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).
Thursday, May 10, 2018
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
Monday, April 30, 2018
Lesson 38 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 prayed for His followers in the Garden of Gethsemane, saying to the Father in John 17:16-18 (Amplified), "They are not of this 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."
We can see the tools (weapons) that God granted to Jesus, in order to do God's work and will, in John 1:16. The Word says that, "Out of His fullness we have all received." Jesus received God's fullness (abundance) and has now transferred it to us, so that we can continue doing God's will on earth. Let's learn exactly what tools we've all received, been supplied with and all had a share in.
We all have His abundance. Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified), "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, till it overflows)." We would mostly all agree that we have "the Life in abundance," that Jesus has and came to give us an we were all supplied with one Grace after another. Do we see the Grace Jesus supplied us with, operating in our lives, so that we can do what He sent us to do?
John 1:14 (Amplified) says, "And the Word (Christ), became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile among us); and we actually saw His Glory, His honor, His majesty, such Glory as an Only Begotten Son receives from His Father, full of Grace, favor, Loving Kindness, and Truth." We have all received and were all supplied with one Grace after another."
We've also all received Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing through Him. John 3:34 (Amplified) tells s, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks the Words of God, proclaims God's Own Message, God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit." Jesus was, "full of Grace and favor heaped upon favor, according to John 1:14 (Amplified) which tells us that, "Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
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." John 1:14 tells us that Jesus is full of Grace, favor, Loving Kindness and Truth. Romans 5:5 (Amplified) says, "Such hope never disappoints or deludes us or shames us, for God's Love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given us." We've all been supplied with the Gift of God's Loving Kindness, through Jesus.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace and has peace with God, according to Isaiah 54:13 (Amplified) which says, "And all your Spiritual children (Spiritual Blessing) shall be taught by the Lord and obedient to His will, and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children." So, as He has peace with God, He has freely given this Gift heaped upon gift to all God's children. Jesus was the Righteousness of God, in this earth. Jesus prayed for His followers in John 17:18 (Amplified) saying, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." Jesus was the Righteousness of God and sent us into the world, just like He was. Are we righteous? Romans 8:30 (Amplified) says, "And those Whom He thus foreordained, He also called, and those whom He called, He also justified, acquitted, made righteous, putting them in right standing with Himself. And those whom He justified, He also glorified, raising them to a Heavenly dignity and condition or state of being."
Are the things listed in the above scripture like justification, acquittal, righteousness, glorification, and Heavenly dignity, Gifts heaped upon Gifts? You might answer, "It's different with Jesus, He had these things, because He was God." Romans 8:14-17 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God, For the Spirit which you have now received is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption (the Spirit producing son-ship), in the bliss of which we cry, Abba, Father, Father. The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit assuring us that we are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also; heirs of god and fellow heirs with Christ."
You might also say, "Jesus was different, because He had unbroken fellowship and entrance to the Father." Let's read Romans 5:2 (Amplified), "Through Him also we have our access, entrance, introduction by faith into this Grace (state of God's favor) which we firmly and safely stand, and let us rejoice and exalt in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the Glory of God."
Paul goes on in Romans 6:11 (Amplified) saying, "Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God, living in unbroken fellowship with Him in Christ Jesus." Jesus said that, "It was not Him, but the Father in Him Who did the works." Did Jesus really mean that as the Father sent Him, He has sent us? If if is the Father in Jesus Who does the works, then is this the Same Father in us too? 1Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the Temple, the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received as a Gift from God, you are not your own."
It is still the Father in us, Who does the works and we are sent into the world, just like Jesus was. Jesus equipped us with everything the Father equipped Him with, in order to do the same job of preaching the Gospel, setting the captives free, preaching deliverance to those who are bound, and preaching the Acceptable Year of the Lord. Jesus said, "Just as You have sent Me, I have sent them."
Jesus prayed for His followers in the Garden of Gethsemane, saying to the Father in John 17:16-18 (Amplified), "They are not of this 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."
We can see the tools (weapons) that God granted to Jesus, in order to do God's work and will, in John 1:16. The Word says that, "Out of His fullness we have all received." Jesus received God's fullness (abundance) and has now transferred it to us, so that we can continue doing God's will on earth. Let's learn exactly what tools we've all received, been supplied with and all had a share in.
We all have His abundance. Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified), "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, till it overflows)." We would mostly all agree that we have "the Life in abundance," that Jesus has and came to give us an we were all supplied with one Grace after another. Do we see the Grace Jesus supplied us with, operating in our lives, so that we can do what He sent us to do?
John 1:14 (Amplified) says, "And the Word (Christ), became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile among us); and we actually saw His Glory, His honor, His majesty, such Glory as an Only Begotten Son receives from His Father, full of Grace, favor, Loving Kindness, and Truth." We have all received and were all supplied with one Grace after another."
