John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
Hebrews 4:14-15 (Amplified) says, "Inasmuch then as we have a Great High Priest Who has already ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession of faith in Him. For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning."
While here in a flesh and blood Body, Jesus endured everything the enemy could use against Him, but He never yielded. We sometimes forget that Jesus was also the Son of man, as well as the Son of God. Jesus' Body was subject to physical tiredness, sickness, pain and all of the same things that plague us in our flesh today. Jesus had more chances to be discouraged, disappointed and frustrated, than any man before or since mankind existed.
Jesus is still walking this earth, in the same way today, in our flesh and blood bodies. Jesus still faces the same trials that He faced here as a Man, through us, the Church which is His Body. Instead of having only one flesh and blood Body, Jesus now lives and walks in over two billion bodies. The same Spirit that Jesus had then, is the same Spirit Who lives in every believer.
With the craziness, turmoil and confusion we're witnessing in today's world, it's easy to forget that Jesus is really "in us," just like He stated. It's can be difficult to recall and function in many of the things we "thought we knew," in times of trouble. It's not that God's Word doesn't work, but we get caught up in the worldly matters of life. Jesus never allowed the world to rattle Him. When He was approached and told about Lazarus, Jesus didn't rush to be at Lazarus' side. Jesus waited on the Spirit to direct Him.
We move by pressure from the outside, instead of direction from within. I received a call at six o'clock telling me that my cattle were out and near the road. As we rushed to drive them back in and mend the fence, I happened to think about other believers around the world, who were facing circumstances of life. The people in America's mid-west are being accosted by devastating floods, storms, tornadoes and destruction. I saw the deceit of the enemy, using these things to distract them from the work of the Kingdom.
It's not always easy to keep our minds "stayed on Him," especially in times of trouble. No matter what, though, we must act by the Spirit, instead of reacting to the trial. Instead of being pressured by the confinement of prison, Paul and Silas chose to act by the Spirit, singing until the jail fell apart. Paul didn't panic when a poisonous viper bit him, but he simply allowed the Holy Spirit to do His work, from within. We forget that the Same Spirit that held the flesh of Jesus from the things around, is the Very Same Spirit that is now living in us.
The Holy Spirit has provided everything we need here on earth, from within us. Proverbs 18:14 (Amplified) says, "The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?" We can become so caught up in the basics of life, that we fail to feed the spirit, keeping it strong by the Word and fellowship with God. Once the enemy weakens our spirit by pressure, then we give in to the surround things in life. We forget that Life comes from within and not only by the physical man. In these Last Days of the Church Age, satan has pulled out all stops. It can seem like, everything that can go wrong, will. Many have become so discouraged and are holding on, until Jesus comes. They have given up any thought of being victorious over the world and the enemy.
When we hear God's Word about healing or deliverance preached, we view it as "pie in the sky" doctrine and some even ridicule these Messages. We're in a battle that cannot be won by anything, other than the Word of God and the Spirit. This isn't the time for us to "hold-on." We need to advance and take back what has been held in captivity. There comes a time in every battle, when we get tired and need rest. Even Jesus had to take the time to stop and spend time with the Father. There was much for Jesus to do and only a certain amount of time for Him to do it, but He still had to come away and rest.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 (Amplified), "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and over burdened, and I will cause you to rest, I will ease and relive and refresh your souls." Spending time in God's Word and in His Presence, is never wasted time. The world will always tell you, "There's too much to do, to spend time with God!" We can't wait until we have time, we must make time. Don't try fitting God into your schedule, but build your schedule around Him.
The world is a frantic, busy place and we have many duties to perform in it. It's hard to keep our minds stayed on Him, like He directs us to do. This is the greatest weapon the enemy uses against us, while we're here on earth. Jesus didn't only send the Holy Spirit to be with us, but to direct us too. God intended the Holy Spirit to do than getting us born-again. God intended the Holy Spirit to do what He did in Jesus' Life on earth. Jesus told His followers in John 14:18 (Amplified), "I will not leave you as orphans, comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless, I will come back for you."
We weren't left here without the Father or the Holy Spirit or to get along the best we know how. We are sons and daughters of God and we have Him, to take care of us, like He Promised. We must always keep in mind, that God isn't the One bringing these things against us, but it's the enemy who is trying to separate us from the Father's help. We each have responsibilities in this life and our own manner of dealing with them. Some will chose to stay in the Wilderness, while others will choose to take the Land, like Joshua and Caleb did. Both are God's children, but not all will enter into the Rest that God Promised in Hebrews 4:11.
When I think that I have all the answers, it seems like the questions are changed. I've had to refresh myself in things I learned from the Lord, years ago. Some of the things I knew, I let slide over the years and had neglected things that I previously observed. I realized that some of the things happening in my life, happened because I had neglected what the Holy Spirit had taught me, years prior.
The total amount of information in the world is increasing. Knowledge doubles every 12 hours and is set to rise even faster. One thing I learned in Boot Camp is that basic training is something you never lose. We must hold onto the basic Truth of who we are and Who we serve. We can't forget who the enemy is and become double-minded in our walk with the Lord. The trials of this world aren't meant to strengthen you, but to destroy you. Don't allow the enemy to distract you from victory and deliverance. Stand on God's Word and hold fast your faith, in Him.
Friday, May 31, 2019
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Lesson 202 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
We all come into the family of God (the Body of Christ), on equal terms. None were given more and none were given less than others. Romans 8:17 (Amplified) says, "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." Most of us seem to focus on the last part of this scripture which says, "Only we must share His suffering if we are to share His Glory."
His suffering wasn't what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus did this for us, so that we might be reconciled back to the Father, through His Own suffering. Jesus did what no one else could do, which was to buy us back into the family of God. Don't mistake the suffering that Jesus did for us, thinking that we must suffer this, in order to stay in the family of God. God never birthed a family, to see how much pain and suffering it could endure. He did so, that He could have a companion and loving family for Himself. Satan has been lying to God's children from the beginning and today is no different. The enemy tries convincing the Church that, "God made a family, in order to provoke and torment them with all sorts of trials and testing."
As God's heirs and part of His family, we were to live, walk and enjoy His Own Presence in all of Eternity. This is where Jesus has delivered us back to, through His suffering and Resurrection. We've learned to live in this world only by the flesh and senses, and we have very little concept of the Spirit world that created us. Those around us have misunderstood that we're God's direct descendants, and because this seems so contrary to them, they reject us and turn away from us.
Jesus was reviled and rejected by many of the people who witnessed His earthly ministry, but we fail to see His heart of compassion for them. Jesus prayed in John 17:14 (Amplified), "I have given and delivered to them Your Word (Message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world (do not belong to the world), just as I am not of the world." The suffering that Jesus bore during His ministry on earth, was the rejection, insults and being put aside by the very ones He Loved and came to set free.
Don't think that because you're born of God and walk in Love, that everyone will love you. Everyone hasn't been commanded to love you, but you've been commanded to love them. If you don't think this will cause suffering in your life, then simply walk in love. Jesus was called, "Illegitimate." The people said He had a demon spirit and unclean devil. They ridiculed Jesus, because He didn't follow tradition. These were just some of the sufferings Jesus endured, in order to send forth a Message of Love to the people.
If the people treated Jesus that way, then do you think the enemy would allow you to be treated any other way? We seem to believe that everyone wants to hear what we have to say, but that's not so. Not everyone wishes to hear what you have to say about Jesus, anymore than they wanted to hear Jesus, during His earthly ministry. Many of those steeped in the traditions of men and religious bondage, will still fight for what they believe, even against the Truth.
Have you ever wondered why some of us receive different results, even though we've all been given the same standing with the Father when we were born-again and have all become joint heirs with Him? We've made up excuses like, "God doesn't do that for everyone," when we don't have our prayers answered. The Truth is, we have all received and have all been given the same amount of Blessing. The problem is that not all will accept what has been given. They hold onto what they already had, thinking it's better. You cannot inherit what God has given, without first turning loose of what you think is better.
It requires time and faith in God's Word, to learn how to let go of some of the things the Church has heard for two-thousand years and take hold of Truth. Trusting in God, the way His Word says to, doesn't come without spending time with Him. God tells us in Isaiah 55:8 (Amplified), "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways." This wasn't a statement of arrogance, but one of understanding. Learning His ways, requires time in His Word and listening to His Spirit.
The Spirit is the higher ways and is far more powerful than anything in our ways. His thoughts are much higher for us, than our own thoughts. We've been told to accept things on our own thoughts and ways, thinking this was "right." We've accepted the world's way of living and doing, believing that we'll receive the benefit of God after we die and leave this earth. God is still God, while we're here on this earth too, whether or not we realize it.
Jesus tried to teach those of the old covenant, who were set in their ways and traditions, that many of them rejected what He had to say. They witnessed the things Jesus did, but still would not believe. Many in today's Church, have become so dogmatic in tradition, that we refuse to change, even when it's revealed to our own eyes.
Did you ever wonder about the people God speaks so highly about, in Hebrews 11? These people went beyond man's idea of God and trusted Him beyond what everyone else had to say. Noah could have rejected what God said, like everyone else did, but Noah believed in faith and spent 120 years building the Ark. All the while, Noah preached Grace, for those who would believe, but none did. Joshua and Caleb could have gone along with the majority and died with the others. They are exalted in Hebrews 11 "Believer's Hall of Fame," because they had faith in what God said and suffered the reproach of being "fools" in the eyes of those around them.
If you're waiting for approval from the majority, before trusting God for deliverance, then you'll probably die in the Wilderness. There have always been a few, who will go on with God. Smith Wigglesworth was ridiculed by many and rejected by many more. Most of those people who fought him, were from the Church.
Are you willing to suffer like Jesus suffered, standing in the ridicule of others? Do you believe to yourself, what others have rejected? I preached a message called, "How far is too far," years ago. Ever since being born-again, others have called me, "too far out." Some told this former alcoholic, "Jim, you're going too far, by not drinking at all. You can be a Christian and still drink." This might be true for some, but it's not too bright for a former alcoholic to continue drinking. It seemed like, the further I went with God, the more I lost fellowship with others.
We are called to a place of walking, that not everyone will agree with. This doesn't mean that you're "more saved" than anyone else in Christ, but that you experience more understanding than some have. John 1:16 tells us that, 'We have all received." Just because it's ours, doesn't mean we're walking in all of our inheritance. Most of what we've received, isn't for Heaven, but for here. Healing, deliverance, peace, and many other Spiritual Gifts we've received, are for here. We won't need them in Heaven. If we don't use them in this life, then we're turning down the inheritance and not enjoying what Jesus left us, in His Last Will and Testament.
We all come into the family of God (the Body of Christ), on equal terms. None were given more and none were given less than others. Romans 8:17 (Amplified) says, "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." Most of us seem to focus on the last part of this scripture which says, "Only we must share His suffering if we are to share His Glory."
His suffering wasn't what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus did this for us, so that we might be reconciled back to the Father, through His Own suffering. Jesus did what no one else could do, which was to buy us back into the family of God. Don't mistake the suffering that Jesus did for us, thinking that we must suffer this, in order to stay in the family of God. God never birthed a family, to see how much pain and suffering it could endure. He did so, that He could have a companion and loving family for Himself. Satan has been lying to God's children from the beginning and today is no different. The enemy tries convincing the Church that, "God made a family, in order to provoke and torment them with all sorts of trials and testing."
As God's heirs and part of His family, we were to live, walk and enjoy His Own Presence in all of Eternity. This is where Jesus has delivered us back to, through His suffering and Resurrection. We've learned to live in this world only by the flesh and senses, and we have very little concept of the Spirit world that created us. Those around us have misunderstood that we're God's direct descendants, and because this seems so contrary to them, they reject us and turn away from us.
Jesus was reviled and rejected by many of the people who witnessed His earthly ministry, but we fail to see His heart of compassion for them. Jesus prayed in John 17:14 (Amplified), "I have given and delivered to them Your Word (Message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world (do not belong to the world), just as I am not of the world." The suffering that Jesus bore during His ministry on earth, was the rejection, insults and being put aside by the very ones He Loved and came to set free.
Don't think that because you're born of God and walk in Love, that everyone will love you. Everyone hasn't been commanded to love you, but you've been commanded to love them. If you don't think this will cause suffering in your life, then simply walk in love. Jesus was called, "Illegitimate." The people said He had a demon spirit and unclean devil. They ridiculed Jesus, because He didn't follow tradition. These were just some of the sufferings Jesus endured, in order to send forth a Message of Love to the people.
If the people treated Jesus that way, then do you think the enemy would allow you to be treated any other way? We seem to believe that everyone wants to hear what we have to say, but that's not so. Not everyone wishes to hear what you have to say about Jesus, anymore than they wanted to hear Jesus, during His earthly ministry. Many of those steeped in the traditions of men and religious bondage, will still fight for what they believe, even against the Truth.
Have you ever wondered why some of us receive different results, even though we've all been given the same standing with the Father when we were born-again and have all become joint heirs with Him? We've made up excuses like, "God doesn't do that for everyone," when we don't have our prayers answered. The Truth is, we have all received and have all been given the same amount of Blessing. The problem is that not all will accept what has been given. They hold onto what they already had, thinking it's better. You cannot inherit what God has given, without first turning loose of what you think is better.
It requires time and faith in God's Word, to learn how to let go of some of the things the Church has heard for two-thousand years and take hold of Truth. Trusting in God, the way His Word says to, doesn't come without spending time with Him. God tells us in Isaiah 55:8 (Amplified), "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways." This wasn't a statement of arrogance, but one of understanding. Learning His ways, requires time in His Word and listening to His Spirit.
The Spirit is the higher ways and is far more powerful than anything in our ways. His thoughts are much higher for us, than our own thoughts. We've been told to accept things on our own thoughts and ways, thinking this was "right." We've accepted the world's way of living and doing, believing that we'll receive the benefit of God after we die and leave this earth. God is still God, while we're here on this earth too, whether or not we realize it.
Jesus tried to teach those of the old covenant, who were set in their ways and traditions, that many of them rejected what He had to say. They witnessed the things Jesus did, but still would not believe. Many in today's Church, have become so dogmatic in tradition, that we refuse to change, even when it's revealed to our own eyes.
Did you ever wonder about the people God speaks so highly about, in Hebrews 11? These people went beyond man's idea of God and trusted Him beyond what everyone else had to say. Noah could have rejected what God said, like everyone else did, but Noah believed in faith and spent 120 years building the Ark. All the while, Noah preached Grace, for those who would believe, but none did. Joshua and Caleb could have gone along with the majority and died with the others. They are exalted in Hebrews 11 "Believer's Hall of Fame," because they had faith in what God said and suffered the reproach of being "fools" in the eyes of those around them.
