1 Peter {5:10} But the God of all grace, who hath called us
unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have
suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle [you. ]{5:11} To him [be] glory and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.
* God of all grace! God who has called us to HIS eternal glory by Christ Jesus! We might suffer a while and how long is a while- our lifetime in fact because this life is so conducive to suffering. We live in a world that promises suffering in one way or another. We live a life that offers us pain in so many ways. Yes, there are good things, happy thing, glorious things even, but most people would have to admit there is more pain than good, more evil than good. We are tormented not just by other people but by things we can't even see. We are assailed by wicked things constantly and the wicked things take pleasure in causing us all the hardship they can. Finding peace amidst the suffering is all we are allowed and that peace isn't from pain but peace that is in spite of the pain. A smile when tortured, a peace when tried, we are given that and able to find that only by the God of all Grace through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Is it easy? No. It's a knowledge, not a feeling. A knowing not an emotional happenstance. If we wait for a peace we equate with happiness we will wait in vain because peace is a knowing that the suffering now isn't for eternity. We suffer a while and made perfect, we're established, strengthened and settled in Christ. All gloyr and dominion to our God whose promises are sure and based on knowledge not slippery feelings that are wrought by the slightest wind of upset or joy.
May the Lord Bless and Keep us all in Him now and forever. May we know our suffering now is just for a while and for our own good in ways we cannot fathom. May we know that God, the God of ALL grace who calls each of us through Jesus Christ will keep us safe in Him, know it even if we don't feel it. By His mercy and grace, by His love beyond measure.
Amen.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
He that overcomes.
Rev. {21:7} He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
He that overcomes.
Rev. {3:21} To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne
To him that overcomes.
Even as I also overcame.
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.
Him that overcomes.
Rev. {3:5} He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
He that overcomes.
Rev. {2:26} And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations
He that overcomes.
Rev. {2:17} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it.]
To him that overcomes.
Rev. {2:11} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
He that overcomes.
Rev. {2:7} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
To him that overcomes.
1 John {4:4} Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Have overcome them.
1 John {5:5} Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
He that overcomes.
1 John {5:4} For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
Overcomes the world.
1 John {2:14} I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one
Overcome the wicked one.
Ro. {12:21} Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Overcome evil.
Dictonary-
overcome (o´ver-kùm´) verb
overcame (-kâm´) overcome, overcoming, overcomes verb, transitive
1. To defeat (another) in competition or conflict; conquer. See synonyms at defeat.
2. To prevail over; surmount: tried to overcome the obstacles of poverty.
3. To overpower, as with emotion; affect deeply.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
To prevail over.
Dictionary-
prevail (prî-vâl´) verb, intransitive
prevailed, prevailing, prevails
1.To be greater in strength or influence; triumph: prevailed against great odds.
2.To be or become effective; win out: hoped justice would prevail.
3.To be most common or frequent; be predominant: a region where snow and ice prevail.
4.To be in force, use, or effect; be current: an ancient tradition that still prevails.
5.To use persuasion or inducement successfully. Often used with on, upon, or with. See synonyms at persuade.
[Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaloir, prevaill-, from Latin praevalêre, to be stronger : prae-, pre- + valêre, to be strong.]
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
To be greater in strength or influence; triumph: prevailed against great odds.
*******
To overcome, there has to be a fight, a situation to overcome in order to overcome, right? To prevail against someone or something there has to be something or someone to prevail over. We know who and what we are to prevail over, to overcome don't we?
Eph. {6:12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places.]
We are to overcome principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in the world, spiritual wickedness in high places. We are to overcome evil.
We are to overcome and it is our faith that has us overcoming. Our faith in God alone is our hope.
We are to overcome and the only way to overcome is through Christ, through faith in Christ. The life we live is full of hardship, full of pain and full of misery. If your life isn't like this and you're shaking your head saying that your life is fine, then you have to realize that the evil deception that is in Satan's power has to be overcome no matter the shape it takes in our lives. We have to search our hearts and pray like never before to overcome by faith. To overcome evil in way it comes into our lives. Are we selfish? Are we self-righteous? Are we greedy? Are we filled with angry and scorn? Do we struggle with sins of the flesh in a world that proclaims there are no such things as sins of the flesh that all is good and normal? Do we have the need to put ourselves first? Do we give to others so we can reap praise? Or does your pain come from others- those seeking to hurt you emotionally, physically? Do you live in a situation that has you living at the mercy of others whims. Are you constantly manipulated by others? Perhaps you live a life that is filled with goodness and you haven't faced the hardships yet. It's very possible because some live all their lives in a settled way only to have their world turn upside-down on them. There are so many scenarios that we call our lives and in each one we as individuals have to overcome through Christ. We have to overcome through faith in God. We need Christ in us. We need Christ's love in us.
To him that overcomes the promises are given and we only overcome through faith. There is no power of our own that we can overcome with, and if we look to oursevles then we'll fail. We have to ever look to Christ. In Christ alone there is hope, their is life.
May God help us to look to Him, may our faith in Him grow endlessly. Each day no matter what it brings- good or bad - may we give God the glory and praise, the thanksgiving and the love in faith that He alone deserves. By His grace, by His mercy. Through the Holy Spirit's comforting, guiding power.