We've also all received Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing through Him. John 3:34 (Amplified) tells s, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks the Words of God, proclaims God's Own Message, God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit." Jesus was, "full of Grace and favor heaped upon favor, according to John 1:14 (Amplified) which tells us that, "Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
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." John 1:14 tells us that Jesus is full of Grace, favor, Loving Kindness and Truth. Romans 5:5 (Amplified) says, "Such hope never disappoints or deludes us or shames us, for God's Love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given us." We've all been supplied with the Gift of God's Loving Kindness, through Jesus.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace and has peace with God, according to Isaiah 54:13 (Amplified) which says, "And all your Spiritual children (Spiritual Blessing) shall be taught by the Lord and obedient to His will, and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children." So, as He has peace with God, He has freely given this Gift heaped upon gift to all God's children. Jesus was the Righteousness of God, in this earth. Jesus prayed for His followers in John 17:18 (Amplified) saying, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." Jesus was the Righteousness of God and sent us into the world, just like He was. Are we righteous? Romans 8:30 (Amplified) says, "And those Whom He thus foreordained, He also called, and those whom He called, He also justified, acquitted, made righteous, putting them in right standing with Himself. And those whom He justified, He also glorified, raising them to a Heavenly dignity and condition or state of being."
Are the things listed in the above scripture like justification, acquittal, righteousness, glorification, and Heavenly dignity, Gifts heaped upon Gifts? You might answer, "It's different with Jesus, He had these things, because He was God." Romans 8:14-17 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God, For the Spirit which you have now received is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption (the Spirit producing son-ship), in the bliss of which we cry, Abba, Father, Father. The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit assuring us that we are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also; heirs of god and fellow heirs with Christ."
You might also say, "Jesus was different, because He had unbroken fellowship and entrance to the Father." Let's read Romans 5:2 (Amplified), "Through Him also we have our access, entrance, introduction by faith into this Grace (state of God's favor) which we firmly and safely stand, and let us rejoice and exalt in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the Glory of God."
Paul goes on in Romans 6:11 (Amplified) saying, "Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God, living in unbroken fellowship with Him in Christ Jesus." Jesus said that, "It was not Him, but the Father in Him Who did the works." Did Jesus really mean that as the Father sent Him, He has sent us? If if is the Father in Jesus Who does the works, then is this the Same Father in us too? 1Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the Temple, the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received as a Gift from God, you are not your own."
It is still the Father in us, Who does the works and we are sent into the world, just like Jesus was. Jesus equipped us with everything the Father equipped Him with, in order to do the same job of preaching the Gospel, setting the captives free, preaching deliverance to those who are bound, and preaching the Acceptable Year of the Lord. Jesus said, "Just as You have sent Me, I have sent them."
Friday, April 27, 2018
Lesson 37 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, 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."
Nearly everyone can read these Words, but most believers have little understanding of them. Not everyone has the Spiritual understanding and Revelation of what they truly mean. These scriptures convey no meaning or change the lives of the carnal minded Christian, who hasn't renewed his mind by the Word. Throughout our unsaved lives, we were trained by the culture and teachings of the natural man.
Our mind still thinks like it did before we were born-again, when our spirit was dead unto God and our natural man was the only guide we had to lead us, on this earth. Satan is the god of this world and we were trained and taught by the ungodly influence of this fallen, outlaw spirit, until we received Jesus as our Savior and Lord. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He restored authority back to those who follow Him. Before then, we mostly walked like those who were under the Law. We could read The Bible and recognize it's moral value for us, but we had no Spiritual ability to receive it into our own spirit. We tried governing our unruly mind and body, using willpower and natural strength.
Under the Law, the people were natural men and women who were placed under a Spiritual rule, but they didn't have the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen them. Before receiving Jesus as our Savior, we were in the same condition. We memorized scriptures, but didn't deposit them into our spirit. We didn't renew our minds with the Word, because we could understand the Words, but we had no Spiritual Revelation of the Truth they had in our spirit man.
Interpreting the Word with a carnal, unrenewed mind, only brings man to recognize his shortcomings than he previously did and leads to condemnation and guilt. The constant struggle to "become righteous," was a never ending fight, for the believer. Revelation knowledge or the Light the Holy Spirit shines on the Word, reveals Truth into the new creation spirit and renews the mind. The Truth reveals to us, that our Sacrifice Lamb hasn't just covered sin, but removed it before the Father. This brings peace with God and peace in our hearts.
Renewing our mind is training our soulish portion to receive from our spirit and take authority over the lusts of the flesh. Man was created a spirit, was placed into a natural body and was given a soul, that would receive from the Spirit of God. The soul (mind, will, emotions) would transmit guidance from the Spirit of God, to the brain of the natural man, allowing us to walk in the Super-natural Presence of God. This is completed communication with God, without any lack in the three realms of man.
Adam's fall caused man to be cut off from the Life of God, causing mankind to die in his spirit. Man was disconnected from the Spirit of God and only lived by the soulish part of our lives. We had to depend on our own ability to know "how to live on earth," because our spirit was dead to God and we possessed no compass to guide the flesh. We only had the soulish identity that was corrupt in it's thinking. Mankind fell into such a decline that caused horrific, terrible things to happen to and through us. This was never God's will or plan for our lives. The Curse of the Law was an act of God's Grace and allowed Spiritual Laws and consequences to operate in the earth and man's lives. This is why the Law was so exact in its compliance.
The only way God could get His Blessing and mercy into man's lives, was to make the natural man conform to the Spirit, by the natural things. God put Laws in the covenant, that natural men could follow, thus allowing the Spiritual Laws to operate in their lives. When man disobeyed the natural things like sacrifice, dress codes, codes of cleanliness and codes of conduct, it stopped the flow of the Spirit. The Curse that came through Adam's fall then came into play, in their lives. The Law was Spiritual, man wasn't. Man could only receive spiritual things, by natural means.