If you're waiting for approval from the majority, before trusting God for deliverance, then you'll probably die in the Wilderness. There have always been a few, who will go on with God. Smith Wigglesworth was ridiculed by many and rejected by many more. Most of those people who fought him, were from the Church.
Are you willing to suffer like Jesus suffered, standing in the ridicule of others? Do you believe to yourself, what others have rejected? I preached a message called, "How far is too far," years ago. Ever since being born-again, others have called me, "too far out." Some told this former alcoholic, "Jim, you're going too far, by not drinking at all. You can be a Christian and still drink." This might be true for some, but it's not too bright for a former alcoholic to continue drinking. It seemed like, the further I went with God, the more I lost fellowship with others.
We are called to a place of walking, that not everyone will agree with. This doesn't mean that you're "more saved" than anyone else in Christ, but that you experience more understanding than some have. John 1:16 tells us that, 'We have all received." Just because it's ours, doesn't mean we're walking in all of our inheritance. Most of what we've received, isn't for Heaven, but for here. Healing, deliverance, peace, and many other Spiritual Gifts we've received, are for here. We won't need them in Heaven. If we don't use them in this life, then we're turning down the inheritance and not enjoying what Jesus left us, in His Last Will and Testament.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Lesson 201 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
We celebrated Memorial Day this weekend, remembering all those who have served and died for our liberty and freedom. Today, let's remember the One Who should be remembered above all else, Jesus. Romans 8:2 (Amplified) says, "For the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus (the Law of our new being); has freed me from the Law of Sin and of Death."
This country has been at war with someone else, since we became a nation. The devil has targeted Israel ever since God chose them and so too, has targeted America because we chose God. This nation was founded by men and women who loved God and were a Land, where they could worship and served Him in liberty. This liberty has been confronted by many nations and people, over the years, claiming the lives of many of our brave men and women who defended it. We sometimes forget how precious our liberty is here in our nation and in our Christianity. The harder it is pressed, the more valuable it becomes. We don't seem to really appreciate what we have, until it is threatened.
God founded and raised this nation over two-hundred years ago and it was settled by only a handful of people who loved God. When these Christian people cut a covenant with God over this new world, it became a target the enemy sought to destroy, because God called it "His Own." To this day, it has fought and held against one war after another and has, by God's Grace, held.
The real danger of losing our liberty, happens when we forget those who fought and those who died for that liberty. It happens when people forget what happens to a nation without God. Our true liberty is in Him. When we allow Christianity to become just another religion, we've lost sight of liberty altogether. Communism and socialism are man's idea of living without God. Failure and evil always happen, when man believes he/she can survive without God.
Let's remember with gratitude and thanks, the men and women who fight or fought for our liberty. Let's remember to be thankful for those who pray and let's be someone who does pray, for our continued liberty. The Blessing that's on our nation, depends on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to guide it. Please, repent and pray for our nation.
We celebrated Memorial Day this weekend, remembering all those who have served and died for our liberty and freedom. Today, let's remember the One Who should be remembered above all else, Jesus. Romans 8:2 (Amplified) says, "For the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus (the Law of our new being); has freed me from the Law of Sin and of Death."
This country has been at war with someone else, since we became a nation. The devil has targeted Israel ever since God chose them and so too, has targeted America because we chose God. This nation was founded by men and women who loved God and were a Land, where they could worship and served Him in liberty. This liberty has been confronted by many nations and people, over the years, claiming the lives of many of our brave men and women who defended it. We sometimes forget how precious our liberty is here in our nation and in our Christianity. The harder it is pressed, the more valuable it becomes. We don't seem to really appreciate what we have, until it is threatened.
God founded and raised this nation over two-hundred years ago and it was settled by only a handful of people who loved God. When these Christian people cut a covenant with God over this new world, it became a target the enemy sought to destroy, because God called it "His Own." To this day, it has fought and held against one war after another and has, by God's Grace, held.
The real danger of losing our liberty, happens when we forget those who fought and those who died for that liberty. It happens when people forget what happens to a nation without God. Our true liberty is in Him. When we allow Christianity to become just another religion, we've lost sight of liberty altogether. Communism and socialism are man's idea of living without God. Failure and evil always happen, when man believes he/she can survive without God.
Let's remember with gratitude and thanks, the men and women who fight or fought for our liberty. Let's remember to be thankful for those who pray and let's be someone who does pray, for our continued liberty. The Blessing that's on our nation, depends on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to guide it. Please, repent and pray for our nation.
Friday, May 24, 2019
Lesson 200 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
Galatians 3:14,15-16 (Amplified) says, "To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, if even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed). Now the Promises (covenants, agreements), were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, His heirs). He, God, does not say, and to his seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to One Individual, Who is none other than Christ (the Messiah)."
Now, let's read the previous Verse 14, which says, "To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit." We must not limit this Promise of the Holy Spirit, to speaking in other tongues and the Gifts of the Spirit, found in 1Corinthians 12. The Promise of the Holy Spirit was and still is, the very indwelling of God once again in His people and His Love and Blessing that was pronounced on Adam, from the beginning.
No one works for an inheritance, but only needs to receive it from someone who did work for it. Jesus did all the work for us, in order to bring us back into the place of inheritance. As the Last Adam, Jesus qualified us for this Promise, by His Own payment for us. Through Him, we are now once again God's children and heirs, according to Promise. Romans 8:16-17 (Amplified) says, "The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are God's children. And if 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."
Paul writes in Romans 4:16 (Amplified), "Therefore, inheriting the Promise is the outcome of faith, and depends entirely on faith in order that it might be given as an act of Grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is thus the father of us all."
When we don't understand the Father's Love for us and how it's so Great that He gave His Son to die for us, then we feel like we must to earn His Gift of inheritance. This inheritance is the same Blessing that was on Adam, at the beginning. Adam lost his inheritance, because of his transgression in the Garden. Only those who were under the Law could qualify for the inheritance, by adhering to rituals set for by God. We couldn't qualify, because we were Gentiles, outsiders and strangers from the covenant. The Blessing never worked to it's fullness in the old covenant, because "all had sinned and came short of the Glory of God." Romans 3:23 (Amplified) says, "But now, through Jesus, All are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His Grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the Redemption which is provided in Christ Jesus."
Jesus has already qualified us, by His Own Sacrifice and Blood and when we received Him, we received the Promise by faith. Now we must understand that we only have to accept it by faith and not by works of the Law. Jesus' Last Will and Testament has always been valid for us, but our immaturity hasn't allowed us to accept it. Galatians 4:1-2 (Amplified) says, "Now what I mean is that as long as the inheritor (heir) is a child and underage, he does not differ from a slave, although he is the master of all the estate. But he is under guardians and administrators or trustees until the date fixed by his father."
Our Heavenly Father can only release the fullness of the Promise, as we grow into maturity and are able to use it. John 3:34 (Amplified) says, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks to Words of God (proclaims God's Own Message), God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit." Could it be that, God can't open all of His Promise of His Spirit to us, because we are still little children and don't really know how to talk to Him? If we could only say to the storm, "Peace, be still," then would we use the authority of speech for the Kingdom or would we destroy ourselves by the Words we speak in error?
Only Love can keep us from destroying ourselves and those around us, if He gave us His Spirit without measure. We still speak more of the Curse, instead of the Blessing, in our own lives, because we don't understand the power of words. We're still under the administrators and guardians and trustees, who dole out our Promise as they see fit. They hold back the fullness of the inheritance, unto we grow up and become responsible enough to handle the fullness of the Promise.
We're still fighting between the two covenants and don't understand who we've become in Christ Jesus yet. We keep doing the same things we've always done and expect to reap different results. Galatians 6:8 (Amplified) says, "For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality), will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap Eternal Life."
The Kingdom Principal of Sowing and Reaping is still relevant and pertinent to us today. If some don't believe in this principal, then that doesn't change it. We're like the child, who even though he's master of the estate, he is under the administrators, tutors and guardians. Grace has stopped us from destroying ourselves, by the words we have spoken over ourselves and our families. God's Grace has prevented our loosing every sickness and disease under the Curse, upon ourselves. Many still believe, "God put these things on me, in order to teach me something," while simultaneously proclaiming that "Jesus redeemed us from the Curse of the Law." This attitude of double-mindedness is still childlike and immature.
Galatians 3:14,15-16 (Amplified) says, "To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, if even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed). Now the Promises (covenants, agreements), were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, His heirs). He, God, does not say, and to his seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to One Individual, Who is none other than Christ (the Messiah)."
Now, let's read the previous Verse 14, which says, "To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit." We must not limit this Promise of the Holy Spirit, to speaking in other tongues and the Gifts of the Spirit, found in 1Corinthians 12. The Promise of the Holy Spirit was and still is, the very indwelling of God once again in His people and His Love and Blessing that was pronounced on Adam, from the beginning.
No one works for an inheritance, but only needs to receive it from someone who did work for it. Jesus did all the work for us, in order to bring us back into the place of inheritance. As the Last Adam, Jesus qualified us for this Promise, by His Own payment for us. Through Him, we are now once again God's children and heirs, according to Promise. Romans 8:16-17 (Amplified) says, "The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are God's children. And if 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."
Paul writes in Romans 4:16 (Amplified), "Therefore, inheriting the Promise is the outcome of faith, and depends entirely on faith in order that it might be given as an act of Grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is thus the father of us all."
When we don't understand the Father's Love for us and how it's so Great that He gave His Son to die for us, then we feel like we must to earn His Gift of inheritance. This inheritance is the same Blessing that was on Adam, at the beginning. Adam lost his inheritance, because of his transgression in the Garden. Only those who were under the Law could qualify for the inheritance, by adhering to rituals set for by God. We couldn't qualify, because we were Gentiles, outsiders and strangers from the covenant. The Blessing never worked to it's fullness in the old covenant, because "all had sinned and came short of the Glory of God." Romans 3:23 (Amplified) says, "But now, through Jesus, All are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His Grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the Redemption which is provided in Christ Jesus."
Jesus has already qualified us, by His Own Sacrifice and Blood and when we received Him, we received the Promise by faith. Now we must understand that we only have to accept it by faith and not by works of the Law. Jesus' Last Will and Testament has always been valid for us, but our immaturity hasn't allowed us to accept it. Galatians 4:1-2 (Amplified) says, "Now what I mean is that as long as the inheritor (heir) is a child and underage, he does not differ from a slave, although he is the master of all the estate. But he is under guardians and administrators or trustees until the date fixed by his father."
Our Heavenly Father can only release the fullness of the Promise, as we grow into maturity and are able to use it. John 3:34 (Amplified) says, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks to Words of God (proclaims God's Own Message), God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit." Could it be that, God can't open all of His Promise of His Spirit to us, because we are still little children and don't really know how to talk to Him? If we could only say to the storm, "Peace, be still," then would we use the authority of speech for the Kingdom or would we destroy ourselves by the Words we speak in error?
Only Love can keep us from destroying ourselves and those around us, if He gave us His Spirit without measure. We still speak more of the Curse, instead of the Blessing, in our own lives, because we don't understand the power of words. We're still under the administrators and guardians and trustees, who dole out our Promise as they see fit. They hold back the fullness of the inheritance, unto we grow up and become responsible enough to handle the fullness of the Promise.
We're still fighting between the two covenants and don't understand who we've become in Christ Jesus yet. We keep doing the same things we've always done and expect to reap different results. Galatians 6:8 (Amplified) says, "For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality), will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap Eternal Life."
The Kingdom Principal of Sowing and Reaping is still relevant and pertinent to us today. If some don't believe in this principal, then that doesn't change it. We're like the child, who even though he's master of the estate, he is under the administrators, tutors and guardians. Grace has stopped us from destroying ourselves, by the words we have spoken over ourselves and our families. God's Grace has prevented our loosing every sickness and disease under the Curse, upon ourselves. Many still believe, "God put these things on me, in order to teach me something," while simultaneously proclaiming that "Jesus redeemed us from the Curse of the Law." This attitude of double-mindedness is still childlike and immature.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Lesson 199 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) tells us, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
Before being saved and born-again, most of us thought God was stern, wrathful and nearly impossible to please. I encountered many strict and hard Christians, while growing up. As I came into my own relationship with Jesus, I found that the images of God I witnessed from those people, came from man's idea of God. I learned that their concepts about God, were not true at all.
I've found that walking with the Lord, is the easiest thing I've ever done in my life. God teaches me by His gentle Voice and hand. He is patient in training me up in Wisdom, He is understanding when I make mistakes and He is pleased with my progress, as I grow in Him. The hard and angry God that I was afraid of during my childhood, has been replaced with a Loving Father, Who will take all the time it's required, to bring me into faith.
It's nearly impossible to have faith in someone or something, that you cannot trust. Many believers have never known what God's will is for anything in their lives or don't "know what God might do." It's impossible for them to try and please Him, because they don't know what He wants or what God expects of them. They believe that everything that happens in their lives, whether it's good or bad, it's God's will. Things happening in the lives of Christians today, doesn't seem to differ much from those non-Christian people.
We don't cuss, drink alcohol or do many of the outside things we did before being saved, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be much difference in our lives, from those of the world. The Church has the traditions and rituals of how to dress, when to worship and other such things, but we don't live life with joy and gladness. Some denominations even limit their children from playing school sports or attend such school functions as Homecoming.
I couldn't understand these strict rules I witnessed some strict Christians adhered to, when I was growing up. The Super-natural flow of God was sadly lacking in the lives of these people and the people seemed to be sad and withdrawn. After I was born-again and had my own relationship with the Father, I found that these people were missing out on God's great Love. And, I found why their faith for the joy, Super-natural and excitement was lacking in so many of their lives. Galatians 5:6 (Amplified) says, "For if we are in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through Love." When you don't know or understand God's Love for you, then you don't really trust Him, what He expects of you or what He wants to do for you. It's nearly impossible to love someone, you don't know or trust.
1John 4:18 (Amplified) says, "There is no fear in Love (dread does not exist), but full, complete, perfect Love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of Love (is not yet grown into Love's complete perfection)." If you're constantly awaiting and expecting God to punish you for wrongdoings, then you don't understand God's full-grown Love for you and you're still walking in fear. When we don't understand God's Love, then our faith in Him doesn't work at it's full potential, because FAITH WORKS BY LOVE.
Like all fathers, our Heavenly Father knows that children make mistakes, while growing up and maturing. This isn't an excuse for deliberately sinning, but it's the covering of growing up in Him, as we learn. We'll make so many mistakes while growing in our walk with the Lord, that it requires much Love to cover us. 1Peter 4:8 (NIV) says, "Love covers a multitude of sin." Love gently picks up and supports a child who falls, while learning to walk. And, love helps that children, until he/she is able to walk.
