BLESSED--- PERSECUTED
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (emphasis added)
We are continuing our studies in the Beatitudes of Jesus. They are an outline of the Attributes of Character that He will look upon favorably when He “Makes Up His Jewels” for entry into the KINGDOM (Royalty) of God.
We find many references in the Bible that testify to the fact of the irreconcilable hatred (enmity) of the carnal mind against the Will of God. It is a SPIRIT that pits neighbor against neighbor, brother against brother, etc.. We were each born with the Fleshly Mind, but some of us have invited the Mind of Christ into our lives, with the resultant open warfare—both in our own life (which can become rather severe at times) as well as in the community. This ill will intensifies as we continue our efforts to become more like Jesus in our demeanor.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Act 9:16 For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Phi 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Little wonder, then, that Jesus gave the instruction, “Strive to enter in—for many will not be able to do it.” See Luke 13:24
We can not emphasize too often that the Kingdom of God will probably NOT be a political/economic Kingdom such as many of us have visualized from the past understanding and teaching of our instructors.
Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: (ocular evidence)
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom (Royalty) of God is within (inside of) you.
Yesterday, at lunch time, I had a conversation with a man of French ancestry that we call “Chuck”. I can not even pronounce his last name, let alone try to spell it. He told me about some of his forebears who had lived in the late 1500’s, about the massacre of St. Bartholomew’s Day (Aug 24, 1572), and the Edict of Nantes, and about the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. I may not have all of the details correct, but I’ll give you some of the highlights. The Massacre was only the beginning of what would go on for many, many years, but in this one incident there were soldiers and Ministers (Priests) of the dominant Church who attacked a gathering of Christians (Protestants) whom they had lured into a religious convocation of Good Will. They killed an estimated 100,000 Protestants at that time, and their blood ran like little rivers into the natural rivers, killing fish and other creatures and contaminating the rivers so much that the fish could not be eaten from them for many months. The remaining Protestants (who were the Master Craftsmen of France) scattered to other countries or went into hiding and practiced their religion in secret. The economy of France was devastated, and the nation was plunged into depression. On April 13, 1598 the Edict of Nantes was issued, granting Freedom of Worship to the Calvinists (Huguenots) in a country that was predominantly Catholic, in an effort to attract skilled workmen back to France. It worked, and in time France became a prosperous nation again. The Edict, however, cost the King his life—he was stabbed to death by a Jesuit Priest who disliked the idea of religious freedom for the Huguenots.
The Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685, and the Church-sponsored persecution was vigorously resumed, forcing many into other countries or into hiding again. During that period, the Geneva Bible was published by John Calvin who was in exile in Geneva, Switzerland. (1595)
England was also having “religious convulsions” at the same time (1500’s). King Henry V111 wanted to divorce his wife, who had not been able to produce a male heir for him, and marry another woman who possibly could. The Pope said, “No Way”. Henry replied, “You go fly a kite. I’ll make my own Church—with all the trimmin’s.” He did, and the Church of England was born, and Henry got a new wife with the blessing of the Archbishop of Canterbury. (who was later burned at the stake by Queen MaryI) Mary did not look with favor on England being protestant, and started a “cleansing of the Faith”. In less than six years she burned over 300 of the most prominent people, including the Archbishop, at the stake for not recanting their Protestant views. (An average of one burning a week). Her subjects referred to her as “Bloody Mary”. England actually rejoiced when she lay in her coffin.
“WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND.”
In 1590 a book was published by a couple of Jesuit priests who had been commissioned by the Pope to “get the heat off the Catholic Church”. (The Reformers had all been calling the Papal System the Antichrist) In their book, they re-wrote the curriculum of Prophetic teachings. They “sold” their new doctrine to the Archbishop of Canterbury (Henry’s official Church of England). We have been “looking for” the “appearance” of the Antichrist, in the last seven years of the world, since that time.
If you “see” him, be sure to alert me.
I have no fears that any of you can produce “him”. In my lifetime there have been many “men” who have been suspected or accused of being “him”, but they have, mostly, all died without “producing the goods” that “he” is supposed to produce when “he” appears. In 1932 Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to be President of the United States. We were in a deep Depression, and his NRA (National Recovery Act), CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) and other ingredients of the dubbed “Alphabetical Soup” he was initiating, caused many to look at him as the “one who comes in with flattery, but turns on his subjects and tries to destroy them”. Many of my relatives could maneuver the Scriptures into such a position as to “prove” that “he was him”. Before FDR was dead, he was replaced by Benito Mussolini, who, in turn, was replaced by Adolf Hitler Somewhere along the line, the EEC (European Common Market) would become the Revived Roman Empire consisting of 10 Nations (the Roman Dragon). That one is dying a slow death, but in its “heyday” it “drew a lot of water”. Poor old Henry Kissinger commanded some “suspicion” himself at one juncture.
The “Persecution” that Jesus was talking to His Disciples about is much, much more than having our feelings hurt by someone else. It is much more than thinking that someone doesn’t like us or is “out to get us”.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run (agon) with patience the race (agon) that is set (by the Lord) before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Jesus was talking about a DETERMINATION in the heart of each believer that “come hail or high water” we will remain faithful to the One who paid the price of our Redemption. We will NOT turn our back on Him who loved us enough to give His Life for us, no matter what others may say, do, or think of us.
Jesus will be looking for that kind of dedication when He “makes up His Jewels” on that Day—the Day of Jesus Christ. (The Day of the Kingdom)
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
David furnishes us with a very good example of one who was persecuted. We should read some of the Psalms in which he complains TO GOD ONLY about what is happening to him.
Psa 7:15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
Psa 7:16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
Psa 7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Psa 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psa 31:15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Psa 35:1 A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Psa 35:2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Psa 35:3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Psa 35:4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
Psa 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
Psa 35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
Psa 35:7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
Psa 35:8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
Psa 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
Psa 35:10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
Psa 35:11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
Psa 35:12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
Psa 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
Psa 35:14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
Psa 35:15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
Psa 35:16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Psa 35:17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
Psa 35:18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
Psa 35:19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Psa 35:20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
Psa 35:21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
Psa 35:22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
Psa 35:23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
Psa 35:24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
Psa 35:25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
Psa 35:26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.
Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Psa 35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
If you are ever tempted to question whether the Lord hears and sees when others indulge in persecution of the righteous, it is good to remember some things that Jesus spoke and did in response to how the Jews rejected Him and His Workers. He will do the same for us when we cry to Him in our times of persecution and distress caused by our adversaries—IF we keep our eyes on Him and our attitude correct. Our attitude can be a BIG problem.
Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Rom 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Rom 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Mat 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Mat 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zechariah son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Mat 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!
Mat 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Jeremiah gives us another very good example of what REAL persecution is all about.
Jer 17:18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
What is our goal as candidates for KINGDOM STATURE? Should we make a demonstration to demand our rights as citizens? Should we file for “minority status”?
Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
BLESSED---RIGHTEOUSNESS
BLESSED--- RIGHTEOUSNESS
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
We are continuing our pursuit of the meaning of ATTAINING TO KINGDOM STATURE.
In this segment we will explore what we have referred to as ACQUIRED RIGHTEOUSNESS, which we need to desire and seek for, after the Righteousness of Jesus has been IMPUTED to us at Calvary. Imputed righteousness will assure us a place in Heaven, but it will NOT guarantee us entrance into the Kingdom of God.
You see, Jesus came to earth to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). All of humanity was lost in their sinful condition. Any human being can be saved by simply acknowledging Jesus to be the Son of God and accepting the forgiveness that He has offered to us.
We feel that right here is a good time to remind ourselves of what John 1:12 says. Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power (privilege, authority) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (emphasis added)
As I have previously pointed out, a great gulf exists between having our sins (nature of sin—rebellion) forgiven, and having been really born again of the Spirit of God. We are forgiven in an instant, but the NEW BIRTH is a process of refinement of character and learning the Nature of God and the WAYS of GOD as the Holy Ghost teaches us.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and LEARN OF ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Emphasis added)
1Jo 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1Jo 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Nothing that is degrading or harmful to others will ever gain entrance to citizenship in the Society of the Kingdom.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
I did, before my pacemaker was implanted, go through the airport scanners before a flight. They would detect anything they were designed to find—with unerring accuracy. GOD’S WORD will provide us with the same type of protection from “ourselves”. The Law of God in our hearts will protect us from others and protect others from what may be luring within us.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; (if they seek for it) and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait (difficult, confining) gate (hunger and thirst after righteousness) for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (I can not see My Own Likeness in you. I still see your self-life)
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. (Attendance awards)
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (you did as you pleased—you did not desire character refinement)
Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. (sins forgiven, but could not enter the Kingdom of God)
Luk 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, (all over the world) and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (unfit for service)
1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
When I was a young man I tended to worry about some of these things—fearing that I might lose my Salvation if they were still a part of my makeup. I feel that many today are laboring under the same wrong impression about their relationship to God. While I realize that a person would be capable of “backsliding” and annulling the Forgiveness of God, John Dearing told us in 1939 that it would be much harder to do than many are teaching today. You would want to “bring your lunch”, because God will put every obstacle He can in your way to keep you from turning away from Him. It would take a strong, deliberate intent on your part to get the job done. He has a tremendous investment in you and me.
But it is not so when we consider an entrance into KINGDOM STATUS, or being “fit for the Kingdom” (see Luke 9:62) There is where we run into the “flaming sword” that guards the “Paradise of God” as the Kingdom is described.
1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
We are continuing our pursuit of the meaning of ATTAINING TO KINGDOM STATURE.
In this segment we will explore what we have referred to as ACQUIRED RIGHTEOUSNESS, which we need to desire and seek for, after the Righteousness of Jesus has been IMPUTED to us at Calvary. Imputed righteousness will assure us a place in Heaven, but it will NOT guarantee us entrance into the Kingdom of God.
You see, Jesus came to earth to SEEK and to SAVE that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). All of humanity was lost in their sinful condition. Any human being can be saved by simply acknowledging Jesus to be the Son of God and accepting the forgiveness that He has offered to us.
We feel that right here is a good time to remind ourselves of what John 1:12 says. Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power (privilege, authority) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (emphasis added)
As I have previously pointed out, a great gulf exists between having our sins (nature of sin—rebellion) forgiven, and having been really born again of the Spirit of God. We are forgiven in an instant, but the NEW BIRTH is a process of refinement of character and learning the Nature of God and the WAYS of GOD as the Holy Ghost teaches us.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and LEARN OF ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Emphasis added)
1Jo 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1Jo 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Nothing that is degrading or harmful to others will ever gain entrance to citizenship in the Society of the Kingdom.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
I did, before my pacemaker was implanted, go through the airport scanners before a flight. They would detect anything they were designed to find—with unerring accuracy. GOD’S WORD will provide us with the same type of protection from “ourselves”. The Law of God in our hearts will protect us from others and protect others from what may be luring within us.