Amen.
He that overcomes.
Rev. {3:21} To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne
To him that overcomes.
Even as I also overcame.
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.
Him that overcomes.
Rev. {3:5} He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
He that overcomes.
Rev. {2:26} And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations
He that overcomes.
Rev. {2:17} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it.]
To him that overcomes.
Rev. {2:11} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
He that overcomes.
Rev. {2:7} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
To him that overcomes.
1 John {4:4} Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Have overcome them.
1 John {5:5} Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
He that overcomes.
1 John {5:4} For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.
Overcomes the world.
1 John {2:14} I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one
Overcome the wicked one.
Ro. {12:21} Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Overcome evil.
Dictonary-
overcome (o´ver-kùm´) verb
overcame (-kâm´) overcome, overcoming, overcomes verb, transitive
1. To defeat (another) in competition or conflict; conquer. See synonyms at defeat.
2. To prevail over; surmount: tried to overcome the obstacles of poverty.
3. To overpower, as with emotion; affect deeply.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
To prevail over.
Dictionary-
prevail (prî-vâl´) verb, intransitive
prevailed, prevailing, prevails
1.To be greater in strength or influence; triumph: prevailed against great odds.
2.To be or become effective; win out: hoped justice would prevail.
3.To be most common or frequent; be predominant: a region where snow and ice prevail.
4.To be in force, use, or effect; be current: an ancient tradition that still prevails.
5.To use persuasion or inducement successfully. Often used with on, upon, or with. See synonyms at persuade.
[Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaloir, prevaill-, from Latin praevalêre, to be stronger : prae-, pre- + valêre, to be strong.]
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
To be greater in strength or influence; triumph: prevailed against great odds.
*******
To overcome, there has to be a fight, a situation to overcome in order to overcome, right? To prevail against someone or something there has to be something or someone to prevail over. We know who and what we are to prevail over, to overcome don't we?
Eph. {6:12} For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places.]
We are to overcome principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in the world, spiritual wickedness in high places. We are to overcome evil.
We are to overcome and it is our faith that has us overcoming. Our faith in God alone is our hope.
We are to overcome and the only way to overcome is through Christ, through faith in Christ. The life we live is full of hardship, full of pain and full of misery. If your life isn't like this and you're shaking your head saying that your life is fine, then you have to realize that the evil deception that is in Satan's power has to be overcome no matter the shape it takes in our lives. We have to search our hearts and pray like never before to overcome by faith. To overcome evil in way it comes into our lives. Are we selfish? Are we self-righteous? Are we greedy? Are we filled with angry and scorn? Do we struggle with sins of the flesh in a world that proclaims there are no such things as sins of the flesh that all is good and normal? Do we have the need to put ourselves first? Do we give to others so we can reap praise? Or does your pain come from others- those seeking to hurt you emotionally, physically? Do you live in a situation that has you living at the mercy of others whims. Are you constantly manipulated by others? Perhaps you live a life that is filled with goodness and you haven't faced the hardships yet. It's very possible because some live all their lives in a settled way only to have their world turn upside-down on them. There are so many scenarios that we call our lives and in each one we as individuals have to overcome through Christ. We have to overcome through faith in God. We need Christ in us. We need Christ's love in us.
To him that overcomes the promises are given and we only overcome through faith. There is no power of our own that we can overcome with, and if we look to oursevles then we'll fail. We have to ever look to Christ. In Christ alone there is hope, their is life.
May God help us to look to Him, may our faith in Him grow endlessly. Each day no matter what it brings- good or bad - may we give God the glory and praise, the thanksgiving and the love in faith that He alone deserves. By His grace, by His mercy. Through the Holy Spirit's comforting, guiding power.
Amen.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
John {16:33} These
things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.
******* In Christ alone there is peace- no where else. As soon as we begin to believe that we have peace in any other way we'll be proven wrong. Maybe we won't be proven wrong in that first moment or even that first day or month, or even year but any peace built outside of Christ is temporary. When we are caught up in that peace we've manufactured outside of Christ it's deceptive and powerful in that deception because when it slips away whether gradually or in the space of mere moments, we are left despairing, our hearts aching and desolate and we turn around and blame the very one whose peace we are to cling to and not any of our own. Christ didn't lie, He couldn't lie. He told us we would have tribulation in the world.
Dict. tribulation (trîb´ye-lâ´shen) noun
1. Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering: the tribulations of the persecuted. See synonyms at trial.
2. An experience that tests one's endurance, patience, or faith.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
He told us we'd have tribulation in the world- we'd have great afflictions, great trials, great distress, great suffering. That doesn't sound very pleasant does it? It sounds rather uninviting if you want to be truthful. Christ isn't trying to deceive us, He couldn't there is no deception in Him. It's Satan who likes us to blame God for life and it's many horrific hardships. Christ tells us that we will have these horrific hardships but we are to be of good cheer? Why? Because He overcame the world. Christ overcame Satan and the hardships and because He overcame we too will overcome through Him and Him alone. So while we may be buffetted about by all the heartache and pain the world has to offer, our only hope is found in Christ's overcoming- not ours but His and us through Him.
