TIMES OF WARNING
Several times when The Lord was preparing to send judgment on the human race, He would give a warning so that folks who would listen could change their manner of life, and thus avoid the consequences. I think of a few:
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
This, of course, was a prediction of the flood and of the length of time it would be before Methuselah would die. His name, given to him over 800 years before, had been a prophecy of the coming flood. Now, a definite time is established for the meaning of his name to be fulfilled (“he dies, a going forth”).
Another such prediction was given to Abraham on the plains of Mamre while he conversed with God. It would be nine generations before this one was to be fully realized. BUT IT DID HAPPEN. Just like the Lord said it would, Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. I gather that the Lord was implying to Abraham that it would be fully nine generations before He would feel that He had given the Amorites ample opportunity to change their ways. They didn’t, so He sent the Children of Israel into their land to decimate them. He also wrecked Egypt in the process.
The first Covenant had what I call a “contingent clause” containing two words—“But if”. That one provision spoiled the whole thing, and the Covenant ended up in the scrap heap.
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Our sins and failures were laid on Jesus (see Isaiah 53) at Calvary, and when we accept His sacrificial death for ourselves, a process is started which will ultimately bring about our complete Salvation and deliverance.
That is not to imply that we will not encounter obstacles and threats to our total deliverance along the way, but it does ensure total victory if we can maintain Faith in the Integrity of what God has said He will do. Our Salvation no longer depends on what we can do, but on God’s faithfulness to His Word in our behalf.
To be sure, there are many enemies lurking along the pathway of our life, waiting to hurt us or destroy our faith in Jesus, but they can not, (dare not) cross the Faith Line to damage us, much as they might try.
As a matter of fact. God has issued a stern warning to those enemies of His Plan for us in Jesus Christ. We find the record of their demise in the last book of the Bible—The Revelation of Jesus Christ. It is the Book of our Deliverance from our enemies—many of which we do not recognize as being enemies. We have a tendency to be fear-stricken when we think of the downfall of some of our enemies. That is because we fail to see them as enemies instead of friends.
But that condition will change as God continues to build His Church into what He intends for it to be in its finality.
Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
That statement is used four times in the KJV.
Do you have any ideas about who those enemies are?
Monday, December 21, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
THE KINGDOM OF SOLOMON -- THE KINGDOM OF GOD
THE KINGDOM OF SOLOMON---
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
There are several striking similarities between the historical Kingdom of Solomon and the future Kingdom of God. We would like to look at a few of them.
You will recall that David, the father of Solomon, was the one who wanted to build a House for the Lord. He was forbidden to do so because he had been a man of war—one who had spilled blood. Solomon, his son, would be a man of Peace. (Isa 11:9 Isa 65:25)
We are told that David was, however, allowed to gather materials and draw plans for the Temple that was to be built.
The Kingdom of Solomon was a different kind of kingdom than the other families of the earth had ever known.
No other king had ever asked the Lord for Wisdom to govern such a vast number of people, like Solomon had done. His desire for Wisdom to rule (for the sake of others) took precedence over the desire for riches or fame, like the normal man would have chosen. The desire for personal gain was probably just as strong in the man Solomon as it is in any of us who are alive today, but there was another need which was far greater than anything he might want for himself. He was convinced that the people belonged to the Lord, and he wanted to leave no stone unturned in an effort to ensure that they were governed in the manner chosen by God.
In a similar fashion, the Kingdom of God will consist of people just like you and me who also have their priorities in similar alignment to those of Solomon. They will have consciously asked the Lord for what it takes to be victors over the desires of humanity, and to become willing slaves of the Spirit of God. The Word tells us that “Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie—“.
The “flaming sword” that the Lord put in the Garden of Eden will forbid entry to any and all who have not “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Gal 5:24
We cannot stress too vigorously the fact that these statements are NOT meant to keep people from being “saved”, as we use the term today. They are NOT referring to us putting our trust in Jesus to forgive the inherent SIN we were born with. That is all taken care of when we ask Jesus for the Forgiveness HE PROVIDED for us on the Cross of Calvary, and declare (confess) that we believe Him to be the SON OF GOD.
But there are myriads (millions) of people who have trusted Jesus and are Christians in every sense of the word today who DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and what would be required to attain to it.
1Ki 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
1Ki 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1Ki 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
1Ki 3:11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
1Ki 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
1Ki 3:13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
1Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
Why did God do this? I believe it was for the purpose of giving us a “preview” of what the future Kingdom Of God will possibly be like. I see several similarities between the “past” kingdom of Solomon and the “future” or “present” Kingdom Of God.
I think that the primary purpose of God putting His Blessing on the reign of Solomon was to leave us with a testimony of what He is capable of doing in the lives of His Children if they will PUT HIM FIRST IN THEIR LIVES. I do not mean to imply that a Christian will never have difficult times, nor suffer any apparent “losses”, for that is NOT taught in the Bible. We can suffer terrible physical or financial “losses” but still be quite “prosperous” in our Spiritual life. We should put the emphasis on our relationship to God rather than our physical or monetary well-being. God does.
After Solomon had built the Temple, the Lord responded to his prayer of Dedication with a conditional promise. Solomon did not/could not fulfill the conditions, so the promise was never completely fulfilled by the Lord either.
But the failure of the agreement with Solomon could have no negative effect on the Unconditional promise that had been given to Solomon’s father, David. That one is still being fulfilled, to the letter, right before our eyes.
1Ki 9:2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
1Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
It happened just like the Lord warned the king. As long as he put God first in his life and in the kingdom, God caused him to prosper, but time and success took its toll. In time he began to drift from his resolve, and he eventually became one of the world’s worst fools. It proved that the wisdom he displayed at the first was NOT a human wisdom, but one that God had given to him—for the purpose of showing to the world what He could do through a dedicated human being.
1Ki 10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
1Ki 10:24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
1Ki 10:25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
1Ki 10:14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
1Ki 10:15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
1Ki 4:21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
Did Solomon remain true to his faith and dependence upon God? No, of course not, for he allowed honor, fame and riches to turn him from his utter dependence upon God. If he had been successful, men would have started to worship him in place of God, the same as many religions of the world have been centered upon a man, rather than God.
Now, about the future Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Heaven.)
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, (the Mountain of His Holiness) and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (see the Tabernacle of Moses)
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed (DIVINE MEASURE) to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. (the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle)
Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. (these are people)
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones (THESE ARE PEOPLE). The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; (people again)
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl (these are people): and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (pearls are produced by discomfort and suffering) (people again)
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (see Eph 2:21)
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. (homage, but not membership)
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it (attain to membership) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (do we REALLY understand the New Birth?)
The Kingdom of God (Heaven) is described in several different ways. Many of them, we have relegated to Eternity and Heaven, but that has not always been correct.
It is a phenomenon that will take place right here on earth, but it will NOT be accomplished by the efforts or ingenuity of any segment of humanity. When scripture says it comes down from God out of Heaven, it does not imply that it is actually a physical entity descending from the sky to the earth. It means that it is produced and maintained by the Spirit of God.
