CONFIRMING THE COVENANT
There is so much being said about "confirming the covenant" as we near the year 2000. It will, probably, get worse in the months just ahead.
Many "experts" do little more than display a colossal ignorance of the Bible text, when they indulge in an effort to teach along the lines of who will do what, and when.
While I will admit that some of the wording in the last chapters of Daniel can be a bit confusing, THERE IS PLENTY OF SCRIPTURE TO CLARIFY some of the nebulous (hazy) references that contribute to the confusion.
First, lets quote the offending scripture (Dan 9:27) to see what it does, and does not say. I will add my emphases.
Daniel 9:27 And HE shall CONFIRM THE COVENANT with MANY for ONE WEEK: and in the midst of the week he shall CAUSE the SACRIFICE and the OBLATION to CEASE, and for the overspreading of abominations he SHALL MAKE IT DESOLATE, even until the consummation, and THAT DETERMINED shall be poured UPON THE DESOLATE.
The COVENANT which Daniel was prompted by the Holy Ghost to write about, is the COVENANT MADE WITH ABRAHAM.
The COVENANT was made by God, and was called a UNILATERAL COVENANT. That is-- it is dependent upon the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD ALONE, TO BE CARRIED OUT. God finalized it AFTER Abraham had DOCUMENTED HIS FAITH BY SACRIFICING ISAAC on Mount Moriah.
Genesis 17:2 And I will make MY COVENANT between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
Genesis 17:4 As for me, behold, MY COVENANT [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an EVERLASTING COVENANT, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Galatians 3:17 And this I say, [that] THE COVENANT, that was CONFIRMED before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
Daniel used the word "CONFIRM" in 11:1, and shows its meaning to be to strengthen. It also means "to RATIFY" an agreement that was made prior to the time.
Daniel 11:1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, [even] I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
Rom 15: tells us most certainly that the person who would be CONFIRMING the PROMISES (Unilateral, Everlasting Covenant) would be none other than JESUS, the "Messenger of the Covenant". See Mal 3:1
Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, TO CONFIRM THE PROMISES [made] UNTO THE FATHERS
Luke 1:72 To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to REMEMBER HIS HOLY COVENANT; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
The one week mentioned in Dan 9:27 is the last week of the " Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. " Count the SIX things which were to be accomplished, and see that JESUS DID THREE OF THEM before He was crucified in the "midst of the week".
Jesus, by the OFFERING OF HIMSELF, (Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ) CAUSED THE SACRIFICE AND OBLATION (Ceremonies and animal sacrifices) TO CEASE.
Hebrews 10:14 For by ONE OFFERING he hath PERFECTED FOREVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED.
Who made, or will make something DESOLATE (Dan 9:27)? Read about it-- one of the very last things Jesus did before being crucified was to stand and weep over the Jewish people and Jerusalem. He DECREED (made it) DESOLATION.
Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 23:38 Behold, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE.
Luke 13:35 BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until [the time] come when ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Titus, and the Roman armies carried out the DECREE a few years later.
The Nation of Israel, despite teachings to the contrary, is still desolate in the eyes of the Lord, simply because they have stubbornly refused to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah.
Matthew 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood [be] on us, and on our children. IT IS.
No amount of social reformation and political legislation can countermand the decree of the weeping Jesus that day so long ago.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
THE DEAD SOUL
THE DEAD SOUL
One day, early in my years of being a Pastor, I started to study about the Soul of Man-- what it is, etc. I'm not sure I like what I found. Sometimes Truth can be disturbing.
First thing I found was that the soul of mankind came into being by God breathing into the body He had formed from the dust of the earth. The combination of the earthy body and the Breath of Life created a LIVING SOUL.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Next, I discovered that the Lord promised DEATH on the day the man and his wife should eat of the forbidden tree.
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
THEY DID EAT-- choosing to trust their own judgment rather than the judgment and command of God. The serpent had told them the FIRST LIE "Thou shalt not die." Adam lived in his physical body for more than 900 years after eating from the "tree" which had been forbidden.
I discovered that the "DEATH" which God had warned them about was not primarily a PHYSICAL death, but a death of another type.
Further study revealed to me that the SOULS of all mankind who are not within the shelter of Jesus, the Christ of God, are called "dead" in scripture.
To illustrate what happened at Eden, Evangelist C.W. Phileo in 1945, gave us an object lesson. He had me go out to a peach tree during service, and cut off a twig. He then asked us if we would class the twig as being dead or alive. It was fresh. It was beautiful and green. But he brought home a powerful lesson on the only source of life was for the twig to remain attached to the parent tree.
The soul that is not attached to God through Jesus is DEAD. The SOULS of Adam and Eve were CUT OFF from God when they rebelled. Their souls were DEAD from that moment on, even though they were physically still alive, and lived for a long time after that.
Of course, there were many cataclysmic changes took place when the man and his wife disobeyed God's orders. Suddenly, there were creatures of prey, and their victim species were terrified at their presence. Mankind was robbed of its instinct, and given another one. The list could go on.
In the mid-forties, we had to rely on Robert Young's Analytical Concordance or Strong's Exhaustive for an in-depth study of any part of the Bible. I had a Young's, and nearly wore it out studying various subjects. Now, a touch of the finger brings up more than I could dig out in hours of searching back the then. Thank God for what computers can do.
But, in all my poring over the original texts and the translations, I could not, (nor can I now) find any reference to the soul of man being immortal, or "never-dieing", as it is often described by people who seem to know. Maybe some of you can help me find where it is described as being immortal.
What I did find, in history, was that the idea of the soul being immortal came originally from the people who taught and believed in "transmigration of the soul", or, as we know it today, "re-incarnation". It was popularized by the Greek philosopher Plato and others like him.