We can count on our parent's love to help us, while we're learning to read, write, dress ourselves and do the many things we now take for granted. How much more can we count on God's Love to bring us to the mature child of God? I'm not writing about deliberately being rebellious and sinning, but about the ignorant sin of not knowing, while we're growing. When I came to understand God's love and how much He helps in my becoming a mature Christian, my faith in Him grew stronger. Remember, Faith works by Love. The more I know His Love for me, the stronger my faith in Him becomes.
If we put our faith in man's way of doing and being right, instead of God's way of doing and being right, then we've returned to the bondage of Law and have no excuse for failing. If I walk in love, then I know God will guide me and take care of me, until I'm complete in Him. My faith is in Him and His Love to cover me, as I grow. This is where all the condemnation came in by the Law. Man had no way to walk in his own ability to be complete. Jesus was the only Man Who ever perfectly complete the Law, because the Law pointed out man's failure and left him without the ability to please a Holy God. Our faith is in His Love and not in our own ability. Our faith works through our understanding His Love for us.
God will convict and guide us, by His Word and His Spirit, bringing us into what He created us to be, in Jesus. We don't have to try and make ourselves righteous, because I trust in His Love for me, in Jesus. He Himself has made me the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and my faith is in that Love. God Loves me enough that He made Jesus my Justification and my faith is in that Love. I am growing into what God's Love has already made me to be. I can trust in Him, without fear of punishment, as I grow. Love does that and faith responds to Love.
The more you understand God's Love, the more your faith will grow and excel in what He has already done. As I learn to walk in His Promises, Love will guide me through and faith accepts what Love has already done. I trust in His Love and my faith simply grows in Him. After awhile, I don't try doing what He has already done, but faith lives in His Love for me. I go from faith to faith and Love guides me through from one degree of faith to another. God has never failed me, so I trust Him in all things. The Father's Love has been shed abroad in my heart, by the Holy Spirit. It lives and walks in me and guides me into all Truth. When I know Him, I know Truth and Truth keeps me free.
Before being saved and born-again, most of us thought God was stern, wrathful and nearly impossible to please. I encountered many strict and hard Christians, while growing up. As I came into my own relationship with Jesus, I found that the images of God I witnessed from those people, came from man's idea of God. I learned that their concepts about God, were not true at all.
I've found that walking with the Lord, is the easiest thing I've ever done in my life. God teaches me by His gentle Voice and hand. He is patient in training me up in Wisdom, He is understanding when I make mistakes and He is pleased with my progress, as I grow in Him. The hard and angry God that I was afraid of during my childhood, has been replaced with a Loving Father, Who will take all the time it's required, to bring me into faith.
It's nearly impossible to have faith in someone or something, that you cannot trust. Many believers have never known what God's will is for anything in their lives or don't "know what God might do." It's impossible for them to try and please Him, because they don't know what He wants or what God expects of them. They believe that everything that happens in their lives, whether it's good or bad, it's God's will. Things happening in the lives of Christians today, doesn't seem to differ much from those non-Christian people.
We don't cuss, drink alcohol or do many of the outside things we did before being saved, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be much difference in our lives, from those of the world. The Church has the traditions and rituals of how to dress, when to worship and other such things, but we don't live life with joy and gladness. Some denominations even limit their children from playing school sports or attend such school functions as Homecoming.
I couldn't understand these strict rules I witnessed some strict Christians adhered to, when I was growing up. The Super-natural flow of God was sadly lacking in the lives of these people and the people seemed to be sad and withdrawn. After I was born-again and had my own relationship with the Father, I found that these people were missing out on God's great Love. And, I found why their faith for the joy, Super-natural and excitement was lacking in so many of their lives. Galatians 5:6 (Amplified) says, "For if we are in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through Love." When you don't know or understand God's Love for you, then you don't really trust Him, what He expects of you or what He wants to do for you. It's nearly impossible to love someone, you don't know or trust.
1John 4:18 (Amplified) says, "There is no fear in Love (dread does not exist), but full, complete, perfect Love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of Love (is not yet grown into Love's complete perfection)." If you're constantly awaiting and expecting God to punish you for wrongdoings, then you don't understand God's full-grown Love for you and you're still walking in fear. When we don't understand God's Love, then our faith in Him doesn't work at it's full potential, because FAITH WORKS BY LOVE.
Like all fathers, our Heavenly Father knows that children make mistakes, while growing up and maturing. This isn't an excuse for deliberately sinning, but it's the covering of growing up in Him, as we learn. We'll make so many mistakes while growing in our walk with the Lord, that it requires much Love to cover us. 1Peter 4:8 (NIV) says, "Love covers a multitude of sin." Love gently picks up and supports a child who falls, while learning to walk. And, love helps that children, until he/she is able to walk.
We can count on our parent's love to help us, while we're learning to read, write, dress ourselves and do the many things we now take for granted. How much more can we count on God's Love to bring us to the mature child of God? I'm not writing about deliberately being rebellious and sinning, but about the ignorant sin of not knowing, while we're growing. When I came to understand God's love and how much He helps in my becoming a mature Christian, my faith in Him grew stronger. Remember, Faith works by Love. The more I know His Love for me, the stronger my faith in Him becomes.
If we put our faith in man's way of doing and being right, instead of God's way of doing and being right, then we've returned to the bondage of Law and have no excuse for failing. If I walk in love, then I know God will guide me and take care of me, until I'm complete in Him. My faith is in Him and His Love to cover me, as I grow. This is where all the condemnation came in by the Law. Man had no way to walk in his own ability to be complete. Jesus was the only Man Who ever perfectly complete the Law, because the Law pointed out man's failure and left him without the ability to please a Holy God. Our faith is in His Love and not in our own ability. Our faith works through our understanding His Love for us.
God will convict and guide us, by His Word and His Spirit, bringing us into what He created us to be, in Jesus. We don't have to try and make ourselves righteous, because I trust in His Love for me, in Jesus. He Himself has made me the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and my faith is in that Love. God Loves me enough that He made Jesus my Justification and my faith is in that Love. I am growing into what God's Love has already made me to be. I can trust in Him, without fear of punishment, as I grow. Love does that and faith responds to Love.
The more you understand God's Love, the more your faith will grow and excel in what He has already done. As I learn to walk in His Promises, Love will guide me through and faith accepts what Love has already done. I trust in His Love and my faith simply grows in Him. After awhile, I don't try doing what He has already done, but faith lives in His Love for me. I go from faith to faith and Love guides me through from one degree of faith to another. God has never failed me, so I trust Him in all things. The Father's Love has been shed abroad in my heart, by the Holy Spirit. It lives and walks in me and guides me into all Truth. When I know Him, I know Truth and Truth keeps me free.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Lesson 198 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
For centuries, the Church has chosen to either accept what the Father has made available to us or to settle for what we thought was available to us. Many believe that the fullness of what God has made ours through Jesus, is more than we could ever imagine was for us here on earth, so we've put off God's Promises as being for when we die and go to Heaven.
When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, He planned for mankind to live there forever. God's Plan, purpose and will for His children has never changed. God never had a Plan B, it has always and still is, Plan A. In Genesis 1:26 (Amplified) God said, "Let us make man in Our Image and Likeness and let them have complete authority over everything that creeps upon the earth." This is God's Plan A and remains His will for His family.
God didn't change His Plan or His will, after Adam's fall in the Garden. Instead, God set about to restore His Original Plan back to His original intent, at His Own cost. We've never gotten hold of this Truth, but we've somehow believed Jesus' Sacrifice was an afterthought. Jesus said that the world is "a field" and the "seed" are the children of God's Kingdom in "The Parable of the Sower." Jesus gives the Parable of "The Pearl of Great Price" in Matthew 13:44-46 and if you read this Parable closely, then you'll see how the rich man saw a pearl of great price, in a field (world). After seeing this pearl, Jesus says that that man sold all he had, in order to purchase this field, because he recognized the pearl that was in it.
The field was the world, the pearl was you and me, the rich man was our Heavenly Father and the price the Father gave to purchase the field, was His Son Jesus. We were the pearl of great price and Jesus was what it cost the Father, to redeem us back unto Himself. We've failed to see how much we really mean to Him and what it cost Him to buy us back. You are His very heartbeat and everything He has done, was to bring us back to His Original Plan, the Plan He had when He made us. Through Jesus, we're redeemed and are back where we belong, in His Presence.
From the beginning, God intended for us to share His Kingdom with Him. We're the only things in God's Kingdom that are created (made) in His Own Likeness and Image. God had all the Heavenly creatures and the universe, but nothing in it was like Him. When God formed and breathed His very Own Self into man, man became in His Image and Likeness, as His very Own children. Through Jesus, we have been made alive again to Him and Him to us. We're once again family and children, of the Most High God.
If God went through what He did, in order to redeem us and bring us back to Him then should we hold back from His Presence and His Kingdom? All the things God planned for us in the beginning, are what He still wants us to have. Some believe this is taking advantage of God's Love, but it's really responding to His Love and allowing Him to give us what He created for us to have. This isn't just for us in Heaven, but is so much more. Heaven was to be a part of what He planned for us on this earth too. He created His Kingdom here for Him and us to enjoy, as His Own children.
Genesis 1:31 tells us that, "Man was the crowning Glory to all that God had made and it wasn't until all things were prepared, that He placed His children into the home He had made for them." We were to live here with our Heavenly Father and bring forth sons and daughters to His family. We were to Bless and love Him and be Blessed and Loved by Him.
Since Adam's transgression, God has been restoring His Pearl of Great Price, back to Himself. He gave all that He had, in order to purchased the field, because of us. Now, the Pearl and the field are both back to the Original Owner, just like the Father intended. Through Jesus, mankind is back where God had intended him to be and because of Jesus' Sacrifice, God's children will never be separated from Him, like Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, before Adam's transgression.
The world has told the Church to, "Reject God's Love and His Promises," but God's will is that we would receive everything that He created for us, in the beginning. Don't we realize that God created everything on this earth, for us? God was already God, before He created the universe and this earth. He didn't need an earth, a tree, or anything else in this physical world. He only needed these things for us. God could have created another angel, but angels weren't made in His Image and Likeness. God's heart was so full of Love, that He wanted someone to share His Love with.
Some believe that God brought about our salvation, out of pity, but that's wrong! It was because of His Love for us, that God gave His Own Life and Blood. It's foolish to think that God, from His Love for us, wouldn't want us to enjoy the Life He gave us. The life we now know in this body, is nothing, compared to the Life He intended for us. We were supposed to have everything this physical world had to offer, combined with all that the Spiritual world had to offer, in this physical body.
Adam's fall reduced us to only the physical world, with it's hardships. This was never God's Plan for us. We allow ourselves to be robbed of God's intent for us even now, after Jesus' Redemption and salvation. We continue waiting for it to come, when it is already here. The only thing yet to come, is having a glorified body that will never die and which will house the eternal spirit God birthed into us again, through Jesus. We were never meant to grow old or be sick or suffer loss or be in a place where God's provision wasn't there. God is our Father and He will always provide for us, if we will only let Him do so and if we don't limit Him.
If earthly fathers provide and protect our own children out of our love for them, then would our Heavenly Father do any less than that? Take off the limits of God's Love and His Grace and allow Him to Love you to the fullness and abundance of His Love. The world has fabricated a lie and caused us to believe that, "If we don't do all the things religion has told us, then we cannot ever enjoy God's fullness." This isn't even close to being Truth.
The only thing holding us back from God's Blessing, is us and our lack of understanding. We look at what the enemy has done to those before us and try identifying with them. They too were only learning and not knowing. Paul didn't go through the things he went through, to show us how to suffer. He went through these things, in order to show us how to live in what the Father had shown him about the new creation family of God. Paul was the only person who at that time, knew the Revelation of the new creation family of God. Satan tried to stop Paul from preaching the Revelation and to stop God's Plan for us. Only the lying devil could construe this Revelation into being a time of suffering, instead of triumph.
For centuries, the Church has chosen to either accept what the Father has made available to us or to settle for what we thought was available to us. Many believe that the fullness of what God has made ours through Jesus, is more than we could ever imagine was for us here on earth, so we've put off God's Promises as being for when we die and go to Heaven.
When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, He planned for mankind to live there forever. God's Plan, purpose and will for His children has never changed. God never had a Plan B, it has always and still is, Plan A. In Genesis 1:26 (Amplified) God said, "Let us make man in Our Image and Likeness and let them have complete authority over everything that creeps upon the earth." This is God's Plan A and remains His will for His family.
God didn't change His Plan or His will, after Adam's fall in the Garden. Instead, God set about to restore His Original Plan back to His original intent, at His Own cost. We've never gotten hold of this Truth, but we've somehow believed Jesus' Sacrifice was an afterthought. Jesus said that the world is "a field" and the "seed" are the children of God's Kingdom in "The Parable of the Sower." Jesus gives the Parable of "The Pearl of Great Price" in Matthew 13:44-46 and if you read this Parable closely, then you'll see how the rich man saw a pearl of great price, in a field (world). After seeing this pearl, Jesus says that that man sold all he had, in order to purchase this field, because he recognized the pearl that was in it.
The field was the world, the pearl was you and me, the rich man was our Heavenly Father and the price the Father gave to purchase the field, was His Son Jesus. We were the pearl of great price and Jesus was what it cost the Father, to redeem us back unto Himself. We've failed to see how much we really mean to Him and what it cost Him to buy us back. You are His very heartbeat and everything He has done, was to bring us back to His Original Plan, the Plan He had when He made us. Through Jesus, we're redeemed and are back where we belong, in His Presence.
From the beginning, God intended for us to share His Kingdom with Him. We're the only things in God's Kingdom that are created (made) in His Own Likeness and Image. God had all the Heavenly creatures and the universe, but nothing in it was like Him. When God formed and breathed His very Own Self into man, man became in His Image and Likeness, as His very Own children. Through Jesus, we have been made alive again to Him and Him to us. We're once again family and children, of the Most High God.
If God went through what He did, in order to redeem us and bring us back to Him then should we hold back from His Presence and His Kingdom? All the things God planned for us in the beginning, are what He still wants us to have. Some believe this is taking advantage of God's Love, but it's really responding to His Love and allowing Him to give us what He created for us to have. This isn't just for us in Heaven, but is so much more. Heaven was to be a part of what He planned for us on this earth too. He created His Kingdom here for Him and us to enjoy, as His Own children.