John {14:27} Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid.
Christ's peace is left with us, not the peace of the world, but Christ's peace is given to us- it's only in Christ's peace that we can let our heart release the trouble in it, only in Christ's peace that we can let the fear in our hearts go.
things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.
******* In Christ alone there is peace- no where else. As soon as we begin to believe that we have peace in any other way we'll be proven wrong. Maybe we won't be proven wrong in that first moment or even that first day or month, or even year but any peace built outside of Christ is temporary. When we are caught up in that peace we've manufactured outside of Christ it's deceptive and powerful in that deception because when it slips away whether gradually or in the space of mere moments, we are left despairing, our hearts aching and desolate and we turn around and blame the very one whose peace we are to cling to and not any of our own. Christ didn't lie, He couldn't lie. He told us we would have tribulation in the world.
Dict. tribulation (trîb´ye-lâ´shen) noun
1. Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering: the tribulations of the persecuted. See synonyms at trial.
2. An experience that tests one's endurance, patience, or faith.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
He told us we'd have tribulation in the world- we'd have great afflictions, great trials, great distress, great suffering. That doesn't sound very pleasant does it? It sounds rather uninviting if you want to be truthful. Christ isn't trying to deceive us, He couldn't there is no deception in Him. It's Satan who likes us to blame God for life and it's many horrific hardships. Christ tells us that we will have these horrific hardships but we are to be of good cheer? Why? Because He overcame the world. Christ overcame Satan and the hardships and because He overcame we too will overcome through Him and Him alone. So while we may be buffetted about by all the heartache and pain the world has to offer, our only hope is found in Christ's overcoming- not ours but His and us through Him.
John {14:27} Peace I leave with
you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid.
Christ's peace is left with us, not the peace of the world, but Christ's peace is given to us- it's only in Christ's peace that we can let our heart release the trouble in it, only in Christ's peace that we can let the fear in our hearts go.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Our imperfect love reaches out for His perfect love
Love me.
Words we hear, words we say, words we think all the time. Love me. We want to be loved. We imagine love is something amazing and special, something that will protect us to the best of its ability, something that will be there for us no matter what, something we can count on, something special, something that makes us unique. How often does love let us down? How often do we have expectations of love that fall apart? How often do we feel secure in that love and it lets us down. People are hurt by love all the time. People give their all and end up broken hearted. Why does that happen? Is it love letting people down or rather people letting love down?
Seriously. Love is something so amazing. Most parents have it for children and yet even parents have let love down.
The concept of love is a real one, one that we fantasize about, one that we apsire to or not. People write about it, read about it, make movies about it, dream of it, and love is always something really special- that special one either we're looking for it or we're wanting to be special to someone or both. Love. We want loving parents, loving friends, loving partners, loving children, we want this and yet inevitably love gets twisted. We equate love with trust and then we feel betrayed when the trust is broken. We want to find love and be loved and we can only find real true love in one place and it's not in another human being who can twist love into something that resembles love but misses the mark.
Ever wonder how so many people can love their pets? Pets are more trustworthy than humans aren't they? They seldom betray the love we give them and when they do it's excuseable because they are only animals and they don't know any better- humans are supposed to know better.
God wants to be loved and He knew as sinners it was beyond us to love Him with that perfect love so He sent His Son, He sent perfect love to us to reveal Himself to us and give us a chance to accept that love, to embrace that perfect love into our lives, to cling to that perfect love so that perfect love can be our perfect love for Him because we can't love Him perfectly on our own.
Ex. {20:6} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Deut. {5:10} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Prov. {8:17} I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
John {8:42} Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of
myself, but he sent me.
John {10:17} Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
John {14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John {14:23} Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him. {14:24} He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. {14:25} These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you. {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. {14:27} Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. {14:28} Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. {14:29} And now I have told you before it
come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. {14:30} Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. {14:31} But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
If we love Jesus we will keep His words which are God's words. The Comforter- the Holy Ghost is given to us to teach us everything, to bring things to our remembrance, everything Jesus has said. It's important we read the Bible, that we read all of what Jesus has said.
Love. Our imperfect love reaches out for His perfect love.
Please Lord.
By Your mercy, by Your grace, by Your love.
Amen.
Words we hear, words we say, words we think all the time. Love me. We want to be loved. We imagine love is something amazing and special, something that will protect us to the best of its ability, something that will be there for us no matter what, something we can count on, something special, something that makes us unique. How often does love let us down? How often do we have expectations of love that fall apart? How often do we feel secure in that love and it lets us down. People are hurt by love all the time. People give their all and end up broken hearted. Why does that happen? Is it love letting people down or rather people letting love down?
Seriously. Love is something so amazing. Most parents have it for children and yet even parents have let love down.
The concept of love is a real one, one that we fantasize about, one that we apsire to or not. People write about it, read about it, make movies about it, dream of it, and love is always something really special- that special one either we're looking for it or we're wanting to be special to someone or both. Love. We want loving parents, loving friends, loving partners, loving children, we want this and yet inevitably love gets twisted. We equate love with trust and then we feel betrayed when the trust is broken. We want to find love and be loved and we can only find real true love in one place and it's not in another human being who can twist love into something that resembles love but misses the mark.