This isn't so for the new creation people of God. We've been infused with God Himself and made alive unto God, through the Life of Jesus. Through Jesus, we have the ability to govern our soulish man (our mind, will and emotions) by our new creation spirit and by the Holy Spirit. Our minds that were programmed by the world and fallen man, but when we renew our minds by God's Word, we can take control over our mind and be led again by the Holy Spirit. This sounds complicated when we first hear and try to do it, but we have the Mind of Christ.
We can plainly see what Paul was saying in 1Corinthians 2:13-16 where he spoke about the "renewed and unrenewed mind." These two minds are one and the same. Our brain is the control center of our fleshly body and moves the body. The mind of the spirit transmits the Word of God to the soul. When the mind (soul) is unrenewed, it can only transmit or relay the things it has learned from the world, instead of the Holy Spirit. Everything we had learned wasn't wrong, it just wasn't all Spiritual. When we are born-again, our spirit becomes alive to God again and our new alive spirit can speak Revelation into our soul, from the Holy Spirit. From a renewed mind, the soul can transfer new orders and information into the brain, which tells the flesh how to act and not act. The control of the flesh is now back in the confines of the Spirit. We once again live from the inside and not from the outside. We're lead by the Holy Spirit, like Jesus was.
Today's Church is still being led by the soulish portion of man, the unrenewed mind, which is the soul. When we use the Spirit to renew the soul,we will think differently and our body will respond differently. Our flesh can only do what our brain tells us to do. The brain can only tell it, what it knows and it only knows what is has learned either from the Holy Spirit or a fallen spirit. If we fail to renew our minds b the Word, after being born-again, then the body will continue to act, think and respond to what it knew previously. This is in direct opposition to what we want to do now as Christians and we'll fight our unruly flesh by only the things of the flesh. This will lead to frustration and despair in our walk with God.
Nearly everyone can read these Words, but most believers have little understanding of them. Not everyone has the Spiritual understanding and Revelation of what they truly mean. These scriptures convey no meaning or change the lives of the carnal minded Christian, who hasn't renewed his mind by the Word. Throughout our unsaved lives, we were trained by the culture and teachings of the natural man.
Our mind still thinks like it did before we were born-again, when our spirit was dead unto God and our natural man was the only guide we had to lead us, on this earth. Satan is the god of this world and we were trained and taught by the ungodly influence of this fallen, outlaw spirit, until we received Jesus as our Savior and Lord. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He restored authority back to those who follow Him. Before then, we mostly walked like those who were under the Law. We could read The Bible and recognize it's moral value for us, but we had no Spiritual ability to receive it into our own spirit. We tried governing our unruly mind and body, using willpower and natural strength.
Under the Law, the people were natural men and women who were placed under a Spiritual rule, but they didn't have the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen them. Before receiving Jesus as our Savior, we were in the same condition. We memorized scriptures, but didn't deposit them into our spirit. We didn't renew our minds with the Word, because we could understand the Words, but we had no Spiritual Revelation of the Truth they had in our spirit man.
Interpreting the Word with a carnal, unrenewed mind, only brings man to recognize his shortcomings than he previously did and leads to condemnation and guilt. The constant struggle to "become righteous," was a never ending fight, for the believer. Revelation knowledge or the Light the Holy Spirit shines on the Word, reveals Truth into the new creation spirit and renews the mind. The Truth reveals to us, that our Sacrifice Lamb hasn't just covered sin, but removed it before the Father. This brings peace with God and peace in our hearts.
Renewing our mind is training our soulish portion to receive from our spirit and take authority over the lusts of the flesh. Man was created a spirit, was placed into a natural body and was given a soul, that would receive from the Spirit of God. The soul (mind, will, emotions) would transmit guidance from the Spirit of God, to the brain of the natural man, allowing us to walk in the Super-natural Presence of God. This is completed communication with God, without any lack in the three realms of man.
Adam's fall caused man to be cut off from the Life of God, causing mankind to die in his spirit. Man was disconnected from the Spirit of God and only lived by the soulish part of our lives. We had to depend on our own ability to know "how to live on earth," because our spirit was dead to God and we possessed no compass to guide the flesh. We only had the soulish identity that was corrupt in it's thinking. Mankind fell into such a decline that caused horrific, terrible things to happen to and through us. This was never God's will or plan for our lives. The Curse of the Law was an act of God's Grace and allowed Spiritual Laws and consequences to operate in the earth and man's lives. This is why the Law was so exact in its compliance.
The only way God could get His Blessing and mercy into man's lives, was to make the natural man conform to the Spirit, by the natural things. God put Laws in the covenant, that natural men could follow, thus allowing the Spiritual Laws to operate in their lives. When man disobeyed the natural things like sacrifice, dress codes, codes of cleanliness and codes of conduct, it stopped the flow of the Spirit. The Curse that came through Adam's fall then came into play, in their lives. The Law was Spiritual, man wasn't. Man could only receive spiritual things, by natural means.