It will be a WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN THE HEARTS OF MEN, right here on earth. It will be the fulfillment of the scripture that tells us He will do a “Quick work, and cut it short in righteousness.” (Rom 9:28 Isa 10:22-23)
Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isa 35:2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
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. (the royal priesthood)
Isa 52:12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
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.
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings (a Kingdom) and priests (a Priesthood): and we shall reign on the earth.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (every square inch)
Isa 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Jesus gave a short synopsis of the traits of character that each member of the Kingdom of God will be expected to possess. It is our responsibility to acquire those traits of character. Yet, there is NO WAY that we can, in our own strength, acquire those traits. We, Like Solomon, must ASK FOR THEM from the Lord.
Ironically, we will discover that we will also be required to give up and denounce some of the traits we got from the human family.
Jesus taught:
Blessed are the poor in Spirit.
Blessed are they that mourn.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed –hunger and thirst after righteousness
Blessed are the merciful.
Blessed are the pure in heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers.
Blessed are—persecuted.
Blessed—reviled.
It is my belief that the Lord will be looking for these and maybe other qualities of character in the lives of folks who are candidates to be chosen as members of His Earthly Kingdom when the time comes.
I sincerely hope I am able to meet His Holy Standard. It will be ONLY by the enabling Grace of God if I do.
These, and other similar traits, will have to be WHAT GOD PUTS INTO US, rather than any we can acquire or already have. We are entirely inadequate for the job.
You see, THE CITY IS MADE BY GOD. (without hands). Only God can accomplish the Character Refinement in our lives that will make us fit for a place in His Kingdom, “By the spirit of Judgment (prioritizing) and the Spirit of Burning.” Isa 4:4
Solomon’s Temple was built ‘WITHOUT THE SOUND OF A HAMMER”
Solomon’s Worship was “breath-taking”. (1 Ki 10) God’s Glory filled the temple.
Rev 21:23 And the city (people governed by a common law, though maybe not in one place) had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (This is a SPIRITUAL LIGHT, rather than sunlight or electric light)
I believe this is a description of the Kingdom members. The Spirit of God shines through them, wherever they happen to be—possibly (probably) not all in one place.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honor (tribute) of the (other) nations into it.
Jesus told His disciples:
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions (abodes): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, (the Eternal realm) there ye may be also.
At least one other translation (God’s Word) reads:
Joh 14:3 If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again. Then I will bring you into my presence so that you will be where I am.
That will be ENTIRELY a work of the SPIRIT OF GOD. Humanity is UTTERLY HELPLESS to accomplish the task.
“Unto HIM shall the gathering of the people be” Gen 49:10
Last night, I was sitting here at the computer studying, switching back and forth between my word processor and my Bible program. It was late, and I was getting sleepy, but I was becoming aware of a “light” beginning to glow in the back recesses of my spirit. Fully 54 years ago, an older man in the assembly I was serving had mentioned to me that “Cloud/s” in the prophetic scriptures did NOT mean the white, foggy areas we see in our skies, but, rather, it was a “code name” for some Spiritual Phenomenon (like the word “air” is a “code name” for the realm that is now ruled by Satan).
I went to bed, knowing that if the “light” I was seeing in the distance was really from The Lord, it would still be shining when I again got back to my Bible study in the morning. I am running the scriptures containing the word “cloud/s” (Strong’s #3507) to see if they actually lend themselves to what I thought I was seeing last night at bedtime. So far, a “pattern” seems to be coming to the front, and I may be on the verge of receiving an answer to my 54 year-old question, “What do Clouds mean? What do they represent in the Economy of God?”
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(There are other “code names” in the scriptures, such as “Earth”, “Sea”, “Bottomless Pit”, “Voice of the Archangel”, “Shout”, “Trump of God”, etc). Do you have any ideas what they may mean? Help me, if you can.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
There are several striking similarities between the historical Kingdom of Solomon and the future Kingdom of God. We would like to look at a few of them.
You will recall that David, the father of Solomon, was the one who wanted to build a House for the Lord. He was forbidden to do so because he had been a man of war—one who had spilled blood. Solomon, his son, would be a man of Peace. (Isa 11:9 Isa 65:25)
We are told that David was, however, allowed to gather materials and draw plans for the Temple that was to be built.
The Kingdom of Solomon was a different kind of kingdom than the other families of the earth had ever known.
No other king had ever asked the Lord for Wisdom to govern such a vast number of people, like Solomon had done. His desire for Wisdom to rule (for the sake of others) took precedence over the desire for riches or fame, like the normal man would have chosen. The desire for personal gain was probably just as strong in the man Solomon as it is in any of us who are alive today, but there was another need which was far greater than anything he might want for himself. He was convinced that the people belonged to the Lord, and he wanted to leave no stone unturned in an effort to ensure that they were governed in the manner chosen by God.
In a similar fashion, the Kingdom of God will consist of people just like you and me who also have their priorities in similar alignment to those of Solomon. They will have consciously asked the Lord for what it takes to be victors over the desires of humanity, and to become willing slaves of the Spirit of God. The Word tells us that “Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie—“.
The “flaming sword” that the Lord put in the Garden of Eden will forbid entry to any and all who have not “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Gal 5:24
We cannot stress too vigorously the fact that these statements are NOT meant to keep people from being “saved”, as we use the term today. They are NOT referring to us putting our trust in Jesus to forgive the inherent SIN we were born with. That is all taken care of when we ask Jesus for the Forgiveness HE PROVIDED for us on the Cross of Calvary, and declare (confess) that we believe Him to be the SON OF GOD.
But there are myriads (millions) of people who have trusted Jesus and are Christians in every sense of the word today who DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and what would be required to attain to it.
1Ki 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
1Ki 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1Ki 3:10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
1Ki 3:11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
1Ki 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
1Ki 3:13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
1Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
Why did God do this? I believe it was for the purpose of giving us a “preview” of what the future Kingdom Of God will possibly be like. I see several similarities between the “past” kingdom of Solomon and the “future” or “present” Kingdom Of God.
I think that the primary purpose of God putting His Blessing on the reign of Solomon was to leave us with a testimony of what He is capable of doing in the lives of His Children if they will PUT HIM FIRST IN THEIR LIVES. I do not mean to imply that a Christian will never have difficult times, nor suffer any apparent “losses”, for that is NOT taught in the Bible. We can suffer terrible physical or financial “losses” but still be quite “prosperous” in our Spiritual life. We should put the emphasis on our relationship to God rather than our physical or monetary well-being. God does.
After Solomon had built the Temple, the Lord responded to his prayer of Dedication with a conditional promise. Solomon did not/could not fulfill the conditions, so the promise was never completely fulfilled by the Lord either.
But the failure of the agreement with Solomon could have no negative effect on the Unconditional promise that had been given to Solomon’s father, David. That one is still being fulfilled, to the letter, right before our eyes.
1Ki 9:2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
1Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
It happened just like the Lord warned the king. As long as he put God first in his life and in the kingdom, God caused him to prosper, but time and success took its toll. In time he began to drift from his resolve, and he eventually became one of the world’s worst fools. It proved that the wisdom he displayed at the first was NOT a human wisdom, but one that God had given to him—for the purpose of showing to the world what He could do through a dedicated human being.
