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."
The world is so contrary to God's Word, but even Christians have been deceived and haven't heeded Paul's teaching about renewing your mind with the Word, in 1Corinthians 12:2 (Amplified) which says, "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 its new ideals and its 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 will for you."
After receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior, many continue living like we did before being saved. We still talk, act, and live like we did before being born-again. We might clean-up our profanity laced speaking, but we don't speak the Truth of God's Word. We spend more time on face book, than we do in THE BOOK. We're content with just going to Heaven when we die and we fail to live for and through God, while we're here on earth.
The Church largely dismisses any teachings about the words we hear and speak, as being "foolishness." Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified) says, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked), by mere pretensions or professions or by His precepts being set aside."
Paul warns about speaking, listening to and receiving words of the world, instead of listening to and receiving the Spiritual things of God's Word of Truth. Paul says that "God will not allow His Words to be mocked or disdained." Jesus went to the home of Jairus (who was the ruler of the Synagogue) when his daughter died in Mark 5:38-40 (Amplified) which says that upon arriving at Jairus' home they saw a crowd and, "Jesus looked carefully and with understanding at the tumult and the people weeping and wailing loudly. And when He had gone in, He said to them, Why do you make an uproar and weep? The little girl is not dead but is sleeping. And they laughed and jeered at Him." The King James Version says, "And they laughed Him to scorn." Galatians 6:7 tells us that, "God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked)." God will honor His Word, even in the place where the unbelievers mock and scorn Him.
The Word tells us that, "What we sow is what we will reap." Jesus taught in "The Parable of the Sower," saying that words are seeds. God's Word is good seed, while the words of the world are sense-ruled or from an unrenewed mind. Both are spiritual seeds and will both produce a harvest. Galatians 6:8 (Amplified) says, "For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh (or senses), reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap Eternal Life."
Don't think that the words, "Eternal Life" apply only to going to Heaven. Jesus said that, "The Words I speak are Spirit and Life." The Words that come from God, pertain to our life on earth and our life in eternity.
Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified) says, "Death and Life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it for death or Life." In Proverbs 4:20-22 (Amplified) God says, "My son, attend to My Words; consent and submit to My sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are Life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh."
Even the unbeliever's words are seeds, that are being sown. As new creation believers, we cannot allow ourselves to have the seeds of the world to be sown into our hearts and choke out the Good Seed of the Kingdom. We are to choose our words wisely and screen out the words of the world and satan. Jesus instructed us to "Tend and keep" the garden of our heart. The Holy Spirit must be the Filter, Who helps us screen out the world's way of thinking and doing. God will honor His Word, as we trust Him. Remember that God will not allow Himself to be scorned or mocked. When people mock the Words you're trusting in and they are God's Words, then He will not allow those Words to be scorned. We only have two choices about what words we follow and what words we say. We will either go the way of the world or the way of the Word. There are no other ways.
When you're mocked about the stand you take or what you say, remember that they scorned Jesus at Jairus' house, but God proved His Word and raised Jairus' daughter to Life. You can't expect the world or carnal minded Christians to understand it, when you make a stand. God, though, watches over His Word to perform it. We must allow the Holy Spirit to filter out the seeds (words) that constantly come at us, so that they don't choke out the Word of God.
The world doesn't understand our standing on God's Promises. We can't expect the world to know what we're talking about, but we must not water down our standards simply because they don't understand. Just because the world doesn't believe it, doesn't mean it isn't Truth. That's why Paul admonished us, "Don't be conformed or adapted to this world (age)."
The world is in darkness, without even a flashlight to light their path. Psalm 23 says that, "We are being led in paths of righteousness and restoration by Jesus, our Shepherd." Psalm 119:105, 130 (Amplified) says, "Your Word is a Lamp to my feet and a Light to my path." Verse 130 says, "The entrance and unfolding of your words give Light; their unfolding gives understand, discernment, and comprehension to the simple."
Friday, May 18, 2018
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Lesson 50 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 have all received these things "out of His fullness (abundance)," and not from anything we've done. It was God's will and His desire, that these things were granted. Many feel like they're taking advantage of God, by walking in what He made available to us out of His fullness (abundance).
Walking in God's will is to believe, by faith, in His Grace and then accept it. This is Truth. Grace and Truth came to us by our faith in what God has done for us, through Jesus. We should rejoice in it and accept what God wants us to have. The people limited God in the Wilderness. This grieved God, because they wouldn't allow Him to move on their behalf or believe in His Goodness. They decided that God couldn't do what He said He would do.
We've limited Him by our own ideas of what He can or can't do for us, in our earthly lives. This is cutting short the Power and Grace of our Redemption in Christ Jesus. The only thing that stops God from doing what He has Promises us, is us. We've set our minds and hearts towards not believing in His ability to be the Almighty God. We've limited God to our own standards.
We've been taught and have learned that "God can no longer do certain things." Some brethren are even angered when hearing teaches about God's Promises of healing, tongues, speaking and leading us by the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Blessings. Differing denominations have been created, because some choose to take the limits off of God, allowing Him to be Who He says He is. If someone doesn't believe like we do, then that person is put out of the fellowship or that person seeks another fellowship that challenged their faith.
The world promotes the challenge of deeper learning in our schools, but the Church continues to do the opposite. We've learned the basics of counting to ten, but can't seem to grasp addition or subtraction. Counting to ten will allow us to function to a small degree and perhaps we can get by in the world by only knowing this, but there's so much more we could learn to make our lives better.
We've learned to have faith in God's Word for salvation and to the place of being with the Father when leaving this earth, but we haven't learned to have the Father's ability moving through us, while we're here on earth. The Very Same God Who gave Grace for the new birth, is the Very Same God Who will raise His children to adulthood. No parent will have a baby and expect that baby to raise itself.
We've reverted back to what we think God wants us to do, instead of allowing Him to raise us up into the Super-natural Image of Himself. You became a new creation, when you were born-again. Jesus said that we're "in this world, but not of this world." Our education about how to walk in Kingdom things, must come from the Kingdom. The world can't teach or raise us up into new creation beings, because the world doesn't even acknowledge that the Kingdom exists.
How can someone with no knowledge of the Kingdom, teach us how the Kingdom works? The Holy Spirit is the only One Who can teach us Spiritual things, by the Word, which is Truth. Anything outside of the Word, is not Kingdom Truth. When we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us Kingdom Truth, then that Truth will rule out over natural truth and bring deliverance to our lives and the lives of others.
We deal in what we call "facts," but Truth is greater than fact. History records the death of Jesus on Calvary, but Truth says He's not dead, but is alive and has ascended to the Father on our behalf. Truth outweighs fact, when it comes to the Word of God. We've walked in fact for so long, that Truth seems to be lost.
How many times have we been taught that "God no longer does certain things" or that "Not everyone can do certain things?" This is fact to some, but Truth says, "No one can do these things, it's the Father in us Who does the work." We've decided that only special people can do the works, but Jesus said "These signs will follow those who believe." Fact says, "some," but Truth says "ALL." The emphasis is not on man, but on believing in the Greater One within you.
Our faith has been based on what others have said and done, instead of what the Father has said and done. There are only two ways of doing anything on this planet. We will either operated by the Word or the world. These are the only two options we have, to make decisions. If we operated by the world, then we can only obtain what the world can supply. If we will operate by God's Word, then there are no limits to what God can supply. Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified) says, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained or mocked) by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside. He inevitable deludes himself who attempts to delude God. For whatever a man sows, that and only that is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensibility), 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 above scripture tells us that there are only two ways man can live by, on this earth. One way is by sowing to the flesh, which is the world's idea of life. The other way is to sow to the Spirit, which is God's way of Life. When we get saved and live by the standards of the senses (flesh), then we only know what the world knows and can only have what the world has. When we live by the Dictates of the Holy Spirit, then He will be our unlimited Source of Wisdom for this life and our eternal life in Heaven.
We can only reap what we sow. This is God's Word on it, but we also have His Word in Galatians 6:7 (Amplified) which tells us, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked) by mere pretensions or professions or by His precepts being set aside." In other words, "Don't let someone tell you that what God said, He is not able to do. God will not be mocked, disdained or scorned. If God said He would do it, then He will prove His Word to all who tried mocking Him. Don't be deceived by those who are pretentious or say that God's precepts are set aside."
Paul tells us that these people aren't mocking you, but are mocking God and God won't allow Himself to be sneered at or scorned. Even though the world doesn't believe His Word, when we stand on God's Word without being pretentious, then God will honor His Word in the midst of the world's mocking. If we sow to the Spirit, then we will reap from the Spirit. If we allow ourselves to be deceived by those who try to mislead us, then we can only reap what the flesh or senses can deliver. These are our options and God allows us to choose. God will honor His Word, but He cannot and will not honor the world's ideas about Him. God will deliver us by Grace and He will honor Truth.
We have all received these things "out of His fullness (abundance)," and not from anything we've done. It was God's will and His desire, that these things were granted. Many feel like they're taking advantage of God, by walking in what He made available to us out of His fullness (abundance).
Walking in God's will is to believe, by faith, in His Grace and then accept it. This is Truth. Grace and Truth came to us by our faith in what God has done for us, through Jesus. We should rejoice in it and accept what God wants us to have. The people limited God in the Wilderness. This grieved God, because they wouldn't allow Him to move on their behalf or believe in His Goodness. They decided that God couldn't do what He said He would do.
We've limited Him by our own ideas of what He can or can't do for us, in our earthly lives. This is cutting short the Power and Grace of our Redemption in Christ Jesus. The only thing that stops God from doing what He has Promises us, is us. We've set our minds and hearts towards not believing in His ability to be the Almighty God. We've limited God to our own standards.
We've been taught and have learned that "God can no longer do certain things." Some brethren are even angered when hearing teaches about God's Promises of healing, tongues, speaking and leading us by the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Blessings. Differing denominations have been created, because some choose to take the limits off of God, allowing Him to be Who He says He is. If someone doesn't believe like we do, then that person is put out of the fellowship or that person seeks another fellowship that challenged their faith.
The world promotes the challenge of deeper learning in our schools, but the Church continues to do the opposite. We've learned the basics of counting to ten, but can't seem to grasp addition or subtraction. Counting to ten will allow us to function to a small degree and perhaps we can get by in the world by only knowing this, but there's so much more we could learn to make our lives better.
We've learned to have faith in God's Word for salvation and to the place of being with the Father when leaving this earth, but we haven't learned to have the Father's ability moving through us, while we're here on earth. The Very Same God Who gave Grace for the new birth, is the Very Same God Who will raise His children to adulthood. No parent will have a baby and expect that baby to raise itself.
We've reverted back to what we think God wants us to do, instead of allowing Him to raise us up into the Super-natural Image of Himself. You became a new creation, when you were born-again. Jesus said that we're "in this world, but not of this world." Our education about how to walk in Kingdom things, must come from the Kingdom. The world can't teach or raise us up into new creation beings, because the world doesn't even acknowledge that the Kingdom exists.
How can someone with no knowledge of the Kingdom, teach us how the Kingdom works? The Holy Spirit is the only One Who can teach us Spiritual things, by the Word, which is Truth. Anything outside of the Word, is not Kingdom Truth. When we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us Kingdom Truth, then that Truth will rule out over natural truth and bring deliverance to our lives and the lives of others.
We deal in what we call "facts," but Truth is greater than fact. History records the death of Jesus on Calvary, but Truth says He's not dead, but is alive and has ascended to the Father on our behalf. Truth outweighs fact, when it comes to the Word of God. We've walked in fact for so long, that Truth seems to be lost.
How many times have we been taught that "God no longer does certain things" or that "Not everyone can do certain things?" This is fact to some, but Truth says, "No one can do these things, it's the Father in us Who does the work." We've decided that only special people can do the works, but Jesus said "These signs will follow those who believe." Fact says, "some," but Truth says "ALL." The emphasis is not on man, but on believing in the Greater One within you.
Our faith has been based on what others have said and done, instead of what the Father has said and done. There are only two ways of doing anything on this planet. We will either operated by the Word or the world. These are the only two options we have, to make decisions. If we operated by the world, then we can only obtain what the world can supply. If we will operate by God's Word, then there are no limits to what God can supply. Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified) says, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained or mocked) by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside. He inevitable deludes himself who attempts to delude God. For whatever a man sows, that and only that is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensibility), 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 above scripture tells us that there are only two ways man can live by, on this earth. One way is by sowing to the flesh, which is the world's idea of life. The other way is to sow to the Spirit, which is God's way of Life. When we get saved and live by the standards of the senses (flesh), then we only know what the world knows and can only have what the world has. When we live by the Dictates of the Holy Spirit, then He will be our unlimited Source of Wisdom for this life and our eternal life in Heaven.
We can only reap what we sow. This is God's Word on it, but we also have His Word in Galatians 6:7 (Amplified) which tells us, "Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked) by mere pretensions or professions or by His precepts being set aside." In other words, "Don't let someone tell you that what God said, He is not able to do. God will not be mocked, disdained or scorned. If God said He would do it, then He will prove His Word to all who tried mocking Him. Don't be deceived by those who are pretentious or say that God's precepts are set aside."
Paul tells us that these people aren't mocking you, but are mocking God and God won't allow Himself to be sneered at or scorned. Even though the world doesn't believe His Word, when we stand on God's Word without being pretentious, then God will honor His Word in the midst of the world's mocking. If we sow to the Spirit, then we will reap from the Spirit. If we allow ourselves to be deceived by those who try to mislead us, then we can only reap what the flesh or senses can deliver. These are our options and God allows us to choose. God will honor His Word, but He cannot and will not honor the world's ideas about Him. God will deliver us by Grace and He will honor Truth.
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Lesson 49 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."
2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is ingrafted in Christ Jesus (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
We seem to have a problem accepting the Truth of these passages in our lives and continue seeing ourselves as sinners, who are unrighteous in God's eyes. In Romans 9:23-26,20-21 (Amplified) Paul writes, "And what if He thus purposes to make known and show the wealth of His Glory in dealing with the vessels (objects of His mercy which He prepared beforehand for Glory), even including ourselves whom He called, not only from among the Jews but also from the Gentiles (heathens)? Just as He said in Hosea, Those who were not My people I will call My people, and her who was not beloved I will call My beloved. And it shall be that in the very place where it was said to them; You are not My people, they shall be called sons of the Living God."
Paul writes about the Jews, Gentiles and the Potter in Verse 21, saying, "Has the Potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use?" Some have taken this scripture to describe "bad" people, saying that "God deliberately made them for destruction." The real intent of this scripture, speaks about how the Potter created the new creation people from clay that was "of no use." These were the Gentiles who were outside the covenant. The Potter (God) took this ignoble and dishonorable clay, which was of no use to Him, and formed them into "sons of the Living God," like Verse 26 says.
We are that clay and have no right to tell the Potter, "We are unrighteous, unworthy and are still sinners," when He determines who He has made us to be. Verse 20 says, "But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to Him that formed it, Why have You made me thus?"