Genesis 1:31 tells us that, "Man was the crowning Glory to all that God had made and it wasn't until all things were prepared, that He placed His children into the home He had made for them." We were to live here with our Heavenly Father and bring forth sons and daughters to His family. We were to Bless and love Him and be Blessed and Loved by Him.
Since Adam's transgression, God has been restoring His Pearl of Great Price, back to Himself. He gave all that He had, in order to purchased the field, because of us. Now, the Pearl and the field are both back to the Original Owner, just like the Father intended. Through Jesus, mankind is back where God had intended him to be and because of Jesus' Sacrifice, God's children will never be separated from Him, like Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, before Adam's transgression.
The world has told the Church to, "Reject God's Love and His Promises," but God's will is that we would receive everything that He created for us, in the beginning. Don't we realize that God created everything on this earth, for us? God was already God, before He created the universe and this earth. He didn't need an earth, a tree, or anything else in this physical world. He only needed these things for us. God could have created another angel, but angels weren't made in His Image and Likeness. God's heart was so full of Love, that He wanted someone to share His Love with.
Some believe that God brought about our salvation, out of pity, but that's wrong! It was because of His Love for us, that God gave His Own Life and Blood. It's foolish to think that God, from His Love for us, wouldn't want us to enjoy the Life He gave us. The life we now know in this body, is nothing, compared to the Life He intended for us. We were supposed to have everything this physical world had to offer, combined with all that the Spiritual world had to offer, in this physical body.
Adam's fall reduced us to only the physical world, with it's hardships. This was never God's Plan for us. We allow ourselves to be robbed of God's intent for us even now, after Jesus' Redemption and salvation. We continue waiting for it to come, when it is already here. The only thing yet to come, is having a glorified body that will never die and which will house the eternal spirit God birthed into us again, through Jesus. We were never meant to grow old or be sick or suffer loss or be in a place where God's provision wasn't there. God is our Father and He will always provide for us, if we will only let Him do so and if we don't limit Him.
If earthly fathers provide and protect our own children out of our love for them, then would our Heavenly Father do any less than that? Take off the limits of God's Love and His Grace and allow Him to Love you to the fullness and abundance of His Love. The world has fabricated a lie and caused us to believe that, "If we don't do all the things religion has told us, then we cannot ever enjoy God's fullness." This isn't even close to being Truth.
The only thing holding us back from God's Blessing, is us and our lack of understanding. We look at what the enemy has done to those before us and try identifying with them. They too were only learning and not knowing. Paul didn't go through the things he went through, to show us how to suffer. He went through these things, in order to show us how to live in what the Father had shown him about the new creation family of God. Paul was the only person who at that time, knew the Revelation of the new creation family of God. Satan tried to stop Paul from preaching the Revelation and to stop God's Plan for us. Only the lying devil could construe this Revelation into being a time of suffering, instead of triumph.
Monday, May 20, 2019
Lesson 197 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share with and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
For years, we've been trying to be a people that God has called us to be. Many things are placed upon us, in order to mold us into what men think we ought to be. This quest to make ourselves into what we think we should be, has resulted in condemnation and guilt over our failing to qualify by our own merits. We keep trying to make the flesh behave as we think it should, but it doesn't cooperate.
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write in Romans 12:2 (Amplified), "Do not be conformed to this world (age), fashioned after and adapted to its external (superficial) customs, but be transformed (changed), by the entire renewal of your mind, by it's new ideals and it's new attitude, so that you may prove for yourselves what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you)."
If you do not renew your mind by the Word of God, then your flesh will continue in what it has been taught and knows. Your flesh (body) does nothing, without instructions from the brain, which is totally carnal. Your brain receives it's instructions through your soul. Your soul is made up of your mind, will, emotions, or the five senses. Your brain receives these instructions and transmits them to the body, which only does what it's told to do.
Your body can't do anything, unless you allow it to do. Your soul has been without God and the Holy Spirit, since the fall of Adam. We had no Spiritual knowledge or Wisdom from God in our spirit man, until we were born-again. Ephesians 2:12,13 (Amplified) says, "Remember, that you were at that time separated, living apart from Christ, excluded from all part in Him, utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the Messianic Promise, with no knowledge of or right in God's agreements (His covenants); And you had no hope, no Promise, you were in the world without God."
THANK GOD, PAUL DID NOT STOP THERE, but continues in Verse 13, saying, "But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were so far away, through, by, in, the Blood of Christ have been brought near." Ephesians 4:22-24 (Amplified) says, "Strip yourselves of your former nature, put off and discard your old unrenewed self which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind, having a fresh mental and Spiritual attitude. And put of the new nature the regenerate self created in God's Image, God like, in true righteousness and holiness."
Many have never retrained their minds (soul) to think any different, by God's Word. We establish laws and rituals of the flesh, trying to make the body respond differently, but if we don't renew our minds with the Word, then it only receives the same commands it got before we were born-again and it still acts like it always did. If rehab clinics do nothing with the minds of the addicts, then after being released, the return to their old behaviors. Paul writes in Hebrews 5:14 (Amplified), "But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
The difference between "holy" Christians and "mature" Christians, isn't that God gave one group more than He gave the other, but that one group renewed the way they think and therefore act, while the other didn't.
Your new creation, spirit man is already like God. It was born of the Same Seed, the Same Word of God and is already like Him. Our task in Christianity, isn't something lacking in our spirit, but in our soul. Psalm 23 says that, "He, Jesus, restores my soul." Adam's soul wasn't out of line with his spirit, until he fell from his place in God. Once that happened, Adam couldn't walk with a clean heard or uncontaminated soul. He walked only by the dictates of a fallen nature and lost control of his body too.
When a person is comatose, he/she isn't dead, but their brains aren't sending directions to their body, so their body doesn't respond. The brain isn't receiving directions from the mind, will, or emotions and it can't tell the body anything. All communications have ceased and the body doesn't do anything of itself, without instructions from the mind. When we renew our mind by God's Word, the body gets different directions and becomes less of a problem in our Christian walk. Now, instead of working against us, it works with us and brings the whole man into subjection to the spirit.
Our new creation spirit has everything we will ever need to walk with God, in a pleasing and perfect fellowship with Him. Training our soul by what is now in our new creation spirit man, by God's Word and the Holy Spirit as our teacher, we can walk in this realm like the first and Last Adam did. Jesus used the Power of the Word, to teach His senses (soul) to obey His will and His Body did what it was told. Your physical body is nothing more than an earthly home or vehicle, for your spirit man to live, while we're here on earth.
Paul calls your body a "house," in 2Corinthians 5:4 (Amplified), saying, "For while we are still in this Tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply, weighted down, not that we want to put off the body, the clothing of the spirit, but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body), may be swallowed up by life after the resurrection." The Holy Spirit inspired John to write in 3John 2 (Amplified), "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and that your body may keep well, even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers." The prosperity and health in your body, is in direct accord to the prosperity and health in your soul.
Remember Paul's writing in Ephesians 4:23-24, which says, "And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind, having a fresh mental and Spiritual attitude And put on the new nature, the regenerate self created in God's Image (Godlike) in true righteousness and holiness." Don't get discourage and stop learning, because your mind and body won't immediately get in line. We must train the senses to respond differently, than they did before being born-again. We spent our entire lives training them to respond that way, before being born-again. Nothing in our lives (either Spiritual or natural), comes without training. No one walked the first time he/she tried. No one colors inside the lines, the first time he/she tried either. These things required training, to do what we now do without even having to think about it. It will do the same thing with Spirit things too, as we train, apply God's Word and listen to our Teacher, the Holy Spirit.
Our soul (senses) are a Gift from God. He gave mankind these things, in order to function and enjoy the natural realm He created for us. It was only after Adam's transgression, that the soul was tainted and became man's directing guide, instead of our servant. We were created to live by our spirit and the soul was our servant and the body was the earthly house, where our spirit lived. This is the same thing that has now been restored to us, through Jesus. Our born-again spirit is as perfect as Jesus' Spirit. Our soul is the place of disobedience and our body is the house that we live in on earth.
Let's allow the Holy Spirit to restore our souls, so that, ""Our body will keep well even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers," like 3John says.
For years, we've been trying to be a people that God has called us to be. Many things are placed upon us, in order to mold us into what men think we ought to be. This quest to make ourselves into what we think we should be, has resulted in condemnation and guilt over our failing to qualify by our own merits. We keep trying to make the flesh behave as we think it should, but it doesn't cooperate.
The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write in Romans 12:2 (Amplified), "Do not be conformed to this world (age), fashioned after and adapted to its external (superficial) customs, but be transformed (changed), by the entire renewal of your mind, by it's new ideals and it's new attitude, so that you may prove for yourselves what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you)."
If you do not renew your mind by the Word of God, then your flesh will continue in what it has been taught and knows. Your flesh (body) does nothing, without instructions from the brain, which is totally carnal. Your brain receives it's instructions through your soul. Your soul is made up of your mind, will, emotions, or the five senses. Your brain receives these instructions and transmits them to the body, which only does what it's told to do.
Your body can't do anything, unless you allow it to do. Your soul has been without God and the Holy Spirit, since the fall of Adam. We had no Spiritual knowledge or Wisdom from God in our spirit man, until we were born-again. Ephesians 2:12,13 (Amplified) says, "Remember, that you were at that time separated, living apart from Christ, excluded from all part in Him, utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the Messianic Promise, with no knowledge of or right in God's agreements (His covenants); And you had no hope, no Promise, you were in the world without God."
THANK GOD, PAUL DID NOT STOP THERE, but continues in Verse 13, saying, "But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were so far away, through, by, in, the Blood of Christ have been brought near." Ephesians 4:22-24 (Amplified) says, "Strip yourselves of your former nature, put off and discard your old unrenewed self which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind, having a fresh mental and Spiritual attitude. And put of the new nature the regenerate self created in God's Image, God like, in true righteousness and holiness."
Many have never retrained their minds (soul) to think any different, by God's Word. We establish laws and rituals of the flesh, trying to make the body respond differently, but if we don't renew our minds with the Word, then it only receives the same commands it got before we were born-again and it still acts like it always did. If rehab clinics do nothing with the minds of the addicts, then after being released, the return to their old behaviors. Paul writes in Hebrews 5:14 (Amplified), "But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
The difference between "holy" Christians and "mature" Christians, isn't that God gave one group more than He gave the other, but that one group renewed the way they think and therefore act, while the other didn't.
Your new creation, spirit man is already like God. It was born of the Same Seed, the Same Word of God and is already like Him. Our task in Christianity, isn't something lacking in our spirit, but in our soul. Psalm 23 says that, "He, Jesus, restores my soul." Adam's soul wasn't out of line with his spirit, until he fell from his place in God. Once that happened, Adam couldn't walk with a clean heard or uncontaminated soul. He walked only by the dictates of a fallen nature and lost control of his body too.
When a person is comatose, he/she isn't dead, but their brains aren't sending directions to their body, so their body doesn't respond. The brain isn't receiving directions from the mind, will, or emotions and it can't tell the body anything. All communications have ceased and the body doesn't do anything of itself, without instructions from the mind. When we renew our mind by God's Word, the body gets different directions and becomes less of a problem in our Christian walk. Now, instead of working against us, it works with us and brings the whole man into subjection to the spirit.
Our new creation spirit has everything we will ever need to walk with God, in a pleasing and perfect fellowship with Him. Training our soul by what is now in our new creation spirit man, by God's Word and the Holy Spirit as our teacher, we can walk in this realm like the first and Last Adam did. Jesus used the Power of the Word, to teach His senses (soul) to obey His will and His Body did what it was told. Your physical body is nothing more than an earthly home or vehicle, for your spirit man to live, while we're here on earth.
Paul calls your body a "house," in 2Corinthians 5:4 (Amplified), saying, "For while we are still in this Tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply, weighted down, not that we want to put off the body, the clothing of the spirit, but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body), may be swallowed up by life after the resurrection." The Holy Spirit inspired John to write in 3John 2 (Amplified), "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and that your body may keep well, even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers." The prosperity and health in your body, is in direct accord to the prosperity and health in your soul.
Remember Paul's writing in Ephesians 4:23-24, which says, "And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind, having a fresh mental and Spiritual attitude And put on the new nature, the regenerate self created in God's Image (Godlike) in true righteousness and holiness." Don't get discourage and stop learning, because your mind and body won't immediately get in line. We must train the senses to respond differently, than they did before being born-again. We spent our entire lives training them to respond that way, before being born-again. Nothing in our lives (either Spiritual or natural), comes without training. No one walked the first time he/she tried. No one colors inside the lines, the first time he/she tried either. These things required training, to do what we now do without even having to think about it. It will do the same thing with Spirit things too, as we train, apply God's Word and listen to our Teacher, the Holy Spirit.
Our soul (senses) are a Gift from God. He gave mankind these things, in order to function and enjoy the natural realm He created for us. It was only after Adam's transgression, that the soul was tainted and became man's directing guide, instead of our servant. We were created to live by our spirit and the soul was our servant and the body was the earthly house, where our spirit lived. This is the same thing that has now been restored to us, through Jesus. Our born-again spirit is as perfect as Jesus' Spirit. Our soul is the place of disobedience and our body is the house that we live in on earth.
Let's allow the Holy Spirit to restore our souls, so that, ""Our body will keep well even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers," like 3John says.
Friday, May 17, 2019
Lesson 196 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (undeserved, unearned favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
God's Word makes it evident that He wants us to know His will and to understand His Plan for us and this age. Colossi ans 1:9 (Amplified) says, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make special request for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, and clear knowledge of His will in all Spiritual Wisdom, in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of Spiritual things."
It's all but impossible, for a believer to have faith in anything they don't know God's will on. The Church is divided whether it's God's will for healing, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues, making it difficult for believers to put their faith in these things. We've come to understand God's will about salvation and are unified in faith, about this portion of Truth. The enemy has kept God's Church divided in faith over other portions of Truth, through carnal thinking and teachings. The unity of faith brings forth Spiritual involvement and the Presence of God, that the enemy is helpless against, so the enemy has withstood the faith. Faith begins, where the will of God is known and understood.
The Father will not change His will to adjust to our doctrines, but will only bring forth His will, as we adjust to His Word. God won't change His will or Word, in order to accommodate our way of doing things, despite what our thoughts, ideas and doctrines might be. We apply more faith in what we can see and touch, instead of what we read and believe. We have a carnal acceptance of His Word, instead of the Spiritual Truth of His word. We should accept the Truth of His Word, simply because God spoke it, rather than having to see it, before believing.
Jesus told Thomas in John 20:27-29 (Amplified), "Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put your hand and place it in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but stop your unbelief and believe. Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed (happy) and to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me."