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; (if they seek for it) and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait (difficult, confining) gate (hunger and thirst after righteousness) for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (I can not see My Own Likeness in you. I still see your self-life)
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. (Attendance awards)
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (you did as you pleased—you did not desire character refinement)
Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. (sins forgiven, but could not enter the Kingdom of God)
Luk 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, (all over the world) and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (unfit for service)
1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
When I was a young man I tended to worry about some of these things—fearing that I might lose my Salvation if they were still a part of my makeup. I feel that many today are laboring under the same wrong impression about their relationship to God. While I realize that a person would be capable of “backsliding” and annulling the Forgiveness of God, John Dearing told us in 1939 that it would be much harder to do than many are teaching today. You would want to “bring your lunch”, because God will put every obstacle He can in your way to keep you from turning away from Him. It would take a strong, deliberate intent on your part to get the job done. He has a tremendous investment in you and me.
But it is not so when we consider an entrance into KINGDOM STATUS, or being “fit for the Kingdom” (see Luke 9:62) There is where we run into the “flaming sword” that guards the “Paradise of God” as the Kingdom is described.
1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.
Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
WHO ART THOU THAT JUDGEST?
(log of the Good Ship Grace)
Don't find fault with the man who limps
Or stumbles along the road
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load
There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view
The burden he bears, placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.
Don't sneer at the man who's down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused him to fall, or felt the shame
That only the fallen know
You may be strong, but still the blows
That were his, if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.
Don’t be too harsh with the man who sins,
Or pelt him with words or stone,
Unless you are sure—yes doubly sure
That you have no sins of your own.
For you know, perhaps, if Satan’s voice
Should whisper as softly to you
As it did to him, when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.
--the log
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
A reminder is in order here that we are NOT writing about SALVATION. Our subject is the KINGDOM OF GOD. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME SUBJECT.
SALVATION is obtained and maintained by FAITH in the integrity of Jesus Christ. But to gain entrance into KINGDOM STATURE requires much more.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD TO YOUR FAITH virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge (epignosis) of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off (short-sighted), and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election (choosing) sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the EVERLASTING KINGDOM of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Emphasis added)
Mat 22:14 For many are called (invited), but few are chosen (selected).
Mercy is NOT a natural trait of human beings. It is a LEARNED RESPONSE, developed with the influence of the Spirit of God in our lives. Salvation does not require that we be merciful, but KINGDOM STATURE WILL require such a response in our lives (even to those who do not deserve it).
It is an attribute of God, and we must incorporate it into our lives if we hope to become citizens of the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Pro 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
The whole of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness seemed to be centered around the Mercy Seat. It was from off the Mercy Seat that God spoke with Moses, and Jesus now speaks with us from the Seat of His Mercy—Calvary.
Many of the scriptures give us clues about the importance of the attribute of “mercy” in our lives.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
“His Mercy endureth forever’—occurs with almost monotonous repetition.
We can Hope in His Mercy.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Pro 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Mic 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Zec 7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
Pro 14:21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he
Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 10:37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Jam 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Jam 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Psa 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
Pro 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Luk 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
WHO ART THOU THAT JUDGEST?
(log of the Good Ship Grace)
Don't find fault with the man who limps
Or stumbles along the road
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load
There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view
The burden he bears, placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.
Don't sneer at the man who's down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused him to fall, or felt the shame
That only the fallen know
You may be strong, but still the blows
That were his, if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.
Don’t be too harsh with the man who sins,
Or pelt him with words or stone,
Unless you are sure—yes doubly sure
That you have no sins of your own.
For you know, perhaps, if Satan’s voice
Should whisper as softly to you
As it did to him, when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.
--the log
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
A reminder is in order here that we are NOT writing about SALVATION. Our subject is the KINGDOM OF GOD. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME SUBJECT.
SALVATION is obtained and maintained by FAITH in the integrity of Jesus Christ. But to gain entrance into KINGDOM STATURE requires much more.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD TO YOUR FAITH virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge (epignosis) of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off (short-sighted), and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election (choosing) sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the EVERLASTING KINGDOM of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Emphasis added)
Mat 22:14 For many are called (invited), but few are chosen (selected).
Mercy is NOT a natural trait of human beings. It is a LEARNED RESPONSE, developed with the influence of the Spirit of God in our lives. Salvation does not require that we be merciful, but KINGDOM STATURE WILL require such a response in our lives (even to those who do not deserve it).
It is an attribute of God, and we must incorporate it into our lives if we hope to become citizens of the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Pro 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
The whole of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness seemed to be centered around the Mercy Seat. It was from off the Mercy Seat that God spoke with Moses, and Jesus now speaks with us from the Seat of His Mercy—Calvary.
Many of the scriptures give us clues about the importance of the attribute of “mercy” in our lives.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Num 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
“His Mercy endureth forever’—occurs with almost monotonous repetition.
We can Hope in His Mercy.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Pro 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Mic 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Zec 7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother:
Pro 14:21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he
Mat 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luk 10:37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Jam 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Jam 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Psa 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
Pro 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Luk 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
Another study in the Beatitudes
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
We are continuing the series on the PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM. We are trying to “get a handle” on the ATTRIBUTES WE SHOULD HAVE IN OUR LIVES in order to qualify for KINGDOM STATUS. We use that term, for lack of a better one that will fit the situation. For, you see, there are no “admission tickets” as such. There are no “rites of passage” no “passwords” and no “entrance fees” But that is not to say that there are no “requirements” for a place in the KINGDOM OF God on Earth. There are, and they are listed at the very front of the Sermon on the Mount.
It can not be said too often that Salvation is the first requisite to being in the Kingdom, but the two are different. Salvation is free to humans, having been paid for in full by Jesus at Calvary, but it only gives us the PRIVILEGE or CONSENT to become the SONS OF GOD and achieve (yes, I wrote “Achieve”) Kingdom Status.
KINGDOM STATUS consists of having incorporated certain attributes, such as the ones listed by Jesus in the Sermon, into our own lives by seeking God for the Refinement of Character that He desires to see in our lives. We probably will never attain to Perfection, but we can make enough progress to satisfy our God, who knows our individual capabilities and incapabilities.
Today we are focusing on the attribute that is called “Peacemakers” in the KJV. It is translated thus in Mat 5:9. It is also used once, in Rom 12:18 “peaceably”. Three times it is used to denote “peace” . In Mar_9:50 it means “to have peace”. In 2Co_13:11 it means to “live in peace”, and in 1Th_5:13 it means to “be at peace”. Those “uses” of the original word would tend to “flavor” its meaning toward a condition of our OWN character, rather than being a go-between in a dispute of some kind. I believe that to be closer to the proper understanding of what Jesus is recorded as having said.
Most of us would look at ourselves as being a “person of peace”, but it is NOT a natural human trait. We only have it when things are “going our way” Neither is it a result of training or discipline. It is something that must be acquired from the Spirit of God. It is a FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. The Spirit produces it, or we don’t have it. Yet, the real PEACE OF GOD will be necessary for us to enter into KINGDOM STATUS. Perhaps we could use another term that might be more easily understood, How about ROYALTY STATUS? Actually, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance uses the term “Royalty”.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (quietness rest), longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
1Th 4:11 And that ye study (labor) to be quiet (at peace), and to do your own business,----
What is the recipe for obtaining the trait of “peace—rest” in our lives? Since we can not achieve it from our own efforts, we must seek it from its source—the Spirit of God. We must ask God to give it to us. In our asking, we must maintain a willingness to be obedient to the Spirit as He begins to produce the desired qualities in our lives. For me, it has sometimes been a “wild ride”, because peacefulness (peacemaking) has not been a natural forte. I dare not consider the “ride” over with yet. But, the Spirit has made a lot of progress (with my consent and co-operation) since we embarked on the project many years ago. Simply put, “I can not do it by myself, but the Spirit will not do it without my consent and co-operation.” It MUST be a joint operation.
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE (Holy Ghost), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the KNOWLEDGE of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off---
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall NEVER FALL:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting (eternal) kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Phi 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Look at Isaiah 66:21 And I will also take of them for priests [and] for Levites, saith the LORD.
Isaiah was speaking of a group of people, who "tremble at My Word" (vs 2), and were not mentioned as being of the tribe of Levi.
What does it mean to tremble at the Word of the Lord?
Whatever it means, there will be a people who qualify for the category.
It is doubtful if their qualifications are based as much on the sovereignty of God as on their response to the Word of God. Our response is very crucial.
I wonder sometimes, if we should not be more diligent in seeking the face of God for an inward purification, rather than going after material prosperity. One endures-- the other will perish.
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
What does it mean to "offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness?" In my book, it means that we will always be able to do the RIGHT thing in any given circumstance. That quality is absolutely foreign to the human being. It is an ability that can be acquired from God alone. It is a product of our obedience to, and reliance on, the Spirit that “worketh in us”.
Another study in the Beatitudes
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
We are continuing the series on the PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM. We are trying to “get a handle” on the ATTRIBUTES WE SHOULD HAVE IN OUR LIVES in order to qualify for KINGDOM STATUS. We use that term, for lack of a better one that will fit the situation. For, you see, there are no “admission tickets” as such. There are no “rites of passage” no “passwords” and no “entrance fees” But that is not to say that there are no “requirements” for a place in the KINGDOM OF God on Earth. There are, and they are listed at the very front of the Sermon on the Mount.
It can not be said too often that Salvation is the first requisite to being in the Kingdom, but the two are different. Salvation is free to humans, having been paid for in full by Jesus at Calvary, but it only gives us the PRIVILEGE or CONSENT to become the SONS OF GOD and achieve (yes, I wrote “Achieve”) Kingdom Status.
KINGDOM STATUS consists of having incorporated certain attributes, such as the ones listed by Jesus in the Sermon, into our own lives by seeking God for the Refinement of Character that He desires to see in our lives. We probably will never attain to Perfection, but we can make enough progress to satisfy our God, who knows our individual capabilities and incapabilities.
Today we are focusing on the attribute that is called “Peacemakers” in the KJV. It is translated thus in Mat 5:9. It is also used once, in Rom 12:18 “peaceably”. Three times it is used to denote “peace” . In Mar_9:50 it means “to have peace”. In 2Co_13:11 it means to “live in peace”, and in 1Th_5:13 it means to “be at peace”. Those “uses” of the original word would tend to “flavor” its meaning toward a condition of our OWN character, rather than being a go-between in a dispute of some kind. I believe that to be closer to the proper understanding of what Jesus is recorded as having said.