This isn't so for the new creation people of God. We've been infused with God Himself and made alive unto God, through the Life of Jesus. Through Jesus, we have the ability to govern our soulish man (our mind, will and emotions) by our new creation spirit and by the Holy Spirit. Our minds that were programmed by the world and fallen man, but when we renew our minds by God's Word, we can take control over our mind and be led again by the Holy Spirit. This sounds complicated when we first hear and try to do it, but we have the Mind of Christ.
We can plainly see what Paul was saying in 1Corinthians 2:13-16 where he spoke about the "renewed and unrenewed mind." These two minds are one and the same. Our brain is the control center of our fleshly body and moves the body. The mind of the spirit transmits the Word of God to the soul. When the mind (soul) is unrenewed, it can only transmit or relay the things it has learned from the world, instead of the Holy Spirit. Everything we had learned wasn't wrong, it just wasn't all Spiritual. When we are born-again, our spirit becomes alive to God again and our new alive spirit can speak Revelation into our soul, from the Holy Spirit. From a renewed mind, the soul can transfer new orders and information into the brain, which tells the flesh how to act and not act. The control of the flesh is now back in the confines of the Spirit. We once again live from the inside and not from the outside. We're lead by the Holy Spirit, like Jesus was.
Today's Church is still being led by the soulish portion of man, the unrenewed mind, which is the soul. When we use the Spirit to renew the soul,we will think differently and our body will respond differently. Our flesh can only do what our brain tells us to do. The brain can only tell it, what it knows and it only knows what is has learned either from the Holy Spirit or a fallen spirit. If we fail to renew our minds b the Word, after being born-again, then the body will continue to act, think and respond to what it knew previously. This is in direct opposition to what we want to do now as Christians and we'll fight our unruly flesh by only the things of the flesh. This will lead to frustration and despair in our walk with God.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Lesson 36 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."
Many feel like they're "taking advantage of God," by receiving these favors, Graces, Spiritual Blessings and Gifts we've been given through Jesus. For years, we've been taught that "we're only here to struggle and suffer, so we can earn a rewarded place in Heaven.
We've been taught that we're supposed to have very little here on earth and then we'll be rewarded in Heaven. We need to remember that it was the Father's plan and will that we have these Blessings, favors, Gifts, and Graces through our union with Jesus. The Father gave these things, because He thought we'd need these things in order to accomplish the works He sent us here to do. God gave these Gifts, Blessings, favors and Graces, so we would have an advantage over the enemy and could do what God has called us to do as more than just mere men, in the world run by satan. These advantages make us an elite group of people, who are above the weapons and strategies of the enemy.
We've missed the Truth of Jesus' prayer on our behalf, in John 17:16-18 (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."
When the Father sent Jesus into the world, He supplied Jesus with the fullness of one Grace after another, Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing, favor upon favor, and Gift heaped upon Gift. God didn't do this just "because He was Jesus," but because Jesus had a mission to accomplish. The Father equipped Jesus with everything needed to overcome the world and the enemy. If Jesus needed all these favors, then do you really think we don't need to appropriate them in our lives so we can overcome?
Satan (the liar) has sold us a "Bill of Goods," that we're being carnal and selfish when we desire these Spiritual Blessings and favors from God. There might be some who desire these Gifts, because of selfish or wrong motives. That doesn't mean though, that the rest of us should disregard these inheritances from the Father. Without Grace, favor, and Spiritual Blessings, we cannot accomplish our mission.
We've been successful in getting people born-again, but we leave them subjected to defeat and failure and issues that confront us in this world. The very things that afflict the world, afflict the Church. We seem to lack the favors, Spiritual Blessings, and Grace needed to overcome the world. We're not setting the captives free and have become captives ourselves.
We've witnessed many men and women who've been given an assignment from God, encounter conflict and destruction from satan, in order to stop their fulfilling their mission. None of these persons retreated in the face of opposition, but held fast to the Truth of their mission and completed the Race. Joseph received a vision from God in Genesis 37:5-10 about being made a ruler and being lifted up above his father and brothers. God showed Joseph that his brothers would bow before him, but when he retold this vision to them, Joseph's brothers rebuked him and put him into a pit to die. They envied Joseph's Spiritual Blessing. Many today, have become discouraged and stopped trying to fulfill the vision God gave us. In Genesis 39:1-2, 21-23 (Amplified), Potiphar purchases Joseph as his slave, but in Verse 2 (the very next verse), we read these Words, "But the Lord was with Joseph, and he, though he was a slave, was a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian."
Joseph is thrown into prison, because he wouldn't go back on his integrity and calling (vision) he received from God in Verses 21-23 which say, "But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and Loving-Kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison. And the warden of the prison committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatsoever was done there, he was in charge of it. The prison warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, for the Lord was with him and made whatever he did to prosper."
Genesis 41:1,46 (Amplified) continues saying, "After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the River Nile." Pharaoh had a dream that no one could decipher, but God gave Joseph the meaning of the dream. Pharaoh promoted Joseph to Prime Minister over all of Egypt in Verse 46 which says, "Joseph, who had been in Egypt thirteen years, was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt, and went about his duties through all the Land of Egypt."
