Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Lesson 84 THE YEAR OF UNDERSTANDING - Original Intent

     Genesis 1:26,28 (Amplified) says, "God said, Let Us (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our Image (after Our Likeness), and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth."  Verse 28 goes on, "And God Blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, using all its vast resources in the service of God and man: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth."
     Notice that Adam had nothing to do, in order tot be Blessed and be in God's Presence.  All of these Blessings and authority were given by God, without man's doing nothing to deserve them.  This was God's Plan for His family, from the very beginning.  The only thing God wanted from His man, was fellowship and to have someone to show His Love to.  We though, continue trying to deserve God's Blessing and Love, by our own works.   We've misunderstood God's Purpose and Intent, when He made man.  We no longer know Him, but only know about Him from what others say or have taught us.
     This Blessing has already been given to those who are God's family, through Jesus.  We don't have to do anything to get it, but only receive what Jesus has already done for us, when He restored us to God.  We keep trying to do things, in order to have God Bless us and  heal or touch us, when we have everything the Father gave to His family, when He brought us into existence.  We call God, "Father," but act like we're still old covenant people who are still separated from Him by sin.  Jesus was the Sacrifice for our sins and there is no more Sacrifice for sin needed.  Once you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the only sacrifice left is the sacrifice of praise and present your whole self in worship for what He's already done.
    We seem to miss why God sent Jesus to us.  The reason Jesus came was to bring God's family back to Him, without any barrier between us.  We can now come boldly to His Throne of Grace at any time.  In Jesus, we have access into the very Presence and face of our Father, at any time.  My children don't do things for me on Father's Day, because they think I'll give them a gift.  They do special things on Father's Day, to show their love and appreciation for my love and provision, which are already theirs.  My children aren't afraid of me, but in love with me.  They don't bring gifts to appease me, but to express how they feel about me.  The greatest gift my children give me, is when they spend family time with me in fellowship.
    How much time do you spend just talking with and in fellowship with your Heavenly Father?  It's important to read His Word, but I'm talking about just spending time with Him.  I don't just seek Him, when I need or want something from Him.  I do so, in order to know Him and to be with Him.  Everything He has is already mine.
     We read "The Parable of the Prodigal Son," in Luke 15:21,22-24,31 (Amplified).  The prodigal son came to his father, not to receive anything except his father's acceptance.  He wasn't seeking anything, but to be a simple servant in his father's house.  Verses 22-24 tell us that the father brought out everything he had and restored all his son's inheritance back to him.  The other son, who had stayed and was still working for his father, became upset because his brother had all these things and he had none.  The father said to the other son in Verse 31, "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours."
     The prodigal son came only to seek his father's love and his acceptance, while the other was already with the father.  This son only saw himself as being a servant in his father's eyes, without knowing that all was his already.  Both sons belonged to the same father, but one received by Grace, what the other didn't receive by works.  That son didn't really know his father's heart and the love his father had for him.  It seems like we're always in one of these camps, when it comes to our Father.  One camp teaches us from religious minds, laying out rules we must follow in order to qualify for the Father's Blessings and Love.  The other camp teaches God's Word about wealth, without relationship, like the other son did in the Parable.  Everything was already his, but he didn't know it.  The prodigal son only wanted to come and he didn't care if he would be only a servant there.  Both were wrong.  Everything the Father had was already theirs, as family.
     God's Original Intent for His family was in the peace that both the First and Last Adam walked with Him in.  I don't believe the First Adam ever thought about his own provision, but that he trusted his Father and His way of providing.  The Last Adam Jesus, also walked in such a relationship with the Father, so He never thought of lack for anything.  Jesus was teaching His followers about provision in Matthew 6:26-33 (Amplified).  He said in Verse 26, "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?"
     Like today, these listeners had families, bills to pay, food to buy, shelter and clothing to provide.  Jesus didn't tell them that they "didn't need" these things or that it was wrong to seek these things.  He told them what to seek, in order to have them in their lives.  Jesus told them in Verse 33, "But seek, aim at and strive after First of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right) AND THEN all of these things taken together will be given you besides."
     Jesus didn't say it was wrong to have these things, but that we're to seek God and not just His Provision.  After being saved, we go along for while, until something goes wrong.  The doctor tells us we have a disease or ailment and we seek God for our healing, but we don't know if it's His will or if God still heals today.  Jesus instructed us to "Seek first, God's way of doing and being right and all the things we have need of on this earth, are also provided."
     Many Christians don't know Him for ourselves, well enough to know whether or not God still does heal or will heal or if He cares if we get healed.  Many don't know Him well enough and wonder if God's putting this on them, in order to teach them something.  If you don't know God for yourself, especially in this tech age, then it will only add confusion about what God's will is for you.  You must establish yourself in Him, so you're not swayed by every wind of doctrine that's available.
     The Holy Spirit speaks to us through John in 1John 2:27 (Amplified), saying, "But as for you, the Anointing, the Sacred appointment, the unction which you have received from Him, abides permanently in you, So then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His Anointing teaches you concerning everything and is True and is no falsehood, so you must abide in, live in, never depart from Him, being rooted in Him, knit to Him, just as His Anointing has taught you to do."
     The above phrase, "That you have no need that anyone should instruct you," doesn't mean you're so super smart you know it all.  It means that when you do hear things that aren't of the Holy Spirit, you'll know enough to guard your heart and not allow them to undermine your faith and understanding with the Father.  There are many winds of doctrine being preached and these have undermined the faith of many, but once you establish your heart in God's Word then you'll be able to stand on the Rock and not sink in the sand.  Jesus said, "My sheep know My Voice."  This comes by spending time with Him in fellowship and not following the voice of a stranger. 

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