The medieval Church (the Papacy) incorporated it into the curriculum , because it served their purposes of fear and intimidation so very well. Fear of excommunication was paralyzing to people who were ignorant of the Word of God, and steeped in the traditions of unregenerate men. The Church did not, however, teach "transmigration of the soul" as others had done. Purgatory and Limbo served very well to give them power over even the dead people.
I found, also, that every living creature was considered a "soul" in scripture, and every creature was destined to die. Righteous men die, the same as the unrighteous. Jesus told the folks to not fear physical death, but rather to fear Him who was able to destroy (I studied that word also) both the body and the soul.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
One day, early in my years of being a Pastor, I started to study about the Soul of Man-- what it is, etc. I'm not sure I like what I found. Sometimes Truth can be disturbing.
First thing I found was that the soul of mankind came into being by God breathing into the body He had formed from the dust of the earth. The combination of the earthy body and the Breath of Life created a LIVING SOUL.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Next, I discovered that the Lord promised DEATH on the day the man and his wife should eat of the forbidden tree.
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
THEY DID EAT-- choosing to trust their own judgment rather than the judgment and command of God. The serpent had told them the FIRST LIE "Thou shalt not die." Adam lived in his physical body for more than 900 years after eating from the "tree" which had been forbidden.
I discovered that the "DEATH" which God had warned them about was not primarily a PHYSICAL death, but a death of another type.
Further study revealed to me that the SOULS of all mankind who are not within the shelter of Jesus, the Christ of God, are called "dead" in scripture.
To illustrate what happened at Eden, Evangelist C.W. Phileo in 1945, gave us an object lesson. He had me go out to a peach tree during service, and cut off a twig. He then asked us if we would class the twig as being dead or alive. It was fresh. It was beautiful and green. But he brought home a powerful lesson on the only source of life was for the twig to remain attached to the parent tree.
The soul that is not attached to God through Jesus is DEAD. The SOULS of Adam and Eve were CUT OFF from God when they rebelled. Their souls were DEAD from that moment on, even though they were physically still alive, and lived for a long time after that.
Of course, there were many cataclysmic changes took place when the man and his wife disobeyed God's orders. Suddenly, there were creatures of prey, and their victim species were terrified at their presence. Mankind was robbed of its instinct, and given another one. The list could go on.
In the mid-forties, we had to rely on Robert Young's Analytical Concordance or Strong's Exhaustive for an in-depth study of any part of the Bible. I had a Young's, and nearly wore it out studying various subjects. Now, a touch of the finger brings up more than I could dig out in hours of searching back the then. Thank God for what computers can do.
But, in all my poring over the original texts and the translations, I could not, (nor can I now) find any reference to the soul of man being immortal, or "never-dieing", as it is often described by people who seem to know. Maybe some of you can help me find where it is described as being immortal.
What I did find, in history, was that the idea of the soul being immortal came originally from the people who taught and believed in "transmigration of the soul", or, as we know it today, "re-incarnation". It was popularized by the Greek philosopher Plato and others like him.
The medieval Church (the Papacy) incorporated it into the curriculum , because it served their purposes of fear and intimidation so very well. Fear of excommunication was paralyzing to people who were ignorant of the Word of God, and steeped in the traditions of unregenerate men. The Church did not, however, teach "transmigration of the soul" as others had done. Purgatory and Limbo served very well to give them power over even the dead people.
I found, also, that every living creature was considered a "soul" in scripture, and every creature was destined to die. Righteous men die, the same as the unrighteous. Jesus told the folks to not fear physical death, but rather to fear Him who was able to destroy (I studied that word also) both the body and the soul.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
THE WORKER'S DREAM
THE WORKER'S DREAM
I sat down in an arm chair, wearied with my work. My toil had been severe and protracted. Many were seeking Him. As for myself, I was joyous in my work. My brethren were united. My sermons and exhortations were evidently telling on my hearers. My church was crowded.
Tired with my work, I soon lost myself in a sort of half-forgotten state.
Suddenly a stranger entered the room, without any preliminary "tap" or "come in." He carried about his person, measures, chemical agents, and implements, which gave him a very strange appearance.
The stranger came toward me, and, extending his hand, said: "How is your zeal?"
I supposed that the query was to be for my health, and was well pleased to hear his final words; for I was quite well pleased with my zeal, and doubted not that the stranger would smile when he should know its proportions.
Instantly I conceived of it as physical quantity, and putting my hand to my bosom, brought it forth and presented it to him for inspection.
He took it, and placing it in his scale weighed it carefully. Then I heard him say; "One hundred pounds."
I could scarcely suppress an audible note of satisfaction; but I caught his earnest look as he noted down the weight; and I saw at once that he had drawn no final conclusion, but was intent on pushing his investigation.
He broke the mass to atoms, put it into his crucible, and put the crucible into the fire.
When the mass was fused, he took it out and set it to cool. It congealed in cooling, and when turned out on the hearth exhibited a series of layers of strata; which all, at the touch of the hammer, fell apart, and were severally tested and weighed, the stranger making minute notes as the process went on. When he had finished he presented the notes to me, and he gave me a look of mingled sorrow and compassion, as without a word, except "May God save you," he left the room.
The "notes" read as follows:
ANALYSIS OF THE ZEAL OF JUNIUS
A candidate for a Crown of Glory
Weight, en masse, or total weight, 100 lbs.