I don't know of very many Christians, who have "seen" Jesus, but we proclaim that "He lives and He is Lord." This is the kind of faith that God requires of us. If we dare to believe in Him, without seeing Him, then why is it so hard to believe what He says, without having to see it first? We don't need faith, in order to believe the things we can already see and touch; even the world can do that. This is the carnal or soulish kind of faith, that the world is accustomed to accepting and understanding. We are to simply believe what God says in His Word and accept it as Truth. Would the things written in God's Word be more true, if He stood before you and said them?
Faith isn't a formula, like some believe, but it's simply trusting in what the God Who created all things, has said to and for us. Paul received the Revelation he wrote in his letters, directly from Jesus Himself. No one else had seen or heard the Message, so does that make Paul's letters any less true than the Gospels, which were written by the disciples who walked bodily with Jesus? The real test of our faith is, do we believe God's Word is for us today?
Was God's Word just for another generation, or is it just as true for us, as it was for them? Many believe that we're an "enlightened generation" and that certain parts of God's Word are out of place in this generation. This is a lie that will destroy not only faith in God's Word, but faith in God as well. Our idea of love is the acceptance of all people, persuasions, and religions. God's idea of Love is God Himself, Who is Love. We're to love all people, but not necessarily accept all people and we're to determine who is or isn't accepted, by His Word. There are people who worship false gods. Do we accept them and their gods as fellow believers, or is there to be a distinction?
God-The Ark of the Covenant wouldn't share the same building as Dagon, the Philistine god in 1Samuel 5:1-5. He still refuses to share in false gods or sin. As Christians, we're not a blend of many gods or other gods, but of One True and Living God. Total acceptance isn't always Love. We're to treat others as the Lord treated them and not put them under condemnation, but they're not fellow brethren, who worship the same God. If we just have "a god," and not THE GOD, then where do we differ from the world? They have a god, but he can do nothing for them. Have we reduced our God into this same realm, by our unbelief? We say "I believe He can, but I'm not sure He will." Only God's Word can tell us.
Hebrews 13:8 (Amplified) says, "Jesus Christ (the Messiah), is always the same, yesterday, today, yes and forever to the ages." The things Jesus did during His earthly walk to His Resurrection, He still does today, tomorrow and forever. If Jesus performed miracles, healing and Blessing, then He still does so today and He does it by His Word, which is Himself. Simply believing it, just because He says it, are true Christian faith and trust. A centurion traveled to find Jesus, because his servant was sick in Matthew 8:8-10 (Amplified), which says, "But the centurion replied to Him, Lord, I am not worthy or fit to have you come under my roof; but only speak the Word, and my servant boy will be cured For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard him, He marveled and said to those who followed Him, Who adhered steadfastly to Him (conforming to to His Example in living and, if need be, in dying also), I tell you truly, I have not found so much faith as this with anyone, even in Israel."
What was so outstanding in this man's faith? He simply believed in the Authority that Jesus had and the Authority in which Jesus walked under, namely His Father's Authority and command. He is still the same, so why do we stumble at His Word, instead of being like the centurion, who believed what Jesus said. We should go, when Jesus says "Go," and we should come, when He says "Come." We should believe His Words are all we need.
Jesus walked in delegated Authority and said, "I only do what My Father says to do." We must also walk in delegated Authority, believing what His Words in Luke 10:9 (Amplified), "Now you go in My Name, I give you power and authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and physical and mental strength and ability over all the power of the enemy that he possesses, and nothing shall in any way harm you."
Jesus told His followers (us included), in Mark 16:17-18 (Amplified), "And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe; in My Name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new languages, they will pick up serpents and even if they drink anything deadly it will not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they will get well." Jesus said to "Do these things in My Name." We are men and women under authority and that Authority is Jesus' and Jesus' is God's. This is what the centurion saw that so impressed him about Jesus...the Authority in His Words.
God's Word makes it evident that He wants us to know His will and to understand His Plan for us and this age. Colossi ans 1:9 (Amplified) says, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make special request for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, and clear knowledge of His will in all Spiritual Wisdom, in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of Spiritual things."
It's all but impossible, for a believer to have faith in anything they don't know God's will on. The Church is divided whether it's God's will for healing, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues, making it difficult for believers to put their faith in these things. We've come to understand God's will about salvation and are unified in faith, about this portion of Truth. The enemy has kept God's Church divided in faith over other portions of Truth, through carnal thinking and teachings. The unity of faith brings forth Spiritual involvement and the Presence of God, that the enemy is helpless against, so the enemy has withstood the faith. Faith begins, where the will of God is known and understood.
The Father will not change His will to adjust to our doctrines, but will only bring forth His will, as we adjust to His Word. God won't change His will or Word, in order to accommodate our way of doing things, despite what our thoughts, ideas and doctrines might be. We apply more faith in what we can see and touch, instead of what we read and believe. We have a carnal acceptance of His Word, instead of the Spiritual Truth of His word. We should accept the Truth of His Word, simply because God spoke it, rather than having to see it, before believing.
Jesus told Thomas in John 20:27-29 (Amplified), "Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put your hand and place it in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but stop your unbelief and believe. Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed (happy) and to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me."
I don't know of very many Christians, who have "seen" Jesus, but we proclaim that "He lives and He is Lord." This is the kind of faith that God requires of us. If we dare to believe in Him, without seeing Him, then why is it so hard to believe what He says, without having to see it first? We don't need faith, in order to believe the things we can already see and touch; even the world can do that. This is the carnal or soulish kind of faith, that the world is accustomed to accepting and understanding. We are to simply believe what God says in His Word and accept it as Truth. Would the things written in God's Word be more true, if He stood before you and said them?
Faith isn't a formula, like some believe, but it's simply trusting in what the God Who created all things, has said to and for us. Paul received the Revelation he wrote in his letters, directly from Jesus Himself. No one else had seen or heard the Message, so does that make Paul's letters any less true than the Gospels, which were written by the disciples who walked bodily with Jesus? The real test of our faith is, do we believe God's Word is for us today?
Was God's Word just for another generation, or is it just as true for us, as it was for them? Many believe that we're an "enlightened generation" and that certain parts of God's Word are out of place in this generation. This is a lie that will destroy not only faith in God's Word, but faith in God as well. Our idea of love is the acceptance of all people, persuasions, and religions. God's idea of Love is God Himself, Who is Love. We're to love all people, but not necessarily accept all people and we're to determine who is or isn't accepted, by His Word. There are people who worship false gods. Do we accept them and their gods as fellow believers, or is there to be a distinction?
God-The Ark of the Covenant wouldn't share the same building as Dagon, the Philistine god in 1Samuel 5:1-5. He still refuses to share in false gods or sin. As Christians, we're not a blend of many gods or other gods, but of One True and Living God. Total acceptance isn't always Love. We're to treat others as the Lord treated them and not put them under condemnation, but they're not fellow brethren, who worship the same God. If we just have "a god," and not THE GOD, then where do we differ from the world? They have a god, but he can do nothing for them. Have we reduced our God into this same realm, by our unbelief? We say "I believe He can, but I'm not sure He will." Only God's Word can tell us.
Hebrews 13:8 (Amplified) says, "Jesus Christ (the Messiah), is always the same, yesterday, today, yes and forever to the ages." The things Jesus did during His earthly walk to His Resurrection, He still does today, tomorrow and forever. If Jesus performed miracles, healing and Blessing, then He still does so today and He does it by His Word, which is Himself. Simply believing it, just because He says it, are true Christian faith and trust. A centurion traveled to find Jesus, because his servant was sick in Matthew 8:8-10 (Amplified), which says, "But the centurion replied to Him, Lord, I am not worthy or fit to have you come under my roof; but only speak the Word, and my servant boy will be cured For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard him, He marveled and said to those who followed Him, Who adhered steadfastly to Him (conforming to to His Example in living and, if need be, in dying also), I tell you truly, I have not found so much faith as this with anyone, even in Israel."
What was so outstanding in this man's faith? He simply believed in the Authority that Jesus had and the Authority in which Jesus walked under, namely His Father's Authority and command. He is still the same, so why do we stumble at His Word, instead of being like the centurion, who believed what Jesus said. We should go, when Jesus says "Go," and we should come, when He says "Come." We should believe His Words are all we need.
Jesus walked in delegated Authority and said, "I only do what My Father says to do." We must also walk in delegated Authority, believing what His Words in Luke 10:9 (Amplified), "Now you go in My Name, I give you power and authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and physical and mental strength and ability over all the power of the enemy that he possesses, and nothing shall in any way harm you."
Jesus told His followers (us included), in Mark 16:17-18 (Amplified), "And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe; in My Name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new languages, they will pick up serpents and even if they drink anything deadly it will not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they will get well." Jesus said to "Do these things in My Name." We are men and women under authority and that Authority is Jesus' and Jesus' is God's. This is what the centurion saw that so impressed him about Jesus...the Authority in His Words.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Lesson 195 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
Jesus said in John 17:22 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One."
The Glory Jesus spoke about is none other than God's Own Spirit that was in Jesus and by the new birth is now living in us. The Holy Spirit is the Very Light of God's Presence, that shield us from the very fullness of His face. The Glory is Who and What now is manifest, in our new creation being, as God's Own children. We didn't receive a different spirit, but we received the Very Same Spirit Who was in Christ Jesus. The difference between how Jesus walked and how we walk, is the understanding of the Greatness of this Glory or Indwelling Spirit.
Paul writes about the veil that is over the eyes and hearts of those under the Law, in 2Corinthians 3:14 (Amplified) which says, "In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused, they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies on their hearts, not being lifted to reveal that in Christ it is made void and done away."
That veil is still covering the mind and hearts of many of God's children, even in today's Church. We continue seeing the Father, as the God of the old covenant, Who still deals with mankind like He did then. Paul says this veil is still over our hearts, because "The god of this world has blinded the unbeliever's minds, that they should not discern the Truth, preventing them from seeing the Illuminating Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God," in 2Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified).
We've thought this scripture referred to those who are lost and without salvation. This is true, but it also refers to those who are saved, but do not see the Light of the Glory of Christ, in themselves. Most in the Church haven't yet seen the Glory that has been given to us, by and through our relationship with the Father.
This Glory doesn't have to come down from above, like in the days of old, but it's to reflect from within us and into the world around us. This is why Jesus said we're to be the light of the world and we're to be lifted high, to give light to all those around us. When our eyes are blinded to the Glorious Light in our lives, then it's difficult to shine into the eyes and minds of those around us.
2Corinthians 3:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit."
We no longer see through a veil, because we're one with Him. We are constantly being transfigured from one degree of Glory to another as the Light of this Glory (the Holy Spirit Who lives within us) reveals His True Image in us. Paul said in the above Verse 18, "For this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit." The Holy Spirit in us, is bringing us into His Own Image and Glory, here in this earthly realm, so we can illuminate the world around us, with His Light."
God's Very Own Presence is the Glory living in us. John 1:4-5,14 (Amplified) says, "In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it, put it our or absorbed it or appropriated in, and is unreceptive to it." Verse 14 goes on, "And the Word (Christ), became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh), live awhile among us; and we actually saw His Glory, His honor, His Majesty, such Glory as an Only Begotten Son receives from His Father, full of Grace, favor, loving kindness, and Truth."
Now let's reread John 1:16-17 (Amplified), which tells us, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share, and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
The Father gave Jesus the Spirit, the Truth, the honor, the Glory, the Blessing and Grace and He has given them to us in this life, when we received Jesus as our Lord and were made one with and in Him. Jesus didn't receive anything that He didn't share with us, including His Glory. Like the Old Testament people, we've had our minds and hearts blinded by the god of this world, so we don't see out true identity. We are Jesus' Body and Jesus is the Head. These aren't two different identities. We are one with the Lord. Just prior to going to the cross, Jesus prayed this in John 17:22-23 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One. I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and that You have Loved them even as You have Loved Me."
This kind of being made One with Him and the Father, hasn't been illuminated in us to the world, except by a very few. The god of this world has made it his number one priority, to stop the Illuminating Light and Glory that was in Jesus and now lives in the Body (Church), from shining into the world. People are being born-again, but we're still not shining the Light of the Glory into the world, like we should. 2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) says, "The only way this Glory can be shown and revealed through us, is when His Word, like a mirror, reveals it to us."
Satan tries keeping a veil over our hearts and minds, in order to blind us to the Light of the Glory of God. 2Corinthians 4:6-7 (Amplified) says, "For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as to beam forth the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the Majesty and Glory of God, as it is manifested in the Face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah); However, we possess this previous treasure, the Divine Light of the Gospel in frail human vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves."
The above scripture doesn't say, "God Who said Let light shine out of darkness has shown this Light in us," but it says, "The God that said Light shine, has shined in our hearts." The Very One Who is now shining in and through us, is the Very Same God Who said, "Light shine." We not only have the Light, but the One Who created and commanded the Light to shine, now lives in us. John 1:4-5 (Amplified) says, "In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men, And the Light (Glory) shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it."
The Glory or Light that is in us, is the One Who commanded Light and is Light. This Light is His Presence living in us through Jesus and is the One Who was in Jesus. This is why Jesus gave us the Glory that was given to Him, so that we might be one. God didn't command the Light to shine in our hearts, but the Very One Who commanded the Light to shine, lives in our hearts. The Glory of His Presence is the One Who is shining in us.
Jesus said in John 17:22 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One."
The Glory Jesus spoke about is none other than God's Own Spirit that was in Jesus and by the new birth is now living in us. The Holy Spirit is the Very Light of God's Presence, that shield us from the very fullness of His face. The Glory is Who and What now is manifest, in our new creation being, as God's Own children. We didn't receive a different spirit, but we received the Very Same Spirit Who was in Christ Jesus. The difference between how Jesus walked and how we walk, is the understanding of the Greatness of this Glory or Indwelling Spirit.
Paul writes about the veil that is over the eyes and hearts of those under the Law, in 2Corinthians 3:14 (Amplified) which says, "In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused, they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies on their hearts, not being lifted to reveal that in Christ it is made void and done away."
That veil is still covering the mind and hearts of many of God's children, even in today's Church. We continue seeing the Father, as the God of the old covenant, Who still deals with mankind like He did then. Paul says this veil is still over our hearts, because "The god of this world has blinded the unbeliever's minds, that they should not discern the Truth, preventing them from seeing the Illuminating Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God," in 2Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified).
We've thought this scripture referred to those who are lost and without salvation. This is true, but it also refers to those who are saved, but do not see the Light of the Glory of Christ, in themselves. Most in the Church haven't yet seen the Glory that has been given to us, by and through our relationship with the Father.