Ever wonder how so many people can love their pets? Pets are more trustworthy than humans aren't they? They seldom betray the love we give them and when they do it's excuseable because they are only animals and they don't know any better- humans are supposed to know better.
God wants to be loved and He knew as sinners it was beyond us to love Him with that perfect love so He sent His Son, He sent perfect love to us to reveal Himself to us and give us a chance to accept that love, to embrace that perfect love into our lives, to cling to that perfect love so that perfect love can be our perfect love for Him because we can't love Him perfectly on our own.
Ex. {20:6} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Deut. {5:10} And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Prov. {8:17} I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
John {8:42} Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of
myself, but he sent me.
John {10:17} Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
John {14:15} If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John {14:23} Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him. {14:24} He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. {14:25} These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you. {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. {14:27} Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. {14:28} Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. {14:29} And now I have told you before it
come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. {14:30} Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. {14:31} But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
If we love Jesus we will keep His words which are God's words. The Comforter- the Holy Ghost is given to us to teach us everything, to bring things to our remembrance, everything Jesus has said. It's important we read the Bible, that we read all of what Jesus has said.
Love. Our imperfect love reaches out for His perfect love.
Please Lord.
By Your mercy, by Your grace, by Your love.
Amen.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
We Can't Be Ashamed of Christ
Luke
{19:10} For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
{19:11} And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the
kingdom of God should immediately appear.
{19:12} He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
{19:13} And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
{19:14} But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this [man] to reign over us.
{19:15} And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
{19:16} Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
{19:17} And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten
cities.
{19:18} And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
{19:19} And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
{19:20} And another came, saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin
{19:21} For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
{19:22} And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow
{19:23} Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
{19:24} And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds.
{19:25} (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
{19:26} For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken
away from him.
{19:27} But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.
*******
Christ went away to receive a kingdom with the plan of returning.
Before He went away He told His followers to take that which He'd given to them and to take care of it for Him doing what He'd want them to do with it, what He'd do with it.
Those that weren't His followers hated Him and made sure all around knew that they hated Him and wanted nothing to do with Him or the followers of Him.
Then it came to pass that He returned as promised, having done all He set out to do.
Back from where He'd gone, Christ called His servants to Him. Christ wanted to know what His servants had done with the commission He'd given them.
The first follower told Him he'd done well with the commission He'd given them. He went out and multiplied it, gaining, adding to, making more.
The second follower told Him he'd he'd done well with the commission given to him, not as well as the first one but he'd done what he could.
The third follower told Him that he didn't do anything but kept the commission safe.
Christ was pleased with the first two followers but not the third. He at least wanted the third servant to put the commission to use to earn more against it even it if wasn't much. The last thing He wanted was to hide the commission. If the commission wasn't going to be put to use He at least wanted it in a place that it could naturally earn usury, get interest on the commission.
Christ wants us - His followers not to hide our commission and what is that commission? To be His and not ashamed.
Mark {8:38} Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels
We can't hide our Christianity and I'm not talking about those who hide it to stay alive and witness in other ways and even then they don't deny it ultimately. If we are Christians and NO ONE knows we are Christians what does that mean? Are we hiding the commission given us by Christ? Are we hiding the one talent given to us to hold onto until Christ returns? Are was ashamed of being Christ's? Are we afraid of revealing the talent given even to the point of letting it earn interest for Christ. Not everyone can be bold and speak up, believe me I know. Some are speechless, some are timid, some scared, others just don't want to appear different but would rather fit in with things. No matter how or why, laziness or fearfulness, if we aren't noticeably Christians we are hiding the commission given to us by Christ. If no one else knows we are Christians we are ashamed of that fact. If we don't preach Christ's salvation and His second coming, we are ashamed. No, we all aren't called to be evangelists, or preachers, or teachers, but we are all called to be Christ's and not to be ashamed of that. When we are not ashamed we are noticeably Christians and any that notice that in even the smallest of ways earns interest for Christ and when He returns we will be able to say that we were His boldly as we could be letting others know because we weren't ashamed and that alone in some small way was able to produce an interest on the commission we were given.
We can't hide the talent given us, the commission given to us. We can't be ashamed of Christ. We need to ask ourselves if we are hiding and ashamed, it's a serious question to ask, one of the most serious because Christ will no longer call us His if we are ashamed and if we hide what He's given us, if we hide the salvation we've received in Him.
May the Lord Jesus Christ through His mercy and grace give us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit dwell in us and Christ's Righteousness fill us producing in us for Him what we cannot produce ourselves. Through Christ and His power, His love now and always.
Amen.
{19:10} For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
{19:11} And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the
kingdom of God should immediately appear.
{19:12} He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
{19:13} And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
{19:14} But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this [man] to reign over us.
{19:15} And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
{19:16} Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
{19:17} And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten
cities.
{19:18} And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
{19:19} And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
{19:20} And another came, saying, Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin
{19:21} For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
{19:22} And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow
{19:23} Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
{19:24} And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds.
