that some of what we teach and believe was wrong according to the real truth of God. The One thing that all Christians have in common is that we all believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Much of what we argue over will be dissolved as we yield to the Fruit and character of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit leads us, many of the things that have divided and separated us, don't matter anymore. We can all still rejoice in forgiveness and thanksgiving to Him Who died and rose again for us.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Lesson 15 The Character of Christ
Hebrews 4:9 (Amplified) tells us, "So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath rest reserved for the (true) people of God."
Previously, we learned how resting in the finished work of Jesus is what will bring forth the character of Christ in the Church. We won't succeed as long as we continue trying to make the Fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ produce by the works of the flesh. They are called the "Fruit of the Spirit" and not "the fruit of the flesh," for a reason.
Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
There are only two ways of dealing with things here on earth. Either you go by the way of the world or the way of the Word. These are the only options. If we go by the world's way, then we're still in the flesh or carnal thinking and if you go the Word's way, then we put away carnal thinking and are truly led by the Spirit.
Here's an example: we're called to "Love our enemies," but there's no way the carnal man can do this. This leads to our choosing to be led by the Spirit or led by the world or the carnal way of thinking. The carnal mind says that someone is your enemy and this proves you do not like that person and it's very easy to treat him like an enemy. The way of the Spirit is to react by the Word. You might ask, "If I treat him in love and I feel angry towards him, then doesn't that make me a hypocrite? The answer is, "No!" When you know how the Word says to treat your enemies and then still treat him poorly, then you are a hypocrite.
We are not called to be led or ruled by our emotions, but by the Holy Spirit. Carnal men are ruled by their emotions and sons of God are led by the Word. Many in today's Church are still ruled more by the carnal (soulish)man and mind than by the Spirit. This doesn't mean they aren't saved or they don't belong to God, but means they're not led by the Spirit.
We learn from Galatians 5:22-23 that we can only produce the Fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ by yielding to the Spirit. The character of Christ must come through the Holy Spirit working in your own spirit.
Man was obligated to walk this way under the Law, but because they didn't have the new birth and the Holy Spirit in their spirit (which was alive unto God), they couldn't produce the character of Christ in their lives.
When we're faced with a decision to act or react, we must make a choice whether to act according to the emotions of the soulish man or act according to the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus was faced with the very same decision, every day of His life. There were many times when Jesus could simply have reacted by His flesh and rained fire down on the people around Him. He said in John 5:30 (Amplified), "I am able to do nothing from Myself (independently, of My Own accord-but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders) even as I, I judge (decide as I am bidden to decide, As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision) And My judgment is right (just, righteous) because I do not seek or consult My Own will. (I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My Own aim, My Own purpose) but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me."
The Fruit of the Spirit is exactly that; it's the fruit that the Spirit bears in the life of the believer. We can only ever hope to walk in His character by completely surrendering to the Holy Spirit (God) and having Him dwell in us. Sometimes, we forget that Jesus was a Man. We've erroneously placed Him in a position where He had nothing to say about what He could do and not do. This is not true!
Just before going to the cross, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane saying, "If there is any other way." Then, Jesus made the decision to do His Father's will and not His Own. We're faced with the decision of doing our will and doing His will continuously. We might not wish to react to someone in love, then we decide to do His will and not our own. This is the character of Christ and the only way of producing this in our lives is by resting in His Spirit within us and allowing His character (not our own) to come forth by the Spirit.
Jesus is our example and we should walk in the meekness and humility of the Spirit flowing through Him during His trial and sentencing. Jesus is God and could easily have called down legions of angels to deliver him, but He didn't.
Previously, we learned how resting in the finished work of Jesus is what will bring forth the character of Christ in the Church. We won't succeed as long as we continue trying to make the Fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ produce by the works of the flesh. They are called the "Fruit of the Spirit" and not "the fruit of the flesh," for a reason.
Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
There are only two ways of dealing with things here on earth. Either you go by the way of the world or the way of the Word. These are the only options. If we go by the world's way, then we're still in the flesh or carnal thinking and if you go the Word's way, then we put away carnal thinking and are truly led by the Spirit.
Here's an example: we're called to "Love our enemies," but there's no way the carnal man can do this. This leads to our choosing to be led by the Spirit or led by the world or the carnal way of thinking. The carnal mind says that someone is your enemy and this proves you do not like that person and it's very easy to treat him like an enemy. The way of the Spirit is to react by the Word. You might ask, "If I treat him in love and I feel angry towards him, then doesn't that make me a hypocrite? The answer is, "No!" When you know how the Word says to treat your enemies and then still treat him poorly, then you are a hypocrite.