This Glory doesn't have to come down from above, like in the days of old, but it's to reflect from within us and into the world around us. This is why Jesus said we're to be the light of the world and we're to be lifted high, to give light to all those around us. When our eyes are blinded to the Glorious Light in our lives, then it's difficult to shine into the eyes and minds of those around us.
2Corinthians 3:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit."
We no longer see through a veil, because we're one with Him. We are constantly being transfigured from one degree of Glory to another as the Light of this Glory (the Holy Spirit Who lives within us) reveals His True Image in us. Paul said in the above Verse 18, "For this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit." The Holy Spirit in us, is bringing us into His Own Image and Glory, here in this earthly realm, so we can illuminate the world around us, with His Light."
God's Very Own Presence is the Glory living in us. John 1:4-5,14 (Amplified) says, "In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it, put it our or absorbed it or appropriated in, and is unreceptive to it." Verse 14 goes on, "And the Word (Christ), became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh), live awhile among us; and we actually saw His Glory, His honor, His Majesty, such Glory as an Only Begotten Son receives from His Father, full of Grace, favor, loving kindness, and Truth."
Now let's reread John 1:16-17 (Amplified), which tells us, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share, and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
The Father gave Jesus the Spirit, the Truth, the honor, the Glory, the Blessing and Grace and He has given them to us in this life, when we received Jesus as our Lord and were made one with and in Him. Jesus didn't receive anything that He didn't share with us, including His Glory. Like the Old Testament people, we've had our minds and hearts blinded by the god of this world, so we don't see out true identity. We are Jesus' Body and Jesus is the Head. These aren't two different identities. We are one with the Lord. Just prior to going to the cross, Jesus prayed this in John 17:22-23 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One. I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and that You have Loved them even as You have Loved Me."
This kind of being made One with Him and the Father, hasn't been illuminated in us to the world, except by a very few. The god of this world has made it his number one priority, to stop the Illuminating Light and Glory that was in Jesus and now lives in the Body (Church), from shining into the world. People are being born-again, but we're still not shining the Light of the Glory into the world, like we should. 2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) says, "The only way this Glory can be shown and revealed through us, is when His Word, like a mirror, reveals it to us."
Satan tries keeping a veil over our hearts and minds, in order to blind us to the Light of the Glory of God. 2Corinthians 4:6-7 (Amplified) says, "For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as to beam forth the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the Majesty and Glory of God, as it is manifested in the Face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah); However, we possess this previous treasure, the Divine Light of the Gospel in frail human vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves."
The above scripture doesn't say, "God Who said Let light shine out of darkness has shown this Light in us," but it says, "The God that said Light shine, has shined in our hearts." The Very One Who is now shining in and through us, is the Very Same God Who said, "Light shine." We not only have the Light, but the One Who created and commanded the Light to shine, now lives in us. John 1:4-5 (Amplified) says, "In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men, And the Light (Glory) shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it."
The Glory or Light that is in us, is the One Who commanded Light and is Light. This Light is His Presence living in us through Jesus and is the One Who was in Jesus. This is why Jesus gave us the Glory that was given to Him, so that we might be one. God didn't command the Light to shine in our hearts, but the Very One Who commanded the Light to shine, lives in our hearts. The Glory of His Presence is the One Who is shining in us.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Lesson 194 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
God's Word has always been Truth, but the world's religions and carnal minds, have obscured it. We've read the Word with our own understanding and not the understanding of the Holy Spirit. Man's idea of what the Word says, is not what God truly says. Only the Holy Spirit and our born-again spirit can interpret the Truth of God's Word. We've been educated enough to read and understand the words we read by our own intellect, but Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver); the flesh (senses) conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
God's Word is a Spiritual Word and the natural man, with it's natural mind, can't receive the Spiritual Truth from it. We don't understand the Spiritual Wisdom from the Word, so we foster our own interpretations with our carnal understanding. We see our natural bodies as being the "real us," instead of realizing our spirit was made in God's Image and Likeness and is the "real us." Our spirit man lives on, after the natural man has ceased living. The spirit man is the one who has the Wisdom and knowledge of God, in him. If we lack Spiritual understanding, then we're not much different than those who lived under the Law. Jesus spoke of them, saying, "By your traditions, you have made the Word of God of no effect." They held to what they knew, instead of taking hold of what Jesus was offering.
After living in something long enough, we believe that anything else is wrong. Jesus talked about this very thing, saying that, "You can't put new wine in an old skin." We're so sure that we're right and refuse to change. In this Year of Understanding, God's raising up a new people, who haven't become rooted in man's religion, but are rooted in the Truth of God's Word. These will be different Christians than what we're used to and will continue reaping a harvest for God, in these last days.
We're living in the last days on this earth, as God's children and His judgment is at hand for His people. The enemy has convinced God's people that we're the underdog, but now the time of the Lord is at hand. Paul wrote in Galatians 3:2-3 (Amplified), "Let me ask you this one question. Did you receive the Holy Spirit as a result of obeying the Law and doing it's works, or was it by hearing the Message of the Gospel and believing it? Was it from observing a Law of rituals or from a Message of faith? Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun your new life Spiritually with the Holy Spirit, are you now reaching perfection by dependence on the flesh?"
Many have been born-again and then became part of a denomination church that didn't believe in the Spiritual and Super-natural things of God is for this day and age. Many have been taught that, "These things have passed away" or that "These were for another time." This has resulted in our being like those under the Law in Jesus' time and our missing out on what God has truly done. Obeying dress codes, not wearing make-up or jewelry, or observing any other man-made law, will teach us the fundamentals of the Truth of God's Word. God's Church is a Spiritual Church and is led by the Spirit, not by the flesh.
Paul's teaching to the Church in Corinth, is still true today. Thus, he says in 2Corinthians 3:13-15, 16-18 (Amplified), "Nor do we act like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing splendor which had been upon it. In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused, they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant), is being read, that some veil still lies on their hearts, not being lifted to reveal that in Christ it is made void and done away. Yes, down to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds and hearts."
The same is True for those in the Church, who have no understanding of the Truth of what the new covenant family of God has become in Jesus. We continue expecting God to correct and discipline us, like He did the old covenant people, which sets us up for physical attacks from the enemy. Paul continues in Verses 16-18, saying, "But whenever a person turns in repentance to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, emancipation from bondage, freedom. AND ALL OF US, as with unveiled face, because we continue to behold in the Word of God, as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image and in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit."
Many have taught the old covenant to the new covenant children, because of their lack of understanding. We've had the same veil that Paul writes about, over our own understanding and have failed to become transfigured from Glory to Glory and have failed to become the Super-natural Church that God planned at the beginning. We've allowed ourselves to be put back under the natural law of religion and under the bondage of the flesh.
This kind of Church is powerless against a Spiritual outlaw, who is determined to steal, kill, and destroy. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified), "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the Heavenly Super-natural sphere."
It would be foolish to try overcoming Spiritual forces, by natural means. The only way we can overcome these Spiritual forces, is by Spiritual force and in order to do this, the Church must again be like it was when it was birthed in the Upper Room and the Power of the Spirit was released into God's new born family. Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus speaks to His followers, saying in Acts 1:8 (Amplified), "But you shall receive Power (ability, efficiency and might), when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth."
Those who understand the Glory placed on us by the new creation birth, will express this Glory from one degree to the next degree of splendor, like Paul wrote about. Sadly, many today still have the same veil over our hearts and minds, like it was before Jesus. The Revelation of this new creation, removes this veil. This Revelation has always been there, but the veil hid it. We though, can now see it.
The same Glory that was on the Ark of the Covenant, is now the Glory that's on the Church, because the Church has become the Ark of the Covenant. The Church holds the Spirit, the Word, the Blood that cleanses, the Bread of Life (which is Jesus). The new creation carries this Power to the world. The Ark of the Covenant is mobile and is no longer concealed to the world. It's alive and has brought this Light and Life out of concealment and into the world.
God's Word has always been Truth, but the world's religions and carnal minds, have obscured it. We've read the Word with our own understanding and not the understanding of the Holy Spirit. Man's idea of what the Word says, is not what God truly says. Only the Holy Spirit and our born-again spirit can interpret the Truth of God's Word. We've been educated enough to read and understand the words we read by our own intellect, but Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver); the flesh (senses) conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
God's Word is a Spiritual Word and the natural man, with it's natural mind, can't receive the Spiritual Truth from it. We don't understand the Spiritual Wisdom from the Word, so we foster our own interpretations with our carnal understanding. We see our natural bodies as being the "real us," instead of realizing our spirit was made in God's Image and Likeness and is the "real us." Our spirit man lives on, after the natural man has ceased living. The spirit man is the one who has the Wisdom and knowledge of God, in him. If we lack Spiritual understanding, then we're not much different than those who lived under the Law. Jesus spoke of them, saying, "By your traditions, you have made the Word of God of no effect." They held to what they knew, instead of taking hold of what Jesus was offering.
After living in something long enough, we believe that anything else is wrong. Jesus talked about this very thing, saying that, "You can't put new wine in an old skin." We're so sure that we're right and refuse to change. In this Year of Understanding, God's raising up a new people, who haven't become rooted in man's religion, but are rooted in the Truth of God's Word. These will be different Christians than what we're used to and will continue reaping a harvest for God, in these last days.
We're living in the last days on this earth, as God's children and His judgment is at hand for His people. The enemy has convinced God's people that we're the underdog, but now the time of the Lord is at hand. Paul wrote in Galatians 3:2-3 (Amplified), "Let me ask you this one question. Did you receive the Holy Spirit as a result of obeying the Law and doing it's works, or was it by hearing the Message of the Gospel and believing it? Was it from observing a Law of rituals or from a Message of faith? Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun your new life Spiritually with the Holy Spirit, are you now reaching perfection by dependence on the flesh?"
Many have been born-again and then became part of a denomination church that didn't believe in the Spiritual and Super-natural things of God is for this day and age. Many have been taught that, "These things have passed away" or that "These were for another time." This has resulted in our being like those under the Law in Jesus' time and our missing out on what God has truly done. Obeying dress codes, not wearing make-up or jewelry, or observing any other man-made law, will teach us the fundamentals of the Truth of God's Word. God's Church is a Spiritual Church and is led by the Spirit, not by the flesh.
Paul's teaching to the Church in Corinth, is still true today. Thus, he says in 2Corinthians 3:13-15, 16-18 (Amplified), "Nor do we act like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze upon the finish of the vanishing splendor which had been upon it. In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused, they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding; for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant), is being read, that some veil still lies on their hearts, not being lifted to reveal that in Christ it is made void and done away. Yes, down to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds and hearts."
The same is True for those in the Church, who have no understanding of the Truth of what the new covenant family of God has become in Jesus. We continue expecting God to correct and discipline us, like He did the old covenant people, which sets us up for physical attacks from the enemy. Paul continues in Verses 16-18, saying, "But whenever a person turns in repentance to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, emancipation from bondage, freedom. AND ALL OF US, as with unveiled face, because we continue to behold in the Word of God, as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image and in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit."
Many have taught the old covenant to the new covenant children, because of their lack of understanding. We've had the same veil that Paul writes about, over our own understanding and have failed to become transfigured from Glory to Glory and have failed to become the Super-natural Church that God planned at the beginning. We've allowed ourselves to be put back under the natural law of religion and under the bondage of the flesh.
This kind of Church is powerless against a Spiritual outlaw, who is determined to steal, kill, and destroy. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified), "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the Heavenly Super-natural sphere."
It would be foolish to try overcoming Spiritual forces, by natural means. The only way we can overcome these Spiritual forces, is by Spiritual force and in order to do this, the Church must again be like it was when it was birthed in the Upper Room and the Power of the Spirit was released into God's new born family. Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus speaks to His followers, saying in Acts 1:8 (Amplified), "But you shall receive Power (ability, efficiency and might), when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth."
Those who understand the Glory placed on us by the new creation birth, will express this Glory from one degree to the next degree of splendor, like Paul wrote about. Sadly, many today still have the same veil over our hearts and minds, like it was before Jesus. The Revelation of this new creation, removes this veil. This Revelation has always been there, but the veil hid it. We though, can now see it.
The same Glory that was on the Ark of the Covenant, is now the Glory that's on the Church, because the Church has become the Ark of the Covenant. The Church holds the Spirit, the Word, the Blood that cleanses, the Bread of Life (which is Jesus). The new creation carries this Power to the world. The Ark of the Covenant is mobile and is no longer concealed to the world. It's alive and has brought this Light and Life out of concealment and into the world.
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Lesson 193 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
We've been studying the Glory that God, by His Grace, has given us as part of our inheritance in Jesus. Jesus was the Firstborn from the dead and He is the One Who inherited the Promise that is now ours as fellow heirs. The Promise was made to and through Him and because we are in Christ Jesus, we now also have the Promise in and for us. Jesus prayed in John 17:22 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they should be one even as We are One."
The Glory is a Person and that Person is the Holy Spirit, Who Jesus received from the Father, when He was baptized. In John 1:33 (Amplified) John the Baptist says, "And I did not know Him nor recognize Him, but He Who sent me to baptize in and with water said to me, Upon Him Whom you shall see the Spirit descend and remain, that One is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the very same Glory, that was on and in Jesus Paul writes about the Promise of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 3:14 (Amplified) saying, "To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we, through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit."
The Holy Spirit is the Glory of God in manifestation and being in Christ Jesus, we've receive the same Glory and honor that God bestowed on Jesus, making us all one in Him, like Jesus prayed. Many believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit only means speaking in other tongues and the Gifts of the Spirit. He is much more than these manifestations, in the lives of those who are in Christ Jesus. He is the Glory that Jesus provided us, at His Resurrection. 2Corinthians 3:7-8 (Amplified) says, "For if the dispensation of death engraved in letters on stone (the ministration of the Law), was inaugurated with such Glory and splendor that the Israelites were not able to look steadily at the face of Moses, because of it's brilliance, a Glory that was to fade and pass away. Why should not the dispensation of the Spirit (this Spiritual ministry whose task it is to cause men to obtain and be governed by the Holy Spirit), be attended with much greater and more splendid Glory?"
Paul isn't only writing about the Presence of Glory that came down upon the tablets of stone, but about the indwelling of this Glory, by His Presence living now and abiding in us. This is the Promise of the Holy Spirit God gave to Abraham, for the Seed. Galatians 3:16 (Amplified) says, "Now the Promises (covenants, agreements), were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir)." God doesn't say, "and to his seeds, descendants, and heirs," as if referring to many persons, but says, "and to your Seed, your Descendant and your Heir," obviously referring to One Individual, Who is none other than Christ Jesus, the Messiah.