Joseph was beset by many afflictions for thirteen years, but he never back away from the vision God gave him and it came to pass, just like God had stated. Joseph was a "prosperous man," even in prison, because God was with him. When God gives us a revelation or vision today, do we quit when afflictions and persecutions arise? Do we say, "It must not be God's will for us" or "God is trying us," when it's really satan who is trying us?
When we fail to receive the things from Jesus in John 1:16-17, we have no more to function in, than the world does. Without God's involvement, we don't have strength to continue and stop in our calling as Ambassadors for Christ. It might take awhile for the vision to come to pass, but if we hold fast to what God has called us to, then it will come to pass. God doesn't change His mind every time a problem arises, like we seemingly believe. When we get discouraged, detoured or influenced by someone else, then we exchange what God has called us to do, for what everyone else is doing.
Many in today's Church have substituted what the Father had for them, for what they wanted to do. God may have called and anointed you for one thing, but you wanted to do something different. We can choose to do this and still be saved and be His child, but it can be costly when we don't do what God has called us to do. I'm not talking about sin, but obedience to the Father. We're defenseless when we don't accept the things given through Jesus in John 1:16-17. We're mere men and women in this world, without these things. If God wants you to have these things, then they must be important and needful for what He's called us to do Our success will depend on our having them.
Remember when you get discouraged, Joseph was a prosperous man even in prison, while he waited on the vision God gave him. Joseph didn't blame God or quit. He was prosperous, because God was with him. Don't settle for what the world thinks, but stand fast in your calling from God. Don't be side-tracked by what others seem to have settled for.
Many feel like they're "taking advantage of God," by receiving these favors, Graces, Spiritual Blessings and Gifts we've been given through Jesus. For years, we've been taught that "we're only here to struggle and suffer, so we can earn a rewarded place in Heaven.
We've been taught that we're supposed to have very little here on earth and then we'll be rewarded in Heaven. We need to remember that it was the Father's plan and will that we have these Blessings, favors, Gifts, and Graces through our union with Jesus. The Father gave these things, because He thought we'd need these things in order to accomplish the works He sent us here to do. God gave these Gifts, Blessings, favors and Graces, so we would have an advantage over the enemy and could do what God has called us to do as more than just mere men, in the world run by satan. These advantages make us an elite group of people, who are above the weapons and strategies of the enemy.
We've missed the Truth of Jesus' prayer on our behalf, in John 17:16-18 (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."
When the Father sent Jesus into the world, He supplied Jesus with the fullness of one Grace after another, Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing, favor upon favor, and Gift heaped upon Gift. God didn't do this just "because He was Jesus," but because Jesus had a mission to accomplish. The Father equipped Jesus with everything needed to overcome the world and the enemy. If Jesus needed all these favors, then do you really think we don't need to appropriate them in our lives so we can overcome?
Satan (the liar) has sold us a "Bill of Goods," that we're being carnal and selfish when we desire these Spiritual Blessings and favors from God. There might be some who desire these Gifts, because of selfish or wrong motives. That doesn't mean though, that the rest of us should disregard these inheritances from the Father. Without Grace, favor, and Spiritual Blessings, we cannot accomplish our mission.
We've been successful in getting people born-again, but we leave them subjected to defeat and failure and issues that confront us in this world. The very things that afflict the world, afflict the Church. We seem to lack the favors, Spiritual Blessings, and Grace needed to overcome the world. We're not setting the captives free and have become captives ourselves.
We've witnessed many men and women who've been given an assignment from God, encounter conflict and destruction from satan, in order to stop their fulfilling their mission. None of these persons retreated in the face of opposition, but held fast to the Truth of their mission and completed the Race. Joseph received a vision from God in Genesis 37:5-10 about being made a ruler and being lifted up above his father and brothers. God showed Joseph that his brothers would bow before him, but when he retold this vision to them, Joseph's brothers rebuked him and put him into a pit to die. They envied Joseph's Spiritual Blessing. Many today, have become discouraged and stopped trying to fulfill the vision God gave us. In Genesis 39:1-2, 21-23 (Amplified), Potiphar purchases Joseph as his slave, but in Verse 2 (the very next verse), we read these Words, "But the Lord was with Joseph, and he, though he was a slave, was a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian."
Joseph is thrown into prison, because he wouldn't go back on his integrity and calling (vision) he received from God in Verses 21-23 which say, "But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and Loving-Kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison. And the warden of the prison committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatsoever was done there, he was in charge of it. The prison warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, for the Lord was with him and made whatever he did to prosper."
Genesis 41:1,46 (Amplified) continues saying, "After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the River Nile." Pharaoh had a dream that no one could decipher, but God gave Joseph the meaning of the dream. Pharaoh promoted Joseph to Prime Minister over all of Egypt in Verse 46 which says, "Joseph, who had been in Egypt thirteen years, was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt, and went about his duties through all the Land of Egypt."
Joseph was beset by many afflictions for thirteen years, but he never back away from the vision God gave him and it came to pass, just like God had stated. Joseph was a "prosperous man," even in prison, because God was with him. When God gives us a revelation or vision today, do we quit when afflictions and persecutions arise? Do we say, "It must not be God's will for us" or "God is trying us," when it's really satan who is trying us?