1Ki 10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
1Ki 10:24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
1Ki 10:25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.
1Ki 10:14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
1Ki 10:15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffic of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
1Ki 4:21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
Did Solomon remain true to his faith and dependence upon God? No, of course not, for he allowed honor, fame and riches to turn him from his utter dependence upon God. If he had been successful, men would have started to worship him in place of God, the same as many religions of the world have been centered upon a man, rather than God.
Now, about the future Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Heaven.)
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, (the Mountain of His Holiness) and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (see the Tabernacle of Moses)
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed (DIVINE MEASURE) to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. (the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle)
Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. (these are people)
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones (THESE ARE PEOPLE). The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; (people again)
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl (these are people): and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (pearls are produced by discomfort and suffering) (people again)
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (see Eph 2:21)
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. (homage, but not membership)
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it (attain to membership) any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (do we REALLY understand the New Birth?)
The Kingdom of God (Heaven) is described in several different ways. Many of them, we have relegated to Eternity and Heaven, but that has not always been correct.
It is a phenomenon that will take place right here on earth, but it will NOT be accomplished by the efforts or ingenuity of any segment of humanity. When scripture says it comes down from God out of Heaven, it does not imply that it is actually a physical entity descending from the sky to the earth. It means that it is produced and maintained by the Spirit of God.
It will be a WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN THE HEARTS OF MEN, right here on earth. It will be the fulfillment of the scripture that tells us He will do a “Quick work, and cut it short in righteousness.” (Rom 9:28 Isa 10:22-23)
Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
Isa 35:2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.
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. (the royal priesthood)
Isa 52:12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
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.
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings (a Kingdom) and priests (a Priesthood): and we shall reign on the earth.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (every square inch)
Isa 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Jesus gave a short synopsis of the traits of character that each member of the Kingdom of God will be expected to possess. It is our responsibility to acquire those traits of character. Yet, there is NO WAY that we can, in our own strength, acquire those traits. We, Like Solomon, must ASK FOR THEM from the Lord.
Ironically, we will discover that we will also be required to give up and denounce some of the traits we got from the human family.
Jesus taught:
Blessed are the poor in Spirit.
Blessed are they that mourn.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed –hunger and thirst after righteousness
Blessed are the merciful.
Blessed are the pure in heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers.
Blessed are—persecuted.
Blessed—reviled.
It is my belief that the Lord will be looking for these and maybe other qualities of character in the lives of folks who are candidates to be chosen as members of His Earthly Kingdom when the time comes.
I sincerely hope I am able to meet His Holy Standard. It will be ONLY by the enabling Grace of God if I do.
These, and other similar traits, will have to be WHAT GOD PUTS INTO US, rather than any we can acquire or already have. We are entirely inadequate for the job.
You see, THE CITY IS MADE BY GOD. (without hands). Only God can accomplish the Character Refinement in our lives that will make us fit for a place in His Kingdom, “By the spirit of Judgment (prioritizing) and the Spirit of Burning.” Isa 4:4
Solomon’s Temple was built ‘WITHOUT THE SOUND OF A HAMMER”
Solomon’s Worship was “breath-taking”. (1 Ki 10) God’s Glory filled the temple.
Rev 21:23 And the city (people governed by a common law, though maybe not in one place) had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (This is a SPIRITUAL LIGHT, rather than sunlight or electric light)
I believe this is a description of the Kingdom members. The Spirit of God shines through them, wherever they happen to be—possibly (probably) not all in one place.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honor (tribute) of the (other) nations into it.
Jesus told His disciples:
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions (abodes): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, (the Eternal realm) there ye may be also.
At least one other translation (God’s Word) reads:
Joh 14:3 If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again. Then I will bring you into my presence so that you will be where I am.
That will be ENTIRELY a work of the SPIRIT OF GOD. Humanity is UTTERLY HELPLESS to accomplish the task.
“Unto HIM shall the gathering of the people be” Gen 49:10
Last night, I was sitting here at the computer studying, switching back and forth between my word processor and my Bible program. It was late, and I was getting sleepy, but I was becoming aware of a “light” beginning to glow in the back recesses of my spirit. Fully 54 years ago, an older man in the assembly I was serving had mentioned to me that “Cloud/s” in the prophetic scriptures did NOT mean the white, foggy areas we see in our skies, but, rather, it was a “code name” for some Spiritual Phenomenon (like the word “air” is a “code name” for the realm that is now ruled by Satan).
I went to bed, knowing that if the “light” I was seeing in the distance was really from The Lord, it would still be shining when I again got back to my Bible study in the morning. I am running the scriptures containing the word “cloud/s” (Strong’s #3507) to see if they actually lend themselves to what I thought I was seeing last night at bedtime. So far, a “pattern” seems to be coming to the front, and I may be on the verge of receiving an answer to my 54 year-old question, “What do Clouds mean? What do they represent in the Economy of God?”
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(There are other “code names” in the scriptures, such as “Earth”, “Sea”, “Bottomless Pit”, “Voice of the Archangel”, “Shout”, “Trump of God”, etc). Do you have any ideas what they may mean? Help me, if you can.
Monday, January 19, 2009
YE HAVE HEARD
YE HAVE HEARD
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 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
When Jesus was delivering the Sermon On The Mount, He described a condition that existed in the Congregation of The Saints. That same condition is present with us today, in any Congregation we should want to examine. Oftentimes we find rank disunity in the midst of the Church. Families and individuals often sit apart from others because of some emotional rift that has come between them and others.
The sad part of this is that WE JUSTIFY OURSELVES in the ill will, and often, what is worse, we tell our grievances to others, and soon the group is “polarized” in division. GOD WILL NOT HONOR SUCH A CONDITION. There can be no Spiritual Growth.
All the while, we keep up a pretense (yes, I said PRETENSE) of Spirituality. It is only a SHOW for the sake of others looking on.
Anger and ill will, in all of its forms and degrees, is insipient MURDER.
Only the Spirit of God can bring about a deliverance from the latent Ill Will that is in each of our lives. BUT HE CAN DE.LIVER US, AND HE WILL, IF WE ASK HIM TO.
John the Baptist was sent of God to declare the need for Repentance (a turning around), because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He said:
Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
The root-cause of our problems is in our hearts. It is there, in the heart, that Jesus is planning to deal with the problems we create.
Luk 6:43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Luk 6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
We are living in the time of, and we have access to, the promise foretold by Jeremiah.
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; 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.
Trouble is: We lack the DESIRE for this to happen. We rather like the feeling of “having been wronged” by someone else. We humans, ALL OF US, are Divisive by nature. “Feeding” that nature is more pleasant than asking God for deliverance from it.
We DO HAVE a choice, you know.
Jam 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jam 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, WHEN IT IS FINISHED, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH.
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 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
When Jesus was delivering the Sermon On The Mount, He described a condition that existed in the Congregation of The Saints. That same condition is present with us today, in any Congregation we should want to examine. Oftentimes we find rank disunity in the midst of the Church. Families and individuals often sit apart from others because of some emotional rift that has come between them and others.