Most of us would look at ourselves as being a “person of peace”, but it is NOT a natural human trait. We only have it when things are “going our way” Neither is it a result of training or discipline. It is something that must be acquired from the Spirit of God. It is a FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. The Spirit produces it, or we don’t have it. Yet, the real PEACE OF GOD will be necessary for us to enter into KINGDOM STATUS. Perhaps we could use another term that might be more easily understood, How about ROYALTY STATUS? Actually, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance uses the term “Royalty”.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (quietness rest), longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
1Th 4:11 And that ye study (labor) to be quiet (at peace), and to do your own business,----
What is the recipe for obtaining the trait of “peace—rest” in our lives? Since we can not achieve it from our own efforts, we must seek it from its source—the Spirit of God. We must ask God to give it to us. In our asking, we must maintain a willingness to be obedient to the Spirit as He begins to produce the desired qualities in our lives. For me, it has sometimes been a “wild ride”, because peacefulness (peacemaking) has not been a natural forte. I dare not consider the “ride” over with yet. But, the Spirit has made a lot of progress (with my consent and co-operation) since we embarked on the project many years ago. Simply put, “I can not do it by myself, but the Spirit will not do it without my consent and co-operation.” It MUST be a joint operation.
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE (Holy Ghost), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the KNOWLEDGE of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off---
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall NEVER FALL:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting (eternal) kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Phi 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Look at Isaiah 66:21 And I will also take of them for priests [and] for Levites, saith the LORD.
Isaiah was speaking of a group of people, who "tremble at My Word" (vs 2), and were not mentioned as being of the tribe of Levi.
What does it mean to tremble at the Word of the Lord?
Whatever it means, there will be a people who qualify for the category.
It is doubtful if their qualifications are based as much on the sovereignty of God as on their response to the Word of God. Our response is very crucial.
I wonder sometimes, if we should not be more diligent in seeking the face of God for an inward purification, rather than going after material prosperity. One endures-- the other will perish.
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
What does it mean to "offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness?" In my book, it means that we will always be able to do the RIGHT thing in any given circumstance. That quality is absolutely foreign to the human being. It is an ability that can be acquired from God alone. It is a product of our obedience to, and reliance on, the Spirit that “worketh in us”.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
We are still writing about the qualities of life that will determine our ELIGIBILITY OR INELIGIBILITY for the KINGDOM OF GOD.
It has NOTHING TO DO with, and NO BEARING on whether we are SAVED or NOT, except to say that it is a perfect “Exercise in Futility” to hope and plan for Kingdom Membership WITHOUT first being saved by the Blood of Jesus.
Salvation is “non-selective” in that it is AVAILABLE TO ANYONE who believes and declares that Jesus is the Son of God, and accepts the Forgiveness that Jesus made available on the Cross of Calvary. IT WILL ASSURE A PLACE IN HEAVEN when death overtakes us.
But, MEMBERSHIP IN THE KINGDOM is a different ball game altogether, and is mainly dependent on what we make of ourselves AFTER WE ARE SAVED.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord (SAVED), shall enter into the KINGDOM of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Psa 51:10 CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT THERE IS NO GUILE.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us CLEANSE OURSELVES from all filthiness of the FLESH AND SPIRIT, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (True Holiness is INTERNAL rather than EXTERNAL) mf.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the KINGDOM OF GOD? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the KINGDOM of God.
Kingdom membership is EXTREMELY SELECTIVE, with many candidates being rejected because their lives lack some key qualities that God has decreed that all entrants should possess
Mat 13:47 Again, the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
Mat 13:48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away (Rejected as unfit). Mf.
Mat 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the WICKED FROM AMONG THE JUST,
Mat 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Isa 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; BE YE CLEAN, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
Isa 35:8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called THE WAY OF HOLINESS; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Isa 35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
Please bear in mind that the following verses were written to folks who had GIVEN THEIR HEARTS TO THE LORD.
1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.
1Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1Co 6:18 FLEE FORNICATION. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that WALK AFTER THE FLESH in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. SPOTS THEY ARE AND BLEMISHES, SPORTING THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN DECEIVINGS WHILE THEY FEAST WITH YOU;
2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet.
2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest: to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever.
2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
We are much more safe if we walk in Repentance rather than in pride or arrogancy.
Jam 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Jam 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jam 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jo 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jo 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1Jo 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Listen to the testimony of Paul while in active, productive Ministry
Phi 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Phi 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead (HE USES A SPECIAL WORD HERE).
Phi 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Phi 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
1Th 3:13 To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming (parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire
Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies
We are still writing about the qualities of life that will determine our ELIGIBILITY OR INELIGIBILITY for the KINGDOM OF GOD.
It has NOTHING TO DO with, and NO BEARING on whether we are SAVED or NOT, except to say that it is a perfect “Exercise in Futility” to hope and plan for Kingdom Membership WITHOUT first being saved by the Blood of Jesus.
Salvation is “non-selective” in that it is AVAILABLE TO ANYONE who believes and declares that Jesus is the Son of God, and accepts the Forgiveness that Jesus made available on the Cross of Calvary. IT WILL ASSURE A PLACE IN HEAVEN when death overtakes us.
But, MEMBERSHIP IN THE KINGDOM is a different ball game altogether, and is mainly dependent on what we make of ourselves AFTER WE ARE SAVED.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord (SAVED), shall enter into the KINGDOM of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Psa 51:10 CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT THERE IS NO GUILE.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us CLEANSE OURSELVES from all filthiness of the FLESH AND SPIRIT, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (True Holiness is INTERNAL rather than EXTERNAL) mf.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the KINGDOM OF GOD? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the KINGDOM of God.
Kingdom membership is EXTREMELY SELECTIVE, with many candidates being rejected because their lives lack some key qualities that God has decreed that all entrants should possess
Mat 13:47 Again, the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
Mat 13:48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away (Rejected as unfit). Mf.
Mat 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the WICKED FROM AMONG THE JUST,
Mat 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE.
Luk 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luk 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
Luk 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Isa 52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; BE YE CLEAN, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
Isa 35:8 And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called THE WAY OF HOLINESS; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Isa 35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
Please bear in mind that the following verses were written to folks who had GIVEN THEIR HEARTS TO THE LORD.
1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.
1Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1Co 6:18 FLEE FORNICATION. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that WALK AFTER THE FLESH in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. SPOTS THEY ARE AND BLEMISHES, SPORTING THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN DECEIVINGS WHILE THEY FEAST WITH YOU;
2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet.
2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest: to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever.
2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
We are much more safe if we walk in Repentance rather than in pride or arrogancy.
Jam 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Jam 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jam 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jo 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jo 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1Jo 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Listen to the testimony of Paul while in active, productive Ministry
Phi 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Phi 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead (HE USES A SPECIAL WORD HERE).
Phi 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phi 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Phi 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
1Th 3:13 To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming (parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire
Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Monday, October 13, 2008
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
The meek are those who quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of anything else
DICTIONARY:
1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num 12.
2. Appropriately, humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Mat 11.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Mat 5.
We are still writing about qualities of character that make us fit for the Kingdom of God. I sort of envy those folks who seem to have been born with a mild nature, because I was not so fortunate. Any of those traits that I have are the result of hard-learned lessons. I have been left with some rather unpleasant memories of what can happen when I allow my own nature to get in the way of community or Christian tranquility.
Jesus did very little teaching about Salvation from our sinful nature, but spent almost all of his energies on telling the people how to enter the Kingdom. Much the same is true of most of the Epistles of the New Testament—telling people HOW TO LIVE after they are forgiven of their sinful condition.
I remember Charlie Yadon preaching when he was a young man, “There are two kinds of Christians in the world—those who please God, and those who don’t.” I don’t remember hearing too much of the rest of the sermon, for my mind was going miles per hour on just that one statement.
It is enlightening to see how many places where the trait of Meekness is mentioned in the Bible.
Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: IT MAY BE YE SHALL BE HID in the day of the LORD's anger.
2Co 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
When we spend time and effort yielding to the Voice of The Spirit, we will find that the Fruit is beginning to grow. We DO NOT produce the Fruit by our own efforts. It HAPPENS as a result of us obeying the Spirit. It is the natural result of our communion with God.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Jam 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jam 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jam 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jam 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jam 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Jam 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jam 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jam 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jam 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jam 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jam 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Many of our Church leaders are now stressing Unity among the believers, and while that is certainly to be desired, it would fall short of the goal if they COULD accomplish it, for it would be patterned after what THEY think unity to be. It almost always embodies their creeds and dogmas and methods.
But, the real truth is that KINGDOM PEOPLE (those who are reaching Kingdom Status) are actually ONE right NOW, though they may not presently even know each other personally. That “Oneness” is brought about by the Spirit of God in EACH INDIVIDUAL HEART, rather than church affiliation or doctrine. It is a COMMON RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS. It is a plain geometrical illustration of how two objects that are each equal to a common object are also equal to each other. (I learned that in High School in 1935)
I often stand back and look at the condition of the World today, and wonder “how will God ever accomplish what He seems intent on doing?” His intent goes far beyond the Church world today. It embodies the entire spectrum of human affairs—including the political, business and financial realm. We glibly say that it all belongs to Jesus, but I’m quite certain that we don’t realize what we are saying. It ACTUALLY WILL HAPPEN!
Zec 4:6 ----This is the WORD OF THE LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but BY MY SPIRIT, saith the LORD of hosts. (emphasis added)
John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
There is an experience in God, which, if we attain to it, there is no question about turning back or away from God. But if our experience in God is shallow-- the "sinner's prayer" type, we might be in real danger of losing faith in Jesus at some point in our lives. A deep experience in God is vital to a robust Christian Life. WE NEED TO SEEK GOD FOR SUCH AN EXPERIENCE WITH HIM.
David had obtained an experience with God which transformed and shaped his life. He became an outstanding example of one whose love for God and His House. The depth of our love is also determined largely by the depth of our experience in God.
Psalms 73:25 Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none upon earth [that] I desire beside thee.
It is an exercise in futility for us to put trust or hope in any other but Jesus Christ, and the Salvation which He offers to us.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
The meek are those who quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of anything else
DICTIONARY:
1. Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.
Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men. Num 12.
2. Appropriately, humble, in an evangelical sense; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory; not peevish and apt to complain of divine dispensations. Christ says, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Mat 11.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Mat 5.
We are still writing about qualities of character that make us fit for the Kingdom of God. I sort of envy those folks who seem to have been born with a mild nature, because I was not so fortunate. Any of those traits that I have are the result of hard-learned lessons. I have been left with some rather unpleasant memories of what can happen when I allow my own nature to get in the way of community or Christian tranquility.