When we fail to receive the things from Jesus in John 1:16-17, we have no more to function in, than the world does. Without God's involvement, we don't have strength to continue and stop in our calling as Ambassadors for Christ. It might take awhile for the vision to come to pass, but if we hold fast to what God has called us to, then it will come to pass. God doesn't change His mind every time a problem arises, like we seemingly believe. When we get discouraged, detoured or influenced by someone else, then we exchange what God has called us to do, for what everyone else is doing.
Many in today's Church have substituted what the Father had for them, for what they wanted to do. God may have called and anointed you for one thing, but you wanted to do something different. We can choose to do this and still be saved and be His child, but it can be costly when we don't do what God has called us to do. I'm not talking about sin, but obedience to the Father. We're defenseless when we don't accept the things given through Jesus in John 1:16-17. We're mere men and women in this world, without these things. If God wants you to have these things, then they must be important and needful for what He's called us to do Our success will depend on our having them.
Remember when you get discouraged, Joseph was a prosperous man even in prison, while he waited on the vision God gave him. Joseph didn't blame God or quit. He was prosperous, because God was with him. Don't settle for what the world thinks, but stand fast in your calling from God. Don't be side-tracked by what others seem to have settled for.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Lesson 35 GRACE AND TRUTH-GOD'S WILL
We read in John 1:16-17 (Amplified), "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."
Romans 4:15-16 (Amplified) says, "For the Law results in Divine wrath, but where there is no Law there is no transgression of it either. Therefore, inheriting the Promise IS THE OUTCOME OF FAITH and DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON FAITH, in order that it may be given as an act of Grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants; not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham who is thus the father of us all."
We have received everything given through Jesus in John 1:16-17, as his fellow heirs. There are no longer "merits," of the Law and keeping it's rules and sacrifices, but now all the Promises are ours in Christ Jesus. These are already ours to enjoy and receive, because we all share these things in Jesus, all have a share, and were all supplied with these things. In order to activate the Blessings in our lives, we must accept and receive them by faith. Even the salvation God offers to the world, is of no use to the unsaved, if they don't accept it by faith and receive what Grace has made available to them. 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 is the Gift of God."
The Grace upon Grace, Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing, favor upon favor, Gift heaped upon Gift and Truth are all ours, but like everything else in the covenant, we must receive and accept them by faith and not works. Too many in today's Church, are striving to become attain the place where they can receive these things. The harder one strives to "deserve" them, the farther from Grace he gets. I'm not saying we shouldn't do good works, but that we cannot earn or deserve God's favor. We already have these things in His Promise and His salvation. If we don't, by faith, activate God's favor and don't know we are favored, then we try to do whatever we believe is required to have favor with God. These things in our inheritance are received by faith and must be activated by faith.
We've been left these things in His will, but we must believe they are ours in order to enjoy and walk in them. This is faith. Galatians 4:1 (Amplified) says, "Now what I mean is that as long as the inheritor (heir) is a child and under age, he does not differ from a slave, although he is the master of all the estate. But he is under guardians and administrators or trustees until the date fixed by his father." Paul is speaking about the Jews, who were not under Grace, but under Law and couldn't receive their inheritance of Christ yet. This is also true of the baby Christian, who doesn't know his place in God's family, according to 1Corinthians 3:1-2 (Amplified) where Paul writes, "However, Brethren, I could not talk to you as to spiritual men, but as to non-spiritual men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates, as to mere infants in the new Life in Christ, unable to talk yet. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough to be ready for it, but even yet you are not strong enough to be ready for it."
We've never been taught to expect the things God has so freely given us, as the children of the Kingdom. Most of our expectations are for after we leave this earth and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus says in Luke 11:20 (Amplified), "But if I drive out the demons by the Finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has already come upon you." Where the King is, the Kingdom is also. We've failed to allow the Spirit of God, Who is now living in us, to express the Kingdom forth from us to the world.
The Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom be restored to us? The Jews leaders were really asking, "When will the Roman occupation end and the Kingdom be restored to the Jews?" Jesus answered them in Luke 17:21 (Amplified) saying, "Nor will people say, Look! Here it is! or see, it is there! For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you, in your hearts and among you, surrounding you."
Many differing teachings about faith matters, are being disputed in today's Church, because we're still on the milk, instead of the meat of the Word. We're a House divided by doctrines and traditions. The Church isn't operating in the unity of faith as a whole. We're fragmented by our own ideas of "What and where is the Kingdom" and "What is really God's will and nature for us at the time."
Through the centuries, we've seen many women and men of God facing and accepting the persecution and arguments that surrounded their ministries. Many were rejected by the "mainstream" denominations and were considered to be "strange." The Lord persisted, however, to send preachers, teachers, and evangelists who would teach the people about the inheritance that is theirs already by Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can bring unity in the Church, but it will only come to those who will accept it in their lives.
Over the last four decades, there have been so many teachings that differ from the "standard" teachings of religious traditions of the past. This has left the Church wary of anything that is considered "different." We've become intent on holding onto what we know, rather than expanding on what we know. The old saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water," applies here. Some things are Foundation Stones and should not be changed, but other things are things we've built upon the foundation and need to be changed.