The sad part of this is that WE JUSTIFY OURSELVES in the ill will, and often, what is worse, we tell our grievances to others, and soon the group is “polarized” in division. GOD WILL NOT HONOR SUCH A CONDITION. There can be no Spiritual Growth.
All the while, we keep up a pretense (yes, I said PRETENSE) of Spirituality. It is only a SHOW for the sake of others looking on.
Anger and ill will, in all of its forms and degrees, is insipient MURDER.
Only the Spirit of God can bring about a deliverance from the latent Ill Will that is in each of our lives. BUT HE CAN DE.LIVER US, AND HE WILL, IF WE ASK HIM TO.
John the Baptist was sent of God to declare the need for Repentance (a turning around), because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He said:
Mat 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
The root-cause of our problems is in our hearts. It is there, in the heart, that Jesus is planning to deal with the problems we create.
Luk 6:43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Luk 6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
We are living in the time of, and we have access to, the promise foretold by Jeremiah.
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; 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.
Trouble is: We lack the DESIRE for this to happen. We rather like the feeling of “having been wronged” by someone else. We humans, ALL OF US, are Divisive by nature. “Feeding” that nature is more pleasant than asking God for deliverance from it.
We DO HAVE a choice, you know.
Jam 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jam 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, WHEN IT IS FINISHED, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN
THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT
Have you ever noticed how the Holy Ghost often sandwiches precious truths right into the middle of a seemingly unrelated discourse? Such is the case in Hebrews, chapter 12.
He is giving Pastoral instructions-- urging folks to take heed to their lives, and to avoid sins. Then:
Hebrews12:18-24 For ye are NOT come unto the mount that might be TOUCHED, (THE law of Moses) and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they COULD NOT ENDURE that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And SO TERRIBLE was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) BUT ye ARE come unto MOUNT SION, (The City Foursquare, A PERFECT CUBE,THE MOST HOLY PLACE) AND UNTO THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, (not TOUCHABLE, NOT BUILT WITH HANDS, WITH ITS FOUNDATION IN HEAVEN) and to an innumerable company of angels, To the GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, AND TO THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT (MEN WHO HAVE LOOKED FOR HIM BY FOLLOWING HARD AFTER THE WORD AND SPIRIT),And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
This scripture tells us WHERE WE ARE in the economy of God.
Not ONLY have we come to the NEW JERUSALEM and MOUNT SION, we have come to the time of THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT.
Almost every time I have mentioned this, I am confronted with retorts such as, That is not what God is doing now.
I beg to differ. I choose to believe what the Holy Ghost said through the writer of Hebrews. WE ARE COME.
But my critics reply, Anyone can see that those conditions do not yet exist. And, I have to agree-- WE DON'T SEE THEM YET.
But, when I was teaching this at Emmanuel Assembly during the 50's and 60's, I used an homely illustration to explain what I knew to be true. I had been doing interior decorating prior to that time.
When our crew went into a home to paper a room, the FIRST thing we did was to throw a drop sheet on the floor and over the furniture. If someone were to have come along and asked us what we were doing, we would have said, We are papering this room.
Obviously, we only had a drop sheet on the floor. Later, it would have also been obvious that we were only sanding down the seams of the previous coats of paper. Still later, it would have been obvious that we were only painting the woodwork.
These activities were each a PART of the WHOLE JOB, and must be done in their proper times for the job to be satisfactory and complete.
But, IN EACH SEGMENT OF THE WORK, WE WERE PAPERING THE ROOM.
GOD IS NOW SELECTING AND BUILDING A BODY OF SONS WHOM HE WILL SHOW, BOTH TO SPIRITS AND MORTALS.
I CAN NOT TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT STAGE OF THE WORK IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS ALL A PART OF THE JOB.
These SONS OF GOD will have a work to do in the earth, which can not be accomplished in any other way, nor by any other people.
I am confident they are described in scripture as being the angel which has achain, and binds satan. (They cut off his influence in the earth, and replace it with the influence of the Spirit that has birthed them from the midst of the church as we know it today.) (See Rev12)
Satan operates in the realm that is called AIR in the scripture. He is called the PRINCE of the POWER of the AIR. He will be bound and cast out of that realm. The OVERCOMERS will be caught up into that realm (AIR), and spread the INFLUENCE OF GOD (Holiness, peace, love, etc.) around the globe, IN THE SAME MANNER THAT EVIL (hatred, warfare, deceit, etc.) is being spread today
Have you ever noticed how the Holy Ghost often sandwiches precious truths right into the middle of a seemingly unrelated discourse? Such is the case in Hebrews, chapter 12.
He is giving Pastoral instructions-- urging folks to take heed to their lives, and to avoid sins. Then:
Hebrews12:18-24 For ye are NOT come unto the mount that might be TOUCHED, (THE law of Moses) and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (For they COULD NOT ENDURE that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And SO TERRIBLE was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) BUT ye ARE come unto MOUNT SION, (The City Foursquare, A PERFECT CUBE,THE MOST HOLY PLACE) AND UNTO THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, (not TOUCHABLE, NOT BUILT WITH HANDS, WITH ITS FOUNDATION IN HEAVEN) and to an innumerable company of angels, To the GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, AND TO THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT (MEN WHO HAVE LOOKED FOR HIM BY FOLLOWING HARD AFTER THE WORD AND SPIRIT),And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
This scripture tells us WHERE WE ARE in the economy of God.
Not ONLY have we come to the NEW JERUSALEM and MOUNT SION, we have come to the time of THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT.
Almost every time I have mentioned this, I am confronted with retorts such as, That is not what God is doing now.
I beg to differ. I choose to believe what the Holy Ghost said through the writer of Hebrews. WE ARE COME.
But my critics reply, Anyone can see that those conditions do not yet exist. And, I have to agree-- WE DON'T SEE THEM YET.
But, when I was teaching this at Emmanuel Assembly during the 50's and 60's, I used an homely illustration to explain what I knew to be true. I had been doing interior decorating prior to that time.
When our crew went into a home to paper a room, the FIRST thing we did was to throw a drop sheet on the floor and over the furniture. If someone were to have come along and asked us what we were doing, we would have said, We are papering this room.
Obviously, we only had a drop sheet on the floor. Later, it would have also been obvious that we were only sanding down the seams of the previous coats of paper. Still later, it would have been obvious that we were only painting the woodwork.
These activities were each a PART of the WHOLE JOB, and must be done in their proper times for the job to be satisfactory and complete.
But, IN EACH SEGMENT OF THE WORK, WE WERE PAPERING THE ROOM.
GOD IS NOW SELECTING AND BUILDING A BODY OF SONS WHOM HE WILL SHOW, BOTH TO SPIRITS AND MORTALS.
I CAN NOT TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT STAGE OF THE WORK IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT IS ALL A PART OF THE JOB.
These SONS OF GOD will have a work to do in the earth, which can not be accomplished in any other way, nor by any other people.