We are not called to be led or ruled by our emotions, but by the Holy Spirit. Carnal men are ruled by their emotions and sons of God are led by the Word. Many in today's Church are still ruled more by the carnal (soulish)man and mind than by the Spirit. This doesn't mean they aren't saved or they don't belong to God, but means they're not led by the Spirit.
We learn from Galatians 5:22-23 that we can only produce the Fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ by yielding to the Spirit. The character of Christ must come through the Holy Spirit working in your own spirit.
Man was obligated to walk this way under the Law, but because they didn't have the new birth and the Holy Spirit in their spirit (which was alive unto God), they couldn't produce the character of Christ in their lives.
When we're faced with a decision to act or react, we must make a choice whether to act according to the emotions of the soulish man or act according to the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus was faced with the very same decision, every day of His life. There were many times when Jesus could simply have reacted by His flesh and rained fire down on the people around Him. He said in John 5:30 (Amplified), "I am able to do nothing from Myself (independently, of My Own accord-but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders) even as I, I judge (decide as I am bidden to decide, As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision) And My judgment is right (just, righteous) because I do not seek or consult My Own will. (I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My Own aim, My Own purpose) but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me."
The Fruit of the Spirit is exactly that; it's the fruit that the Spirit bears in the life of the believer. We can only ever hope to walk in His character by completely surrendering to the Holy Spirit (God) and having Him dwell in us. Sometimes, we forget that Jesus was a Man. We've erroneously placed Him in a position where He had nothing to say about what He could do and not do. This is not true!
Just before going to the cross, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane saying, "If there is any other way." Then, Jesus made the decision to do His Father's will and not His Own. We're faced with the decision of doing our will and doing His will continuously. We might not wish to react to someone in love, then we decide to do His will and not our own. This is the character of Christ and the only way of producing this in our lives is by resting in His Spirit within us and allowing His character (not our own) to come forth by the Spirit.
Jesus is our example and we should walk in the meekness and humility of the Spirit flowing through Him during His trial and sentencing. Jesus is God and could easily have called down legions of angels to deliver him, but He didn't.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Lesson 14 The Character of Christ
Hebrews 4:9-11 (Amplified) says, "So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete sabbath-rest reserved for the (true) people of God; For he who has once entered (God's) rest also has ceased from (the weariness and pain) of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His Own. Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest (of God, to know and experience it for ourselves) that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience (into which those in the wilderness fell)."
This might seem like a strange scripture to use concerning the character of Christ. Truthfully, it's difficult to walk in the Fruit of the Spirit (the character of Christ) by your own works. The Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 is actually the very character of Christ and is impossible to produce by the works of the flesh. We continue trying to produce this fruit of character by our own efforts. It's true that we must exert discipline over our flesh by the Word, but we must learn to rest in God's rest for it to be manifest.
This "rest" that God speaks about is the grace we now have instead of the Law of the old covenant. Under the Law, the people had to try and manifest all the character traits by their own efforts and they failed. However, we now have the Holy Spirit living in us to produce from within and not from without.
As we learn to rest in the new covenant of grace, we find that the less we try manifesting it by works, the more is manifest by grace. God never intended for us to do things on our own. He, indeed, knew we could not do them on our own. The same qualities were demanded of the old covenant people, but without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the grace, they couldn't produce the character of Christ. We, however, are of a new covenant and a new Spirit.
Under Law, the people had the old sin nature and character of the dead flesh. Under the new covenant, we're to live our lives through Him and allow that character to produce from His very Own Spirit Who lives through us. We can never produce the love that the Word speaks of through the works of the flesh.
Part of this Fruit character is peace. How can we live in this peace that "passes all understanding" by the works of the flesh? The only possible way of producing this part of the Fruit or character of Christ, is to live in Him. John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Peace I leave with you; My (Own) peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you."
The only means of producing this peace or Fruit or character, is to receive it by faith in His covenant of grace and then rest in it. The harder we try to live in peace in this world, the more it evades us. The only way to have His peace is to live in Him and in His peace. This is a part of the character or Fruit of the Spirit that now lives in and through us.
If we don't enter into His rest or His grace, then we cannot bring forth this peace. Everything in this world is now screaming out fear, anger, resentment and trial. Only grace and entering into this grace or rest can produce this character in our lives. Without the Holy Spirit living in him, humanity can never produce this Fruit or character anymore than an apple tree can bring forth peaches. The root of the tree determines the fruit of the tree.
This isn't something we can simply manufacture in our lives. We must yield to His life within us. We've wanted to produce this fruit in our lives and to reveal Jesus to the world, but it hasn't been working very well for us. We've tried modifying our behavior by willpower and restraint, but mostly that's resulted in failure.