Will the new creation people, who are made sons and daughters of God, say to the One Who made us, "You created us incorrectly and incomplete?" We are what we are in Christ Jesus, by the design of the Potter. If God made us new creation beings, who are righteous and holy in Christ, then why do we strive against the Potter, as though He had no authority to make us thus? It was the Potter's will and Purpose, to make the vessels who were of no use to Him (us, the Gentiles) honorable vessels. We must not contradict what the Potter has made, but should rejoice in His mercy and honor Him for what He has done in us.
Our carnal minds keep us from believing that what God has done in Jesus is complete and that He has made us honorable vessels that actually contain and hold the Precious Holy Spirit. 1Corinthians 7:19 (Amplified) tells us, "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."
The Potter taken vessels that were useless to Him and made them into containers that hold His Glory and Presence. God is the Potter and He takes the discarded clay, places it back onto the wheel and forms it into vessels, "As He chooses." He formed us into new creation and we're still what He made us to be, even if we deny what He's formed us to be.
Many act like we're still ignoble, useless or broken pottery to God, but this isn't true. We were made righteous and holy, at the Potter's discretion and not our own discretion. The clay can't ask the Potter, "What do You think You're doing?" No, the vessel is what the Potter formed it to be. He is the Potter and we're the clay. In Christ Jesus, we are new creations that the Potter has made from dishonorable clay.
We've failed to walk in the fullness of what He's made us to be, because of our own carnal thinking and remembering what we used to be. We still see ourselves as who we once were, instead of seeing ourselves like He formed us to be. We still try walking under the Law, as carnal, unspiritual and unsaved people, instead of rejoicing in our new creation citizenship and son-ship rights with our Heavenly Father.
This was done by God's will and as His children, we should rejoice and fulfill His will in our lives. Paul writes about this in Romans 12:2 (Amplified) saying, "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs, but be transformed (changed) by the entire renewal of your mind, by its attitude and ideals, 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."
God made you a new creature altogether and this is His perfect will for you. When we argue with the Potter, saying that we're not what He formed us to be, then it's difficult for us to be the vessels of honor and hold the Glory in His House. We're the "good China" and the "good crystal" that adorns the Master's table, in His House. And, we're the ones who are called to "Come and dine" at His request.
We must receive what the Potter has made us to be and believe that God made us new creations in Christ Jesus. He placed the unusable clay, placed it on the Potter's wheel and formed us into what He wanted us to be. This is Grace and Truth.
2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is ingrafted in Christ Jesus (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come."
We seem to have a problem accepting the Truth of these passages in our lives and continue seeing ourselves as sinners, who are unrighteous in God's eyes. In Romans 9:23-26,20-21 (Amplified) Paul writes, "And what if He thus purposes to make known and show the wealth of His Glory in dealing with the vessels (objects of His mercy which He prepared beforehand for Glory), even including ourselves whom He called, not only from among the Jews but also from the Gentiles (heathens)? Just as He said in Hosea, Those who were not My people I will call My people, and her who was not beloved I will call My beloved. And it shall be that in the very place where it was said to them; You are not My people, they shall be called sons of the Living God."
Paul writes about the Jews, Gentiles and the Potter in Verse 21, saying, "Has the Potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use?" Some have taken this scripture to describe "bad" people, saying that "God deliberately made them for destruction." The real intent of this scripture, speaks about how the Potter created the new creation people from clay that was "of no use." These were the Gentiles who were outside the covenant. The Potter (God) took this ignoble and dishonorable clay, which was of no use to Him, and formed them into "sons of the Living God," like Verse 26 says.
We are that clay and have no right to tell the Potter, "We are unrighteous, unworthy and are still sinners," when He determines who He has made us to be. Verse 20 says, "But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to Him that formed it, Why have You made me thus?"
Will the new creation people, who are made sons and daughters of God, say to the One Who made us, "You created us incorrectly and incomplete?" We are what we are in Christ Jesus, by the design of the Potter. If God made us new creation beings, who are righteous and holy in Christ, then why do we strive against the Potter, as though He had no authority to make us thus? It was the Potter's will and Purpose, to make the vessels who were of no use to Him (us, the Gentiles) honorable vessels. We must not contradict what the Potter has made, but should rejoice in His mercy and honor Him for what He has done in us.
Our carnal minds keep us from believing that what God has done in Jesus is complete and that He has made us honorable vessels that actually contain and hold the Precious Holy Spirit. 1Corinthians 7:19 (Amplified) tells us, "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."
The Potter taken vessels that were useless to Him and made them into containers that hold His Glory and Presence. God is the Potter and He takes the discarded clay, places it back onto the wheel and forms it into vessels, "As He chooses." He formed us into new creation and we're still what He made us to be, even if we deny what He's formed us to be.
Many act like we're still ignoble, useless or broken pottery to God, but this isn't true. We were made righteous and holy, at the Potter's discretion and not our own discretion. The clay can't ask the Potter, "What do You think You're doing?" No, the vessel is what the Potter formed it to be. He is the Potter and we're the clay. In Christ Jesus, we are new creations that the Potter has made from dishonorable clay.
We've failed to walk in the fullness of what He's made us to be, because of our own carnal thinking and remembering what we used to be. We still see ourselves as who we once were, instead of seeing ourselves like He formed us to be. We still try walking under the Law, as carnal, unspiritual and unsaved people, instead of rejoicing in our new creation citizenship and son-ship rights with our Heavenly Father.
This was done by God's will and as His children, we should rejoice and fulfill His will in our lives. Paul writes about this in Romans 12:2 (Amplified) saying, "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs, but be transformed (changed) by the entire renewal of your mind, by its attitude and ideals, 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."
God made you a new creature altogether and this is His perfect will for you. When we argue with the Potter, saying that we're not what He formed us to be, then it's difficult for us to be the vessels of honor and hold the Glory in His House. We're the "good China" and the "good crystal" that adorns the Master's table, in His House. And, we're the ones who are called to "Come and dine" at His request.
We must receive what the Potter has made us to be and believe that God made us new creations in Christ Jesus. He placed the unusable clay, placed it on the Potter's wheel and formed us into what He wanted us to be. This is Grace and Truth.
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Lesson 48 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."
As the new creation family of God, we have access to Truth, which was never revealed to the old covenant people. Psalm 91:1 (Amplified) says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty, Whose Power no one can withstand." We see a portion of this Secret Place or Mystery in Ephesians 3:2-6 (Amplified) where Paul writes, "Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's Grace (His unmerited favor), that was entrusted to me to dispense to you, for your benefit. And that the mystery (secret) was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct Revelation, as I already briefly wrote you. When you read this you can understand my insight into the Mystery of Christ This Mystery was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles, consecrated messengers and prophets by the Holy Spirit. It is this, that the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs with the Jews, members of the same Body and joint partakers (sharing the same Divine Promise in Christ) through their acceptance of glad tidings (the Gospel)."
Colossi ans 1:26-27 (Amplified) says, "The Mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations, from angels and men, but is now revealed to His holy people (saints) To Whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the Glory of this Mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of realizing the Glory."
1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) says, "But it is from Him that you have your Life in Christ Jesus, Whom God has made our Wisdom from God, revealed to us a knowledge of the Divine Plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as our Righteousness, thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God and our Consecration (making us pure and holy), and our Redemption (providing our Ransom from eternal penalty for sin)."
Jesus is the Secret Place of the Most High God! He is the Secret or Mystery, hidden in God from the foundations of the world. Being Christians, we are hidden in Him and qualify for the Promises of Psalm 91. We have a part to play in these Promises, because of what we acknowledge and confess unto the Father. Many don't realize this is where our protection lies and where our understanding of this Secret or Mystery holds for us.
The Power of protection and Blessing, was actually laid up for us, as God's family. No one could abide in the Secret Place, until Jesus came and opened the Door in Himself. We can now abide in His Very Name and His Spirit. He is our Place of abode and can dwell in us. While reading the 91st Psalm as a believer, remember and acknowledge the Truth that you dwell in this Secret Place.
We can't allow the Truth of this scripture to elude us. Without Truth, these are merely words we read in a book. The Truth of salvation was already here and was already Truth, but until we received it as Truth, it never changed anything in our lives. Our not receiving it as "Truth," doesn't mean it wasn't "Truth." The same is true for all God's Promises found in His Word. It's all Truth, but it won't work in your life, until you receive it as being "Truth."
This is why some people receive from the Promises and some don't. It's Truth to those who believe and is only "a truth," to others. They will confess that, "The Bible is True," but then not see the Truth of it working in their lives. This is a simple fact of believing Truth and not just confessing, "It is true." When you believe it as Truth, then you can act upon it, without worrying whether or not it will work in your life.
We've invented excuses for why it doesn't work, but they're just covering up our not believing. Jesus said that, "All things are possible to him who believes." This is Truth and anything that contradicts this Truth, is unbelief. I'm writing this to encourage you to believe beyond what you're now able to enjoy in Jesus. Even those who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry, had difficulty believing some things He did in their sight.
Don't stop at where you are, but continue in your faith, starting at believing Psalm 91. Believe you're abiding in God's Secret Place and are hidden with Him in Christ Jesus. Speak it to yourself, speak it unto the Father, speak it to Jesus, saying "You are my Secret Place and I am safe in You, from all evil."
Let the devil know that you are safe in Jesus, because He is your Secret Place and protects you from anything satan comes against you with. Let the enemy know that angels are always at work on your behalf, because you are in Christ Jesus and He is in you. This is one of the Promises that we've inherited through salvation. Jesus is our Secret Place. He is our High Tower and Fortress and we gather in Him for protection.
In Proverbs 22:17-19, 20-21 (Amplified) God tells us, "Listen, consent and submit to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to My knowledge For it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind, believing them, your lips will be accustomed to confessing them So that your trust (belief, reliance, support and confidence) may be in the Lord. I have made known these things to you today, even to you." Verses 20-21 continue, "Have I not written to you long ago excellent things in counsels and knowledge To make you know the certainty of the Words of Truth, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you."
Psalm 91:2-4 (Amplified) says, "I will say of the Lord, You are my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, on You I lean and rely and in You I confidently trust. For then, He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence For then, He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuse. His Truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler."
God will acknowledge what you say, so confess it until your mouth and mind become accustomed to saying it. Say it, until you believe it. God already believes it and He's waiting for you to believe. Ask yourself whether or not you truly believe the above scripture or if you're just acknowledging it as mere words. Do like Proverbs 22 instructs and confess it until it becomes Revelation that brings trust and belief. THIS THEN, is TRUTH.
As the new creation family of God, we have access to Truth, which was never revealed to the old covenant people. Psalm 91:1 (Amplified) says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty, Whose Power no one can withstand." We see a portion of this Secret Place or Mystery in Ephesians 3:2-6 (Amplified) where Paul writes, "Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's Grace (His unmerited favor), that was entrusted to me to dispense to you, for your benefit. And that the mystery (secret) was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct Revelation, as I already briefly wrote you. When you read this you can understand my insight into the Mystery of Christ This Mystery was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles, consecrated messengers and prophets by the Holy Spirit. It is this, that the Gentiles are now to be fellow heirs with the Jews, members of the same Body and joint partakers (sharing the same Divine Promise in Christ) through their acceptance of glad tidings (the Gospel)."
Colossi ans 1:26-27 (Amplified) says, "The Mystery of which was hidden for ages and generations, from angels and men, but is now revealed to His holy people (saints) To Whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the Glory of this Mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of realizing the Glory."
1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) says, "But it is from Him that you have your Life in Christ Jesus, Whom God has made our Wisdom from God, revealed to us a knowledge of the Divine Plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as our Righteousness, thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God and our Consecration (making us pure and holy), and our Redemption (providing our Ransom from eternal penalty for sin)."
Jesus is the Secret Place of the Most High God! He is the Secret or Mystery, hidden in God from the foundations of the world. Being Christians, we are hidden in Him and qualify for the Promises of Psalm 91. We have a part to play in these Promises, because of what we acknowledge and confess unto the Father. Many don't realize this is where our protection lies and where our understanding of this Secret or Mystery holds for us.
The Power of protection and Blessing, was actually laid up for us, as God's family. No one could abide in the Secret Place, until Jesus came and opened the Door in Himself. We can now abide in His Very Name and His Spirit. He is our Place of abode and can dwell in us. While reading the 91st Psalm as a believer, remember and acknowledge the Truth that you dwell in this Secret Place.
We can't allow the Truth of this scripture to elude us. Without Truth, these are merely words we read in a book. The Truth of salvation was already here and was already Truth, but until we received it as Truth, it never changed anything in our lives. Our not receiving it as "Truth," doesn't mean it wasn't "Truth." The same is true for all God's Promises found in His Word. It's all Truth, but it won't work in your life, until you receive it as being "Truth."
This is why some people receive from the Promises and some don't. It's Truth to those who believe and is only "a truth," to others. They will confess that, "The Bible is True," but then not see the Truth of it working in their lives. This is a simple fact of believing Truth and not just confessing, "It is true." When you believe it as Truth, then you can act upon it, without worrying whether or not it will work in your life.
We've invented excuses for why it doesn't work, but they're just covering up our not believing. Jesus said that, "All things are possible to him who believes." This is Truth and anything that contradicts this Truth, is unbelief. I'm writing this to encourage you to believe beyond what you're now able to enjoy in Jesus. Even those who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry, had difficulty believing some things He did in their sight.
Don't stop at where you are, but continue in your faith, starting at believing Psalm 91. Believe you're abiding in God's Secret Place and are hidden with Him in Christ Jesus. Speak it to yourself, speak it unto the Father, speak it to Jesus, saying "You are my Secret Place and I am safe in You, from all evil."
Let the devil know that you are safe in Jesus, because He is your Secret Place and protects you from anything satan comes against you with. Let the enemy know that angels are always at work on your behalf, because you are in Christ Jesus and He is in you. This is one of the Promises that we've inherited through salvation. Jesus is our Secret Place. He is our High Tower and Fortress and we gather in Him for protection.
In Proverbs 22:17-19, 20-21 (Amplified) God tells us, "Listen, consent and submit to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to My knowledge For it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind, believing them, your lips will be accustomed to confessing them So that your trust (belief, reliance, support and confidence) may be in the Lord. I have made known these things to you today, even to you." Verses 20-21 continue, "Have I not written to you long ago excellent things in counsels and knowledge To make you know the certainty of the Words of Truth, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you."
Psalm 91:2-4 (Amplified) says, "I will say of the Lord, You are my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, on You I lean and rely and in You I confidently trust. For then, He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence For then, He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuse. His Truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler."
God will acknowledge what you say, so confess it until your mouth and mind become accustomed to saying it. Say it, until you believe it. God already believes it and He's waiting for you to believe. Ask yourself whether or not you truly believe the above scripture or if you're just acknowledging it as mere words. Do like Proverbs 22 instructs and confess it until it becomes Revelation that brings trust and belief. THIS THEN, is TRUTH.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Lesson 47 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."