I am confident they are described in scripture as being the angel which has achain, and binds satan. (They cut off his influence in the earth, and replace it with the influence of the Spirit that has birthed them from the midst of the church as we know it today.) (See Rev12)
Satan operates in the realm that is called AIR in the scripture. He is called the PRINCE of the POWER of the AIR. He will be bound and cast out of that realm. The OVERCOMERS will be caught up into that realm (AIR), and spread the INFLUENCE OF GOD (Holiness, peace, love, etc.) around the globe, IN THE SAME MANNER THAT EVIL (hatred, warfare, deceit, etc.) is being spread today
Saturday, November 22, 2008
BLESSED--REVILED
BLESSED---REVILE
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you (give you a bad name), and persecute you (are cruel to you), and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely (tell lies about you), for my sake.
One quick question I need to ask myself, “Am I living in such a way that my life and demeanor are enough of a contrast to my neighbor as to cause him to hate me because of my better lifestyle?” “Do I have enough of the Spirit of God in me as to annoy and anger him just by being in my presence?”
We are still writing about the Traits of Character that Jesus will be looking for when He “Makes up His Jewels” for membership in the KINGDOM (Royalty) OF GOD here on the earth.
Our Ministers have, to a great extent, shied away from teaching and preaching about the Kingdom, probably due to a lack of understanding it as much as they would like to. Many have relegated the Kingdom as being equal to Heaven and Eternity, but, according to my understanding, this is a mistaken view.
Fact is, we have so very little teaching (in the Bible) about what, where, when Heaven will take place, that most of our learning about the subject is still “on the back burner.” It is just as well to have been left there, for we don’t seem to have a much better “grip” on the subject than the early Disciples had. They perceived of it as a POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC system when they asked Jesus about it, according to the Gospels. Most Christians today have the same general idea about the matter, though an increasing number of readers are catching a glimpse of the fact that it will actually materialize RIGHT HERE ON THE EARTH, before what is known as Eternity or Heaven begins.
Jesus did VERY LITTLE teaching about when and where Heaven would be. Most of what He taught was concerning the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Men have tried to interpret with their human, natural minds, what He said in the SPIRIT. It didn’t work then—it won’t work now. We are IN that proverbial “Swamp” of (mis)understanding. We need someone to come along with a Rhema from God to set us on the right path to a proper understanding and interpretation, similar to Elihu with Job and his “friends”.
Job 32:7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration (breath) of the Almighty giveth them understanding (ability to sort out).
Job 32:9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
Job 32:10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will show mine opinion.
Only the Spirit of God can enable us to properly “sort out” the teachings of Jesus. The “ink on the paper” is not sufficient for the task. Neither is it sufficient for guiding us in our daily life. WE NEED THE RHEMA OF GOD.
When we listen for, and pay heed to, the Rhema of God, changes begin to take place in our life that set us apart from other folks—even other Christians. A “division” in lifestyle soon begins to become manifest in our daily routine that will become a rebuke to those around us who are more careless about their relationship to Jesus. “Attitudes” begin to raise their ugly heads, and we are “in trouble”.
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 IF YE BE REPROACHED FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST, HAPPY ARE YE; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
“He drew a circle that cut me out—
Heretic, Renegade, a thing to flout--
But Love and I had a wit to win---
We drew a circle that cut him in”.
WHO IS THAT GOD?
The king of ancient Babylon "talked when he should have been listening" one day, to the three Hebrew children. While we have to admit that he was not much different than a lot of us folks living today, we should realize that it is wise to know whom we are talking about when we boast ourselves in what we believe we are able to do. If it is another mere man, we might get away with our boastings, but if our vaunting ourselves involves the God of the universe, we may get more than we have bargained for. Listen:
Daniel 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; AND WHO [IS] THAT GOD THAT SHALL DELIVER YOU OUT OF MY HANDS?
A wicked queen said a bit too much one day, and the Lord took note of it.
I Kings 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
Dogs licked up her blood at about the time she had threatened the Prophet of God. It is risky business.
The king of Assyria sent a message to King Hezekiah one day to tell him that his God would fall before the Assyrian armies the same as the other gods of the country had fallen.
II Kings 18:34 Where [are] the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where [are] the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? Who [are] they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
Good question, but not a wise one. Isaiah, the Prophet of God sent a message to King Hezekiah, telling him: II Kings 19:21,22 This [is] the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, [and] laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted [thy] voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? [even] against the Holy [One] of Israel.
II Kings 19:27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
The arrogance of the Assyrian king brought forth a speedy and very severe penalty. It is very foolish to defy our God.
II Kings 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they [were] all dead corpses.
Of course, we don't have anybody who dares to defy our God these days. Right? WRONG.
Such an attitude on the part of mankind is perhaps a bit more subtle and polite than it was in days of yore, but it is still present, none the less.
And, although the longsuffering of the Lord is more pronounced than before, the penalties are similar to those experienced in historical times.
Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will GRIND HIM TO POWDER.
OUR GOD WILL DO WHAT HE CHOOSES TO DO, and "all the king's horses, and all the king's men" will not be able to stop, or even retard Him in His plan.
Are there agencies of Government that are opposing our God? Are the governments of the world, any of them, defying our God? Are there any segments of society that are aligning themselves against the knowledge of God? You know the answer.
But, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM!!! YOU CAN'T STOP THEM. BUT GOD INTENDS TO-- in His own time, and in His own way.
Psalms 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
We will be wise to fix our attention on God, rather than what our enemies are trying to do to the cause of Christ. Our help will come from Him. Our defense is in Him.
He created the Universe-- not those who oppose Him. He has declared the decree, not His enemies.
His enemies will be made a footstool for Jesus Christ. It will be accomplished by the Hand of God.
Let's look at Him. Let's trust in Him.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you (give you a bad name), and persecute you (are cruel to you), and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely (tell lies about you), for my sake.
One quick question I need to ask myself, “Am I living in such a way that my life and demeanor are enough of a contrast to my neighbor as to cause him to hate me because of my better lifestyle?” “Do I have enough of the Spirit of God in me as to annoy and anger him just by being in my presence?”
We are still writing about the Traits of Character that Jesus will be looking for when He “Makes up His Jewels” for membership in the KINGDOM (Royalty) OF GOD here on the earth.
Our Ministers have, to a great extent, shied away from teaching and preaching about the Kingdom, probably due to a lack of understanding it as much as they would like to. Many have relegated the Kingdom as being equal to Heaven and Eternity, but, according to my understanding, this is a mistaken view.
Fact is, we have so very little teaching (in the Bible) about what, where, when Heaven will take place, that most of our learning about the subject is still “on the back burner.” It is just as well to have been left there, for we don’t seem to have a much better “grip” on the subject than the early Disciples had. They perceived of it as a POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC system when they asked Jesus about it, according to the Gospels. Most Christians today have the same general idea about the matter, though an increasing number of readers are catching a glimpse of the fact that it will actually materialize RIGHT HERE ON THE EARTH, before what is known as Eternity or Heaven begins.
Jesus did VERY LITTLE teaching about when and where Heaven would be. Most of what He taught was concerning the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Men have tried to interpret with their human, natural minds, what He said in the SPIRIT. It didn’t work then—it won’t work now. We are IN that proverbial “Swamp” of (mis)understanding. We need someone to come along with a Rhema from God to set us on the right path to a proper understanding and interpretation, similar to Elihu with Job and his “friends”.