Of this, on analysis, there proves to be---:
Bigotry--------------------------11 parts
Personal Ambition----------------22 parts
Love of Praise-------------------19 parts
Pride of Denomination------------15 parts
Pride of Talent------------------14 parts
Love of Authority----------------12 parts
(Wood, Hay, and Stubble.) 1Cor 3:10
Love of God-----------------------4 parts
Love of Man-----------------------3 parts
(Pure Zeal)
I had become troubled at the peculiar manner of the stranger, and especially at his parting look and manner; but when I looked at the figures, my heart sank like lead within me.
I made a mental effort to dispute the correctness of the record, but I was startled into a more honest mood by an audible sigh from the stranger (who had paused in the hall). I cried out, "Lord, save me," and knelt down at my chair, with the paper in my hand, and my eyes fixed upon it. At once it became a mirror, and I saw my heart reflected in it.
The record was true. I saw it! I felt it! I confessed it! I deplored it! And I besought God with many tears to save me from myself. With a loud cry of anguish I awoke.
I had once prayed to be saved from hell, but prayer to be saved from myself now was immeasurably more fervent; nor did I rest or pause till the refining fire came down and went through my heart, searching, probing, melting, burning, filling all its chambers with light and hallowing my whole heart to God.
When the toils of my pilgrimage shall be at an end, I shall kneel in heaven, at the feet of the alchemist and bless Him for the revelation of that day. --Anon
I sat down in an arm chair, wearied with my work. My toil had been severe and protracted. Many were seeking Him. As for myself, I was joyous in my work. My brethren were united. My sermons and exhortations were evidently telling on my hearers. My church was crowded.
Tired with my work, I soon lost myself in a sort of half-forgotten state.
Suddenly a stranger entered the room, without any preliminary "tap" or "come in." He carried about his person, measures, chemical agents, and implements, which gave him a very strange appearance.
The stranger came toward me, and, extending his hand, said: "How is your zeal?"
I supposed that the query was to be for my health, and was well pleased to hear his final words; for I was quite well pleased with my zeal, and doubted not that the stranger would smile when he should know its proportions.
Instantly I conceived of it as physical quantity, and putting my hand to my bosom, brought it forth and presented it to him for inspection.
He took it, and placing it in his scale weighed it carefully. Then I heard him say; "One hundred pounds."
I could scarcely suppress an audible note of satisfaction; but I caught his earnest look as he noted down the weight; and I saw at once that he had drawn no final conclusion, but was intent on pushing his investigation.
He broke the mass to atoms, put it into his crucible, and put the crucible into the fire.
When the mass was fused, he took it out and set it to cool. It congealed in cooling, and when turned out on the hearth exhibited a series of layers of strata; which all, at the touch of the hammer, fell apart, and were severally tested and weighed, the stranger making minute notes as the process went on. When he had finished he presented the notes to me, and he gave me a look of mingled sorrow and compassion, as without a word, except "May God save you," he left the room.
The "notes" read as follows:
ANALYSIS OF THE ZEAL OF JUNIUS
A candidate for a Crown of Glory
Weight, en masse, or total weight, 100 lbs.
Of this, on analysis, there proves to be---:
Bigotry--------------------------11 parts
Personal Ambition----------------22 parts
Love of Praise-------------------19 parts
Pride of Denomination------------15 parts
Pride of Talent------------------14 parts
Love of Authority----------------12 parts
(Wood, Hay, and Stubble.) 1Cor 3:10
Love of God-----------------------4 parts
Love of Man-----------------------3 parts
(Pure Zeal)
I had become troubled at the peculiar manner of the stranger, and especially at his parting look and manner; but when I looked at the figures, my heart sank like lead within me.
I made a mental effort to dispute the correctness of the record, but I was startled into a more honest mood by an audible sigh from the stranger (who had paused in the hall). I cried out, "Lord, save me," and knelt down at my chair, with the paper in my hand, and my eyes fixed upon it. At once it became a mirror, and I saw my heart reflected in it.
The record was true. I saw it! I felt it! I confessed it! I deplored it! And I besought God with many tears to save me from myself. With a loud cry of anguish I awoke.
I had once prayed to be saved from hell, but prayer to be saved from myself now was immeasurably more fervent; nor did I rest or pause till the refining fire came down and went through my heart, searching, probing, melting, burning, filling all its chambers with light and hallowing my whole heart to God.
When the toils of my pilgrimage shall be at an end, I shall kneel in heaven, at the feet of the alchemist and bless Him for the revelation of that day. --Anon
Friday, June 16, 2006
FORBIDDEN
FORBIDDEN
A while back I wrote about people having been COMMANDED of God to do certain things. I mentioned that the people involved were not always aware of the command, but were forced to do it anyway.
Now, I would like to "flip the coin" and look at what it means to be "forbidden" of the Lord to do certain things.
I am not talking about being forbidden by the Bible (Logos), but forbidden by the Word (Rhema) of God, spoken into your life as an individual child of God. The Logos is the general Word of God which applies to ALL PEOPLE. The Rhema applies to INDIVIDUAL people or circumstances at a specific time.
Sometimes, if we walk closely enough to the Lord, we can "hear" Him telling us what not to do, such as Paul and his companion in Acts 16:6 --, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,.
It is wonderful, and exciting to "hear" the Voice of the Lord, even if it is a "forbidding" voice. IT IS GOD!.
I am told that a Godly woman in San Antonio once told Gordon Lindsey to NOT TURN RIGHT when he got off the plane in San Francisco. The Lord was forbidding him to get on the plane he would have taken if he had turned to the right. That plane perished in the Pacific. Gordon was NOT ON IT.