In John 6:39-40 (Amplified), Jesus said, "And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new Life and raise them all up at the last day For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal Life, and I will raise him up from the dead at the last days."
When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you've entered into the will and purpose of God. You've come to a place, where you're in what Paul calls, "The Good will of God," in Romans 12:2. We find the Good will of God, in James 1:17-18 (Amplified) which says, "Every Good Gift and every Perfect, free, large, full Gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all that gives Light in the shining of Whom there can be no variation, rising or setting or shadow cast by His turning, as in an eclipse. And it was out of His Own free will that He gave us birth as sons by His Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures, as sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself."
When we enter into Jesus, we enter into God's Good will and His purpose. The word "good," from the original Greek, according to The Strong's Concordance #18 means, "Benefit, good, goods, good thing, well." By faith in Jesus, you've entered into the Good will of God, as His child. You are a good thing, beneficial and well with the Father. When you first are saved, you're a baby Christian and don't know the Father, His purpose and will for you is, until you grow into the knowledge of Him.
Then we enter into what Paul calls "the acceptable will of God," in Romans 12:2 (Amplified). Paul writes about increasing the knowledge and purpose of God's will in our lives, saying it's "good and acceptable." The Strong's Concordance #2101 says this means, "Acceptable, fully agreeable, well pleasing, accepted." This is a place of growth and maturing in wisdom and understanding, as a new creation child of God.
Paul also writes about the "perfect will of God," in the above scripture. The word "perfect," according to The Strong's Concordance # 5046 means, "Complete, completeness, of full age, man, labor, growth, mental and moral character, and mature." These things are God's will and come from renewing our minds by the Word and the Holy Spirit. When we renew our minds by the Word and the Holy Spirit, then we can prove what's is God's will for ourselves and to work through us. We must choose whether or not we will mature and progress from being a child to an adult. The choice is ours to make.
The Lord has instructed me to write about these things, so our eyes might be opened to His True will, for our lives. We've been so divided and confused about whether certain things "are God's will." Paul says that if we allow the Holy Spirit and God's Word to renew our minds, then we can prove for ourselves, what God's will is.
As you grow up into adulthood in your faith, you can know how to grow from the good will of God, to the acceptable will of God. You can grown into the perfect or mature child of God and prove for yourself or you can remain a baby in Christ, according to 1Peter 2:2,5 (Amplified) which says, "Like newborn babies you should crave, thirst for, earnestly desire, the pure, unadulterated Spiritual milk (the Word) that by it you may be nurtured and grow into completed salvation."
Peter continues about learning and growing in the will and knowledge of the Lord in Verse 5, saying, "Come, and like living stones, be yourselves built into a Spiritual house, for a holy, dedicated, consecrated, priesthood, to offer up those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ."
We can remain in God's will without growth in our Christianity, but we might not be in a place to do His purpose. All baby Christians are in God's will, but baby Christians have much growing to do, before fulfilling His purpose. Ephesians 4:11-15 tells us that "Jesus placed the five-fold ministry for the perfecting and equipping of the saints to do the work of ministering toward building up the Church."
Not everyone in the Church, is of the same age (if you will). Some were just born-again this very day, while some were born-again years ago. Every child of God, is in the will of God, by being born-again. But, they're not yet able to perform the purpose of God in and to the world, because they haven't been taught and renewed their minds by His Word yet.
Jesus has placed people in the Body of Christ, to bring these children into the perfect will of God. This is a place where we are complete, of full age, adulthood, grown into a new mental and moral character and mature. This is when we have grown into a place of knowing and walking in God's perfect will and purpose for our lives. Paul says, we can prove for ourselves, what is this "perfect" will of God.
Some churches and fellowships are made up of babes in Christ, than other churches. This doesn't mean that some aren't getting people saved, but they haven't grown up enough to received the meat, instead of the milk. Most first graders aren't able to attend college courses, because they're not ready to receive it yet. This is true in the Church too. There's a process of growth, where we grow from babes in Christs to being mature Christians. Our Heavenly Father allows us to choose. We can still be in His will, but not so much in His purpose. Only yielding to His call in wisdom and understanding, can promote us into a vessel to be used of the Master.
In John 6:39-40 (Amplified), Jesus said, "And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new Life and raise them all up at the last day For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal Life, and I will raise him up from the dead at the last days."
When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you've entered into the will and purpose of God. You've come to a place, where you're in what Paul calls, "The Good will of God," in Romans 12:2. We find the Good will of God, in James 1:17-18 (Amplified) which says, "Every Good Gift and every Perfect, free, large, full Gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all that gives Light in the shining of Whom there can be no variation, rising or setting or shadow cast by His turning, as in an eclipse. And it was out of His Own free will that He gave us birth as sons by His Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures, as sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself."
When we enter into Jesus, we enter into God's Good will and His purpose. The word "good," from the original Greek, according to The Strong's Concordance #18 means, "Benefit, good, goods, good thing, well." By faith in Jesus, you've entered into the Good will of God, as His child. You are a good thing, beneficial and well with the Father. When you first are saved, you're a baby Christian and don't know the Father, His purpose and will for you is, until you grow into the knowledge of Him.
Then we enter into what Paul calls "the acceptable will of God," in Romans 12:2 (Amplified). Paul writes about increasing the knowledge and purpose of God's will in our lives, saying it's "good and acceptable." The Strong's Concordance #2101 says this means, "Acceptable, fully agreeable, well pleasing, accepted." This is a place of growth and maturing in wisdom and understanding, as a new creation child of God.
Paul also writes about the "perfect will of God," in the above scripture. The word "perfect," according to The Strong's Concordance # 5046 means, "Complete, completeness, of full age, man, labor, growth, mental and moral character, and mature." These things are God's will and come from renewing our minds by the Word and the Holy Spirit. When we renew our minds by the Word and the Holy Spirit, then we can prove what's is God's will for ourselves and to work through us. We must choose whether or not we will mature and progress from being a child to an adult. The choice is ours to make.
The Lord has instructed me to write about these things, so our eyes might be opened to His True will, for our lives. We've been so divided and confused about whether certain things "are God's will." Paul says that if we allow the Holy Spirit and God's Word to renew our minds, then we can prove for ourselves, what God's will is.
As you grow up into adulthood in your faith, you can know how to grow from the good will of God, to the acceptable will of God. You can grown into the perfect or mature child of God and prove for yourself or you can remain a baby in Christ, according to 1Peter 2:2,5 (Amplified) which says, "Like newborn babies you should crave, thirst for, earnestly desire, the pure, unadulterated Spiritual milk (the Word) that by it you may be nurtured and grow into completed salvation."
Peter continues about learning and growing in the will and knowledge of the Lord in Verse 5, saying, "Come, and like living stones, be yourselves built into a Spiritual house, for a holy, dedicated, consecrated, priesthood, to offer up those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ."
We can remain in God's will without growth in our Christianity, but we might not be in a place to do His purpose. All baby Christians are in God's will, but baby Christians have much growing to do, before fulfilling His purpose. Ephesians 4:11-15 tells us that "Jesus placed the five-fold ministry for the perfecting and equipping of the saints to do the work of ministering toward building up the Church."
Not everyone in the Church, is of the same age (if you will). Some were just born-again this very day, while some were born-again years ago. Every child of God, is in the will of God, by being born-again. But, they're not yet able to perform the purpose of God in and to the world, because they haven't been taught and renewed their minds by His Word yet.
Jesus has placed people in the Body of Christ, to bring these children into the perfect will of God. This is a place where we are complete, of full age, adulthood, grown into a new mental and moral character and mature. This is when we have grown into a place of knowing and walking in God's perfect will and purpose for our lives. Paul says, we can prove for ourselves, what is this "perfect" will of God.
Some churches and fellowships are made up of babes in Christ, than other churches. This doesn't mean that some aren't getting people saved, but they haven't grown up enough to received the meat, instead of the milk. Most first graders aren't able to attend college courses, because they're not ready to receive it yet. This is true in the Church too. There's a process of growth, where we grow from babes in Christs to being mature Christians. Our Heavenly Father allows us to choose. We can still be in His will, but not so much in His purpose. Only yielding to His call in wisdom and understanding, can promote us into a vessel to be used of the Master.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Lesson 46 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 6:40 (Amplified), "For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal Life, and I will raise him up from the dead at the last day."
The moment you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you entered into the will of God and His purpose. Now, you must listen and be obedient to His Voice, in order to further His will and purpose in your life and the lives of others. Some are called into full-time ministry, according to Ephesians 4:11-13 (Amplified) which says, "And His Gifts were varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us, some to be apostles, special messengers, some prophets, inspired preachers and expounders, some evangelists, preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries, some pastors, shepherds of His flock, and teachers. His intention was the perfecting and full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), that they should do the work of ministering toward building up Christ's Body (the Church), that it might develop until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the full and accurate knowledge of the Son of god, that we might arrive at really mature manhood, the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's Own Perfection (the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him."
John 1:16 (Amplified) tells us, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have ALL received, ALL had a share and were ALL supplied with..." Through Christ's work, we've been given the ability to develop into the "measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and the completeness found in Him." This is the progress that we (as individuals) possess, in order to walk in the will of God. He has given the five-fold ministry as Gifts, to help the Church develop into this fullness of Christ and the completeness found in Him. The Word "Christ" from Ephesians 4:13, doesn't only refer to the Man Jesus as the Anointed One, but refers to His Anointing that was given to those who are in Him.
The Anointing that came from and through Him, is the Holy Spirit Who guided Jesus, throughout His earthly ministry. We've developed faith in God's will to receive Jesus and have eternal Life, but we haven't allowed our faith and the Holy Spirit to bring us into the fullness, completeness and His full stature in the earth. The degrees of God's will vary from Christian to Christian, as we all walk individually on the earth.
Those who Jesus gave as Gifts are chosen by God for a specific work. His will for them, is that they follow what He's directed them to do. We're each responsible to walk upright before Him and be led by His Spirit. Your call or mission, might not include being a prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor or teacher. Your part of walking out God's will and purpose in your life, is to listen to what He tells you to do, in the world around you.
The Purpose of God's appointing the five-fold ministry, is to help the Body of Christ develop and "attain oneness in the faith and the full (accurate) knowledge of the Son of God, and arrive at nothing less than the standard height of Christ's Own Perfection."
We still have much to develop in this part of God's Own perfect will. God's will was for us to be born-again, but then, we're to grow into this full stature as individuals, by obedience to His will for and to the world. Every person who is born-again, has been given everything necessary to come into this completeness, according to John 1:16. No one has been left out or given a lesser part of the inheritance of Jesus.
Each person is part of His Body and is responsible to learn from the five-fold ministry, but we must use what we've learned, in order to be blessed and a blessing. Nothing we've received is for only personal use, but to teach and help others around us. We are all Blessed with the Blessing of Abraham, through his Seed Jesus. These Spiritual Blessings, favors, Gifts and Graces are to bless our lives, so that we can bless others.
This is God's will and purpose for mankind, through Jesus. These are Super-natural Gifts, Graces, favors, and Spiritual Blessings given "out of His fullness." We have an obligation to Jesus, to carry these Gifts into the lives of others who need Him. That's why Jesus commissioned the Church to, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel," in Matthew 16:15-20 (Amplified). Jesus said that these Super-natural signs (healing, deliverance, protection and salvation) would follow those who preached the Good News. Verse 20 says, "And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirmed the Message by the attesting signs and miracles that accompanied it."
We sometimes forget that the fullness of Him, is the Super-natural part of His will for mankind. We've failed to arrive at this, in our growing and developing in His stature, but this is also God's will and is the purpose of Jesus and the Gospel. It's the fullness of Him (in us), that brings the world to salvation. It's God's will and purpose for those of us who are born-again, to be ambassadors of Christ into the world. We might walk into a portion of His will and be acceptable, but we can still fall short of His Perfect will, because we won't allow ourselves to go further in proving His will in our lives.
When Paul speaks of our being "transformed by renewing our minds," in Romans 12:2 he's speaking of our desire to continue proving for ourselves "the things that is perfect in God's sight for you." This is an individual growing process that every believer chooses to do. Jesus gave the five-fold ministry to teach the Church, but we've responsible to take what we learn and use it for the good of ourselves and others. The Holy Spirit in you (the Anointing) will prove what is the will and purpose of God in this world, if we will trust Him.
God's will isn't only that we are born-again, but He has a purpose for us. God's Wisdom that He reveals in His Word through Jesus, wouldn't do any good for the world, if no one taught it to others. Through the Holy Spirit, the Father has made unto us Wisdom, through Christ Jesus. This isn't just for personal use, but to set the captives free and proclaim by word and deed that, "Jesus Christ is Lord." This is the will and purpose of God, in and through the Church. Every individual is responsible to determine how much of the Gospel you will believe and reveal to others. We each have a choice to make, as to how far we will believe God's Word and how far we'll go to seek the full measure of the stature of Jesus in our lives. We must each seek out "The perfect will of God, that which is Good, acceptable, and Perfect will of God in His sight for you," according to Romans 12:2 (Amplified).
Jesus said in John 6:40 (Amplified), "For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal Life, and I will raise him up from the dead at the last day."
The moment you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you entered into the will of God and His purpose. Now, you must listen and be obedient to His Voice, in order to further His will and purpose in your life and the lives of others. Some are called into full-time ministry, according to Ephesians 4:11-13 (Amplified) which says, "And His Gifts were varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us, some to be apostles, special messengers, some prophets, inspired preachers and expounders, some evangelists, preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries, some pastors, shepherds of His flock, and teachers. His intention was the perfecting and full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), that they should do the work of ministering toward building up Christ's Body (the Church), that it might develop until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the full and accurate knowledge of the Son of god, that we might arrive at really mature manhood, the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's Own Perfection (the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him."
John 1:16 (Amplified) tells us, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have ALL received, ALL had a share and were ALL supplied with..." Through Christ's work, we've been given the ability to develop into the "measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and the completeness found in Him." This is the progress that we (as individuals) possess, in order to walk in the will of God. He has given the five-fold ministry as Gifts, to help the Church develop into this fullness of Christ and the completeness found in Him. The Word "Christ" from Ephesians 4:13, doesn't only refer to the Man Jesus as the Anointed One, but refers to His Anointing that was given to those who are in Him.
The Anointing that came from and through Him, is the Holy Spirit Who guided Jesus, throughout His earthly ministry. We've developed faith in God's will to receive Jesus and have eternal Life, but we haven't allowed our faith and the Holy Spirit to bring us into the fullness, completeness and His full stature in the earth. The degrees of God's will vary from Christian to Christian, as we all walk individually on the earth.