{19:25} (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
{19:26} For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken
away from him.
{19:27} But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.
*******
Christ went away to receive a kingdom with the plan of returning.
Before He went away He told His followers to take that which He'd given to them and to take care of it for Him doing what He'd want them to do with it, what He'd do with it.
Those that weren't His followers hated Him and made sure all around knew that they hated Him and wanted nothing to do with Him or the followers of Him.
Then it came to pass that He returned as promised, having done all He set out to do.
Back from where He'd gone, Christ called His servants to Him. Christ wanted to know what His servants had done with the commission He'd given them.
The first follower told Him he'd done well with the commission He'd given them. He went out and multiplied it, gaining, adding to, making more.
The second follower told Him he'd he'd done well with the commission given to him, not as well as the first one but he'd done what he could.
The third follower told Him that he didn't do anything but kept the commission safe.
Christ was pleased with the first two followers but not the third. He at least wanted the third servant to put the commission to use to earn more against it even it if wasn't much. The last thing He wanted was to hide the commission. If the commission wasn't going to be put to use He at least wanted it in a place that it could naturally earn usury, get interest on the commission.
Christ wants us - His followers not to hide our commission and what is that commission? To be His and not ashamed.
Mark {8:38} Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels
We can't hide our Christianity and I'm not talking about those who hide it to stay alive and witness in other ways and even then they don't deny it ultimately. If we are Christians and NO ONE knows we are Christians what does that mean? Are we hiding the commission given us by Christ? Are we hiding the one talent given to us to hold onto until Christ returns? Are was ashamed of being Christ's? Are we afraid of revealing the talent given even to the point of letting it earn interest for Christ. Not everyone can be bold and speak up, believe me I know. Some are speechless, some are timid, some scared, others just don't want to appear different but would rather fit in with things. No matter how or why, laziness or fearfulness, if we aren't noticeably Christians we are hiding the commission given to us by Christ. If no one else knows we are Christians we are ashamed of that fact. If we don't preach Christ's salvation and His second coming, we are ashamed. No, we all aren't called to be evangelists, or preachers, or teachers, but we are all called to be Christ's and not to be ashamed of that. When we are not ashamed we are noticeably Christians and any that notice that in even the smallest of ways earns interest for Christ and when He returns we will be able to say that we were His boldly as we could be letting others know because we weren't ashamed and that alone in some small way was able to produce an interest on the commission we were given.
We can't hide the talent given us, the commission given to us. We can't be ashamed of Christ. We need to ask ourselves if we are hiding and ashamed, it's a serious question to ask, one of the most serious because Christ will no longer call us His if we are ashamed and if we hide what He's given us, if we hide the salvation we've received in Him.
May the Lord Jesus Christ through His mercy and grace give us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit dwell in us and Christ's Righteousness fill us producing in us for Him what we cannot produce ourselves. Through Christ and His power, His love now and always.
Amen.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
All wisdom and spiritual understanding
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
And desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Filled with the knowledge of his will. Don't we long for this? To know God's will for us? We pray Your will be done Lord, Your will no matter what it might be and yet in the back of our minds we are adding things like, 'but please, don't let this happen', or 'please, let this happen.' We want God's will to be done but we want it to match our own will. Sure we might not mind a little hardship, a few obstacles, a bit of angst to deal with but those huge monster problems we could do without, right? Yet, nevertheless not our will but Your will be done. We are willing to accept the horrific trials and by the grace of God keep our faith that no matter what we are asked to go through we believe that Jesus loves us, died for us and through the hope we place in Him and His righteousness we will be saved to eternal life in Him. We truly want to be fill with the knowledge of God's will. Show me thy will. We pray for that and yet sometimes perhaps as God is showing us we close our eyes because it's not our will, it's not what we want. That old saying- be careful what you ask/wish for you might get it- holds true. Rejecting the will of God has consequences. Jonah tried to reject the will of God and look what happened to Him. Others rejected the will of God and their fate is worse- it's death. There isn't any way to know what the outcome will be, whether the will of God will keep being pressed to you so you'll do it, or whether God will find another to do for Him what you won't. We do pray for the will of God, to be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding because we hope that we will see the wisdom and have such spiritual understanding that we won't doubt what is being revealed to us. Doubt is our enemy but we call it our smart side that gives us caution and keeps us from doing foolish things. Doubt, that small voice or that screaming banshee of a voice that keeps us from understanding the will of God. Yes, we need wisdom, we need spiritual understanding because with the wisdom we will know what to do and with the spiritual understanding we will recognize the will of God and we will follow Him and all His ways.
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
{1:10} That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
{1:11} Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
{1:12} Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
{1:13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son
{1:14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins
{1:15} Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
{1:16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him
{1:17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
{1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have
the preeminence.
{1:19} For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell
{1:20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say,] whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
{1:21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
{1:22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
{1:23} If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister
{1:24} Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church
{1:25} Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
{1:26} [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints
{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
{1:28} Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus {1:29} Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
To whom God would make known what the riches of the glory of this mystery among Gentiles which is Christ in you- the hope of glory. Whom we preach warning every men and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
The will of God. Spiritual understanding, wisdom, the will of God preached to EVERY man Jesus, the hope of glory. Warning EVERY man so that every man is perfect in Christ Jesus.