Job 32:7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration (breath) of the Almighty giveth them understanding (ability to sort out).
Job 32:9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
Job 32:10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will show mine opinion.
Only the Spirit of God can enable us to properly “sort out” the teachings of Jesus. The “ink on the paper” is not sufficient for the task. Neither is it sufficient for guiding us in our daily life. WE NEED THE RHEMA OF GOD.
When we listen for, and pay heed to, the Rhema of God, changes begin to take place in our life that set us apart from other folks—even other Christians. A “division” in lifestyle soon begins to become manifest in our daily routine that will become a rebuke to those around us who are more careless about their relationship to Jesus. “Attitudes” begin to raise their ugly heads, and we are “in trouble”.
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 IF YE BE REPROACHED FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST, HAPPY ARE YE; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
“He drew a circle that cut me out—
Heretic, Renegade, a thing to flout--
But Love and I had a wit to win---
We drew a circle that cut him in”.
WHO IS THAT GOD?
The king of ancient Babylon "talked when he should have been listening" one day, to the three Hebrew children. While we have to admit that he was not much different than a lot of us folks living today, we should realize that it is wise to know whom we are talking about when we boast ourselves in what we believe we are able to do. If it is another mere man, we might get away with our boastings, but if our vaunting ourselves involves the God of the universe, we may get more than we have bargained for. Listen:
Daniel 3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; AND WHO [IS] THAT GOD THAT SHALL DELIVER YOU OUT OF MY HANDS?
A wicked queen said a bit too much one day, and the Lord took note of it.
I Kings 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
Dogs licked up her blood at about the time she had threatened the Prophet of God. It is risky business.
The king of Assyria sent a message to King Hezekiah one day to tell him that his God would fall before the Assyrian armies the same as the other gods of the country had fallen.
II Kings 18:34 Where [are] the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where [are] the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? Who [are] they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
Good question, but not a wise one. Isaiah, the Prophet of God sent a message to King Hezekiah, telling him: II Kings 19:21,22 This [is] the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, [and] laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted [thy] voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? [even] against the Holy [One] of Israel.
II Kings 19:27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
The arrogance of the Assyrian king brought forth a speedy and very severe penalty. It is very foolish to defy our God.
II Kings 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they [were] all dead corpses.
Of course, we don't have anybody who dares to defy our God these days. Right? WRONG.
Such an attitude on the part of mankind is perhaps a bit more subtle and polite than it was in days of yore, but it is still present, none the less.
And, although the longsuffering of the Lord is more pronounced than before, the penalties are similar to those experienced in historical times.
Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will GRIND HIM TO POWDER.
OUR GOD WILL DO WHAT HE CHOOSES TO DO, and "all the king's horses, and all the king's men" will not be able to stop, or even retard Him in His plan.
Are there agencies of Government that are opposing our God? Are the governments of the world, any of them, defying our God? Are there any segments of society that are aligning themselves against the knowledge of God? You know the answer.
But, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM!!! YOU CAN'T STOP THEM. BUT GOD INTENDS TO-- in His own time, and in His own way.
Psalms 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
We will be wise to fix our attention on God, rather than what our enemies are trying to do to the cause of Christ. Our help will come from Him. Our defense is in Him.
He created the Universe-- not those who oppose Him. He has declared the decree, not His enemies.
His enemies will be made a footstool for Jesus Christ. It will be accomplished by the Hand of God.
Let's look at Him. Let's trust in Him.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
YE ARE---LIGHT
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
We must keep in mind that Jesus was giving a brief description of the KINGDOM OF GOD when He preached the Sermon On The Mount. He was NOT uttering platitudes and high-sounding phrases. He was describing the ULTIMATE INTENT OF GOD for the Church that He was starting. NEITHER WAS HE TALKING ABOUT MAKING HEAVEN OUR ETERNAL HOME—SALVATION. The subject was THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Comparatively few Christians believe that God is able to do what He has said He will do. We have been so programmed for failure that we can not comprehend the magnitude of what He is intending to do. We have been told so many times that the final outcome depends on what WE do, that we cannot believe that HE will get the job done by Himself.
Sometimes it nearly staggers our imagination to even THINK about what the Kingdom of God will be like. This much we know: IT WILL NOT BE A POLITICAL SETUP SUCH AS WE KNOW NOW. The Statute books will all be blank pages. The Police blotters will be blanks—in fact there will not be any policemen, no Mayors nor City Councilmen. All penal institutions will be non-existent, and no court sessions will be conducted. What money we have will be as safe in the kitchen cupboard as if it were in the First National Bank. We can throw away the house keys, the ignition keys and door locks to our automobiles. Our women can walk the streets at night without fear or danger. Sickness and disease as we know it today will have vanished from among God’s People. Hospitals and institutions will be empty and abandoned. Health workers will be idle.
We are NOT writing about HEAVEN! THIS WILL BE TAKING PLACE RIGHT HERE ON EARTH.
Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: FOR THE EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA. (every square inch)
Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Isa 11:13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
Isa 11:15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.
Isa 11:16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Jer 16:14 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
Jer 16:15 But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. (This is describing the LAND OF THE SPIRIT, rather than a geographical location—the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, if you will.) “Unto HIM shall the gathering of the people be.” Isa 49:10
Let me hasten to say right here that the Church of today will have undergone a thorough overhaul by this time described in the Bible. The denominational system will have been completely demolished (by God’s own Spirit), and the people will be held together by that same Spirit. No other binding force will be needed.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, saith the LORD:
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; 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.
Jer 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
Jer 31:36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.
Jer 31:37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.
We must never forget that God caused Jeremiah to foretell the destiny of the Northern ten tribes of Israel in chapter 18. THEY WERE TO BE RE-MADE INTO ANOTHER VESSEL THAN THEY HAD FORMERLY BEEN when they failed God so miserably. They would hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and believe that He is the SON OF GOD. They would then begin to proclaim (as the Church) the Gospel around the world, and be the instrument through which God would do what He needed to do to bring about a world-wide reaping of the vast multitudes of humanity. (Three Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) tell the story, though it sounds like they might be describing something else while they were writing). God will make up His Royalty (Kingdom) from among these people (whom we now know as the Church. NEVER FORGET THAT IT WILL BE ENTIRELY A WORK OF THE SPIRIT, RATHER THAN THE LABORS OF MANKIND.
How many times have we (you and I) miserably failed God? It doesn’t matter. He intends to forgive and forget them all, when we ask Him to. We can stand before Him—JUSTIFIED (declared innocent, absolved of all guilt--acquitted).
Rom 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. (COMPLETELY AND DECISIVELY)--GW
We reach into the sixth century BEFORE Jesus was born for a clue to the identity of the person who is scheduled (yes, I said “Scheduled”) to “Build the Temple” that we have heard so much about the last few years. Listen to the Prophet:
Zec 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
Here is a “strange” (to quote Paul Harvey). Listen to John the Revelator: Rev 21:22 And I SAW NO TEMPLE THEREIN: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
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
The disciples of Jesus were as helpless to understand the things Jesus taught them as we are-- until Jesus, BY AN OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT, performed a miracle on their minds. One of the last things Jesus did before ascending to Heaven is recorded in Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, (minds) that they might understand (sort out and put together) the scriptures, (a simpler translation, based on Strong's Conc.)