Those who Jesus gave as Gifts are chosen by God for a specific work. His will for them, is that they follow what He's directed them to do. We're each responsible to walk upright before Him and be led by His Spirit. Your call or mission, might not include being a prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor or teacher. Your part of walking out God's will and purpose in your life, is to listen to what He tells you to do, in the world around you.
The Purpose of God's appointing the five-fold ministry, is to help the Body of Christ develop and "attain oneness in the faith and the full (accurate) knowledge of the Son of God, and arrive at nothing less than the standard height of Christ's Own Perfection."
We still have much to develop in this part of God's Own perfect will. God's will was for us to be born-again, but then, we're to grow into this full stature as individuals, by obedience to His will for and to the world. Every person who is born-again, has been given everything necessary to come into this completeness, according to John 1:16. No one has been left out or given a lesser part of the inheritance of Jesus.
Each person is part of His Body and is responsible to learn from the five-fold ministry, but we must use what we've learned, in order to be blessed and a blessing. Nothing we've received is for only personal use, but to teach and help others around us. We are all Blessed with the Blessing of Abraham, through his Seed Jesus. These Spiritual Blessings, favors, Gifts and Graces are to bless our lives, so that we can bless others.
This is God's will and purpose for mankind, through Jesus. These are Super-natural Gifts, Graces, favors, and Spiritual Blessings given "out of His fullness." We have an obligation to Jesus, to carry these Gifts into the lives of others who need Him. That's why Jesus commissioned the Church to, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel," in Matthew 16:15-20 (Amplified). Jesus said that these Super-natural signs (healing, deliverance, protection and salvation) would follow those who preached the Good News. Verse 20 says, "And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirmed the Message by the attesting signs and miracles that accompanied it."
We sometimes forget that the fullness of Him, is the Super-natural part of His will for mankind. We've failed to arrive at this, in our growing and developing in His stature, but this is also God's will and is the purpose of Jesus and the Gospel. It's the fullness of Him (in us), that brings the world to salvation. It's God's will and purpose for those of us who are born-again, to be ambassadors of Christ into the world. We might walk into a portion of His will and be acceptable, but we can still fall short of His Perfect will, because we won't allow ourselves to go further in proving His will in our lives.
When Paul speaks of our being "transformed by renewing our minds," in Romans 12:2 he's speaking of our desire to continue proving for ourselves "the things that is perfect in God's sight for you." This is an individual growing process that every believer chooses to do. Jesus gave the five-fold ministry to teach the Church, but we've responsible to take what we learn and use it for the good of ourselves and others. The Holy Spirit in you (the Anointing) will prove what is the will and purpose of God in this world, if we will trust Him.
God's will isn't only that we are born-again, but He has a purpose for us. God's Wisdom that He reveals in His Word through Jesus, wouldn't do any good for the world, if no one taught it to others. Through the Holy Spirit, the Father has made unto us Wisdom, through Christ Jesus. This isn't just for personal use, but to set the captives free and proclaim by word and deed that, "Jesus Christ is Lord." This is the will and purpose of God, in and through the Church. Every individual is responsible to determine how much of the Gospel you will believe and reveal to others. We each have a choice to make, as to how far we will believe God's Word and how far we'll go to seek the full measure of the stature of Jesus in our lives. We must each seek out "The perfect will of God, that which is Good, acceptable, and Perfect will of God in His sight for you," according to Romans 12:2 (Amplified).
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Lesson 45 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 had a problem understanding God's will in our lives and struggle between Law and Grace. Like those under the Law, we continue trying to deserve what Grace has already made ours. The above scripture tells us that, Grace is unearned and undeserved favor of God. We cannot earn or deserve it, we must simply receive it by faith in God's Word and His Love. We limit the Father by trying to deserve it, thus stopping the flow of His Grace.
We see the Father's heart and what His Grace will do for His children and His willingness to deliver His Blessing on His children, in Luke 12:28-32 (Amplified) where Jesus says, "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace; how much more will He clothe you, O you people of little faith And you, do not seek by meditating and reasoning to inquire into what you are to drink; nor be of anxious, trouble mind, unsettled, excited, worried and in suspense; For all the pagan world is greedily seeking these things, and your Father knows that you need them." Verses 31-32 go on, "Only aim at and strive for and seek His Kingdom, and all those things shall be supplied to you also. Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, For it is your Father's Good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."
It is, and always has been, the Father's will to give us the Kingdom. As a matter of Truth, it gives Him Good please to give us the Kingdom and that's not just for when we die and go to Heaven. No one will have to worry about what to eat or drink in the Father's Presence (in Heaven). Jesus speaks about the same subject, but in a slightly different way in Matthew 6:27-34 (Amplified).
Jesus speaks about the things on the earth that we need and then He talks about the Kingdom. In Verse 33 He says, "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 these things taken together will be given you besides." We have yet to understand the Laws that govern God's Kingdom and their ways of doing so. God has a way of doing and being Right. These don't come by the Law or works, but by trusting in His Grace.
God's way of doing and being Right, Righteous and being in right standing with Him don't come by Law or works. We must have faith in His Grace, that Jesus died to make us in right standing with God. This is God's way of doing and being right. It's not our righteousness, it's His. When we try obtaining our right standing with Him, we're not in His way. These are the Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus and they can only be obtained by faith, in His Grace.
None of us can deserve to be Blessed in our natural bodies or lives. We still see all of our own weaknesses and failure, because we don't see what Jesus has done for us. We shy away from God's Good pleasure of giving us the Kingdom. We've lost sight of what faith truly is, because we've heard so many different teachings about faith. Faith is God's Gift to us, allowing us to see Jesus as being ALL we need to obtain His way of doing and being right.
The more we try to deserve God's Grace, the more difficult it is for Him to deliver what Grace has made available to us. This isn't a blank check, giving us the right to live any way we choose, but is a way of deliverance from ourselves into His Grace. We must first believe, that Jesus has made us righteous. If we don't have faith in this One Truth, then we'll continue striving to earn our own righteousness. You might say, "This is so basic to the Word, that it shouldn't require explanation." You're right, but we "feel unworthy and unclean" in our own natural selves, because we know we're unrighteous. God's way of doing and being right (or righteous), has nothing to do with our feelings. God's way of doing and being right, come only by our Trust in Him.
The words "righteous, right standing and right way of doing and being right," are the same thing in God. They all imply and declare that in Jesus, we now have the right to come before the Father again, just like Adam and Jesus did. In Jesus, we've been restored to the place where Adam was before the fall. Through Jesus, we have the Kingdom right, to come into God's Presence as clean, holy, consecrated and acceptable to Him. We must have faith in the Blood of Jesus and what His Blood has done for us.
Many believe that this happens when we arrive in our Glorified body and fail to allow the Father's Great pleasure to give us the Kingdom now. There's so much He wants to do in our lives that we prohibit Him from doing so, because of not understanding Grace and Truth. Psalm 85:10, 12-13 (Amplified) says, "Mercy and Loving-kindness and Truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven." This tells us that, "Truth shall spring up from the earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven." We use Truth, to receive what Jesus has done and then return it by faith, while we're on this earth, then Righteousness (God's Promise to us through Grace) will look down from Heaven and the fruits of Righteousness will bring Him Glory and Good pleasure.
How will "Truth spring up from the earth?" It springs up when God's people receive by Grace, the Promise made to us through Jesus. There's no other way. It's so simply, that only faith can obtain it in it's Truth. The more we try working to earn and deserve God's Grace, the more we hinder Grace from working in our lives. Verses 12-13 continue, "Yes, the Lord will give what is Good and our land will yield its increase Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk."
In Psalm 23:3 (Amplified) David writes, "He refreshes and restores my life (my self), He leads me in the paths of Righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him), not for my earning it, but for His Name's sake." God leads us by His Name and His Righteousness. We are called by His Name and we are His Own people. We are examples of His Righteousness and when we withdraw from His Presence because of guilt and condemnation, we fail in His right standing and revert back to being in our own righteousness (which is like filthy rags). This limits the Father from doing His Good pleasure of giving us the Kingdom.
Psalm 25:14 (Amplified) says, "The secret of the sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who fear, revere and worship Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them it's deep, inner meanings." When we believe what God's Grace and Love has already done for us, then we fear, revere and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. And, God will reveal to you it's deep, inner meanings and you'll be able to receive the Kingdom now.
The "sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord" is trusting in what He sent Jesus to do, which removes the burden of trying to do it yourself, by your own works. When we don't understand the righteousness and justification that through our faith in Jesus, we cannot walk in the Grace that sent Him. We try improving on what Jesus has already done, by our own works and trying to earn it. Works are important, but not to be made righteous, but because you are righteous; not for right standing, but through right standing. Stop living for God and start living though Him. Let the Father in you, do the work.
We've had a problem understanding God's will in our lives and struggle between Law and Grace. Like those under the Law, we continue trying to deserve what Grace has already made ours. The above scripture tells us that, Grace is unearned and undeserved favor of God. We cannot earn or deserve it, we must simply receive it by faith in God's Word and His Love. We limit the Father by trying to deserve it, thus stopping the flow of His Grace.
We see the Father's heart and what His Grace will do for His children and His willingness to deliver His Blessing on His children, in Luke 12:28-32 (Amplified) where Jesus says, "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace; how much more will He clothe you, O you people of little faith And you, do not seek by meditating and reasoning to inquire into what you are to drink; nor be of anxious, trouble mind, unsettled, excited, worried and in suspense; For all the pagan world is greedily seeking these things, and your Father knows that you need them." Verses 31-32 go on, "Only aim at and strive for and seek His Kingdom, and all those things shall be supplied to you also. Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, For it is your Father's Good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."
It is, and always has been, the Father's will to give us the Kingdom. As a matter of Truth, it gives Him Good please to give us the Kingdom and that's not just for when we die and go to Heaven. No one will have to worry about what to eat or drink in the Father's Presence (in Heaven). Jesus speaks about the same subject, but in a slightly different way in Matthew 6:27-34 (Amplified).
Jesus speaks about the things on the earth that we need and then He talks about the Kingdom. In Verse 33 He says, "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 these things taken together will be given you besides." We have yet to understand the Laws that govern God's Kingdom and their ways of doing so. God has a way of doing and being Right. These don't come by the Law or works, but by trusting in His Grace.
God's way of doing and being Right, Righteous and being in right standing with Him don't come by Law or works. We must have faith in His Grace, that Jesus died to make us in right standing with God. This is God's way of doing and being right. It's not our righteousness, it's His. When we try obtaining our right standing with Him, we're not in His way. These are the Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus and they can only be obtained by faith, in His Grace.
None of us can deserve to be Blessed in our natural bodies or lives. We still see all of our own weaknesses and failure, because we don't see what Jesus has done for us. We shy away from God's Good pleasure of giving us the Kingdom. We've lost sight of what faith truly is, because we've heard so many different teachings about faith. Faith is God's Gift to us, allowing us to see Jesus as being ALL we need to obtain His way of doing and being right.
The more we try to deserve God's Grace, the more difficult it is for Him to deliver what Grace has made available to us. This isn't a blank check, giving us the right to live any way we choose, but is a way of deliverance from ourselves into His Grace. We must first believe, that Jesus has made us righteous. If we don't have faith in this One Truth, then we'll continue striving to earn our own righteousness. You might say, "This is so basic to the Word, that it shouldn't require explanation." You're right, but we "feel unworthy and unclean" in our own natural selves, because we know we're unrighteous. God's way of doing and being right (or righteous), has nothing to do with our feelings. God's way of doing and being right, come only by our Trust in Him.
The words "righteous, right standing and right way of doing and being right," are the same thing in God. They all imply and declare that in Jesus, we now have the right to come before the Father again, just like Adam and Jesus did. In Jesus, we've been restored to the place where Adam was before the fall. Through Jesus, we have the Kingdom right, to come into God's Presence as clean, holy, consecrated and acceptable to Him. We must have faith in the Blood of Jesus and what His Blood has done for us.
Many believe that this happens when we arrive in our Glorified body and fail to allow the Father's Great pleasure to give us the Kingdom now. There's so much He wants to do in our lives that we prohibit Him from doing so, because of not understanding Grace and Truth. Psalm 85:10, 12-13 (Amplified) says, "Mercy and Loving-kindness and Truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven." This tells us that, "Truth shall spring up from the earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven." We use Truth, to receive what Jesus has done and then return it by faith, while we're on this earth, then Righteousness (God's Promise to us through Grace) will look down from Heaven and the fruits of Righteousness will bring Him Glory and Good pleasure.
How will "Truth spring up from the earth?" It springs up when God's people receive by Grace, the Promise made to us through Jesus. There's no other way. It's so simply, that only faith can obtain it in it's Truth. The more we try working to earn and deserve God's Grace, the more we hinder Grace from working in our lives. Verses 12-13 continue, "Yes, the Lord will give what is Good and our land will yield its increase Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk."
In Psalm 23:3 (Amplified) David writes, "He refreshes and restores my life (my self), He leads me in the paths of Righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him), not for my earning it, but for His Name's sake." God leads us by His Name and His Righteousness. We are called by His Name and we are His Own people. We are examples of His Righteousness and when we withdraw from His Presence because of guilt and condemnation, we fail in His right standing and revert back to being in our own righteousness (which is like filthy rags). This limits the Father from doing His Good pleasure of giving us the Kingdom.
Psalm 25:14 (Amplified) says, "The secret of the sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who fear, revere and worship Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them it's deep, inner meanings." When we believe what God's Grace and Love has already done for us, then we fear, revere and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. And, God will reveal to you it's deep, inner meanings and you'll be able to receive the Kingdom now.
The "sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord" is trusting in what He sent Jesus to do, which removes the burden of trying to do it yourself, by your own works. When we don't understand the righteousness and justification that through our faith in Jesus, we cannot walk in the Grace that sent Him. We try improving on what Jesus has already done, by our own works and trying to earn it. Works are important, but not to be made righteous, but because you are righteous; not for right standing, but through right standing. Stop living for God and start living though Him. Let the Father in you, do the work.
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Lesson 44 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."
These Spiritual Blessings came by Truth, so it's important that we know Truth and understand Spiritual things. Many dismiss the Spiritual Blessings as being "for when we die and go to Heaven." The Spiritual Blessings will of course be in Heaven, but they're available to us while we're here on earth. Everything we have and will receive from the Father, must come first through and by the Spirit. This also includes the Blessing of Abraham, in the earthly realm.
Over the years, the Church has separated the influence of the Spirit from the life we live in this earthly body. If anyone ever needed the Spiritual Blessings, then it would be for his/her life in our natural body. The flesh (soul and body) will never yield to God's Word, without the Spiritual Blessings that come through and from the new creation spirit. We must embrace the Holy Spirit, in order to know what these Spiritual Blessings are. One can educate the brain by reading God's Word, but Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the Words to you, as Spirit. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life, He is the Life-Giver; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it), the Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
We were born-again by the Truth that the Holy Spirit revealed to our spirit and not by what our intellect dictated to us. We've seemingly stopped hearing the Truth that the Spirit shows us, after we were saved. Salvation is the beginning of our walk in Truth. The Same Holy Spirit Who revealed God's Plan of salvation to us, will reveal more Truth and Spiritual Blessings, if we listen to Him.