We have a duty to warn and to preach, those of us who are Christ's. We have a duty to warn them of the peril they are in if they are not in Christ. We have a duty to preach Christ Jesus the hope of all men, the hope of glory- Christ in us.
May we be given wisdom and spiritual understanding to know the will of God and to follow the will of God. May we preach and warn those we meet of the hope in Christ in them. Bless us Lord, be the voice we can't be, help us Lord, help us. Lord we believe, help thou our unbelief. Lord we need you desperately our willl is weak and our knowledge small. Please Lord we are weak, and You are strong, You are our Hope in glory, You, Christ Jesus our Lord, our only Hope now and forever.
Amen.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
And desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Filled with the knowledge of his will. Don't we long for this? To know God's will for us? We pray Your will be done Lord, Your will no matter what it might be and yet in the back of our minds we are adding things like, 'but please, don't let this happen', or 'please, let this happen.' We want God's will to be done but we want it to match our own will. Sure we might not mind a little hardship, a few obstacles, a bit of angst to deal with but those huge monster problems we could do without, right? Yet, nevertheless not our will but Your will be done. We are willing to accept the horrific trials and by the grace of God keep our faith that no matter what we are asked to go through we believe that Jesus loves us, died for us and through the hope we place in Him and His righteousness we will be saved to eternal life in Him. We truly want to be fill with the knowledge of God's will. Show me thy will. We pray for that and yet sometimes perhaps as God is showing us we close our eyes because it's not our will, it's not what we want. That old saying- be careful what you ask/wish for you might get it- holds true. Rejecting the will of God has consequences. Jonah tried to reject the will of God and look what happened to Him. Others rejected the will of God and their fate is worse- it's death. There isn't any way to know what the outcome will be, whether the will of God will keep being pressed to you so you'll do it, or whether God will find another to do for Him what you won't. We do pray for the will of God, to be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding because we hope that we will see the wisdom and have such spiritual understanding that we won't doubt what is being revealed to us. Doubt is our enemy but we call it our smart side that gives us caution and keeps us from doing foolish things. Doubt, that small voice or that screaming banshee of a voice that keeps us from understanding the will of God. Yes, we need wisdom, we need spiritual understanding because with the wisdom we will know what to do and with the spiritual understanding we will recognize the will of God and we will follow Him and all His ways.
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
{1:9} For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it,] do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
{1:10} That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
{1:11} Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness
{1:12} Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
{1:13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son
{1:14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins
{1:15} Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
{1:16} For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him
{1:17} And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
{1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have
the preeminence.
{1:19} For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell
{1:20} And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say,] whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
{1:21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in [your] mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
{1:22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
{1:23} If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and [be] not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, [and] which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister
{1:24} Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church
{1:25} Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
{1:26} [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints
{1:27} To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
{1:28} Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus {1:29} Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
To whom God would make known what the riches of the glory of this mystery among Gentiles which is Christ in you- the hope of glory. Whom we preach warning every men and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
The will of God. Spiritual understanding, wisdom, the will of God preached to EVERY man Jesus, the hope of glory. Warning EVERY man so that every man is perfect in Christ Jesus.
We have a duty to warn and to preach, those of us who are Christ's. We have a duty to warn them of the peril they are in if they are not in Christ. We have a duty to preach Christ Jesus the hope of all men, the hope of glory- Christ in us.
May we be given wisdom and spiritual understanding to know the will of God and to follow the will of God. May we preach and warn those we meet of the hope in Christ in them. Bless us Lord, be the voice we can't be, help us Lord, help us. Lord we believe, help thou our unbelief. Lord we need you desperately our willl is weak and our knowledge small. Please Lord we are weak, and You are strong, You are our Hope in glory, You, Christ Jesus our Lord, our only Hope now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Live according to God in the spirit.
Col.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Your love in the Spirit. Love in the Spirit. What does it mean to have love in the Spirit? What is- in the Spirit? There are a lot of verses in the Bible on this so lets take a look at a few.
Luke {1:13} But the angel said unto him, Fear not,
Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
{1:14} And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many
shall rejoice at his birth. {1:15} For he shall be great in the
sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother’s womb. {1:16} And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. {1:17} And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord.
* John the Baptist- filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. Filled with the Spirit- able to turn many to the Lord their God. In the spirit and power of the prophet Elias, John would would turn the hearts of the father to their children, the bad to the wisdom of good, preparing a people for the Lord. We all know that John the Baptist preached prior to Christ's undertaking His own ministry. That John the Baptist, baptized many turning their thoughts to God- preparing them for Jesus. The Holy Spirit filled John. John lived in the Spirit from the womb. We look at John's life- he lived in the wilderness, he ate locust, honey, and never touched wine or strong drink. His life was hardly desireable to anyone. He lived a strange life totally selfless not seeking his own pleasures at all. His life was devoted to preaching, witnessing for God. To say He was unique wouldn't be far off the mark. There weren't tons of *wild men* in the desert preaching, or down at the river baptizing. John made a name for himself as a prophet heralding the Messiah- it wasn't John's fault people rejected the Messiah when He came- or rather most did. John did all He could do in the Spirit.