The Promise of the Spirit, was made to Jesus, as the Seed and Heir of the Promise. The above scripture tells us that, "If you belong to Christ, are in Him, Who is Abraham's Seed, then you are Abraham's offspring and Spiritual heirs according to Promise." We are Spiritual heirs and these Promises aren't only true when we go to Heaven, but are for here on earth, by the Presence of Heaven coming into us, on this earth. 1John 3:2 (Amplified) says, "Beloved, we are even here and now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be hereafter, but we know that when he comes and is manifested, we shall, as God's children, resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He really is."
Adam lost the crowned Glory that was on and in him, removing the privileges and Promises God made to him, from all mankind. Through the Last Adam Jesus, we've been restored back to what God's will and purpose was for us, from the beginning. Psalm 8:4-6 (Amplified) says,, "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." Remember Jesus' prayer from John 17:22, where He told the Father, "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they should be one even as We are One." We are again, "one in Him," as in the beginning. The Psalmist continues in Verse 6, saying, "You made him [man] to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet."
Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus told His followers in Acts 1:8 (Amplified), "You shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might), when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends, the very bounds of the earth." This was the Promise that was to come in Acts 2:1-4, when they all received the Promise of the Seed and were made new creation beings, born of God, filled with the Glory of God and once again, had the Life of God and His crowning Glory residing in them, and in those who believe even today.
Those under the old covenant, couldn't enter into the Holy of Holies, because the Presence of the Lord's Glory would destroy them. We've now become the temple and the Holy of Holies. The same Glory abides within us, as the Seed of Abraham's.
1Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you), Whom you have received as a Gift from God? You are not your own." This Glory wasn't given so that we could clean up our lives. By faith, we realize that Jesus already did that and now we're to reflect His Glory through us, by the Holy Spirit, Who is the Glory.
We must listen to the Truth of God's Word and realize what God has really done, then the Church wouldn't have so much foolishness we have today. When we don't understand and listen to the Holy Spirit, we establish man-made laws, that restrict the Glory and honor we've inherited through Christ Jesus. We haven't heard many teachings about how we are the temple and that we've been crowned with Glory and honor, in Him. We keep waiting for the Promise to come, when it's already here!
The only thing that will change when we arrive in God's Presence, is the mortal bodies we now live in. 1John 3:2 (Amplified) says, "Beloved, we are even here and NOW God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be hereafter, but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall, as God's children, resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He really is." Our physical, mortal bodies will be changed into immortal and Glorified bodies, like Jesus now is. John said in this scripture that, "We don't yet know what that will be like, but it will be as His real body is now." The real you, is the one that now lives in your earthly body, which is to be directed by the Glory of the Holy Spirit Who is infused with your new creation spirit, born again by God's Own Word.
Paul said in 2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) that, "We are changed and transfigured from one Glory to another and an ever increasing splendor by observing ourselves in the mirror of God's Word. When we see the Glory of the Lord in His Word, we are transfigured into that Image, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit." 1Corinthians 15:49 (Amplified) says, "Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the Image of the Man of Heaven."
We've never dared to push our faith and receive what God's Grace has really done for us, through Jesus. Religion has held us back from Truth and kept us under the world's bondage. Let's look into the mirror of God's Word and let is reflect who we really are, now and forever. John 1:16 (Amplified) tells us that we "have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with what Jesus has done." No one is left out. We are all joint heirs together with Him. What He has, you have, through the restoration of God's Grace and Truth, that came through Jesus Christ.
We've been studying the Glory that God, by His Grace, has given us as part of our inheritance in Jesus. Jesus was the Firstborn from the dead and He is the One Who inherited the Promise that is now ours as fellow heirs. The Promise was made to and through Him and because we are in Christ Jesus, we now also have the Promise in and for us. Jesus prayed in John 17:22 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they should be one even as We are One."
The Glory is a Person and that Person is the Holy Spirit, Who Jesus received from the Father, when He was baptized. In John 1:33 (Amplified) John the Baptist says, "And I did not know Him nor recognize Him, but He Who sent me to baptize in and with water said to me, Upon Him Whom you shall see the Spirit descend and remain, that One is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the very same Glory, that was on and in Jesus Paul writes about the Promise of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 3:14 (Amplified) saying, "To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we, through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit."
The Holy Spirit is the Glory of God in manifestation and being in Christ Jesus, we've receive the same Glory and honor that God bestowed on Jesus, making us all one in Him, like Jesus prayed. Many believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit only means speaking in other tongues and the Gifts of the Spirit. He is much more than these manifestations, in the lives of those who are in Christ Jesus. He is the Glory that Jesus provided us, at His Resurrection. 2Corinthians 3:7-8 (Amplified) says, "For if the dispensation of death engraved in letters on stone (the ministration of the Law), was inaugurated with such Glory and splendor that the Israelites were not able to look steadily at the face of Moses, because of it's brilliance, a Glory that was to fade and pass away. Why should not the dispensation of the Spirit (this Spiritual ministry whose task it is to cause men to obtain and be governed by the Holy Spirit), be attended with much greater and more splendid Glory?"
Paul isn't only writing about the Presence of Glory that came down upon the tablets of stone, but about the indwelling of this Glory, by His Presence living now and abiding in us. This is the Promise of the Holy Spirit God gave to Abraham, for the Seed. Galatians 3:16 (Amplified) says, "Now the Promises (covenants, agreements), were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir)." God doesn't say, "and to his seeds, descendants, and heirs," as if referring to many persons, but says, "and to your Seed, your Descendant and your Heir," obviously referring to One Individual, Who is none other than Christ Jesus, the Messiah.
The Promise of the Spirit, was made to Jesus, as the Seed and Heir of the Promise. The above scripture tells us that, "If you belong to Christ, are in Him, Who is Abraham's Seed, then you are Abraham's offspring and Spiritual heirs according to Promise." We are Spiritual heirs and these Promises aren't only true when we go to Heaven, but are for here on earth, by the Presence of Heaven coming into us, on this earth. 1John 3:2 (Amplified) says, "Beloved, we are even here and now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be hereafter, but we know that when he comes and is manifested, we shall, as God's children, resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He really is."
Adam lost the crowned Glory that was on and in him, removing the privileges and Promises God made to him, from all mankind. Through the Last Adam Jesus, we've been restored back to what God's will and purpose was for us, from the beginning. Psalm 8:4-6 (Amplified) says,, "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." Remember Jesus' prayer from John 17:22, where He told the Father, "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they should be one even as We are One." We are again, "one in Him," as in the beginning. The Psalmist continues in Verse 6, saying, "You made him [man] to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet."
Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus told His followers in Acts 1:8 (Amplified), "You shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might), when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends, the very bounds of the earth." This was the Promise that was to come in Acts 2:1-4, when they all received the Promise of the Seed and were made new creation beings, born of God, filled with the Glory of God and once again, had the Life of God and His crowning Glory residing in them, and in those who believe even today.
Those under the old covenant, couldn't enter into the Holy of Holies, because the Presence of the Lord's Glory would destroy them. We've now become the temple and the Holy of Holies. The same Glory abides within us, as the Seed of Abraham's.
1Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you), Whom you have received as a Gift from God? You are not your own." This Glory wasn't given so that we could clean up our lives. By faith, we realize that Jesus already did that and now we're to reflect His Glory through us, by the Holy Spirit, Who is the Glory.
We must listen to the Truth of God's Word and realize what God has really done, then the Church wouldn't have so much foolishness we have today. When we don't understand and listen to the Holy Spirit, we establish man-made laws, that restrict the Glory and honor we've inherited through Christ Jesus. We haven't heard many teachings about how we are the temple and that we've been crowned with Glory and honor, in Him. We keep waiting for the Promise to come, when it's already here!
The only thing that will change when we arrive in God's Presence, is the mortal bodies we now live in. 1John 3:2 (Amplified) says, "Beloved, we are even here and NOW God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be hereafter, but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall, as God's children, resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He really is." Our physical, mortal bodies will be changed into immortal and Glorified bodies, like Jesus now is. John said in this scripture that, "We don't yet know what that will be like, but it will be as His real body is now." The real you, is the one that now lives in your earthly body, which is to be directed by the Glory of the Holy Spirit Who is infused with your new creation spirit, born again by God's Own Word.
Paul said in 2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) that, "We are changed and transfigured from one Glory to another and an ever increasing splendor by observing ourselves in the mirror of God's Word. When we see the Glory of the Lord in His Word, we are transfigured into that Image, for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit." 1Corinthians 15:49 (Amplified) says, "Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the Image of the Man of Heaven."
We've never dared to push our faith and receive what God's Grace has really done for us, through Jesus. Religion has held us back from Truth and kept us under the world's bondage. Let's look into the mirror of God's Word and let is reflect who we really are, now and forever. John 1:16 (Amplified) tells us that we "have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with what Jesus has done." No one is left out. We are all joint heirs together with Him. What He has, you have, through the restoration of God's Grace and Truth, that came through Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Lesson 192 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
We've been learning about the Glory that has been given to us, as children of the Father. Jesus prayed in John 17:22 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One." The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write in 2Corinthians 3:17-18 (Amplified), "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transformed into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another; For this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit."
The Glory we've received is the Glory of Jesus and is increased from one degree of splendor to another, when we see ourselves as through the mirror of God's Word and understand we've been made into His Own Image. The mind of the flesh and the religious mind, will count this as boasting and being prideful, but it's not; it is Truth. If we say it's not true, then we're really boasting against God's Word, according to 2Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified), where Paul writes, "For the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever's minds that they should not discern the Truth, preventing them from seeing the illuminating Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God."
Christians have languished for years, believing we're still just "old sinners," when the Truth is we've been crowned with the same crown that both the First and Last Adam was crowned with. Psalm 8:4-6 (Amplified) says, "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 (Heavenly beings); and You have crowned him with Glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet."
You were recreated in Jesus' Image and Likeness, when you received Him as your Lord and Savior. We are new creations and a new species that earth has never seen before. We were crowned with His Glory and given a place of honor, once more in God's Presence. We're part of His family in Glory and honor, like we never were under the Curse of Sin and Death. We've been made to be righteous, in right standing and been given the right to stand in God's Presence again, in Christ Jesus. The Glory we've been given is nothing short of God's Holy Spirit living in us again. This the Glory that was given to Jesus and which He gave to us.
The god of this world has blinded the unbelievers to the Light of this Glory. The unbelievers don't simply include those who aren't saved yet, but it includes those who share salvation. It seems strange that Christians can't believe the Truth of God's Word, but it happens too frequently, in today's Church. This is the enemy's greatest weapon against the Church. He's blinded the minds of those under the Law, to the teaching and preaching of Jesus Himself. If it worked against the people who lived at Jesus' time, then why would satan change tactics now? Light is the remedy against darkness and the entrance of God's Word, brings Light, according to Psalm 119:130 (Amplified) which says, "The entrance and unfolding of Your Words give Light; their unfolding gives understanding, discernment and comprehension to the simple."
"The Parable of the Sower" tells us about a man who had a hardened soil or pathway, where much traffic walked and the soil was hard packed. Jesus says in Mark 4:15 (Amplified), "So when they hear, satan comes at once, and by force takes away the Message that is sown in them." These people heard the Word, but it didn't enter into the soil of the hearts and was stolen from the hard soil of their hearts. The entrance of the Word brings Light, when it enters the heart. The enemy has kept us in religion, instead of Truth. Our hearts have become hard packed soil, because of the teachings of man, instead of God. We've been told that we're "still only sinners, saved by Grace," for years and have feared and not dared to believe anything other than this. We've been taught that to do so, would be "prideful and boastful" or "God resists the proud." We thought we were being humble, but we were being foolish instead.
We must have ears to hear and eyes to see, for the entrance of the Word to bring Light into our hearts. The enemy has prepared many pitfalls for our earthly walk and only the Holy Spirit and God's Word can illuminate our paths. David wrote in Psalm 119:105 (Amplified), "Your Word is a Lamp to my feet and a Light to my path." The seed must first enter into the soil, in order to receive a harvest. If the seed falls on hard packed soil and doesn't penetrate, then it's stolen by the enemy.
God's Word is incorruptible Seed and will produce every time it's sown into the soil of our spirit. Jesus said in Mark 4:15 (Amplified), "Satan comes at once and by force takes away the Message that was sown in them." Satan only needs to take away the Seed of God's Word, to stop understanding and Revelation from our lives. Jesus said that satan "will do this by force." When you sow God's Word of healing in the Church, then satan will come immediately to steal that Word. What force could stop the Seed of healing? Symptoms of sickness will come upon you, trying to prove that "healing's not for everyone" and "healing's not for today."
We still see our physical body as being more "real," than the spiritual body, because we're moved more by the senses than God's Word. The real you, is the new creation person who was born in you, by the Holy Spirit. He is the who is now to rule in our lives. The physical body is to be the earthly house we live in, while here on earth.
The New Testament believers didn't have their physical bodies, stop the progress of the new man or woman. Acts 5:15-16 (Amplified) tells us, "So that they even kept carrying out the sick into the streets and placing them on couches and sleeping pads, in the hope that at least as Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. And the people gathered also from the towns and hamlets around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled with fowl spirits, and they were all cured."
Peter walked in the Spirit and the Glory that was in and on him, was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit worked from within his physical body and transmitted that Power of the Glory, through Peter's shadow. There was a man named, "Phillip," who wasn't contained by his physical body in Acts 8:38-40 (Amplified) when he was translated in the Spirit. Thus, we read, "And he [a eunuch who was traveling nearby in a chariot] ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Phillip and the Eunuch went down into the water, and Phillip baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly caught away Phillip and the Eunuch saw him no more, and he went away rejoicing. But Phillip was found at Azozus, and passing on he preached the Good News (the Gospel) to all the towns until he reached Caesarea."
Phillip was instantly translated in his physical body, by the Spirit. We've allowed our physical bodies to rule over our spirit, instead of our spirits ruling our physical bodies. This is the Glory that Jesus had and gave to us, when He prayed in John 17:22 (Amplified), saying, "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One." Listen to what Jesus said about this Glory and Honor, "That they (those who would believe), may be one even as We are One." The Glory and honor was God and Jesus being One and He is giving us this Glory and honor, so we too can become one, like the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One in Heaven and earth. We became one with them by our new creation birth, just like Jesus prayed. This same Glory and honor He had, is now ours, through Him.
Paul writes about this Glory in 2Corinthians 3:18-19 (Amplified) saying, "Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled faces, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit."
We've been learning about the Glory that has been given to us, as children of the Father. Jesus prayed in John 17:22 (Amplified), "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One." The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write in 2Corinthians 3:17-18 (Amplified), "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transformed into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another; For this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit."