Jesus prayed in John 17:16-19 (Amplified), saying, "They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them, purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify, dedicate, consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified, dedicated, consecrated, made holy in the Truth."
The Holy Spirit revealed to Jesus, the work He was to do on this earth. It's the same Holy Spirit Who reveals this work in us. The world can't reveal the work of the Father to us, they have no idea at all of who we are or what we're to do. Jesus spoke the Truth, when He said, "The flesh profits nothing." He spoke The Truth and not just a truth. When we received salvation and were born-again, our journey with God just began.
When we hear the Holy Spirit and He reveals Jesus in Truth, we must continue with the Father. If we drift back into what the world trained us in, then we leave all the Spiritual Blessings and Truth behind. The flesh profits nothings and there is no benefit in it. The Church has done so many things in the world, that have little profit in the Spirit.
We've received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but haven't allowed Him to become "Lord" to us. The Holy Spirit Who revealed to Jesus' followers that "Jesus isn't dead but is alive," is the Same Holy Spirit Who reveals Jesus as still living today. Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive forevermore. The Holy Spirit reveals to us, how to Live in Him.
Everything the Holy Spirit reveals to us, is a Spiritual Blessing. We receive from the Spirit and apply it to this realm, doing what we were sent to do. If we don't have the Spiritual Blessing of the Holy Spirit, then we're just flesh talking to flesh. There is no Life in it. Jesus couldn't get the people to hear Him, if they refused to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus' Words (Truths) to the spirits. Some people tried to kill Jesus, when He spoke. Jesus' Words were anointed, but the Truth couldn't bring Life to the people who listened only with their ears.
We must receive God's Grace, in order to live in this earthly realm and we must accept His Grace, in order to hear and be led by the Holy Spirit. If we read God's Word by only our carnal minds, then there is no profit in it. Jesus said, "The Words (Truths) I speak to you are Spirit and Truth. This is such an important thing for us to understand, but it must be received in and by our spirit, through the Holy Spirit. He must be the Filter, by how we received words or seeds. In Mark 4:24 (Amplified), Jesus said, "Be careful what you are hearing, the measure of thought and study you give to the Truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you and more besides will be given to you who hear."
The only virtue and knowledge that will be measured back to you by the Holy Spirit, will be the measure of Truth that you hear. You hear many things, but not everything is Spirit and Truth. Only Truth will be rewarded and measured back to us, by the Holy Spirit. Jesus admonished, "Be careful what you are hearing!" This doesn't mean we cannot talk or listen to others, but we must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Truth from the Words (Seeds) we receive. Many well-meaning people speak well-meaning words, but if those words aren't Truth, then we must not allow them to be planted and grow in our hearts (spirit). God cannot and will not, bring forth virtue and knowledge from anything other than His Seed, which is Spirit and Truth.
We constantly hear that, "God will use anything in order to reveal Himself, including accidents, sickness and calamity." We might come through these ordeals into a place where we finally "do hear," but that doesn't mean God measured it back to us. These were seeds that satan and the world sowed into you, because of not being "careful what you heard." All words are seeds, but all seeds are not TRUTH. Let the Holy Spirit, through your spirit, be the Filter to filter out wrong seeds. Let Him reveal the Words of Truth that you hear, to your spirit.
The world has it's own idea about what truth is and it almost always contradicts the Truth. People might speak a truth, but not the Truth. The world seeks confirmation of what they believe by their senses (or flesh). By the Holy Spirit, we don't need "proof" by what our natural eyes can see. By faith through the Holy Spirit, we can be led into Truth.
Jesus said in John 16:13 (Amplified), "But when He (the Spirit of Truth, the Truth Giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His Own Message, on His Own authority, but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father; He will give the Message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (that will happen in the future)."
Now you can understand what I mean, when I say that the Holy Spirit is the Filter by Whom we hear and accept seeds or words. He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). Not everything we hear, is Truth. You might not be able to shut out the seeds (words) that the world is sowing around you, but through the Holy Spirit, you can filter them out before they produce in your life.
These Spiritual Blessings came by Truth, so it's important that we know Truth and understand Spiritual things. Many dismiss the Spiritual Blessings as being "for when we die and go to Heaven." The Spiritual Blessings will of course be in Heaven, but they're available to us while we're here on earth. Everything we have and will receive from the Father, must come first through and by the Spirit. This also includes the Blessing of Abraham, in the earthly realm.
Over the years, the Church has separated the influence of the Spirit from the life we live in this earthly body. If anyone ever needed the Spiritual Blessings, then it would be for his/her life in our natural body. The flesh (soul and body) will never yield to God's Word, without the Spiritual Blessings that come through and from the new creation spirit. We must embrace the Holy Spirit, in order to know what these Spiritual Blessings are. One can educate the brain by reading God's Word, but Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the Words to you, as Spirit. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life, He is the Life-Giver; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it), the Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
We were born-again by the Truth that the Holy Spirit revealed to our spirit and not by what our intellect dictated to us. We've seemingly stopped hearing the Truth that the Spirit shows us, after we were saved. Salvation is the beginning of our walk in Truth. The Same Holy Spirit Who revealed God's Plan of salvation to us, will reveal more Truth and Spiritual Blessings, if we listen to Him.
Jesus prayed in John 17:16-19 (Amplified), saying, "They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them, purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify, dedicate, consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified, dedicated, consecrated, made holy in the Truth."
The Holy Spirit revealed to Jesus, the work He was to do on this earth. It's the same Holy Spirit Who reveals this work in us. The world can't reveal the work of the Father to us, they have no idea at all of who we are or what we're to do. Jesus spoke the Truth, when He said, "The flesh profits nothing." He spoke The Truth and not just a truth. When we received salvation and were born-again, our journey with God just began.
When we hear the Holy Spirit and He reveals Jesus in Truth, we must continue with the Father. If we drift back into what the world trained us in, then we leave all the Spiritual Blessings and Truth behind. The flesh profits nothings and there is no benefit in it. The Church has done so many things in the world, that have little profit in the Spirit.
We've received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but haven't allowed Him to become "Lord" to us. The Holy Spirit Who revealed to Jesus' followers that "Jesus isn't dead but is alive," is the Same Holy Spirit Who reveals Jesus as still living today. Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive forevermore. The Holy Spirit reveals to us, how to Live in Him.
Everything the Holy Spirit reveals to us, is a Spiritual Blessing. We receive from the Spirit and apply it to this realm, doing what we were sent to do. If we don't have the Spiritual Blessing of the Holy Spirit, then we're just flesh talking to flesh. There is no Life in it. Jesus couldn't get the people to hear Him, if they refused to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus' Words (Truths) to the spirits. Some people tried to kill Jesus, when He spoke. Jesus' Words were anointed, but the Truth couldn't bring Life to the people who listened only with their ears.
We must receive God's Grace, in order to live in this earthly realm and we must accept His Grace, in order to hear and be led by the Holy Spirit. If we read God's Word by only our carnal minds, then there is no profit in it. Jesus said, "The Words (Truths) I speak to you are Spirit and Truth. This is such an important thing for us to understand, but it must be received in and by our spirit, through the Holy Spirit. He must be the Filter, by how we received words or seeds. In Mark 4:24 (Amplified), Jesus said, "Be careful what you are hearing, the measure of thought and study you give to the Truth you hear will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you and more besides will be given to you who hear."
The only virtue and knowledge that will be measured back to you by the Holy Spirit, will be the measure of Truth that you hear. You hear many things, but not everything is Spirit and Truth. Only Truth will be rewarded and measured back to us, by the Holy Spirit. Jesus admonished, "Be careful what you are hearing!" This doesn't mean we cannot talk or listen to others, but we must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Truth from the Words (Seeds) we receive. Many well-meaning people speak well-meaning words, but if those words aren't Truth, then we must not allow them to be planted and grow in our hearts (spirit). God cannot and will not, bring forth virtue and knowledge from anything other than His Seed, which is Spirit and Truth.
We constantly hear that, "God will use anything in order to reveal Himself, including accidents, sickness and calamity." We might come through these ordeals into a place where we finally "do hear," but that doesn't mean God measured it back to us. These were seeds that satan and the world sowed into you, because of not being "careful what you heard." All words are seeds, but all seeds are not TRUTH. Let the Holy Spirit, through your spirit, be the Filter to filter out wrong seeds. Let Him reveal the Words of Truth that you hear, to your spirit.
The world has it's own idea about what truth is and it almost always contradicts the Truth. People might speak a truth, but not the Truth. The world seeks confirmation of what they believe by their senses (or flesh). By the Holy Spirit, we don't need "proof" by what our natural eyes can see. By faith through the Holy Spirit, we can be led into Truth.
Jesus said in John 16:13 (Amplified), "But when He (the Spirit of Truth, the Truth Giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His Own Message, on His Own authority, but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father; He will give the Message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (that will happen in the future)."
Now you can understand what I mean, when I say that the Holy Spirit is the Filter by Whom we hear and accept seeds or words. He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). Not everything we hear, is Truth. You might not be able to shut out the seeds (words) that the world is sowing around you, but through the Holy Spirit, you can filter them out before they produce in your life.
Monday, May 7, 2018
Lesson 43 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 told His followers in John 14:26 (Amplified), "But the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name (in My Place, to represent Me and act on My behalf), He will teach you all things, And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you."
There have been many teachings and sermons given about Jesus, but not so much about the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit was preached in the Church, the great Pentecostal Revival was birthed and the Church began to understand Who the Holy Spirit is (at least to a degree). If the Church didn't have the Holy Spirit representing Jesus in our midst, then we would be just another religion to the world. The Holy Spirit is the One Who will now bring about the miracles and healings of old, that will Glorify Jesus in our presence. Until we come to know the Holy Spirit, we can't truly know Jesus and the Father like we should. The Holy Spirit is the Super-natural Presence of Jesus, to the world.
Jesus said in the above scripture that, "The Holy Spirit would be the One Who would take His Place in our presence and would represent Him and act on His behalf." Without having the Holy Spirit to act on His behalf, we are without the Power of God to do the works. In early days, the Church relied on the Holy Spirit and many signs and wonders followed them. What they lacked in those days was Truth. Since they had very little revelation of God's Grace and Truth, they couldn't hold onto the things the Holy Spirit had done.
Many churches were depleted by witchcraft and the occult, because we couldn't or didn't discern the difference between the Super-natural move of the Holy Spirit and the move of demonic spirits. Paul writes in 2Corinthians 11:14-15 (Amplified), "And it is no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light; so it is not surprising if his servants also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. But their end will correspond with their deeds."
When we don't really study the Word and learn Truth, we are deceived into discarding the supernatural things altogether. The Church believed that "we'll be free from deception, if we do this." The Church began studying God's Word and established Word-based congregations, but they were mostly devoid of the Super-natural things of the Holy Spirit. The people began "trying to make God's Word work," but had very little results in their lives. That's because we left out the Component that makes it work and that's the Holy Spirit.
Today's believers probably know more about God's will and His Grace than in previous centuries, but we're still lacking the signs and wonders that should accompany these things. When we believe in the Name of Jesus, we must also believe in the One He sent to take His place. Jesus Himself said that, "It was not Him, but the Father (the Holy Spirit) in Him, that does the works." You cannot acknowledge Jesus, without acknowledging the One He sent to take His place.
We don't teach about the Holy Spirit and limit Him to speaking in tongues in the churches, without understanding the significance of even that. Speaking in tongues isn't a sign that "we've arrived," but merely a beginning point. This language is to put us in communion and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, to do as He would have us do. We can read the Word and "speak the Word," but it's the Holy Spirit Who brings God's Word to pass and does the works.
Your relationship with Jesus and the Father, isn't complete until we know the Holy Spirit. Some believers think that the Holy Spirit is "somewhere out in the Universe," without realizing He lives inside them. The Holy Spirit is the One Who does the works of Jesus, at the Power of that Name. Without the Power of the Holy Spirit, we're just religious and void of ability to express the Kingdom of God to the world.
Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus told His followers (and us), 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 of the earth (the very bounds of the earth)." For centuries, many have read about the Day of Pentecost and have mostly focused on their speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit didn't come just to bring the speaking of tongues, but to reveal the ability, efficiency and might of God that will set the captives free around us. Paul writes in 1Corinthians 14:2 (Amplified), "For one who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning because in the Holy Spirit he utters secret Truths and hidden things, not obvious to the understanding."
Obviously, these are not mysteries to God, but Mysteries of God, that are moved upon by the Holy Spirit. This is the doorway to Revelation and obedience to the Holy Spirit. This is the Mystery to the ability of Jesus, as the Father revealed to Him what to do. Some say that Jesus didn't function in the speaking of tongues, because the Day of Pentecost hadn't come yet. The Day of Pentecost was the day that we received the Holy Spirit. Jesus received the Holy Spirit on the day He was baptized in the Jordan River, according to John 3:34 (Amplified) which says, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks the Word of God (proclaims His Own Message), God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit."
Jesus communed with the Father by and through the Holy Spirit, just like He taught us to do. He said that this would be the Source of our ability and Wisdom, to do the work of the Father. The only Revelation we get from His Word, comes by and through His Holy Spirit. Apart from Him, we simply get education and not Revelation.
We need to spend more time learning to "know" the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that "He would never leave us or forsake us." Did Jesus mean that He wouldn't ascend to the Father? No, Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit to take His Place and represent Him. How much time do you spend in your life and walk with the Lord, conversing with the Holy Spirit? After all, "It's God in you, Christ in you, the Holy Spirit in you, and these Three are One," according to 1John 5:7 (Amplified) which says, "So there are Three Witnesses in Heaven; the Father, the Word (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit and these Three are One."
Do not ignore the Holy Spirit in your prayer time or in your fellowship with the Father. He is God, like Jesus was God on this earth. Jesus said that, "[He] and the Father are One" and He prayed that we would be one, just like He and the Father are One. This can only be done, by the Holy Spirit Who makes us one. When we're born-again, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us. The Holy Spirit is a Person, just like Jesus is a Person. He isn't some abstract force in the Universe. He is the Individual Representative of the Father. When we don't acknowledge the Holy Spirit as Who He is, we're without God's Guidance and His ability on this earth. We're as mere men and women, without the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told His followers in John 14:26 (Amplified), "But the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name (in My Place, to represent Me and act on My behalf), He will teach you all things, And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you."
There have been many teachings and sermons given about Jesus, but not so much about the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit was preached in the Church, the great Pentecostal Revival was birthed and the Church began to understand Who the Holy Spirit is (at least to a degree). If the Church didn't have the Holy Spirit representing Jesus in our midst, then we would be just another religion to the world. The Holy Spirit is the One Who will now bring about the miracles and healings of old, that will Glorify Jesus in our presence. Until we come to know the Holy Spirit, we can't truly know Jesus and the Father like we should. The Holy Spirit is the Super-natural Presence of Jesus, to the world.