Sometimes God forges a "chain of circumstances" around us to force us to refrain from doing what He has "forbidden" us to do. II Pet 2:16 --rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
I have never had a donkey talk to me, but there have been times when I probably deserved it. I have had the restraining hand of the Lord upon me many times. Sometimes I have kicked and squalled like an undisciplined child-- especially when I was younger.
I had "tussle" with resentment shortly after graduating from high school. My buddy and I applied for a job of mapping the fields of farmers subscribing to the Soil Conservation Act. My qualifications exceeded those of my buddy, so I considered myself a "shoo in". But--- my application was lost-- never was found again. Somebody else worked with my buddy that whole summer. In the Fall, he was hunting pheasants while I was topping beets. He hunted in the orchard adjoining the beet field. (Salt in the wounds). I have never been able to explain it, but I know now that I was "forbidden" of the Lord to work with Art.
Gradually-- oh so gradually, I am learning to accept the restraints of the Lord-- even if I can't "see the sense to it." I am slowly learning that He cares enough for me to stop me from what would not be in my best interest.
Now, I ask Him nearly every day to "forbid" me to do what is not beneficial, and "command" me to do what would benefit me. Either way, I would be forced to do what He decrees I should do.
Hey! I AM ASKING HIM TO DO THIS for me. I do not begrudge Him that right. I WANT HIM TO DO IT.
Also, in my times of intercession for others, I am asking Him to "Command" and "Forbid" those whom I love-- knowing that He is capable of doing it.
I WILL NOT-- IT WOULD BE WRONG-- for me to ask God to command or forbid according to my desires or understanding. That is the essence of witchcraft. But I ask Him to command or forbid according to His Will for their lives. I readily admit that I do not know what His Will would be for them. But I want His best for them, whether I understand what is taking place or not. There is safety in praying this way.
A while back I wrote about people having been COMMANDED of God to do certain things. I mentioned that the people involved were not always aware of the command, but were forced to do it anyway.
Now, I would like to "flip the coin" and look at what it means to be "forbidden" of the Lord to do certain things.
I am not talking about being forbidden by the Bible (Logos), but forbidden by the Word (Rhema) of God, spoken into your life as an individual child of God. The Logos is the general Word of God which applies to ALL PEOPLE. The Rhema applies to INDIVIDUAL people or circumstances at a specific time.
Sometimes, if we walk closely enough to the Lord, we can "hear" Him telling us what not to do, such as Paul and his companion in Acts 16:6 --, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,.
It is wonderful, and exciting to "hear" the Voice of the Lord, even if it is a "forbidding" voice. IT IS GOD!.
I am told that a Godly woman in San Antonio once told Gordon Lindsey to NOT TURN RIGHT when he got off the plane in San Francisco. The Lord was forbidding him to get on the plane he would have taken if he had turned to the right. That plane perished in the Pacific. Gordon was NOT ON IT.
Sometimes God forges a "chain of circumstances" around us to force us to refrain from doing what He has "forbidden" us to do. II Pet 2:16 --rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
I have never had a donkey talk to me, but there have been times when I probably deserved it. I have had the restraining hand of the Lord upon me many times. Sometimes I have kicked and squalled like an undisciplined child-- especially when I was younger.
I had "tussle" with resentment shortly after graduating from high school. My buddy and I applied for a job of mapping the fields of farmers subscribing to the Soil Conservation Act. My qualifications exceeded those of my buddy, so I considered myself a "shoo in". But--- my application was lost-- never was found again. Somebody else worked with my buddy that whole summer. In the Fall, he was hunting pheasants while I was topping beets. He hunted in the orchard adjoining the beet field. (Salt in the wounds). I have never been able to explain it, but I know now that I was "forbidden" of the Lord to work with Art.
Gradually-- oh so gradually, I am learning to accept the restraints of the Lord-- even if I can't "see the sense to it." I am slowly learning that He cares enough for me to stop me from what would not be in my best interest.
Now, I ask Him nearly every day to "forbid" me to do what is not beneficial, and "command" me to do what would benefit me. Either way, I would be forced to do what He decrees I should do.
Hey! I AM ASKING HIM TO DO THIS for me. I do not begrudge Him that right. I WANT HIM TO DO IT.
Also, in my times of intercession for others, I am asking Him to "Command" and "Forbid" those whom I love-- knowing that He is capable of doing it.
I WILL NOT-- IT WOULD BE WRONG-- for me to ask God to command or forbid according to my desires or understanding. That is the essence of witchcraft. But I ask Him to command or forbid according to His Will for their lives. I readily admit that I do not know what His Will would be for them. But I want His best for them, whether I understand what is taking place or not. There is safety in praying this way.
THAT YOUR FAITH FAIL NOT
THAT THY FAITH FAIL NOT
Jesus told Peter one day that He had PRAYED FOR HIM. He had NOT prayed that Peter would stay out of trouble-- desirable as that may have been. He had NOT prayed that Peter would never become confused or disoriented along the way. He had NOT prayed that Peter would never stand at the place where the road forks, and wonder which way he should go. Rather, He had prayed that:
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that THY FAITH FAIL NOT: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Success, in our Christian walk, is not gaged by how well we avoid making mistakes and becoming confused or disoriented. Neither is our progress dependent upon how many times we fall or do not fall.
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Psalms 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
Psalms 145:14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all [those that be] bowed down.
So many times we become discouraged with ourselves, as we endeavor to walk the walk of Faith (trusting Jesus for the welfare of our soul), because of our failings and fallings. But the Lord views them in an entirely different light.
Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
I Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].
We are admonished to jealously guard one thing. Not perfection-- not Spiritual correctness-- not avoiding mistakes and confusion, etc., but:
I Timothy 6:12 FIGHT the GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
The verb "fight" and the noun "good fight" both come from the Greek work from which we get our word "agony". It is often (more times than not) a painful experience when we struggle to hold on to our confidence that Jesus is willing and able to keep our soul from the destruction of hell, and bring us into victory.