John {11:33} When Jesus therefore saw her
weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her,
he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, {11:34} And
said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord,
come and see. {11:35} Jesus wept.
*Jesus groaned in the spirit and was trouble. In this instance it's very probably that the spirit here (and I don't know ancient languages so I'm not sure) but, it's very probable it means spirit the same way we do when we feel down in the dumps, our spirits are low. Jesus was upset, he was troubled by the grief all around him. Jesus wept. So to say his spirit was heavy would mean he was filled with emotional pain.
Acts {18:5} And when
Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was
pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews [that] Jesus
[was] Christ.
*Pressed in the spirit- convicted to testify to the Jews- Jesus Christ. The spirit convicts us to act, it presses us to respond, guiding us to do what needs to be done, if we listen to the spirit. How often do we push away spirit convictions? Too often we silence the very one we want to guide us. We all need to be pressed in the spirit and as Paul, we need to listen, to testify of Jesus Christ.
Acts. {18:25} This man was instructed in the
way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake
and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only
the baptism of John.
*Being fervent in the spirit- teaching diligently the things of the Lord. The spirit speaks we need to yield, to listen, to obey.
Ro. {2:29} But he
[is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that]
of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose
praise [is] not of men, but of God.
*A Jew in spirit, whose heart is cirucmsized, whose praise comes from God. Being a Jew in spirit is being a child of God's even if it's not so in blood, in heredity. Jew in spirit.
Ro. {8:9}
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. {8:10} And if Christ [be]
in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. {8:11} But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
*Praise God! We can have the Spirit of HIM that raised Jesus from the dead, in us! The Spirit is righteousness, not us, the Spirit in us- Christ in us. Our mortal bodies will be quicken by his Spirit in us. We can't be of the flesh of just ourselves and hope for life eternal. We have to have the Spirit in us, the Spirit of *God* in us it is the only way we can have hope at all, the only way.
Gal. {3:3} Are
ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh? {3:4} Have ye suffered so many things
in vain? if [it be] yet in vain. {3:5} He therefore that
ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among
you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? {3:6} Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.
*The only way we are made perfect is in the Spirit, never of ourselves, never. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Sacrifice it is done in Spirit- there is no physical, fleshy act involved, it is a Spirit act. A Spiritual transaction, the part in us that relates to God joins with the Holy Spirit. We are transformed by the Spirit, not the flesh. Faith, as Abraham had we have to have, faith that is by the Spirit of God. Faith and the Spirit are together, not flesh and the Spirit.
Gal. {5:16} [This] I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh. {5:17} For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The flesh lusts against the Spirit, the Spirit against the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another- contrary.
{5:18}
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
{5:19} Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
[these;] Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
{5:20} Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, {5:21} Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell
you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
*Flesh. Works of the flesh, no wonder they're contrary to the Spirit. All that brings out the worst in people is contrary to the Spirit.
{5:22} But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {5:23}
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
*Spirit. Works of the Spirit- Fruits of the Spirit are so different than those of the flesh.
{5:24}
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. {5:25} If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit. {5:26} Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
*Crucified the flesh.
Live in the Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit.
*It is clear we need to crucify the flesh- the works of the flesh that rise up in us. We need to focus on the Spirit, live in the Spirit. If we live in something, if we walk a certain walk of life it is part of us, part of who we are, who we wish to be. We can't encourage works of the flesh and hope to live in the Spirit, they are contrary to one another, they fight against each other. When you crucify something it's not easy, the very act of mortifying, subduing the flesh entails a struggle, an action that requires hardship. Crucifying our fleshy nature isn't easy, but it is possible in Christ, through Christ, with the Holy Spirit indwelling in us.
Gal. {6:1} Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted
Eph. {4:22} That ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; {4:23} And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind
Eph. {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints
Phil. {3:3} For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh.
Col. {2:5} For though I
be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying
and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith
in Christ.
1 Tim. {3:16} And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory.
1 Pet. {4:6} For for
this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
*Live according to God in the spirit.
May God help us as we seek to live in the spirit and not in the flesh, as we choose to accept Christ and His ways and not our own. May the Holy Spirit come into us guiding us making it possible through faith to be Christ's now and forever. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, now and forever.
Amen.
{1:8} Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
Your love in the Spirit. Love in the Spirit. What does it mean to have love in the Spirit? What is- in the Spirit? There are a lot of verses in the Bible on this so lets take a look at a few.
Luke {1:13} But the angel said unto him, Fear not,
Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
{1:14} And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many
shall rejoice at his birth. {1:15} For he shall be great in the
sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong
drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother’s womb. {1:16} And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. {1:17} And he
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient
to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord.