Jesus said in the above scripture that, "The Holy Spirit would be the One Who would take His Place in our presence and would represent Him and act on His behalf." Without having the Holy Spirit to act on His behalf, we are without the Power of God to do the works. In early days, the Church relied on the Holy Spirit and many signs and wonders followed them. What they lacked in those days was Truth. Since they had very little revelation of God's Grace and Truth, they couldn't hold onto the things the Holy Spirit had done.
Many churches were depleted by witchcraft and the occult, because we couldn't or didn't discern the difference between the Super-natural move of the Holy Spirit and the move of demonic spirits. Paul writes in 2Corinthians 11:14-15 (Amplified), "And it is no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light; so it is not surprising if his servants also masquerade as ministers of righteousness. But their end will correspond with their deeds."
When we don't really study the Word and learn Truth, we are deceived into discarding the supernatural things altogether. The Church believed that "we'll be free from deception, if we do this." The Church began studying God's Word and established Word-based congregations, but they were mostly devoid of the Super-natural things of the Holy Spirit. The people began "trying to make God's Word work," but had very little results in their lives. That's because we left out the Component that makes it work and that's the Holy Spirit.
Today's believers probably know more about God's will and His Grace than in previous centuries, but we're still lacking the signs and wonders that should accompany these things. When we believe in the Name of Jesus, we must also believe in the One He sent to take His place. Jesus Himself said that, "It was not Him, but the Father (the Holy Spirit) in Him, that does the works." You cannot acknowledge Jesus, without acknowledging the One He sent to take His place.
We don't teach about the Holy Spirit and limit Him to speaking in tongues in the churches, without understanding the significance of even that. Speaking in tongues isn't a sign that "we've arrived," but merely a beginning point. This language is to put us in communion and fellowship with the Holy Spirit, to do as He would have us do. We can read the Word and "speak the Word," but it's the Holy Spirit Who brings God's Word to pass and does the works.
Your relationship with Jesus and the Father, isn't complete until we know the Holy Spirit. Some believers think that the Holy Spirit is "somewhere out in the Universe," without realizing He lives inside them. The Holy Spirit is the One Who does the works of Jesus, at the Power of that Name. Without the Power of the Holy Spirit, we're just religious and void of ability to express the Kingdom of God to the world.
Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus told His followers (and us), 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 of the earth (the very bounds of the earth)." For centuries, many have read about the Day of Pentecost and have mostly focused on their speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit didn't come just to bring the speaking of tongues, but to reveal the ability, efficiency and might of God that will set the captives free around us. Paul writes in 1Corinthians 14:2 (Amplified), "For one who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning because in the Holy Spirit he utters secret Truths and hidden things, not obvious to the understanding."
Obviously, these are not mysteries to God, but Mysteries of God, that are moved upon by the Holy Spirit. This is the doorway to Revelation and obedience to the Holy Spirit. This is the Mystery to the ability of Jesus, as the Father revealed to Him what to do. Some say that Jesus didn't function in the speaking of tongues, because the Day of Pentecost hadn't come yet. The Day of Pentecost was the day that we received the Holy Spirit. Jesus received the Holy Spirit on the day He was baptized in the Jordan River, according to John 3:34 (Amplified) which says, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks the Word of God (proclaims His Own Message), God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit."
Jesus communed with the Father by and through the Holy Spirit, just like He taught us to do. He said that this would be the Source of our ability and Wisdom, to do the work of the Father. The only Revelation we get from His Word, comes by and through His Holy Spirit. Apart from Him, we simply get education and not Revelation.
We need to spend more time learning to "know" the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that "He would never leave us or forsake us." Did Jesus mean that He wouldn't ascend to the Father? No, Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit to take His Place and represent Him. How much time do you spend in your life and walk with the Lord, conversing with the Holy Spirit? After all, "It's God in you, Christ in you, the Holy Spirit in you, and these Three are One," according to 1John 5:7 (Amplified) which says, "So there are Three Witnesses in Heaven; the Father, the Word (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit and these Three are One."
Do not ignore the Holy Spirit in your prayer time or in your fellowship with the Father. He is God, like Jesus was God on this earth. Jesus said that, "[He] and the Father are One" and He prayed that we would be one, just like He and the Father are One. This can only be done, by the Holy Spirit Who makes us one. When we're born-again, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us. The Holy Spirit is a Person, just like Jesus is a Person. He isn't some abstract force in the Universe. He is the Individual Representative of the Father. When we don't acknowledge the Holy Spirit as Who He is, we're without God's Guidance and His ability on this earth. We're as mere men and women, without the Holy Spirit.
Friday, May 4, 2018
Lesson 42 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."
Today, many Christians read about the Gifts of the Spirit in 1Corinthians 12, and because not everyone possesses these Gifts, they've given up on being used by God. The Gifts, favors, Spiritual Blessings and Graces that John 1:16-17 lists, are separate from the ministerial Gifts in 1Cor.12. John 1:16-17 says that "we've all been supplied with these things."
We've always seen ourselves individually as being "just one flock" and insignificant, as far as being used by the Master, because of traditional teachings. Nothing is farther from the Truth. As an individual in the Body, you're able to go into places that your pastor cannot go, meet people your pastor doesn't meet and minister with people your pastor doesn't get a change to minister too.
Your pastor can't go into your home and train up your children. Nor can your pastor read and pray for you, like you would pray for yourself, because your pastor doesn't know what your needs and desires are. Your pastor is only one person and can only teach what the Holy Spirit gives him/her to teach. Your pastor can teach you how to understand and use your faith in God, to reach your nuclear family and those who are part of your extended family.
Your pastor's task in the Church, isn't to rule over the people, but to feed and train them to be Laborers in the Harvest. Many feel like they don't need a pastor to feed and train them and do so for themselves. We decide we know more than others and become blind in our use. We've all been supplied with the same Gifts, favors, Graces, Spiritual Blessings. These are all unearned and undeserved and were given out of Love and Grace, through Jesus. The Father never left anyone out, but made us to be fellow heirs with Christ Jesus.
We have the Anointing living in us, to do whatever the Holy Spirit bids us to do. We're instructed to lay hands on the sick, but this doesn't mean that we have the Gift of Healing. The One Who gives these Gifts, can do as He wills. We've all received God's Wisdom through Jesus, but this doesn't mean we all have the Gift of Wisdom. It means that we all have the One Who gives us Wisdom, living inside us.
When we just see the Gifts of the Spirit in 1Cor.12, it seems like some are left out, but this isn't true for those who will listen to the Voice of the Spirit. Those who are sent into foreign lands as prophets and apostles, need the Gift of the Spirit for their ministry. Many times, the Gift of Tongues is given to speak to people in their own language, because they don't know the language of the people they're sent to minister to.
There's no longer any distinction between the child of God. We have all received the Gifts, Graces, favors and Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus. Whatever Gift the Lord choose to use you in, it will be anointed and will minister Grace to the hearer. Just because the Lord should choose to use you in certain things, doesn't mean that is your ministry. There's only one ministry and that is the ministry of setting the captives free and bringing them into salvation. Whatever is needed to do this, has been made available to you by the Holy Spirit.
I knew some people years ago, who were given a certain Word to preach by God and believed that was all there was too their ministry. Years ago, the Father had men and women moving in the "Faith Message," the "Healing Message" and the "Confession of the Mouth Message." God had to emphasize these particular ministries, because the Church had lost sight of them. These ministers were referred to as, "The Word people" and congregations marveled that these people "actually took God at His Word." Until that move of the Word people, the Church believed the things of the Spirit were for after we die and leave this earth.
The Father is beginning to bring back faith and Word, to His people again. The day of the Superstars is limited and the entire Body of Christ is beginning to get involved once again. People you've never heard of before, will be raising the dead, healing the sick and working miracles on a daily basis. Miracles will be done in the workplace and the marketplace, that will astonish the world and the Church. Our children in public schools, will bring forth a young army of youth, who aren't inhibited by the old religious traditions, but who simply believe God and His Word.
We're living in the greatest time the Church has ever known and it's getting better every day. The Gifts that have come to us through Jesus, are going to be made manifest to the entire world. You haven't been left out and you haven't come in too late. Some have forgotten the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but this is where the Power of God resides. When was the last time you heard the Baptism of the Holy Spirit taught to the Church or seen the Holy Spirit move upon the people?
Those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, will be filled. Jesus said this to the people of His day and it's still True for us today. Are you still hungry and thirsty? If you are, then the time of fulfillment awaits you. John 10:10 (Amplified) says, "We shall have Life in abundance, to the full, till it overflows." This is what I'm seeking and believing my Heavenly Father for. Paul writes to the Church in Philippians 3:10 (Amplified), "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in that same way come to know the Power of His Resurrection which it exerts over believers, and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His Likeness even to His death."
This is why Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20 (Amplified), "I have been crucified with Christ, in Him I have shared His crucifixion." Paul identified so deeply with Jesus, that he likened his mortal body to be already dead and the only Life that truly mattered to Paul, was the Life he lived in faith by the Son of God.
We don't seem to understand that the Very Presence of the Holy Spirit should be as natural to us as breathing. We've become so close to Him, that Jesus said to the Father in John 17:21 (Amplified), "That they all may be one, just as You Father are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us." Even when we don't know it, it's still True. When we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us, it's easy to walk in the Truth of His Word.
God is now making a plea to the world through us, to be reconciled back to Him. He is making Himself known through the Church. As His ambassadors, we've been equipped to do everything God needs done, by and through the Holy Spirit.
Today, many Christians read about the Gifts of the Spirit in 1Corinthians 12, and because not everyone possesses these Gifts, they've given up on being used by God. The Gifts, favors, Spiritual Blessings and Graces that John 1:16-17 lists, are separate from the ministerial Gifts in 1Cor.12. John 1:16-17 says that "we've all been supplied with these things."
We've always seen ourselves individually as being "just one flock" and insignificant, as far as being used by the Master, because of traditional teachings. Nothing is farther from the Truth. As an individual in the Body, you're able to go into places that your pastor cannot go, meet people your pastor doesn't meet and minister with people your pastor doesn't get a change to minister too.
Your pastor can't go into your home and train up your children. Nor can your pastor read and pray for you, like you would pray for yourself, because your pastor doesn't know what your needs and desires are. Your pastor is only one person and can only teach what the Holy Spirit gives him/her to teach. Your pastor can teach you how to understand and use your faith in God, to reach your nuclear family and those who are part of your extended family.
Your pastor's task in the Church, isn't to rule over the people, but to feed and train them to be Laborers in the Harvest. Many feel like they don't need a pastor to feed and train them and do so for themselves. We decide we know more than others and become blind in our use. We've all been supplied with the same Gifts, favors, Graces, Spiritual Blessings. These are all unearned and undeserved and were given out of Love and Grace, through Jesus. The Father never left anyone out, but made us to be fellow heirs with Christ Jesus.
We have the Anointing living in us, to do whatever the Holy Spirit bids us to do. We're instructed to lay hands on the sick, but this doesn't mean that we have the Gift of Healing. The One Who gives these Gifts, can do as He wills. We've all received God's Wisdom through Jesus, but this doesn't mean we all have the Gift of Wisdom. It means that we all have the One Who gives us Wisdom, living inside us.
When we just see the Gifts of the Spirit in 1Cor.12, it seems like some are left out, but this isn't true for those who will listen to the Voice of the Spirit. Those who are sent into foreign lands as prophets and apostles, need the Gift of the Spirit for their ministry. Many times, the Gift of Tongues is given to speak to people in their own language, because they don't know the language of the people they're sent to minister to.
There's no longer any distinction between the child of God. We have all received the Gifts, Graces, favors and Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus. Whatever Gift the Lord choose to use you in, it will be anointed and will minister Grace to the hearer. Just because the Lord should choose to use you in certain things, doesn't mean that is your ministry. There's only one ministry and that is the ministry of setting the captives free and bringing them into salvation. Whatever is needed to do this, has been made available to you by the Holy Spirit.
I knew some people years ago, who were given a certain Word to preach by God and believed that was all there was too their ministry. Years ago, the Father had men and women moving in the "Faith Message," the "Healing Message" and the "Confession of the Mouth Message." God had to emphasize these particular ministries, because the Church had lost sight of them. These ministers were referred to as, "The Word people" and congregations marveled that these people "actually took God at His Word." Until that move of the Word people, the Church believed the things of the Spirit were for after we die and leave this earth.
The Father is beginning to bring back faith and Word, to His people again. The day of the Superstars is limited and the entire Body of Christ is beginning to get involved once again. People you've never heard of before, will be raising the dead, healing the sick and working miracles on a daily basis. Miracles will be done in the workplace and the marketplace, that will astonish the world and the Church. Our children in public schools, will bring forth a young army of youth, who aren't inhibited by the old religious traditions, but who simply believe God and His Word.
We're living in the greatest time the Church has ever known and it's getting better every day. The Gifts that have come to us through Jesus, are going to be made manifest to the entire world. You haven't been left out and you haven't come in too late. Some have forgotten the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but this is where the Power of God resides. When was the last time you heard the Baptism of the Holy Spirit taught to the Church or seen the Holy Spirit move upon the people?
Those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, will be filled. Jesus said this to the people of His day and it's still True for us today. Are you still hungry and thirsty? If you are, then the time of fulfillment awaits you. John 10:10 (Amplified) says, "We shall have Life in abundance, to the full, till it overflows." This is what I'm seeking and believing my Heavenly Father for. Paul writes to the Church in Philippians 3:10 (Amplified), "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in that same way come to know the Power of His Resurrection which it exerts over believers, and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His Likeness even to His death."
This is why Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20 (Amplified), "I have been crucified with Christ, in Him I have shared His crucifixion." Paul identified so deeply with Jesus, that he likened his mortal body to be already dead and the only Life that truly mattered to Paul, was the Life he lived in faith by the Son of God.
We don't seem to understand that the Very Presence of the Holy Spirit should be as natural to us as breathing. We've become so close to Him, that Jesus said to the Father in John 17:21 (Amplified), "That they all may be one, just as You Father are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us." Even when we don't know it, it's still True. When we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us, it's easy to walk in the Truth of His Word.
God is now making a plea to the world through us, to be reconciled back to Him. He is making Himself known through the Church. As His ambassadors, we've been equipped to do everything God needs done, by and through the Holy Spirit.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Lesson 41 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."
Grace, by faith in Jesus' finished work, has brought the Spiritual Blessing that wasn't available to those under the Law. Jesus said He came to bring Spiritual Life in John 10:10 (Amplified) saying, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy Life, and have it in abundance (to the full, til it overflows)."