II Timothy 4:7 I have FOUGHT a good FIGHT, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith:
Whatever you are struggling with today, HOLD ON TO YOUR FAITH IN JESUS!
Jesus told Peter one day that He had PRAYED FOR HIM. He had NOT prayed that Peter would stay out of trouble-- desirable as that may have been. He had NOT prayed that Peter would never become confused or disoriented along the way. He had NOT prayed that Peter would never stand at the place where the road forks, and wonder which way he should go. Rather, He had prayed that:
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that THY FAITH FAIL NOT: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Success, in our Christian walk, is not gaged by how well we avoid making mistakes and becoming confused or disoriented. Neither is our progress dependent upon how many times we fall or do not fall.
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Psalms 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.
Psalms 145:14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all [those that be] bowed down.
So many times we become discouraged with ourselves, as we endeavor to walk the walk of Faith (trusting Jesus for the welfare of our soul), because of our failings and fallings. But the Lord views them in an entirely different light.
Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
I Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you].
We are admonished to jealously guard one thing. Not perfection-- not Spiritual correctness-- not avoiding mistakes and confusion, etc., but:
I Timothy 6:12 FIGHT the GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
The verb "fight" and the noun "good fight" both come from the Greek work from which we get our word "agony". It is often (more times than not) a painful experience when we struggle to hold on to our confidence that Jesus is willing and able to keep our soul from the destruction of hell, and bring us into victory.
II Timothy 4:7 I have FOUGHT a good FIGHT, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith:
Whatever you are struggling with today, HOLD ON TO YOUR FAITH IN JESUS!
THAT WHICH PERTAINETH TO A MAN
THAT WHICH PERTAINETH TO A MAN
Hey Ladies!
Listen up!
A couple of days ago, I began a study of one of the doctrines that came to Pentecost from the followers of the Methodist Revival. The Holiness movement, if you will.
Now, I am a firm believer that human beings should dress modestly. What is good for women is also good for the men folks.
But I’m scared to death of making the “Word” say something that it “does not say”. That makes it into a lie, and the penalty for that is like playing with a bolt of lightning.
For a century or more, the ladies have come under condemnation if they wore garments that resembled the garments that men wore.
Of course, we all know that the Bible, as it has been translated into English, seems to condemn such a practice.
But does it, actually, forbid the wearing of articles of clothing that resemble those worn by men?
The answer, from all that I can learn, is a resounding “No, it DOES NOT.”
I went to the ONE place where the Bible mentions the subject, and here is what I found. I’ll import it with the Hebrew numbers, so you can see what I’m writing about.
Deu 22:5 The woman802 shall not3808 wear1961 that which pertaineth3627 unto a man,1397 neither3808 shall a man1397 put on3847 a woman's802 garment:8071 for3588 all3605 that do6213 so428 are abomination8441 unto the LORD3068 thy God.430
The first word we will examine is “PERTAINETH (3627). It is translated in various ways, but NEVER in a way that can be construed to mean articles of CLOTHING worn by a man, e.g.:
ARMOUR 11 TIMES
WEAPONS 4 TIMES
INSTRUMENTS 8 TIMES
STUFF (BAGGAGE) 11 TIMES
The next word I examined is “MAN” (1397). It is used over fifty times as “Man”, but not just ANY MAN.
Predominantly, it designates a member of the ARMED FORCES.
This would explain why the word “Pertaineth” designates instruments of warfare rather than shirts, pants (rags), shoes, and whatever else we might think of.
I THINK I HAVE DISCOVERED THE REASON FOR THIS.
The Children of Israel were destined to enter the Land of Canaan where the women DID put on armour, etc, in an idolatrous ritual at certain times, and stood and worshiped before the statue of Venus. I believe it was Adam Clarke who wrote about this in his Commentary of The Bible
Venus was thought to be BOTH male and female, so the MEN also dressed in the (rags)
clothing that was customarily worn by women when they stood before (worshiped) Venus. Venus, similar to Dianna and Ashtoreth, was a WARRIOR GOD/ESS ) both male and female.
I looked up the word “abomination” (8441), and found that it was used many times in conjunction with the heathen practices of idolatry. The word is used over a hundred times, so I didn’t look them all up. The ones I did examine seemed to set a trend of hatred for idolatry in all forms. I was surprised to learn how many of the heathen idolatrous rituals were an abomination to the Lord, and were forbidden to the Children of Israel
The word that is translated “garment” (8071) is almost ALWAYS referring to clothes (rags, cloth) worn when going into public, both male and female.
We do have men running loose who do now dress up in the rags customarily worn by women (yuk). But we recognize them for what they are, and give them a wide berth. That is disgusting to even me.
Possibly, you would not agree with my analysis of the scripture, and that would be your prerogative. However, if you really think that any of the clothing that is being marketed today for women would be accepted and worn by men who are not queer, give it a try. It is doubtful you would get any “takers”.
If the founders of the Holiness Doctrine could have only known the truth of what God was meaning when He forbid certain things, they would have saved the Christian Community a big bunch of unhappiness and needless concern.
So, ladies, don’t put on an armour and worship Venus or Ashtoreth.
Likewise, men, do not put on a dress, etc. and worship a statue of a female/male idol.
Hey Ladies!
Listen up!
A couple of days ago, I began a study of one of the doctrines that came to Pentecost from the followers of the Methodist Revival. The Holiness movement, if you will.
Now, I am a firm believer that human beings should dress modestly. What is good for women is also good for the men folks.