Try as they might, the disciples had not been able to comprehend the scriptures nor the words of Jesus, because they did not have access to, nor see the need of, the operation of the Holy Ghost. Jesus told Peter (Mk 8:33) "Thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." (That is our problem today also).
So Jesus gave them a "Preview of Pentecost" with a Spiritual Illumination of the scriptures.
Spiritual understanding does not come from education. We educate fools, and produce educated fools, whom we send to the Pulpits or to Congress, with varying degrees of disaster.
Nor does understanding spring from human ingenuity or cleverness. In fact, human intelligence is at a total loss to comprehend Spiritual Truths. Mk 8:21 "How is it that ye do not understand?"
I Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. Mk 9:32 "but they understood not--"
It is only as we humble ourselves in obedience to the Gospel (accepting the Salvation which is offered us through the Blood of Jesus) that we can have access to Spiritual Understanding which reveals the Truth to us.
Hebrews 11:3 THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND--
Psalms 25:14 The SECRET OF THE LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Part of the problem with Job and his friends was that THEY WERE SPEAKING WITHOUT THE INSPIRATION OF THE ALMIGHTY. Instead of solving problems, it created a bunch more.
Job 32:8 But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Ghost would be their instructor in Spiritual things.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you
.
There is a COMMUNION, an EDIFICATION, an INSPIRATION, in speaking in the unknown tongue which CAN NOT BE RECEIVED in ANY OTHER WAY. Our spirit is made aware of things which our mind can not teach it, for the mind can not know them. When we pray in the unknown tongue, OUR SPIRIT is IN COMMUNION with the SPIRIT WHICH SPOKE THE WORLDS INTO EXISTENCE, and KNOWS EVERYTHING. OUR SPIRITS ARE TAUGHT BY HIS SPIRIT.
I Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
If we commune with God in the unknown tongue, we soon discover that we KNOW things which we didn't learn. Our Spirit has been taught things which our mind cannot comprehend. We do things without knowing WHY we do them. The prompting of the Spirit.
Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
The Apostle Paul became excited while writing to the Romans about the plan of Salvation. He exclaimed:
Romans 11:33 O THE DEPTH OF THE RICHES BOTH OF THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
In Collosians he again referred to the Wisdom and Knowledge of God: Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
In Ephesians, he again mentions the magnitude of the message of Jesus Christ, and His Salvation. Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
David had a little "Glory Spell" also as we read: Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered.
Again in Psalms 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Listen to Job: 5:9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
Wisdom speaks. Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
Proverbs 8:14 Counsel [is] mine, and sound wisdom: I [am] understanding; I have strength.
The Prophet says. Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
The Apostle declares. I Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
2Co 4:6 FOR GOD, WHO COMMANDED THE LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS, HATH SHINED IN OUR HEARTS, TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.
A “City” (The New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God, the “Paradise of God”) that is set on a hill (The Hill of His Holiness, My Holy Hill) cannot be hidden. (Mat 5:14)
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
We must keep in mind that Jesus was giving a brief description of the KINGDOM OF GOD when He preached the Sermon On The Mount. He was NOT uttering platitudes and high-sounding phrases. He was describing the ULTIMATE INTENT OF GOD for the Church that He was starting. NEITHER WAS HE TALKING ABOUT MAKING HEAVEN OUR ETERNAL HOME—SALVATION. The subject was THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Comparatively few Christians believe that God is able to do what He has said He will do. We have been so programmed for failure that we can not comprehend the magnitude of what He is intending to do. We have been told so many times that the final outcome depends on what WE do, that we cannot believe that HE will get the job done by Himself.
Sometimes it nearly staggers our imagination to even THINK about what the Kingdom of God will be like. This much we know: IT WILL NOT BE A POLITICAL SETUP SUCH AS WE KNOW NOW. The Statute books will all be blank pages. The Police blotters will be blanks—in fact there will not be any policemen, no Mayors nor City Councilmen. All penal institutions will be non-existent, and no court sessions will be conducted. What money we have will be as safe in the kitchen cupboard as if it were in the First National Bank. We can throw away the house keys, the ignition keys and door locks to our automobiles. Our women can walk the streets at night without fear or danger. Sickness and disease as we know it today will have vanished from among God’s People. Hospitals and institutions will be empty and abandoned. Health workers will be idle.
We are NOT writing about HEAVEN! THIS WILL BE TAKING PLACE RIGHT HERE ON EARTH.
Isa 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: FOR THE EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA. (every square inch)
Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Isa 11:13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
Isa 11:15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.
Isa 11:16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Jer 16:14 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
Jer 16:15 But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. (This is describing the LAND OF THE SPIRIT, rather than a geographical location—the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, if you will.) “Unto HIM shall the gathering of the people be.” Isa 49:10
Let me hasten to say right here that the Church of today will have undergone a thorough overhaul by this time described in the Bible. The denominational system will have been completely demolished (by God’s own Spirit), and the people will be held together by that same Spirit. No other binding force will be needed.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, saith the LORD:
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; 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.
Jer 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
Jer 31:36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.
Jer 31:37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.
We must never forget that God caused Jeremiah to foretell the destiny of the Northern ten tribes of Israel in chapter 18. THEY WERE TO BE RE-MADE INTO ANOTHER VESSEL THAN THEY HAD FORMERLY BEEN when they failed God so miserably. They would hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and believe that He is the SON OF GOD. They would then begin to proclaim (as the Church) the Gospel around the world, and be the instrument through which God would do what He needed to do to bring about a world-wide reaping of the vast multitudes of humanity. (Three Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) tell the story, though it sounds like they might be describing something else while they were writing). God will make up His Royalty (Kingdom) from among these people (whom we now know as the Church. NEVER FORGET THAT IT WILL BE ENTIRELY A WORK OF THE SPIRIT, RATHER THAN THE LABORS OF MANKIND.
How many times have we (you and I) miserably failed God? It doesn’t matter. He intends to forgive and forget them all, when we ask Him to. We can stand before Him—JUSTIFIED (declared innocent, absolved of all guilt--acquitted).
Rom 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. (COMPLETELY AND DECISIVELY)--GW
We reach into the sixth century BEFORE Jesus was born for a clue to the identity of the person who is scheduled (yes, I said “Scheduled”) to “Build the Temple” that we have heard so much about the last few years. Listen to the Prophet:
Zec 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
Here is a “strange” (to quote Paul Harvey). Listen to John the Revelator: Rev 21:22 And I SAW NO TEMPLE THEREIN: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
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
The disciples of Jesus were as helpless to understand the things Jesus taught them as we are-- until Jesus, BY AN OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT, performed a miracle on their minds. One of the last things Jesus did before ascending to Heaven is recorded in Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, (minds) that they might understand (sort out and put together) the scriptures, (a simpler translation, based on Strong's Conc.)
Try as they might, the disciples had not been able to comprehend the scriptures nor the words of Jesus, because they did not have access to, nor see the need of, the operation of the Holy Ghost. Jesus told Peter (Mk 8:33) "Thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." (That is our problem today also).