Many have never truly understood that full extent of the Life, that Jesus came to bring us. So long as mankind was void of Spiritual Life and could only function in the natural realm, these Spiritual Blessings couldn't be ministered to them. We haven't fully appreciated these Spiritual Blessings like we should, because they haven't been taught to the Church. The greatest Spiritual Blessing is the new birth, but within the new birth, the Blessings are ours.
Man could never be made righteous within himself. One of the greatest Spiritual Blessings we've received through Jesus, is being made righteous in God's sight, through faith in Jesus. These Spiritual Blessings are so plentiful, that we've failed to recognize and even accept them for what they are to us now in this earthly life. We've put off many of these Spiritual Blessings for being, "when we get to Heaven." God's Grace has provided these Spiritual Blessings, for our acceptance and use on earth as His representatives.
Our adversary, the devil, hates these Gifts and Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds," according to 2Corinthians 10:4 (Amplified). Without these Gifts and Spiritual Blessings, we're left as being mere mortal men and woman. These Gifts and Blessings can only be used by those who are born-again and understand who and what we really are in this world.
As God's family, we're not only born-again and have become new creation people, but we've been equipped with the Spiritual aspect of God's Plan for mankind, from the beginning. Man was never to be subjected to the bondage of satan, but to have dominion over everything on this planet. When Adam transgressed in the Garden, mankind lost the ability to Live in the spirit and satan took dominion over from man. Luke 4:5-6 (Amplified) says, "Then the devil took [Jesus] up to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the habitable world in a moment of time (in the twinkling of an eye). And he said to Him, To You I will give all this power and authority and their glory (all their magnificence, excellence, pr-eminence, dignity, and Grace), for it has been turned over to me, and I give it to whomsoever I will."
Adam's fall caused all the kingdoms of the habitable world to fall into the hands of the outlaw spirit (satan) and could only be dealt with, by Spiritual Laws from spiritual beings. These Laws or Spiritual Blessings could only come by Grace and a new creation people. When we were born-again in Christ Jesus, all the dominion that once belonged to Adam and was usurped by the enemy's deception, was delivered into our hands. The authority and dominion was placed back to the rightful or those in right standing or those who were made righteous in Jesus unto the Father.
Only spiritual beings can deal in Spiritual things. We've been taught or have simply believed that we "had to die in this natural realm, then we become a spirit and go to be with the Lord." As long as we believe this, our Spiritual Blessings, dominion and authority is useless to us or the world, while we remain on earth.
2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is ingrafted in Christ (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come." When you were born-again and became a new creation in Christ, the Spiritual Blessings that belonged to man from the beginning, were restored to us. We were Spiritually connected with the Father again and regained dominion and authority over the adversary. We've regained dominion and authority over his unlawful acts and kingdoms of this world.
This was an act of Grace. It has given us favor and Gifts of righteousness or right standing with God, which activates the Spiritual Blessings to God's family again. We must begin seeing ourselves like God has made us to be in Jesus. This isn't pride, but Truth. We've been mostly walking in a truth, but not the Truth. Being born-again is a truth, while who we are now in Jesus, is the Truth. You might ask, "Aren't these the same thing?" No. Have you heard the story about a man showed his elephant to three blind men? One man took hold of the elephant's tail and said, "The elephant is like a rope." Another man grabbed the elephant's tail, saying, "The elephant is like a tree." The third man took hold of the elephant's trunk, saying, "The elephant is like a snake." Each man had "a truth," but they didn't have "the Truth." The truth is that an elephant is much more than what they imagined, because they only touched a part of the Truth.
We've seen a truth, but the Truth is so much more than we can see by our natural way of touching Truth. That's why we're instructed to "Live by faith," in 2Corinthians 5:7 (Amplified) which says, "For we walk by faith, we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and Divine things, with trust and Holy fervor, thus we walk not by sight or appearance." Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified) says, "Now faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality, faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses."
We cannot "see" the spiritual world by our senses, only by faith. We can't see our dominion and authority over spiritual things, except by faith. The Spiritual Blessings that came upon us, through our union with Jesus Christ, can only be activated by faith and faith is a Gift from God, by His Grace. Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified) says, "For it is by free Grace (God's unmerited favor), that you are saved, delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation through your faith. And this salvation is not of yourselves (of your own doing, it came not through your own striving), but it is the Gift of God."
We've never seen faith, it's a Spiritual force. We've never seen salvation, it's also a Spiritual Blessing. We've never seen Grace, it's a Gift from God. By faith though, we've accepted these things as being real. This is a truth, but it's not the Truth. The rest of our salvation and redemption, is just as real by faith, as the things we've received in our lives already by faith. We believe in many things that we've never seen, even in this natural faith. We've never seen the wind, only it's results. We don't deny it's reality though. We've never seen the force of gravity, but we believe that if we jump from a high building, then we will come down. Why is it more difficult to believe in what these Spiritual Blessings are in our lives, unless we can see them? We walk and conduct our lives by faith in what God has said, rather than what our eyes and senses dictate to us. This is faith and it's the Gift of God, through Jesus Christ.
Grace, by faith in Jesus' finished work, has brought the Spiritual Blessing that wasn't available to those under the Law. Jesus said He came to bring Spiritual Life in John 10:10 (Amplified) saying, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy Life, and have it in abundance (to the full, til it overflows)."
Many have never truly understood that full extent of the Life, that Jesus came to bring us. So long as mankind was void of Spiritual Life and could only function in the natural realm, these Spiritual Blessings couldn't be ministered to them. We haven't fully appreciated these Spiritual Blessings like we should, because they haven't been taught to the Church. The greatest Spiritual Blessing is the new birth, but within the new birth, the Blessings are ours.
Man could never be made righteous within himself. One of the greatest Spiritual Blessings we've received through Jesus, is being made righteous in God's sight, through faith in Jesus. These Spiritual Blessings are so plentiful, that we've failed to recognize and even accept them for what they are to us now in this earthly life. We've put off many of these Spiritual Blessings for being, "when we get to Heaven." God's Grace has provided these Spiritual Blessings, for our acceptance and use on earth as His representatives.
Our adversary, the devil, hates these Gifts and Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds," according to 2Corinthians 10:4 (Amplified). Without these Gifts and Spiritual Blessings, we're left as being mere mortal men and woman. These Gifts and Blessings can only be used by those who are born-again and understand who and what we really are in this world.
As God's family, we're not only born-again and have become new creation people, but we've been equipped with the Spiritual aspect of God's Plan for mankind, from the beginning. Man was never to be subjected to the bondage of satan, but to have dominion over everything on this planet. When Adam transgressed in the Garden, mankind lost the ability to Live in the spirit and satan took dominion over from man. Luke 4:5-6 (Amplified) says, "Then the devil took [Jesus] up to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the habitable world in a moment of time (in the twinkling of an eye). And he said to Him, To You I will give all this power and authority and their glory (all their magnificence, excellence, pr-eminence, dignity, and Grace), for it has been turned over to me, and I give it to whomsoever I will."
Adam's fall caused all the kingdoms of the habitable world to fall into the hands of the outlaw spirit (satan) and could only be dealt with, by Spiritual Laws from spiritual beings. These Laws or Spiritual Blessings could only come by Grace and a new creation people. When we were born-again in Christ Jesus, all the dominion that once belonged to Adam and was usurped by the enemy's deception, was delivered into our hands. The authority and dominion was placed back to the rightful or those in right standing or those who were made righteous in Jesus unto the Father.
Only spiritual beings can deal in Spiritual things. We've been taught or have simply believed that we "had to die in this natural realm, then we become a spirit and go to be with the Lord." As long as we believe this, our Spiritual Blessings, dominion and authority is useless to us or the world, while we remain on earth.
2Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is ingrafted in Christ (the Messiah), he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come." When you were born-again and became a new creation in Christ, the Spiritual Blessings that belonged to man from the beginning, were restored to us. We were Spiritually connected with the Father again and regained dominion and authority over the adversary. We've regained dominion and authority over his unlawful acts and kingdoms of this world.
This was an act of Grace. It has given us favor and Gifts of righteousness or right standing with God, which activates the Spiritual Blessings to God's family again. We must begin seeing ourselves like God has made us to be in Jesus. This isn't pride, but Truth. We've been mostly walking in a truth, but not the Truth. Being born-again is a truth, while who we are now in Jesus, is the Truth. You might ask, "Aren't these the same thing?" No. Have you heard the story about a man showed his elephant to three blind men? One man took hold of the elephant's tail and said, "The elephant is like a rope." Another man grabbed the elephant's tail, saying, "The elephant is like a tree." The third man took hold of the elephant's trunk, saying, "The elephant is like a snake." Each man had "a truth," but they didn't have "the Truth." The truth is that an elephant is much more than what they imagined, because they only touched a part of the Truth.
We've seen a truth, but the Truth is so much more than we can see by our natural way of touching Truth. That's why we're instructed to "Live by faith," in 2Corinthians 5:7 (Amplified) which says, "For we walk by faith, we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and Divine things, with trust and Holy fervor, thus we walk not by sight or appearance." Hebrews 11:1 (Amplified) says, "Now faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality, faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses."
We cannot "see" the spiritual world by our senses, only by faith. We can't see our dominion and authority over spiritual things, except by faith. The Spiritual Blessings that came upon us, through our union with Jesus Christ, can only be activated by faith and faith is a Gift from God, by His Grace. Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified) says, "For it is by free Grace (God's unmerited favor), that you are saved, delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation through your faith. And this salvation is not of yourselves (of your own doing, it came not through your own striving), but it is the Gift of God."
We've never seen faith, it's a Spiritual force. We've never seen salvation, it's also a Spiritual Blessing. We've never seen Grace, it's a Gift from God. By faith though, we've accepted these things as being real. This is a truth, but it's not the Truth. The rest of our salvation and redemption, is just as real by faith, as the things we've received in our lives already by faith. We believe in many things that we've never seen, even in this natural faith. We've never seen the wind, only it's results. We don't deny it's reality though. We've never seen the force of gravity, but we believe that if we jump from a high building, then we will come down. Why is it more difficult to believe in what these Spiritual Blessings are in our lives, unless we can see them? We walk and conduct our lives by faith in what God has said, rather than what our eyes and senses dictate to us. This is faith and it's the Gift of God, through Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Lesson 40 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."
Do you read God's Word as someone who needs to be saved or one who has already become a new creation in Christ Jesus? Do you see as being one who Jesus brought into the family of God and as being righteous in Him? Or, do you see yourself like you were before receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior? They way you see yourself in the Word, is the way you approach your Heavenly Father. If you're unsaved, then you read the Word as "one who needs to come to the Lord." If you're saved, then you see yourself as God sees you in Christ Jesus and read the Word accordingly.
Many Christians still see themselves as sinners, unsaved and unrighteous before God. When you received Jesus, everything changed as far as the Father is concerned. Your righteous is still as "filthy rags," but you're no longer in your righteousness, but in His Own righteousness. Romans 3:21-22 (Amplified) says, "But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although it actually is attested by the Law and the prophets. Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). And it is meant for all who believe, for there is no distinction."
If you're a Christian, then your faith in Jesus is all that God requires of you, in order to make you righteous. This is part of the Grace and Truth, that came through Jesus, according to John 1:16. When you fully understand the Revelation Paul preached, you can be free to approach your Heavenly Father in His Righteousness, which the Father always accepts. This one Revelation will change your entire attitude and approach to your Father.
There was nothing we could do, in order to pay the penalty for man's decline. It couldn't be done, despite how hard we tried. Jesus' Redemptive Sacrifice has restored us back to the Father, just as though sin and death had never existed in us. We are in His Righteousness and not our own. There's no way of improving the Righteousness of God, we must only accept this free Gift of Grace in faith. The carnal mind and man's religious ideas, have denied the Truth of what God has done through Jesus. This leads us to either continue "trying to become righteous by works" or denying we've been made righteous through Jesus, but we're still mere men and women outside of God's family.
Many believe it's blasphemous to accept righteousness by faith in Jesus, but God said and did it by Grace. We've been more aware of being sinners, instead of being righteous in Christ. This belief prevents God from doing the things He sent Jesus to do, in our lives. We've done exactly like the Israelites did, when after being led out of Egypt, they refused to believe the Lord and limited Him in their lives. Psalm 78:41 (Amplified) tells us, "And time and again they turned back and tempted (limited) God provoking and incensing the Holy One of Israel."
When they wouldn't believe, the Israelites limited the Grace that God had given. God couldn't do the things He wanted to do for them, because they wouldn't believe Him. We, too, have limited God, because we refuse to believe we are righteous in Him. Our unbelief has prevented God from doing things in us and for us. Our unbelief has kept us aloof and distant from Him, because of fearing rejection.
The Truth of our being righteous through Jesus, is there, but we don't trust it and don't approach the Father in unbroken fellowship with Him. This one Truth will change your entire walk with the Father. This is why it's still the Throne of Grace. Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified) says, "But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him; For whoever would come near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that He is the Rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out."
When we don't have faith in our righteousness or right standing with God through Jesus, we remain in our own righteousness and have no faith we can approach Him. This is why we cannot be pleasing to God, without faith in what Jesus has done for us. This is the Grace and Truth that came through Jesus and it can only be accepted and walked in, by faith. When your faith is activated in Truth, your approach to the Father is opened to your for any and all time. It changes your confidence in the way you pray and what you pray.
1John 5:14-15 (Amplified) says, "And this is the confidence, the assurance, the privilege of boldness which we have in Him; we are sure that if we ask anything, make requests according to His will (in agreement with His Own plan), He listens to and hears us. And if (since) we positively know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know with settled and absolute knowledge that we have granted us as our present possessions the requests made of Him."
Once you receive righteousness as the Gift God gives through Jesus and accept this is God's will and plan for you, you no longer need to wonder whether or not He heard your prayer or whether or not He will answer your prayer. You can know with assurance and confidence that you're asking and receiving from God on His Own terms. When we try approaching Him on our terms and ideas of righteousness, we will always doubt our prayers, because we know that we're not righteous (apart from Jesus we're not righteous). This is the faith spoken about in Hebrews 11:6 and 1John 5:14-15. Having faith in our being made righteous in Jesus, we know we can approach Him. Without having faith in our being made righteous in Jesus, it's impossible to please Him, because we're still trying to approach Him in our own righteousness, which is as filthy rags.
We've limited the move and work of God in our lives, because we've been trying to do things by religious acts, old traditions and carnal minds. God will not move in our lives by these means. We can only approach God on His terms, through and by faith in what Jesus redeemed us from. We belong in His Presence and have already been made His family, but we continue trying to become what Jesus has already made us to be.
1John 4:17 (Amplified) goes on, "In this union and communion with Him, Love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment with assurance and boldness to face Him, because as He is, so are we in this world."
Do you read God's Word as someone who needs to be saved or one who has already become a new creation in Christ Jesus? Do you see as being one who Jesus brought into the family of God and as being righteous in Him? Or, do you see yourself like you were before receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior? They way you see yourself in the Word, is the way you approach your Heavenly Father. If you're unsaved, then you read the Word as "one who needs to come to the Lord." If you're saved, then you see yourself as God sees you in Christ Jesus and read the Word accordingly.