Jesus did very little teaching about Salvation from our sinful nature, but spent almost all of his energies on telling the people how to enter the Kingdom. Much the same is true of most of the Epistles of the New Testament—telling people HOW TO LIVE after they are forgiven of their sinful condition.
I remember Charlie Yadon preaching when he was a young man, “There are two kinds of Christians in the world—those who please God, and those who don’t.” I don’t remember hearing too much of the rest of the sermon, for my mind was going miles per hour on just that one statement.
It is enlightening to see how many places where the trait of Meekness is mentioned in the Bible.
Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: IT MAY BE YE SHALL BE HID in the day of the LORD's anger.
2Co 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
When we spend time and effort yielding to the Voice of The Spirit, we will find that the Fruit is beginning to grow. We DO NOT produce the Fruit by our own efforts. It HAPPENS as a result of us obeying the Spirit. It is the natural result of our communion with God.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Jam 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jam 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jam 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jam 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jam 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Jam 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jam 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jam 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jam 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jam 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jam 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Many of our Church leaders are now stressing Unity among the believers, and while that is certainly to be desired, it would fall short of the goal if they COULD accomplish it, for it would be patterned after what THEY think unity to be. It almost always embodies their creeds and dogmas and methods.
But, the real truth is that KINGDOM PEOPLE (those who are reaching Kingdom Status) are actually ONE right NOW, though they may not presently even know each other personally. That “Oneness” is brought about by the Spirit of God in EACH INDIVIDUAL HEART, rather than church affiliation or doctrine. It is a COMMON RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS. It is a plain geometrical illustration of how two objects that are each equal to a common object are also equal to each other. (I learned that in High School in 1935)
I often stand back and look at the condition of the World today, and wonder “how will God ever accomplish what He seems intent on doing?” His intent goes far beyond the Church world today. It embodies the entire spectrum of human affairs—including the political, business and financial realm. We glibly say that it all belongs to Jesus, but I’m quite certain that we don’t realize what we are saying. It ACTUALLY WILL HAPPEN!
Zec 4:6 ----This is the WORD OF THE LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but BY MY SPIRIT, saith the LORD of hosts. (emphasis added)
John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
There is an experience in God, which, if we attain to it, there is no question about turning back or away from God. But if our experience in God is shallow-- the "sinner's prayer" type, we might be in real danger of losing faith in Jesus at some point in our lives. A deep experience in God is vital to a robust Christian Life. WE NEED TO SEEK GOD FOR SUCH AN EXPERIENCE WITH HIM.
David had obtained an experience with God which transformed and shaped his life. He became an outstanding example of one whose love for God and His House. The depth of our love is also determined largely by the depth of our experience in God.
Psalms 73:25 Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none upon earth [that] I desire beside thee.
It is an exercise in futility for us to put trust or hope in any other but Jesus Christ, and the Salvation which He offers to us.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN (from Christian Insights)
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN (from CHRISTIAN INSIGHTS)
In the beatitudes of Jesus, one "grabbed" me the other day. It is Matthew 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
We all know what mourning means to human beings. It means to be sorrowful or downcast over a loss or some other catastrophy. This is as it should be. We MUST give expression to our grief. Grief and grieving are NOT WRONG. In fact, they are a NECESSARY PART of life. "Happy" are they that mourn.
But someone mentioned that the word which Jesus used on the Mount could also mean "Blessed are those who REPENT."
The mourning, in this case, would be because of our lives coming short of the Ways of God. We all do-- every day.
We all are falling far short of the Glory of God. Failure is the story of each of our lives.
We were never promised eternal life and the blessings of God because of any goodness we have within ourselves. It is always based upon our faith in His Atonement for us at the Heavenly Mercy Seat. We can NEVER get good enough to earn it.
"Happy" are we, if we walk in continual repentance, and thanksgiving to God for His Mercy toward us. "Happy" or "Blessed", because walking in repentance opens the way for added blessings from God, over and above being saved from our sins.
"For they shall be comforted." The word "Comforted" comes from the word used to describe the work of the Holy Ghost in our life-- One called alongside-- the Paraklete.
The main purpose of the Holy Ghost is to lead into Truth. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
I Corinthians 2:10 -- for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
It is as simple as that. If we want to know more about God, walk in repentance rather than pride of man.
Have you noticed that most of the real scholars of the Word are men of great humility? Psalms 25:14 The secret of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
This formula for personal revival was quoted by Larry Lundstrom is his January 1998 news letter.
1) Get thoroughly dissatisfied with yourself. Complacency is the deadlyenemy of spiritual progress.The contented soul is a stagnant soul.
2)Set your face like a flint toward a sweeping transformation of yourlife. Timid experiments are tagged for failure before they start. We must throw our whole soul into our desire for God.
3)Put yourself in the way of blessing. Its a mistake to expect Gods help to comeas a windfall apart from conditions known and met. To desire revival, and at the same time to neglect prayer and devotion, is to wish one way and walk another.
4)Do a thorough job of repenting. Hasty repentance means a shallow spiritual experience. Let Godly sorrow do her healing work. It is our wretched habit of toleration sin that keeps us in our half-dead condition.
5)Make restitution wherever possible. If you owe a debt pay it. If you have quarreled with anyone, go as far as you can to achieve reconciliation. As fully as possible, make the crooked straight.
6)Bring your life into accord with the Sermon on the Mount and other such New Testament Scriptures as are designed to instruct in the way of righteousness. An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what’s wrong with him quickly.
7)Be serious minded. The people of the world used to go to the movies to escape serious thinking about God and religion. There must be a radical change in your habits, or there will not be any permanent improvement in your interior life.
8)Deliberately narrow your interests. Too many projects use up time and energy without bringing us nearer to God. The mansions of the heart will become larger when the doors are thrown open to Christ and closed against the world and sin.
9)Begin to witness. Find something to do for God, and your fellowman. Make yourself available. Do anything you are asked to do. Learn to obey.
10) Have faith in God. Begin to expect. Look up toward the throne. All heaven is on your side. God will not disappoint you.
These suggestions constitute a formula for personal revival. When personal revival is experienced, there is no knowing how far it may spread. The Church is in desperate need of a spiritual resurrection and it can only come through the revived individual
In the beatitudes of Jesus, one "grabbed" me the other day. It is Matthew 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
We all know what mourning means to human beings. It means to be sorrowful or downcast over a loss or some other catastrophy. This is as it should be. We MUST give expression to our grief. Grief and grieving are NOT WRONG. In fact, they are a NECESSARY PART of life. "Happy" are they that mourn.
But someone mentioned that the word which Jesus used on the Mount could also mean "Blessed are those who REPENT."
The mourning, in this case, would be because of our lives coming short of the Ways of God. We all do-- every day.
We all are falling far short of the Glory of God. Failure is the story of each of our lives.
We were never promised eternal life and the blessings of God because of any goodness we have within ourselves. It is always based upon our faith in His Atonement for us at the Heavenly Mercy Seat. We can NEVER get good enough to earn it.
"Happy" are we, if we walk in continual repentance, and thanksgiving to God for His Mercy toward us. "Happy" or "Blessed", because walking in repentance opens the way for added blessings from God, over and above being saved from our sins.
"For they shall be comforted." The word "Comforted" comes from the word used to describe the work of the Holy Ghost in our life-- One called alongside-- the Paraklete.
The main purpose of the Holy Ghost is to lead into Truth. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
I Corinthians 2:10 -- for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
It is as simple as that. If we want to know more about God, walk in repentance rather than pride of man.
Have you noticed that most of the real scholars of the Word are men of great humility? Psalms 25:14 The secret of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
This formula for personal revival was quoted by Larry Lundstrom is his January 1998 news letter.
1) Get thoroughly dissatisfied with yourself. Complacency is the deadlyenemy of spiritual progress.The contented soul is a stagnant soul.
2)Set your face like a flint toward a sweeping transformation of yourlife. Timid experiments are tagged for failure before they start. We must throw our whole soul into our desire for God.
3)Put yourself in the way of blessing. Its a mistake to expect Gods help to comeas a windfall apart from conditions known and met. To desire revival, and at the same time to neglect prayer and devotion, is to wish one way and walk another.
4)Do a thorough job of repenting. Hasty repentance means a shallow spiritual experience. Let Godly sorrow do her healing work. It is our wretched habit of toleration sin that keeps us in our half-dead condition.
5)Make restitution wherever possible. If you owe a debt pay it. If you have quarreled with anyone, go as far as you can to achieve reconciliation. As fully as possible, make the crooked straight.
6)Bring your life into accord with the Sermon on the Mount and other such New Testament Scriptures as are designed to instruct in the way of righteousness. An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what’s wrong with him quickly.
7)Be serious minded. The people of the world used to go to the movies to escape serious thinking about God and religion. There must be a radical change in your habits, or there will not be any permanent improvement in your interior life.
8)Deliberately narrow your interests. Too many projects use up time and energy without bringing us nearer to God. The mansions of the heart will become larger when the doors are thrown open to Christ and closed against the world and sin.
9)Begin to witness. Find something to do for God, and your fellowman. Make yourself available. Do anything you are asked to do. Learn to obey.
10) Have faith in God. Begin to expect. Look up toward the throne. All heaven is on your side. God will not disappoint you.
These suggestions constitute a formula for personal revival. When personal revival is experienced, there is no knowing how far it may spread. The Church is in desperate need of a spiritual resurrection and it can only come through the revived individual
MOURNING (from Christian Insights
MOURNING—(from CHRISTIAN INSIGHTS)
Several years ago, I asked the Lord to show me the real meaning of Repentance, because of the apparent lack of understanding about its true nature. It seemed that most everyone had a different idea about what it consisted of.
To some folks, it meant a changing of the mind about God and His Son Jesus Christ. Some others didn’t believe it was genuine without tears, and a show of remorse.
I have learned that when we ask God to show us something, we should pay heed to what He shows us in our spirit after that time. He is more anxious for us to know the truth of the matter than we could ever be.
I have almost never heard an audible voice, but almost always received an answer in various ways. Many times He will give me an illumination of ANOTHER scripture, and in it will be a portion of the answer to a prior question.
Such was the case when I questioned about why the Mourners would be blessed.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
It seemed that the Spirit spoke to me and said, “There is the true meaning of Repentance.”
Was Jesus telling His disciples that they should walk around with a long face if they expected to be blessed? Should they cry most of the time? You know, there are folks who actually believe that way, though it is not necessarily true.
I asked, “But, Lord, what is the true meaning of this “mourning” you spoke to your first disciples about?” “Why should they mourn?”