The Glory we've received is the Glory of Jesus and is increased from one degree of splendor to another, when we see ourselves as through the mirror of God's Word and understand we've been made into His Own Image. The mind of the flesh and the religious mind, will count this as boasting and being prideful, but it's not; it is Truth. If we say it's not true, then we're really boasting against God's Word, according to 2Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified), where Paul writes, "For the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever's minds that they should not discern the Truth, preventing them from seeing the illuminating Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God."
Christians have languished for years, believing we're still just "old sinners," when the Truth is we've been crowned with the same crown that both the First and Last Adam was crowned with. Psalm 8:4-6 (Amplified) says, "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 (Heavenly beings); and You have crowned him with Glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet."
You were recreated in Jesus' Image and Likeness, when you received Him as your Lord and Savior. We are new creations and a new species that earth has never seen before. We were crowned with His Glory and given a place of honor, once more in God's Presence. We're part of His family in Glory and honor, like we never were under the Curse of Sin and Death. We've been made to be righteous, in right standing and been given the right to stand in God's Presence again, in Christ Jesus. The Glory we've been given is nothing short of God's Holy Spirit living in us again. This the Glory that was given to Jesus and which He gave to us.
The god of this world has blinded the unbelievers to the Light of this Glory. The unbelievers don't simply include those who aren't saved yet, but it includes those who share salvation. It seems strange that Christians can't believe the Truth of God's Word, but it happens too frequently, in today's Church. This is the enemy's greatest weapon against the Church. He's blinded the minds of those under the Law, to the teaching and preaching of Jesus Himself. If it worked against the people who lived at Jesus' time, then why would satan change tactics now? Light is the remedy against darkness and the entrance of God's Word, brings Light, according to Psalm 119:130 (Amplified) which says, "The entrance and unfolding of Your Words give Light; their unfolding gives understanding, discernment and comprehension to the simple."
"The Parable of the Sower" tells us about a man who had a hardened soil or pathway, where much traffic walked and the soil was hard packed. Jesus says in Mark 4:15 (Amplified), "So when they hear, satan comes at once, and by force takes away the Message that is sown in them." These people heard the Word, but it didn't enter into the soil of the hearts and was stolen from the hard soil of their hearts. The entrance of the Word brings Light, when it enters the heart. The enemy has kept us in religion, instead of Truth. Our hearts have become hard packed soil, because of the teachings of man, instead of God. We've been told that we're "still only sinners, saved by Grace," for years and have feared and not dared to believe anything other than this. We've been taught that to do so, would be "prideful and boastful" or "God resists the proud." We thought we were being humble, but we were being foolish instead.
We must have ears to hear and eyes to see, for the entrance of the Word to bring Light into our hearts. The enemy has prepared many pitfalls for our earthly walk and only the Holy Spirit and God's Word can illuminate our paths. David wrote in Psalm 119:105 (Amplified), "Your Word is a Lamp to my feet and a Light to my path." The seed must first enter into the soil, in order to receive a harvest. If the seed falls on hard packed soil and doesn't penetrate, then it's stolen by the enemy.
God's Word is incorruptible Seed and will produce every time it's sown into the soil of our spirit. Jesus said in Mark 4:15 (Amplified), "Satan comes at once and by force takes away the Message that was sown in them." Satan only needs to take away the Seed of God's Word, to stop understanding and Revelation from our lives. Jesus said that satan "will do this by force." When you sow God's Word of healing in the Church, then satan will come immediately to steal that Word. What force could stop the Seed of healing? Symptoms of sickness will come upon you, trying to prove that "healing's not for everyone" and "healing's not for today."
We still see our physical body as being more "real," than the spiritual body, because we're moved more by the senses than God's Word. The real you, is the new creation person who was born in you, by the Holy Spirit. He is the who is now to rule in our lives. The physical body is to be the earthly house we live in, while here on earth.
The New Testament believers didn't have their physical bodies, stop the progress of the new man or woman. Acts 5:15-16 (Amplified) tells us, "So that they even kept carrying out the sick into the streets and placing them on couches and sleeping pads, in the hope that at least as Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. And the people gathered also from the towns and hamlets around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled with fowl spirits, and they were all cured."
Peter walked in the Spirit and the Glory that was in and on him, was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit worked from within his physical body and transmitted that Power of the Glory, through Peter's shadow. There was a man named, "Phillip," who wasn't contained by his physical body in Acts 8:38-40 (Amplified) when he was translated in the Spirit. Thus, we read, "And he [a eunuch who was traveling nearby in a chariot] ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Phillip and the Eunuch went down into the water, and Phillip baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly caught away Phillip and the Eunuch saw him no more, and he went away rejoicing. But Phillip was found at Azozus, and passing on he preached the Good News (the Gospel) to all the towns until he reached Caesarea."
Phillip was instantly translated in his physical body, by the Spirit. We've allowed our physical bodies to rule over our spirit, instead of our spirits ruling our physical bodies. This is the Glory that Jesus had and gave to us, when He prayed in John 17:22 (Amplified), saying, "I have given to them the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One." Listen to what Jesus said about this Glory and Honor, "That they (those who would believe), may be one even as We are One." The Glory and honor was God and Jesus being One and He is giving us this Glory and honor, so we too can become one, like the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One in Heaven and earth. We became one with them by our new creation birth, just like Jesus prayed. This same Glory and honor He had, is now ours, through Him.
Paul writes about this Glory in 2Corinthians 3:18-19 (Amplified) saying, "Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled faces, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit."
Monday, May 6, 2019
Lesson 191 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth, came through Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified) says, "For we are God's Own handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus (born anew), that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live."
This scripture is talking about the Plan God had for His family, before the fall of Adam, before the Law of Sin and Death was established, and before the Curse existed. God had a Plan for His family to walk in a flesh and blood body upon this earth. This was His desired for His children. Through Jesus, we now have the opportunity to walk once again with Him and be under His Blessing, like He had prearranged for us to live before time. Before Adam's fall, there was no time limit on God's children. Mankind was to live in an immortal body and have an eternal spirit, so God Himself could continually walk and fellowship with them. God Himself could walk in this natural world and we could also live in this natural world, while simultaneously seeing and walking in the Spiritual world and receiving instructions for our lives, from Him.
God never predestined sickness, death, disease or suffering for His family and He has now restored us back to Eden, through Jesus. Romans 8:1-2,3 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation, no adjudging guilty of wrong for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk after the dictates of the Spirit. For while the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus (the Law of our new being), has freed me from the Law of Sin and of Death."
The Holy Spirit tells us why we are now free and restored back into the prearranged paths the Father planned for us in Verse 3, saying, "For God has done what the Law could not do, its power being weakened by the flesh (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit). Sending His Own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an Offering for sin, God condemned sin in the flesh, subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that Sacrifice."
God has done what we have failed to understand and He has restored His children back into the place He intended them to be, when birthing them in the beginning. God's will and Plan for mankind has never changed and Jesus was a continuation of God's Plan A. God has never needed a Plan B for His family. In God's eyes and in His Truth through Jesus, we have now been restored to the same place that both Adam and Jesus were, in God's Plan and His will. Before his transgression, Adam and his wife Eve, both walked in the Spirit and the natural world with God. God did the exact same thing and walked with Jesus, in the Spirit and in this natural world. Those of us in Christ Jesus, have been born-again by the Holy Spirit and are back to the place where God intended His family to be. Through the new creation, God can now walk with us, both in the Spirit and in the natural world.
Most in God's family are still waiting for this to happen, believing it will happen when we leave this earth. God is waiting for us to understand that it's already been done. Jesus prayed in John 17:18 (Amplified), "You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." This isn't a play on words, but a Truth we haven't understood. Just like God was living through and in Jesus, He is now living through and in us. He has brought us back to "the paths that He prearranged and made ready for us ahead of time," (Ephesians 2:10).
Paul writes this Truth in Galatians 2:19-20 (Amplified), "For I, through the Law (under the operation of the Curse of the Law), have in Christ's death for me, myself died to the Law and all of the Law's demands upon me, so that I may henceforth live to and for God. I have been crucified with Christ (in Him I have share His crucifixion); it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in and by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in the Son of God, Who Loved me and gave Himself up for me."
Adam was never intended to live on and by his own merits, but was to be in all things, in adherence and faith in his Father. Jesus stated this in His ministry. Adam was the first Adam and Jesus was the Last Adam. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus, and have been restored back to God's Original intent for His children. We've been waiting for this to happen in the future, because we haven't understood the Truth that it's already done, in Jesus. In this Year of Understanding, we'll step into the Revelation of who we really are in Him.
The same enemy who deceived Adam and Eve, causing them to fall from God's Glory, has deceived us today. Jesus told His Father in John 17:22,23 (Amplified), "I have given to them (us) the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One." This is the Glory that Adam and Even had in the Garden. Jesus walked in this Glory, by being One in the Father and the Spirit. We're now made to be one in Him and share in God's Glory by His Spirit on and in us. Jesus continued in Verse 23, saying, "I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and that You have Loved them even as You have Loved Me."
The Glory that Jesus gave to us, is the same Glory that was on Adam. We received this Glory at our new birth. It's the Same Holy Spirit, the Same Father and the Same Glory, because God never changed His desire for His family and He never will. Hebrews 2:10 (Amplified) says, "For it was an act worthy of God, and fitting to the Divine nature that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into Glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect; should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His Office of High Priest through suffering."
Jesus endured everything through the human experience, in order to bring us into His Glory in the Father. He endured our suffering through Adam's fall, and brought us back to our rightful place. The Glory, which is God's Own Presence in us, is the same Glory Jesus had on and in Him, as God's Son. This Presence or Glory is now on and in God's family, like He intended from the beginning. This is the Glory that Adam lost in the Garden. Adam realized he was naked and that he was only clothed in flesh, after his transgression caused him to lose the Glory of God's Spirit. Jesus has brought may sons and daughters into Glory, by being the Seed that produced after Kind. We're now the Offspring of the Glory of our Heavenly Father, like we were intended to be, by and through the Seed of God's Word. God can once again, walk in this earth by His Spirit and direct the prearranged paths He made for us to walk, in the beginning.
Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified) says, "For we are God's Own handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus (born anew), that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time, that we should walk in them living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live."
This scripture is talking about the Plan God had for His family, before the fall of Adam, before the Law of Sin and Death was established, and before the Curse existed. God had a Plan for His family to walk in a flesh and blood body upon this earth. This was His desired for His children. Through Jesus, we now have the opportunity to walk once again with Him and be under His Blessing, like He had prearranged for us to live before time. Before Adam's fall, there was no time limit on God's children. Mankind was to live in an immortal body and have an eternal spirit, so God Himself could continually walk and fellowship with them. God Himself could walk in this natural world and we could also live in this natural world, while simultaneously seeing and walking in the Spiritual world and receiving instructions for our lives, from Him.
God never predestined sickness, death, disease or suffering for His family and He has now restored us back to Eden, through Jesus. Romans 8:1-2,3 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation, no adjudging guilty of wrong for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk after the dictates of the Spirit. For while the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus (the Law of our new being), has freed me from the Law of Sin and of Death."
The Holy Spirit tells us why we are now free and restored back into the prearranged paths the Father planned for us in Verse 3, saying, "For God has done what the Law could not do, its power being weakened by the flesh (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit). Sending His Own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an Offering for sin, God condemned sin in the flesh, subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that Sacrifice."
God has done what we have failed to understand and He has restored His children back into the place He intended them to be, when birthing them in the beginning. God's will and Plan for mankind has never changed and Jesus was a continuation of God's Plan A. God has never needed a Plan B for His family. In God's eyes and in His Truth through Jesus, we have now been restored to the same place that both Adam and Jesus were, in God's Plan and His will. Before his transgression, Adam and his wife Eve, both walked in the Spirit and the natural world with God. God did the exact same thing and walked with Jesus, in the Spirit and in this natural world. Those of us in Christ Jesus, have been born-again by the Holy Spirit and are back to the place where God intended His family to be. Through the new creation, God can now walk with us, both in the Spirit and in the natural world.
Most in God's family are still waiting for this to happen, believing it will happen when we leave this earth. God is waiting for us to understand that it's already been done. Jesus prayed in John 17:18 (Amplified), "You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." This isn't a play on words, but a Truth we haven't understood. Just like God was living through and in Jesus, He is now living through and in us. He has brought us back to "the paths that He prearranged and made ready for us ahead of time," (Ephesians 2:10).
Paul writes this Truth in Galatians 2:19-20 (Amplified), "For I, through the Law (under the operation of the Curse of the Law), have in Christ's death for me, myself died to the Law and all of the Law's demands upon me, so that I may henceforth live to and for God. I have been crucified with Christ (in Him I have share His crucifixion); it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in and by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in the Son of God, Who Loved me and gave Himself up for me."
Adam was never intended to live on and by his own merits, but was to be in all things, in adherence and faith in his Father. Jesus stated this in His ministry. Adam was the first Adam and Jesus was the Last Adam. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus, and have been restored back to God's Original intent for His children. We've been waiting for this to happen in the future, because we haven't understood the Truth that it's already done, in Jesus. In this Year of Understanding, we'll step into the Revelation of who we really are in Him.
The same enemy who deceived Adam and Eve, causing them to fall from God's Glory, has deceived us today. Jesus told His Father in John 17:22,23 (Amplified), "I have given to them (us) the Glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One." This is the Glory that Adam and Even had in the Garden. Jesus walked in this Glory, by being One in the Father and the Spirit. We're now made to be one in Him and share in God's Glory by His Spirit on and in us. Jesus continued in Verse 23, saying, "I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and that You have Loved them even as You have Loved Me."
The Glory that Jesus gave to us, is the same Glory that was on Adam. We received this Glory at our new birth. It's the Same Holy Spirit, the Same Father and the Same Glory, because God never changed His desire for His family and He never will. Hebrews 2:10 (Amplified) says, "For it was an act worthy of God, and fitting to the Divine nature that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into Glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect; should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His Office of High Priest through suffering."
Jesus endured everything through the human experience, in order to bring us into His Glory in the Father. He endured our suffering through Adam's fall, and brought us back to our rightful place. The Glory, which is God's Own Presence in us, is the same Glory Jesus had on and in Him, as God's Son. This Presence or Glory is now on and in God's family, like He intended from the beginning. This is the Glory that Adam lost in the Garden. Adam realized he was naked and that he was only clothed in flesh, after his transgression caused him to lose the Glory of God's Spirit. Jesus has brought may sons and daughters into Glory, by being the Seed that produced after Kind. We're now the Offspring of the Glory of our Heavenly Father, like we were intended to be, by and through the Seed of God's Word. God can once again, walk in this earth by His Spirit and direct the prearranged paths He made for us to walk, in the beginning.
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