Many Christians still see themselves as sinners, unsaved and unrighteous before God. When you received Jesus, everything changed as far as the Father is concerned. Your righteous is still as "filthy rags," but you're no longer in your righteousness, but in His Own righteousness. Romans 3:21-22 (Amplified) says, "But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although it actually is attested by the Law and the prophets. Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). And it is meant for all who believe, for there is no distinction."
If you're a Christian, then your faith in Jesus is all that God requires of you, in order to make you righteous. This is part of the Grace and Truth, that came through Jesus, according to John 1:16. When you fully understand the Revelation Paul preached, you can be free to approach your Heavenly Father in His Righteousness, which the Father always accepts. This one Revelation will change your entire attitude and approach to your Father.
There was nothing we could do, in order to pay the penalty for man's decline. It couldn't be done, despite how hard we tried. Jesus' Redemptive Sacrifice has restored us back to the Father, just as though sin and death had never existed in us. We are in His Righteousness and not our own. There's no way of improving the Righteousness of God, we must only accept this free Gift of Grace in faith. The carnal mind and man's religious ideas, have denied the Truth of what God has done through Jesus. This leads us to either continue "trying to become righteous by works" or denying we've been made righteous through Jesus, but we're still mere men and women outside of God's family.
Many believe it's blasphemous to accept righteousness by faith in Jesus, but God said and did it by Grace. We've been more aware of being sinners, instead of being righteous in Christ. This belief prevents God from doing the things He sent Jesus to do, in our lives. We've done exactly like the Israelites did, when after being led out of Egypt, they refused to believe the Lord and limited Him in their lives. Psalm 78:41 (Amplified) tells us, "And time and again they turned back and tempted (limited) God provoking and incensing the Holy One of Israel."
When they wouldn't believe, the Israelites limited the Grace that God had given. God couldn't do the things He wanted to do for them, because they wouldn't believe Him. We, too, have limited God, because we refuse to believe we are righteous in Him. Our unbelief has prevented God from doing things in us and for us. Our unbelief has kept us aloof and distant from Him, because of fearing rejection.
The Truth of our being righteous through Jesus, is there, but we don't trust it and don't approach the Father in unbroken fellowship with Him. This one Truth will change your entire walk with the Father. This is why it's still the Throne of Grace. Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified) says, "But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him; For whoever would come near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that He is the Rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out."
When we don't have faith in our righteousness or right standing with God through Jesus, we remain in our own righteousness and have no faith we can approach Him. This is why we cannot be pleasing to God, without faith in what Jesus has done for us. This is the Grace and Truth that came through Jesus and it can only be accepted and walked in, by faith. When your faith is activated in Truth, your approach to the Father is opened to your for any and all time. It changes your confidence in the way you pray and what you pray.
1John 5:14-15 (Amplified) says, "And this is the confidence, the assurance, the privilege of boldness which we have in Him; we are sure that if we ask anything, make requests according to His will (in agreement with His Own plan), He listens to and hears us. And if (since) we positively know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know with settled and absolute knowledge that we have granted us as our present possessions the requests made of Him."
Once you receive righteousness as the Gift God gives through Jesus and accept this is God's will and plan for you, you no longer need to wonder whether or not He heard your prayer or whether or not He will answer your prayer. You can know with assurance and confidence that you're asking and receiving from God on His Own terms. When we try approaching Him on our terms and ideas of righteousness, we will always doubt our prayers, because we know that we're not righteous (apart from Jesus we're not righteous). This is the faith spoken about in Hebrews 11:6 and 1John 5:14-15. Having faith in our being made righteous in Jesus, we know we can approach Him. Without having faith in our being made righteous in Jesus, it's impossible to please Him, because we're still trying to approach Him in our own righteousness, which is as filthy rags.
We've limited the move and work of God in our lives, because we've been trying to do things by religious acts, old traditions and carnal minds. God will not move in our lives by these means. We can only approach God on His terms, through and by faith in what Jesus redeemed us from. We belong in His Presence and have already been made His family, but we continue trying to become what Jesus has already made us to be.
1John 4:17 (Amplified) goes on, "In this union and communion with Him, Love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment with assurance and boldness to face Him, because as He is, so are we in this world."
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Lesson 39 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 must understand the Plan of our redemption, in order to know the Father's will and intention for His family. There's a hidden Truth in Proverbs 29:18 (Amplified) we need the Holy Spirit to reveal to the hearts of God's children. Thus it says, "Where there is no vision, no redemptive Revelation of God, the people perish; but he who keeps the Law of God which includes that of man, Blessed, happy, fortunate, and enviable is he."
Many in the Church declare, "I am the redeemed of the Lord." Psalms 107:2 (Amplified) says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary." Most have no idea what they're redeemed from, so they simply say, "I'm the redeemed of the Lord," without saying what they've been redeemed from. We need to know what Jesus paid for, when He went to Calvary for us. If God intended such these things as sickness, disease, and destruction, to be part of His Plan for us, then Jesus wouldn't have to purchase us out from this bondage.
Because we've been erroneously taught and misunderstand the Truth, we've allowed the adversary to triumph over us, in the things Jesus paid to redeem us from. Why would Jesus redeem us, from something that was God's will for us to have? Galatians 3:13-14 (Amplified) tells us, "Christ purchased our freedom, redeeming us from the Curse (doom of the Law and it's condemnation) by Himself becoming a Curse for us, for it is written in the scriptures, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified). To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come on the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit (John 1:16), "The Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing."
When the Blessing of the Holy Spirit came upon us, we not only received the ability of God came upon us like the old covenant people, but the Holy Spirit now lives in us. This includes more than just speaking in tongues and being a different denomination. It's the Promise of the Spirit restoring us back to the Garden before Adam's fall. This restoration includes fellowship, authority, ability and dominion over all things. The Blessing has been restored to us.
Jesus' Blood paid for the Curse of the Law. Everything written in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 about the Curse of the Law, has been paid for by Jesus. If God was going to "put these things on you" or if it's His will for you to have them, then the Blood of His Son wouldn't have removed them for us. We would still be under them. It doesn't make sense for Jesus to die in order to remove the things of the Curse, if it's God's will for us to have them. Jesus came to do the Father's will.
We've received something that wasn't God's will for us to have. Read about the Curse of the Law and see how many things listed under it, we continue allowing to enter our lives and believe it's God's will for us to bear. Jesus' Blood was payment to buy us back and redeem us from the Curse, according to 1Peter 1:18-19 (Amplified) which says, "You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless, fruitless way of living inherited by tradition from your forefathers, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. But you were purchased with the Precious Blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a Sacrificial Lamb without blemish or spot."
1Corinthians 7:19-20 (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. You were bought with a Price, purchased with a Preciousness and paid for, made His Own. So then honor God and bring glory to Him in your body."
We're not honoring God, when we continue to allow the things Jesus redeemed us from, to be in our lives. We've been taught to surrender to things, that aren't God's will for us and have accepted and allowed them to continue in our lives, even though Jesus redeemed us from these things. This might be the "tradition of our forefathers," but that's not the will of our Heavenly Father. We were given white robes, not white flags of surrender. We were never intended to surrender to circumstances around us and stop trusting in the Blood of our Redeemer.
Many will not receive this message and deem it as being foolishness, but it will challenge others to expand our faith, into areas that have been taken over by the adversary. This is an individual choice and a responsibility to the Word of God. "Honoring God in your body," means not being complacent, but standing in faith for what Jesus paid for. This means we will discipline our body, in order to resist the devil in more areas than we have before. Grace will see us through and Truth will uphold us in the Word.
If we gave up on things in this natural realm the way we gave up in the spirit, then most of us wouldn't even be able to walk or talk. When we first began learning to walk, we spent lots of time picking ourselves up off the floor. We've become more and more proficient in balancing ourselves, until we mastered walking. When it comes to Spiritual Blessings, we try it once and when it didn't work, we quit.
Hebrews 12:1 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, Then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses who have borne testimony to the Truth, let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily and deftly and cleverly clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us."
I believe that "the sin that readily and deftly and cleverly clings to and entangles us," is the sin of complacency that allows (or makes us) settle for much less than Jesus died to redeem us from. We're willing to settle for "going to Heaven when we die," without advancing in the Spirit realm. We were given white robes and not white flags. We're supposed to be an advancing army, instead of a compromising one that isn't willing to "make waves." The world isn't looking for another religion, but the reality of a Living and Breathing and Acting God, Who is Above All gods.
We're a Super-natural people, placed in the midst of a natural-minded world. The natural man has his own way of dealing with problems and we've adopted these customs. We have the answers to these problems that aren't limited to man's natural realm. The answers come from the Super-natural ability within us. Find out what Jesus redeemed you from and stand against these things, just like you stand against any other source of the adversary. You might not be victorious initially, but you must apply patience and keep trying.
We must understand the Plan of our redemption, in order to know the Father's will and intention for His family. There's a hidden Truth in Proverbs 29:18 (Amplified) we need the Holy Spirit to reveal to the hearts of God's children. Thus it says, "Where there is no vision, no redemptive Revelation of God, the people perish; but he who keeps the Law of God which includes that of man, Blessed, happy, fortunate, and enviable is he."
Many in the Church declare, "I am the redeemed of the Lord." Psalms 107:2 (Amplified) says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary." Most have no idea what they're redeemed from, so they simply say, "I'm the redeemed of the Lord," without saying what they've been redeemed from. We need to know what Jesus paid for, when He went to Calvary for us. If God intended such these things as sickness, disease, and destruction, to be part of His Plan for us, then Jesus wouldn't have to purchase us out from this bondage.
Because we've been erroneously taught and misunderstand the Truth, we've allowed the adversary to triumph over us, in the things Jesus paid to redeem us from. Why would Jesus redeem us, from something that was God's will for us to have? Galatians 3:13-14 (Amplified) tells us, "Christ purchased our freedom, redeeming us from the Curse (doom of the Law and it's condemnation) by Himself becoming a Curse for us, for it is written in the scriptures, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified). To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come on the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit (John 1:16), "The Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing."
When the Blessing of the Holy Spirit came upon us, we not only received the ability of God came upon us like the old covenant people, but the Holy Spirit now lives in us. This includes more than just speaking in tongues and being a different denomination. It's the Promise of the Spirit restoring us back to the Garden before Adam's fall. This restoration includes fellowship, authority, ability and dominion over all things. The Blessing has been restored to us.
Jesus' Blood paid for the Curse of the Law. Everything written in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 about the Curse of the Law, has been paid for by Jesus. If God was going to "put these things on you" or if it's His will for you to have them, then the Blood of His Son wouldn't have removed them for us. We would still be under them. It doesn't make sense for Jesus to die in order to remove the things of the Curse, if it's God's will for us to have them. Jesus came to do the Father's will.
We've received something that wasn't God's will for us to have. Read about the Curse of the Law and see how many things listed under it, we continue allowing to enter our lives and believe it's God's will for us to bear. Jesus' Blood was payment to buy us back and redeem us from the Curse, according to 1Peter 1:18-19 (Amplified) which says, "You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless, fruitless way of living inherited by tradition from your forefathers, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. But you were purchased with the Precious Blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a Sacrificial Lamb without blemish or spot."
1Corinthians 7:19-20 (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. You were bought with a Price, purchased with a Preciousness and paid for, made His Own. So then honor God and bring glory to Him in your body."
We're not honoring God, when we continue to allow the things Jesus redeemed us from, to be in our lives. We've been taught to surrender to things, that aren't God's will for us and have accepted and allowed them to continue in our lives, even though Jesus redeemed us from these things. This might be the "tradition of our forefathers," but that's not the will of our Heavenly Father. We were given white robes, not white flags of surrender. We were never intended to surrender to circumstances around us and stop trusting in the Blood of our Redeemer.
Many will not receive this message and deem it as being foolishness, but it will challenge others to expand our faith, into areas that have been taken over by the adversary. This is an individual choice and a responsibility to the Word of God. "Honoring God in your body," means not being complacent, but standing in faith for what Jesus paid for. This means we will discipline our body, in order to resist the devil in more areas than we have before. Grace will see us through and Truth will uphold us in the Word.
If we gave up on things in this natural realm the way we gave up in the spirit, then most of us wouldn't even be able to walk or talk. When we first began learning to walk, we spent lots of time picking ourselves up off the floor. We've become more and more proficient in balancing ourselves, until we mastered walking. When it comes to Spiritual Blessings, we try it once and when it didn't work, we quit.
Hebrews 12:1 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, Then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses who have borne testimony to the Truth, let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily and deftly and cleverly clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us."
I believe that "the sin that readily and deftly and cleverly clings to and entangles us," is the sin of complacency that allows (or makes us) settle for much less than Jesus died to redeem us from. We're willing to settle for "going to Heaven when we die," without advancing in the Spirit realm. We were given white robes and not white flags. We're supposed to be an advancing army, instead of a compromising one that isn't willing to "make waves." The world isn't looking for another religion, but the reality of a Living and Breathing and Acting God, Who is Above All gods.
We're a Super-natural people, placed in the midst of a natural-minded world. The natural man has his own way of dealing with problems and we've adopted these customs. We have the answers to these problems that aren't limited to man's natural realm. The answers come from the Super-natural ability within us. Find out what Jesus redeemed you from and stand against these things, just like you stand against any other source of the adversary. You might not be victorious initially, but you must apply patience and keep trying.
ATTENTION! ATTENTION!
We're proud to welcome one of our own, Emily Massa to our service this Sunday @ Christian Life Center - 10 a.m.
Emily is raising money for a mission trip to Nicaragua on July 25, 2018, where she'll minister Jesus to people living in the landfill called La Chureca for 10 days.
400-440 families live @ La Chureca, which is Spanish for, "City Dump." It's comprised of industrial and domestic waste. 1,000 people (50% are kids under 18) pick through the waste and live at the site.
These families were stricken by extreme poverty, because of an earthquake in 1972, which destroyed their homes and community. They have no choice but to live at the dump site.
If you're unable to contribute financially to Emily's mission, then please pray that they are safe and successful! If you can't attend church here on Sunday @ 10 a.m., then you can make a check payable to Emily Massa or forward
Emily is raising money for a mission trip to Nicaragua on July 25, 2018, where she'll minister Jesus to people living in the landfill called La Chureca for 10 days.
400-440 families live @ La Chureca, which is Spanish for, "City Dump." It's comprised of industrial and domestic waste. 1,000 people (50% are kids under 18) pick through the waste and live at the site.
These families were stricken by extreme poverty, because of an earthquake in 1972, which destroyed their homes and community. They have no choice but to live at the dump site.
If you're unable to contribute financially to Emily's mission, then please pray that they are safe and successful! If you can't attend church here on Sunday @ 10 a.m., then you can make a check payable to Emily Massa or forward
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