The answers did not come until I had, long afterward, made a word study about Iniquity and the Workers of Iniquity. Seemed like I had all the back burners loaded while I worked with Iniquity on the front burner. It was a labor-intensive study, and I had to drop it at times and return to it with a fresh vigor after a while. This was before the time of computer programs, and my chief tool was the Robert Young’s Analytical Concordance
But, in the end, I believed that I could safely say that the biblical definition of “Iniquity” is a reference to the indwelling nature of sin that we all inherited from Adam.
Workers of Iniquity are those folks who freely indulge that fallen nature, and follow where it would lead them.
Immediately, a “light turned on”, and I could clearly see the answers to both of the other questions—mourning, and repentance. And I also had the answer to a question I had not even asked yet-- Overcoming.
If I had had the benefit of a computer and a Bible program, I could have arrived at a satisfactory answer much sooner than I did while using the Analytical Concordance
I began to ask the Lord to let me really enter into Repentance. (Don’t do that unless you really mean it) It is a “wild ride”, but it is probably the ONLY method to achieve the status of Overcoming.
I couldn’t believe what the Lord would bring to the surface of my life, for me to “own” and then denounce and ask to be forgiven for. There were far more “motives” than “acts” that He brought to my attention, for I had first given my heart to the Lord at age 11, and had tried to “live by the book” since that time. And, although I KNEW there was “something dragging”, I didn’t know what it was.
Here are some scriptures that “popped up” before me while I was searching, and help to solidify my conclusion about the situation.
Eze 7:16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
Eze 36:31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Jer 31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim (the Nation of Israel) bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
After a while, the Lord seemed to impress me with the prayer of David in
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
It seemed to be all I could think about, or pray for. I had not known it was possible to be so hungry for God’s Spirit.
I had already learned that it does no good to try to EDUCATE bad traits out of myself.
Neither could Emily Post help me.
If there was no help for me in seeking the Face of God, I was a “gonner” for sure.
THANKS BE TO GOD, it DOES work! I did not call on God in vain! My life began to take on a different dimension as I continued to call on Him for Mercy and Grace.
God is doing for me what I could not do for myself.
Several years ago, I asked the Lord to show me the real meaning of Repentance, because of the apparent lack of understanding about its true nature. It seemed that most everyone had a different idea about what it consisted of.
To some folks, it meant a changing of the mind about God and His Son Jesus Christ. Some others didn’t believe it was genuine without tears, and a show of remorse.
I have learned that when we ask God to show us something, we should pay heed to what He shows us in our spirit after that time. He is more anxious for us to know the truth of the matter than we could ever be.
I have almost never heard an audible voice, but almost always received an answer in various ways. Many times He will give me an illumination of ANOTHER scripture, and in it will be a portion of the answer to a prior question.
Such was the case when I questioned about why the Mourners would be blessed.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
It seemed that the Spirit spoke to me and said, “There is the true meaning of Repentance.”
Was Jesus telling His disciples that they should walk around with a long face if they expected to be blessed? Should they cry most of the time? You know, there are folks who actually believe that way, though it is not necessarily true.
I asked, “But, Lord, what is the true meaning of this “mourning” you spoke to your first disciples about?” “Why should they mourn?”
The answers did not come until I had, long afterward, made a word study about Iniquity and the Workers of Iniquity. Seemed like I had all the back burners loaded while I worked with Iniquity on the front burner. It was a labor-intensive study, and I had to drop it at times and return to it with a fresh vigor after a while. This was before the time of computer programs, and my chief tool was the Robert Young’s Analytical Concordance
But, in the end, I believed that I could safely say that the biblical definition of “Iniquity” is a reference to the indwelling nature of sin that we all inherited from Adam.
Workers of Iniquity are those folks who freely indulge that fallen nature, and follow where it would lead them.
Immediately, a “light turned on”, and I could clearly see the answers to both of the other questions—mourning, and repentance. And I also had the answer to a question I had not even asked yet-- Overcoming.
If I had had the benefit of a computer and a Bible program, I could have arrived at a satisfactory answer much sooner than I did while using the Analytical Concordance
I began to ask the Lord to let me really enter into Repentance. (Don’t do that unless you really mean it) It is a “wild ride”, but it is probably the ONLY method to achieve the status of Overcoming.
I couldn’t believe what the Lord would bring to the surface of my life, for me to “own” and then denounce and ask to be forgiven for. There were far more “motives” than “acts” that He brought to my attention, for I had first given my heart to the Lord at age 11, and had tried to “live by the book” since that time. And, although I KNEW there was “something dragging”, I didn’t know what it was.
Here are some scriptures that “popped up” before me while I was searching, and help to solidify my conclusion about the situation.
Eze 7:16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
Eze 36:31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Jer 31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim (the Nation of Israel) bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
After a while, the Lord seemed to impress me with the prayer of David in
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
It seemed to be all I could think about, or pray for. I had not known it was possible to be so hungry for God’s Spirit.
I had already learned that it does no good to try to EDUCATE bad traits out of myself.
Neither could Emily Post help me.
If there was no help for me in seeking the Face of God, I was a “gonner” for sure.
THANKS BE TO GOD, it DOES work! I did not call on God in vain! My life began to take on a different dimension as I continued to call on Him for Mercy and Grace.
God is doing for me what I could not do for myself.
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Several years ago, I began asking the Lord what He meant when Jesus uttered those words. Did He mean that we should go around with stooped shoulders and a sorrowful face, as though we were tired of life? Did He mean that we were committing an infraction of Christian “rules” to ever show that we were happy or enjoying life? And, was it indeed a sin to ever indulge in light talk or gaiety, as some were teaching? They would quote to us Pro 24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. It did serve its purpose, at least when we were around where those people were.
Down, deep inside of my spirit, I knew they didn’t have a proper understanding of the scripture nor the Christian Life. But I didn’t have a satisfactory answer either. I knew someone who did know the answer, however, and I went to Him, hoping He would tell me what I needed to know. He did. Listen while I tell you about it.
Adam and Eve had complete, unblemished fellowship with the Lord in the Garden until— Until, that is, they indulged in a little rebellion (disobedience) against what God had told them not to do. I use the term “rebellion” intentionally, for we must realize and admit that ALL forms of sin are REBELLION against the Holy Spirit of God. The word “Mistake” is a less offensive term, so we use it, but it is actually a “Chip off the old block”—same stuff in maybe a smaller chunk.
You and I were both born with the same spirit of REBELLION (hatred, irreconcilable enmity) toward God that other people have. It is the root cause of all the sin and wickedness there is in the world today, or ever has been. It (our sinful nature) is damning our souls to hell, if we do not come to Jesus for forgiveness of WHAT WE ARE. We are SINNERS by nature, rather than by WHAT WE DO.
We CANNOT help ourselves. It is PART OF US. Sensitivity training can help us control it, but it will NOT SOLVE the problem. The same is true of any and all training in etiquette, courtesy and good manners. They all help us to camouflage and sugar coat what we know exists under the cover that we have improvised for ourselves.
There is only ONE who can help us, but humanity has been a fugitive from Him since the disobedience (rebellion) in the Garden.
Luk 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
And that isn’t half of it. Even forgiveness does not ERADICATE the problem we brought into the world with us. Forgiveness will set us free from the CONSEQUENCES of our sinful nature, but we still HAVE THAT NATURE.
Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me? Rom 7:24 Hear Paul crying. (Mourning) over the condition he finds himself in. He is assured (vs 25) that Jesus intends to deliver him from the nature of sin—someday, but that is of little help today. Today, he is lamenting the fact that he is still hindered from being a better man—the man he COULD BE if not for the downward pull of the nature of sin.
A little over 35 years ago, we attended a church that a couple of ladies had opened, and one of them, Gladys Wagner, taught some on the scripture Phi 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. She taught that Paul was writing about the Soul, or the Conscious Self, rather than the spirit. It was OUR RESPONSIBILITY to work on our SELF-LIFE, to being it into line with what God had done in our SPIRIT when He FORGAVE us. While she was teaching, my mind went back to our Bible School days when John Dearing taught us about STATE AND STANDING. He taught that Jesus gave us a perfect STANDING in God at Calvary, but we need to work on bringing up our STATE in the things of God.
I now realize that we MAY HAVE BEEN mixing Salvation teaching with Kingdom teaching and the results were contributing to confusion. WE MUST LEARN TO KEEP THEM SEPERATE. SALVATION IS FREE, BUT WE WORK FOR KINGDOM STATUS.
Jesus pronounced a special blessing on those who lament their inability to measure up to the Holiness of Jesus. He said, “They shall be comforted”. I am not sure just what that means, but I do know that the Holy Ghost is called “The Comforter”. I also know that “TRUE JOY can only be the fruit of sorrow”, as one writer has written. Paul mentioned “The God of all Comfort.” in 2 Cor 1:3
A word that comes to me just now is “Encouragement” Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not break a bruised reed, nor quench a smoking flax (42:3) No matter how nobly we try to be like Jesus, we will probably continue to fail, and discouragement lurks in the shadows. It would be so easy to just “give up”—quit trying.
Last night, a dear friend of mine reminded me that if and when we embark on a project of drawing closer to the example set by Jesus (which is the essence of Kingdom Living), we will find that we have a “Helper” (One Alongside). We are not alone in our efforts. Our “Helper” is more anxious for us to be successful than we can ever be.
When I think about being blessed, my mind often goes to the account of Jacob on the way to meet his brother Esau, whom he had not seen since having taken away the birthright and the blessing some 20 or more years ago. He had been told by the Lord that it was time to return to his home land and to his brother, but he was afraid to do it. Listen to him talk to God:
Gen 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
He then divided his possessions, and sent them across the brook. When he was alone, and in a time of crisis, he became desperate with God. We often do the same.
Gen 32:23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
Gen 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Gen 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Gen 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Jacob, while wrestling with the “man” (I believe it was God Himself) was forced to admit what his true nature was—Supplanter, Heel Grabber, Deceiver. To me, it is an excellent illustration of a man (a human being) WRESTLING with his maker for deliverance from and victory over, the NATURE of humans. WITH THE NAME CHANGE, THERE WAS ALSO A CHANGE OF NATURE.
Gen 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. (Supplanter, Heel Grabber)
Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Gen 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
In the case of King David—he loved the Lord with his whole heart. However, he was “tripped up” by his human flesh when he saw a young woman bathing at evening time. He “snapped” under the sudden, unexpected pressure it created in his body, and committed a sin that the Law of Moses COULD NOT FORGIVE. It demanded his REMOVAL from the office of Kingship, and his DEATH.
But David, in his prayer of MOURNING (Psalm 51), reached over into the time of the GRACE OF GOD (where we are living now), and left us a record of what real mourning over our inability to please God in our flesh sounds like. Listen.—
“ . Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. (emphasis added)
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a NEW NAME written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
When we become ready to admit to God (though He already knows it) what our true nature is, and wrestle with Him for the Blessing that only He can give, He is ready, able and willing to bestow that Blessing upon us.