* John the Baptist- filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. Filled with the Spirit- able to turn many to the Lord their God. In the spirit and power of the prophet Elias, John would would turn the hearts of the father to their children, the bad to the wisdom of good, preparing a people for the Lord. We all know that John the Baptist preached prior to Christ's undertaking His own ministry. That John the Baptist, baptized many turning their thoughts to God- preparing them for Jesus. The Holy Spirit filled John. John lived in the Spirit from the womb. We look at John's life- he lived in the wilderness, he ate locust, honey, and never touched wine or strong drink. His life was hardly desireable to anyone. He lived a strange life totally selfless not seeking his own pleasures at all. His life was devoted to preaching, witnessing for God. To say He was unique wouldn't be far off the mark. There weren't tons of *wild men* in the desert preaching, or down at the river baptizing. John made a name for himself as a prophet heralding the Messiah- it wasn't John's fault people rejected the Messiah when He came- or rather most did. John did all He could do in the Spirit.
John {11:33} When Jesus therefore saw her
weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her,
he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, {11:34} And
said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord,
come and see. {11:35} Jesus wept.
*Jesus groaned in the spirit and was trouble. In this instance it's very probably that the spirit here (and I don't know ancient languages so I'm not sure) but, it's very probable it means spirit the same way we do when we feel down in the dumps, our spirits are low. Jesus was upset, he was troubled by the grief all around him. Jesus wept. So to say his spirit was heavy would mean he was filled with emotional pain.
Acts {18:5} And when
Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was
pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews [that] Jesus
[was] Christ.
*Pressed in the spirit- convicted to testify to the Jews- Jesus Christ. The spirit convicts us to act, it presses us to respond, guiding us to do what needs to be done, if we listen to the spirit. How often do we push away spirit convictions? Too often we silence the very one we want to guide us. We all need to be pressed in the spirit and as Paul, we need to listen, to testify of Jesus Christ.
Acts. {18:25} This man was instructed in the
way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake
and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only
the baptism of John.
*Being fervent in the spirit- teaching diligently the things of the Lord. The spirit speaks we need to yield, to listen, to obey.
Ro. {2:29} But he
[is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that]
of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose
praise [is] not of men, but of God.
*A Jew in spirit, whose heart is cirucmsized, whose praise comes from God. Being a Jew in spirit is being a child of God's even if it's not so in blood, in heredity. Jew in spirit.
Ro. {8:9}
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. {8:10} And if Christ [be]
in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is]
life because of righteousness. {8:11} But if the Spirit of him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
*Praise God! We can have the Spirit of HIM that raised Jesus from the dead, in us! The Spirit is righteousness, not us, the Spirit in us- Christ in us. Our mortal bodies will be quicken by his Spirit in us. We can't be of the flesh of just ourselves and hope for life eternal. We have to have the Spirit in us, the Spirit of *God* in us it is the only way we can have hope at all, the only way.
Gal. {3:3} Are
ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh? {3:4} Have ye suffered so many things
in vain? if [it be] yet in vain. {3:5} He therefore that
ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among
you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? {3:6} Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.
*The only way we are made perfect is in the Spirit, never of ourselves, never. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Sacrifice it is done in Spirit- there is no physical, fleshy act involved, it is a Spirit act. A Spiritual transaction, the part in us that relates to God joins with the Holy Spirit. We are transformed by the Spirit, not the flesh. Faith, as Abraham had we have to have, faith that is by the Spirit of God. Faith and the Spirit are together, not flesh and the Spirit.
Gal. {5:16} [This] I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the
flesh. {5:17} For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The flesh lusts against the Spirit, the Spirit against the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are contrary to one another- contrary.
{5:18}
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
{5:19} Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
[these;] Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
{5:20} Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, {5:21} Envyings, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell
you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
*Flesh. Works of the flesh, no wonder they're contrary to the Spirit. All that brings out the worst in people is contrary to the Spirit.
{5:22} But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {5:23}
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
*Spirit. Works of the Spirit- Fruits of the Spirit are so different than those of the flesh.
{5:24}
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. {5:25} If we live in the Spirit, let us
also walk in the Spirit. {5:26} Let us not be desirous of vain
glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
*Crucified the flesh.
Live in the Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit.
*It is clear we need to crucify the flesh- the works of the flesh that rise up in us. We need to focus on the Spirit, live in the Spirit. If we live in something, if we walk a certain walk of life it is part of us, part of who we are, who we wish to be. We can't encourage works of the flesh and hope to live in the Spirit, they are contrary to one another, they fight against each other. When you crucify something it's not easy, the very act of mortifying, subduing the flesh entails a struggle, an action that requires hardship. Crucifying our fleshy nature isn't easy, but it is possible in Christ, through Christ, with the Holy Spirit indwelling in us.
Gal. {6:1} Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted
Eph. {4:22} That ye put
off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; {4:23} And be
renewed in the spirit of your mind
Eph. {6:18} Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints
Phil. {3:3} For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh.
Col. {2:5} For though I
be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying
and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith
in Christ.
1 Tim. {3:16} And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory.
1 Pet. {4:6} For for
this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the
flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
*Live according to God in the spirit.
May God help us as we seek to live in the spirit and not in the flesh, as we choose to accept Christ and His ways and not our own. May the Holy Spirit come into us guiding us making it possible through faith to be Christ's now and forever. By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior, now and forever.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)