But I’m scared to death of making the “Word” say something that it “does not say”. That makes it into a lie, and the penalty for that is like playing with a bolt of lightning.
For a century or more, the ladies have come under condemnation if they wore garments that resembled the garments that men wore.
Of course, we all know that the Bible, as it has been translated into English, seems to condemn such a practice.
But does it, actually, forbid the wearing of articles of clothing that resemble those worn by men?
The answer, from all that I can learn, is a resounding “No, it DOES NOT.”
I went to the ONE place where the Bible mentions the subject, and here is what I found. I’ll import it with the Hebrew numbers, so you can see what I’m writing about.
Deu 22:5 The woman802 shall not3808 wear1961 that which pertaineth3627 unto a man,1397 neither3808 shall a man1397 put on3847 a woman's802 garment:8071 for3588 all3605 that do6213 so428 are abomination8441 unto the LORD3068 thy God.430
The first word we will examine is “PERTAINETH (3627). It is translated in various ways, but NEVER in a way that can be construed to mean articles of CLOTHING worn by a man, e.g.:
ARMOUR 11 TIMES
WEAPONS 4 TIMES
INSTRUMENTS 8 TIMES
STUFF (BAGGAGE) 11 TIMES
The next word I examined is “MAN” (1397). It is used over fifty times as “Man”, but not just ANY MAN.
Predominantly, it designates a member of the ARMED FORCES.
This would explain why the word “Pertaineth” designates instruments of warfare rather than shirts, pants (rags), shoes, and whatever else we might think of.
I THINK I HAVE DISCOVERED THE REASON FOR THIS.
The Children of Israel were destined to enter the Land of Canaan where the women DID put on armour, etc, in an idolatrous ritual at certain times, and stood and worshiped before the statue of Venus. I believe it was Adam Clarke who wrote about this in his Commentary of The Bible
Venus was thought to be BOTH male and female, so the MEN also dressed in the (rags)
clothing that was customarily worn by women when they stood before (worshiped) Venus. Venus, similar to Dianna and Ashtoreth, was a WARRIOR GOD/ESS ) both male and female.
I looked up the word “abomination” (8441), and found that it was used many times in conjunction with the heathen practices of idolatry. The word is used over a hundred times, so I didn’t look them all up. The ones I did examine seemed to set a trend of hatred for idolatry in all forms. I was surprised to learn how many of the heathen idolatrous rituals were an abomination to the Lord, and were forbidden to the Children of Israel
The word that is translated “garment” (8071) is almost ALWAYS referring to clothes (rags, cloth) worn when going into public, both male and female.
We do have men running loose who do now dress up in the rags customarily worn by women (yuk). But we recognize them for what they are, and give them a wide berth. That is disgusting to even me.
Possibly, you would not agree with my analysis of the scripture, and that would be your prerogative. However, if you really think that any of the clothing that is being marketed today for women would be accepted and worn by men who are not queer, give it a try. It is doubtful you would get any “takers”.
If the founders of the Holiness Doctrine could have only known the truth of what God was meaning when He forbid certain things, they would have saved the Christian Community a big bunch of unhappiness and needless concern.
So, ladies, don’t put on an armour and worship Venus or Ashtoreth.
Likewise, men, do not put on a dress, etc. and worship a statue of a female/male idol.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
CARRY UP MY BONES
CARRY UP MY BONES
Genesis 50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Genesis 50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Here is one of the great examples of FAITH IN THE INTEGTRITY OF GOD which we find in the Old Testament.
Joseph gave his command about 1700 years BC. The Exodus from Egypt was somewhere in the time frame of 1500 BC.
Someone had to carry those bones into, and through, the Wilderness journeyings, and into the Land of Promise.
This takes us into the time frame of 1400 BC-- approximately three hundred years. Joshua 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
Four generations of the descendants of Joseph had to take charge of those bones.
All because Joseph had given a command. Because Joseph had a VISION, Joseph had FAITH IN GOD. Joseph had seen something which is invisible to the natural eye.
God had spoken to Joseph through a couple of dreams in his adolescent years, and the dreams had come to pass. It was a bona fide WORD OF GOD to Joseph, and he could not allow his bones to remain in Egypt, for God would visit His People in the Land of Promise. HE KNEW IT, BY FAITH.
I have often wondered if, perchance, those bones of Joseph might have been the means of a special blessing to the households of those families who were charged with the keeping of them. Remember the bones of Elisha. There was still enough of the Power of God in them, that a dead man who was rolled into his tomb came back to life when his body touched them. He came running back out of the tomb.
I, too, have a vision of what God has in store for the people called by His Name. It is not defeat nor intimidation. It is Victory and complete Ascendancy to Rulership in the earth. NOT BROUGHT ABOUT BY HUMAN ENDEAVOR, but by the SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD. (THE DAY OF ATONEMENT)
The Victory will not come at the time of, nor by the way of, what we call the Rapture of the Church. That would take the Church OUT OF THE EARTH. I fear we have greatly misunderstood what the Bible has told us.
But Daniel saw the Church becoming a Kingdom which FILLS THE WOLE EARTH.
Daniel 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
I doubt that I will live to see the MIGHTY MOVING OF THE HAND OF GOD in behalf of the CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM BY FAITH. But I HAVE SEEN IT WITH THE EYE OF FAITH.
So, "carry my bones." It will surely happen.
Genesis 50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Genesis 50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Here is one of the great examples of FAITH IN THE INTEGTRITY OF GOD which we find in the Old Testament.
Joseph gave his command about 1700 years BC. The Exodus from Egypt was somewhere in the time frame of 1500 BC.