That is a very important part of achieving KINGDOM STATUS.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Several years ago, I began asking the Lord what He meant when Jesus uttered those words. Did He mean that we should go around with stooped shoulders and a sorrowful face, as though we were tired of life? Did He mean that we were committing an infraction of Christian “rules” to ever show that we were happy or enjoying life? And, was it indeed a sin to ever indulge in light talk or gaiety, as some were teaching? They would quote to us Pro 24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. It did serve its purpose, at least when we were around where those people were.
Down, deep inside of my spirit, I knew they didn’t have a proper understanding of the scripture nor the Christian Life. But I didn’t have a satisfactory answer either. I knew someone who did know the answer, however, and I went to Him, hoping He would tell me what I needed to know. He did. Listen while I tell you about it.
Adam and Eve had complete, unblemished fellowship with the Lord in the Garden until— Until, that is, they indulged in a little rebellion (disobedience) against what God had told them not to do. I use the term “rebellion” intentionally, for we must realize and admit that ALL forms of sin are REBELLION against the Holy Spirit of God. The word “Mistake” is a less offensive term, so we use it, but it is actually a “Chip off the old block”—same stuff in maybe a smaller chunk.
You and I were both born with the same spirit of REBELLION (hatred, irreconcilable enmity) toward God that other people have. It is the root cause of all the sin and wickedness there is in the world today, or ever has been. It (our sinful nature) is damning our souls to hell, if we do not come to Jesus for forgiveness of WHAT WE ARE. We are SINNERS by nature, rather than by WHAT WE DO.
We CANNOT help ourselves. It is PART OF US. Sensitivity training can help us control it, but it will NOT SOLVE the problem. The same is true of any and all training in etiquette, courtesy and good manners. They all help us to camouflage and sugar coat what we know exists under the cover that we have improvised for ourselves.
There is only ONE who can help us, but humanity has been a fugitive from Him since the disobedience (rebellion) in the Garden.
Luk 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
And that isn’t half of it. Even forgiveness does not ERADICATE the problem we brought into the world with us. Forgiveness will set us free from the CONSEQUENCES of our sinful nature, but we still HAVE THAT NATURE.
Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me? Rom 7:24 Hear Paul crying. (Mourning) over the condition he finds himself in. He is assured (vs 25) that Jesus intends to deliver him from the nature of sin—someday, but that is of little help today. Today, he is lamenting the fact that he is still hindered from being a better man—the man he COULD BE if not for the downward pull of the nature of sin.
A little over 35 years ago, we attended a church that a couple of ladies had opened, and one of them, Gladys Wagner, taught some on the scripture Phi 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. She taught that Paul was writing about the Soul, or the Conscious Self, rather than the spirit. It was OUR RESPONSIBILITY to work on our SELF-LIFE, to being it into line with what God had done in our SPIRIT when He FORGAVE us. While she was teaching, my mind went back to our Bible School days when John Dearing taught us about STATE AND STANDING. He taught that Jesus gave us a perfect STANDING in God at Calvary, but we need to work on bringing up our STATE in the things of God.
I now realize that we MAY HAVE BEEN mixing Salvation teaching with Kingdom teaching and the results were contributing to confusion. WE MUST LEARN TO KEEP THEM SEPERATE. SALVATION IS FREE, BUT WE WORK FOR KINGDOM STATUS.
Jesus pronounced a special blessing on those who lament their inability to measure up to the Holiness of Jesus. He said, “They shall be comforted”. I am not sure just what that means, but I do know that the Holy Ghost is called “The Comforter”. I also know that “TRUE JOY can only be the fruit of sorrow”, as one writer has written. Paul mentioned “The God of all Comfort.” in 2 Cor 1:3
A word that comes to me just now is “Encouragement” Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not break a bruised reed, nor quench a smoking flax (42:3) No matter how nobly we try to be like Jesus, we will probably continue to fail, and discouragement lurks in the shadows. It would be so easy to just “give up”—quit trying.
Last night, a dear friend of mine reminded me that if and when we embark on a project of drawing closer to the example set by Jesus (which is the essence of Kingdom Living), we will find that we have a “Helper” (One Alongside). We are not alone in our efforts. Our “Helper” is more anxious for us to be successful than we can ever be.
When I think about being blessed, my mind often goes to the account of Jacob on the way to meet his brother Esau, whom he had not seen since having taken away the birthright and the blessing some 20 or more years ago. He had been told by the Lord that it was time to return to his home land and to his brother, but he was afraid to do it. Listen to him talk to God:
Gen 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
Gen 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
He then divided his possessions, and sent them across the brook. When he was alone, and in a time of crisis, he became desperate with God. We often do the same.
Gen 32:23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
Gen 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Gen 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Gen 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Jacob, while wrestling with the “man” (I believe it was God Himself) was forced to admit what his true nature was—Supplanter, Heel Grabber, Deceiver. To me, it is an excellent illustration of a man (a human being) WRESTLING with his maker for deliverance from and victory over, the NATURE of humans. WITH THE NAME CHANGE, THERE WAS ALSO A CHANGE OF NATURE.
Gen 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. (Supplanter, Heel Grabber)
Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Gen 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
In the case of King David—he loved the Lord with his whole heart. However, he was “tripped up” by his human flesh when he saw a young woman bathing at evening time. He “snapped” under the sudden, unexpected pressure it created in his body, and committed a sin that the Law of Moses COULD NOT FORGIVE. It demanded his REMOVAL from the office of Kingship, and his DEATH.
But David, in his prayer of MOURNING (Psalm 51), reached over into the time of the GRACE OF GOD (where we are living now), and left us a record of what real mourning over our inability to please God in our flesh sounds like. Listen.—
“ . Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. (emphasis added)
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a NEW NAME written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
When we become ready to admit to God (though He already knows it) what our true nature is, and wrestle with Him for the Blessing that only He can give, He is ready, able and willing to bestow that Blessing upon us.
That is a very important part of achieving KINGDOM STATUS.
A REBUTTAL
A REBUTTAL
Here is a rebuttal to my article "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT" (which I published on the World Wide Web)---It came from a young man I have known for many years.----- Marion
My concerns over the insurgence of CD (Christian Dominionism) does not abate. So I decided to do a short bit of rebuttal.
Here's a very brief summary of why I doubt that the CDs are God's messengers of the hour. I propose, instead, that they are violating the precepts of Jesus.
It is just my opinion, but it makes enough sense to me to send it to you. Any rebuttal or agreement is equally welcome.
I don't claim to be certain -- else the following summary could not have been written by me. (In truth, I am pretty certain. For I am just as ego driven as anyone. Even when we know truth, it does not mean it has been incorporated into our behavior.)
----------------------
Christianity teaches that poverty of spirit is achieved through a transformation of our desires to fit God's will -- minimizing our ego and maximizing the attributes that God desires (selflessness). But this beatitude has been done great violence by some of modern Christendom's main public voices.
The violence comes from focusing on defining what constitutes the latter part of the equation (what God desires) to the exclusion of the former part (minimizing our egos). The "we are one true Church" characteristic is present in every denomination; and probably is the single most disgusting attribute of every denomination in God's eyes. There is nothing wrong with following our true beliefs; this is what we are called to do. But when we become so certain that we (our denomination) are the true repository of God's truths, we have overstepped; this claim that we are the one true Church surely means we have maximized our ego instead of minimizing it. It is this hubris, that we possess all the spiritual insight that causes us to try to force our idea of "the attributes that God desires in his people" onto all others. This is an utter violation of minimizing our egos; and is also a strong expression of self.
We need to be less certain that we are the voice of God. None of us have a "God's-eye-view." No one sees things as God sees things, as they truly are. Each person sees from his/her own perspective. We can become overly certain that we know God's will, when we perhaps have been fooled by our own heart or by false teaching or misunderstanding. Even if we have the right doctrines and a pure heart, we do not have completeness of understanding, nor are we free from our egos. Our "voice of God" is far from perfect.
This cautionary is in no way promoting subjectivism or relativism or the idea that each person creates his/her own truth. There is objective truth. But God is the only one who can say with certainty what objective truth is. We humans are too fallible to hold any degree of certainty that we know objective truth. Both history and current day examples prove this statement.
Looking back on history, we see many Christians burned at the stake for heresy. The problem is, however, that what they died for back then is now accepted theology. It was not just the Catholic church that burned people at the stake for heresy. We had it in early America, amongst Protestant groups too. Just ask the Quakers, Methodists, and Baptists if any of their early American followers were burned by the Puritans? The answer is, of course, affirmative.
For a current day example, if you are theologically competent at all, you can quickly understand just how little we agree as to what is objective truth by listening for one hour to any televangelist who spouts his certainty that he possesses THE truth. You will, in that hour hear several statements he makes that are not THE truth as you know it.
That televangelist needs to be less certain that his understanding is THE truth. And, so should you and I do be less certain of our understandings too. If I disagree with him, logic says that one of us must be wrong. Logic, however, does not dictate that it is him that is wrong; it could be him or it could be me. Only ego would propose that it cannot be me. We humans need to have some poverty of spirit regarding our ability to discern objective truth. Only God sees truth entirely as it is; we all see things from a personal perspective and not from God's objective perspective.
As we strive to shed our personal desires and "put on Christ," or will what God wills, there is a danger that in trying to will God's will, we will only be willing our skewed interpretation of God's will. This is a great danger. Who has not changed their understanding of God's will as they matured? But we were certain we knew it back then -- just as we are certain we know it now. And will be certain we know it when we change our views a decade from now. It is precisely this tendency to be certain of that which is uncertain that caused Jesus to write this beatitude. He calls for humility of spirit; a repression of our cocksure egos. And this beatitude is almost utterly ignored by the dominant mouthpieces of modern Christendom's. Is it too strong a statement to say that they are teaching doctrine opposite to that which Jesus taught? I think not.
Despite the uncertainty of the process, or perhaps because of it, poverty of spirit should make us seek to transform our desires to fit God's will; this need I will not deny. But this seeking is not enough. In addition to seeking must come humility. This same poverty of spirit should keep us very humble about our potential fallibilities and the uncertainties of this process.
We all have seen others who have been certain they knew God's will, and we have been equally certain that they did not. It is, of course, our egos that make us so certain that our understanding trumps theirs. If we have poverty of spirit, we will be more tolerant of other viewpoints, as perhaps being something we should seriously and prayerfully investigate. And if we ultimately reject that viewpoint, we should only reject it internally, not in ego driven public declamation. Poverty of spirit means we will never try to force our ideas on others; nor proclaim that we are the holders of THE truth. The hubris that drives men to insist that they know God's will only proves that they have not allowed God to empty them of their own pride and self certainty.