The rest of grace God speaks about in Hebrews 4 is nothing more than the realization that God has already completed everything needed to be completed. We are simply to rest in Him in order for the Fruit or character to begin producing. We are "still in the world, but we are not of the world." We can never expect the world to produce that which only the Holy Spirit can produce.
We learn to rest in His grace and love and then we see the old fruit, the anger of the old man, has been pruned away already. We don't need anger management classes when we rest in Him. The anger dies out because it's no longer being nourished. His goodness now overshadows the nature of the old flesh and our whole character becomes His character.
Just like we no longer yield to sin in our bodies, we no longer yield to any of the other habits of the flesh. We combat them the same way; by the Word and the teachings of grace. John 15:3 (Amplified) says, "You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the Word which I have given you (the teachings I have discussed with you)."
When we learn to read the Word by the Holy Spirit instead of religious doctrines, we will produce what grace has sown in our spirit. It's simply living through Him and allowing Him to live through us. Many Christians are still have clouded thinking about this subject due to religious teaching instead of Holy Spirit teaching. The Root that produces Christ in us is the Holy Spirit Himself. He alone has been given the task or ministry of producing the character of Christ in the Body of Christ. Only by listening and yielding to Him can we truly produce the Fruit of the very character of Christ and let the world see Him through us.
This might seem like a strange scripture to use concerning the character of Christ. Truthfully, it's difficult to walk in the Fruit of the Spirit (the character of Christ) by your own works. The Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 is actually the very character of Christ and is impossible to produce by the works of the flesh. We continue trying to produce this fruit of character by our own efforts. It's true that we must exert discipline over our flesh by the Word, but we must learn to rest in God's rest for it to be manifest.
This "rest" that God speaks about is the grace we now have instead of the Law of the old covenant. Under the Law, the people had to try and manifest all the character traits by their own efforts and they failed. However, we now have the Holy Spirit living in us to produce from within and not from without.
As we learn to rest in the new covenant of grace, we find that the less we try manifesting it by works, the more is manifest by grace. God never intended for us to do things on our own. He, indeed, knew we could not do them on our own. The same qualities were demanded of the old covenant people, but without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the grace, they couldn't produce the character of Christ. We, however, are of a new covenant and a new Spirit.
Under Law, the people had the old sin nature and character of the dead flesh. Under the new covenant, we're to live our lives through Him and allow that character to produce from His very Own Spirit Who lives through us. We can never produce the love that the Word speaks of through the works of the flesh.
Part of this Fruit character is peace. How can we live in this peace that "passes all understanding" by the works of the flesh? The only possible way of producing this part of the Fruit or character of Christ, is to live in Him. John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Peace I leave with you; My (Own) peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you."
The only means of producing this peace or Fruit or character, is to receive it by faith in His covenant of grace and then rest in it. The harder we try to live in peace in this world, the more it evades us. The only way to have His peace is to live in Him and in His peace. This is a part of the character or Fruit of the Spirit that now lives in and through us.
If we don't enter into His rest or His grace, then we cannot bring forth this peace. Everything in this world is now screaming out fear, anger, resentment and trial. Only grace and entering into this grace or rest can produce this character in our lives. Without the Holy Spirit living in him, humanity can never produce this Fruit or character anymore than an apple tree can bring forth peaches. The root of the tree determines the fruit of the tree.
This isn't something we can simply manufacture in our lives. We must yield to His life within us. We've wanted to produce this fruit in our lives and to reveal Jesus to the world, but it hasn't been working very well for us. We've tried modifying our behavior by willpower and restraint, but mostly that's resulted in failure.
The rest of grace God speaks about in Hebrews 4 is nothing more than the realization that God has already completed everything needed to be completed. We are simply to rest in Him in order for the Fruit or character to begin producing. We are "still in the world, but we are not of the world." We can never expect the world to produce that which only the Holy Spirit can produce.
We learn to rest in His grace and love and then we see the old fruit, the anger of the old man, has been pruned away already. We don't need anger management classes when we rest in Him. The anger dies out because it's no longer being nourished. His goodness now overshadows the nature of the old flesh and our whole character becomes His character.
Just like we no longer yield to sin in our bodies, we no longer yield to any of the other habits of the flesh. We combat them the same way; by the Word and the teachings of grace. John 15:3 (Amplified) says, "You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the Word which I have given you (the teachings I have discussed with you)."
When we learn to read the Word by the Holy Spirit instead of religious doctrines, we will produce what grace has sown in our spirit. It's simply living through Him and allowing Him to live through us. Many Christians are still have clouded thinking about this subject due to religious teaching instead of Holy Spirit teaching. The Root that produces Christ in us is the Holy Spirit Himself. He alone has been given the task or ministry of producing the character of Christ in the Body of Christ. Only by listening and yielding to Him can we truly produce the Fruit of the very character of Christ and let the world see Him through us.
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