Someone had to carry those bones into, and through, the Wilderness journeyings, and into the Land of Promise.
This takes us into the time frame of 1400 BC-- approximately three hundred years. Joshua 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
Four generations of the descendants of Joseph had to take charge of those bones.
All because Joseph had given a command. Because Joseph had a VISION, Joseph had FAITH IN GOD. Joseph had seen something which is invisible to the natural eye.
God had spoken to Joseph through a couple of dreams in his adolescent years, and the dreams had come to pass. It was a bona fide WORD OF GOD to Joseph, and he could not allow his bones to remain in Egypt, for God would visit His People in the Land of Promise. HE KNEW IT, BY FAITH.
I have often wondered if, perchance, those bones of Joseph might have been the means of a special blessing to the households of those families who were charged with the keeping of them. Remember the bones of Elisha. There was still enough of the Power of God in them, that a dead man who was rolled into his tomb came back to life when his body touched them. He came running back out of the tomb.
I, too, have a vision of what God has in store for the people called by His Name. It is not defeat nor intimidation. It is Victory and complete Ascendancy to Rulership in the earth. NOT BROUGHT ABOUT BY HUMAN ENDEAVOR, but by the SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD. (THE DAY OF ATONEMENT)
The Victory will not come at the time of, nor by the way of, what we call the Rapture of the Church. That would take the Church OUT OF THE EARTH. I fear we have greatly misunderstood what the Bible has told us.
But Daniel saw the Church becoming a Kingdom which FILLS THE WOLE EARTH.
Daniel 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
I doubt that I will live to see the MIGHTY MOVING OF THE HAND OF GOD in behalf of the CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM BY FAITH. But I HAVE SEEN IT WITH THE EYE OF FAITH.
So, "carry my bones." It will surely happen.
BURNED UP
BURNED UP
Jesus taught mostly by parables. When I was younger I thought of them as mere stories to illustrate a Spiritual Truth. Now I see that most, if not all, were prophetic. By that I mean that there is what we might call a "sub surface meaning"-- one which can only be seen as the Spirit illuminates it to us. The "surface meaning" can be quite readily understood by the human mind, but not so with the other.
Jesus gave such a parable in Matthew 22:1-7 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
When the word "City" is used in prophetic scripture, it refers to a group of people living under a common rulership. They do not live in the same geographic location.
Jesus was speaking of a definite group of people in His parable. A definite "city". I believe it can be positively identified. It is in the world today, masked in such a way as to be undetected by those who do not really want to know. I am amazed at the number of people who prefer to have their heads in the sand, so to speak.
For identification, let me direct you to Revelation 18. I will draw out some pertinent phrases.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven,-- saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
It is a world wide group, recognized and given honor by every nation on earth. It is a political and economic power.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
It is also a very strong religious power. We know this from the words "commited fornication with her". Fornication, in prophetic scripture, means a division of allegiance between Almighty God and secular things, such as government, commerce, etc..
You and I may get by with an admixture of allegiance for the time being, but the day of reckoning is approaching rapidly.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you,-- the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.--. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire:--. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,-- saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and-- souls of men.-- And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning,-- saying,-- , Alas, alas, that great city, -- for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. -- And the light of a candle (why the light of a candle?) shall shine no more--. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Do I need to elaborate further? Where would we look to find a mighty Economic, Political and Religious power in the earth today?
Jesus taught mostly by parables. When I was younger I thought of them as mere stories to illustrate a Spiritual Truth. Now I see that most, if not all, were prophetic. By that I mean that there is what we might call a "sub surface meaning"-- one which can only be seen as the Spirit illuminates it to us. The "surface meaning" can be quite readily understood by the human mind, but not so with the other.
Jesus gave such a parable in Matthew 22:1-7 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
When the word "City" is used in prophetic scripture, it refers to a group of people living under a common rulership. They do not live in the same geographic location.
Jesus was speaking of a definite group of people in His parable. A definite "city". I believe it can be positively identified. It is in the world today, masked in such a way as to be undetected by those who do not really want to know. I am amazed at the number of people who prefer to have their heads in the sand, so to speak.
For identification, let me direct you to Revelation 18. I will draw out some pertinent phrases.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven,-- saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
It is a world wide group, recognized and given honor by every nation on earth. It is a political and economic power.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
It is also a very strong religious power. We know this from the words "commited fornication with her". Fornication, in prophetic scripture, means a division of allegiance between Almighty God and secular things, such as government, commerce, etc..
You and I may get by with an admixture of allegiance for the time being, but the day of reckoning is approaching rapidly.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you,-- the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.--. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire:--. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,-- saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and-- souls of men.-- And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning,-- saying,-- , Alas, alas, that great city, -- for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. -- And the light of a candle (why the light of a candle?) shall shine no more--. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Do I need to elaborate further? Where would we look to find a mighty Economic, Political and Religious power in the earth today?
BUYING AND SELLING
BUYING-SELLING
Jesus gave a parable about entering the Kingdom of God, recorded in Matt 13:45-46. He likened it to a merchantman seeking goodly pearls. When he had found ONE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, he went and sold all that he had and bought the one pearl. It focused on wanting the best there was to be had. He was hunting for quality material. The shoddy would never do.
Seeking goodly pearls means that we are seeking hard for God.
Jesus loves to reveal Himself to those who are seeking for reality, and will not settle for an admixture of good and bad. If we WANT TO DO HIS WILL, we shall have many things revealed to us by the Spirit.
The real truth of the parable, however, is in the thought of selling what you have, in order to buy what is of much greater value.