We are all born of the Spirit of God and we all have the ability to read, listen, judge and understand by the Same Holy Spirit, so we should know what is Truth and what isn't. 1John 2:19,27 (Amplified) tells us, "But you have been anointed by, you hold a sacred appointment from (you have been given an unction from), the Holy One, and you all know the Truth, or you know all things." John goes further in Verse 27, saying, "But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction), which you have received from Him, abides permanently in you; So then you have no need that anyone instruct you. But just as His Anointing teaches you concerning everything and is True and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in), never depart from Him, being rooted in Him, knit to Him, just as His Anointing has taught you to do."
This doesn't mean we're never to listen to teachers and disregard everything we've learned, doing our own thing. We are to listen to the Holy Spirit in our own spirits, and discern things we've been taught and preached. The Holy Spirit will tell us whether or not these are from Him. John isn't saying you're to go start your own denomination (God forbid), but that you can know for yourself, what is of God and what's not of Him.
There are worldly laws that people say are, "Alright and are okay to pass." In our own lives, we don't have to partake of these things, but can decide and discern if they're Godly Laws or worldly laws. If they're not Godly Laws, then we might decide we won't participate in them, in our own lives. Others might see nothing wrong with these laws, abide by them and believe everyone should follow them (like laws about sugary drinks). This is true in the believer's life too. I have the right of choice in God, to "Choose Life and Blessing or Death and Cursing," according to Deuteronomy 30:19.
This isn't to make us puffed-up in our own eyes, nor is it for brow-beating others, but it's for walking naturally Super-natural in our walk with the Father. Just because someone else believes that "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit has ceased," doesn't mean I'm obligated to believe it too. I'm to seek the truth from the Unction that's within me and know for myself. I don't have to reject Truth, for tradition.
We are all God's children and part of His family, but we're still individuals in the family too. I'm not writing these things in order to disagree with your opinions or religion, but I write these things from my own experience of 45 years of walking with God. Many disagree with these teachings, but they have worked in my own life and they continue to do so. You don't have to believe in healing, that's your choice to believe in Life and Blessing or death and Cursing. The choice is yours to make and God will respect your right to choose. He gave the right to do so.
Many have received Jesus' invitation and made Him the Lord of their lives, but many have chosen not to do so. The choice is left up to them to make. I can fellowship with people who believe differently than I do and still agree with some things they believe, but many of today's teachings are ungodly and against the Truth of God's Word and I will never agree with that. It's not my job to crusade against every wrong thing, but to teach that which is right and Truth. You're responsible for listening, learning, deciding, and weeding your own garden.
Jesus gave "The Parable of the Sower" in Mark 4:24 (Amplified) saying, "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." Notice how Jesus instructed, "Give thought and study to the Truth you hear." The only way for virtue and knowledge to come to you from God, is by the Truth you hear. God will not and cannot, bring virtue and knowledge when it's not His Truth.
There might be increase in the seeds (words) sown into your heart, but not all the seeds (words) being sown are Truth, hope, Blessing and Life. Many of them bring heartache, despair, sickness and hopelessness, instead of virtue and knowledge. We must weed our own gardens, instead of allowing someone else to do it and trusting they won't pluck the good plants, instead of the weeds. This is looking to the Word, for those who are serious about their lives in God. This isn't solely looking to television evangelists and megachurch ministers, but looking to the teachings of the Holy Spirit. A true disciple and child who honors God at His Word, will not compromise His Truth, for the sake of being like everyone else.
Romans 4:15-16 (Amplified) says, "For the Law results in Divine wrath, but where there is no Law there is no transgression of it either. Therefore, inheriting the Promise IS THE OUTCOME OF FAITH and DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON FAITH, in order that it may be given as an act of Grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants; not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham who is thus the father of us all."
We have received everything given through Jesus in John 1:16-17, as his fellow heirs. There are no longer "merits," of the Law and keeping it's rules and sacrifices, but now all the Promises are ours in Christ Jesus. These are already ours to enjoy and receive, because we all share these things in Jesus, all have a share, and were all supplied with these things. In order to activate the Blessings in our lives, we must accept and receive them by faith. Even the salvation God offers to the world, is of no use to the unsaved, if they don't accept it by faith and receive what Grace has made available to them. 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 is the Gift of God."
The Grace upon Grace, Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing, favor upon favor, Gift heaped upon Gift and Truth are all ours, but like everything else in the covenant, we must receive and accept them by faith and not works. Too many in today's Church, are striving to become attain the place where they can receive these things. The harder one strives to "deserve" them, the farther from Grace he gets. I'm not saying we shouldn't do good works, but that we cannot earn or deserve God's favor. We already have these things in His Promise and His salvation. If we don't, by faith, activate God's favor and don't know we are favored, then we try to do whatever we believe is required to have favor with God. These things in our inheritance are received by faith and must be activated by faith.
We've been left these things in His will, but we must believe they are ours in order to enjoy and walk in them. This is faith. Galatians 4:1 (Amplified) says, "Now what I mean is that as long as the inheritor (heir) is a child and under age, he does not differ from a slave, although he is the master of all the estate. But he is under guardians and administrators or trustees until the date fixed by his father." Paul is speaking about the Jews, who were not under Grace, but under Law and couldn't receive their inheritance of Christ yet. This is also true of the baby Christian, who doesn't know his place in God's family, according to 1Corinthians 3:1-2 (Amplified) where Paul writes, "However, Brethren, I could not talk to you as to spiritual men, but as to non-spiritual men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates, as to mere infants in the new Life in Christ, unable to talk yet. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough to be ready for it, but even yet you are not strong enough to be ready for it."