This cautionary is in no way promoting the idea that our religious beliefs should not be discussed and debated. It does promote the idea that much humility is called for. How quickly we declaim the spirituality of others. Jesus was far more inclusive in his acceptance of any who named the name of Christ. It is far better to err on the side of including in Christ's fold those who are not than it is to exclude those who are. (What God hath cleansed, let no man call unclean.) Jesus, in fact, ordered us not to try and separate the tares from the wheat. He has reserved that task for himself at the time of harvest. It is his crop; not ours.
True Christianity demands that we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. There is no room for demanding that others conform to our concepts of Godliness. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit offer truth gently. If we refuse it, they don't force it down our throats. The behavior of the Holy Spirit in presenting truth is always gently. There is no force. You have free will, and the Creator does not violate what has been given to you.
So where do we get the idea that we have the right to cram our religious ideas forcefully down other's throats? How can we possibly understand this to be the will of the Jesus? The answer lies in the Old Testament.
Clearly, in the Old Testament, a person could be killed for rejecting or violating the law of God. But this was under the old covenant. Under that covenant, the Israelites were literally born into a covenant of blessing and cursing; it was not a personal decision; it was a coercive theocracy. The new covenant is much different. It is individualistic. No national salvation. No salvation by birth. You must choose. Free will -- freedom to choose -- is the hallmark of the new covenant. But oh how many of us desire to return to selected aspects of the old covenant. We don't want all the down sides of the old covenant, but we sure want the coercion.
In this major area, Paul teachings appear to be contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Religion by force is throughout the Pauline epistles. It is my opinion that Paul was so thoroughly steeped with Old Testament theology (and his own ego) that he could not adapt to the new theology of Jesus.
Paul was willing to accept that salvation came to individuals by personal decision, instead of to nations by birthright. He recognized and accepted the personal nature of the decision process regarding salvation. But, he could not bring himself to believe that your working through the process of salvation remained between you and God. He wanted the church to insert itself into the process just as strongly as it did in Judaism.
Paul most assuredly was as demanding of "acceptable standards" as the Scribes and Pharisees who received such scathing denunciation from Jesus. They were so certain that they understood the "plain truth" of the law. And Jesus told them that they had no understanding. How do we suppose Jesus would respond to the Christian Dominionists of today? I suspect he'd be just as scathing to them: choking over gnats and swallowing camels; neglecting the core aspects of true religion and majoring on outward appearances; loving public prayers and hating ones enemies; money changing in the temples; etc. I fear that the CDs are as antichrist like in nature as the old Catholic church was during the dark ages.
How like God that the Catholic church of today has transformed itself to a church that seeks justice for all, care for the poor, and humility before God, and the modern Protestant church is drifting into the same mannerisms that they so soundly renounced in the old Catholic church. Could it be that the arrogance of the Protestants has brought their own decline? (And no, I don't condone the sins of the Catholic church regarding child molestation amongst the priests. I just credit them for the parts they have got right.)
Here is a rebuttal to my article "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT" (which I published on the World Wide Web)---It came from a young man I have known for many years.----- Marion
My concerns over the insurgence of CD (Christian Dominionism) does not abate. So I decided to do a short bit of rebuttal.
Here's a very brief summary of why I doubt that the CDs are God's messengers of the hour. I propose, instead, that they are violating the precepts of Jesus.
It is just my opinion, but it makes enough sense to me to send it to you. Any rebuttal or agreement is equally welcome.
I don't claim to be certain -- else the following summary could not have been written by me. (In truth, I am pretty certain. For I am just as ego driven as anyone. Even when we know truth, it does not mean it has been incorporated into our behavior.)
----------------------
Christianity teaches that poverty of spirit is achieved through a transformation of our desires to fit God's will -- minimizing our ego and maximizing the attributes that God desires (selflessness). But this beatitude has been done great violence by some of modern Christendom's main public voices.
The violence comes from focusing on defining what constitutes the latter part of the equation (what God desires) to the exclusion of the former part (minimizing our egos). The "we are one true Church" characteristic is present in every denomination; and probably is the single most disgusting attribute of every denomination in God's eyes. There is nothing wrong with following our true beliefs; this is what we are called to do. But when we become so certain that we (our denomination) are the true repository of God's truths, we have overstepped; this claim that we are the one true Church surely means we have maximized our ego instead of minimizing it. It is this hubris, that we possess all the spiritual insight that causes us to try to force our idea of "the attributes that God desires in his people" onto all others. This is an utter violation of minimizing our egos; and is also a strong expression of self.
We need to be less certain that we are the voice of God. None of us have a "God's-eye-view." No one sees things as God sees things, as they truly are. Each person sees from his/her own perspective. We can become overly certain that we know God's will, when we perhaps have been fooled by our own heart or by false teaching or misunderstanding. Even if we have the right doctrines and a pure heart, we do not have completeness of understanding, nor are we free from our egos. Our "voice of God" is far from perfect.
This cautionary is in no way promoting subjectivism or relativism or the idea that each person creates his/her own truth. There is objective truth. But God is the only one who can say with certainty what objective truth is. We humans are too fallible to hold any degree of certainty that we know objective truth. Both history and current day examples prove this statement.
Looking back on history, we see many Christians burned at the stake for heresy. The problem is, however, that what they died for back then is now accepted theology. It was not just the Catholic church that burned people at the stake for heresy. We had it in early America, amongst Protestant groups too. Just ask the Quakers, Methodists, and Baptists if any of their early American followers were burned by the Puritans? The answer is, of course, affirmative.
For a current day example, if you are theologically competent at all, you can quickly understand just how little we agree as to what is objective truth by listening for one hour to any televangelist who spouts his certainty that he possesses THE truth. You will, in that hour hear several statements he makes that are not THE truth as you know it.
That televangelist needs to be less certain that his understanding is THE truth. And, so should you and I do be less certain of our understandings too. If I disagree with him, logic says that one of us must be wrong. Logic, however, does not dictate that it is him that is wrong; it could be him or it could be me. Only ego would propose that it cannot be me. We humans need to have some poverty of spirit regarding our ability to discern objective truth. Only God sees truth entirely as it is; we all see things from a personal perspective and not from God's objective perspective.
As we strive to shed our personal desires and "put on Christ," or will what God wills, there is a danger that in trying to will God's will, we will only be willing our skewed interpretation of God's will. This is a great danger. Who has not changed their understanding of God's will as they matured? But we were certain we knew it back then -- just as we are certain we know it now. And will be certain we know it when we change our views a decade from now. It is precisely this tendency to be certain of that which is uncertain that caused Jesus to write this beatitude. He calls for humility of spirit; a repression of our cocksure egos. And this beatitude is almost utterly ignored by the dominant mouthpieces of modern Christendom's. Is it too strong a statement to say that they are teaching doctrine opposite to that which Jesus taught? I think not.
Despite the uncertainty of the process, or perhaps because of it, poverty of spirit should make us seek to transform our desires to fit God's will; this need I will not deny. But this seeking is not enough. In addition to seeking must come humility. This same poverty of spirit should keep us very humble about our potential fallibilities and the uncertainties of this process.
We all have seen others who have been certain they knew God's will, and we have been equally certain that they did not. It is, of course, our egos that make us so certain that our understanding trumps theirs. If we have poverty of spirit, we will be more tolerant of other viewpoints, as perhaps being something we should seriously and prayerfully investigate. And if we ultimately reject that viewpoint, we should only reject it internally, not in ego driven public declamation. Poverty of spirit means we will never try to force our ideas on others; nor proclaim that we are the holders of THE truth. The hubris that drives men to insist that they know God's will only proves that they have not allowed God to empty them of their own pride and self certainty.
This cautionary is in no way promoting the idea that our religious beliefs should not be discussed and debated. It does promote the idea that much humility is called for. How quickly we declaim the spirituality of others. Jesus was far more inclusive in his acceptance of any who named the name of Christ. It is far better to err on the side of including in Christ's fold those who are not than it is to exclude those who are. (What God hath cleansed, let no man call unclean.) Jesus, in fact, ordered us not to try and separate the tares from the wheat. He has reserved that task for himself at the time of harvest. It is his crop; not ours.
True Christianity demands that we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. There is no room for demanding that others conform to our concepts of Godliness. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit offer truth gently. If we refuse it, they don't force it down our throats. The behavior of the Holy Spirit in presenting truth is always gently. There is no force. You have free will, and the Creator does not violate what has been given to you.
So where do we get the idea that we have the right to cram our religious ideas forcefully down other's throats? How can we possibly understand this to be the will of the Jesus? The answer lies in the Old Testament.
Clearly, in the Old Testament, a person could be killed for rejecting or violating the law of God. But this was under the old covenant. Under that covenant, the Israelites were literally born into a covenant of blessing and cursing; it was not a personal decision; it was a coercive theocracy. The new covenant is much different. It is individualistic. No national salvation. No salvation by birth. You must choose. Free will -- freedom to choose -- is the hallmark of the new covenant. But oh how many of us desire to return to selected aspects of the old covenant. We don't want all the down sides of the old covenant, but we sure want the coercion.
In this major area, Paul teachings appear to be contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Religion by force is throughout the Pauline epistles. It is my opinion that Paul was so thoroughly steeped with Old Testament theology (and his own ego) that he could not adapt to the new theology of Jesus.
Paul was willing to accept that salvation came to individuals by personal decision, instead of to nations by birthright. He recognized and accepted the personal nature of the decision process regarding salvation. But, he could not bring himself to believe that your working through the process of salvation remained between you and God. He wanted the church to insert itself into the process just as strongly as it did in Judaism.
Paul most assuredly was as demanding of "acceptable standards" as the Scribes and Pharisees who received such scathing denunciation from Jesus. They were so certain that they understood the "plain truth" of the law. And Jesus told them that they had no understanding. How do we suppose Jesus would respond to the Christian Dominionists of today? I suspect he'd be just as scathing to them: choking over gnats and swallowing camels; neglecting the core aspects of true religion and majoring on outward appearances; loving public prayers and hating ones enemies; money changing in the temples; etc. I fear that the CDs are as antichrist like in nature as the old Catholic church was during the dark ages.
How like God that the Catholic church of today has transformed itself to a church that seeks justice for all, care for the poor, and humility before God, and the modern Protestant church is drifting into the same mannerisms that they so soundly renounced in the old Catholic church. Could it be that the arrogance of the Protestants has brought their own decline? (And no, I don't condone the sins of the Catholic church regarding child molestation amongst the priests. I just credit them for the parts they have got right.)
BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT
BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT
I wonder sometimes why we (I should say I) have been so slow to learn some of the truths contained in the Bible. I have been an avid reader of scripture since I received the infilling of the Spirit in the Spring of 1938. I spent the next summer working for a rancher in Notus, Idaho. The ranch was out next to the sage brush, and miles from the nearest Church, so I spent my Sundays, and evenings in my tent-house sleeping quarters with my Bible. I couldn’t get enough of it.
It has now been over 70 years since I started studying, and I am just now learning some of the “secrets” that have been there all the time. I wonder “Where have I been”?.
I know, some of you have probably known for a long time what I am just now learning. If that is so, please bear with me, for there may be other folks who are still as much in the dark as I have been, on some of these subjects I’ll relate some of my new facts for their sakes.
First, I have been trying to establish the fact that Jesus DID NOT talk very much about people getting “saved” as we use the term today. Rather, He taught about THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I’ve been telling you that there is a difference between having our sins forgiven (getting saved), and earning (yes, I do mean earning) a place in the Kingdom of God. We MUST have our sins forgiven before we can even think about a place in the KINGDOM OF GOD, but forgiveness of sins DOES NOT automatically make us members of the KINGDOM OF GOD. Neither does forgiveness of sins automatically constitute the New Birth.
One of the key scriptures (and there are many more key scriptures) signifying these two steps is found in the Gospel of John . Joh 1:12 But as many as RECEIVED HIM (sins forgiven), to them gave he POWER (EXOUSIA—Privilege, permission) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God
THIS, then, is the essence of being BORN AGAIN. (emphases added) It is much more than a mental assent. Mental assent can bring Salvation to us, but being Born Again will require a definite encounter with the Spirit of God. Many of us have been lacking this experience, and sometimes wondering what is wrong with us.
Let’s look at the Sermon On The Mount. It has been called “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM”
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Is that telling us we MUST have the trait mentioned there in order to be saved from the consequences of our sinful nature? I do NOT believe so. Forgiveness of sins is FREE (no strings attached) when we declare (confess) that Jesus Christ is the Son Of God.
But, if we aspire to the Stature of the Kingdom, WE WILL HAVE TO WORK ON OUR SPIRIT TO BRING IT INTO CONFORMITY TO THE NATURE OF GOD.
That complicates the situation considerably. On one hand we have the words of Jesus, saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden—I will give you rest.” And on the other hand we have the words of the same Jesus telling us that we have to, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate—for many try and can not do it.” Which of these sayings are we supposed to believe and act on?
The “Holiness People” devised a plan many years ago, before the 1900’s, whereby we could “help the situation along”, by the men not wearing neckties, wrist watches or gold watch chains across their vests, etc., and the ladies wearing old fashioned attire, etc.. “That would help out immensely”, they taught. But it failed to produce the desired results. Instead, it produced a sort of prideful rivalry among the believers to see who was dressed in a more “holy” manner than the others. It was aimed in the wrong direction—the OUTSIDE (the appearance), instead of the INSIDE (the spirit). Pride, of any sort, comes from the inside, and must be dealt with there, or we can not deal with it at all.
Probably the main reason for Jesus to say, “Blessed are the Poor in spirit” was because He knew that it would be real work for us as human beings to attain to and maintain an attitude of poverty toward God, and continually realize that without Jesus we have nothing with which to be worthy of Salvation. And without Salvation, we have absolutely no hope of ever attaining to KINGDOM STATURE.
Mat 5:3 "Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (God’s Word)
Mat 5:3 "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! (GoodNewsBible)
Mat 5:3 God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! (ContemporaryEnglishVersion)
I use the term “KINGDOM STATURE” deliberately to help steer our thoughts away from attaining to MEMBERSHIP in what might be called a “club” or “honor society”. Instead, it will be, in my opinion anyway, a condition of the heart and personality of each individual who is granted the privilege of enjoying that level of relationship to Jesus Christ. There, that is the definition I have been searching for! “RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST”
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Jesus had an “attitude” toward those who were proud of their “righteousness”.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Pro 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
It is entirely a condition of the HEART (spirit) of each individual. And ONLY GOD knows the heart (we can not, because it is capable of being deceitful above all things). Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
NOTHING THAT IS UNDER GOD'S CURSE WILL BE FOUND IN THE “CITY”. We have our work all “cut out for us” if we are hoping to be a part of that “City” that is called the Kingdom of God. It is also called the Paradise of God.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
It has been quite a jolt to finally learn that the Kingdom is not talking about a geographic location, but a group of humans (in mortal bodies ?) who have successfully risen above the impulses of carnal flesh, to a place of victory over what Satan implanted within them at birth. Not ONLY salvation from, but VICTORY OVER that Adamic nature.
Achieving such a stature in God is much more difficult than it would seem on the surface, and we CAN NOT ACCOMPLISH IT WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD to guide us.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye THROUGH THE SPIRIT do mortify (overcome) the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, they are the sons of God.
It is a simple equation—if we live for the pleasures and gains of our earthly life, we must forfeit our chances of attaining to a relationship to Jesus Christ that will qualify us for the Kingdom. Conversely, if we prioritize our Spiritual Life—even if it means not “keeping up with the Joneses”—we can reach the goal of KINGDOM STATURE. It is in that Spiritual stance that we can experience the “fullness of joy and pleasures forever more. Psa 16”
Poor in (the natural) spirit—Rich in (the Holy) Spirit.
I wonder sometimes why we (I should say I) have been so slow to learn some of the truths contained in the Bible. I have been an avid reader of scripture since I received the infilling of the Spirit in the Spring of 1938. I spent the next summer working for a rancher in Notus, Idaho. The ranch was out next to the sage brush, and miles from the nearest Church, so I spent my Sundays, and evenings in my tent-house sleeping quarters with my Bible. I couldn’t get enough of it.
It has now been over 70 years since I started studying, and I am just now learning some of the “secrets” that have been there all the time. I wonder “Where have I been”?.
I know, some of you have probably known for a long time what I am just now learning. If that is so, please bear with me, for there may be other folks who are still as much in the dark as I have been, on some of these subjects I’ll relate some of my new facts for their sakes.
First, I have been trying to establish the fact that Jesus DID NOT talk very much about people getting “saved” as we use the term today. Rather, He taught about THE KINGDOM OF GOD. I’ve been telling you that there is a difference between having our sins forgiven (getting saved), and earning (yes, I do mean earning) a place in the Kingdom of God. We MUST have our sins forgiven before we can even think about a place in the KINGDOM OF GOD, but forgiveness of sins DOES NOT automatically make us members of the KINGDOM OF GOD. Neither does forgiveness of sins automatically constitute the New Birth.
One of the key scriptures (and there are many more key scriptures) signifying these two steps is found in the Gospel of John . Joh 1:12 But as many as RECEIVED HIM (sins forgiven), to them gave he POWER (EXOUSIA—Privilege, permission) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God
THIS, then, is the essence of being BORN AGAIN. (emphases added) It is much more than a mental assent. Mental assent can bring Salvation to us, but being Born Again will require a definite encounter with the Spirit of God. Many of us have been lacking this experience, and sometimes wondering what is wrong with us.
Let’s look at the Sermon On The Mount. It has been called “THE CONSTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM”
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Is that telling us we MUST have the trait mentioned there in order to be saved from the consequences of our sinful nature? I do NOT believe so. Forgiveness of sins is FREE (no strings attached) when we declare (confess) that Jesus Christ is the Son Of God.
But, if we aspire to the Stature of the Kingdom, WE WILL HAVE TO WORK ON OUR SPIRIT TO BRING IT INTO CONFORMITY TO THE NATURE OF GOD.
That complicates the situation considerably. On one hand we have the words of Jesus, saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden—I will give you rest.” And on the other hand we have the words of the same Jesus telling us that we have to, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate—for many try and can not do it.” Which of these sayings are we supposed to believe and act on?
The “Holiness People” devised a plan many years ago, before the 1900’s, whereby we could “help the situation along”, by the men not wearing neckties, wrist watches or gold watch chains across their vests, etc., and the ladies wearing old fashioned attire, etc.. “That would help out immensely”, they taught. But it failed to produce the desired results. Instead, it produced a sort of prideful rivalry among the believers to see who was dressed in a more “holy” manner than the others. It was aimed in the wrong direction—the OUTSIDE (the appearance), instead of the INSIDE (the spirit). Pride, of any sort, comes from the inside, and must be dealt with there, or we can not deal with it at all.
Probably the main reason for Jesus to say, “Blessed are the Poor in spirit” was because He knew that it would be real work for us as human beings to attain to and maintain an attitude of poverty toward God, and continually realize that without Jesus we have nothing with which to be worthy of Salvation. And without Salvation, we have absolutely no hope of ever attaining to KINGDOM STATURE.
Mat 5:3 "Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. (God’s Word)
Mat 5:3 "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! (GoodNewsBible)
Mat 5:3 God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! (ContemporaryEnglishVersion)
I use the term “KINGDOM STATURE” deliberately to help steer our thoughts away from attaining to MEMBERSHIP in what might be called a “club” or “honor society”. Instead, it will be, in my opinion anyway, a condition of the heart and personality of each individual who is granted the privilege of enjoying that level of relationship to Jesus Christ. There, that is the definition I have been searching for! “RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS CHRIST”
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Jesus had an “attitude” toward those who were proud of their “righteousness”.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Pro 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
It is entirely a condition of the HEART (spirit) of each individual. And ONLY GOD knows the heart (we can not, because it is capable of being deceitful above all things). Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
NOTHING THAT IS UNDER GOD'S CURSE WILL BE FOUND IN THE “CITY”. We have our work all “cut out for us” if we are hoping to be a part of that “City” that is called the Kingdom of God. It is also called the Paradise of God.
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
It has been quite a jolt to finally learn that the Kingdom is not talking about a geographic location, but a group of humans (in mortal bodies ?) who have successfully risen above the impulses of carnal flesh, to a place of victory over what Satan implanted within them at birth. Not ONLY salvation from, but VICTORY OVER that Adamic nature.
Achieving such a stature in God is much more difficult than it would seem on the surface, and we CAN NOT ACCOMPLISH IT WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD to guide us.
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye THROUGH THE SPIRIT do mortify (overcome) the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, they are the sons of God.
It is a simple equation—if we live for the pleasures and gains of our earthly life, we must forfeit our chances of attaining to a relationship to Jesus Christ that will qualify us for the Kingdom. Conversely, if we prioritize our Spiritual Life—even if it means not “keeping up with the Joneses”—we can reach the goal of KINGDOM STATURE. It is in that Spiritual stance that we can experience the “fullness of joy and pleasures forever more. Psa 16”
Poor in (the natural) spirit—Rich in (the Holy) Spirit.
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