So Jesus gave them a "Preview of Pentecost" with a Spiritual Illumination of the scriptures.
Spiritual understanding does not come from education. We educate fools, and produce educated fools, whom we send to the Pulpits or to Congress, with varying degrees of disaster.
Nor does understanding spring from human ingenuity or cleverness. In fact, human intelligence is at a total loss to comprehend Spiritual Truths. Mk 8:21 "How is it that ye do not understand?"
I Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. Mk 9:32 "but they understood not--"
It is only as we humble ourselves in obedience to the Gospel (accepting the Salvation which is offered us through the Blood of Jesus) that we can have access to Spiritual Understanding which reveals the Truth to us.
Hebrews 11:3 THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND--
Psalms 25:14 The SECRET OF THE LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Part of the problem with Job and his friends was that THEY WERE SPEAKING WITHOUT THE INSPIRATION OF THE ALMIGHTY. Instead of solving problems, it created a bunch more.
Job 32:8 But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Ghost would be their instructor in Spiritual things.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you
.
There is a COMMUNION, an EDIFICATION, an INSPIRATION, in speaking in the unknown tongue which CAN NOT BE RECEIVED in ANY OTHER WAY. Our spirit is made aware of things which our mind can not teach it, for the mind can not know them. When we pray in the unknown tongue, OUR SPIRIT is IN COMMUNION with the SPIRIT WHICH SPOKE THE WORLDS INTO EXISTENCE, and KNOWS EVERYTHING. OUR SPIRITS ARE TAUGHT BY HIS SPIRIT.
I Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
If we commune with God in the unknown tongue, we soon discover that we KNOW things which we didn't learn. Our Spirit has been taught things which our mind cannot comprehend. We do things without knowing WHY we do them. The prompting of the Spirit.
Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
The Apostle Paul became excited while writing to the Romans about the plan of Salvation. He exclaimed:
Romans 11:33 O THE DEPTH OF THE RICHES BOTH OF THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
In Collosians he again referred to the Wisdom and Knowledge of God: Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
In Ephesians, he again mentions the magnitude of the message of Jesus Christ, and His Salvation. Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
David had a little "Glory Spell" also as we read: Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, [are] thy wonderful works [which] thou hast done, and thy thoughts [which are] to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: [if] I would declare and speak [of them], they are more than can be numbered.
Again in Psalms 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Listen to Job: 5:9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
Wisdom speaks. Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
Proverbs 8:14 Counsel [is] mine, and sound wisdom: I [am] understanding; I have strength.
The Prophet says. Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
The Apostle declares. I Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
2Co 4:6 FOR GOD, WHO COMMANDED THE LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS, HATH SHINED IN OUR HEARTS, TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.
A “City” (The New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God, the “Paradise of God”) that is set on a hill (The Hill of His Holiness, My Holy Hill) cannot be hidden. (Mat 5:14)
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Friday, November 07, 2008
YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH
YE ARE---SALT
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Salt was used for flavoring food, and for preserving food.
When used in right proportions for flavoring, it is taken for granted, but most of us know what happens when it is left out of the gravy. Ugh!
I know very little about salt as a preservative, but that is not a crucial point right now. What IS IMPORTANT is that Jesus likened the lives of certain humans to the combination of elements that make up what is known as salt.
Our manner of life is IMPORTANT to the KINGDOM OF GOD on the earth. It is, perhaps, the MOST COMPELLING reason for us to endeavor to live according to the Plan of God for our life while here on earth.
Salvation, being a GIFT, does not require as much attention to our manner of life as does a place in the KINGDOM OF GOD. It doesn’t take a great amount of effort to maintain a “run-of-the-mill” type of Christian life. Following the crowd will usually suffice very well. When the crowd moves to a new fad or a new location—simply follow them. “Go with the flow”, as the saying goes. Staying in the “popularity circuit”, and moving with the “majority crowd” is gratifying to the flesh, and sometimes exciting. It is also somewhat un-productive, Spiritually.
Striving for KINGDOM STATURE, on the other hand has a far-reaching effect—both on us, and on those around us. It requires more strict attention to the things that are important to God and His Word. God has placed a very high value on motives and desires of the heart, whereas humans place more value on behavior that is acceptable in our Christian Society.
Close scrutiny will reveal that MOST of the New Testament—especially the Epistles of Paul and the others,-- consist primarily of INSTRUCTIONS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, without which there is absolutely no hope of ever seeing the KINGDOM. Millions of “saved” people will never see the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
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.
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.
Kingdom Living will have a profound effect upon the rest of the world, and especially the community in which we are living. When we obey the Word and the Spirit of God, an influence is released into the area surrounding us, and conditions are created that we probably know nothing about at the time. BUT GOD KNOWS, and He is greatly pleased. Our Obedience creates an atmosphere in which the Spirit of God can work in the lives of those around us. Thus, a “flavor” is created in the community that is scarcely noticed by the majority of the people who are affected by it.
The BEST way that we can “help” others is to obey God ourselves.
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Salt was used for flavoring food, and for preserving food.
When used in right proportions for flavoring, it is taken for granted, but most of us know what happens when it is left out of the gravy. Ugh!
I know very little about salt as a preservative, but that is not a crucial point right now. What IS IMPORTANT is that Jesus likened the lives of certain humans to the combination of elements that make up what is known as salt.
Our manner of life is IMPORTANT to the KINGDOM OF GOD on the earth. It is, perhaps, the MOST COMPELLING reason for us to endeavor to live according to the Plan of God for our life while here on earth.
Salvation, being a GIFT, does not require as much attention to our manner of life as does a place in the KINGDOM OF GOD. It doesn’t take a great amount of effort to maintain a “run-of-the-mill” type of Christian life. Following the crowd will usually suffice very well. When the crowd moves to a new fad or a new location—simply follow them. “Go with the flow”, as the saying goes. Staying in the “popularity circuit”, and moving with the “majority crowd” is gratifying to the flesh, and sometimes exciting. It is also somewhat un-productive, Spiritually.
Striving for KINGDOM STATURE, on the other hand has a far-reaching effect—both on us, and on those around us. It requires more strict attention to the things that are important to God and His Word. God has placed a very high value on motives and desires of the heart, whereas humans place more value on behavior that is acceptable in our Christian Society.
Close scrutiny will reveal that MOST of the New Testament—especially the Epistles of Paul and the others,-- consist primarily of INSTRUCTIONS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, without which there is absolutely no hope of ever seeing the KINGDOM. Millions of “saved” people will never see the KINGDOM OF GOD.
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
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.
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.
Kingdom Living will have a profound effect upon the rest of the world, and especially the community in which we are living. When we obey the Word and the Spirit of God, an influence is released into the area surrounding us, and conditions are created that we probably know nothing about at the time. BUT GOD KNOWS, and He is greatly pleased. Our Obedience creates an atmosphere in which the Spirit of God can work in the lives of those around us. Thus, a “flavor” is created in the community that is scarcely noticed by the majority of the people who are affected by it.
The BEST way that we can “help” others is to obey God ourselves.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
BLESSED--PERSECUTED
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.
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.
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”.
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