We've never been taught to expect the things God has so freely given us, as the children of the Kingdom. Most of our expectations are for after we leave this earth and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus says in Luke 11:20 (Amplified), "But if I drive out the demons by the Finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has already come upon you." Where the King is, the Kingdom is also. We've failed to allow the Spirit of God, Who is now living in us, to express the Kingdom forth from us to the world.
The Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom be restored to us? The Jews leaders were really asking, "When will the Roman occupation end and the Kingdom be restored to the Jews?" Jesus answered them in Luke 17:21 (Amplified) saying, "Nor will people say, Look! Here it is! or see, it is there! For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you, in your hearts and among you, surrounding you."
Many differing teachings about faith matters, are being disputed in today's Church, because we're still on the milk, instead of the meat of the Word. We're a House divided by doctrines and traditions. The Church isn't operating in the unity of faith as a whole. We're fragmented by our own ideas of "What and where is the Kingdom" and "What is really God's will and nature for us at the time."
Through the centuries, we've seen many women and men of God facing and accepting the persecution and arguments that surrounded their ministries. Many were rejected by the "mainstream" denominations and were considered to be "strange." The Lord persisted, however, to send preachers, teachers, and evangelists who would teach the people about the inheritance that is theirs already by Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can bring unity in the Church, but it will only come to those who will accept it in their lives.
Over the last four decades, there have been so many teachings that differ from the "standard" teachings of religious traditions of the past. This has left the Church wary of anything that is considered "different." We've become intent on holding onto what we know, rather than expanding on what we know. The old saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water," applies here. Some things are Foundation Stones and should not be changed, but other things are things we've built upon the foundation and need to be changed.
We are all born of the Spirit of God and we all have the ability to read, listen, judge and understand by the Same Holy Spirit, so we should know what is Truth and what isn't. 1John 2:19,27 (Amplified) tells us, "But you have been anointed by, you hold a sacred appointment from (you have been given an unction from), the Holy One, and you all know the Truth, or you know all things." John goes further in Verse 27, saying, "But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction), which you have received from Him, abides permanently in you; So then you have no need that anyone instruct you. But just as His Anointing teaches you concerning everything and is True and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in), never depart from Him, being rooted in Him, knit to Him, just as His Anointing has taught you to do."
This doesn't mean we're never to listen to teachers and disregard everything we've learned, doing our own thing. We are to listen to the Holy Spirit in our own spirits, and discern things we've been taught and preached. The Holy Spirit will tell us whether or not these are from Him. John isn't saying you're to go start your own denomination (God forbid), but that you can know for yourself, what is of God and what's not of Him.
There are worldly laws that people say are, "Alright and are okay to pass." In our own lives, we don't have to partake of these things, but can decide and discern if they're Godly Laws or worldly laws. If they're not Godly Laws, then we might decide we won't participate in them, in our own lives. Others might see nothing wrong with these laws, abide by them and believe everyone should follow them (like laws about sugary drinks). This is true in the believer's life too. I have the right of choice in God, to "Choose Life and Blessing or Death and Cursing," according to Deuteronomy 30:19.
This isn't to make us puffed-up in our own eyes, nor is it for brow-beating others, but it's for walking naturally Super-natural in our walk with the Father. Just because someone else believes that "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit has ceased," doesn't mean I'm obligated to believe it too. I'm to seek the truth from the Unction that's within me and know for myself. I don't have to reject Truth, for tradition.
We are all God's children and part of His family, but we're still individuals in the family too. I'm not writing these things in order to disagree with your opinions or religion, but I write these things from my own experience of 45 years of walking with God. Many disagree with these teachings, but they have worked in my own life and they continue to do so. You don't have to believe in healing, that's your choice to believe in Life and Blessing or death and Cursing. The choice is yours to make and God will respect your right to choose. He gave the right to do so.
Many have received Jesus' invitation and made Him the Lord of their lives, but many have chosen not to do so. The choice is left up to them to make. I can fellowship with people who believe differently than I do and still agree with some things they believe, but many of today's teachings are ungodly and against the Truth of God's Word and I will never agree with that. It's not my job to crusade against every wrong thing, but to teach that which is right and Truth. You're responsible for listening, learning, deciding, and weeding your own garden.
Jesus gave "The Parable of the Sower" in Mark 4:24 (Amplified) saying, "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." Notice how Jesus instructed, "Give thought and study to the Truth you hear." The only way for virtue and knowledge to come to you from God, is by the Truth you hear. God will not and cannot, bring virtue and knowledge when it's not His Truth.
There might be increase in the seeds (words) sown into your heart, but not all the seeds (words) being sown are Truth, hope, Blessing and Life. Many of them bring heartache, despair, sickness and hopelessness, instead of virtue and knowledge. We must weed our own gardens, instead of allowing someone else to do it and trusting they won't pluck the good plants, instead of the weeds. This is looking to the Word, for those who are serious about their lives in God. This isn't solely looking to television evangelists and megachurch ministers, but looking to the teachings of the Holy Spirit. A true disciple and child who honors God at His Word, will not compromise His Truth, for the sake of being like everyone else.
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