This brings us to a point of decision. What do we count to be of greater value? Too many of us are content to settle for the status quo and do not really appreciate the value of the deeper things of our relationship with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
There are dimensions in God that we cannot even dream of until we get our eyes off of what normally holds the attention of those who name the Name of Jesus. We do not STUMBLE OVER the secrets of the Spirit-controlled life. We search for them, or they continue to elude us.
To "sell all that we have" is the essence of relinquishing the self-life, with its pleasures and desires. These are probably NOT SINS, but they fill our lives to the point that we do not have the desire nor the room in our lives for a deeper walk with the Lord.
Certainly, sin should not have a home in us, but this goes deeper than sin.
We "sell" in order that we might "buy". "I councel thee to BUY OF ME GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE, and WHITE RAIMENT." Rev 3:18
GOLD is indicative of the NATURE OF JESUS, and is acquired only by concerted effort AFTER the experience of Salvation and Holy Ghost Baptism. It is called "Growing in Grace", or "Maturing".
WHITE RAIMENT indicates the Righteousness of Saints. We had HIS Righteousness IMPUTED TO US at conversion, by FAITH in His finished work on Calvary. That is one thing. It is quite another thing to have BOUGHT FROM HIM the "rightness in His sight" that "white raiment" is indicative of. It indicates a refinement of character brought about by us having relinquished the "ways of flesh" in order to acquire the "WAYS OF GOD", or Godliness.
This is NOT A ONE-TIME DEAL, but rather, like the Nazarite of old, a daily "refraining" and "gaining" process. There were no "days off" for the Nazarite--neither should there be for us who aspire to "the wearing of the white".
There are some aspects of this refinement of character that have a much higher price tag on them than some of the others do. Just as we learned some parts of our childhood training much more easily than others, so it is with the Spiritual Training.
We could not conveniently stop the process of training imposed upon us by our parents and school teachers, but it is VERY EASY TO STOP THE TRAININGS OF THE HOLY GHOST. "Just say, NO". Once is all it takes to "cancel your subscription". No questions asked--the process STOPS.
WE SEEK FOR--WE PAY A PRICE FOR, the refining processes of the Holy Ghost.
We are admonished (1 Pet 3:4) to adorn ourselves by "refraining" from the outward things, and concentrating on the hidden man of the heart. The proper adorning for this inner man is a MEEK and QUIET SPIRIT. The meek spirit lacks selfassertion. The quiet spirit is at rest--lacking turmoil and turbulence.
THESE ARE, IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, OF GREAT PRICE-not easily acquired!
Jesus gave a parable about entering the Kingdom of God, recorded in Matt 13:45-46. He likened it to a merchantman seeking goodly pearls. When he had found ONE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, he went and sold all that he had and bought the one pearl. It focused on wanting the best there was to be had. He was hunting for quality material. The shoddy would never do.
Seeking goodly pearls means that we are seeking hard for God.
Jesus loves to reveal Himself to those who are seeking for reality, and will not settle for an admixture of good and bad. If we WANT TO DO HIS WILL, we shall have many things revealed to us by the Spirit.
The real truth of the parable, however, is in the thought of selling what you have, in order to buy what is of much greater value.
This brings us to a point of decision. What do we count to be of greater value? Too many of us are content to settle for the status quo and do not really appreciate the value of the deeper things of our relationship with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
There are dimensions in God that we cannot even dream of until we get our eyes off of what normally holds the attention of those who name the Name of Jesus. We do not STUMBLE OVER the secrets of the Spirit-controlled life. We search for them, or they continue to elude us.
To "sell all that we have" is the essence of relinquishing the self-life, with its pleasures and desires. These are probably NOT SINS, but they fill our lives to the point that we do not have the desire nor the room in our lives for a deeper walk with the Lord.
Certainly, sin should not have a home in us, but this goes deeper than sin.
We "sell" in order that we might "buy". "I councel thee to BUY OF ME GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE, and WHITE RAIMENT." Rev 3:18
GOLD is indicative of the NATURE OF JESUS, and is acquired only by concerted effort AFTER the experience of Salvation and Holy Ghost Baptism. It is called "Growing in Grace", or "Maturing".
WHITE RAIMENT indicates the Righteousness of Saints. We had HIS Righteousness IMPUTED TO US at conversion, by FAITH in His finished work on Calvary. That is one thing. It is quite another thing to have BOUGHT FROM HIM the "rightness in His sight" that "white raiment" is indicative of. It indicates a refinement of character brought about by us having relinquished the "ways of flesh" in order to acquire the "WAYS OF GOD", or Godliness.
This is NOT A ONE-TIME DEAL, but rather, like the Nazarite of old, a daily "refraining" and "gaining" process. There were no "days off" for the Nazarite--neither should there be for us who aspire to "the wearing of the white".
There are some aspects of this refinement of character that have a much higher price tag on them than some of the others do. Just as we learned some parts of our childhood training much more easily than others, so it is with the Spiritual Training.
We could not conveniently stop the process of training imposed upon us by our parents and school teachers, but it is VERY EASY TO STOP THE TRAININGS OF THE HOLY GHOST. "Just say, NO". Once is all it takes to "cancel your subscription". No questions asked--the process STOPS.
WE SEEK FOR--WE PAY A PRICE FOR, the refining processes of the Holy Ghost.
We are admonished (1 Pet 3:4) to adorn ourselves by "refraining" from the outward things, and concentrating on the hidden man of the heart. The proper adorning for this inner man is a MEEK and QUIET SPIRIT. The meek spirit lacks selfassertion. The quiet spirit is at rest--lacking turmoil and turbulence.
THESE ARE, IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, OF GREAT PRICE-not easily acquired!
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